PAGE SIX
EDITORIAL
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS
FRIDAY, APRIL 19, 1940.
The Kansan Comments -- EDITORIALS LETTERS PATTER
And This Is College
With the multi-ring circus Relays here to climax what has been a hectic week, sages up and down the Hill are shaking heads, shrugging shoulders, or more generally exhibiting "tuttut appearances" as to what this life at the University is all about. Only answer to the conundrum is that if today's professed book-termites are ever to get an inkling of the people, idiosyncrasies, and stuff of life, they will get it right here, within the wind-blown boundaries of the Campus.
This week has formed a bathroom puddle of what students must either step into or side-step some day. Honors Convocation singled out about two per cent of those borers-for-pats on-the-back while the other 98 per cent yawned, ate a late breakfast at Brick's, got jealous, or said, "So what?" When Mortar Boarders got together, carrying on a la Rebecca lodge, they elected their best friends to the honor of staying out after closing hours next year. A publicity-starved student tasted censure and ridicule that often follows one who shuns privacy. A group of women were declared "queens" and other candidates passed into oblivion. But what of it? Doesn't something analogous happen every day from Osh Kosh to Greenwich Village.
Yes, college life is full of tall and short disappointments and many flavored successes. In face of it all, the student stock phrase has become, "Fifty years from now I'll never know the difference," to prove that Joe and Josephine have learned to laugh it off—on the surface at least.
Another Contempt Case
★ ★ ★
With the Topeka State Journal now seconding the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in newspaper contempt cases of the month, the mid-west will hear soon again the thundering challenge of the Fourth Estate in its demands for an unfettered press. The Post-Dispatch, for the past three weeks object of condolence from American papers, has been charged with constructive contempt for its clarion against the decision of a Circuit Court judge in a criminal case. In Topeka, the State Journal has been cited for contempt in denying police information as to liquor violations in that city, the revealing of which would betray a confidence.
Kansas has no legal resort for newspapers withholding facts from police. Professional and moral rights reign strong, however, for police and newspapers usually have been cooperative or interdependent as to sources of information. This tendency, nevertheless, has not placed the State Journal in an unfavorable light. Morally, the American paper has every right to conceal its source of news so long as withholding it does not hinder the meting out of justice. In this
The Topeka case appears simple when compared with the St. Louis war. Closely aligned with editorial scribe E. B. Chapman's comment rests the month-long probe of Topeka vice-houses under the conduction of Attorney-general Jay S. Parker and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. Findings completed, last week Parker filed an ouster suit in supreme court against Charles McKnaught, police chief appointed by Mayor John Scott, an instigator of the inquisition.
case, the Journal has declared that it possesses no knowledge not in the hands of both state and Topeka authorities. Despite this fact, however, the paper has no legal resort. Although communications between doctor and patient, lawyer and client, pastor and church member may look to legal recognition, no such privilege evists for the reporter and his informant. That fear of publicity often throttles important and reliable authorities rates major concern, for much administrative news is gleaned from these officials. The reporters' desire, therefore, to keep open the channels of news through the reputation of always maintaining a confidence is of ultimate importance.
As the situation now stands, future Kansas presses may become weighted with court seals of approval—victims of withered news sources. In avoidance of this danger, editors either must accept contempt cases as the sacrificial part of their profession or appeal to the state legislature for a protective statute.
★ ★ ★
UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS OFFICIAL BULLETIN
Vol. 37 Friday. April 19, 1940 No.132
ROCK CHALK TALK
By Marilyn McBride
secret rehearsals and is really a super performance according to advance propaganda . . . the theme song; "It's a Dull World." The S.R.O. sign has already been hung out for Wednesday night.
A touch of spring in Norway... the beleaguered nation is being flooded with iliac-tinted notes which are supposed to be Reichsmarks. All the countries who want to help Norway fight her enemies who want to fight in Norway have announced that their money is legal tender in Norway. Today there are four kinds of currency in Norway: (1) Norwegian, (2) German, (3) British, (4) French. Thus far German currency has the greatest circulation of any of the new currencies.
APPLICATIONS FOR DANCE MANAGER: Applications, with a list of qualifications, are due at the office of the Adviser of Men, room 1, Frank Strong Hall, before 5 o'clock on Thursday April 25.—C. H. Mullen, president of Men's Student Council.
APPLICATIONS FOR STUDENT MANAGER: Applications, with a list of qualifications are due at the N.Y.A. office by 5 o'clock Thursday, April 25. Applicants must conform to eligibility requirements. Need will be considered—C. H. Mullen, President Men's Student Council.
GIRL RESERVE TRAINING COURSE: All girls who have completed the Girl Reserve Training Course may get their notebooks at the Education office at any time.-Ruth Moritz.
HOME ECONOMICS CLUB: The Home Economics Club will be Tuesday afternoon at 4:30 at the Management House. Election of officers will be held.—Audrey Bateman, president.
Sun-worshipping coeds have to compromise with the usual peculiar Kansas weather. They expose their faces and arms to the sun, and blanket the rest or vice versa. The sun is warm, but the wind is cold.
