Thursday, May 4. 1961 University Daily Kansan
Page 3
★ ★ ★ Letters to the Editor ★
Poets Si, Professors, No
I must take exception to the statement attributed to Professor John A. Meixner; one hopes that, as this gentleman reads poetry he also grows wiser. The statement was made during the last Poetry Hour, and reading it over, I find it is sour. He stated (subject to correction), "the poet has . . . an uneasy relationship with the teaching profession."
This saying was passed in his prefatory remarks, and has elicited a veritable shower of sparks, both from the students (who in truth know it), and from myself, an uneasy poet. One hopes that the statement is the result of excitement, or, coming from a professor, a lack of enlightenment. Being a poet does not make a man less, but rather more, suited to the teaching business. He is able to see, with the poet's fine eyes, all of the things that pass teachers by.
Mr. Meixner's topic (New Poets) shows uncommon good sense, but in his remark he used the wrong tense. He used the word "has" when he should have used "had," (on a freshman theme it is circled and marked "usage bad"). My argument gentlemen, is simply this: Poets have breathed into teaching the sweet breath of bliss. The "uneasy relations" are, fortunately past (great evil cannot indefinitely last), and the poet goes forth, head bumbed but无伤，to deliver his message to the welcoming crowd, those fortunate students about to be blessed with the presence of a poet, not an academic pest.
COLLEGE ENGLISH (March '61), has an article that's good. If Mr. Meixner hasn't read it, I suggest that he should. I could sustain the argument myself, but it's better of course, to have professional help. The article is all about poets, and patrons, and how, the colleges are seeking poet-teachers now. You see, not since student days have poets been uneasy. Right now it's the teachers who are getting queasy. The poet has shown how superior skill, can turn a dull textbook into a real thrill. The poet makes his students think, question, and dream, (while AWAKE, not asleep, as in some classes I've seen.)
So much for the tirade, the hour grows late. This is an expression of interest, and not one of hate. Congratulations to Meixner for attempting some good. Unfortunately his sword is not metal, but wood. In striking at random he pricked this bad poet; this gives me the chance to let him know it.
H. M. Hershberger
B. M. Hersiberger
Editor, The Western Poet
Asst. Instructor of English
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Leftist Dictatorships
This letter is in reference to the recent article in the UDK by C. Wright Mills of Columbia University.
Are Leftist Dictatorships Particularly Desirable?
Recently there has evolved a considerable body of opinion to the effect that whereas Rightist dictatorships are horrid and contemptible, and should be overthrown at the first opportunity, Leftist dictatorships have a peculiarly moral sanction, and are especially deserving of support.
Democracy is not considered as being relevant to this debate as it has too many disadvantages, not the least of which is that it is not understood. Democracy is not convenient for evangelization by true believers, who need something more definite than democracy as a single, simple answer to the troubles of the world. Democracy is too difficult to practice, in that it requires personal responsibility and the recognition of the rights of all groups by all other groups. Democracy requires of an individual that he make his own decisions, and even forces him to choose between conflicting opinions, when he could have his opinion given to him in a party line newspaper.
laws instead of a government of men. Instead, one can put his full, absolute faith in one man, "The Saviour of The People." This living symbol will give you justice: he will trample upon other people, and he will redistribute property in your favor. Income taxes and inheritance taxes are not rapid enough. He will confiscate it, and transfer it to you, or himself, or the state, which are supposed to be all the same thing. The decrease in
production and the economic hardship that follows are all worthwhile.
Democracy requests an individual to vote for the candidate of his choice in a free election, and it forbids him the pleasure of shooting the losing candidates, or sending them to Siberia. Democracy is confusing. It is not all it would like to be, and it allows the world to see its failures. Democracy is unsuitable as an instrument of class hatred, since you can only vote against your oppressors instead of sending them to the wall. Democracy is slow and evolutionary, and it robs revenge of its triumph.
On the other hand, a Leftist Dictatorship has none of these drawbacks. One needn't be confused by trying to set up a government of
One can see the glorious, heady, profound sense of destruction of all old institutions and their replacement by the materialist state that is mentioned in "Dr. Zhivago." One now has a positive purpose in life. One is freed from the centuries of Western or other cultural tradition. One need not waste his time striving for better living conditions.
A person is free to devote himself to producing for the state. One is free to give full vent to patriotism, to working at low wages to increase the power of "The Saviour of the People," to obedience without thought or question, so that the capitalist exploiters can be defeated, and more people brought to your glorious condition.
Vincent Hoover Broughton, Graduate student
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