PAGE TWO UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 1922 University Daily Kansan Official Student Paper of THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS LAWRENCE, KANSAS MANAGING EDITOR Make Up Editor Compose Editor Ballet Editor Sport Editor Basketball Editor Squash Edition Gymnastics Edition Fashion Editor Enhancement Editor Stewardship Editor Stewardship Editor Ballet Boss Enhancement Boss Ballet Boss Enhancement Boss ADVERTISING MANAGER - CHAS E. SYNDER Director Manager - Jill Roberts Director Assistant - Katherine Director Assistant - Fiona Gibson Director Assistant - Oliver McKinnon Director Assistant - Berry M. Bignamby Director Assistant - Emily Hodgson Marshall Barnes director Phil Kierer - John Knack Michael Whitman - Mildred Johnson Gordon Martin - Maurice Lawrenc Rory Kiely - Frank McCollard Sarah Pickett - Frank McCollard Telephone Business Office K.U. 6/2 News Room K.U. 6/2 Night Connection, Business Office 2701K Night Connection, News Room 2701K Published in the afternoons, five times a week, by the University of Kansas, as part of the University of Kansas from the Association of University Libraries. Subscription price $4.00 per person, payable in advance. Entered on second this month; September 17 WE ARE LOSING GROUND WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 1932 Some three hundred persons braved the storm in Fort Scott Monday night to hear a high school oratorical contest. All hails off to Fort Scott! We of an institution of higher learning now feel so ashamed of ourselves that we willingly hand over to Fort Scott what little reputation Lawrence has as a place of culture, of learning, and a place where people seek for such things. Here at this place of higher education and knowledge (we'll call it the Athens of Kansas when William Allen White leaves Emporia). We have to tax our imagination severely in order to get three hundred persons in attendance at an oratorical contest or debate. Yes, Fort Scott has taken great steps ahead. We wish its success could shame K U. enough to make her students look to their laureats. But such things do not shame modern college students. It takes a losing football team to wake up the student body of the American college. Take away social privileges from the campus and the student body instantly would rise to arms, but do away with oratory, debates, concerts, and lectures and the dissatisfaction would be very negligible. Culture and learning have come to have different meanings on the college campus. Athletic attainments, social affairs, moving pictures, have become much more important that intellectual accomplishments. Scholastic pursuits have been showed far into the background in American college education. Too many other things absorb the attention of the college student. He hasn't time while in college to work towards the improvement of his mind—he has plenty of time for that when he gets out in life and the pleasure of college life is a thing of the past. SHOOTING AT M.U. But now, as an outgrowth of the kidnapping of a woman chosen by the engineers of M.U., as the queen of their party, a law student suspected of being involved has shot three of a group of twelve engineering students intent upon administering punishment upon him. College pastime has come to mobbing and shooting. Members of the schools of law and engineering at the University of Missouri, as at many other colleges and universities, have long carried on friendly rivalries. When college horse-play comes to such a pass as to include kidnapping and shooting, it is past time for it to be stopped! FOR TEACHERS ONLY Every teacher in the University, from assistant-instructor to professor, should read the article "Practices What You Teach" in the Saturday Evening Post, for March 26. It is written by Prof. James Welner Binn of the University Chicago, and deals with the relationship of student and teacher. Of course it is asking a great deal of a professor to have him read anything in the Saturday Evening Post, but it is one of the paradoxes of college that this magazine is one of the most widely read by the students. Certainly it can't be asked to much of our instructors to have them know a little about what the student reads. It would not be worth while to review Professor Linn's criticism. Too many would read the summary and forget the article, and it is the articles which should be read. But perhaps it would be well to quote a passage or two. In questioning the professional profession, he asks: "What other profession is so non-competitive? In what other profession is incompetence to the job rewarded by permanence of tenure achieved by attention to recreation?" In another passage he states humorously what he later treats seriously; "I'm