EDUCATION FACULTY: There will be a meeting of the Education Faculty April 23 at 3:30 in Room 115 Fraser.—Dean R. A. Schwegler.
SENIORS: Don't delay in placing your orders for announcements now on sale at the University business office. The deadline is April 27.-John Oakson, chairman.
NEWMAN CLUB: There will be a discussion and business meeting next Tuesday at 7:30 in St. John's Church Hall—Albert Protiva, vice-president.
MEN'S STUDENT COUNCIL; There will be a regular meeting of the MSC Monday at 8:15 in the Pine Room.—Irving Kuraner, secretary.
WESLEY FOUNDATION PARTY POSTPONED: The Wesley Foundation Skating party, scheduled for April will be canceled. A party will be held on follow up Friday at the chapel basement. Russell H. Barrett, publicity chairman.
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Official Student Paper of
THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
Lawrence, Kansas
Don Mitchell is the type of person who would drive Martin Dies crazy. Some of the Beta brothers have been studying the Marxian theories with great interest. They were amazed to hear "Communist" doctrines being expounded over the radio. . . . and on a Kansas station! They enthusiastically informed a professor of the broadest. Discovery later that Mitchell with the aid of a 90 cent mike had done all the talking from an adjoining room. Spud Bunn isn't surprised at this practical joke. . . Mitchell gave him a loaded cigarette last week. Fun at State U
Publisher ... Watt Meininger
EDITORIAL STAFF
Editor-in-Chief ___ Reginald Buxton
Gene Kuhn ... Betty Goulson ... Jim Bell
Feature Editor ... Virginia Gray
Associate Editors
NEWS STAFF
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. Entered as second class student. Paid to office at Lawrence, Kansas, under the Act of March 3, 1879.
The prize act of "Spring Swing", the campus equivalent of Geo. White's Scandals, is having separate
Managing Editor  Jay Simon
Campus Editor  George Sitterley
Campus Editor  Elizabeth Kirch
Staffer  Stuart Stoffer
Sports Editor  Larry Winn
Society Editor  Kay Bozarth
Sunday Editor  Richard Boyce
Dukeup Editor  Roweed Bax
Wire Editor  Bob Trump
Rewrite Editor  Art O'Donnell
K. U.'s contribution to Hollywood, Phi Psi Ted North, seems to be doing all right. He is driving a new Chrysler and dating a Chesterfield-ad model. . . .
Business Manager ... Edwin Browne
Advertising Manager ... Rex Cowan
---
--that sent any pape
YOU SAID IT
EDITOR'S NOTE: The editors are not responsible for opinions or facts given in the letters published in this column. Letters more than 300 words are subject to cutting, and all letters must be signed, although the name will be withheld if the writer desires.
THAT COWARDLY SHINSTER!
Editor, Daily Kansan:
The stories in the Shin concerning the election, while doubtlessly supposed to be funny, are a reflection on the work of the elections committee in running the election, and on all the men of both parties who worked on the polls or in counting the ballots.
I believe that this was the fairest and most efficient election and count that has been held on the Hill in years. In each district the number of ballots cast tallied exactly with the number in the poll books. This is a prima facie evidence that there was no ballot box stuffing and no ballot stealing. Moreover it will make possible a check on the recount to see that no ballots will be stuffed or stolen. Furthermore, in view of the possibility of innocent mechanical errors caused by constantly changing personnel at the polls, it indicates the unusually high intelligence and honesty of poll workers submitted by each party. So far as I know there was not a single case of undue unpleasantness on the polls all day, and very little in the counting in the evening.
"The lad on the polls . . . who was caught cutting opposition ballots in two" is a creature of Mr. Meininger's imagination, and the story itself just another instance of manufacturing a story when no real one exists. If the election goes so smoothly that it is not newsworthy, the Shin has to conjure up some irregularities and then blame the things they have imagined on the politicians. The Kansas complains about dirty politics and when we politicians clean our politics up we don't even get credit for it.
As for P.S.G.L., according to Bob Marietta we have not yet conceded anything, and until the recount demonstrates conclusively who has won would be wasted effort to make plans about how we are going to organize the council.
As for student government becoming a farce: In view of the Shin's creation of a dirty election when there was none, and in view of the Shin's inside dope on plans that do not yet exist, and in view of the M.S.C.'s sensible stand upon issue upon which the Kansan went off half-cocked, it may seem to some of us that campus journalism is at least as much a farce as campus politics is supposed to be.
Indeed the cause of student government is hardly furthered by men like M.S.C. member Meininger, who has attended only one meeting this semester. Nor does it seem that politicians are the only ones who lack courage when we recall that when the dance pass bill was proposed Meininger jumped up and left the meeting because he hadn't the courage to vote on it. IRVING KURANER,
Chairman of M.S.C. Elections Com.
(Editors Note: Despite Mr. Kuraner's irritating qualities, the editorial of April 4, commending campus politicians, still goes. In the good interests of P.S.G.L. worthies, the editors refrain from comment on the statement "in view of the M.S.C.'s sensible stand upon issues upon which the Kansan went off half-cooked—")
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