PAGE SIX
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS
SUNDAY, APRIL 11, 1943
Well-Aimed Petition Loses Significance When Used for Any Political Advantage
The petition that was circulated on the campus this weekend was probably started in all good faith to help bring about democratic ideals and to relieve a problem that some persons have felt pressing for some time. When this petition, however, fell into the hands of students who saw a chance to use it, not as a means to help the Negro, but as a weapon to defeat other political ideas, the whole situation became disgusting and disgraceful.
Many students on the Hill signed the petition endorsing more liberal rights for the Negro in student activities because they actually felt that the Negro is entitled to entertainment and participation in student affairs. These persons did not, however, aim to sign any document which is becoming the basis for student politics.
The petition was started on the campus as the result of several sincere requests on the part of some white students that the Negro be given a chance to attend last night's Junior Prom and be allowed other privileges with all University students. The persons who honestly believe in this are taking a step which must be admired and their liberalism and democratic ideas are commendable. It is unfortunate that the intentions of such students must be swept aside by some persons who signed the petition not because they believed in what they were doing, but because it was an opportunity to sway votes to one political side or the other. "For the good of the party" or "more votes for our side" is a poor thought in any action which includes the race question or any consideration of freedom and rights.
Any party who has the interest of all students foremost in its mind is to be admired for fearlessly bringing to light any question that hinders the full practice of those interests. To bring up a question that will appear favorable to a group of students just because it might mean a hundred or so votes for the party in an election is a violation of the trust given campus leaders.
Not only does the insincerity of such actions cause persons to lose faith in ideals and principles, but it also places the University Negro in an embarrassing situation. The Negro did not ask for the petition; neither did he ask to be included in any platform or campaign. His minority position and his silent cooperation have been taken advantage of when the real reason behind any such liberal action is lost.
Under the new constitution, no petition would have been necessary to gain the Negro admittance to the dance. Such an action to test student opinion is a fine idea, because no government can work for the people or for students unless it knows what those persons are thinking and what they want. However, when there is a possibility that the Councils were led to think that many students really believed in the petition they signed when it was actually done for political means, then students are failing their leaders.
Students have asked for political parties, and now they have them. Parties can be strong, powerful, and profitable when used in the right way; and American ideals will live only as long as there are persons to work for these parties in their true purpose instead of twisting and distorting principles for political ends.
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Just Wondering
How many different plans will be voiced at the conference of the 39 United Nations to discuss postwar food problems which starts in this country April 27.
The Nazis have put an 11 o'clock curfew on restaurants and public houses; that is, if the RAF doesn't close them sooner.
The Institute of Women's Professional Relations wants to stake a claim for a better place for women in the postwar world. The home used to be good enough.
O-
In Chicago, Arpd Sabados, 107 years of age gave a recipe for longevity: retire at 100. He no doubt, must believe that the first 100 years are the hardest.
Berlin radio has reported in a broadcast that the 8th army has started "test shots" for finding range to German strongholds. At least, that is better than Rommel's "trial and error method.
Office of Price Administration has announced that sugar will be available for home canning this year on approximately the same basis as last season with no deduction of blue point stamps for sugar obtained for this purpose. With the increase in victory gardens and the canned food rationing program, American women can help the situation by home canning and preserving of fresh products.
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Student Paper of THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS Lawrence, Kansas
EDITORIAL STAFF
NEWS STAFF
Editor-in-Chief ...Virginia Tieman
Editorial Associates ...Don Keown, Jimmy
Gunn, Maurice Barker
Managing Editor ...Joy Miller
Sunday editor ...Bill Haage
Campus Editors ...Jane Miner, Florence
Sports Editor Matt Heuerzt
News Editor Phyllis Jones
Picture Editor Bob Schultheis
Society Editor Annie Lou Rossman
Wire Editor Virginia Gunsolly
Feature Editor Jane Miner
Business Manager ... Oliver Hughes
Advertising Manager ... Betty Lou Perkins
Assistant Advertising Manager . Mary Eleanor Fry
Advertising Assistant ... Mary Morrill
BUSINESS STAFF
By MARY MORRILL
Avoid shrinking—dryclean: Jean Cody, Chi O, was preparing to spend this weekend with Dayton Shark, a former Phi Psi, who is now in the service. She was shampooing her hair and singing something about "Let's get lost—lost in each others arms."
Jean emerged from the fog rather immediately when someone asked her when she had started dry cleaning her hair. Jean looked more carefully at her bottle of liquid shampoo. It said "Energine."
*****
Wolfing—even the engineers are: Ruth Krehbiel and Rosslyn McCampbell, after acquiring their own dates, went with Elsie Thompson Friday night to pick up (drag out) Larry Smith at the Theta Tau house. Larry sent down word that he was writing some important letters and it might be a while.
The Corbin girls were sitting demurely in the front room when they were approached by the other engineer in the house who wasn't studving—Locker Bentley.
Said Bentley bluntly, "None of you look very funny."
Without further comment he began bringing in zoot coats, derbies, bow ties, etc., draping all to the best advantage.
The girls looked terriqe, but Bentley got in much trouble with the literary Smith for taking such an interest in the latter's enterprise—namely Elsie. It must have been pretty serious. Saturday morning Bentley went to Kansas City.
The bells are ringing: Phyllis Davis, Campus house, was more disappointed than anything else when she woke up in the middle of the night and found that the noises she had been hearing came from a barrage of alarm clocks set off by her very good friends Helen Yount, Arlene Bender, and LuEllen Hall. It seems Phyllis had been having a delightful dream about June and weddings and the sound effects had made everything real.
*****
Two can play as well as one: Emmy Neidermeyer and Helen Dilley, Wager hall, tired of the navy chorus, "We Don't Want No More of Kansas," ringing constantly in their ears, so they made up words of their own to the song with a chorus of "We Don't Want no More Sailors."
Eight of the lines:
* * *
They whistle at our coeds
They took our union ballroom
And bring the dogs around;
And stuck us in the lounge.
They roam the streets on weekends
And date our junior high;
They don't seem to remember
Kansas is supposedly dry.
er every chorus the girls hasten to explain they are only kid-
are the sailors—they hope.
The pre-war student who worked his way through college by selling magazine subscriptions, shoveling snow, firing furnaces, and jerking sodas has been replaced by the student working on a job that will help him make good in a career even before he is graduated.
"In the past," Endicott said, "we had to find jobs for students. Now we can't find students for the jobs. This situation provides the placement bureaus of colleges with an opportunity to become vocational guidance centers. Before the war, all we could do in most cases was
A survey of jobs offered students since the opening of school last fall reveals that 1,900 positions were available, with only 1,200 students to fill them. Nearly all the jobs, although part-time, provided special experience.
Opportunities for college students to work their way through school were never more plentiful, according to Frank S. Endicott, director of Northwestern university's placement bureau, who reports that since the war, students have their pick of jobs offering valuable experience in essential businesses and industries.
No More Soda Jerking JOBS PLENTIFUL
by Associated Collegiate Press
to see that the students got some kind of a job. Now we can try to adapt different students to various kinds of jobs that coincide with their occupational interests."
This situation holds true for women students, as well as for men, Endicott said. Especially wanted are women with some professional, secretarial, or technical training; and to supply this need Northwestern University has instituted nearly 150 courses designed to train women for war service, industry, and community work.
Although many men students expect to be called into the service soon, they are confident that their part-time work experiences will aid them when they return after the war. Meanwhile women will have an opportunity to fit into positions previously held chiefly by men.
— BUY U.S. WAR BONDS —