going down now, as you know, to look over a couple of men that are highly recommended to us. Both of them were Phi Beta Kappus; both of them took their doctor's degrees cum laude, both of them had years of experience in teaching; both of them are going to read papers day after tomorrow. If I find that one of them knows how to mix a cocktail and drink it a gentleman, and the other does not, I shall certainly pick the one that does. He will be the nearer to what I want, that I can get; but even he will not be very near." Don't let this frighten you, dear teacher. Mr. Linn only means to show that a teacher should have more human curiosity and less of the passionate intellectual curiosity which leads him to spend too much time on research and too little of his time on the students, who are his pupils. Briefly, he means that you, kind teachers, should practice what you teach. WHY DISARM? Much propaganda is being broadcast over the country in favor of disarmament. The pacifists argue that if we disarm we shall have no reason for jumping into a war at a minute's notice. A standing army, they say, germinates the seeds of war. This may be all very well. But, so long as we have enterprising manufacturers and greedy politicians we shall have war. War is inevitable under the civilization in which we now are living. World peace is an impossible utopia. To find the solution for our war problem we must go to the south seas. Count Von Luckenbock tells of the customs of war in the little islands of the south Pacific. The chieftain of the tribe leads the warriors in the fighting. He fights the chieftain of the opposing tribe. One of the chiefs is usually the first to fall. When the chieftain falls the war is over. Owing to the high fatality of chieftains, wars are few and far between. Not until we follow the tactics of the south seas will our wars be at an end. If the legislative bodies, presidents, and kings would be lead the fighting, wars would be unknown. IS THE UNITED STATES SAFE? London leaders look upon the United States as an unsafe place in which to live; they even express doubt as to its being a safe place to visit. Charles G. Dawes, our ambassador, eager to protect the name and reputation of his own dear Chicago, assures these London leaders that the United States, especially Chicago, is a safe place for visitors, and that no Chicago World's fair attendants need fear violence. The London people as well as those from other nations have every reason to take the position they do and regard the United States as unsafe. Perhaps we are better than other nations in most ways, but what other nation has the disgrace of having more than 2,000 kidnapping in two years, and what other country must admit that its underworld is better organized than its law-abiding public? THE SALES TAX The proposed sales tax is causing more grief in congress than any measure considered by that body in many a moon. Party lines are split, with the "regular" forces of both parties generally favoring the proposal and the insurgent group bitterly opposing it. Strong feeling on both sides fored actionment of the House Saturday, and tension has subsided but little since then. If nothing is done to remedy this situation, the United States deserves every criticism of this kind that it may receive. The sales tax has the advantages of being simple in operation, or carrying a comparatively slight burden, of not being concentrated on any one class and of yielding a large revenue. These merits, however, are heavily outweighed by the disadvantages of the plan. The sales tax completely ignores the ability of the taxpayer to pay, because it is based on expenditures rather than on wealth and income, and because it is not progressive. Obviously, the burden would fall upon the rank and file of the people at a time when they can ill afford an addition to the already staggering tax load. It cannot be denied that the sales tax is generally unpopular. It is in reality a universal excise tax, although certain items, such as food and medicine, are to be exempted under the bill now before the House. That the national budget must be balanced at all costs is conceded by both sides. The question in whether this shall be accomplished through the sales tax, placing a general burden upon the whole people, or by the indefinite program of "soaking the rich." The trouble lies in the fact that the rich, such as remain, have already been "sealed" almost to the saturation point under existing laws, so that additional applications fail to produce an appreciable amount of revenue and the increased burden will consequently fall on the middle classes where it always has been. The sales tax in itself can arouse little enthusiasm, but the problem of