The KANSAN Comments...
PAGE SIX
Cassandras In Exile
FRIDAY, MARCH 28, 1941.
One of today's greatest champions of democracy is a former German citizen, who for many years taught liberalism to German students. Thomas Mann, whose name is becoming synomous with American thought, links himself these days with Americans who think that there is still hope for democracy as a workable antithesis for totalitarianism.
The United States should be glad to have Doctor Mann among those present, and should use his particular case as a warning of the cost of bigotry. Germany has lost a great man, and though exile is not a common American practice, Norman Thomas, Bertrand Russell, and Charles Lindberg all know what it is to get their fellows Americans mad at them. Mr. Thomas has had eggs thrown at him. Mr. Russell has aroused the ire of New York's anxious mothers, and Mr. Lindbergh and "Lucky Lindy" are no longer the same person.
Doctor Mann, who lives at present in Princeton, N.J., the neighbor of another famous exile, Dr. Albert Einstein, said some telling things about national bigotry and smugness in a letter to the dean of the University of Bonn after his honorary doctorship had been revoked.
"The German universities share a heavy responsibility for all the present distress which they called down upon their heads when they tragically misunderstood their historic hour, and allowed their soil to nourish the ruthless forces which have devastated Germany morally, politically and economically."
In "The Coming Victory of Democracy Doctor Mann also says, "It (democracy) should put aside the habit of taking itself for granted, of self-forgetfulness. Throughout the world it has become precarious to take democracy for granted."
Americans should strive today for a better understanding of conflicts and opposing forces within this country. We owe it to our form of government, government of the people, to see both sides of a problem, and see them tolerantly,
America Is Responsible For World Leadership
Henry R. Luce, editor of Time magazine effectively makes this point in an article titled, "The American Century." Although Americans have a feeling that collaboration with Great Britain means playing Britain's game the British are content to assume the role of junior partner to the United States. In the London Economist this statement appeared, "If any permanent closer association of Britain and the United States is achieved, an island of less than 50 millions cannot expect to be the senior partner. The center of gravity and the ultimate decision must increasingly lie in America."
America must reject isolationism for an internationalism which is a sharing of our Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence, Constitution, industrial accomplishments, and scientific achievements. Mr. Luce visions world leadership for America in four areas of life, economic technical, charitable, and idealistic leadership for all peoples. Out of these four areas Mr. Luce believes that the American Century, the 20th century, can arise.
In 1919 the United States had the opportunity to assume world leadership, but the American people rejected the chance. What we failed to do then we must do now. For proof of America's present position of leadership we need only consider the war. Britain probably cannot win or even stalemate Hitler without American help. The United States is apparently the economic, artistic, and scientific capital of the world.
Mr. Luce's ideals are based on the assumption that England will win the war with the help the United States will give while demonstrating her world leadership. What Mr. Luce is really aiming for is a unity of the American public in aid to Britain. Whether we ever assume a position of world leadership depends on unity of action now.
OFFICIAL BULLETIN UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
Vol. 38 Friday, March 28,1941 No.116
Notices due at Chancellor's office at 3 p.m. on day before publication during the week, and at 11 a.m. on Saturday for Sunday issue.
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE ORGANIZATION:Christion Science Organization will hold a regular meeting Tuesday afternoon at 4:30 in the Pine Room of the Union Building. All students, graduates, and faculty members are welcome.Betty Charles, secretary.
HATTIE ELIZABETH LEWIS PRIZE ESSAY CONTEST: Entrants in this year's contest are expected to hand in outlines of their essays at the Chancellor's Office by Tuesday, April 1. See bulletin boards for detailed directions.
KAPPA PHI: Kappa Phi will have a cabinet meeting this evening at 7:00 o'clock at 1209 Tennessee. Helen Colburn, secretary.
NEWMAN CLUB: Next Sunday will be the regular Corporate Communion Sunday for the Newman Club. Reservations for the breakfast to be held after 9:30 Mass may be made by seeing any of the officers. The business meeting and discussion will follow the breakfast- Joseph A. Zishika.
NOTICE TO ALL STUDENTS; Dr. E. T. Gibson will be available for personal conferences at Watkins Memorial Hospital on Tuesday afternoons from 2 to 5. Appointments should be made at the Watkins Memorial Hospital.—Dr. R. I. Canuteson.
