PAGE SIX EDITORIAL UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS THURSDAY, MAY 23, 1940 The Kansan Comments-- EDITORIALS $ \star $ LETTERS $ \star $ PATTER Their independence revealed the individualism of the frontier. The Johnsons did not beg their parents to finance a complete outfit for their first trip. They did not wait for a museum or a rich philanthropist to come to their aid. Certainly the couple would not be great as fixers, nor would they be credited with a lot of "practical" sense. The Johnsons are primarily a result of Kansas economies, the sweeping change-about, hardbitten variety. People like the Johnsons would be impossible in a European farm area, even in such a democracy as France. There, social tradition binds. In such a tradition, to gamble one's niche for a precarious return, to marry without parent approval are unbelievable. The Johnsons could not be great as followers of tradition. Kansas Offspring Out of Philadelphia this week has come a book about the adventures of a young Kansas couple, known to the world simply as the top rung of American explorer-hunters. The title fits and certainly it is more appropriate than the "Fearless Johnsons", or the "Hunters of the South Seas", or the "Watchers of the Wild". The Johnsons have been great in their possession of independence, of initiative, courage, the same sort of courage it takes to put wheat, and barley, and next year's future into an excause of earth that may blow away the next day. Children of a freight engineer and a watchmaker, Osa and Martin Johnson have sought for answers to their curiosity. They have not mulled over the findings of Darwin, Abruzzi, Agassiz, Breasted, or Huxley. Instead, something out of Kansas' sweating, sodbreaking, grasshopper fighters and something from the bottle-breaking Carrie Nations put an itch in their blood to be off into the unknown, to bring movie reels and information back to civilization. They could only be great as explorer-hunters, for they burst from a soil noted for driving energy. It is to the pride of Kansas that she has fostered Osa and Martin Johnson. Such a proposal has been sent to the Board of Regents. It asks that the Jayhawker, the University Daily Kansan, and reduced basketball prices be included in the fee. This is not out of line with what students at Kansas State college receive, since the price of the Royal Purple, State's annual, and the Collegian, student newspaper, are included under one blanket charge. With next year's activity fee hiked to $12, it is the concensus among students that as an attempt to equalize fees between Kansas State college and the University the action by the Board of Regents must either provide for more activities or fall far short of its declared purpose. Briefly, the students want more for their money. Mrs. Martin Johnson, author of "I Married Adventure," and the late Mr. Johnson rose, as many other celebrities have done, as a product of their surroundings, as an accomplishment of Kansas and the rip-roar-part of the 1900's. Further, only because the state was still green, and wild, and forever on a mad Dianic chase for more than fate and the weather had settled upon it, are these two entitled to the name of "explorer-hunters". More Fees--For What? ★ ★ ★ Opposition was encountered at the introduction of the resolution on the grounds that the Athletic Association might be deprived of its share of the higher fee. Just how or why the association would fail to get its share of the boodle was not explained. It is true that hard times have come to the association, since losing teams and losses in attendance are mutual but unwelcome bedfellows, but any move to raise the association's share beyond its present proportion would be unjust. The association received $3.50 (less 3.5 per cent) from the present fee. The matter is one of too much importance to be mauled about by quibbling, but the fact that it is the individual student who feels the pinch of the raised fee makes it imperative that he be given something more than sympathy when the final allocation is made. Student pocketbooks are still vital accessories, despite the occasional thrust of the ill-informed that the University is a school for rich men's sons and daughters. ★ ★ ★ UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS OFFICIAL BULLETIN Vol. 37 Thursday, May 23, 1940 No. 156 GRADUATE STUDENTS: Graduate Students expecting to receive advanced degrees at the coming commencement are reminded that the diploma fee is payable at the Business Office and the application card due at the Registrar's Office by May 25. The thesis must be on file at the Graduate Office by June 4.-E. B. Stouffer, dean. ROGER WILLIAMS FOUNDATION: The combined picnic and farwell meeting, postponed from last week, has been called off. The Sunday sessions, at 9:45, combine May 26 and June 2. Bob Johnson, president. QUILL CLUB: Quill Club will meet this evening at 7:30 in the Pine Room.