PAGE SIX UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS MARCH 19,1947 Kansan Comments Dirty Politics "They've gone about as fur as they kin go" in campus politics, and a party by any other name would smell. It would almost have to be corrupt to beat its entrenched opposition, thanks to student voting habits. The honor seems to lie, not in honest tactics, but in getting away with unethical ones. There is not much hope for improving the political situation until the student body takes the initiative in demanding a change. A number of students, both Independent and Greek, testify that some party representative at the polls has looked at the contents of their ballots before dropping them into the box. Persons in one highly-organized party reported confidently that their group had worked out a voting plan for all members in order to beat the proportional representation system. Parties which must combat decentralized living and lack of interest take indifferent voters to the polls in automobiles. The new ASC bill to limit campaign expenditures won't help even an effect, much less a cause, of dirty politics. That it would work a hardship on the party which combines its men and women under one title was given little consideration by the other two factions. It was put through by the party which has the most difficulty raising funds; the opposition was not to the fact that the bill was inadequate but that the amounts were too low. No provision was made for loopholes, such as splitting parties indefinitely with off-the-record co-operation agreements. It is true that a man's a man, whether he's Greek or Independent. But, by the very nature of things, voting will operate to draw a dividing line. Co-operation is a specific part of the fraternal way of living, while many independent students avoid living in organized groups because they prefer not to participate in social or other activities. To some degree, the same situation exists between organized and unor- DE LUXE CAFE 28 years of service Same Location-Same Management You Are Welcome 711 Mass. Dear Editor---organized independent groups. All may be equally sincere,but the person who has the most acquaintances usually gets the most votes. The recent editorial about lobbying at All Student council meetings made me want to submit this further "gripe." Party Line Voting I think the ASC itself could be a fine democratic organization and be of much service to the students and the University; but the undemocratic way the members carry on their business is deplorable. I live in an organized house which has a political leader and an ASC representative. Whenever a person's name or an issue is to be voted on at ASC meeting, they are both busy on the phone calling their party members on the ASC to inform them how to vote. This is a free country, but not in their eyes. To be a good representative of one's district or organization an ASC member should consider the qualifications of the candidates and the merits of the issues, not just be led by the hand blindly to vote for whomever he is told will do the most for his party. The main cause of this, I think, is the Greek-Independent rivalry. One would think there is a definite difference in the type of persons in each group. But actually we all have about the same culture and general abilities. I do not know the remedy, but I wish something could be done. College senior (Name withheld by request) The question of whether we ought to have politics is like whether we ought to have an atomic bomb; we have them and can argue now only how to use them to best advantage, University students, supposedly the cream of civilization, ought to be able to involve higher ideals in their political system than could society as a whole. But regardless of the means, the end should be putting the best candidate in office for a better student government, not adding to the prestige of some organization. WURLITZER PHONOGRAPHS Used Juke Box Records For Sale FOR PARTY RENTALS Elect Best Candidate John H. Emick 1014 Mass. Phone 343 Politics as it now exists on this campus is no more than a cut-throat game of cracks and mud-slinging between the Independents and the Greeks. Each comes out with a high-sounding party platform—but nothing ever is accomplished. Fundamentally the platforms are the same, but each party opposes the other for spite. The only real difference between the Independents and the Greek students, as far as I can see, is in the social life—and that isn't as great as most people think. These other barriers are only mental ones. Talking frankly with any individual of the opposite party for half an hour will bear this out. All students, whether they will admit it or not, desire best student government which will work to provide the students with ways and means for attaining a more desirable education. The administration has been sharply criticized for not letting the students have more control in affairs. If the March 8 council meeting is an example of the way students handle their government, why should the administration turn over the university to students? When the students wake up and unite for better student government, they will realize the power actually vested in them by their constitution. When they prove their worth to the administration, it will bestow responsibility upon them. Let's do away with this cut-throat, mud-slinging policy and unite for the benefit of all the students in the University of Kansas. No, I'm not advocating amalgamation of all political parties, only asking that instead of irrational voting the members of the ASC vote, after careful consideration of the issue, in a way that will give K.U. the best student government. With elections coming up in less than a month, all students might Atomic Bomb Problems To Be Discussed On KFKU A roundtable discussion on problems and methods of international control of the atomic bomb will be presented over KFKU at 9:30 p.m. tomorrow. Speakers participating in the program will be Dr. David Hume, assistant professor of chemistry; Dr. Frank Hoeker, associate professor of physics; and Dr. Ethan Alger, professor of political science and director of the bureau of government research. Students Will Discuss Jobs There will be a meeting of all students interested in summer resort jobs and summer camps at 4 pm. Thursday in 116 Frank Strong hall. think seriously about the persons whom they send to the ASC to govern them this next year, so that K.U. government may indeed be of the finest quality. Betty van der Smissen College Sophomore. The University Daily Kansan Student Newspaper of the UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS Member of the Kansas Press Assn., National Editorial Assn., Inlandia Press Assn., and the Association, Collegiate Press. Representes the National Advertising Service. 420 Madison Ave, New York City. Managing Editor Billie M. Hamilton Editor in Chief Alamanda Bollier Asst. Man. Editor Mechelia Mueller Revenue Manager Reverend Mullan City Editor William T. Smith Jr. Assistant City Editor T. Smith Jr. Assist. City Editor Martha Jewett Assist. Telegraph Editor Wendell Bryant Asst. Telegraph Editor Marian Mino Art Editor Bob Obonebrake Advertising Manager Alma Wuthnow Circulation Manager John Beacon Classified Manager LaVernay White Promotion Manager Kenneth White Megan Manager Mel Ada By Bibler (Sponsored by Memorial Association)