PAGE SIX UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1942 Responsible Student Leaders Needed To Prevent Future Demonstrations Aside from the fact that the mob demonstration of irresponsible students Friday afternoon almost lost the entire student body an extended Christmas vacation, the near-riot also had another important angle. It revealed once again that this University is sadly in need of real student leaders—a lack largely due to the present faulty student government setup. Twice now, within a period of slightly over a year, students have turned to violent means of attempting to gain their ends, rather than to act through student representatives. There is at present, and has been for some time, a total lack of confidence among the student body in MSC members. There could have been no more vivid an exhibition of that distrust than occurred Friday when MSC members attempted to stop the mob from entering Frank Strong hall. The members were shoved aside, and their pleas were only the pleas of two against five hundred. They had attempted to use their power, and found they had none. If they were surprised to discover their almost total lack of influence on the Hill, they were alone, for the great majority of the students had recognized their retirement from a position of prominence in Hill affairs long ago. They charge the Chancellor with usurping their powers, but investigation proves that the body during the entire school year had not conferred with the administrator on the subject before they publicly released their charges. They are selected by small political bodies—and are surprised that students fail to accept them as their representatives. They work upon a project for the benefit of the student body, and fail to publicize that project, so that a portion of that student body, in one mad afternoon, almost undoes all their work. The MSC has offered once to tender their resignations. The student body might do well to accept that offer, and begin the task of working for real student government with a clean slate. Only through true student representatives can students hope to keep in close contact with their administration, and thus avoid a repetition of the disgraceful happenings of last Friday. If the student body expects Chancellor Malott to keep in touch with them, then let them begin the formation of a body capable of holding up their end of the deal. There are some members of the present MSC who showed initiative in the recent situation and, who together with yet unrecognized student leaders could be banded together to meet this need. Crowd Guilty of Disrespect at Christmas Vespers Christmas Vespers in Hoch auditorium Sunday drew nearly a full house. Those who came must have wanted to enjoy its beauty, or they wouldn't have attended. Either that or they were drawn by the offer of a free program... In its effect the program was much like a church service, and the audience was asked to remain seated until the final Amen of the choir's recessional in the vestibule. Yet, before the first singers of the choir were moving down the aisle with lighted candles in their hands, the balcony was in an uproar, with --- Just Wondering If the University Senate didn't do its share in bringing Christmas cheer to Kansas homes with its decision yesterday. --people putting on coats and shuffling in groups of two and threes out the crowded aisles and downstairs. It assaulted the ears of those below—feet scraping on cement—and those in the balcony who really wanted to watch couldn't for persons stumbling over their feet. Freedom of worship can and has become outstandingly important in wartime, even in a poor substitute for a church such as Hoch was. For a brief Sunday afternoon worship was what Dean Swarthout and the Fine Arts department intended, and an audience that violated the principle was guilty of disrespect. Common courtesy to their God should have guided their behavior. May future Christmas Vespers and University religious programs not be spoiled by repetition of such actions. —B.B. Commentator Kaltenborn suggests Herbert Hoover as the healer of European ills following the present war. Europeans, remembering the United States in 1930 and 1931, will probably feel but little enthusiasm for such ideas. Says John Kieran, "Information Please" expert, on the tire situation: "Stay under 35 miles an hour. That's the limit—the decent and patriotic limit." ---O--books!: Anne Zimmerman, Gamma Phi, was leaving the library this morning when Delbert Campbell, Phi Psi, like the true gentleman he is, stepped up and offered to carry her books. "I can carry my own books," said Anne, and fell. UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN The Baker Orange declares that football