11.
day.
UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS STUDENT PUBLICATION
UNIVERSITY Daily Kansan
LAWRENCE, KANSAS, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1941
39th YEAR
NUMBER 57
May Drop Age Limit To 18
Congress Plans As Recruiting Offices Swamped
Washington - (UP) - Recruiting offices were swamped with applicants today as Congress talked about the possibility of expanding the selective service age limit from 21- 28 years to 18-35 years.
The original draft law had a top age limit of 35 but it was reduced to 28 early last summer.
'Thunder' Opens In Fraser
Brig. Gen. Lewis B. Hershey, national selective service director, said in a speech at Boise, Idaho, last night that state induction quotas "will be doubled or tripled for January and succeeding months." The scheduled quota for January, before Japan's attack, was 99,000 men.
The committee will consider war department recommendations for removal of existing prohibitions against use of selectees and national guardmen outside the Western Hemisphere. Chairman Andrew J. May, D., Ky., said it also would discuss the possibility of broadening the age limits.
The House Military Affairs Committee met this morning to draft legislation that may be the first step in wholesale revision of the draft law to mobilize manpower required to defeat Japan.
The selective service program, as it now stands, would have 392,000 selectees in the army by January. Tentative induction plans, all made be before the outbreak of the war.
K.U. Grads Fight Japs In Pacific
Three K.U. men, now officers representing all three branches of the service are stationed in the Hawaiian Islands. An unknown number of University enlisted men are also there.
Ensign Charles Amyx, '38, U.S. Navy, and Lieutenant Art A. Poindexter, '39, U.S. Marines, are stationed at Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, object of a Japanese aerial raid in the first blow struck in the present war in the Pacific.
Lt. Malcolm Brumwell, '41, is stationed at the 17th Air base group, Hiekman field, Honolulu, also an initial target of the Japanese.
University students are stationed at every important base and army camp along the west coast and the University is represented by men in the armed forces from the far-flung island of Toboga, near Balboa, to Alaska.
Lt. James B. Adams, '36, with the 26th Coast artillery, Camp Davis, N.C.
Former University students and their stations:
A climax nears in the second act of "Thunder Rock," the Kansas Players performance which opens in Fraser theatre tonight. Performers are left to right: seated, Edith Ann Fleming, Allen Crafton, Robert Hutchinson, Ken Jackson, Robert Calderwood, and Harlan Cope.
(continued to page seven)
-Bulletins-
The War
New York.— (UP) — Anti-aircraft guns of the latest type and other army equipment were placed at strategic points about the nation's largest city today, police and fire departments were put on alert, and 116,000 air wardens were ordered to pre-arranged assignments
The guns and equipment, brought from Fort Totten, were manned by
soldiers as soon as they were placed Under army instructions, publication of locations was prohibited.
The army mobilized its vast aircraft spotting system throughout the Eastern coast area and a constant patrol of army and navy planes guarded the city's 7,000,000 inhabitants from a surprise attack.
(continued to page eight)
Tonight
Drama Has War Theme
The University Kansas Players did not consult the Japanese government before choosing "Thunder Rock," a threeact play by Robert Ardre; opening in Fraser theater at 8:20 tonight, but they could not have made a more "appropriate choice."
"Thunder Rock" is the story of a newspaper man, a foreign correspondent and a man of ideas and ideals. He has lived a full life; but since he still is not satisfied, he withdraws into his ivory tower—a lighthouse on Lake Michigan, where he recreates in his imagination a past which is much better than the present.
His faith is finally restored when he arrives at the conclusion that no one needed despair since no one can tell what kind of future will grow out of a hopeless present.
"This play should help many confused people," stated Don Dixon, who is responsible for the building of the rather complicated lighthouse set around which the characters revolve. "People think the world has come to an end with the advent of war but it hasn't. Despite war the world continues to progress rather than to deteriorate as many believe."
Keep Your Shirt On---K. U. Faculty Advises
★ ★ ★
C. A.A. Downed
"Keep calm" was the advice given student pilots today by Prof. Earl D. Hay, Civil Aeronautics Authority chairman.
Anxious students have questioned him concerning what action they should take in the present emergency.
Meanwhile, all planes have been grounded at the training field. Mused one student; "The way some of the people in this town are feeling, any plane leaving the ground would be in danger of being fired upon by mistake."
Activity at the training field is expected to be suspended until after the Saturday conference.
Hay has scheduled a trip to Kansas City this Saturday to ascertain the present position of the local organization. He will confer with authorities there, and discuss with them the means by which the C.A.A. can best serve the needs of the nation.
University Calendar Is Ready
A thousand copies have been printed by the University Press. Most of the limited supply will be sold to students, although the Student Statewide Activities Commission will send a large number to Kansas high schools.
Tomorrow the new crimson and blue 1942 calendars go on sale at 15 cents each. Students may secure the calendars at the stenographic bureau in the Journalism building, the Alumni office, or the book exchange in the Memorial Union building.
Will Discuss Post-War Problems
Prof. R. M. Davis and H. B. Chubb will discuss "After the War, What?" over KFKU at 9:30 p.m. tomorrow.
'No Draft Change'
K. U. students registered for the draft can safely plan to continue their work for the remainder of the semester. There has been in effect all year a clause in the Selective Service act stating that the induction of any student called in the last half of a semester would be postponed to allow him to complete his school work and get full credit.
James K. Hitt, assistant registrar, stated today that the University has not received any change in regulations from National Selective Service headquarters. In the absence of a change, a student whose call comes in the last half of the semester will be allowed to continue school work. A change may come at any time but until that time students will retain their status quo.
Lawrence Police Have Gun Battle With Bank Robbers
Two unidentified men robbed the bank at Perry, Kans., located between Lawrence and Topeka, of approximately $1,200 at 1:25 this afternoon.
The robbers headed east in a black 1939 Ford sedan and were engaged in a gun battle by Lawrence police who headed them off near Midland. The bandits escaped to the northeast.
Forty-Eight Rotsies Ready
Forty-eight senior R.O.T.C. students are now submitting their records, the first step in a military career, in applying for a commission upon graduation at the end of this semester.
These commissions are for reserve officers in the Army of the United States, but become effective only after the reservist is called to active duty.
'Help By Studying'
"It is the patriotic duty of most young people to stay in school, study harder than ever before, and prepare themselves for essential lines of work in defense and in helping their country," Dean Paul B. Lawson said today.
"Every last one of us—men and women, young and old, faculty and students—want to make our contribution to our country at a time like this and we can best make that contribution by keeping ourselves from becoming jittery and excited and do each day's job in the best way possible."
Dean Lawson believes that if a student is patriotic he will work harder than ever at his school work. "If others are giving their lives, students can give their best to the task they are now engaged in—studying."
"Since we are in school we should do the best possible job of it. Slacking it is not patriotic."