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UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS
TUESDAY, MARCH 30, 1943
Constitution Covering Unicameral Plan Will Need Bills For Powerful Council
The future of student government at the University depends upon the action of the student body Thursday when the polls open for students to vote on the new unicameral plan. That it is the duty of every man and woman on the campus to take part in that decisive vote is no question, but just what action each student takes should be the result of careful and intelligent consideration of the new constitution set forth by the present Men's Student Council and the Women's Self-Governing Association.
Combining the MSC and WSGA into a unicameral system is one of the most promising and progressive ideas that student bodies at the University have had for some time. Especially now, during the times of decreasing enrollment when the strength of student government can be lost through two weak bodies completely independent of one another, is it well to work toward a unified system. With the bickering of politics cast aside, the MSC and WSGA have taken a step toward growth for student leadership.
Under this new constitution which does have a lot of merits and which is, no doubt, worth a trial, it will be up to the new council mostly to make the plan work. With responsible leadership and careful organization to start the plan working, the council can become powerful in its action on the campus. If, however, the operation of this new government is dependent mainly on the constitution, it will probably fall short of success.
On the surface, the constitution seems to be a loosely constructed document which a council governing under such a plan could mold and bend to fit its own interpretations. The plan as outlined is indefinite and full of general statements; however, such may have been the intentions of those who wrote it.
If it is the plan of the student governments to amend the proposed constitution after it has been accepted and to add more definite statements concerning its operation, then the general constitution presented will be a strong and workable document. Bills will need to be passed governing the election of the president. The constitution states that the president shall have served on the council before but shall be elected by the student body at large. The plan does not give any method of nomination nor does it state how such an election should be handled. This, according to the plans of the councils, will be regulated through additional rules and regulations set up to govern general elections so that the working of the council will be stable instead of varying from year to year.
Calling for representation of the two sexes from each school which shall tend toward a mean between proportional and equal representation, the constitution fails to set any ratio for this proportion. The plan states that it shall be fixed by the council in consultation with its advisory committee at least one month before the general election. This unsettled arrangement allows the proportion of representation to vary from year to year. Some years a member of the council may represent 200 students while the following year a member may represent 300 students. This might cause a variation
Just Wondering
What would happen if a fire were to start in one of the University buildings some night when there is no telephone service on the campus after the KU operator has gone and it is impossible to get a city operator.
--in the strength and power of the council, while a fixed proportion would tend to make the council more equal
The unicameral plan with the constitution presented is a definite improvement over the old bicameral system, and it deserves the support of the student body. The new council itself, however, under any constitution, no matter how weak or how strong, can not carry on student government alone. This constitution, if accepted, will be the constitution of the whole student body, and it will take the cooperation of the whole student body to make it successful.
O---
A report from Bern, Switzerland, one of the few reliable news sources in Europe, states that newspapers in Alsace bring out this fact drawn from obituary notices; mere lads enrolled for compulsory army service are being sent to the eastern front after only a "few weeks" training. This report indicates that Germany stringently lacks man-power as well as appreciation of the value of human life.-FA
The refrigerator may be brought back into production, says Donald Nelson, WPB chairman. Now if we can only get something to put in it, we're all set.
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Student Paper of THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS Lawrence, Kansas
EDITORIAL STAFF
Editor-in-Chief...Virginia Tieman
Editorial Associates...Don Keown, Jimmy
Gunn, Maurice Barker
NEWS STAFF
Managing Editor...Joy Miller
Sunday editor...Bill Haage
Campus Editors...Jane Miner, Florence
        Brown, Clara Lee Oxley
Sports Editor...Matt Heuertz
News Editor...Phyllis Jones
Picture Editor...Bob Schultheis
Society Editor...Annie Lou Rossman
Wire Editor...Virginia Gunsly
Feature Editor...Jane Miner
BUSINESS STAFF
Business Manager ... Oliver Hughes
Advertising Manager ... Betty Lou Perkins
Assistant Advertising Manager .. Mary Eleanor Fry
Advertising Assistant ... Mary Morrill
By MARY MORRILL
Maybe his parents are cousins: Claudine Scott didn't think too much about it when Dale Lingelbach fell flat in her company the other night on 14th street. But when he collapsed again the same night—this time in the middle of the Corbin living room—she began to wonder. Lingelbach insists he had just had new heels put on his shoes, but when last interviewed Claudine was still unconvinced.
