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University Daily Kansan
Monday. Feb. 17, 1958
U.S. Lid Of Secrecy
A lid of secrecy imperils our nation, is a frequent cry heard among today's newspapers. Not only does this mean that the United States has remained silent on scientific affairs, but also in many governmental affairs.
The right to print the truth dates back to 1735 when John Peter Zenger was placed on trial for exposing and opposing arbitrary power by speaking and writing the truth. In this now famous trial, Andrew Hamilton, attorney for the defense, became the first man bold enough to assert that the jury should be the judge of both fact and law in libel cases.
This case laid the foundation for the freedom of the press,but today,223 years later,we are still fighting for this right to criticize the government.
Today's right to print the facts is being obstructed by the simple device of so concealing knowledge of what the acts of government are that there can be no intelligent criticism of policy.
The "housekeeping statute," under which security is being justified, was adopted during Washington's administration. It reads as follows: "The head of each department is authorized to prescribe regulations, not inconsistent with law, for ... the custody, use and preservation of the records, papers and property appertaining to (the department)."
At the present time, proposed amendments in the House which are strongly supported by Rep. John E. Moss of California, chairman of the House Committee on information, would add the limitation to the present statute: "This section does not authorize withholding from the public or limiting the availability of records to the public."
But even with strong support from the press, each of the 10 Cabinet-level departments of the Federal government has opposed any change in the present statute.
Certainly, anything which is top secret should not be given to the newspapers. For instance, a matter dealing with national security or apprehension of criminals should be withheld and newspapers should accept the fact.
But in several instances, government officials have withheld facts from the press which certainly would not fit in the above categories, but would be of great interest to the American people, who are supposed to be of utmost importance in our Democratic governmental system.
With the coverage opportunity that was given the newspapers on the recent launching of Explorer, the U. S. satellite, it appears that governmental officials might be letting the rigid barrier break.
But occasions like this have been far and few between; therefore, some action must be taken to assure this cooperation in the future.
Secrecy in governmental affairs can be dangerous to our defense as well as our liberties. If the American people had known the danger which imperils our nation from a possible enemy attack, the resentment against a larger spending in our national budget for defensive purposes might not be so great. Among our people ignorance, not failure, is what threatens our society.
Now is the time for Congress to lift the lid off this secrecy which has loomed over the American people during the past. Certainly they are not to blame for something they didn't even know.
-Malcolm Applegate
Comment On Tax Fight
The recent veto by Gov. George Docking of a bill with a raise in the sales tax frustrated some persons and pleased others. The whole legislative fight for a source of new taxes frustrated most persons. Following are some comments from editorial pages of Kansas newspapers.
Atchison Daily Globe—"It seems to us the taxpayer could much more easily afford a one per cent jump in the sales tax than a jump in property tax. He's paying right now four times as much in property taxes as he is in sales taxes. A sales tax increase might be easier on everyone."
Lawrence Journal World letter to the editor by Harry Shaffer, instructor in economics at the University-"A sales tax is a regressive tax. It is a tax which takes a larger part out of the income of the poorer than out of the income of the wealthier."
Salina Journal—"Docking was playing to the gallery when he said the gasoline tax should be reduced from five to four cents. This should warm the cockles of every jalopy-herder in the state."
The El Dorado Times—"High taxes, imposed upon just about every phase of daily business constitute no less than a black eye which is a glaring disgirement for a state busily engaged in industrial, and other promotion."
The Hutchinson News—"There is another way by which the state could obtain its added revenues in a much less painful way. That would be to establish a nice, little old Kansas lottery with a drawing every month. Chances are if the plan were submitted to public referendum, it would receive a majority."
—Doug Parker
By Dick Bibler
LITTLE MAN ON CAMPUS
"IT'S YOUR TIME TO WIND THE ALARMS TONITE."
First Phi Beta Kappa chapter west of the Mississippi was at K.U.
The Quakers were the only religious group in colonial America to oppose slavery on moral and religious ground.
University of Kansas student newspaper
Founded 1898, became the weekly 1904,
tourist journal.
Daily Hansan
Telephone VIking 3-2700 Extension 251 news room
McMURDO SOUND. Antarctica—(UP)—American explorers taking part in the International Geophysical year have reported the discovery of previously unknown mountains comparable in height and width to the American Rockies.
