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On Elections Public Discussions Not Held
(Editor's Note: A UPI reporter has just completed a 26-day 8,600-mile bus tour to sample America's mood in this election year. He found they are thinking, and thinking deeply, about some provocative issues.)
By Lowry Bowman
They will give an opinion—often cynical—when asked. But it would be possible for a foreigner to visit each state of the Union and not be aware that a presidential election is coming up if he did not read the newspapers or listen to television.
WASHINGTON — (UPI) — Americans generally simply do not discuss politics in public.
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This is the main conclusion reached by this reporter after a 28-state, 8,600-mile tour by bus, train and plane that lasted almost four weeks. It was in no sense a poll to determine whether President Lyndon Johnson or Sen. Barry M. Goldwater is the voters' choice in November. The aim was to find out what the American voter is thinking
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I TALKED TO scores of people on buses, in bars, restaurants, coffee shops and barber shops, and in a plane over the Gulf of Mexico. All were chance encounters except for deliberate calls on local political leaders.
Each had an opinion on Goldwater and Johnson. Each was willing to defend his opinion if pressed. But in 26 days of eavesdropping on America's public conversations only once did I hear the name of either candidate come up spontaneously in the course of conversation.
That one time was in a drugstore in Concord, N.H., where a young man sat reading the Concord Monitor over an afternoon cup of coffee.
He tossed the paper down and said to no one in particular: "Sometimes I think this Goldwater is right—that we ought to bomb them and be done with it." Then he walked out.
LUKE BURNS, cutting hair in the Marshall Barber Shop at Marshall,
Tex., gave what may be the best explanation of this curious void in America's public conversation. He said it was a standing rule in his shop that customers were free to give their views on politics and religion, but the barbers would only listen.
Professor Calls Handling Of War Crime Trial 'Unfair'
Klaus H. Pringsheim, acting assistant professor of political science, said last night at a meeting of the Japanese-American Club that the war crimes trial of General Yamashita, defeated Japanese leader, was "... an unfair trial ... a setback to justice ... and will probably be compared with the trials of Joan of Arc and Sacco and Vanzetti."
The trial of the commander and chief of the forces that invaded and conquered Malaya condemned him for merely being the leader of the forces that committed the atrocities. There was no evidence that he knew of or condoned the acts, he said.
Prof. Pringsheim said the military tribunal that convened after the closing of hostilities, and the death sentence returned by that tribunal, was an attempt to attain a sort of personal revenge for the atrocities committed by the demoralized Japanese forces near the end of the war.
PROF. PRINGSHEM expressed the opinion that the whole proceedings were hurried through after the war because of the personal feelings
According to Pringsheim, the tribunal was made up of five military officers with no legal background and the defense counsel for General Yamashita did not have sufficient time to prepare their case. He felt that even the appeal of the case to the Supreme Court, which upheld the tribunal, was a result of the feelings of the time.
Pringsheim expressed the hope that the handling of this case in such an unfair manner might teach us not to attempt to punish the crimes of war while the wounds of war are still fresh in our minds and bodies.
of General Douglas MacArthur. Pringsheim said, "General Yamashita was hanged because MacArthur wanted it that way."
"A political fanatic is just like a sports fanatic," Burns explained. "If his team loses, he figures the referee is crooked. Bad for business."
The Japanese-American Club is the newest club on campus. It was organized by American students, in conjunction with the East Asian Studies Committee, who are interested in the study of the language and culture of Japan.
Official Bulletin
DRIVER IS needed to take a carload of students to the UN dinner at Chanute this weekend, Oct. 24. Call the secretary in 228 Strong, UN_4-3611.
TODAY
GRADUATE PHYSICS COLLOQUIUM,
4:30 p.m., 155 Malott. "Fluctuation in the $ \mathrm{S}^{2+} $ (d.p.) $ \mathrm{S}^{2+} $ Reaction Cross Section"
*D. L. Wilson.*
CATHOLIC MASS. 5 p.m. St. Law-
reuse Chapel. 1910 Stratford Rd.
GRADUATE DISCUSSION GROUP,
7:30 p.m. St. Lawrence Center, 1915
Broadway, Chicago, Illinois.
"by Bertrand Russell is the topic,
FACULTY RECITAL, 8 p.m., Swarth-
EPISCOPAL EVENING PRAYER, 9:30 p.m., Danforth Chapel.
CATHOLIC MASSES, 6:45 a.m., 5 p.m.
St. Lawrence Chapel, 1910 Stratford Rd.
WOMEN'S RUSH REGISTRATION, 8:5-30 p.m. 220 Strong.
TOMORROW
CATHOLIC INQUIRY FORUM, 7 p.m.
St. Lawrence Center, 1915 Stratford Rd.
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE COLLEGE ORGANIZATION, 7:30 p.m., Desmond Chapel
But despite their public silence, the voters indeed are concerned about many of the issues raised by Johnson and Goldwater. And some limited generalizations can be drawn.
ganzation. 7:30 p.m. Danforth Chapel.
7:30 p.m. Centreville House. 1114 La.
Centerville House.
STUDENT PEACE UNION, 7:30 p.m.
Kansas, Union.
HUMANITIES, LECTURE. 8 p.m., Fran-
cisco, 130 West 26th Street,
Marquis de Sade*; Georges May, Yale
- The old political lines are shifting and changing. Republican New England now cannot be considered safe for the GOP. The Democratic South displays more Goldwater signs than any other area of the nation. The Negro vote seems almost solid for Johnson.
WESTERN CIV. DISCUSSION, 9 p.m.
St. Lawrence Center, 1915 Stratford Rd
EPISOPAL HOLY COMMUNION, 9:30
p.m., Danforth Chapel.
- Sen. Goldwater has become identified — among the nation's bus riders, at least—as a man who would involve the United States in a nuclear war. This was reported time after time even by those who professed no love for President Johnson. The one phrase heard over and over again was "the man scares me."
Fraternities Sororities Clubs
★ Dinners
- There is a widespread sentiment among both Democrats and Republicans that the federal government employs too many people at salaries that are too high. Another off-recurring phrase was "tax money going down the Washington rat-hole."
★ Banquets
Plan Now For
Social Hours
★ Dances
- Americans of all classes, particularly in the East, are worried and confused by Juvenile crime and street violence. The entire community of Independence, Mo., is fighting the problem with a 10 p.m. curfew for teen-agers and a program of supervised recreation.
Call for Available Dates
A Kansas teen-ager, on his way to join the Marine Corps, was overheard telling two companions of his exploits with a fast car. He made this revealing statement: "There's one old cop down there that when he catches me he always let's me go. Don't know why. He must be a crooked cop."
Monday. Oct. 19. 1964
Holiday Inn Restaurant
Faculty Member Heads Group
Dr. M. Erik Wright, professor of psychology and psychiatry at the University of Kansas, was inducted as president of the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis at the annual meeting in Philadelphia, Pa., last week.
This association brings together scientists, physicians, psychologists and dentists concerned with the clinical and research utilization of hypnosis in the healing arts.
Prof. Wright is also coordinator of the American Board of Hypnosis
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