PAGE SIX
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS
4102003272315648970000000000
THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 1942
The KANSAN Comments...
The 40-Hour Week
Greed, misinformation, and prejudice have made of the present campaign against the 40-hour week a shocking crime against this nation. When carefully studied, this program is revealed as an unscrupulous attempt by the privileged to fatten their already profit-lined purses at the expense of the laborer. That this selfish campaign is being conducted under the guise of patriotism makes it all the more detestable to the truly patriotic, clear-sighted American.
If not Fascist inspired, the campaign is certainly meeting with Herr Hitler's fullest approval. Nazi and Japanese papers have noted joyously that the ill-feeling which the attack has stirred up in this country between labor and capital resembles a similar situation in France just prior to its fall.
Far too many Americans believed, in their ignorance, the opening statements of the attack made so suddenly by labor-baiters a few weeks ago, in which they declared that workers in defense plants were being denied the right to toil more than 40 hours a week. However, calmer minds soon refuted such assertions with statistics which showed that the average American worker is laboring almost 50 hours a week. Workers in fields where there as a shortage of skill are surpassing even that figure.
The administration pointed out to these alarmists that the law dealt with wages, rather than limiting hours. The worker can toil as many hours as is necessary, but he receives time-and-a-half pay for each hour over 40. This added pay, the President pointed out, is a necessity, since in defense centers living costs are sky-high and are still rising at a rate of $1 \frac{1}{2}\%$ a month.
The labor-baiter then changed his tactics, and began pointing to figures which he charged showed that time-and-a-half labor bills cost the government 6% of every contract total. Much of this figure has been sliced off by the voluntary renunciation of Sunday double-pay by the unions. Labor's proposal, that should it give up the $4,000,000,000 overtime pay it will receive through present contracts, capital should make a similar pecuniary sacrifice, was rejected.
Carefully overlooked by the campaigners was the destination of this $4,000,000,000 should labor lose its overtime payment privilege. Gullible citizens supposed that the savings would go to the government. However, the money really would find its way into the pockets of the producers. Many defense contracts have been let out on long terms at fixed rates. Only the moneyed-man could profit from such a move.
The labor-baiter next made a dramatic appeal to the emotions of the public as he sobbed out a tale of the unfairness of the defense worker making $200 a month and the soldier making $21. In his anxiety to crush "greedy" labor he overlooked the incongruity of capitalists (such as the recently exposed Bill Jack) whose salaries of well over $100,000 dwarf the service-man's wages. He also overlooked the basic differences between civilian and soldier, which makes any accurate comparison of salaries impossible.
It was a despicable attempt to arouse the man in the armed forces against the man in the factory. The alarmist, however, failed to realize that many of the men in uniform today
are the sons of workers in defense plants. These men will not be anxious to see their fathers lose the rights they have fought so hard to obtain. A goodly number of the soldiers are themselves former laborers, and even more such workers will soon be offering their services to this country as women replace them in the factories.
To be decided is whether advantages gained by labor through decades of toil are to be suddenly wiped out. On the pro side are the same forces which years ago fought for the continuance of child labor and the sweatshop. On the con side is the labor group which has already given up many of its fondest rights. Strikes are almost unknown in war industries today. Why can't selfish employers follow this example of submerging petty differences in the interest of national welfare?
OFFICIAL BULLETIN UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
Vol. 39 Thursday, April 23, 1942 No. 124
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.
There will be a meeting of the Faculty of the School of Education on Tuesday, April 28, at 4:30 o'clock in Room 115 Fraser Hall.-George B. Smith, Dean.
PSYCHOLOGY CLUB will hear Prof. T. D. Jones of the art department speak on and demonstrate his color machine at its next meeting on Monday, April 27, at 4:30 in room 314 Frank Strong.
PSYCHOLOGY CLUB PICNIC will be held next Tuesday, April 28, at 5.45 p.m. Please see Mary Lou Holloway by Monday if you plan to come.
Students who have taken the courses in Home Nursing and Child Care are eligible for Red Cross Certificates in Home Hygiene and Care of the Sick. Former students who are interested should make inquiry at the office of the Department of Home Economics. Room 104, Fraser hall.
QUILL CLUB; Will have a 5:30 dinner meeting this afternoon in the Cafeteria of the Memorial Union building. The dinner will be followed by a meeting in the Pine room of the Union building. The magazine, "Feoh," will be given the members for distribution. All members please attend. Plans will be made for spring picnic—Jean Sellers, Chancellor.
CATHOLIC STUDENTS. There will be a Newman Club Corporate Communion and Breakfast this Sunday. The breakfast will follow the 9:30 Mass. The Rev. E. J. Weissenberg will preside over the meeting. All Catholic students are urged to attend.—Lloyd Svoboda, Vice-President of Newman Club.
A. I.E.E. meets tonight at 7:30 in room 207 Marvin. Sound motion pictures: "Modern Electric Transit," "Brighter Times Ahead." Non-members cordially invited—Charles Avey, Branch Chairman.
Sophomores who have made application for admission to the teacher training program must appear for examinations either at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 29th, or at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, May 2nd in the auditorium of Frank Strong Hall. Only sophomores who have made application and have taken the examination may enroll this fall in any education course.A.H. Turney, Chairman, Committee on Admission and Guidance.
Students who expect to enter the armed forces before the close of the semester and who plan to receive partial or full credit for their work are urged to consult with Mr. Woodruff in the Registrar's Office at an early date—Raymond Nichols, Executive Secretary.
Tau Sigma will meet at the following times. Attendance is absolutely required.
Anna Jane Hoffman, Pres.
Thursday, April 23, 7:30 Gym
Friday, April 24, 7:00 Fraser
Saturday, April 25, 1:30 Fraser
Tuesday, April 28, 7:30 Fraser
PREMEDIC NOTICE: The premedical test will be held at 1:30 p.m. on April 24, in room 206, Marvin Hall.—Parke Woodard.
SENIORS! Order your announcements now. Deadline is April 27.-Fred Robertson.
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Student Paper of THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS Lawrence, Kansas
Publisher ... Kenneth-Jackson
Rock Chalk Talk DEAN SIMS
At federal R.O.T.C. inspection yesterday, the visiting Colonel stopped before the stiffly at-attention Martin Hatfield, Phi Delt sophomore.
Hatfield considered before he spoke, then began reeling off such instruments as rifle, bayonet, bomb, grenades, etc.
"What are the combat arms?" he asked sternly.
Buddy Adams, freshman Sigma Chi, raised his hand—pleading to be allowed to give the correct answer.
The Colonel recognized him, moved before him, and asked him to enumerate the combat arms.
"The combat arms, sir, are brass-knucks and a black-jack," seriously and boldly stated cadet Adams.
(Combat arms were explained to be such weapons as the air corps, navy, the regular army, etc.)
The answer literally panicked the visiting colonel who bent double roared with laughter.
At the Zilch Day banquet Tuesday night, instructor Verdun Daste presented student Jean Sellers with a volume entitled, "My Most Cherished Memories."
(Continued to page 7)
She's a good friend of yours
The girl behind "the voice with a smile" is known to everyone. You have learned to count on her when you make a telephone call.
low meet her sister
also a Bell System girl. She's your friend, too, although you've never heard her voice. Here she is on the final assembly line at one of Western Electric's great plants. Like the 15,000 other women in the Company, she does her work well. She's proud of the part she plays in making telephone equipment for this Nation and for the armed forces of the United Nations.
Western Electric ... is back of your Bell Telephone service
97