Editorials
Individual ignored
As electrical power returns to the eight states affected by Tuesday evening's blackout, the time for philosophizing about the crisis has come. So we'd like to philosophize.
The major concern of many television commentators and most politicians appears twofold:(1) the military and defense implications; (2) the crisis shows our "Achilles' Heel", vividly illustrating the need to build moral fibre, etc.
OUR CONCERN IS of two different folds. There seemed to be a distressing amount of buck-passing. Boston Edison and Con-Ed are still debating just whose lines are south of Rochester.
No one had anticipated a crisis of this magnitude, least of all the 30 million individuals inconvenienced and or endangered by the breakdown.
All reports say cooperation and morale were unusually high, yet the feeling of isolation and helplessness for the resident of megalopolis must have been tremendous. For the 800 people trapped in a train on the Williamsburg River bridge with no walkway to safety, and for the person trapped between floors in an elevator
shaft or stranded in the labyrinthian subways, the psychological impact must have been overwhelming.
IT WOULD BE EVEN more overwhelming for the mother at home, wondering where her family was. How long would water supplies hold out, how many tons of food were spoiled in tenements where there was no money to replace it?
Second-guessing cannot be profound. We wish only to emphasize the immensity of the human and humane problems involved for a fifth of the nation's population. The overt concern for the military, and the political prophets of moral and technological doom only add to the sound and the fury.
Those who continually decry society's lack of concern for the individual have been the first to ignore the individual in a case where the computer has revolted and advance planning has been non-existent. It is a sad commentary on both the neglectful liberal and the pompous conservative.
- Jacke Thayer and Joan McCabe
Misguided martyrdom
In the past week two men have set themselves on fire and have been labelled martyrs by the press and many of the American population. One of them died; the other is in critical condition.
It is difficult, so soon after events of this nature occur, to offer comment or criticism. But, it is imperative that we ask why these events took place.
THESE MEN HAD obviously convince themselves that they could, by their deaths, change American policy on Viet Nam. My only reaction can be that it was a terrible waste. If these men were so concerned as to give up their lives for a cause, they must have been vitally concerned. Couldn't they have been more good to themselves and to their society alive? We need men who are vitally concerned for humanity.
Those who have been labelled martyr in the past have died by someone else's hand. They
have died because they stood for something that another segment of the population would not tolerate. Men like Elijah P. Lovejoy, the American journalist who was murdered by a mob for standing against the majority of the people, was a martyr. He actively protested. The actions of his assassins were negative. He died for a cause in which he believed. But, he did not die by his own hand.
CAN WE REALLY CALL a man a martyr who takes his own life? Suicide for a cause is a form of hysteria. Suicide by fire is a horrifying tragedy which the people cannot ignore. But, it is equally horrifying because it will have no effect. America cannot unilaterally withdraw from Viet Nam simply because no one else is willing to. It is a real tragedy that these men could not have used their lives in a more positive manner for a cause in which they believed.
Janet Hamilton
No repertory theater here
The conception of a repertory theater that KU's University Theatre has in mind is not a repertory theater in the true sense of the word. In an article about KU's repertory group (UDK, November 3, 1965) a definition of this theater's new idea is presented—"A repertory group usually travels around, presenting different parts and plays each night of the run."
"Webster's New International Dictionary" takes a different view of repertory theater. It defines repertory theater as "a theater housing a permanent company which plays in repertoire."
As a former actor with the Hilberry Classic Repertory Theater in Detroit, Michigan, I also disagree with the University Theatre's definition of repertory theater.
KU DOES NOT have a permanent company of actors. Most casts are made up of students who may appear only once a year on the University stage. They are involved with other studies on campus and can only offer a small amount of time to the theater.
This is all well and good for it gives a number of students a taste of the performing arts, helps them appreciate the theater, and may, in some cases, interest amateurs in becoming professional actors or teachers.
The story in the November 3 Kansan quotes Jack Brooking of the theatre staff, as saying. "We start with an experienced nucleus of six top students and three of our professional actors in residence..."
This "nucleus" would be a good start towards having a repertory theater but it is not what it appears to be. The professional actors here are all instructors in the speech and drama department. They have had little professional experience and cannot be put into a category of excellent talent.
I propose a KU repertory theater be built in Kansas City, where audiences can be found to fill up a small theater night after night throughout the year. The present theatre in Murphy Hall would be used strictly by inexperienced actors. From Murphy they would move up to the permanent company in Kansas City.
