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University Daily Kansan Wednesday, Dec. 3. 1958
Why Russia Won
Now that Russia is supposedly flying an atomic airplane, many American citizens are ready to concede the top position in the arms race to the Big Bear.
But not so fast. There really never was a race in this area. If the United States was interested in building the first atomic-powered aircraft, she would have had one in the air back in 1953 or 1954, according to the Department of Defense.
Instead of vying for atom power, the United States decided to spend its time, money and resources perfecting her vast jet fleet, capable of all that is needed should air warfare be necessary.
But if Russia does have nuclear aircraft, we must concede her being one up on us. Although her big plane can do no good for the time being, it is still there, and her scientists are certainly working hard to iron out its imperfections. The potential of an atomic airplane is tremendous, but the construction and upkeep of one is exceptionally costly.
Before the atomic plane can be of much wartime use to a country, it first must be assured of a speed with which it can outmaneuver defense attacks. Russia's bird doesn't have this—vet.
Then, nuclear planes need elaborate sets of
special equipment for servicing. These facilities must be completely established wherever the planes set down, or they may not be able to take off. Russia's plane has been seen circling the Moscow area. Therefore, she may have only one base fitted for atomic planes-yet.
Atomic airplanes have an indefinite range. They can stay in the air as long as the crew can take the pressure of being cooped up. A highlytrained flight and ground maintenance force is necessary to get the utmost out of an atomic airplane. Since Russia apparently has only one plane to experiment with, her trained crew is probably still small—yet.
However, effective use of atomic airplanes is not foreseen for a long time by American defense experts. They say our jet planes can go just as far, faster, with more destructive potential, and better defense techniques, than the Soviet nuclear plane.
Another consolation. The Air Research and Development command, along with many aircraft companies, has been working on an American edition of the atomic airship. The plane is due whenever it is ready. We won't worry about it.
Russia may have the big bird, but the United States' jet planes are still top banana in the air.
—John Husar
Mr. Khrushchev has confronted the West with a serious problem. There is no need to jump to the conclusion that he has faced us with a threat of war or blockade; he has not. His threat is that if a four-power agreement is not reached in six months the Russians will hand over to the East Germans and leave the Western Powers to stew. Since they cannot accept, how ought the Western Powers to reply?
What They're Saying
They cannot give up Berlin except as part of a settlement that reunites Germany and thus restores the city to its position as Germany's capital. The talks which the Russians now suggest ought, therefore, to be talks not on Berlin alone but on the whole German question; and the Western Powers should seriously consider proposing such wider talks...it is worthwhile to consider that the Russians' present move is inspired by fear of the rearmament of West Germany with nuclear arms. And rather than see that happen, they might conceivably be willing at last to talk seriously about German unity within the only possible context—that of military disengagement.
—The Economist
Invitation
The Kansan is the University's newspaper and we believe there should be an opportunity for University members to express their views. We refer particularly to the faculty.
There surely must be things which educators want to say to the KU audience. We would like, in brief, a Faculty Forum in print where these things can be said. The topics? Anything that's fit to print.
—The Editors
A Reactionary View
The modern world has problems that did not exist when an Astor could build a fortune with a line of traps, and a printer could go into business with a shirt-tail full of type.
With our complex technology, a college education is a necessity. And the five-year course is becoming the norm rather than the exception.
With present international tension, the peace-time draft is a permanent fixture. This means the male student needs another two to four years before he gets firmly started on a career.
At the same time, the productive career is being shortened from the other end. The pension plan offered by most big companies these days naturally makes the companies eager to hire young men. The theory is: So long as the 65-year-olds get our pension, let's get 40 years' work out of them instead of 20 or 25.
Taken together, this means a man is between 23 and 28 when he is ready to go to work. It also means the 40-year-old has trouble finding a job, because the company wants "a younger man."
The time available for curing wanderlust and finding the proper job is reduced to a 12 to 20-
year span, while the productive life of a worker is limited to 40 years.
The years that used to be spent in experimenting, wandering, or self-exploration are now spent in the Army or in finishing college. We have no more itinerant poets like Vachel Lindsay, no more wanderers like Carl Sandburg. There is little chance to widen our horizons.
Increased automation, more leisure time, and gains in prosperity will logically bring about a lower retirement age while the trend toward more education continues.
The natural end to this double process will be graduation in time to apply for social security.
In that happy time, the little work not done entirely by machine will be handled by immigrants and people who only finished high school. The college man will graduate immediately into a life of pipe, slippers, and alumni meetings, and the proper study of man will be geriatrics.
In the meantime, we will lose any sense of adventure that may cling atavistically to the present, and life will be a sterile thing.
Can you blame youth for being silent and obsessed by security? There is nothing for youth to look forward to. —Alan Jones
LITTLE MAN ON CAMPUS BY BIBLER
"I SEE IVE LECTURED INTO YOUR' LUNCH HOUR' AGAIN."
Notice how the year's first snow arrived exactly midway between the last football game and the opening basketball game? Maybe Mitchell and Harp have an inside line to the office in charge of changing seasons.
Short Ones
If you could believe the Big Eight coaches, there would always be an 8-way tie for last in football and basketball, and nothing but first-division teams in league baseball.
UNIVERSITY
Dailu Hansan
Member Inland Daily Press Association.
Associated Collegiate Press. Repres-
nted by National Advertising Service,
420 Madison Ave., New York, N.Y.
news service rates: $3.95 per descrip-
tion rates: $2 a semester or $4.50 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.
Gets office at act of March 3, 1879.
Telephone Vlkling 3-2700 Extension 711, news room Extension 276, business office
University of Kansas student newspaper Founded 1889, became bweekley 1904, triweekly 1908, daily Jan. 16, 1912.
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