Page 2
University Daily Kansan Monday. March 12, 1962
Nikita's Farm Problem
Premier Khrushchev has decided to continue channeling funds into the Kremlin's military program rather than diverting substantial funds into the Soviet Union's inefficient agricultural system. He recently chastised the officials who run the Soviet agriculture program for the inefficiency and low production of the collectivized farms.
THIS INEFFICIENCY becomes obvious if you know that over 40 per cent of the Soviet work force is engaged in agricultural work, as compared to less than 10 per cent of the American work force. The fact that even this large percentage of the Soviet work force is not producing enough to do more than meet the needs of the Soviet Union is even more telling.
Khrushchev has said that attempts will be made to increase the output of agricultural products by more efficient use of machinery and improved organization. However, numerous attempts of this sort have been made in the past, and have failed to solve the problem.
THE DECISION is an unfortunate reflection of the cold war and arms race. This is shown by Khruchchev's statement that the Soviet Union's military strength is its most important objective.
Thus what the Kremlin is attempting to do is increase agricultural production by efforts to increase the efficiency of the collectivized farms. At the same time he intends to continue with plans for military projects. The military plans will probably be successful, considering their priority and the absolute power the Kremlin can use to insure them. But the agricultural situation seems destined to continue in its present condition
—William H. Mullins
On the Rights of Communists Editor:
This is in reply to Miss Robbins' ideas about the rights of communists in this country. She categorically asserts that, "Communists are not Americans, they are members of their party. They are not entitled to American rights. If we choose to extend them, it is a loan, not an automatic right. Those rights are something that are earned."
THERE ARE three varieties of Communists in this country: 1) American citizens (who are obviously Americans), 2) diplomatic staff members from communist countries, and 3) a very small number of temporary visitors who are communists.
Those in 1) have American rights by definition. Those in 2) have diplomatic immunity and at worst can be declared persona non grata. The rights of the few in 3) can be abridged, but only to a certain degree. Thus, if the attorney general spotted a person of this type causing general mischief, he would probably have the man deported rather than, for instance, throwing him in jail without a trial.
FOR THE MOST part, contrary to Miss Robbins' statement, communists do have rights. Moreover, we can make no changes in the law regarding the status of those in category 2), and we dare not make any law abridging the rights of American citizens who are communists or are suspected of being communists. To do so would be to lay the foundations for a police state in this country. Make no mistake, Miss Robbins! I am opposed to communism, and we must fight the movement as strongly as possible, but we must use legal weapons only. To do otherwise would be to imitate the communists.
Alan D. Latta Wichita senior
Finally, Miss Robbins, you asked what right do the communists have to speak about the "American Right?" The answer: just as much right as the "American Right" has to speak about the Communists — limited only by libel and slander laws.
* *
Message to the Kansan
Editor:
Be it hereby resolved that the undersigned representative nations abhor the necessity of espionage activities and as such the poor image it is giving to the KU Model United Nations and that henceforth it is hoped the University Daily Kansan will be able to report the many hours of physical and mental work that are being involved to make this UN a success. Being aware of its tremendous value to the campus in creating an international conscience for the campus.
This is an activity of intense interest that we hope the students will be better informed of and better able to participate in due to the coverage of this work the University Daily Kansan has now so earnestly expressed an interest to make available. There is much good material the UDK can find at its disposal. We are an all University assemblage and as such shall conduct ourselves with sincerity and as much authenticity as possible.
—the Soviet bloc
—the African bloc
—the Arab bloc
five members of the Latin American bloc
* *
In Defense of ROTC
Editor:
Being a professional naval officer and, at the same time, both an instructor in the NROTC Program and a graduate student on the Hill, I feel bound to comment on my fellow graduate student's (Mr. Lopatin's) letter. We certainly should concentrate on avoiding war, and if it is my firm belief that this is, has been, and always will be our prime objective.
History shows us that war has never been avoided by being the weaker of two possible opponents; we are dealing with men and not with saints. Because our country sees fit to remain militarily strong does not, per se, make us "militaristic" as Mr. Bertrand Russell and Mr. Lopatin infer. To begin with, there is no rightful place in a democracy such as ours for pure militarism. Fortunately, we possess checks and counter-balances in the structure of our National Government which function to preclude the establishment of militarism in our society. This insures that our military will always serve as an instrument of the people and not vice-versa. This is as it should be.
Have the ROTC Programs fostered a militaristic atmosphere on the Campus? Look around you. Perhaps you can confirm my observation that the ROTC Cadets and Midshipmen are among the quieter, well-behaved students on the Campus — not storm-trooping militarists.
I BELIEVE that the over-all design and execution of the ROTC Programs are in consonance with our democratic objectives along this line, rather than acting as a threat to these objectives. The enrollment in the various ROTC Programs at most universities is limited so that the total number of students enrolled in ROTC shall always be a minority, rather than a majority, representation of the Student Body. Does this smack of militarism?
