Arab Student Defends Nasser
The invitation to speak at KU extended to President Gamal Abdel Nasser of the United Arab Republic continued to draw sharp comment from both his supporters and opponents today.
Mohammed Shanaa, Lawrence graduate student and spokeswoman for KU's American Arab Club, took issue with remarks made in the UDK Friday by Robert R. Sokal, professor of entomology and counselor to the Hillel Foundation, who in reply said Mr. Shanaa's statement contained "half-truths and worse."
"Prof Sokal made a few remarks that should be clarified," Mr. Shanaa said.
"First, misqouted me. As mentioned in the UDK Thursday, I stated, 'Nasser is considered by the Arabs . . . as a symbol of freedom for us.' In English, this does not mean that Nasser represents Arabs as Prof. Sokal stated.
"This means that because of what Nasser did and is still doing to raise the standard of living of his people . . he became a symbol to follow for the great majority of the Arabs." Shanaa was not a citizen of the U.A.R.
"Secondly," Mr. Shanaa continued, "Prof. Sokal is wrong in his statement of the basic issue in the Middle East.
"He questioned whether Nasser wants peace and stated that Nasser has never given any indication of it. To this I must say, Nasser has declared publicly once and again that peace is his ultimate goal, and as far as the Arab-Israeli conflict is concerned, he announced several times his willingness to abide by the U.N. resolutions in order to facilitate a peaceful solution of the problem.
"Iisrael, however, refuses to talk of these UN resolutions made not once but several times. For example, Resolution 194/III of Dec. I1, 1948, which was recalled and reaffirmed at every regular session the General Assembly has held since 1948. This (resolution) gives the right to the Arab refugees to return to their homes in Palestine and/or be compensated for their properties if they do not wish to return home.
"When Israel is ready to abide by the UN resolutions Nasser has stated he will negotiate. Furthermore, everyone interested is challenged to check the UN records, which are available at Watson Library, to find out for himself how many times each state was condemned by the UN because her regular armed forces attacked the other state.
"In conclusion, the desire for peace seems to be lacking on the Zionist side. Ben-Gurion, Prime Minister of Israel, once stated: 'Our people have come to stay in the land of our ancestors, extending from the Nile to the Euphrates.'
"Does this mean peace?" Mr Shanaa inquired.
Prof. Sokal was then contacted.
His reply to Mr. Shanaa's statement was:
"When the UDK asked me to comment on a news story concerning the possibility of Col. Nasser's visit to KU, I thought I had couched my comments in terms sufficiently temperate and conciliatory to avoid arousing the ire of Mr. Shanaa or his compatriots. It appears that I had underrated his excitability.
"A discussion of semantics aside, Mr. Shanaa's main purpose in his statement appears to be to drag in once again the Arab-Israeli argument and to present the Arab point of view thereof.
"One may expect readers of the Kansas are sophisticated enough to realize that there are two sides to any such argument and that any one party will present only those points favorable to it.
"I had not intended to engage in bickering on this by now quite old issue, and will not react to the half-truths in Mr. Shanaa's statement.
"These arguments are quite sterile. What is needed is a new and positive approach looking towards peace, compromise and reconciliation.
"Regarding peace: Perhaps Mr. Shanaa has been away from the Middle Eastern scene long enough that he has begun to believe some of the propaganda issued by the Arab student organizations on American campuses.
"If so, an evening tuned into Radio Cairo, in Arabic, Hebrew, English or French, would rapidly convince him that peace towards anyone, least of all the Israelis, is not uppermost on the minds and lips of those in control of the U.A.R.
"May I suggest that should Col. Nasser really come that we receive him with the traditional courtesy of the Middle West to visitors, in spite of his somewhat tarnished credentials to be a guest of honor in a Western Democracy."
Mobutu Wants Troops to Go
LEOPOLDVILLE, The Congo — (UPI) — Congolese army strongman Col. Joseph Mobutu gave Ghana and Guinea troops two weeks to pull out of the Congo, in retaliation against their support of deposed Premier Patrice Lumumba, army sources reported.
Col. Mobutu delivered his ultimatum at a meeting of his "college of high commissioners."
Bulletin
UNITED NATIONS — (UPI)—President Gamal Abdel Nasser called today for a meeting between President Eisenhower and Premier Nikita Khrushchev to get total disarmament started but neither leader appeared willing to meet the other.
Daily hansan
58th Year, No. 8
LAWRENCE, KANSAS
Tuesday, Sept. 27, 1960
Debate Seen as Draw Few at KU Influenced Candidates Return To Vote Seeking
Joe Young, Crawfordsville, Ind., graduate student said, "I thought most of the questions were pointed in favor of Senator Kennedy."
Samuel Stone, El Dorado sophomore said, "Nixon made Kennedy look like the youngster that he is."
Melvin Adams, assistant professor of journalism, stated that "Nixon was a little nervous. Kennedy outran the man, put in more issues. Nixon rode on Kennedy's speech most of the time. I think Nixon was under more tension than Kennedy. Kennedy's best punch was 'Are you content?'"
William Fuller, Pensacola, Fla., graduate student, said, "It was rather a draw between the two candidates. I think Kennedy was at times able to correct some things of Vice President Nixon."
Dick Horn, Kansas City, Mo. senior said, "As far as the debate was concerned I think it was a draw. In spite of the fact I'll vote for Nixon."
NESS CITY — (UPI)— Republican nominee for Kansas Governor, John Anderson Jr., promised today if elected he would "never seek a third term."
Students and faculty members today felt that the debate last night between Senator John F. Kennedy and Vice President Richard M. Nixon ended in a draw or favored the Kennedy side. It was felt by many that the debate would not change many persons opinions about who they would vote for.
