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University Daily Kansan Wednesday, Feb. 21, 1962
Socialism in the U.S.
HE WAS right in his observation that socialists carry a social stigma. Without justified reason socialism has come to have a bad image. It has, in some nebulous manner as yet unexplained, come to be associated with communism. The only reason that is immediately evident is that the Communists call their totalitarian dictatorships "true socialism." This is about as accurate as calling them democracies.
An interview with a socialist student at KU was carried in Monday's Kansan. In describing his views, he said that "I say these things with some hesitation and reservation. For one thing, I feel that in expressing my belief in socialism I cannot do it the justice that it needs. Another reason is that to be a declared socialist in this society is bordering on the edge of social disaster. However, I feel that some voice of protest should be made against the constant criticism directed toward socialism."
The socialists are a political minority group in this country. Their philosophy is not generally
accepted (by this editor or the public), but they certainly have the right to express it without being beaten over the head with it. They are—which will probably come as an incredible shock to Robert Welch and associates—a perfectly legal group.
CONSIDERING the amount of propaganda coming from the Young Americans for Freedom, the John Birch Society and assorted other characters on the right, it would be a welcome change if a few socialists did come forth and give their views. Regardless of what they might say, it could not be worse than what the above mentioned groups are continually inflicting on an innocent society.
The American people seem to have lost some of their fear of socialist theory in the last few decades. This does not mean they want socialism, but it does mean, we hope, that they are ready to leave behind some of the unreasonable abuse that was heaped on it in the past.
There was a sidelight drama to the recent budget session of the Kansas legislature which is symptomatic of some of the frustrations of American society today.
A senator rose up on the floor of the Senate to deplore the fact that a Russian Communist was allowed to speak at the University of Kansas. In the House, a resolution was introduced which would have required the Legislature to direct the universities and colleges to refuse permission for Communists or "persons sympathetic to communism" to appear at Kansas colleges and universities.
FORTUNATELY, a majority of the legislators did not give way to mass hysteria over the susceptibility of Kansas youth to communism. The resolution was tabled in the House state affairs committee. The most chilling thing about the
—William H. Mullins
whole display was the lack of faith of a few in the ability of college-age youths to judge the facts for themselves.
Communists on Campus
Those who proposed and supported the resolution said in effect that the students who come from Kansas elementary and high schools have so little regard for American democracy that they would be swayed to police-state communism by mere oratory. This type of thinking holds that paternalistic force must be invoked to protect the innocent.
Communism will not go away because fear prevents anyone from speaking about it or because books which discuss it are taken from libraries and burned. The best hope of defeating it is in an educated, free society which knows enough about it to recognize its evils.
(From the Feb. 10 Kansas City Star)
A Review
By Terry Murphy
Operation Correction
The film "Operation Correction" pulls no punches in disputing the contentions of the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) concerning the controversial student demonstrations against HUAC in San Francisco, May 1960.
To the committee's charge that the demonstrations were "Communist-inspired" the film states that the only crime the students were guilty of was being critical of the committee.
THE FILM also claims that HUAC falsified the events in their film version, "Operation Abolition," by editing subbeoned television newsreels and dubbing in an erroneous commentary.
"Operation Correction" will be shown at 7:30 tonight in Fraser Theater at the start of a program featuring speakers defending both sides of the controversy. "Operation Abolition" was shown on campus last spring. "Operation Correction" is a replica of "Operation Abolition" with new commentary.
In this film produced by the American Civil Liberties Committee, the commentator claims that when the events are viewed in their chronological order the case made by HUAC against the students lacks substantiation.
EMPHASIS was placed on the lack of supportive evidence for HUAC's charge that the students started the melee of fire hoses and night sticks when a student hurdled a barricade and attacked a police man with his own night stick.
As a matter of record, the student, Robert Weisenbach, was tried on this charge and was found to be innocent.
IN ADDITION to attempts to disprove the charges and contentions of the committee, "Operation Correction" said that the committee's prime motive for issuing their version was to prove that all the people opposing HUAC were Communists or Communist sympathizers.
True, false or anywhere between, the movie presents an expert, low-pitched argument that is for the most part convincing.
Daily Hansan
University of Kansas student newspaper
Founded 1889, became biweekly 1904, trivweekly 1908, daily Jan. 16, 1912 Telephone VIkng 3-2700
Extension 376-business office
NEWS DEPARTMENT
Member Inland Daily Press Association. Associated Collegiate Press. Represented by National Advertising Service, 18 East 50 St., New York 22, N.Y. News service: United Press International. Mail subscription rates: $3 a semester or $5 a year. Published in Lawrence, Kan., every afternoon during the University year except Saturdays and Sundays. University holidays and examination periods. Second class postage paid at Lawrence, Kansas.
