PAGE SIX
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1941.
The KANSAN Comments...
Complacency vs. Actuality
Americans are too complacent. The general reaction to Japan's declaration of war seemed to be that if they want to fight we'll really show them, the little yellow curs. At the same time that we underestimate the power of our enemy we overestimate the condition of our preparedness.
Only too true is the fact that our existing supply of rubber, a material vital to war-time production, cannot be stretched to last more than one year. Much of our rubber comes from the Dutch East Indies. It will be next to impossible to get shipment from that point, as it will be also difficult to get it from British posessions in the East, our other main source. Production of synthetic rubber can be stepped up to approximately one-sixth of the needed amount in a year's time.
Tungsten, tin, and chrome, three metals needed for alloys, will become increasingly difficult to obtain. We do not possess much more than a year's supply of any of these metals, and the major sources are in conflict zones.
Hemp and mica, two more important materials of war, come respectively from the Philippines and India. Suffice it to say that trade with those areas is neither regular nor pacific at this particular time.
The solace of the American people lies in the realization that Japan has even fewer of the necessities of war than we have, and that she needs them more desperately. That advantage, slight as it may be, coupled with our firm determination to fight this war to a victorious finish, will be our salvation.
___
An amorous Oklahoma gentleman of 101 years was forced to wait until his old age pension check had arrived before he could purchase a license to marry a 22-year-old girl.
O
It is to be expected now, in view of United States relations, that Pachacamac will adopt some new party symbol.
The Court-Martial Question
The United States was at war only one day when certain members of the House of Representatives were demanding that court-martial proceedings be opened against high-ranking army and navy officials in our Pacific forces, because of the relative success of the Japanese attack upon Pearl Harbor Sunday.
Yesterday, a member of the Senate delivered an oration about the inefficiency of the navy during the attack, and described American losses as a "disaster that's almost unspeakable."
Japan had the advantage in Sunday's action because it took the initiative without the trouble of declaring war. Granted that our forces were caught with their trousers at half mast, it is still wrong to shriek court-martial because we have lost the first battle in a war that will last for some time.
These Congressmen should remember the difficulty that navy men have had trying to secure appropriations for strengthening our Pacific defenses to safeguard American possessions against a danger the legislators were unable to recognize. These same men were too busy trying to save or spend money to impress their constituents to listen to the advice of men in a position to know Far Eastern affairs.
All of that is now history. Japan has struck hard, without warning. Our forces have struck
back—witness successful aerial attacks upon at least two Jap warships. In the interests of national unity, our government leaders should abandon these ill-advised threats and lamentation; they should dedicate their time to winning an ultimate victory and stop raising so much fuss about a temporary setback.
In Detroit a man was arrested for driving 48 miles an hour with one hand while he shaved himself with an electric razor plugged into the dashboard.
-0-
Latest stumbling block in the path of progress was the Tacoma strike of janitors, which kept 17,000 school children away from classes for four days.
Mayor of Crystal River, Fla., swore in public, arrested himself, prosecuted himself in court, and drew a $25 fine. The mayor is probably coming up for re-election.
OFFICIAL BULLETIN UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
Vol. 39 Friday, December 12, 1941 No.60
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.
CLASSICAL CLUB: Tuesday evening, Dec. 16, at 7:30. James Chandler will speak on: "The Roman Christmas." All members and persons interested are invited to the Memorial Union Pine room for this feature—Bill Muxlow, president.
The Psychology Club will meet next Monday. Dec. 15 at 4:30 in Room 21 of Frank Strong hall. Mr. Carl Packer will talk on the Southard School of Problem Children and its Summer Camp. He will illustrate his discussion with pictures.
NEWMAN CLUB MEMBERS: There will be Corporate Communion and breakfast next Sunday at and after the 9:30 Mass. Election of officers will be held; therefore, all members are urged to be present.
EDNA OSBORNE WHITCOMB SCHOLARSHIP: Application for the Edna Osborne Whitcomb Scholarship for second semester, 1941-1942, should be made in Room 1, Frank Strong hall, before January 15. This scholarship is open to women students majoring in the department of English—Lela Ross, Executive Secretary, Committee on Aids and Awards.
UNION TRAVEL BUREAU—All students or faculty members who want rides or have room for passengers for week-end or holiday trips, notify the Travel Bureau in the Student Union Activites office in the Memorial Union immediately. Phone K. U. 71.
FRANK ARNOLD, Manager.
ALL STUDENTS graduating at the end of the first semester who expect to teach should secure blankes and complete a registration in the Teachers' Appointment Bureau immediately. It is probable that a considerable number of vacancies will be received during the holiday season—H. E. CHANDLER, Secretary.
