Editorials Peace-wrong word?
For a "peace feeler," Mr. Harriman carries a helluva big stick. Americans have always been called an impatient and stubborn people, but, just because the shoe fits is no reason for it to be worn in every situation.
President Johnson's "peace-seeking mission" is certainly proving to be something quite the opposite. From where we stand, it looks like war.
Averell Harriman's purpose seems to be to serve notice to world leaders that Ho Chih Minh's time has run out and that the United States is ready to extend bombings in North Viet Nam to targets considered safe in the past. He is also serving notice that the United States will carry the ground war to whichever international frontiers seem necessary.
WITH THE SIGNIFICANT increase from 40,000 to 60,000 monthly in draft calls predicted for the future, we are left with no choice but to believe such reports. Thus, there is a possibility that targets heretofore neglected in Cambodia, Laos and even Red China may soon see American bombs and guns.
Harriman delivered his message first to India, the chairman of the International Control Commission in Viet Nam, Laos and Cambodia which has so far failed to adequately convey to Hawaii the real substance of peace and war discussions by India with American officials.
This message was intended to reach Soviet Premier Kosygin now emerging as a "peace maker." And, just to make sure the message reached its destination, Harriman repeated it to Pakistan president, Ayub Khan.
Harriman has demonstrated his willingness to tell anyone wanting to listen that American patience has been rubbed raw. He wishes to remind them that Washington's peace moves have thus far made no dent in the Communist world. This time, he is saying, there will not be another Yalu river barrier to United States forces as there was during the Korean conflict.
IT IS, OF COURSE, too early to say just what effect Harriman's "peace-making" mission will have on the war in Viet Nam. But, from any angle, it looks bad. Further escalation of the war in Viet Nam seems imminent.
The really disgusting factor of the whole situation is that the United States has still not learned to call a spade a spade. Harriman's mission is definitely not a mission to gain peace, at least not in the usual sense of the word. When will the Administration start telling us what it really intends to gain by the various "feelers" it sends out? When it does, we may learn to have more faith in its ability to cope with the problem in Southeast Asia.
Janet Hamilton
Europe, 1965-new era
For the first time since World War II are the fears and beliefs, then developed, beginning to break up. 1965 found the fear of Russia, the binding tie between the U.S. and its allies, dissipating; the Common Market stalemated; NATO, and nuclear authority questioned. And a new behind-the-scenes fear has grown in prominence—again, the unification of Germany.
Why should the U.S. concern itself over the past year's happenings in Europe, when already we seem to have over-extended ourselves in Asia? Western Europe contains the most vital industrial sites in the world to the U.S. Twice we have fought to keep this power—military as well as economic—from falling into unfriendly hands. Now the stakes are different. Now the battle takes a different form. Now the importance of the U.S. is questioned. Now we must see what has happened and act.
THE CENTRAL FIGURE throughout the past year has been France's Charles de Gaulle. His ideas have jarred and joined citizens of Europe and the United States alike, as they have seen his plan of ultimate domination of Europe appear and reappear.
He has opposed Germany, the strongest industrial power in Western Europe, even having a voice in the defense of Europe. He has boycotted the Common Market, because the proposed agricultural plan did not favor France, and turned it into a loose-knit organization capable of little economic unification. He has backed out on some of France's commitments to NATO, threatened complete withdrawal in 1969, when the treaty runs out, and has talked of a possible "deal" with Russia.
"Which way to split?" is the question echoing throughout Europe as the old year ends. British officials seem to be divided on the issue, but the professional diplomats side with strengthening the Western Alliance, and giving the
Daily Kansan
Germans a voice in the defense of Furone.
Thursday, January 6, 1966
The Germans, for obvious reasons, are anxious to have equal status again in Europe, so their opinions remain on the side of NATO and strong U.S. support. All of Europe is leary of Germany's strength if Germany is permitted a voice in the nuclear issue, yet if Germany is not permitted a voice, the U.S. may withdraw its support, which would encourage a deal with France and Russia, with De Gaulle in the power seat of such an arrangement.
Because of other developments in the world—on other continents—Europe was not in the spotlight in 1965. The "helpers" are busy elsewhere. Crisis, or near crisis in Africa, Viet Nam, Indonesia, India-Pakistan, and Latin America have tended toward status quo.
2
THE EUROPEAN SCENE, compared with the last two decades, has been relatively quiet. It has been a year of threats, broken promises, and changing
attitudes. 1966 will not be so easy.
The U.S. will have to do something.