Ron Gallagher ... Managing Editor
LITTLE MAN ON CAMPUS by Dick Bibler
Bill Mullins Editorial Editor
BUSINESS DEPARTMENT
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Short Ones
Charles Martinache ... Business Manager
The more things a man is ashamed of, the more respectable he is.—George B. Shaw
The Movie Battle
Editor's note: tonight a movie entitled "Operation Correction" is being shown. This movie is an attempt to refute the charges made by the House Committee on Un-American Activities that the student disturbances in San Francisco in 1950 were Communist inspired riots against the committee. A review of that movie appears elsewhere on this page. In tomorrow's editorial section, a special Kansan focus will be presented dealing with both "Operation Correction" and "Operation Abolition" (the film supporting the committee's charge that triggered the response that appears under the title "Operation Correction") and the House Committee on Un-American Activities.
Harry Truman once had a sage word of advice for statesmen and politicians who fretted under the rings of partisan criticism and d the responsibilities of public office: "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen and let someone else do the cooking."—Wiliam D. Patterson
. . .
Everything is funny as long as it is happening to someone else. — Will Rogers
Marriage is popular because it combines the maximum of temptation with the maximum of opportunity.-George Bernard Shaw
***
He who thinks himself wise. O Heaven's is a great fool—Voltaire
Christian endeavor is notoriously hard on female pulchritude.—Henry Lyons Menken
. .
Man's conceit is boundless.—Alfred Graham
"OH. THERE WE ARE—THE DEAN WILL SEE YOU NOW."
Letters and the Kansan
Sound and Fury
In a recent letter to the editor Instructor Pringsheim urges that restraint, responsibility, caution, intelligence and reserve govern the making of statements about others and their publication in the Kansan. Only when a person has proof of his charge should it be made, and only then should a newspaper print it.
What a wonderful world it would be—and how dull—if it were peopleled by Mr. Pringsheim's gentlemen and ladies of good will. We'd all be Prince Charmings, good fairies and walk down the streets with the latest column of Norman Vincent Peale to guide us.
I don't want anyone telling me what I can and cannot read. I want to see what the YAF is up to. Get 'em out in the open. I know enough about law to know that no group, and no newspaper, will "impugn" reputations with impunity. There are laws of slander and libel. Why shouldn't the YAF shout about the professional, political, pecuniary interests of faculty members? Nobody says the faculty has to answer the questions.
GETTING DOWN to cases, who's to determine what adequate proof is anyway? Sen. Goldwater, Herbert Lehman, Klaus Pringsheim, Erich Fromm, Tshombe, Molotov, Franco, Mansfield (Mike and/or Jayne), Walt Disney, Elvis Presley, or Schweitzer?
—Faithful Reader
Furthermore (2). I'm not so sure that Mr. Mullins speaks for the majority in his opinion on an end to campus discrimination in the Greek groups. What should he do, refrain from saying anything, or give his space to the feelings of the majority, which would have been a 10 inch vacuum on page 2 that day? Spare us all from the majority. I'm giving this vote of confidence to the editorial in question, which is miles ahead spiritually, intellectually and morally than the position of some of our so-called leaders on the campus. There's more Christianity and leadership among students than is thought by our elders, who on this issue are again issuing words that don't say anything.
FURTHERMORE, I see this letter also objects to the absence of the views of the "majority" in the campus daily paper. Tough. If the YAF happens to be doing something, swell. I have no desire to hear about the latest dance, the latest basketball game, the latest idiocies of the majority. Frankly, I object to the huge amount of that stuff we get now.
Sarcasm About YAF
Sound and Fury
I have recently come to suspect that there is not a single conservative professor in the School of Engineering. It appears that they all advocate the use of mechanized farm equipment. They do not realize, or else they close their eyes to it, that horses and not red tractors have opened up the Midwest and made this country great. It is Russia that goes all out for tractors. Anybody who is for anything they endorse is a secret enemy of our American Way of Life.
I INTEND to submit a proposal at the next meeting of YAHOO (Young Americans for Horses and Owners) to poll the professors in the School of Engineering. We think the university should hire horse-minded professors.
YAHOO intends to represent the Mongolian Empire at the Model U.N. session. They had guts and knew how to deal with the opposition.
Bat V. Khan
Tartar freshman
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