Daily hansan
LAWRENCE, KANSAS
57th Year, No.136
Thursday, May 5, 1960
White Students March to Back Negro Protest
"We students . . . in opposition to the adopted resolution of the Big Eight student body presidents' conference..."
Claim to Dignity Is Lecture Topic
By Bill Blundell
Uprisings against established governments all over the globe are being sparked by a drive for the recognition of the common man as a human being with a claim to natural dignity.
William Gilbert, associate professor of history, said this at a last lecture appearance last night. He discussed the problems of the historian in interpreting the events of the past and explored the nature of the historical era of today.
Dignity Sought
"This is the age of selfishness. It is also the age of the common man. I think that what has happened is this: men everywhere, no matter what their status, are beginning to claim their dignity as men," he said.
He said the student revolt in Korea against the election of Syngman Rhee is an example of this force in action but cautioned that the problem is not restricted to other lands.
"There is today a great ferment for freedom, a demand for freedom. One of the basic needs of modern statesmanship is the recognition of this insistence on dignity."
U.S. Problem. Too
"Right here in the United States, we can see in action the common man's insistence on the recognition of his worth and dignity as an individual," said Prof. Gilbert.
"In the recent controversies over capital punishment and segregation, the basic consideration is a demand for dignity. No one is going to let himself be pushed around anymore."
In a joking aside, Prof. Gilbert expressed sympathy with the movement, a sentiment born of his three years in the Army as an enlisted man.
"My hitch in the Army gave me great sympathy with this cause. Whenever the masses rise up, I'm right in there with them — saluting somebody."
Resistance Ineffective
In a serious tone, he said that the movement cannot be stopped.
"When men are willing to go to jail or die to be free, there is nothing that can stop them," he said.
Prof. Gilbert examined the problems the historian faces as he begins to probe into the past and analyze the significance of events.
He said the failure of past civilizations to leave much information about themselves has irked historians for centuries.
"We have spent years, centuries, running around and picking up
stones and bones and so on to find out what happened. This was most inconsiderate of them (past civilizations)."
He stressed the difficulty the historian has in getting a feeling for the atmosphere of a bygone era and attacked the modern tendency to psychoanalyze the past, explaining events in terms of psychological phenomena.
"We have catch words and phrases we apply to everyone's behavior, even those who have been dead for hundreds of years," he declared.
Prof. Gilbert said that the greatest virtue a historian can have is humility, the sense of "not being so very sure," as he approaches the ghosts of the past and the living events of the present.
ASC Predicts Foreign Flop
Seven members of the All Student Council told the Daily Kansan yesterday they do not think the foreign student representative can win a Student Court decision in his fight to gain voting rights in the ASC.
They maintain that if foreign students were represented with a vote on the ASC, they would be represented through three channels, rather than the two which are common to other students.
Denis Kennedy, Dublin, Ireland graduate student, had resigned his position in protest to the ASC's refusal to permit him to vote in meetings.
THE SEVEN ASC members each pointed out that all students are represented through two channels—their living groups and their school in the University.
Two of the members suggested that Kennedy's only hope was to get the ASC constitution revised or amended. They were Mary Beth Hornback, Parsons junior, and Tom R. Heitz, Kansas City, Mo., sophomore.
HEITZ SUGGESTED that a constitutional amendment could clarify the manner of electing a foreign student representative and his status after being elected.
"Such a representative could speak, introduce bills and sit on committees but would not vote," explained Heitz. "Taking the matter into Student Court will probably fail to clarify the situation in any respect."
Negroes March In South Carolina
By United Press International
Negro students singing "Integration is Democracy" marched on South Carolina's capitol and the Governor's mansion Thursday but were blocked by police from entering the grounds of either building.
State law enforcement chief J.P. (Petec) Strom told the demonstrators that group demonstrations on state property are prohibited by law in South Carolina. He warned that any demonstrator who moved onto the grounds would be arrested.
Architecture Dept. Accredited
The department of architecture has received a five-year vote of approval from the National Architectural Accrediting Board.
George M. Beal, professor of architecture and chairman of the department, and John C. Morley, assistant professor of architecture, attended the NAAB's recent meeting in Berkeley, Calif., where KU's standing was approved.
the accrediting board granted ed KU a two-year period of accreditation last year instead of the usual five-year grant. The board said there were three factors that led to its action.
Department Made Corrections
"We have added another lecture room and exhibition space on the third floor of Marvin. Our main difficulty is that half of the department is in Marvin and the other half in the annex.
Prof. Beale said that all three factors have been corrected. The lack of physical facilities was the biggest complaint.
