Page 2 University Daily Kansan Monday, April 14, 1958 In The ASC— It's Time For A Housecleaning Here's Leadership The announcement that supporters of John Downing and Carol Plumb were seeking their election Wednesday in a write-in campaign, came as a God-send to the previously muddled political spectrum. Until last weekend, when the decision to back Downing and Miss Plumb for president and vicepresident of the student body was reached, campus voters were faced with a decision that typifies the gross injustice that has been done to the voter and student in the past two years. With politics already at the point of saturation in student government, voters were faced with selecting between two mediocre candidates, both of whom seemed to be staging a popularity contest. Many voters had hinted that they were faced with a "lesser of two evils" situation and would resort to coin-flipping or straw-drawing. There was another group that had decided it wasn't worth their time to vote. A third group said they would vote for other positions and leave the student body ballot blank. Humorous? Yes, to some. But to others it is an insult to see government slip and slide down hill this rapidly. Downing, a 2-time member of the All Student Council, has made no wild accusations. He has no skeletons in his closet. Downing does not coddle petty politicians. He has no favorites for influential committees. Downing does have a sincere desire for the position. Miss Plumb only complements Downing's record. Miss Plumb is in accordance on the major and differs some on minor issues, showing that she will be a force in her own right if elected. No one who casts an intelligent vote wants to see a "yes" man or woman in a position where a certain amount of individuality is to be admired. Downing told the editors of The Daily Kansan that he is asking the voters for the chance to make the necessary adjustments in student government that will give students cause to place their confidence in the Council instead of ridiculing its every move. Realizing that the Council makes the final decisions in most cases, Downing has not gone out on a limb and taken stands on issues that can be solved only by meeting the problem with cooperation between the Council and the president. He said he believes in giving the students the information that they have a right to-not just what a handful of persons think is best for us to know. Campus politicians are a dime a dozen. Campus politics in the past two years has hit gutbucket bottom. At last we see a way to shed both cloaks and get down to some serious governmental practices. The Editors John Downing, Carol Plumb Because much emphasis is put on candidates' qualifications for president and vice-president of the student body, the question arises, are John Downing and Carol Plumb qualified for the positions they are seeking Wednesday? The Daily Kansan has compared their qualifications with those of other candidates: what they have accomplished and how they are fitted for the positions. We believe Downing and Miss Plumb are the most qualified. John Downing—A member of the ASC for two years; chairman of the Election Committee, a member for two years; a member of the ASC Committee on Committees; Greek Week Dance chairman; K-Book editor; Inter-Fraternity Council rush chairman. Downing was a member of the Jayhawker staff for two years; IFC representative to the national IFC conference, and a member of the ASC Athletic Seating Committee. Carol Plumb—A member of the ASC; a member of the Public Relations Committee; vicepresident KU-Y; a member of the cabinet of the Wesley Foundation for three years; a member of the Student Religious Council; vice-president of the Home Economics Club; delegate to the National Home Economics convention in Philadelphia last summer. Miss Plumb has been song leader for Jay Janes; on the dean's honor roll, and is now on the committee to orientate new ASC members, and chairman of the housing committee for National Student Assn. convention. The Editors CAMPAIGNING—Jim Austin, Topeka sophomore and president of Vox party (second from right), conferred with party workers Sunday night as Vox launched a campus-wide poster campaign preceding Wednesday's general election. Not listed on Vox posters are John Downing and Carol Plumb, write-in candidates for president and vice-president of the student body. CANDIDATES—John Downing, Kansas City, Mo. (right) and Carol Plumb, Overland Park, both juniors, examine a copy of the ASC constitution after announcing that they will be Vox write-in candidates for student body president and vice-president, respectively, in Wednesday's election. Hanky-Panky? Perhaps you don't give a hoot about campus politics, but if you're among that goodly crowd who feels that there has been some hanky panky going on in the All Student Council, consider these things: Three organized houses control 33 per cent of the committee memberships of the ASC, yet 29 organized houses have no committee representatives. If you live in Pi Beta Phi social sorority, Alpha Tau Omega or Phi Delta Theta social fraternity, you're sitting pretty as far as Council representation is concerned. Those three houses have 39 ASC committee appointments, plus five elected Council representatives. But if you live in Alpha Omicron Pi social sorority, Grace Pearson Hall. Phi Kappa social fraternity or 26 other houses, you're out in the cold as far as representation on ASC committees is concerned. You don't have representative one on Council committees. This takes on more importance, of course, when you consider that the ASC and its committees control an annual budget of $7.000 plus—of your money. You may thank Bob Billings, student body president, for the present state of affairs. He's the man who is responsible for naming committee members. He's under a handicap, of course. It isn't every house that has even one person who is interested in serving on ASC committees. But are there 29 such houses? Does it take 15 Pi Phi's to effectively staff the All Student Council committees? It's no secret that under the present leadership, there has been an attempt to turn the All Student Council into a sort of closed society, open only to selected members. For instance, under present rules, you must be an ASC member before you can aspire to the job of student body president. That's nonsense, of course, and political maneuvering of the first order. Billings and the AGI crowd have almost succeeded in turning the All Student Council into a private club. So it's not merely time for a change over there—it's time for a housecleaning The Editors Daily Hansan University of Kansas student newspaper 1904. trieweek 1908, daily dan. 16, 1912. trieweek 1908, daily dan. 16, 1912. Telephone VIKing 3-2700 Extension 251, news room Extension 376, 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. Mail subscription rates: $3 a semester or $4.50 a year. Published in Lawrence. Kan. Every after classes. University year except Saturdays 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 Dick Brown Managing Editor Larry Boston, Bob Hartley, Mary Beth Noyes, Malcolm Applegate, Assistant Managing Editors; Douglas Parker, City Editor, Malcolm Parker, City Editors; Mary Alden, Telegraph Editor; Martha Frederick, Assistant Telegraph Editor; George Anthan, Sports Editor; Bob Macy, Dale Morsch, Jim Cable, Assistant Snorts Editor, Jim Sutcliffe, Safety Editor; Bob Miller, Picture Editor. EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT Del Haley Editorial Editor Evelyn Hall, Marilyn Mermis Leroy Zimmerman, Marilyn Mermis NESS DEPARTMENT Ted Winkler Business Manager John Clarke Advertising Manager; Carol Ann Huston National Advertis- ing Manager Advertising Manager; Tom McGrath, Circulation Manager; Norman Beck, Promotion Manager.