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University Daily Kansan Thursday, November 12, 1950
Secrecy and Truth
The All Student Council social committee's action placing Delta Tau Delta on social probation has spawned an important controversy. After the issue became public, the question was raised:
Should student disciplinary matters be kept secret?
The fraternity was told by the social committee that the committee would not let the story out. Dean Donald K. Alderson told the fraternity that the story would not be publicized. Neither the committee nor the dean could make the agreements binding.
The secret was too big to keep. Too many people knew about it. Someone talked and the truth became a rumor. When the rumor was checked by a reporter, the chairman of the social committee and the fraternity representative tried to suppress the facts by refusing to comment.
We think not. Secrecy only leads to confusion of the truth once the truth leaks out, as it invariably does—as it did in this case.
But by a thorough check the facts were learned and the story was written—but only after it had become common knowledge on the campus.
Obviously, the committee, the dean and the fraternity felt the action should be concealed from the press. This relegated the story to the realm of
hearsay and rumor, because the students who knew of the infraction could not be kept quiet.
Rumor is a poor media for conveyance of truth.
The decision for secrecy was made to protect the fraternity from unfavorable publicity. We maintain the public has a right to know what goes on at the University. It is in the best interests of each and every member of this society to know that one of its living groups has been reprimanded because one or more members of that group broke the rules of social conduct.
Newspapermen are familiar with a principle in the law of privilege dealing with court proceedings that could well be applied here. It states:
"The advantage to the community from publicity being given to the proceedings of courts of justice is so great, that the occasional inconvenience to individuals arising from it must yield to the general good."
We will stand by this test for any future story of the kind we have here. The public has a right to know and the press has an obligation to keep the public informed.
We hope the social committee and the administration will take a similar view of future disciplinary actions.
For the public will discover truth in any event, because truth is not bound by codes of secrecy.
—George DeBord
The Great Veteran
Veterans surged through the streets of Lawrence Veterans Day Eve, tumultuously cheering. Yesterday, Veterans Day, veterans all over the world hung their old sea bags, ditty bags, socks shoes, and everything else to await the coming of the Great Veteran. He was to come late last night drawn by six Sherman tanks.
It is the Great Veteran who brings the presents
to all the veterans with good conduct medals for the year.
The world was alive with expectancy. Those brave, courageous boys who manned the 20mm guns had not forgotten.
The mighty, deep, blue, and treacherous ocean they sailed to foreign lands sang.
They believed false doctrines.—Peanuts.
—Larry Miles
Best of All
Editor:
It is amusing to note the soothing optimism expressed by our fellow Americans (referring particularly to the two letters to the editor in the November 6 UDK).
JUST RECENTLY the quiz show scandal was revealed to the public. But it was all for fun and entertainment, and all is well.
Thousands of workers are idle because of the steel strike. The
power struggles between unions and businesses go on; all are bickering over a few cents an hour. But this is the way that our great free capitalistic system works. The strikes are all for the best.
Our government considers the lowering of taxes more important than spending money to take care of the mentally sick, the aged, and the unemployed. Lower taxes mean more to us than decent universities —especially "art centers." But this is the way a great, free democratic
society works. It really isn't so bad.
LITTLE MAN ON CAMPUS By Dick Bibler
MILLIONS OF PEOPLE over the world are starving. But we say, as we sit sleepy eyed in our classes with our hands crossed over our full bellies, that this need not bother us. Why should we waste our money for other people who aren't intelligent enough to create a great economy like ours? Things are best as they are.
Americans continually boast of their freedom, and find all sorts of reasons to prove their superiority over the "enslaved" peoples of the world. Meanwhile we all form our opinions to correspond to public opinion, blindly agree with our newspapers and popular weekly magazines, and condemn all radicals. (Look at poor John Ise, who hasn't been enlightened about the great American way of life. "Utopia is HERE—come down to earth dear John and enjoy it!"
THANKS FOR HELPING US ON TH' TEST. LOUISE — WITH YOU IN,
THE OPPOSITE CORNER HE DIDN'T LOOK ONCE IN OUR DIRECTION
AMERICA IS the economic center of the world (this is important!). Yes, this is the greatest of all possible countries — in fact, this is God's country. Who would want it otherwise? Let's make sure that we don't try to change it! "Utopia is HERE . . ."
