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UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1942
The KANSAN Comments...
It Isn't the Clock
One school week has passed since we began the practice of arising in the middle of the night to meet that 8:30 class, and it wasn't any easier to do this morning than it was last Monday. Oh, how we yell at that "accursed alarm clock."
Yes, we retired an hour earlier and we arise an hour earlier, so what's the difference? But there is a difference. One doesn't mind going to bed early, but pulling out from between the sheets on a cold morning while it is still pitch dark outside—there's the rub!
We snort and puff and berate the alarm clock; we scold about the congressmen who voted for this measure. After all, congressmen themselves usually don't get up before 9 or 10 o'clock, do they (unless they're going fishing with the President)?
Let's not put the blame on the clock or the senators and representatives in Washington. There's a much deeper cause. Let's place our rebukes upon the heads of the Axis chieftains. They created the necessity for our many sacrifices. After all, we're only losing an hour's sleep, while many of our soldiers and sailors are losing their lives.
War and its consequences were certainly not the preference of our President and senators and representatives and military leaders. It was forced upon us; we had no choice. Let's not be so shortsighted that we cannot see the forest for the trees; we must do the best we can under the circumstances. This the American people can do; they always have, and they will again. Wake up, America, one hour earlier!
Lafayette----We Are Stuck!
The destruction of the USS Lafayette, formerly the Normandie, pride of the French merchant marine, has been attributed to accident. The $60,000,000 luxury liner was almost ready to sail as a naval auxiliary, badly needed by the United States. Rear Admiral Adolphus Andrews, commandant of the third naval district, has disavowed any possibility of sabotage.
All the facts and indications in the case lead to the idea that it could have been nothing but sabotage. The cause, as listed officially, is that a spark from an acetylene torch set off a pile of kapok-filled life preservers. If that is true, how is it possible that fire broke out all over the ship instantaneously, gaining ground so rapidly that it was impossible for efficient New York City fire fighters to do any real good?
It is certain that inspection of the Normandie was haphazard. It was possible for anyone, with or without American citizenship, to get a job on the ship, wander about at will, smoke cigarettes and peer into barrels of excelsior, as proved by one PM reporter, who did exactly that. It was 11 minutes after the alarm had
If it is true that sabotage was not involved, the French were the victims of a terrible swindle, because the Normandie was one of the three biggest, best, and most luxurious liners in the world. It was supposed to have been as modern, safe, and comfortable as possible. Yet fire spread so rapidly that one worker was killed before he could get away when the ship lay motionless in harbor. What would have been the fate of a full list of passengers, had a similar spark been dropped at sea, while the ship was traveling forty miles an hour? There has been no major fire on a passenger ship since the Morro Castle disaster, and arson was suspected at that time.
been sounded for the ship's local fire fighting crew that the alarm was sounded for the city fire-fighting equipment.
Regardless of the cause of the fire, there is another serious problem connected with the destruction of the 83,000 ton liner. That is the question of indemnity, which undoubtedly will cause many governmental headaches before it is settled. Must we now pay France for a ship which we can no longer use? If we don't Vichy, always testy, will probably protest vigorously. Whether they can do anything about it or not is questionable. However, when money is so desperately needed, isn't it silly to pay millions for a pile of junk? This remains to be settled, but it seems improbable that the United States will be able to take any course other than to pay.
OFFICIAL BULLETIN UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
Vol. 39 Friday, February 13, 1942 No.84
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.
The Psychology Club will meet on Monday, Feb. 16, in room 21 of Frank Strong Hall at 4:30. Prof. W. D. Paden has chosen as his topic for discussion: Tennyson and his Psychological influences. Everyone interested is invited.
Dramatic Workshop. Meeting Wednesday, Feb. 18, at 4:30 in the Little Theater to hear reports and make plans for the Easter play and the all-student production. All members are urged to be present-Dave Watermulder, president.
Employment for Women Students; Additional op-
portunities are available for women students who wish
to work for meals, or for room and board. Anyone
who is interested may call at the office of the Adviser
of Women, 220 Frank Strong Hall, for suggestions...
Women's Employment Bureau.
Shorthand and Typing Proficiency Tests: Women students who have had training in shorthand and typewriting will have an opportunity to take proficiency tests Saturday, Feb. 14, in room 312 Fraser Hall. Appointments for the tests may be made in the office of the Adviser of Women, 220 Frank Strong Hall.-Women's Employment Bureau.
There will be a makeup psychological examination for students who missed the regular test—Saturday, Feb. 14, at 9 a.m. in room 121 Fraser—A. H. Turney.
Social Pathology Field Trip: The social pathology field trip to Kansas City will be made Saturday morning, Feb. 14. All members of last semester's Social Pathology class are to meet at 8 o'clock Saturday morning in front of the Union building. Trip will be made by bus—Mabel A. Elliott.
