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UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS
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FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 1942
The KANSAN Comments...
Let's Look at the Farm Bloo
Last week the stubborn, powerful Senate farm bloe threw another monkey wrench into our war machinery by voting to prohibit the Administration from selling government farm stocks at prices below parity.
The Commodity Credit Corporation, under instruction from the President and Secretary of Agriculture Wickard, wishes to sell these stocks at lower prices to encourage production of other farm goods more needed in the war emergency.
There has been no attempt at underhand action, at "selling out" the farmer. It is a long-range program, possibly making necessary a certain immediate shrinkage in farm profits, but putting the farmer on the right path toward sound future production.
This misguided group of Senators, rejecting compromise and ignoring a direct appeal from the President, initiated action to prohibit any sub-parity selling. The ultimate outcome is another question, for even if the bill passes the House, with its own farm bloc, it faces almost certain veto by the President. At any rate, it is the first step in the wrong direction.
The given reason for the legislators' stand is, of course, the high and laudable objective, equal purchasing power for the farmer. But experts agree that the policies they advocate will lead only to inflation and its endless chain of rising prices, harming agriculture in the long run. Congressmen who are able to, or take time to think clearly must reach these same conclusions.
But if they agree that they are voting wrong, they probably have another excuse handy—that they are acting under pressure from "the folks back home." There may be now some selfish, narrow agriculturalists and agencies who are exerting pressure, but there is no indication that the farm population as a whole is. The average farmer is too busy following a plow and worrying about his tires to exert any pressure on Washington.
It is quite possible, and very unfortunate if true, that Congressmen from agricultural areas have lost touch with the farmer and the small town. This was generally true before last December, and perhaps is still. Perhaps the senator or representative is recording his vote as he imagines the farmer would cast it.
If so, this is a dangerous condition, not only to the war program in particular but also to democratic government in general.—C.R.R.
The long-discussed, but never seen John Doe has turned up at last. Lawyers have used his name in vain for years, but when he finally did turn up in court it was on a drunkenness charge.
American Home Fronts In The Pacific
With the recent attack on California's coast line and the new battlefield opened by the Axis in the Caribbean, there have been abundant arguments for keeping the American forces at home to defend the United States.
President Roosevelt told the American people last week that, "Such foolish advice would result only in a 'turtle policy';" and so it would.
The battle in the Far East, which centers around Sumatra, Java, Rangoon, and the Burma Road, has but one purpose. If these strategic bases fall to the enemy, China's present lifeline will be severed, and other possible supply routes to China and Russia will be seriously imperiled.
The Japanese would be able to launch large-scale attacks on the United States and Alaska. Turkey, the Suez Canal, the North and West Africa could more easily be taken by the Nazis; British and Russian war efforts would be hampered. The Panama Canal would be an inevitable objective of the Axis powers. Destruction of the canal would mean the separation of the United States naval forces, a victory of great importance to the enemy.
Germany and Japan cannot hope to seize in one great sweep the concentrations of productive power which oppose the Axis. They can, however, try to isolate and choke Eurasia where the Chinese and Russians block their paths to domination.
Our battle now lies in the Pacific. Its successful conclusion will mean protection for the United States; its loss can result only in future destruction.—P.L.C.
The object of the Nazis and the Japanese is to separate the United States, Britain, China, and Russia, and to isolate each. According to President Roosevelt, "It is the old familiar Axis policy of 'Divide and Conquer'."
Commentary on the state of the nation: The first thing saved from a $40,000 home which burned in Long Island was a new tire. The home itself burned.
OFFICIAL BULLETIN UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
Vol. 39 Friday, March 6, 1942 No. 99
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.
NEW ADDRESSES FOR DIRECTORY SUPPLEMENT: Students who changed addresses between semesters and who have not reported new addresses to the Registrar's office should file these addresses at once so that corrections may appear in the Directory Supplement. James K. Hitt, Assistant Registrar.