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Student Paper of THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS Lawrence, Kansas
EDITORIAL STAFF
Editor ... Bill Feeney
Editorial Associates: Lyle Eggleston, Raymond Derr
        Charles Pearson, Kay Bozarth
Feature Editor ... John Hayvey
Publisher ... Stan Stauffer
NEWS STAFF
Managing Editor ... Milo Farneti
Campus Editor ... Heidi Viets
News Editor ... John Conard
Sunday Editor ... Kay Bozarth
Sports Editor ... Chuck Elliott
Society Editor ... Betty Abels
Make-up Editor ... Gerald Tewell
BUSINESS STAFF
Business Manager Frank Baumgartner
Advertising Manager Jason Yordy
Subscription rates, in advance, $3.00 per year, $1.75 per semester. Published at Lawrence, Kansas, daily during the school month. Published Monday and Saturday; written as second class master September 17, 1894, post office at Lawrence, Kansas, under the Act of March 3, 1879.
Rock Chalk Talk
DEAN OSTRUM
Delighted with the recent change in the foreign policy of the United States, Mou-Hui King, Chinese student from Peiping living in Templin but has persuaded three of the boys to organize a suicide squadron.
Glenn St. Aubyn, Wendell Newman, and Wendell Link have decided to "go along" with Mou-Hui so long as they can still remain in school. Someone is getting rooked.
Gamma Phi pledge Barbara Taylor feels she has paid dearly for the publicity her sorority got recently regarding the view from landlady Vicker's house next door. Barbara had the room with the northern exposure.
"And if you think those boys across from us pull down THEIR shades," flustered Barbara frustrates, "well, they just don't!"
Hester B. Moore, Jr.
Joe McMillen, Bob Cowling, and Cal Arnold have the south room at 1325 West Campus Road. Johnny Pope, trumpeter with Russ Chambers, has a north room at the same place, but spends most of his time in the south one.
Now that Gamma Phi pledges are required to keep the blinds pulled, that beautiful southern exposure has turned into a shadow show.
Prize answer on Gail Mott's first written horseback riding quiz yesterday goes to Chi Omega Nancy Kerber.
The question asked: "How much water does a horse normally drink in a day?"
In a neat flowing hand demure Nancy answered, "Enough to fill a small swimming pool."
10 Shopping Days--any means, but it does bear the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.
Avoid A Breakdown; Try To Do It Early
There remain only ten shopping days until Christmas. One of the most baffling problems to confront the American public must be met and solved in that short space. There are several solutions to this problem, but only one which is satisfactory in any measurable degree. For the sake of simplification, we shall refer to it as "The Trial and Error Method." It isn't original by any means, but it does bear $ ^{\textcircled{2}} $
Among less satisfactory methods is one called "Default." To use this method, the harassed individual flatly refuses to buy gifts for anyone; then feels swinish on Christmas morning when he opens all his lovely presents. A subtler adjunct of this method includes forewarning friends and relatives. A short letter proposing no exchanges of gifts, and suggesting as a substitute the use of Christmas cards, has its effect only upon the more wealthy relatives, who take you at your word. The others go ahead and lavish gifts upon you.
Emeralds! Oh Joy! Oh Gladness!
The conscientious soul will try feverishly to remember desires he has heard expressed during the past year. The result of this method is mental exhaustion, and innumerable mistakes. He usually sends emeralds, which his girl despises, but his mother covets, to the girl, who makes a mental resolution to see less of him in the future. The plan works more smoothly if you jot down these expressed desires somewhere as you hear them, but you know how hard it is to find things you have put away. Another method is contemplation. You think seriously about the problem. You know the recipients of these gifts rather intimately, and judging from their characters, you select gifts designed to please each distinct type. The main drawback to this system lies in man's inherent tendency to misjudge others, and some unbelievably incongruous gifts are selected by this method.
Prepare to Shop
Prepare to Shop
To skip other, more impractical methods, we will proceed now to the most satisfactory, the "Trial and Error Method." You make only the most perfunctory preparation for the shopping expedition. A necessary prerequisite is that you know definitely how many gifts you must have upon your return. You then call a cab.
Never drive your own car. Too many accidents result from driving when the mind is already preoccupied and overburdened with the ordeal of Christmas shopping.
Upon arriving in the shopping district, you throw discretion to the winds, and enter any large department store. Walk directly to the nearest counter. There you purchase two gifts. There should be two which you deem desirable at each counter, and by the time you have done the store you will have enough gifts to outfit everyone on your gift list. You are then faced with the rather desperate proposition of getting all this truck home and wrapping it suitably. This, however, is a separate and distinct problem, and will not be treated here. Suffice it to say that good use can be made of delivery and wrapping services.
Poker Chips For Your Aunt
If you take advantage of the wrapping service you must exercise caution. Many domestic difficulties arise from sending a gift meant for one person to some other. It requires little imagination to realize that an elderly maiden aunt will regard you as something of a rounder if you mistakenly present her with a handsome set of poker chips in an English leather case, which you had intended for an older brother in the East. Likewise, it is not improbable that a clergyman friend of the family will consider you morally irresponsible if you send him a quart of ten-year-old Scotch bought for a business associate. But these examples should suffice to prove that there is danger in losing the personal touch.
There are undoubtedly other solutions to this seasonal gift problem, but the better established and proven of these have been recorded here in an effort to be of service to Kansan readers. Don't mention it.
The statue of "Uncle Jimmy"
Green was sculptured by Daniel
Chester French at a cost of $25,000.
A
E