finding a substitute remains. And this our distinguished solons to date have failed to solve. Few American institutions suffer so badly in comparison with those of Europe as does our system of justice, and the reaction abroad to the enormous spread of crime here, culminating in the Lindbergh kidnapping, has brought to light some features of the European police systems which might well be copied in the United States. CRIME AND THE PUBLIC In England, for instance, kidnapping and organized crime are practically unknown. Murders are less frequent in the whole island than in some large American cities alone. Capture is almost certain, and penalties are swift and severe. Police and judicial corruption is not tolerated. Criminals receive no sympathy from courts, public or parole officers. Lashing is frequently used as a punishment for crimes of violence and is held to be the most effective check existing against them. Criminals fear the lash more than they do the noose. All European police systems are centralized. Delays and technicalities are not countenanced in the courts. Technical improvements will do little to restore American society to order, however without the propelling force of a strong public opinion behind them. The average American cares little for government, so long as he is personally unaffected. Corruption, even when brought to light, is taken for granted and dismissed by the popular mind. Government almost everywhere is left to the politicians. This attitude must change if the appalling spread of crime is to be checked. Here lies the basic cause for the rot in American society. Only when the public awakens from its lethargy and welds itself solidly behind the cause of good government will crime be conquered. A Kansan want ad will sell it for you. OFFICIAL UNIVERSITY BULLETIN Vol. XXIX Wednesday, March 23, 1932 No. 140 Notices die at Chancellor's office at 11:39 a.m. on regular afternoon publication days and 11:39 a.m. on Saturday for Sunday issues. The band will rehearse next Tuesday night instead of Wednesday. It is necessary that every man be present. J. C. MCANLES BAND: Beginning Tuesday, March 20, the Book exchange will be open during the noon hour, 12:30 to 1:30. EDITH BORDEN. Manager. BOOK EXCHANGE: ESTES PARK: Those interested in the Y. M. C. A., W. Y. C. A. Student conference to be held in Etses Park, Colorado, from June 7 to 12 are invited to meet at Henley house on Wednesday, March 23, from 7 to 8 o'clock. This year's program will be outlined, expenses estimated, and means of transportation discussed. MARGARET STURGES, ALFREDO BUSTAMANTE, co-chairman. GIRLS RESERVE TRAINING COURSE: All senior and graduate women who wish to take the Girls Reserve training course on the week-end of April 8, 9 and 10 are requested to fill out enrolment blanks at Henkley house before Thursday hour. The fee of $1.00 is not due until April 8. WILLELLA CUNNUT, Chairman. KAYHAWK CLUB: KAYHAWK CLUB: The Kayhawk club will meet Tuesday in room 10 Union building at 7:30 o'clock. This meeting is open to all non-fraternity men. PATRICK L. McMANUS, President. K. U. SYMPHONY AND LITTLE SYMPHONY: There will be a joint rehearsal from 7 to 8 tonight. KARL KUERSTEINER, Director. The Men's Glee club will meet tonight at 7:15 o'clock instead of 8:15, because of the Rattliffe lecture. Members please be prompt. MARSHALL, SCOTT, President. WEDNESDAY NIGHT VARSITY: There will be a Wednesday night varsity at the Union tonight. Stags will be fired a dime. NEWMAN JREFFEY. JAZZ HAS MORAL INFLUENCE ACCORDING TO REV. CLAUSEN "The best preaching in America St. Louis, M., March 25- (UP) -Jazz Bernstein, C. –Cleveland, B.C. Chapman, C. –Cape May christianist. In an address here recently he upheld the influence of jazz—and of the blues. pointing the highest minds day after day to the biggest ideals of life, comes not from the pulpits, from the press, nor from the schools, but from jazz," he said. His explanation was that the sentimental touch of many popular songs uplifts home and love. A Young Man Lives in the Future An Old Man Lives in the Past A Kansan want ad will find it for you Making the most of your years here at K. U. will enhance the prospect for your future and increase the enjoyment of the years at hand. These years are enjoyable now and will still be when you recall them in reminiscence. The Daily Kansan will help to make the most of your years at K.U. and give you a background that will make future years happier. In Ten Years You'll Still Remember This year of 1931-32 with its many events, if you kept familiar with them through the columns of the Kansan. You'll think of the many occasions you will have had to say "When I Went to K. U. - - -" Make this year worth talking about in 1941, '51, '61, etc.