Telephone VIking 3-2100
Extension 251, news room
Extension 276, business office
Member Inland Daily Press Association,
Associated Collegiate Press. Represented
National Advertising Service 420
Madison Avenue, Chicago, Ill.
service: United Press. Mail subscription
rates: $3 a semester or $4.50 a year. Published
award: a winter award after evert-
ing experience. University hours:
Saturdays and Sundays, University holidays,
and examination periods. Entered
as second-class matter Sept. 17, 1910;
at March 3, 1879.
Scientists and Navy flyers said the series of ranges extend from the Sentinel Mountains on the Ellsworth highland toward the Pensacola Mountains. They said the discovery indicates these two ranges, separated by 600 miles, may be part of the same system.
Antarctic Range Found
The find fills in a huge blank area on the Antarctic map.
Dick Brown Managing Editor
Larry Boston, Bob Hartley, Mary Beth
Noyes Maleolem Applegate, Assistant
Managing Editors: LeRoy Lord, City
Election Manager David Harrison,
Assistant City Editor Daniel Schrader,
Telegraph Editor; Mary Alden, Assistant
Telegraph Editor; George Anthan,
Sports Editor; Bob Macy, Assistant
Sports Editor; Pat Swanson Society
Editor; Ron Miller, Picture Editor.
Some of the new-found mountains were observed by scientists from Byrd Station who are making a 1,100-mile surface reconnaissance in the Sentinel Mountain area. A navy plane followed the ranges 300 miles from the Sentinels toward the Pensacolas. Its crew reported the mountains continued as far as they could see when they turned back.
Dr. Charles B. Bentley, seismologist of Rochester, N. Y., and Vernon H. Anderson, glaciologist of Laramie, Wyo., headed the scientific ground team which left Byrd Station Nov. 19.
..Letters ..
Misquoted
NEWS DEPARTMENT
Editor:
Regarding the article entitled "Juveniles Haven't Changed Much," which appeared in The Daily Kansas on Monday, Feb. 10, I would like to clarify some of the comments attributed to me.
In my discussion with The Daily Kansan reporter I did not use the word "morals" or the terms "bad youths" and "good youths". I did say that much of the current increase in juvenile offenses, but not all, may be due to an increase in the 10 to 17-year-old population.
EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT
Dal Hakey
Editorial Hall
The rings around the planet Saturn are composed of tiny, highly reflective solid particles or "moonlets."
I would also like to clarify that "the neglect that a youth feels from his parents" usually comes from lack of affection on the part of his parents. Also my comments on teachers and schools were in relation to a specific question about what the schools could do to alleviate the problem of delinquency, but I did not mean to imply that the whole solution lies with the schools. I did not say that "the student is preoccupied with social and community problems with no time left for school," but I did say that some youngsters (specifically many of those inclined toward delinquent behavior) are too preoccupied with their emotional and social problems to pay attention to grammar, mathematics and other studies.
Don M. Pilcher
Assistant director
Bureau of Child Research
In 1950 nearly 24 million acres of forests were burned down in the United States. Nine out of ten forest fires are caused by man, and seven out of these nine are caused by man's carelessness, notes a new report of the Twentieth Century Fund.
Del Haley Editorial Editor
Evelyn Hall, Marilyn Mermis Leroy
Zimmerman, Associate Editorial Editors
BUSINESS DEPARTMENT
It was correctly reported that I said there is not necessarily a higher rate of delinquency in big cities than in smaller cities, but I did not say that police were more
efficient in big cities than in smaller towns. I said that juvenile offenders were less likely to come to the attention of the juvenile courts in rural areas than in more populous areas because people living in rural areas seem more reluctant about referring youngsters to the juvenile court.
Ted Winkler  Business Manager
John Clarke, Advertising Manager; Ann Huston, National Advertising Manager;
Bill Fryne, Closely Associated Advertising Manager; Michael McIntosh Circulation Manager; Norman Beck, Promotion Manager.
The average American spends more on food than on any other single item in his budget.
DR. H. R. WILLIAMS, OPTOMETRIST
Formerly of Pittsburg, Kansas
Wishes to Announce the new location of his office at
1021 $ _{1/2} $ Massachusetts
Lawrence, Kansas
Phone VI 3-7255
Stereo - you heard it at
"The Seven Year Itch" Come in and hear STEREO for your home
928 Mass.
Equipment Showroom
ATTENTION
Meeting For All Freshmen For
Freshman
Tue. Feb.18
Commission
7:30 p.m.
Jayhawk Room
Memorial Union