PRACTICE TEACHING: Students interested in teaching for the fall semester of 1941 should make application in the office of the School of Education, 103 Fraser, at once. R. A. Schwegler, dean.
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You Said It
The editor of the Kansan welcomes letters of opinion from students and faculty members to be published in the letters column. If the writer wishes, his name will be withheld, but the Kansan must have the names of all writers of letters.—
Editor, the Daily Kansan:
By a mischance of geography millions of peaceable men, women, and children exist today on the battleground of the European war. What is to be done with them?
be done with them.
The leaders of Britain—along with certain practical Americans—have, with impeccable logic, concluded that a blockade of these trapped peoples may be a means of drafting them, by means of starvation, into a branch of the British army.
This starvation-conscripted mob of unarmed civilians will, it is calculated, finally go into desperate battle against German tanks and machine guns. At this point, as the Kansan nicely puts it: "Hitler will either have to kill to suppress revolt or feed subject peoples. Either process will hurt him."
If he hesitates at killing, he will be showing more compunction than do the calculators who present him with the problem. Is it wise to assume that he has the more tender conscience?
May not a consideration of long-run effects make Americans proud of their role in lifting the food blockade? Under present conditions, the suffering populaces in Europe might easily turn their resentment, not against Hitler, who is trying to break the blockade, but against the British, who are enforcing it. The reputation America may have for humanitarianism is its real, valid argument for the friendship of oppressed peoples everywhere. Let's not forsake our most precious attribute in order to aid in the conscription, by means of hunger, of while populations into a starving, resentful, suicide army too pitiable to imagine.—Yours truly, A Student.
ROCK CHALK TALK
By HEIDI VIETS
After showing the visitors through the kitchen, Mrs. Montgomery decided to show them the closet. She couldn't get the door open, so Lloyd Johnson came to her assistance. Lloyd forced it open slightly, looked inside, and announced that they would inspect the closet at a later date.
Frank Vratil was washing dishes in the Battenfeld kitchen last night minus shirt, when in walked Mrs. R. D. Montgomery, housemother, with some guests. Frank jumped into a nearby closet and closed the door.
Kappa Sig Jim Hall tells this story of his high school career. After missing school because of a severe case of pneumonia, he was confronted in the high school hall with the principal's daughter. She stared, then remarked, "Pardon me for looking at you queerly, but I thought you were dead."
Since he is a Summerfield scholar, Ted Young says it hurts his conscience to sleep late. Every night he sets his alarm for 5:30 a.m. At that time he's so sleepy, he sets it again for 6. At 6 o'clock the alarm runs clear down and still Ted doesn't get up. This goes on until 7:30. Then he gets up. He doesn't like to miss breakfast.
Last week was boom week for the library. Mary Belle Wallace will swear to it. Wednesday night she turned down a date to go to the midweek to do some outside readings at the library. She found all five books checked out, and after failing to find anyone asleep over one of the books, she started for home at 7:30.
--leave. Ramiu O. is only known to Whom shall he cheer for? Probably whoever is winning.
Dr. W. Henry Merritt goes out and drags them into his public health class. Yesterday he saw Jean Boswell and Mary Margaret Gray in a car. He waved, Jean stopped the car. Mary Margaret ducked down to avoid him since she planned to cut his classthe next hour. But he saw her, and pleasantly persuaded her to come to class.
When Elmer F. Beth, assistant professor of journalism, goes to the national basketball championship game in Kansas City tomorrow night, he will face a serious problem. The University of Wisconsin is representing the east; Washington State, the west. Professor Beth was graduated at Wisconsin, and taught for two years at Washington State. Not only that, he also taught for ten years at the University of Idaho, from which he is now on leave. Idaho U. is only nine miles from Washington State.
Sigma Phi Epsilon finished its serenade last night by a musical rendition to D.U. neighbors on the south. But instead of dishing out the customary raucous panning, they sang a dignified fraternity song.
Mock Trial Jury Returns Verdict For Plaintiff
A jury of freshman law students awarded John Peters, business junior, $1,136 in damages for injuries he allegedly received at the hands of Bob Haggard, Lawrence business
Counsel for the plaintiff was Bill Farmer, Alan Asher, and James Postma, all third year law students.
man, in a session of the School of Law mock court held in Green hall yesterday afternoon.
Counsel for the defense was Marion Miller, Eugene Pirtle, and Donald Simpson, also third year law students.