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UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1942
The Editorial Page
Confused Service Reserve Situation Explained to Interested Students
Due to the maze of rumors, half-truths, and conflicting statements on the position of University students in relation to armed service, there has been no little confusion and loose talk circulating on the campus. It has been considered advisable for the Kansan to make an effort to give students as clear a view as possible of the situation. However, since officials in charge either have not made any decisions regarding the future of college students or do not wish to disclose this information, the Kansan has only partially succeeded in its endeavor.
In regard to the possible closing of deferment programs to further enlistment, the Army Enlisted Reserve is the only program to be affected thus far. Present plans call for the closing of this branch of service on Jan. 1, 1943, on the theory that interested students have been given sufficient time to enlist. However, no provision has yet been made for students entering college next semester, or for those who will not be of draft age until sometime in the next semester. The navy has given no indication of closing its deferment program, and students in the Air Force Reserve will undoubtedly be permitted to finish the school year, except for some unforeseen emergency.
About one-third of the more than 2,200 men in the University are enlisted in some reserve. Another third, mostly in engineering and medical fields, have been deferred by their local draft boards on government order to continue study in their essential fields. This leaves about 700-800 men students not committed to any deferment programs. Some of these men are under 18, some have been rejected for physical disability, others are married and are temporarily deferred on this count.
From these figures it can be seen that not many students will be subject to immediate call because they have failed to take advantage of opportunities presented by deferment programs to continue their education. But this editorial should serve as fair warning to all those who have delayed in joining some re serve.
As for the possible calling up of reservists, Secretary of War Stimson issued a statement in September predicting that students in the Army Enlisted Reserve would be called at the end of the first semester. Since then no further information has been released. Whether the passage of the 1819 age draft will fill enough of the manpower demands to allow army reservists to continue in school remains to be seen.
Talk is going the rounds that students in the various reserves will be furnished uniforms, to stop "patriots" from referring to such students as "draft dodgers." While the government is not going to waste material to reassure the "patriots" of the good intentions of students, the time may come when all campus men will be in uniform. A plan proposed by several educators to use a sort of elimination test for university students, sorting out those whose branch of study will be essential to the war effort and allowing them to continue school at government expense in government-issue clothing, and calling up all
other students, may be put into operation. Definite information on this scheme is lacking, although prospects for such a plan or one quite similar seem likely.
The problem of faculty members being taken into the armed forces has come to the fore recently, with the drafting of many prominent instructors. There is little or no possibility of replacing these men. The government will probably not ask for the induction of those men teaching courses vital to the war effort, but the other departments will suffer. Women teachers may be hired for departments hit by induction, but the prospects are more likely that some such courses may be dropped from university curricula, and war courses given the "go" signal.
OFFICIAL BULLETIN UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
Vol. 40 Sunday, November 22,1942 No.38
Notices due at News Bureau, 8 Journalism, at 10 a.m. on day of publication during the week, and at 11 a.m. on Saturday for Sunday issue.
W.S.G.A. meeting, 7:30 Fine room, Sunday, Nov. 22.
— Marge Rader, President.
Psychology Club meeting, Monday, Nov. 23, room 21. Frank Strong, 4:30 Dr. Eisley, Sociology Dept. will speak on "Primitive Thinking."
Special Meeting of the College faculty: The faculty of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences will meet on Tuesday, Nov. 24, 1942, at 4:30 in Fraser Theater. Deane W. Malott. President.
Rhadamanthi—There will be a brief but important meeting of Rhadamanthi Poetry Society at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, November 24, in the Kansas Room, preceding the Quill Club meeting. Anyone interested in the writing or interpretation of poetry is cordially invited to attend. Betty Lee Kalis, Pres.
A. H. Turney, Chairman, on Committee on Admissions and Guidance.
NOTICE TO SENIORS: Any senior in the Teacher Training Program who plans to do practice teaching during the spring semester must make application in 103 Fraser before November 28. If you have already applied once but for any reason did not do practice teaching this fall, you may submit another application for the Committee's consideration. The Committee on Admissions and Guidance passes on all candidates for practice teaching before their enrollment is approved.
