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University Daily Kansan Thursday, March 30. 1961
But Not to All
Congratulations to the new student body officers and representatives to the ASC. And to the losers, commiseration and thanks for the effort made to participate in University student government.
But to the 5,500 students who didn't vote, for whatever reason they may have had—nothing—not a word.
EOR THOSE WHO WON, THE FUN PART has ended and the work part has begun. For those who lost, there can be some solace in knowing that almost every race was close, and, in addition, that the glory from a political office usually stops after election; rewards are few and criticism plentiful.
Despite the small turnout, something like 36 per cent voting, it was a healthy election for the University. First, the fact that there were two parties was enough to promise a heated campaign. Second, since a battle for every post was inevitable, each party sifted its applications to obtain the most qualified candidates. And lastly, the campaign itself was rugged, even a little dirty at times, showing the intensity of desire of the parties and candidates.
EVERYBODY THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORtant except 64 per cent of the student body. Issues of concern to every student were at stake.The two parties differed markedly on the goals and concept of student government.A
challenge for any student concerned about his and the University's affairs was there. But the challenge went unanswered.
This raises an interesting point. Several times in the last year the ASC and president have stepped forward to meet issues and been met by a few critics for "acting when they really didn't have the authority to express the opinion of the entire student body" since they were only elected by a minority.
Well, it is not the fault of those elected. They are empowered to act within certain limits and this kind of criticism cannot and should not be heeded.
THOSE CONCERNED ABOUT ANY MATTERS considered by the council in the future had better forget about this complaint. Its validity was flushed yesterday and Tuesday.
Whatever direction the new ASC goes; whatever legislation it enacts; whatever issues it meets and acts upon, it shall do so as the representative governing body. Whether 10,000 or 3,000 or 1,000 students voted, the elected representatives have the power to speak for their districts and schools, and the ASC speaks for every student. No matter how many voters put them there, they are there and have a job to do. They had better exercise this authority to its capacity.
No one can measure the importance of the office by the number of votes it received.
Frank Morgan
. . .
Last night, in Hoch Auditorium,
the Kansas City Philharmonic,
conducted by Hans Schwieger,
performed the eighth and ninth
symphonies of Beethoven. They
were assisted in the Ninth by
guest soloists Virginia Babikian,
Carol Smith, Walter Fredericks,
and Ara Berberian, and the
University of Kansas chorus.
Music Review
THE NINTH SYMPHONY of Beethoven was first performed on May 7, 1824. Beethoven, by this time totally deaf, sat in the center of the orchestra absorbed in the score albeit he could not hear a note.
The work was received with enthusiasm. After expenses were paid, however, so little remained of the receipts, that Beethoven accused the friends who had managed the performance of cheating him. Two weeks later, another performance resulted in another deficit.
BEETHOVEN'S NINTH Symphony is unique because its last movement introduces a sizable chorus section and solo parts for soprano, alto, tenor and bass. The text is two stanzas of Schil-
ler's "Ode to Joy" preceded by a short introduction in Beethoven's own words. This was the first instance in which the human voice was used in a symphonic work.
. . .
Beethoven was not adept in writing for the voice. He wrote little choral music and only one opera. His vocal writing was symphonically conceived and the voice was expected to act as a member of an instrumentally expressed idea rather than directly enhancing the text.
FOR THE MOST PART, the performance last night was a successful one. The orchestra played intelligently and showed some signs of rehearsal. The chorus performed as one might expect from so large a group. All began at the same time and nearly all ended at the same time, but in between one was never too sure. However, the sound generated was exciting and totally befitting the dramatic intensity that is characteristic of Beethoven's works.—R.B.
Short Ones
Right is might, and ever was, and
ever shall be so...August W. Hare
---
It is right and might that govern It is twice as hard to crush a half-truth as a whole lie—Austin O'Malley
☆ ☆ ☆
Let us have faith that right makes might, and in that faith, let us to the end, dare to do our duty, as we understand it. — Abraham Lincoln.
Impossible is a word only to be found in the dictionary of fools. Napoleon
Whoever is right, the persecutor must be wrong.—William Penn
- * *
The actually probable is often the apparently impossible. — Leo Stein
EATON
KU DAILY KANSAN 361
Half a fact is a whole falsehood. — Elias L. Magoon
To attempt impossibilities is not the part of a wise man.—Eupirides
UN fire fighter
Daily Hansan
University of Kansas student newspaper
Founded 1889, became bweekly 1904,
trweekly 1908, daily Jan. 16, 1912.
Telephone VIkring 3-2700 Extension 711, news room Extension 376, business office
Member Inland Daily Press Association. Associated Collegiate Press. Represented by National Advertising Association. N.Y. News service; United Press International. Mall subscription rates: $3 a semester or $5 a year. Published in Lawrence, Kan., every afternoon during the University year except Saturday and Sunday. And examination periods. Second class postage paid at Lawrence, Kansas.