"The accrediting board realized that this is not of too great significance since plans have progressed so well on the new School of Engineering building." Prof. Beal said.
The other two factors which the committee pointed out as sore spots last year were variances in the curriculum and dissension within the department. Prof. Beal said that both of these have been taken care of.
The department of architecture has been continuously accredited since 1947 when the national rating system was first established. During this period the number of approved schools has grown from 37 to the current total of 51.
Dalby Favors Integration,but Opposes sit-ins
Ronald Dalby says last night that he strongly favors integration but does not condone sit-ins as a method of attaining that goal.
Dalby, student body president and Joplin, Mo., junior, said:
"Although the original plan of sit-ins is non-violent, there is ultimately some violence in every case between the people for and against the sit-in. This has been proven time and again."
Dalby said that because traditionally there has been violence involved in sit-ins, he assumes that the persons who start the sit-ins are aware that some incidents will arise. He said that the sit-ins themselves are not violent, but the implications and reactions to them cause the trouble.
Dalby said that the presidents of the Big Eight schools were unanimous in their endorsement of integration. He said they knew they would be criticized for the resolution but decided the issue needed to be brought out in the open and clarified.
"Iowa State introduced the idea of a resolution on the problem and Oklahoma State strongly backed the proposal. We spent two and a half hours drafting the final resolution. It passed unanimously."
"I think the resolution might have been more specific. However, we made it all-inclusive so it would cover all schools in the conference. The general scope of the resolution made it an easy target for specific arguments," he said.
Dalby said that the conference had information on sit-ins from many sources—including NSA. He said that he did not and still does not think that the majority of students on campus are in favor of sympathy strikes.
"We assumed that most of the people at the Big Eight schools were well-informed on the issue. This is not true. And, too, it's impossible to express a view and expect everyone to agree with it," Dalby said.
Weather
Rain northwest, rain and thunderstorms elsewhere this afternoon. Thunderstorms east and rain elsewhere tonight. Rain possibly mixed with snow northwest portion. Partial clearing west and central mostly cloudy east tomorrow with showers east portion in forenoon.
A group of 18 white students silently marched across the campus during the noon hour today in protest to the big Eight Student Body Presidents' Conference resolution opposing Negro sit-downs.
A spokesman for the group said the protest march was to show that the white students also are concerned with the problem and have the same feeling as the Negroes.
David Warren, Indianapolis, Ind., senior, and George Beier, Lawrence senior, spokesmen for the protesters said that the march was not officially sanctioned by the University.
"I thought the march today was well-conducted." Warren said.
The group obviously felt disappointed that there was not a bigger turnout.
"We are representing no one but ourselves." he said.
Warren attacked student body president Ron Dalby on his stand at the presidents' conference.
"People elected on personality should not speak out on principle," he said.
Laurence C. Woodruff, dean of students, told them he sympathized with the march but that it would be impossible to sanction a protest by a mob. Warren said the group has no formal organization and is a spontaneous movement to back up the protest march of the Negro students yesterday.
The group formed in front of Myers Hall shortly before 12.30. Several were carrying the same signs used yesterday by the Negro students.
A spokesman said the group's purpose was to conduct the march in the same exemplary fashion and manner as the march yesterday.
"We feel that people outside the Lawrence area might think that it was only the Negro students that were incensed by the resolution," he said. "By using the exact methods and signs used yesterday we hope to make it apparent that there are others who feel the same way."
James McMullan, Long Beach, N. Y. senior, said the march today is exactly the same as yesterday's.
"Just a group got together and I don't know who organized them," he said.
"The petition and march is just to let the Negroes in the South know we are supporting them and give them a little encouragement," McMullan said.
The marchers, who term them- (Continued on p.12)
(Continued on page 12)
Hightower Calls March 'Good Thing'
Wayne Hightower, Philadelphia, Pa., sophomore, and one of the leaders of yesterday's protest march by several University Negroes, said today that he felt that today's march by a group of white students was a "good thing."
"Generally speaking, I think it is a fine idea that a predominantly white group would have a spontaneous reaction to what was done yesterday by the Negro group."
"It is a good thing and will bring about good feelings in other groups that are doing this throughout the country, both Negro and White." Hightower said.
Hightower spoke of today's march as a demonstration of the general feeling on campus. He said that he felt that many students felt the way the Negroes do but just do not want to express themselves by taking part in the marches.
"I would estimate that more than a thousand students have come up to me since yesterday and said that they are behind the protest." Hightower said.
Hightower said that he does not feel that the activities of the past two days will lead to any violence. He said that the majority of the people understand the cause and the purpose behind the protests.