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UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27,1940
THE KANSAN COMMENTS
BOOKS★
EDITORIALS
"Democracy and the Isms"
By JOHN ISE
Professor of Economics
LETTERS★
We read much these days about the preservation of American democracy through the suppression of the various "isms." Not a few sincerely patriotic men and women believe that if we could just shut off all discussions of socialism, communism, and fascism, our democracy would be secure. A little reflection will show, not merely that this will inevitably result in the loss of our democracy, but that the crusade against the "isms" is the unmistakable sign that we are already losing our democracy.
The way of democracy is best shown in the Scandinavian countries. There the people are not shielded from dangerous doctrines by any ruling censors, but hear about communism, socialism, and fascism; and they know much about these "isms." The Scandinavians did not therefore run wild on either communism or fascism, but on the contrary were probably safer from either of these extremes—safer internally—than any other person. In the United States, the free discussion of all "ism" would similarly involve no danger of the destruction of democracy, but would rather give it a firmer foundation—the only foundation, indeed, on which a real democracy can rest; while on the other hand the dictation of opinion by the government or by any class of people is in itself an act of tyranny. Jefferson saw this clearly, and insisted that the government should not interfere with the expression of opinion until it merged into an overt act. The guaranty of free speech in the Constitution is the cornerstone of a democratic society—already sufficiently chipped by vandals.
Democracy necessarily implies confidence in common men, a confidence that they are capable of thinking through their economic and political problems successfully, that they are capable of hearing or reading all sides of any political questions, and forming an intelligent opinion. Democracy implies, not only that they are able to do this, but that they must do this, for the people are the rulers in a democracy. To the extent that they are shielded from certain views by any self-chosen minority—to the extent that the range of their thinking is determined by anyone but themselves—we have not democracy but the way of Stalin and Hitler. Dictation, even by a majority, is one of democracy's greatest dangers.
Only through an understanding of subversive movements can our people meet the dangers offered by such movements. Probably less than one-tenth of the voters in this country have more than a nebulous idea as to the real meaning of any of the "isms", or the differences among them. Already many people are taught to fear communism, although communism is no present threat to American democracy; while the fascist movement gains steady momentum, often cloaked—in the Dies committee, for instance—as a movement to save American democracy. It is quite possible that if or when fascism comes to power in America, it will come as an antifascist movement; It is probable that American democracy is on its way out; and that the people, like the Germans and Italians, will not recognize the fascist regime that will follow until they feel its spurs in their sides. Only in free and uncensured discussion of all economic and political issues, including the most dangerous "isms," is there any hope for American democracy.
Courting the Dorms
Hill politicians are just about set for one of the most significant (to them) freshman elections in years.
Pachacamac recently announced its candidate, Jack Milam, in the best of Pachacamac tradition. The Progressive Student Government League huzzahs Dale Ewing as its champion.
For that reason, the freshman election on Nov. 7 is significant to politicians. P.S.G.L.'s candidate, Ewing, lives at Carruth hall, one of the dorms. The election
The League was smart—how smart remains to be seen.
In nominating Ewing, the League is making a strong bid to master the Hill's newest and strongest political factor—the three new men's dormitories. These dorms, Templin, Carruth, and Battenfeld, house well over 100 men, enough votes to count high in any Hill election. Already a spirit of unity and community has sprung up among the dorm men. Their votes probably will be cast as a bloc. Those votes could weigh down permanently the political see-saw which tips one way, then the next. The political party which makes the successful bid for dorm support is a cinch to win.
Freshman elections are usually nip and tuck. P.S.
G.L frequently scares but infrequently beats Pachacamac at the freshman polls.
will show the success of the League's move for dorm support.
Should the League win by a safe margin, it will indicate success of the dorm move, probable victory in the general elections next spring.
League weakness at the polls will show a failure of the League's first attempt to round up the dorm vote.
Political moguls are watching the success of P.S.G. L.'s Ewing—they hope to get a preview of the big hullabullo next spring.-By R. B.
William Allen White, the Emporia sage, still believes that Manhattan should be the football capital of Kansas and that K.U. should be an educational institution. He said so last year. He said so again this week. A couple more times, and he will have others believing it.
Items from ten years ago: K.U. was found guilty of "recruiting and subsidizing" athletes and was banned from the Big Six. The Jayhawkers of course, had a power house team and was wiping up the conference. My, how time flies.
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Student Paper of
THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
Lawrence, Kansas
EDITORIAL STAFF
Editor-in-chief
Genre: Kuhn
Instruments:
Bill Fey and Many Lyrics
Feature editor
Mary McAnaw
NEWS STAFF
Campus editors ... Stan Stauffer and Art O'Donnell
Sports editor ... Bob Trump
Society editor ... Betty West
Photographic editor
Wire editor ... Orlando Epp
Makeup editor ... Pat Murdock
Rewrite editor ... Wandaee Carlson
BUSINESS STAFF
Business Manager ... Rex Cowan
Advertising Manager ... Frank Baumgartner
Manager ... Ruth Bick
Subscription rates, in advance, $3.00 per year, $1.75 per semester. Published at Lawrence, Kansas, daily during the school year except Monday and Saturday, referred as second class letter (17, 1911) at the post office at Lawrence, Kansas, under the Act of March 3, 1879.
UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
UNIVERSITY OF KANSA
OFFICIAL BULLETIN
PATTER★
Vol. 38 Sunday. Oct. 27,1940 No.31
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.
NOTICES★
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE ORGANIZATION: Christian 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.-Patricia Neil, secretary.
HOME ECONOMICS CLUB: Initiation for all new members, Tuesday at 4:20 p.m. at the Practice House.- Dorothy Howe, vice-president.