-Evelyn Longerbeam. NOTICE TO ALL UNIVERSITY STUDENTS: Dr. E. T. Gibson is at the Watkins Memorial Hospital each Tuesday afternoon for discussion with students on problems of mental hygiene. Appointments may be made through the Watkins Memorial Hospital—Dr. R. I. Canuteson. NEWMAN CLUB: Next Sunday, Rev. E.J. Weisenberg will be here for the Corporate Communion and Farewell Breakfast for Seniors. Reservations for the breakfast can be made by calling 338 by 7:00 p.m. Friday. The Mass will be at 7:00 Sunday morning and breakfast immediately after mass—Albert Protiva, vice-president. SENIORS: Seniors expecting to enter the Graduate School this summer should come to the Graduate Office as soon as possible to make application for admission. -E. B. Stouffer, dean. UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN Official Student Paper of THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS Lawrence, Kansas Publisher -------------- Walt Meininger EDITORIAL STAFF Associate Editors Editor-in-Chief ------------------ Reginald Buxton Betty Caulson --- Curtis Burton Gene Clark Knight ---- John Baird Editor Editor Virginia Gray NEWS STAFF Managing Editor Jay Simon Campus Editor George Berleyer Campus Editor Elizabeth Kite News Editor Stan Stauffer Sports Editor Larry Winn Society Editor Kay Bozarth Sunday Editor Richard Bowe Monday Editor Roscoe Born Wire Editor Bob Trump Rewrite Editor Art O'Donnell Subscription rates. In advance, $3.00 per year, $1.75 per sester. Published at Lawrence, Kansas, daily during the school month; Entered as second class master September 17, 1910, at the first office at Lawrence, Kansas, under the act of March 3, 1879. Business Manager ... Edwin Browne Advertising Manager ... Rex Cowan Hill Forest Started Back In 1877 By Seniors The history of Mt. Oread as a campus might easily be divided into two periods, Before Trees and After Trees. In the spring of 1877, the Before Trees period came to a close when the graduating class planted a hackberry tree 100 feet north east of Fraser hall. This was one of a few trees planted that day. The Great Arbor Day, however, came on Friday, March 29, 1878. This day was set aside by the Douglas County Horticultural Society to "set out forest and ornamental trees on the campus." "All citizens of the county are invited to attend," the meeting notes of March 16, 1878 read, "and if so inclined might make a nice little speech 'humorous or otherwise'." And so the University took a holiday to plant trees. Aided by the faculty and citizens, the students set out, under the personal direction of Dr. James Marvin, then chancellor of the University, scores of trees donated to the school. A number of elms given by Mr. N. P. Deming were planted in a form west of Fraser hall. They were set out according to a design representing Fraser hall. Those left are on the R.O.T.C. parade ground just north of Fowler shops. Mr. Deming lived on what is now a part of the west campus. In his nice little speech, "humorous or otherwise", he said, "I am right west of this University. I want to see this hill covered with beautiful trees. But I had those trees planted just in that place, so that when I am old they will keep back the sun and I can sleep longer in the morning." ROCK CHALK TALK By Jim Bell ★ ★ ★ Wayne Anderson, who serves ice cream sodas in Chi Omega phone booth, says that the British and Belgian troops appear to be between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea. The moving of the Belgian capital from Ostend to northern France is another case of jumping out of the frying pan into the fire. ★ ★ ★ One Minute Interview: "My course in Trees and Shrubs has taught me that the grasshoppers aren't the only destroyers of vegetation in Kansas. You should have seen the specimen gathering class tear down a small tree in front of the library."—Mary Garrison. ★ ★ ★ Disgusted were the British after battling an aereal "invader" on the north east coast for over an hour only to find that spirited anti-aircraft fire had bagged one of their own planes. ★ ★ ★ None too comforting to supporters of democracy is the British admission that the only way to prosecute a war against a dictatorship is to become a dictatorship. ★ ★ ★ Alf Landon's defiant challenge to F.D.R. doesn't seem to be a very nice way of thanking a host for a free meal. ★ ★ ★ From the Little Black Notebook The most diplomatic after dinner speech we have ever heard was delivered by Editor Dick McCann at the Jayhawker banquet last night. . . We sincerely hope that we aren't telling tales out of school when we report that the following spent the 10:30 hour yesterday in the Union Fountain: Paul Morse, Bob Shaffer, Leo Brenheimer, Jack and Lawrence Nelson, Bill Waugh, Mary Jane McCoy, Jane Coffman, Mary Lewis, Marianna Bantleon, Phil Busick, etc. . . The local chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon is certainly not lacking in one ingredient of a good fraternity-spirit. . . you should have seen them tie into the Beta's in their softball contest the other day. . . If all professors who want the United States to enter the European war were laid end to end, this country would have a much better chance of staying neutral. . . Hits at last night's Marathon Midweek were the Sigma Chi German Band and Virginia Gzell. . They tell us the crowd was the largest to attend a Midweek this year. . Unbiased observers say that the Modern Choir would have won a more unanimous approval if its program had been shorter. . . When the Shinster gets intelligent fan mail such as appeared in his column yesterday, we burn with envy. . . The only communications we have received were from anxious Theta's who apparently have been philandering with their neighbors to the south. . We hope the girls will relax when we tell them that the notebook was found, but the note in question has disappeared. Y. M.C.A. Advisory Board To Meet The Y.M.C.A. advisory board will elect officers for next year following a luncheon in the English room of the Union building Saturday. The luncheon will be at 12:30 p.m. Tv Re T ord yess passi Lee were win T call 000 per craft Mof mil plan is o stud gov P pro- craft sec The na A set this to o ing min stu tion othe Fo PR A N ver sen reg Ac in App fro att the dis sk i and the ver "Pr pan Dr. pan Tic gen and pan N. an de fre