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UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1941
The KANSAN Comments...
DECADENT DRAFTEES?
A popular pastime these days in morbid circles is a little parlor game called prediction. Among other dire suggestions imposed upon anyone who will listen, is the supposition that Americans are becoming softer and softer, and that soon we will be forced to propel ourselves about our duties in mechanized wheelchairs.
On the face of it, their predictions sound logical. There are statistics which, at first glance, seem to bear the statement out. For example, during the Civil War, 37 per cent of the hardy pioneers called out for America's first draft were rejected. In World War I, only 31 per cent were rejected from general military service. But today, almost 50 per cent of our button-pushing younger generation is examined and found unfit for general military service. That certainly is a glowing indictment of American softness and general debility. Or is it?
Exemptions are granted more freely now than in either of the previous emergencies. Bad teeth probably cause the greatest number of exemptions today. In the Civil War, it was necessary only for a man to have teeth capable of tearing a cartridge. Eating was considered unessential. In World War I, the draftee must have had four pairs of teeth opposed. If a questionable case was discovered, he was accepted. Today the rule is the same as in 1917, but questionable cases are referred to dentists for professional judgment, and some are rejected after examination.
In World War I if a draftee's eyes were not normal, but one of them could be corrected with glasses, he was good enough. Today both eyes must be adequately corrected before the army will consider making the eager young man a member of the big, happy family.
In 1917,32 per cent of all hernia cases,which today exclude one from the army, were pressed into general military service. But the most startling is the fact that 86 per cent of all cases of venereal disease were accepted for military service then. Now all are rejected, pending complete recovery.
It is possible that as the need for men becomes greater these rules will be relaxed, but the Army now is taking only hand-picked, physically fit men, and it is not surprising that a lower percentage of our youth is acceptable than at any other time in history.
BUT ARE YOU BETTER OFF, MR. HITLER?
In an effort to bolster German morale, Adolph Hitler made a speech two weeks ago in which he predicted the concluding battle of the war, and now that battle has materialized into a holocaust that threatens to sweep Moscow into the New Order. But is Hitler better off than he was a year ago?
Last year at this time the German armies were intact. They had completed bloodless conquests of most of Europe, and had conquered the Low Countries and France with the loss of only a small amount of men and material.
Germany had England almost to her knees through devastating air attacks. The New Order seemed to be clicking everywhere, for the nations Germany had absorbed were half convinced that Hitler was doing the right thing.
All this was a year ago.
Since then Mr. Hitler has brought under his domination several countries that did not care
for the New Order. These countries, although conquered by the German military machine, are still bucking the New Order by civil disobedience. The examples set in these countries have caused small, but significant uprisings even in countries that had previously been cowed by the Germans.
Since that time Hitler has attacked a European power that is organized along totalitarian lines similar to his own country. By admission of Adolph Hitler, Russia was and is a formidable military power. Against Russia, Hitler has wasted huge numbers of his men.
Since that time England has staged a remarkable recovery from the German air attacks. With the help of America, England has rebuilt an army that in recent maneuvers showed itself as a potent military force.
Although Mr. Hitler still makes speeches that proclaim the magnificence of the German accomplishments, isn't it possible that when he is off by himself, Adolph Hitler wishes he had the last year to do over again?—D.C.W.
"Vital tools stand idle," says headline in the K. C. Star. A habit formerly practiced only by dull tools.
If the Russians retreat any farther into Siberia, they will have to adopt a chipped ice policy.
OFFICIAL BULLETIN UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
Vol. 39 Sunday, Oct. 18, 1941
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.
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE ORGANIZATION: The e Christian Science Organization will hold a regular meeting Tuesday afternoon at 4:30 in the Pine Room of the Memorial Union building. All students, graduates, and faculty members are welcome.-Betty Charles, secretary.
LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY EXAMINATIONS: Proficiency examinations in French, German, Latin, and Spanish will be given at 10 a.m., Saturday, October 25, in Frank Strong 107. Students who have had at least two units (years) of credit in any one of these languages are eligible for the examination in that language. Students who pass the examination are not required to take further work for the Bachelor degree. Dictionaries are permitted.
Registration must be made at the College office by 4 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 23—W. H. Shoemaker.
MEETING OF ALL UNIVERSITY WOMEN: There will be a meeting of all University women in the Union ballroom at 4:30 Tuesday, Oct.21, for the purpose of voting on the revised W.S.G.A. constitution.