MEN'S STUDENT COUNCIL: There will be a regular meeting of the M.S.C. tomorrow evening at 8 o'clock in the Pine room.-Jim Burdge, secretary.
NEWMAN CLUB: This is Newman Club Corporate Communion Sunday. Rev. E. J. Weisenberg will be here for the breakfast following the 9:30 Communion Mass.-Joseph A. Zishka.
PROFICIENCY EXAMINATION: Proficiency examinations in French, German, Latin, and Spanish will be given at 10 o'clock next Saturday in 107 Frank Strong hall.
Registration for this examination may be made at the College Office any time until Thursday morning.—W.H. Shoemaker.
ROGER WILLIAM FOUNDATION: The young peoples group of the R.W.F., meeting at the Baptist Student Center, 1124 Mississippi, will have as their guest speaker this evening at 6:30. Mrs. Jane Amidon McGaffin. She has recently come from Paris and will speak on "Paris Since the War."—Loren Wivers, president.
SACHEM: There will be a meeting of Sachem this evening at 10:30 at the Alpha Kappa Psi house.-Ernie Klema, chief Sachem.
THE BOOK SHELF
The Raven's Wing by Elizabeth Sprigge, The Macmillan Company, New York, 1940, $2.50.
It is hard for some of us Saturday's children to harry ourselves into a lather of sympathy over the sorrows of Elizabeth, Empress of Austria, no matter how badly Miss Sprigge desires it. Elizabeth does everything she thinks of doing, from riding horseback dressed in black circus tights (discreetly covered by skirts) to studying Greek. She spent her youth either in a palace in Munich or in a country house in Bavaria, where, in spite of her estatic devotion to the livestock on the farm, she seems to have learned surprisingly little. She (all innocence and long braids of bronze hair) deflly snatches the material prize away from her elder sisters.
Platonic Elizabeth
That she soon regretted this romantic enterprise goes without saying. She was, all of her life, adored (platonically) by every man she met. Such adoration should have been some recompense for being married to the stodgy Emperor, to whom she was always kind, even to the point of drafting a young actress for the job of being especially kind to him in her absence.
She disliked the Austrian court, but got away from it as often and as far as she possibly could. She had great beauty, of which she took constant care. She was dressed by Worth, an "emperor" in his own right. Whenever she wanted a new palace to play with, they taxed the people some more, and she built and built. Really, it sounds like a fairy life, in spite of Miss Springge's efforts to make us break our hearts over the sorrows of Elizabeth. But when the reader is told that Victoria got fat, while Elizabeth (on a diet of orange juice, when the rest of the civilized world got an orange only when it had the measles, and then merely to hold in its hot little hand!) stayed beautifully thin; and that Victoria's tresses, never a great success, had to be screened by bonnets and caps, while Elizabeth's abundant locks were a marvel, at a time when the chignon surmounted the brow of matron and maid; then no fount of sympathy seems equal to the task Miss Springge lays on her reader.
A Lost Case
And when fate adds to this bounty, the gift of sudden death before the beauty faded, Miss Springge's case for Elizabeth is lost, indeed.
Like all books which, by the author's admission, ooze out of the British Museum, "The Raven's Wing" is weighed with learning and sadly lacking in characterization. The blending of fiction, history, and biography results in a book that is too deep for the reader of fiction, not accurate enough for the reader of history, and not thorough enough for the reader of biography.
While one reads of the tragic ending of the Emperor's hopes, by the death of his son Rudolph, the face and voice of Charles Boyer seemed more real than that of the lay-figure conjured up by Miss Sprigge.
The style of the book is that of a translator. The author is best in her descriptions of landscape and in her architectural reports. There are too many people in the book, and too many unpleasant nicknames, of which Sisi, Gackl, and Mapper1 are the most noisome. Helen Rho Hoopes.
ROCK CHALK TALK
Last week when Nebraska jumped up and down on the dejected Jayhawker, we had a alibi. Nebraska has virtual monopoly on the state's football material, we said, so why wouldn't they have the edge on us? After all, we must share Kansas potential grid stars with Kansas State.
But after yesterday's tangle this comeback is frail. If we had to share with Kansas State, did we also have to give them the cream of the crop? Many students have gone so far as to suggest that K.U. either lure more four-bell gridsters or give up football altogether. To abolish football would be to stab this university right between the shoulder blades. But these radical objectors hit one true thought:
We need more Pierces, Hartmans, Vandaveers, and Frys.
Highlights of the week-end for stay-at-homes included dancing with more than one square foot of floor per person, watching the fire engine scream down Oread Saturday morning, listening to that certain game over the radio.
Away from fraternal atmosphere Fraternity pledges guzzle beer. Just ask any Manhattan bartender.
We wonder if the Sigma Chi's carried with them to Manhattan their practice of listening to two other football games while watching the K.U. tangle, meanwhile drinking a coke and eating a chocolate bar and a hot dog.
Now that the last of the open houses is over, everybody is expected to know everybody else. But if the damsel start doing themselves over in fiesta for the fall parties, introductions may have to be made all over again.
High school debaters on campus yesterday held a parliametary session as spirited as an athletic contest, featuring more "out of order" calls than a local plumber gets in a month.
Elmer Beth, assistant professor of journalism, has a mania for coming to the point, much to the confusion of his classes. Proof that it wasn't just a classroom "front" came the other day when a half-grown mouse, one of the "thousands" that pick up crumbs from Roscoe Born's lunches in the Journalism shack, scuttled across his (Beth's) office room floor.
A short peg with a paper weigh that would have done credit to a big-league shortstop, caught the mouse between scuttles and eyes.
Ed Garich has sworn that he will not continue his campaign of verbal resistance in Editorial class.