New Vox shows promise
Vox Populi, second new star on the KU political horizon, has turned out a remarkably thoughtful and practical platform for the upcoming campus elections.
The Vox platform is designed to deal with real problems of students. It has none of the other-worldly flavor that has characterized most of Vox's recent pronouncements; rather, it deals matter-of-factly with issues that directly affect KU students.
ESPECIALLY COMMENDABLE is the platform's second plank, which deals with living conditions of foreign students. Vox is proposing to create an ASC Human Rights Subcommittee to deal specifically with foreign students' living problems and tackle such areas as fair rent charges and phone service deposits.
A lot of party platforms in the past have promised to work for the foreign student, but few have come through with significant results. This year's Vox proposal is one that could be successful in making improvements in this area.
Another worthwhile proposal of the Vox platform is in the first plank, which would reform the executive branch of student government. Vox suggests the abolition of the present requirement that the student body president and vice-president must either have served on the ASC or attended all but one of the ASC meetings for a semester prior to their candidacy.
THIS PROPOSAL, if enacted, could be a tremendous boon to quality student government. By expanding the field of eligible candidates, it would bring in fresh talent and ideas for student body leadership positions. It could also bring about a greater separation between the executive and legislative branches of student government—a separation that might greatly improve the effectiveness of both branches.
The catch-all plank of the platform, which deals with general university legislation, proposes a number of suggestions which would be beneficial to various segments of the university population. Included are suggestions for reissuing general admission tickets for football
games, installing more adequate lighting on campus, improving telephone facilities in dorms and improving the lot of student labor on campus.
ALL THE IDEAS in this section are sound. Some probably would require a greater outlay of funds than the administration would consent to, but others could be accomplished without a great deal of trouble. All the ideas show thought and indicate that Vox is trying to recognize the concerns of the KU student.
The platform is the first sign that perhaps there really might be a new Vox; at least there seem to be some new ideas in Vox. The party seems sensitive to the mood of the students and seems to have drafted its platform around that mood. Perhaps some fresh air will be breathed in our campus elections.
UP: what's new?
The platform of University Party seems to be stuck in the past.
Although it has an extended section on revision of the ASC Elections Bill and a suggestion for a Fair Campaign Practices Act, the platform offers nothing new in proposals directly affecting the student body in general. Rather, it calls for "continuing support" of certain UP commitments (left over from the spring) now being implemented.
Certainly the UP commitments are important. Certainly the steps already taken to implement them—especially with regard to Disciplinary Committee procedure—have been of great benefit to the student. Certainly the further implementation of the proposals will be welcomed on the campus. (For example, UP is still trying to abolish the English Pro exam and revise the Western Civ program.)
But some new ideas from UP, in addition to an elections bill, would be welcomed.
— Eric Morgenthaier
Spotlight on state elections—X
No issue in Mississippi election
By JOHN LOVEKIN
By JOHN LOVEKIN A post-mortem of the Mississippi election.
The sweet fragrance of magnolias. The cheerful notes of a mockingbird. A perfect summer day in the countryside of Mississippi.
Then the sudden ugly blast of shotgun tore holes into a man—a black man. A white man held the shotgun, with a hate in his eyes, difficult to understand. The black man also had hate in his eyes—not so difficult to understand.
THE SHOTGUNNING of James Meredith last summer brought out once again a never healing sore in the politics of Mississippi. It manifested a deep hate, a deep fear, that resides in the people of Mississippi. Such hate, such fear, that it is almost impossible to comprehend—at least, hopefully, for many people.
Perhaps, however, what is more difficult to understand is the coming election in Mississippi. For it is really not an election. It is a farce, or almost one. One need not study the stars to know that Ross Barnett, Democratic candidate, will become governor, or that James Eastland will be re-elected to the U.S. Senate.
There is really no doubt, because there is really no issue, so far as the majority of voters are concerned. The simple formula for political success in Mississippi is the belief that slavery still exists. And the simple formula for failure is the belief that it should not.
OF COURSE being a Democrat may help; but the term Democrat in Mississippi has a
paradoxical, twisted meaning, that does not conform with the national definition.
In the 1964 Presidential election, Johnson lost to Goldwater in this Democratic state by a vote of 52,618 to 356,528. The reason, without many little reasons, was Johnson's position on civil rights.
In this Republican tidal wave for Goldwater came the first Republican representative in Congress in the last 80 years of Mississippi's political history. The other four representatives that were re-elected were Democrats.
HOWEVER, since the enactment of the 1955 Voting Rights Act, which has seen the Negro voting strength jump from 30,000 in 1964 to 130,000 in 1966, there has been some possibility for a change, even though the Negro vote is still only 20 per cent of the total.
However, there are certain counties and districts where the Negro vote could show a majority strength and gain some state offices and maybe a national one.
Of course if there were any "Democrats" for civil rights in Mississippi, then a "Republican" against civil rights would win.
THE AMENDMENT would allow certain counties that have a predominant group of one kind of people to be combined with certain other counties that have a more predominant group of another kind of people.