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Student Paper of THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS Lawrence, Kansas
Publisher ... John Conard
Editor-in-chief ... J. Donald Keown
Associate Editors ... Bob Coleman, Bill Feeney,
                     Ralph Coldren, Dean Sims,
                     Matt Heuertz
Feature Editor ... Joy Miller
EDITORIAL STAFF
NATIONAL EDITORIAL ASSOCIATION 1942 Active Member
Subscription rates, in *advance*, $3.00 per year, $1.75 per semester. Published at Lawrence, Kansas, daily during the school year on copier machines Wednesday, July 17, and Saturday. Entered as second month September 17, 17. Post office at Lawrence, Kansas, under act of March 3, 1879.
Just Wondering
Why students are expected to pay for a telephone in the Memorial Union lounge, the use of which they are refused by the telephone company.
Rock Chalk Talk
BETTY LOU PERKINS
By JIMMY GUNN,
Sunday Columnist
On reading of the prospective blackout at the University Dec. 14, Harry Johnson, 1334 Ohio, looked up thoughtfully and said: "Mm-m-m-m, looks like I'd better get a date."
*****
Speaking of slips of the tongue, John Scurlock, 1737 Mississippi, and Jack Kendall, of the same address, were discussing the race question in preparation for the Forums Board round table that was broadcast over KFKU last Thursday. Said John: "In Detroit they tried to enforce those measures and they had a rice riot." A wedding, John, or merely the meeting of the Vegetarian Society?
*****
On the Etern. Feminine:
Women are curses,
Trust 'em or doubt 'em,
But what would we
Be without 'em.
As Mark Twain said,
And he spoke true,
"Mighty few,
Almighty few."
* * * * *
The other evening Ruth Blethen, Corbin Hall, was putting up her hair after having washed it about midnight. "Pray it turns out all right," she said.
Roberta Johnson, also of Corbin Hall, folded her hands, gazed soulfully upward, and said, "Please, God, I know you're worried about the war; I know you're worried about conditions in the Solomons; I know you're worried about the starving Greeks; but please, God, see that Ruth's hair turns out all right."
Amen!
By BETTY LOU PERKINS
How long has it been since you got a letter that read something like this:
"Dear
LABOR OF LOVE What to Write Soldiers Mail to Males
Gosh, but it was good to hear from you. Your letter was grand and I was really interested in hearing about the home town and college and what everyone was doing. It really peps you up to get a letter from home. This army life is O. K., but it gives everything a new angle. I still have to get used to it.
You know, letters are what keep us ready to fight for out home,
so please write and tell me everything that is happening . . . . ”
If it has been a long time since you received a letter like this, it's possible that you are not doing all you could for the war effort. Writing letters seems a small task, but everyone knows that it is the most difficult thing to get around to doing. Too many things interfere with the few minutes you reserve for answering soldier's letters. But probably the people back home can do more to help win the war by writing to soldiers and boosting morale than by doing many other civic jobs.
Keep 'em Coming
A general survey of the campus has been made on the subject of what a person should include in their letters to soldiers. Most boys have definite ideas of what they would like to see in their letters when they tear them open. Of course, all the college men insisted, contents of the letter would depend a lot on whom it was from.
But here are a few ideas letter-
SUNI
Stu unan Chri view thou essa and tion
writers might consider as authentic opinions of college boys about to enter army life. One boy remarked, "Letters could include just anything, I don't care, anything anyone would write." This leaves a lot to your discretion.
Th mas
"I don't care what they say," another boy remarks. "The important thing is how often they come." So, this is a gentle hint to keep them coming, no matter what the letters contain.
"Home, Sweet Home"
"Home is what I want to hear about," a student says, who is planning to be called into service any day. "Interesting news from home. I hope the letters will not be pessimistic, as so many seem to be. Letters are to boost the morale. Girls especially, should write interesting and inspiring letters, and please, please tell them not to nag!" This
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