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University Daily Kansan Monday. Oct. 19, 1959
The Fall of AGI
Sound the knell! Another chapter in KU's political history ended Thursday night with the dissolution of the Allied Greek-Independent party.
Only two years ago AGI appeared to be one of the more powerful parties to have graced the campus. At that time it controlled 15 of the larger Greek houses and seven independent residences. Its members held the top political and other extra-curricular posts on the campus. It reined for two years.
Previously, the campus political scene had been dominated by the old Pachacamac party, better known to alums as the "Black Masks." For 28 turbulent years Pachacamac practically dictated KU's extra-curricular happenings. The party, composed of all the Greek houses, won 22 elections in its lifetime.
Pachacamac was regularly opposed by a myriad of lesser parties. Few were successful. The most prominent of these was FACTS, whose rise in late 1952 provoked the controversy which led to Pachacamac's ultimate split.
Apparently, FACTS' rise to power resulted in a period of lean patronage for the Pachacamac supporters. Dissention resulted when some of its houses felt they were not getting good proportion of political appointments and offices. Some of these groups suggested that Pachacamac's future political success could be achieved only by incorporating independent students within the party, instead of merely trying to either win or suppress their votes.
Since Pachacamac, as a thoroughly Greek organization, could not support the idea of incorporating independents, the pressures and tensions within its two factions forced it to split in mid-1954.
The majority of the houses formed an alliance with a number of independent groups and became known as AGI. The loyal Pachacamac supporters reorganized into the Party of Greek Organizations, known as POGO. Although it also allied with some independents, POGO failed without even gaining momentum. After two humiliating defeats at the polls, POGO collapsed in the spring of 1956. AGI was then on top of the political heap. Its demise came with stunning swiftness.
A few students picked up the remnants of POGO's following, breathed some life into them, and organized a fresh political party, Vox Populi. The party, whose name means "voice of the people," overcame a shaky beginning and rapidly accumulated a substantial following.
Apparently, AGI had become too large to satisfy all of its houses, a problem similar to one of Pachacamac's. Therefore, a few of them joined the Vox bandwagon in hope of better pickings. These unexpected acquisitions rallied the Vox forces, and gave them the confidence to smash once-powerful AGI in the fall 1957 elections.
Now KU once again has only one political party. Vox seems to be in the position AGI owned two years ago. Sitting smugly on top of the scene. Vox also appears to reflect some of AGI's former self-confidence.
Through over-confidence, AGI helped its own downfall. Basking in success, it failed to keep a tight rein on its office-holding members. Vox capitalized on their shortcomings.
What's next? Possibly a new political party will be formed. At any rate, leave us hope so. The dangers of a one-party campus could lead to the end of free student government.
On Removing Student Rights
It is shocking to read through the newly-released report recommending changes in the University disciplinary system. Shocking, because it is a striking illustration of the low regard in which student rights are held by power groups at this university.
—John Husar
We bow to the legal philosophy which holds that a student can have no rights as a student other than those granted it by the university. But in a judicial situation, the administrators must realize there are certain safeguards which must be granted to every accused person, quite irrespective of the institutional setting.
In preparing the report they evidently chose to ignore this.
The report takes great pains to explain that the denial of rights in its proposed system comes because college disciplinary agencies are not courts of law and there is no need to follow technical procedure.
This may be true, but the committee seems to assume that denial of technical legal procedures means a denial of traditional protection of rights.
The deans may have confidence in their own ability to be absolutely fair. But unless the safeguards are written into the disciplinary procedures, the system becomes rule of men and whim, not rule of law. It becomes totalitarian.
Too many other shady deals are pushed off on students at this university under a prevailing administration theory—that the present group of students will be gone after four years and succeeding generations will never realize that at one time there was a better and more democratic world on campus.
We only hope the regents, in considering the proposed disciplinary change, will realize what flaws it contains. —Colorado Daily
With John Morrissey
Ever get tired of drinking Coke at the football games? We think the vendors should sell a variety, like maybe Quinine Water or Collins Mix.
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Seniors! Be sure to include in your next letter home the invaluable information that there are only 192 shopping days left 'til graduation.
The pipe and cigar came before the cigarette. Then followed the king-size, the filter tip, and the filter king. Now we have a substitute for tobacco. What's next? No doubt, the synthetic smoker. Why not? The synthetic mind has been with us for centuries.
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We've got a happy friend who keeps a scrapbook for all his party pictures. Each photo is black. Seems his flash attachment never worked.
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Maybe the Senior Class could donate another functional gift this year—something on the order of a ski lift from Strong Hall to the new Templein dorm. Or better yet. How about a fund to provide research toward the elimination of the green stain from grass? It would serve humanity by saving it embarrassment.
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LITTLE MAN ON CAMPUS By Dick Bibler
"See anything you'd like to study for a whole semester?"
Editorial Photo
A political party's demise. (See related editorial)
By Larry S. Hazelrigg
SPACE HANDBOOK—ASTRONAUTICS AND ITS APPLICATIONS, by Rbbert W. Buchheim and the Staff of the Rand Corporation. Modern Library, $1.25.
In 1953 a Soviet scientist told the World Peace Council that "It is feasible to send a stratoplane to the Moon, to create an artificial satellite of the Earth." The 1954 Large Soviet Encyclopedia contained an article entitled "Interplanetary Communication," yet by 1957 "there was no corresponding entry in Western encyclopedias."
In calling attention to this, Mr. Buchheim is making the point that the Soviet Union is well aware of the United States' earth satellite vehicle program, which was first announced in 1948.
THE RAND CORPORATION is an independent, nonprofit organization. Its purpose is to promote public welfare and national security. It employs a staff of 500 for its research.
The Select Committee on Astronautics and Space Exploration, House of Representatives, 85th Congress, asked the Corporation to help the Committee prepare its final report before Congress adjourned. This book is the result.
The handbook is in four parts. The first deals with "Astronautics," and applies it to the present. Parts II and III explain "Technology" and the "Application" of that technology. Numerous graphs and photographs are used to illustrate points. The "Technology" section is not easily read, but "Application" includes many examples that will interest an intelligent reader.
THE MOST INTERESTING section is Part IV, "Astronautics in Other Countries," in which the Soviet Union's space program is discussed in some detail. The reader is shown how Russia took advantage of Germany's rocket powerplants, equipment and personnel after World War II. Space programs in the United Kingdom and Communist China are also discussed.
In view of the Soviet's latest triumphs in outer space, the story can be frightening, because it shows how developed the Russian program is. If the layman can get through this, he will emerge better informed on astronautics.
Daily Hansan UNIVERSITY
University of Kansas student newspaper
Founded 1889, became biweekly 1904, triweekly 1908, daily Jan. 16, 1912
Telephone VIkring 3-2700
Extension 711, news room
Extension 776, 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 Saturday 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
Jack Harrison Managing Editor
Carol Allen, Dick Crocker, Jack Morton and Doug Yocom, Assistant
Managing Editors; Rael Amos, City Editor; Jim Trotter, Sports Editor;
Carolyn Frailey, Society Editor.
EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT
George DeBord and John Husar Co-Editorial Editors
Sandrad Hayn. Associate Editorial Editor.
BUSINESS DEPARTMENT
Bill Kane ... Business Manager