NEWS DEPARTMENT
John Peterson ... Managing Editor
Bill Blundell, Carrie Edwards, Lynn
Cheatum and Ralph Wilson, Assistant
Managing Editors; Tom Turner, City
Editor; Bill Sheldon, Sports Editor;
Sue Thieman, Society Editor.
EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT
Frank Morgan and
Co-Editorial Ed
BUSINESS DEPARTMENT
Frank Morgan & Dan Felger ... Co-Editorial Editors
John Massa ... Business Manager
F. Mike Harris, Advertising Manager;
Tom L. Brown, Circulation Manager;
Rehman, Manager;
William, Goodwin,
Promotion Manager; Marlin Zimmerman,
National Advertising Manager.
Sound and Fury
Quit Blaming the U.S.
Recently at the Current Events Forum a topic that sounded interesting, "The Future of Latin America," was to be discussed and we went expecting to hear some positive and progressive ideas. But we were greatly disappointed.
The first two speakers took the whole time granted to them to talk about things of the past that we already know; nothing was said about the "future." Besides, both gave a black picture of Latin America and for somebody who has never visited a Latin country it might have appeared as a terrible picture of a bad situation that is being exaggerated for political purposes. The third speaker who started his talk with a more constructive point of view was not able to give his speech because the other two had already used or abused the time granted to them. The first two speeches were "off-color," they started right away with a "Castro-Khrushchev" style and naturally the usual attacks against our country were heard again.
IN THE COURSE OF THESE TALKS it was said that the Cuban revolution was nationalist and we all agreed that it was, but they did not mention that what started as a nationalist movement became "red" and there is no doubt about it. The speaker also insisted (as has been lately the trend of the communist propaganda) that we were to be blamed for what has happened in Cuba.
We would like to point out the fact that dictators in these countries are the product of their own environment. Their social, political and economic organizational patterns were given to Latin America by the Spaniards four centuries ago and if they have not changed or improved their conditions it is strictly their fault. We had nothing to do with it and if they have not worked as hard as they should to achieve a political maturity, a higher standard of living and a settled economy, having so many natural resources, it is really their very own fault. We know that there have been some unscrupulous businessmen and investors (not only from the U.S.) who have profited from their situation, but they should realize that we are not to take the blame for the United Fruit stockholders and their associates in Latin America.
Furthermore, if the money that came in to those countries through arrangements with the United Fruit and other companies was stolen or misused by their governments, obviously it is also not our fault. We did not create a Somoza, a Batista or a Trujillo. They were typically of Latin American extraction. Everybody knows that they were ready to sell their souls to the devil, if necessary, for U.S. dollars. For the sake of peace and good relations we always recognized these governments as well as we recognized Mr. Castro's.
The speakers also mentioned that U.S. tourists are practically banned from Cuba. Let us remind our Cuban friend that again this is strictly their own fault. No sensible person will care to go on a vacation to spend his money in a country that has been and is insulting our own. Where he will be received with the cry "Yankee go home" or "Cuba si, yankee no." Or, as he mentioned, that more U.S. dollars should be sent to help these countries and we agree that they need more help, but if they keep on screaming "Dollar si, yankee no," we are afraid things will not turn out as they should.
LET US ALSO TELL OUR LATIN friends that we are very aware of the fact that the latest trend of the Red propaganda is to profit by old hates and create new ones against our country, especially in the Latin American area and, at the same time create a guilt complex in the minds of our good hearted and good natured Americans. Some of them, unfortunately, have already fallen under this spell, others are about to do so; but the great majority (the thinking fellow) and we believe all students are included in this category, weigh facts against words.-D.F.F.
By Stuart Levine Instructor, English
THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER and Other Tales, by Edgar Allan Poe, with an Afterword by R. P. Blackmur. Signet Classic, 50 cents.
Although it was doubtless brought out to capitalize on last year's (bad) motion picture (you saw the movie — now read the book), this is in some ways a worthy edition. Mr. Blackmur's essay, sane, witty and perceptive, is as good a brief introduction to Poe's strengths and weaknesses as I have seen, even though it appears to have been tacked on not merely as an Afterword but as an afterthought: he devotes a good deal of his limited space to discussion of tales which are not included in the text.
The fifteen tales are an odd but interesting collection: no "misty women" (Berenice, Ligeia and the rest of Poe's chorus line), no "William Wilson," no "Man of the Crowd," but the complete text of Poe's one complete novel, "Narrative of A. Gordon Pym."
Our best paperback Poe is still the Rinehart edition with the splendid Preface by W. H. Auden. The novel and the Blackmur essay, however, make the Signet well worth half a buck.