However, it is doubtful. For in the coming election, there is an amendment (proposed and passed by the state legislature) to be voted on.
There are, however, distant murmurs, which eventually may be loud enough to be heard in the halls of Congress. This will come in an alliance of the NAACP, labor groups, and moderate Democrats who want to rejoin the Democratic party.
Again no issue, that is one that is in doubt, that is contestable.
Perhaps then the elections in Mississippi will acquire some semblance of a political democracy.
Official Bulletin
Drama Co. from Germany. 4 p.m.
Murphy Hall.
TODAY
Chinese Film, 7:30 p.m. The Beauty
of Violence, no admission. No ad-
mission. Reception. Union.
Populus filim, 7 & 9:30 p.m. "To Kill a Mockingbird." Dyche Aud University Theatre, 8:20 p.m. "Oliver."
Popular Bird, 7 & 9:30 p.m. "To Kill a Mockingbird," Dyche Aud.
Popular Film, 7 & 8:30 p.m. "To Kill a Man, Machetin" Depuis And
SUNDAY
Oread Friends Meeting. 10:30 a.m.
Everyone welcome.
SATURDAY
cuselson 9:45 a.m. worship, 12:30
Gamma Della 5:30 p.m. 11th & Iowa
Sunday
German Drama Co., 2:30 p.m. Lawrence High School Aud.
KU Duplicate Bridge Club, 2 p.m.
Jayhawk Room, Union
Lutheran Students Assoc. 5:30 p.m.
Word, or, about S-E-X "A" Alcove
"S-E-X"
R. Religious Liberals 7 p.m.
B. News 3 p.m.
Popular Film, 7; & 9:30 p.m. "To
Popular Film, 7 & 9:30 p.m. "To
Kill," a Mockingbird." Doya, Audt
K. a bookbounded, Phoenix Ala.
University Theatre, 8:20 p.m. "Oliver."
2
Daily Kansan
Friday, November 4, 1966
Here they come again!
Oliver! hits the stage
By BRUCE LEAVITT
The University of Kansas Theatre and School of Fine Arts presented the opening production of Lionel Bart's Oliver! in Murphy Hall last evening. The musical is a free adaptation of the Charles Dickens' novel, Oliver Twist.
It is the story of Oliver, a workhouse ward who falls in with the thief Fagin and his band of youthful pickpockets and eventually is saved and taken into the home of the wealthy Mr. Brownlow.
THE ROLE OF Oliver is well executed by Sam Gabhart. The character demands a wide range of feeling and emotion that Gabhart overcomes to make his Oliver warm and sincere.
Nick Eliopoulos perhaps overplays his hand a bit as "The Artful Dodger," who first leads Oliver to Fagin. He seems to leave the stage action many times and become overly concerned with the audience, particularly in the "Consider Yourself" song sequence between himself and Oliver.
By far the most difficult role in the production is that of Fagin. The challenge of the character is more than adequately met by Kip Niven. His portrayal is well drawn, with every look and movement precise. Niven brings a good deal of humor to the role, but creates the proper amount of pathos when it is needed. The witch-like make-up employed for the character is extreme. It adds a dimension to this very human character that could carry the role beyond the realm of believability.
PAT ROYSES portrayal of Nancy, a girl of the slums, was smoothly enough presented, although the performance was not
her best. Miss Royse lacked some zest and bravado that will undoubtedly grow in strength with each night of performance.
Many minor roles are noteworthy, particularly that of Mr. Brownlow, portrayed by Richard Kelton. The role reaches a depth and human quality rarely achieved on the academic stage.
THE PLAY WAS staged to a somewhat successful degree by Jack Brooking. Scenes with the young boys, especially the opening number of the production, were delightful. James Ralston, choral director, deserves a pat on the back for his splendid work with the young ensemble of boys.
The cleverly conceived setting designed by James Hawes is used to its fullest potential by Brooking. Many of the scenes are cleverly staged, yet some of the action still seems rough and contrived. None of the accents are outstanding, and in many cases the attempted cockney hinders enunciation.
Credit is due Joan Colwell for designing the lighting for the production. The countless dramatic effects achieved add greatly to the overall production.
FINAL PRAISE goes to the orchestra, in particular George Lawner who does a masterful job in playing under the vocalists so that they may be heard.
One final criticism remains to be found in the pace of the show. The production is uneven and jerky during its two and three-quarter hour run. Forhaps this could be helped in some places by increased energy and volume on the part of the chorus, especially in the numbers "Consider Yourself" and "Ccm-Pah-Pah."
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
The Daily Kansan, student newspaper at The University of Kansas, is represented by National Advertising Service, 18 East 50 St., New York, NY 10026. Students are required to submit a 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 are offered to all students without regard to color, creed or national origin.
The opinions expressed in the editorial column are those of the Students whose names are signed to them. Guest editorial views are not necessarily the editor's. Any opinions expressed in the Daily Kansan are not necessarily those of The University of Kansas Administration or the State Board of Regents.