THE UNIVERSITY THEATRE trains many teachers for high schools and colleges. However, its production of professional actors is almost nil. Our theatre should turn raw talent at KU into top quality actors. Too often, as we have seen throughout the years, raw talent stays raw. After graduation, the young hopeful jumps into the same sea as all other inexperienced actors.
The program KU's University Theatre has embarked on is a step in the right direction but it is surrounded by vagueness and circumcution.
Professional directors, when they are told so and so has a bachelor's degree from the University of Kansas, generally reply, "That's tough. What have you done on stage?"
Advanced student actors and professionals from all over the nation would come to Kansas City. They would be paid salaries and perform on a professional theater schedule. Guest directors would be invited to direct productions
IN AN IDEAL situation the actors would be employed without regard to education and academic standing. Some of the best young professionals are not presently enrolled in universities.
Culture is on the rise in the United States. Why not, University Theatre, show how you can make a tremendous contribution to the arts?
— Larry Ketchum
'Casanova' too much
"Casanova '70" should have quit at say, 35 or 40, or else kept in mind the old adage that life begins at 80. It's a light, aimless comedy? that's fine for escape, for about the first half hour.
With Marcelo Mastroianni playing the lead role, this movie is especially disappointing. Reviews of his past movies have described him as a master of the farcical, adept at the sensuous and at home in comic situations. In "Casanova '70," he has simply had too much of a good thing.
THE PLOT, IF it can be called that, revolves around Marcello's tribulations in pursuit of happiness (a merry-go-round of bedroom frolics). Marcello's trouble is that he is impotent when women throw themselves at his feet, and he can find satisfaction only when the chase involves enough danger to produce excitement.
Between Marcello, a homosexual psychiatrist (that's the least of his troubles) and a bevy of beautiful sexpots, the movie is a pictorial "Fanny Hill," and it suffers from the same trouble that plagues Fanny. There is too much of it. After five or six of Marcello's merry chases in pursuit of love, the viewer experiences the same feeling that comes from eating a salad that has been stretched with too much celery.
MORE OF THIS movie should have ended up on the cutting room floor. It lacks subtlety, the plot devices are obvious and the lings aimed at laughs are too heavy handed.
The movie's merit rests in the photography and costuming. Filmed in the sunny Mediterranean, with shapely girls in glamorous settings parading about in gorgeous clothes, "Casanova '70" is a visual delight.
"Casanova "70" is currently showing at the Varsity.
-Karen Lambert
On the Side
Smear on automation
"John." said young, voluptuous Mary Smith, "Would you check the fuse box? My iron has cooled down."
Throughout New York City and much of the Northeastern United States electrons stopped flowing from wall circuits night before last.
Elevators stopped running, subways stopped in (on) their tracks, electric toothbrushes stopped functioning, and many families went without dinner as their electric stoves and can openers failed.
Eric Johnson
President Johnson has called for a full investigation involving not only the Federal Power Commission, but also the FBI, CIA, and Department of Defense.
The power failure was the first step in a gigantic advertising smear campaign against several newly introduced commodities relying on electricity which have replaced hand operated conveniences.
ONCE AGAIN (as with last week's football game at Lincoln) we have inside information as to the cause. Rest assured, the Communists, Birchers and Klan had nothing to do with it.
Perpetrators of the power loss are too numerous to mention by name, but any time now, you can expect to see their smear campaigns sneaking into newspapers across the country.
The reasoning behind the move was simple.
DR. HUNDHAAR GENUINE bristle hand operated toothbrushes (one of many toothbrush companies in on the conspiracles) is bound to suffer a boost in business when advertisements telling of the disastrous power failure of '65 hit the panels.
"Remember the disastrous power failure of '65," the ads will implore. "That was the day 30,000,000 people went to work with bad breath. And why? Because of their dependence on electric toothbrushes."
"With Dr. Hundhaar genuine bristle hand operated toothbrushes, none of this would have happened! Don't wait. Prepare yourself for any electrical emergency by stocking up on Dr. Hundhaar genuine bristle hand operated toothbrushes. Now!"
Obviously, genuine bristle hand operated toothbrush makers are not the only ones to blame.
MAKERS OF WOOD burning stoves, hand operated can openers, flatirons, pedicabs, old fashioned carving knives and others also stand to profit from the smear advertising to follow.
I hope a copy of this reaches the FBI, CIA, FPC, or DD soon so they can save themselves some time and money on the investigation.
Write your Congressman and demand swift and complete prosecutions of this narrow minded bunch of mud-slings.
Please! Write now! Before my Sunbeam stock goes any lower.
cock goes any lower.
— Eric Johnson
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