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An educational feature: Although they professed chivalry, it is suspected that the forty-odd men who gathered to help Jean Scott down from Watkins roof Monday afternoon had ulterior motives. Jean had been taking a sunbath—or something. The wind was blowing its customary gale and when she started to descend by means of a narrow fire escape—the only means—complications set in. She took her hand from her skirt to hold on to the rail and the skirt billowed above her head. She held it down slighting the rail and there was the very concrete possibility of falling three stories.
A sharp Battenfeld boy first perceived the novelty of the situation and issued the call. Within five minutes Carruth, Templin, and Battenfeld boasted 100 per cent representation. Forty or so waited beneath the fire escape while others crawled out on their own roofs, or leaned from windows with opera glasses.
Jean was panic stricken. She didn't care particularly for the idea of remaining on the roof for the rest of her days, yet every time she attempted to descend the wind did the same thing to her skirt and the delight of the posse below increased.
Just when it looked as if she were going to have to come down whether or no, some traiter, by way of anti-elimax, hoisted a pair of blue jeans. Jean donned them in a corner of the roof visible to the least number of spectators and made an unrevealing descent. The chorus of boos was deafening.
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Competition and private enterprise: Evidently John Wells, Phi Delt, couldn't stand to see his little brother such an important step ahead of him—anyway, the rumor still circulates that the elder of the Wells brothers also has joined up with the regulars. Quinton, the small fry, started going steady some weeks ago on account, no doubt, of the examples set by his two roommates, Jack McCoy and Kirk Scott (or perhaps it was Quinton who influenced Scott and McCoy—at present they are all equally unavailable.)
According to one story which emanates from a reliable source within the house, one evening at dinner after the Phi's sang "Let's go down to Merry Betty Layes" lustily three times to Scott and two encores of the "Speed Thee My Arrow" for Quinton, John left for the Pi Phi house with the remark that he must do something about this. And he did.
Spring Shift Comes On Ear-Muffs Leave
By JANE MINER
Against the sudden invasion of warm weather, KU coeds have counter-attacked with cotton dresses and light-weight jackets. The flannel skirts and the heavy tweeds have gone the way of "White Christmas," as have the heavy-knit, hip-length sweaters. sult, Lucy's been strolling around the campus with her favorite (the one she has the date more often. Sad to sth
Gayly-colored cotton dirndl skirts-as sure a proof of the coming of spring as the roller-skating and rope-skipping of grade schools- have hit Mt. Oread again.
Scuffed saddle oxfordies lie discarded in closets, and huaraches now squeak along campus walks and through library rooms—a never failing source of amusement to "on-hearers." With the number of new unrational playshoes seen around, it looks as if the government and the number 17 coupons are getting the run-around.
Bulky wool socks which formerly sheathed the ankles of Hill women have given away to gayly-colored cotton socks, or to no socks at all. The women have discarded their head scarves, and the men have put their brightly-colored ear-muffs in moth bails for the summer. And hair-bows and flowers are blossoming forth on Lucy's locks. As a result, Lucy's been strolling around the campus with her favorite man (the one she has the date with) more often. Sad to state, he still "ensacked" in his yellow cords (maybe they've been cleaned, though). The only sign of spring in him is his crew cut and the turning of his fancy. To what?—well, who knows?
Socks Are Lighter
(Editor's note to men: We even saw one girl in a pair of curvaceous white shorts.—No whistles, please.) New Hats to Church
With warm weather and a chance to wear that new hat, coeds flocked to church Sunday. But few were the new suits; probably the prospect of that new uniform restraints their buying.
Sailors on the Hill have doffed their jackets and brave the winds in their blue sleeves, and lie lazily on the lawn at lunch hour, as the
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