If France continues to be displeased, a Franco-Soviet deal may be near at hand, which would mean, in the future, that France probably would drop out of NATO. The U.S. then would have to reorganize its alliances and port centers. The ties binding NATO, because of the decline of threat from the Soviets, would have to be strengthened. Germany would have to have an answer. Prime Minister Wilson and Germany's Chancellor Erhard will visit President Johnson soon concerning the voice for Germany.
But as the year-end approaches we may see this very period as the pacesetter in 1966. Will De Gaulle's near election defeat change his attitudes toward Europe? Will the increasing involvement of the U.S. in Viet Nam cause difficulty in preventing the breakup of such a vital concern as Europe?
—Mike Friesen
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY kansan
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
Founded 1889
Serving KU 761 of its 100
UNiversity 4-3646, newsroom
UNiversity 4-3198, business office
Represented by National Advertising Service, 18 East 50 St., New York, N.Y. 10022. Mail subscription rates: $4 a semester or $7 a year. Published and second class postage paid at Lawrence, Kan., every afternoon during the University year except Saturdays and Sundays, University holidays and examination periods. Accommodations, goods, services and employment advertised in the University Daily Kansan are offered to all students without regard to color, creed or national origin.
EXECUTIVE STAFF
MANAGING EDITOR ... Judy Farrell
BUSINESS MANAGER ... Ed Vaughn
EDITORIAL EDITORS ... Janet Hamilton, Karen Lambert
NEWS AND BUSINESS STAFF
LITTLE MAN ON CAMPUS
Assistant Managing Editors ... Suzy Black, Susan Hartley
                                Jane Larson, Jacke Thayer
Circulation Manager ... Mike Robe
Advertising Manager ... Dale Reinecker
City Editor ... Joan McCabe
Classified Manager ... Mike Wertz
Feature Editor ... Mary Dunlap
Merchandising ... John Hons
Sports Editor ... Scottie Scott
Promotion Manager ... Keith Issitt
Photo Editor ... Bill Stephens
National Advertising ... Eugene Parrish
Wire Editor ... Robert Stevens
"I'VE A NOTION WE'RE A TERRIBLE DISAPPOINTMENT TO COACH."
Paperbacks go international
In these days of international ferment a book like Anthony Nutting's The Arabs (Mentor, 95 cents) is of particular interest. Nutting is one of those gentlemen who have helped to memorialize Lawrence of Arabia. His book is a new one, and it brings to bear his experience in government and knowledge of history.
He begins the epic with Mohammed himself. It is his belief that the teachings of Mohammed, given to his people in a brief time, so permeated Arab thought that they have given an impetus to Arabism which still exists. Arab invaders spread the teachings of Mohammed with fervent zeal. And the Crusaders tasted the strength of the Arab.
It is, all in all, an exciting as well as important story. Another new paperback is more conventionally known. It is John Locke's Two Treatises on Government (Mentor, 95 cents), and the book has special interest in that it is based on a recently unearthed manuscript corrected in the handwriting of Locke himself. Locke's impact on French, English and America is well known. He is one of the big three of the social contract, a fact commonly understood by most Western Civ students at KU.
Charles M. Barker Jr., Helen Curran and Mary Metcalf have kindly presented us a book called The "New" Math (Signet, 60 cents). It is mainly for parents of school children and for teachers. Perhaps you should know about it. And there are two new volumes in the Signet Classic Shakespeare series (50 cents) each—The Comedy of Errors and Henry V. As usual they have attractive covers, are well annotated, and have much background on the great man.
Another writer has reached paperback in a bright new edition. He is the celebrated Indian, Rabindranath Tagore, and the book is called The Housewarming and Other Selected Writings (Signet Classics, 75 cents). Tagore won the Nobel prize, and is generally recognized as one of the greatest writers of the East. Despite these facts he is not generally read in this country. This edition may help to remedy that matter.
A new edition of Mary Shelley's incredible Frankenstein (Signet Classics, 50 cents) is available. And once again we are reminded of the amazing impact of Gothic letters, as demonstrated in this wild tale, and of how the Frankenstein symbol has lasted through many years. Those of you who eat up Frankenstein movies on television are advised that the story is just a bit different from the Boris Kaeloff films.
There are, finally, four beautiful new volumes in the MentorUNESCO Art Book series. They are Ernst Kitzinger's Israeli Mosaics of the Byzantine Period, Richard Ettinghausen's Turkish Miniiaures, Martin Blindheim's The Stave Church Paintings and James Johnson Sweeney's Irish Illuminated Manuscripts. These are little gems. They cost 95 cents each and they are worth it, with art reproductions that you probably have seen nowhere else.
We were thinking...
We should be slower to think that the man at his worst is the real man, and certain that the better we are ourselves the less likely is he to be at worst in our company. Every time he talks away his own character before us he is signifying contempt for ours.
James Matthew Barrie