next fall will be a wartime necessity. Yeah, but who is going to play the game? Student Paper of THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS Lawrence, Kansas Publisher ... John Conard EDITORIAL STAFF Editor-in-chief ... J. Donald Keown Associate Editors ... Bob Coleman, Bill Feeney, Ralph Coldren, Dean Sims, Matt Heuertz Feature Editor ... Jov Miller NEWS STAFF Managing Editor ... Glee Smith Campus Editors ... Dale Robinson, Scott Hookins, Eleanor Fry Sports Editor ... Milo Farneti Society Editor ... Ruth Tippin News Editor ... Dean Sims Sunday Editor ... Virginia Tieman Picture Editor ... Miriam Abele BUSINESS STAFF Business Manager ... Oliver Hughes Advertising Manager ... John Pope Advertising Assistant ... Charles Taylor, Jr. Slips and slides (icy, wasn't it?) : Did you hear about the fellow who slipped at the top of the Hill and slid down 14th street on his briefcase . . . the driverless cars that were sliding placidly down the hill . . . the girls who were crawling up the hill on their hands and feet . . . the boy who looked enviously at his roommate's size 13 shoes and said: "I wish I had some skis." . . . the skaters outside Hoch auditorium . . . the professor who had on football cleats and the boy with the golf shoes . . . and the innumerable students who nursed bruises and sore places last night. $$ ***** $$ Even in the best of families: K. W. Davidson, University minister of propaganda, told his newspaper administration class yesterday that student strikes were getting so frequent he was reminded of a story about "Hold your hats, here we go again, boys." At which Marjorie Oliver, Theta, laughed loudest and longest until she realized that she was the only girl who knew what he meant. Our Christmas Carol Oh, Christmas is already white, At least we have the ice. We'll have a week at home all right With Christmas trees and spice. Oh, ring the bells and roast the fowl For Santa Claus we're coming. Listen—you can hear us howl And hear us keep 'er humming. *** When the Kansan extra hit the streets: With reporters and editors acting as impromptu newsboys, the seven hundred papers went like hotcakes. One boy reported that the walls at Battenfeld hall bulged when he entered with the extra. Another newsboy, a Delt, was mobbed when he entered the house, but the waiters brought him two plates heaped up with food. Generally the lucky fellows found themselves showered with gifts, blessings, and good will. When you can't carry your liquor, it's bad, but when you can't carry your ***** Raised eyebrow stuff: Jean Fisher, Sig Ep, got a pair of knitted bootees in the mail the other day. There was enclosed an unsigned note which said, merely: "I thought it best you knew." Nazi Murdered In France Vance's 'Reprisal' The spirit of bewilderment and disillusion of the people of conquered France is painstakingly pictured in Ethel Vance's most recent novel, "Reprisal." The author of "Escape" and "The Bitter Tea of General Yen" does not present a saw-tooth edged document of Nazi brutality, despite the ominous-sounding title of the book, but tells the story book, but tells the story of an idealistic, politically-minded French family which becomes involved in the murder of an obscure German soldier and the subsequent taking of hostages and the manhunt. The story centers around the Galle family—Andre, a former government official, Socialist, pacifist, who has seen the broad principles of socialism perverted to greedy purposes, his dreams of peace shattered by the reality of war. a tired, defeated man; his daughter, Francoise, his rebellious son Blaise; and Maurice, the family servant, crippled in the last war, full of old hatreds and memories. Who Done It? A German soldier in the seacoast village where the family lives is killed and 20 hostages are seized, to be executed if the murderer is not captured. Andre Galle, who had risen to the post of minister in the prewar government, calls on an old secretary. Edouard Schneider, who has played one side against another to reach a high place in the Vichy government, to secure the release of the hostages. Edouard, who has long and unsuccessfully tried to gain the love of Francoise, comes to visit the family. Meanwhile, the finger of suspicion points to either Blaise or Maurice as the killer. The men are known to have a gun hidden a crime punishable by death in the New Order. A half-witted peasant informs Edouard of this, and the crafty politician tells the family that he is willing to forget his knowledge of the crime and secure freedom for the hostages if Andre will accept a position in the Vichy government and the "dangerous" Blaise serves in a "volunteer" regiment on the Russian front. The answer to Edouard's (continued to page seven)