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Student Paper of THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS Lawrence, Kansas
-Publisher ... Kenneth Jackson
EDITORIAL STAFF
Editor-in-chief ... Charles Pearson
Editorial associates ... Maurice Barker and
    Floyd Decaire
    Bill Feiney
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Managing editor ... Heidi Viets
Campus editors ... Betty Abels and Floyd Decaire
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Society editor ... Saralena Sherman
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Sunday editor ... John Conard
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1942 Active Member
Subscription rates, in advance, $3.00 per year. $1.75 per semester. Published at Lawrence, Kansas, daily during the school year except Monday and Tuesday, may be interceded as second class class. October 17, 1910; at 10 a.m. office at Lawrence, Kansas, under the Act of March 3, 1879.
March 5,1942
Editor of the Daily Kansan, Dear Sir:
I am wondering if women really want to vote for the candidate they think is best qualified for office. Perhaps they would rather continue voting the way their houses or combines dictate-it would certainly take less time than to sincerely, individually, and open-mindedly ponder the question of the suitability of the individual candidates for office.
Permanently of the individual candidates for one of the political parties. The MSC seems to thrive on it! Critics have said, with grounds, that Hill combines are similar to political parties.
I think there is only one solution to the problem of the saving of women self-government: to have an election that is as honest and idealistic as we can comprehend. This cannot be done with either political parties or combin es. Limiting combines is only a step closer.
One solution lies in accepting a plan that gives the independent women an equal chance of representation in the nomination of candidates. I refer to the plan before the council at present, involving a committee composed of faculty members and eight senior members of the council, who determine the final candidates from those presented by both organized and unorganized groups.
The contention that "self-government" would be lost if such a plan were instituted, is far-fetched. Council members are much better acquainted with the candidates than the faculty members and would certainly have the final say-so. Probably the present suggested number of six faculty members will be reduced to two or three, to act as a stabilizing force on the committee. Certainly we could make use of mature judgment without having it dominate us.
In conclusion, I make my appeal for unprejudiced clear-thinking minds to work for honest self-government.
Sincerely, MARJORIE RADER.
Rock Chalk Talk BETTY WEST
If Bill Cavert wants to know what that strange and persistent noise is that happens when his car starts, he might look in the hub caps on the left hand side, or call Scotty Knox and Bunch Davis for more and better details.
Delt Bill Walker believes that a half smoked cigarette has great possibilities. He always saves stubs and files them carefully away in a little box, where he can refer to them at his leisure. Since the conservation bug has made its appearance, Walker has gone from worse to poor. He was down at the Jayhawk several days ago, and when his sandwich arrived, he put his cigarette, still lighted, behind his ear. With about three bites to go, he felt a definite burning sensation, discovered that he was about to be on fire, screamed once loudly and learned a great lesson. A cigarette in the hand may be worth two in the bush, but not if you've recently had a haircut.
Lila Jean Doughman has taken upon herself the education of her pledge sister, Nancy Donovan, whom she feels can stand a little education in the matter of worldly sophistication and the assumption-of-an-alert-attitude-in-reciprocal-convocation. To accomplish this she has placed a chart upon the Theta bulletin board, with some headings of the following sort: "A. Number of jokes caught; B. Number of jokes not caught; C. Number of Intelligent 'Huh's'; D. Number of unintelligent 'huh's'.
Anyone who exchanges social badinage with Donovan is supposed to record her responses on the chart, which will be totaled up for percentages after a certain period of time.
We note with shock and pain that Watson Library is encouraging Japanese flower arrangements on the second floor circulation desk. Who knows what may be lurking in the stacks? Better we should have a joint student-faculty committee to investigate the library.
Bringing in
A Message to Garcia
the Sheaves
The tall, grave-faced man groped his way along the blacked-out streets, his overcoat collar pulled up to hide his face. Of course nobody could see him in the darkness, but the man was nervous and wanted to be certain that he was unobserved. If anyone should find the message he carried, the end would be sure—and sudden.
Moving off the main street, the man passed through the slums, until he came to a little shack along the river bank. The shack was unlighted, seemed deserted. Perhaps the people inside had the blackout cur door—one sharp rap, two soft ones, then repeated this series, steps, one by one, slowly so as The Open Door Policy
not to make any noise, the stranger walked. He knocked on the A tiny slit in the door slid open, (continued to page seven)