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Student Paper of THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS Lawrence, Kansas
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In Spooner Museum--cow that nobody ever hoped to see. Fredisher's bossy has a bloated tummy that reaches the ground, and flanks like the landing deck of the U. S.S. Saratoga. Two kangaroos, and a snake wrestling with a eat, all done in fairly conventional style, comprise the rest of the animal section.
Wood Sculptors Show Variety of Subjects
For the people who think modern sculptors are unable to create anything but balloon-shaped nudes and distored creatures incapable of identification by any sane person, the collection of wood sculpture now on exhibition on the second floor of Spooner-Thayer museum should prove an interesting revelation.
The exhibit has been selected from the works of 23 prominent artists in the wood sculpturing field by Duncan Ferguson, acting head of the department of fine arts at Louisiana State University and is beingciru-
University, and is being circulated by the American Federation of Art.
A wide variety of subjects are represented in the 32-piece display, stevedores, kangaroo, swing dancers, and Abraham Lincoln, to mention just a few. Expensive hardwoods such as mahogany, teakwood, oak, walnut, rosewood, and lignum vitae are used in the work.
Honest Abe In Oak
The most striking piece on exhibit, from the writer's viewpoint, was the "Abraham Lincoln" of Warren Wheelock, done in oak. This sculpture looks like a Rain Forest Pigmy's conception of the Railsplitter and the most unusual part of the work is the sharp contrast between the weird lines of Lincoln's head and neck, and his smooth, almost feminine hands.
Also impressive for the feeling or sheer animal strength it conveys is the "Resting Stevedore" by Milton Hebald, in walnut, the powerful arms and shoulders and the abnormally small head clearly indicating the stevedore's virtue and weakness.
Wild Animals They Have Known
Impressive for other reasons is the rosewood "Nude," one of the several works of Nathamel Kaz. Almost life-size, the figure is more true to life than the customary obese characters turned out by the modern sculptor. Any organized house desirous of procuring this creature for the browsing room can have her for $1,000. Incidentally, all of the pieces are on sale at prices ranging from $75 to $1,800.
Comical studies of animal life are prominent. Hy Fredisher has executed a "Cow" out of rosewood, a reddish brown version of the purple
Modern but not surrealistic is the "Swing Nocturne" by Nathaniel Kaz, a rosewood portrayal of a voluptuous girl trucking on down.
Most prominent example of the surrealist school is the piece entitled "He Carrying" by Wharton Enterlich. "He" has a box-shaped head, with no ears, eyes or mouth, and only a knot in the wood giving any semblance of a nose. The rest of "him" is done in the same manner. On the same pattern is the Brazilwood "Reclining Woman," a creature without any discernible beginning or ending, done by Jose De Creeft.
A Rising Field
Limitations of space prevent describing any more of the exhibition, but all of the sculptures should prove entertaining, even if you feel that the boys of the Wolf Pack, Troop Number 10 could do a better job. In a letter from Mr. Ferguson which accompanied the exhibition, it was explained that most of the sculptors whose works were in the display were under 40 years of age, and that on this basis wood sculpture is a rising medium of artistic expression.
The sculptures will be on exhibition until Feb. 22, when they will be shipped to the University of Texas at Austin. Before coming to K.U. they were shown at the Joslyn Memorial Gallery in Omaha. This is the second year the exhibit has been on the road tour.
Painter's Death Brings Old Memories To Life
For lovers of the American scene as portrayed on canvas, tragedy struck home last night with the death of Grant Wood professor of art at the University of Iowa.
Wood was born 50 years ago today on a farm amid the Iowa cornfields which he later depicted on canvases of American rural life. He early revealed artistic talent and left his home state to study at the Chicago Art Institute.
The first World War took him to Europe in a camouflage unit of the army, and he remained in France to study.
With Benton and Curry
When he returned to the United States, however, he led a move away from European traditions in the field of art. With Thomas Hart Benton of Missouri and John Stuart Curry of Kansas, he became a leader of the native American "Regional" School.
Wood first won acclaim in 1936 when his picture, "American Gothic," was awarded a medal at the Chicago Art Institute. The painting aroused indignation in Io w a,
where some believed the bleak faced
farm couple discredited rural life.
In 1932, his "Daughters of the Revolution," showing three dour women drinking tea before a picture of "Washington Crossing the Delaware" drew protests from members of the D.A.R. Skinned Tradition
Wood said later he "Was not satirizing any one tradition, but making my first direct slap at the whole colonial tradition."
In 1940 he jousted with these her called "literal minded" over his picture of the "Parson Weems' Fable" of George Washington, cutting "
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