John L. Hodge
Kansas City, Kans., junior.
John L. Hodge
With John Morrissey
Did you ever wonder what happened to the "good ol' party gang" which doesn't seem to be around anymore. We wondered too, until we visited MU last week. Now we know.
--the K
Ah, from the Land of Sky Blue Waters comes another cold front.
* *
Say, want to improve your chances for success? When initiated, order six pins. Somehow, you're bound to score.
A Kansas Visitor In New York
NEW YORK—Ice water propelled by one of the advertising men splashed across the face of the editor from Kansas. It was morning and time to get on with the journalism conference the editor, faculty adviser and two advertising men are attending here.
By John Husar
The previous afternoon the editor had been enroute to see some zebus at the Bronx Zoo. Zebus are an oriental-type beast of burden and intrigued the editor, who had written about them. Needless to say, he never saw them. Instead, he became sidetracked into a harrowing adventure which now will be related.
In his effort to find the Bronx Zoo the editor boarded a subway train which, again took him to Brooklyn. He and his three friends suffered the same accidental destination earlier that day. When he detrained he was three stops the other side of Flatbush Ave. He tried again.
Securing a taxi, whose driver apparently had faulty hearing, the editor soon was deposited in front of a place called "The Zoo Club," on New York's lower East Side. Having been provided with an extremely perilous ride, the editor said nothing about his lost destination and gratefully entered the club.
While he was analytically sampling his five-point beer, two gentlemen engaged the editor in conversation. He appreciated that, being ever willing to make friends.
"Where ya from, buddy?" the tall one asked.
"Kansas," the editor replied.
The two nudged, winked and clucked at each other all in one brief moment. "C'mon. Buy ya a beer," the fat one said.
Many beers later the editor left the table with a deed to a bridge somewhere in town clutched in his hand. He was looking for a rest room but walked through the wrong door and found himself outside. At that time he heard a shout from within where the two gentlemen, no doubt, discovered that the editor's check for the bridge was signed "John Doe." He felt it best to leave the premises—hurriedly.
Maintaining a carelessly swift pace along an alley, the editor turned a corner and collided with a small knot of people, distributing them evenly around the alley. When they arose, the editor discovered that he inadvertently had prevented the hazing of three teen-aged boys by two men. The grateful boys decided to reward the editor by initiating him into their club.
Although the editor did not wish to be initiated, he would not refuse the youngsters, who encouraged him by probing him with their switch-blades. Dazed, he entered a smoky clubroom and met the leader who punched him into the nearest chair.
At this juncture the editor's adventure ended for his Kansas friends rescued him, returned him to the hotel and put him to bed. The editor's story does not end here, however, for he had one more day in New York.
After the editor ritualistically drank a solution of ocean water and gin, the atmosphere became happy and he began speaking of his desire to visit the zoo. Knowing of no zoo in the area, the boys escorted the editor to a local pet shop, feeling secure that he would not know the difference.
UNIVERSITY Dailu Hansan
University of Kansas student newspaper
Founded 1889, became biweekly 1904, triweekly 1908, daily Jan. 16, 1912.
Telephone VIKing 3-2700 Extension 711, news room Extension 376, business office
Member Inland Daily Press Association. Associated Collegiate Press. Represented by National Advertising Service, 420 Madison Ave., New York N.Y. News service: United Press International. Mail subscription rates: $3 a semester or $5 a year. Published in Lawrence, Kan., every afternoon during the University year except Saturdays and Sundays. University holidays, and examination periods. Entered as second-class matter Sept. 17, 1910, at Lawrence, Kan., post office under act of March 3, 1879.
NEWS DEPARTMENT
Jack Harrison Managing Editor Carol Allen, Dick Crocker, Jack Morton and Doug Yomoc, Assistant Managing Editors; Rael Amos, City Editor; Jim Trotter, Sports Editor; Carolyn Frailey, Society Editor.
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EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT
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George DeBord and John Husar Co-Editorial Editors
Saudra Hayn. Associate Editorial Editor.
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BUSINESS DEPARTMENT
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Bill Kane Business Manager
Ted Tidwell, Advertising Manager; Joanne Novak, Promotion Manager;
Ruth Rieder, National Advertising Manager; Tom Schmitz,
Circulation Manager; John Massa, Classified Advertising Manager.
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