PSYCHOLOGY CLUB: Psychology Club will meet at 4:30 p.m. Monday, October 20, in room 21 Frank Strong hall. Judge Frank Gray of Lawrence will speak on the work of the Juvenile Court. Everyone interested is cordially invited to attend. A special invitation is extended to members of the Sociology Club.
The next regular meeting of the Men's Student Council will be on Monday, Oct. 20, at 8:00 p.m. in the Pine room.-Fred Lawson, secretary.
ARCHERY CLUB: Archery club will meet Tuesday afternoon, from 4 until 6 p.m., in the Community building at Eleventh and Vermont streets. No previous knowledge of archery is required; special help will be given beginners. Everyone is invited to attend.
CERCLE FRANCAIS: Le Cerclé Français se reunitra le 22 octobre a trois heures et demie dans la salle 113 Frank Strong. Tous ceux qui parlent français sont invités.—Marjorie Mossman, president.
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Student Paper of THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS Lawrence, Kansas
Subscription rates, in advance, $3.00 per year, $1.75 per semester. Published at Lawrence, Kansas, daily during the school except Monday and Saturday; entertained as second class matter taught by McGraw-Hill and office at Lawrence, Kansas, under the Act of March 8, 1879.
Rock Chalk Talk
By HEIDI VIETS
At Rock Chalk Co-op John Peterson and Niles Gibson are putting their spare pennies in a beer-barrel bank. To make proceeds sure, they take up a collection between them every now and then to roll in the barrel. The money is spent, as is inscribed on the bank, for "Happy Days."
Strictly corn is being played at the A.T.O. house these days. Some of the boys were irked by the record selections that were being made by Vince Trump, in charge of buying the disks. The objectors banded together and ordered a package of six-for-a-quarter recordings from Sears, Roebuck's "grab bag." The result is a collection of jailbird and cowboy music, including a red hot number called, "Take Me Back to Tulsa."
Some of the more daring brothers are suggesting that they throw an hour dance, using these records exclusively. Those who are not so daring simply hold their ears and groan.
Eldred Jones gave Richard Snyder movie trouble again Thursday night. Jones refused to pay the "Sergeant York" prices. In vain Snyder tried to lure him to the theater. Finally a wager was made, and a coin was tossed. The loser was to pay half the winner's admission, but he did not have to go to the show himself. Jones lost, paid half Snyder's ticket, and contentedly stayed home to study.
Dean Paul B. Lawson received a belated wedding gift in front of his ontology class this morning, one which drew smiles and snickers. The present was a 25-pound white squash, smooth, bald, and symbolic. It came from a good friend of the dean's, Sam S. Elliott, father of Miss Maude Elliott, assistant professor of romance languages.
The Sigma Nu's still have Clara, the collie-like mother dog, and her five pups. The pups are getting bigger and bigger; eating more and more. Sigma Nu's begin to see why Jack Frost, Clara's former owner, did not want to take her back after he learned of her increased family.
A mild furor was caused at the Sig Ep house the other night by one poor little mouse. It got lost in Jean Fisher's waste basket, inspiring Don Johnson Jean's roommate, to start a chase. The mouse ran across Fisher's notebook Johnson ran across Fisher's notebook. One of them—Johnson professes innocence—smashed the cover rather badly.
Last episode of the affair came when Johnson went to bed. He found a dead mouse snuggled in his pillow.
Even cattle rustling just isn't what it was in the good old days. Time was the glamorous bandits of the plains drove of whole herds of cattle, and captured rustlers became the guests or honor at summary necktie parties.
Modern rustlers, arrested in Leavenworth county last week even though mechanized with a truck, could make off with only one steer at a time. Instead of an execution by a citizens' committee, the men were charged $ \textcircled{4} $ ___
In the early days of the Texas country, a certain type of cattle thievery was legal and accepted. J. G. McCoy, an early Kansas cattleman, wrote a book in 1874 called "Historic Sketches of the Cattle Trade." In it he tells of a shrewd Frenchman in Texas named "Mavric," who appropriated so many of his neighbors' unbranded calves
Cow-naping Now Mechanized Rustling Methods Change
The law provided that any calves which were unbranded on their birthday became free agents. A successful cattleman must therefore be "industrious," McCoy observed.
that by strict numerical account each of his cows produced fifty calves a year.
The modern rustlers improve the subtlety of the methods, however. They detained the selected steer in the pasture by tying it to a tree, then returned for it in their truck under the cover of darkness
Formal Attire
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