Can the ROTC's create a militaristic atmosphere on the Campus? Not when one considers the fact that fully 89 per cent, or more of the courses undertaken by ROTC personnel are taught, not by military personnel, but by the university professors who. I can assure you, make no such distinction among their students. We are all civilians to them, and we are taught as civilians in a civilian, not militaristic, atmosphere.
NOW. SINCE "we shall know a tree by its fruit," what about the finished product of the ROTC Programs? Has he been transformed into a snarling "militarist?" Hardly. In fact, a large majority of the ROTC graduates voluntarily elect to return to civilian life upon completion of their obligated active duty. The point being made is that they are primarily civilians at heart, not only while in the ROTC Programs, but while on active duty also. Again, does this smack of militarism? Would it not seem plausible that the presence on active duty of such young men with ingrained civilian attitudes and desires might thus exert some tempering effect on our military establishment? The answer is that they do.
Mr. Lopatin, if you are worried about what I think you are, then you should be a strong supporter of the ROTC Programs and not an opponent, because the ROTC Programs simply are not established or geared to produce a militarist.
Lewis L. Dobbs
LCDR, USN
graduate student
* *
On "Poor" UDK Reporting Editor:
Lately the Daily Kansan and one of its reporters were blamed by an instructor of the political science department for irresponsible reporting of the now famous "U-2 CURRENT EVENTS FORUM." While we are happy that the above mentioned instructor softened some of his harsh statements given on that occasion, we are sorry to see the Daily Kansan reporters attacked unjustly.
We suggest, therefore, that from now on the above mentioned instructor will read his speeches from a prepared typed text, a copy of which will be given to the "irresponsible" reporters of the UDK. This will avoid in the future any "extreme bad taste" stories, "uncanny" reporting, "out of context" quotations, "lurid and sensational" reporting of "fairly conventional statements," contradicting "versions" and so many letters to the editor (including this one).
Name Withheld
Daily Hansan
University of Kansas student newspaper
Founded 1850, became biweekly 1904,
published quarterly 1920.
Telephone VIking 3-2700
Extension 711, news room
Extension 896, business office
Extension 376, business office
Association of Associated College Press.
Represented by National Advertising Service.
18 East St. 50. St. New York 22. N.Y.
Press. Represents the Press International Mail subscriptions semester or $5 a year. Published in Lawrence, Kan., every afternoon during the University year except Saturdays and weekends and examination periods. Second class postage paid at Lawrence, Kansas.
NEWS DEPARTMENT
Ron Gallagher Managing Editor
EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT
Bill Mullins Editorial Editor
BUSINESS DEPARTMENT
Charles Martinez .. Business Manager
LITTLE MAN ON CAMPUS by Dick Bibler
On Other Campuses
HOBOKEN, N. J.—A $31,000 grant to initiate the study and design of a new type of unspecialized undergraduate engineering program that emphasizes the unity of all branches of science and technology has been awarded to Stevens Institute of Technology by the Victoria Foundation, Morristown, N. J.
The program will cut across traditional fields of engineering and science to regroup their basic principles into "general concept" areas. For example, it is expected that certain areas of Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics and Metallurgy might be brought together in a single course which would emphasize their basic common mathematical relationships.
$$
* * *
$$
NORTHAMPTON, Mass.—Papers, examinations, and nearly all classes were suspended at Smith College for a three week period, January 8-28, according to a report released here, for an experiment in education designated the "interim session." The new program replaces a reading and examination period which formerly followed the Christmas holidays. This year midyear examinations were held immediately before the holidays began.
The new program was designed to afford all students an opportunity for independent study and discussion, to permit juniors and seniors to investigate special topics in the field of the major, and to assist freshmen and sophomores in determining the field of their major interest.
$$
$$
IOWA CITY, Ia.—College life has little influence in changing a student's values, Professor Leonard D. Goodstein, director of The State University of Iowa Counseling Services, said here recently. He said that research indicates that if a college has any effect on student values, it makes students more content with the world as it is, more satisfied with the values they already have, more conformist and more materialistic.
"In other words," Professor Goodstein said, "a graduate's values are pretty much like when he came to college, only more so." One of the main reasons for this is that a student is influenced more by the constant contact with his student friends—his dormitory roommate, for example—than by his professors who are primarily concerned with presenting to him their subject-matter specialty. And, a student tends to select as his friends, and especially as his roommates, fellow students who have interests and values similar to his own.
$$
$$
TROY, N. Y.-The filing system for hour quizzes and final examinations, initiated with the January 1962 final examinations at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, received its initial impetus on the basis of a joint Student Council-Honor Board resolution.
Reasons listed included: such a program would provide an additional method of preparing for hour quizzes and final exams, as well as reducing the pre-test psychological pressure of anxiety of students; in filing quizzes and examinations, the system gives the faculty an incentive for producing original test material; such a program would reduce the definite inequality that the fraternity filing system causes between fraternity men and independents insofar as preparation for testing is concerned.
Worth Repeating
Drink is worse than war, for drink is continuous, war but periodic—Graccio Houlder
- * *
All that is necessary for the forces of evil to win in the world is for good men to do nothing.—Edmund Burke