Anderson Says "No Third Term"
The attitude of upperclass women watching the TV debate at Lewis Hall was that Kennedy was the winner.
Speaking at a Republican lunch- con during a campaign swing in Western Kansas, Anderson said, "this Democrat inspired idea of the indispensable man has been proved by history to be a step toward bad government."
Clifford P. Ketzel, assistant professor of political science said. "Both men were very sincere but under the ground rules of a debate with the time limitations placed on each man, I don't think that many minds were changed. The similarity in the goals of the two parties was emphasized as was the differences in the means for goal attainment. This difference was, however, over-emphasized."
WASHINGTON — (UPI) — Presidential opponents John F. Kennedy and Richard M. Nixon today left behind the TV cameras which carried their historic "great debate" to millions of homes and returned to the traditional means of seeking votes — stumping the countryside.
The first judgment of Democratic and Republican big-wigs was that last night's dramatic confrontation had not clinched the election for either candidate nor had it hurt anyone much, if at all.
Republican Nixon's aides reported he was pleased with the early reaction to his presentation.
DEMOCRAT KENNEDY termed the hour-long program "a very useful exchange of views."
Nixon returned to the campaign trail today with another foray into the South. The vice president arranged appearances in Memphis, Tenn., West Memphis, Ark., and Charleston, W. Va., before flying to New York City to spend the night.
Kennedy carried his campaign into Ohio, with stops at Cleveland, Mansfield, Painesville, Lorain, Akron and Canton, before winding up the day at Erie, Pa.
THE CANDIDATES MADE new proposals or charges in their unprecedented debate, broadcast from Chicago by all four major radio and television networks.
Kennedy said the nation needed Democratic leadership to point the way to faster growth. Nixon said he and Kennedy agreed on goals for the country but differed on the means to achieve them. The vice president said the United States had made more progress under President Eisenhower than under President Truman.
On specific issues—this first debate was restricted to domestic matters — the candidates showed the voters clearly where they disagree.
Kennedy declared his support for medical care for the elderly under the social security program, federal aid for teachers salaries, a farm program to balance supply and demand, and a 25 cent hike in the $1-an-hour minimum wage.
NIXON SAID THE social security approach to medical care failed at the post-convention session of Congress because the people didn't want it, not because of the threat of a presidential veto.
He said the federal government should not contribute to teachers' salaries because this would lead to government control of what is taught.
He said Kennedy's farm program would mean more federal controls on farmers and higher prices for consumers.
In his summation, Nixon cited Khrushchev's claims for the Soviet Union. He said that Russia has been moving faster in its growth but started from a much lower base. The Soviet total growth, he said, is only 44 per cent of America's.
KENNEDY CLOSED HIS summation by saying the goals of his party and Nixon's were essentially the same.
"But," he said, "The means of reaching them are different.
"If you think we as a nation are achieving everything we set out for, then I say you should vote for Mr. Nixon. But if you think, as I do, that we are not achieving this, that we can move ahead, then I think you should vote for the Democratic party."
The candidates will meet again in three more "great debates."
OTHER POLITICAL developments:
—Before the TV show, Nixon told the Carpenters Union convention that he would not try to outpromise Kennedy on federal spending. But he said he would spend whatever was needed to strengthen U.S. defenses and bolster weak spots in the economy.
—New York Gov. Nelson A. Rockefeller said after a 75-minute talk with President Eisenhower that the United Nations crisis caused by Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev should help Nixon's White House bid.
—Adlal Stevenson, campaigning in California, urged his fiercely loyal supporters there to throw their efforts behind Kennedy. He predicted Kennedy would carry California, Nixon's home state.
Weather
Partly cloudy this afternoon and tonight with some light rain or drizzle extreme southwest portion tonight. A little cooler this afternoon and north portion tonight. Tomorrow generally fair and mild.
READY FOR ACTION — Six members of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity pose ready for action in their newly acquired fire engine. From left they are: Dan Deaver, Topea senior; Jim Martin, Arkansas City sophomore; Avey Murray,
Kansas City, Mo., senior; Gary Irwin, Kansas City, Mo., senior; Dick Piel, Atchison senior and Damon Patton, Wichita senior. The truck, a 1937 Ford, was bought from the McLouth, Kan., fire department.
Pi Kappa Alpha Buys Bright Red Fire Engine
Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity conformed to national tradition Friday when they acquired a fire engine from the Fire Department at McLouth, Kan.
About 40 Pi Kappa Alpha chapters at various colleges and universities in the United States now have fire engines, said Damon Patton, Wichita senior, and head of the "fire engine committee."
The present whereabouts of the fire engine is a closely guarded secret of the Pi Kappa Alphas, and the only clue is that it is in a garage.
The fire engine is about 21 feet long, fire engine red, and with a gold painted radiator. It has an open cab, and although it is 23 years old it has only 1,000 miles on it. said Patton.
The fire engine is a 1937 Ford which was purchased for the fraternity by the Mothers Club, of Pi Kappa Alpha.
Since they acquired the engine the fraternity has been confronted with a number of problems, Patton disclosed. The engine was in need of an overhaul due to "lack of use, and have you ever tried to locate parts for a 1937 Ford fire engine?" he said.
Secondly, there is the problem of getting insurance for the vehicle. It seems that no one wants to insure it even though it is legally not considered a fire engine once the siren and hoses are removed, he continued.
Once all of the details are taken care of the fire engine will become an integral part of Pi Kappa Alpha's activities, said Patton.
"It will appear at athletic events and pep rallies, and is already entered in the Homecoming parade, KU Relays parade and Kansas Centennial parade," he added.