1942
SUNDAY, JANUARY 18, 1942
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS
PAGE THREE
Campus Politics Run Hot and Cold
Campus Polit Calendar Bill Tops Semester's Work
BY BOB COLEMAN
The Hill political picture was crowded this semester with several blistering controversies on the Men's Student Council between the Pachaeamac and P.S.G.L. parties, a sweeping P.S.G.L. victory in the freshman election, and legislation both good and ineffective coming from a Men's Student Council on which, for the first time in its history, neither $ ^{ \textcircled{4}} $
Almost before the fall semester was under way, P.S.G.L. and Pachacamac were locked in one of the most bitter fights the Hill has seen in years. The previous spring, the latter had elected a majority of
Dave Whitney--the Council and that no vacancy is created.
No Vacancy
... on and off MSC
11 members to the MSC with Bob McKay as president. When McKay did not return to school, the vicepresident, Dave Watermulder, ascended to the vacant presidency. Pachacamac selected Dave Whitney to take Watermulder's place as college representative.
But P.S.G.L. was buzzing. At the first meeting of the year, Sept. 23, they defied Whitney's right to sit on the Council. They claimed the constitution stated that in case the president-elect of the Council fails to return to school, an acting president shall be selected from within
Jim Burdge---
... new dance manager
For a week, the battle raged. I
was carried to the Student Supreme Court. The Court referred it to a special faculty committee composed of Professor E. E. Kester, Prof. J. B. Smith, and Prof. H. B. Chubb. On Saturday afternoon, Sept. 25, the three went into a three-hour session with the figureheads of each party and thrashed out the entire situation. That night they met again and declared only that a seat, the office of president was vacant. Whether there was an actual vacancy on the Council was referred again to the Supreme Court.
This body was composed of Chad Case and Bob Marietta, P.S.G.L. representatives, and Bill Hunzicker and Bill Douce, of the Pachacamac party. These four selected Tom Singer as their chief justice, met within a week and decreed that there was no vacancy and, therefore, Whitney could not be placed on the Council. Watermulder In
Dave Watermulder became acting president while still holding his vote as college representative. This caused a split in Council power, each party holding ten seats.
Bob McKay--for the purpose of mediating student labor disputes. There had long been discussion concerning the possibility of Council action in this regard, and the bill was seen by political leaders as the answer to a definite need for regulation and investigation of working conditions of University students.
Schuerman Heads Freshmen
The P.S.G.L. party won, with great majorities, the offices of president and treasurer of the freshman class. Ty Schuerman of Salina defeated Dudley Hanstine, Fredonia, for the presidency, and Bill Kiene, Topeka, won over John Bradley, Kansas
That is why the freshman election became so important. Each party knew that if they could capture the two freshman seats on the Council, the majority would be theirs. Despite the fact that the preferential ballot used in Hill elections makes that almost impossible, P.S.G.L. and Pachacamac both set out to do it. Campaigning was hottest seen in several years in a freshman election.
. . . drafted MSC president
P. S.G.L. came very near to getting both those Council seats. Their candidate, Junius Penny, Lawrence, rode into office far ahead of the other three. George Worrell, Kansas City, the other P.S.G.L. man, was only eight votes short for the second position. Joe Stryker, Fredonia, nosed him out. Laird Campbell, Wichita, was the other Pachacamac candidate.
City, Mo., for the treasurer's post. Thus, the Council membership remained even, eleven votes for each party.
Labor Bill Passes
In the meantime, the MSC was considering a bill which would establish a labor board on the Hill
Dave Watermulder---
. . . fills McKay's shoes
The bill was passed without interparty dissension. The Council sent it to Chancellor Deane Malott for his signature, which makes all Council bills official. The Chancellor refused to sign the bill because of the provision in it that the findings of the board be made public. He sent the measure back to the Council for possible revision. As yet, no further action has been taken.
In connection with the memorable holiday strike Nov. 17, the MSC stuck its neck out, saved it by the simple process of drawing it in again, and then settled down to do something constructive as representatives of the students.
Feeling was high among the students that Monday after the victory in the Kansas-Kansas State football game. They wanted a holiday. The administration did not seem favorable. A special meeting of the M.S.C and W.S.G.A. was called for 9 o'clock in the morning. An all-school victory convocation was scheduled for 9:30. The two councils adopted a resolution that a holiday would be observed, to be read at the convocation. The Chancellor discovered the plan and immediately
LAWRENCE Business College Lawrence, Kansas Intensive training in:
put a stop to it. An impromptu meeting of the two Councils was held backstage during the rally, and the resolution was repealed. Unity Committee Organized
The students took a holiday anyway, at various occasions chanting jibes at the Chancellor and once burning him in effigy.
Comptometry, Penmanship,
Shorthand, Typing, Accounting,
Machine Bookkeeping,
The following night, the M.S.C. and W.S.G.A. met again and decided to attempt to reach an understanding with the administration concerning the strike against classes. A "Unity Committee" of seven representative students and three faculty members was appointed to meet for the purpose of determining what action should be taken by the Councils as representatives of the students. The committee met, discussed the matter, and decided that the administration should receive an apology for "certain acts which 95 per cent of the students did not endorse," such as the burning in effigy.
Councils Apologize
School at 7th & La. Sts.
Phone 894
The apology was made by both Councils. The committee is still in operation, considering more closely relationships of the faculty and administration with the students.
The M.S.C., meanwhile, was considering another important measure a bill designed to limit the extra-curricular activities of men students of the University. The bill called for a point system whereby each Hill activity in which men participate would be given a certain number of points, and a definite limit placed on the number of points allowed each student. The bill patterned the systems of other Universities.
Opposition to the passage of this measure developed in both Pachacamac and P.S.G.L. parties. While discussing the bill during the meeting of December 8, this opposition became all too evident, and by mutual agreement, the bill was killed.
Wrangle Over Voting Hours
It was at this meeting that political wrangling broke out once again on the Council. F.S.G.L. had introduced an amendment to the constitution calling for an extension of voting hours on Hill election days from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
(continued to page seven)
Discussion on the amendment digressed directly to political fines. P.S.G.L. argued that the only purpose of its introduction was to give the working student, on whom
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