KANSAN Comment It's an old game Message to David Awbrey, newly elected student body president: "They have not yet begun to fight." Sometimes editorial writers must, in expressing an opinion, make predictions which they do not want to come true and sometimes those same writers must delve into history, which is supposed to be relevant. Two years ago, a great stir in student government arose when Al Martin, student body president, and Jim Prager, chairman of the All-Student Council, proposed a radical reform of the legislative government at KU. In effect, they proposed reduction of the 37-member council to 10 school representatives, four class presidents, the president and vice president of the student body. This group, they proposed, could more effectively work with the Chancellor and the administration. The drastic cut in council membership was thought to be too much of a change. Council members then voted not to abolish their own positions. The reason for this short lapse into history is to point out that factionalism was what gave the opposing members impetus enough to reject the proposal. There were those factions which existed that felt that elimination of their influence would hinder the effectiveness of student government. And those factions—most of whom normally would have opposed each other on many issues—banded together and threw out the proposal. A revolutionary proposal at that. Reduction in size of the council, it was thought, would eliminate the possibility of forming future factions which would influence future legislation. For that is what democratic government consists of. Without factions in a representative democracy there would be no voting districts. There would be no lobbying, no back-slapping, no behind-the-scenes negotiations which are essential in any type of representative government. And with a truly representative government you must have a free press. And with a free press, not all highly important meetings can be made public without "tipping off" the other factions in terms of strategy or sentiment in the legislative group. This kind of thinking has always had its place in representative governments. There are factions. There is favoritism, and a certain amount of corruption—political, ethical, or financial—whether you like it or not. It is a by-product of democracy. And so Mr. Awbrey, who is head of a much larger legislative body than existed two years ago must come to grips with reality—regardless of how idealistic his politics are. He must learn quickly that factions have always existed in this type of government. He must realize that they will remain. And they will grow in numbers as the group grows—a very large representative body which he must now learn to deal with. Mr. Awbrey should learn that the power of this body can be controlled with the support of certain factions-not by alienating those very factions which may have helped get him elected. The realities of democracy are sometimes cruel; oftentimes vicious. Politics, sir, are a tough business. Idealism has no place in the face of a 2,000-vote cigar; or a million-dollar handshake—no matter how crafty the man who owns the hand, or smokes the cigar. Legislating is now your business, Mr. Awbrey. Not threatening to call a new election if things do not go your way the first day. That is not how it works. More factions will come; and with them will come more debating, and more "old political games." And the influence of that "old political tradition," and those "personal loyalties" will make itself more than evident in the coming year. The new student body president must learn how to handle these facets of democracy, and channel them into effective legislative procedure. For, whether Mr. Awbrey likes it or not, representative democracy is the oldest working political game in the world. A game he must now play. (JTM) 'When does the 'forward' part begin?' The Hill With It by john hill I was walking along beautiful downtown Lawrence when a dirty old man stepped out of an alley. "Pss-s-s-t! Seen-yor," he said. Actually, he wasn't a dirty old man. He was filthy. "You want to buy a computer? Never been used . . ." “A computer?” I said. “Well, no, I don't need a computer. Whenever I might do what I laughingly refer to as work, a computer couldn't—” "No, these aren't to help in work like most computers," said Filthy McNasty. "these are to help you play." "It's with no small amount of quiet pride that I say that I really don't need any help playing—" "You don't understand," he said. "A computer can take advantage of the time you spend not goofing off—surely you spend some time accomplishing something?" Minutes passed. I tried to think. "Anyway," he continued, "take our LOAF518-9 model for example. Suppose you're busy at classes or meetings or a job all day. Think of the time wasted where you could be loafing! Our new LOAF518-9 computer is carefully programmed to sleep late, slowly get up, catch a little Dick Van Dyke, not pick up the room, and take its fat time eating plenty of lunch." I nodded, seeing his point. These mornings when I get up and go to class, I really hate to think of all the ways in which I could have completely killed that time, butchered it really, a veritable slaughter. Time is too precious to be used in such a blatantly responsible manner. "Or if you have a severe case of spring fever, you could use our SF518-5 model. Whenever you're stuck indoors for class, and it's beautiful outside, your computer can be outdoors, basking in the sunlight by the pool or shooting baskets or throwing a frisbee around where it gets stuck on the roof." "Then there's our BUD37600 special computer which simply sits and drinks for you, by the hour, never pausing—" "Wait a minute," I said. "These sound great, but they just aren't for me. Thanks anyway." With a slight regret that I didn't get a dirty old man peddling lewd and obscene pornography which is corrupting the morals of our country's youth, I walked down the street. "Hey," he yelled, "what's the matter with one of these computers?" "I'll do my own loafing, and take great pride in my personal ways to kill time, or even slowly torturing it. Besides, anything worth doing," I said, deciding to cut class because it was such a nice day, "is worth doing well." If we could drink up the water in the sea if we could talk to 31 cadavers if they could listen to us if they could, If we could find the "flying Pueblo" if we could excuse ourselves to their families if they could listen to us if they could, If we could stay out of wars if we could defend ourselves when the time calls if we could give a damn then we could be a country. Jose A. Clark Lawrence sophomore THE UNIVERSITY DAILY THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN An All-American college newspaper Kansan Telephone Numbers Newsroom-UN 4-3464 Business Office-Un 4-358 Published at the University of Kansas daily during the academic year except holidays and examination periods. Mail subscription rates: $6 a semester, $10 a year. Second class postage paid at Lawrence, Kan. 66044. Accommodations, goods, services and employment policies vary by color, creed or national origin. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the University of Kansas or the State Board of Regents. 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