Page 4
University Daily Kansan
Monday. Feb. 24, 1964
Advisor Calls Forum Talk Unprecedented
The SUA Minority Opinions Forum has been presenting controversial speakers since the fall semester of 1960, but last Thursday's turnout for George Lincoln Rockwell was unprecedented, said Clifford Ketzel, professor of political science and faculty advisor to the Forum.
"It's sort of discouraging to know that it takes someone like that to get 3,600 people to come," Ketzel said, "but it certainly was one of the most discussion-inspiring forums we've had."
"Discussion-inspiring" has become the un-official theme for the four-year-old Minority Opinions Forum. Founded in 1960 by Ketzel, the Forum has had a prohibitionist, a pacifist, a representative of the Fair Play for Cuba Committee, a member of the John Birch Society, an atheist, an African segregationist, and an American Nazi.
"WORLD CRISIS DAY," held here during December, 1961, was originally a Forum project, Ketzel said, but we had to share sponsorship with other campus organizations "after it got too big to handle."
The Forum has also shown controversial films, such as, "Communist Encirclement-1961," and "Committee on Un-American Activities."
"Crisis Day" had as its featured guests, Alexander Fomin, counselor to the Russian embassy in Washington, D.C., and Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr., special assistant to former President Kennedy.
Fomin's presence here brought heavy criticism from an American Legion post in Wichita. The legionaires protested Fomin's appearance, and demanded an investigation of KU.
This fall, the leadership of the Minority Opinions Forum went to Laird Wilcox, Lawrence freshman.
WILCOX, WHO is the author and publisher of "The Guide to Minority Opinion Periodicals," and periodicals editor of the "International Peace Disarmament Directory," has been collecting Right and Left Wing literature since he was 17. "Some people collect stamps, some collect
coins," he said, "I collect leftist and rightist literature."
In commenting on the function of the Forum, Wilcox said, "Aside from the educational benefits to be derived, I think all persons should be subjected to controversial speakers. In the United States, there's a fear of controversy. The controversy they're afraid of most is on the left."
"But the whole objective of the Minority Opinions Forum," he continued, "can be summed up in this quote by Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas."
FREEDOM OF the mind does not long exist unless it has outspoken sponsors who make free inquiry and free expression their cause.'
Wilcox, who engineered the plan to have Rockwell speak here, said he has not received too much adverse criticism concerning the Nazi leader's appearance, except from the American Jewish committee.
He said that Rockwell considered the audience's behavior here as good as any other university he has spoken at.
Wilcox said he was surprised the response some people had to Rockwell's speech. "I talked to one of the janitors in the union right after the speech," he said, and he said to me, 'you know, that guy has something there.'"
"Several other people said to me, 'there's a lot he said that I agree with,'" he added.
"I GUESS the real difference between what Rockwell says and what other groups on the far right say, is on what political scientists call the 'fringe issues', mainly, his stand on Jews and Negroes."
One of the Forum's plans for the future will be an appearance here in April by Madilyn Murray, the atheist who precipitated the Supreme Court's decision banning praver in public schools.
Other events on the Forum's schedule include a series of films on peace and disarmament, and possibly a socialist speaker.
Nasser Seeks Unity
CAIRO — (UPI) — The Arabian dream of Gamal Abdel Nasser is to hammer out an "Arab fatherland" and emerge as its leader.
In 10 years as president of the United Arab Republic, he has succeeded in improving the lot of his 26 million followers. On a world stage, his prestige as a neutral has been enhanced. But in the Middle East, the prospect of one united Arab nation slips through his hands.
TODAY HE RIDES the crest of a wave of success, but he remains far from his goal. The Arabs are able to act in concert only when they act in opposition to Israel.
Nasser did the impossible in January. He succeeded in bringing together the heads of all 13 of Arab states in a summit conference in Cairo.
They put aside individual scraps to discuss what they considered a joint threat — Israel's plan to divert the waters of the Jordan River in order to make the Negev Desert bloom.
Nasser's feat in pulling together the feuding Arabs was a large accomplishment. It gave heart to proponents of Arab unity.
NASSER has not always been so successful. In 1958, with great fanfare, he announced the merging of Syria and Egypt into a new unified state, the United Arab Republic. The Kingdom of Yemen joined in an agreement covering defense, economic, and cultural affairs, and Nasser freely predicted that more Arab states would join the federation.
Egyptian and Syrian citizenships were abolished and all residents were to be known simply as Arabs.
Three years later the federation crumbled, to Nasser's great embarrassment.
SYRIANS GRUMBLED they were being ruled by a foreign power in far-off Cairo, and Egyptians complained they were forced to support the economy of a poorer sister state.
Syrian military action, not resisted by Nasser, killed the federation in 1961. Nasser broke his tie with
Yemen shortly thereafter. Unity would have to wait.
HOWEVER, freedom is not one of the revolution's noteworthy by-products. Police state methods are widespread in the U.A.R.; telephones are tapped, mail is censored, and informers are employed by the government to spy on their neighbors.
At home, Nasser has been more successful. He was the leader of a group of army officers which led an uprising in 1952 and forced pauchy King Farouk to abdicate. Four years later, Egyptians gave Nasser 99.9 per cent of the vote and approved a model constitution.
On the world stage, Nasser has avoided joining either camp in the cold war and frequently plays West against East. The Soviet Union and the United States find themselves competing to offer more aid to the U.A.R.
All newspapers and publications are nationalized and reflect only one viewpoint. Political opposition is outlawed.
However, there is no question that the average Egyptian is economically better off under Nasser.
THE MAN BEHIND Egypt's revolution was born to a poor postal clerk in 1918. He is of pure Bedouin stock and his perfect white teeth flash beneath the clipped mustache on a bronzed face, giving him an imposing bearing. Women have fainted upon seeing him.
His independence has boosted Nasser's role among the neutral bloc of nations.
He bears a scar on his forehead, the reminder of fervent student days. He was clubbed by an Egyptian policeman while demonstrating in the streets against British control of Egypt.
He sums up his accomplishments simply: "I have given the Egyptian people dignity."
He lives a relatively spartan, always bustling life, still working nonstop to bring Arab unity. Sometimes he goes without sleep for days.
Same Name Mix-up Plagues Two Students
They aren't related. They don't even look alike.
But KU law students Terry Elliott and Jerry Elliott have followed each other around for years.
Both spent most of their lives in Hutchinson where they belonged to the same church (Trinity Methodist) and attended the same schools, both come from teaching families, both have spent many summers with their grandmothers in Fort Scott, both were undergraduates and are now law students at KU, and both will take jobs as law clerks for federal district judges following graduation
this spring.
AND OF COURSE they get their mail and phone calls mixed up.
Terry's real name is Gerald Theron Elliott, and he is the son of Mr. and Mrs. A. Roland Elliott, now of 520 Cambell, Geneva, Ill. Jerry is really Jerry Gill Elliott, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred P. Elliott, 1725 N. Jackson, Hutchinson.
So Gerald is Terry, and Jerry is Jerry—not Gerald or Jerome. Although Jerry is two years older than Terry, confusion still reigns, because they are now in the same graduating class.
Terry was born in Wichita and his family moved to Hutchinson when he was in the third grade. Jerry's family moved from Fort Scott to Hutchinson the same year, when Jerry was in the fifth grade.
TERRY'S DAD was a printing teacher at Hutchinson High School, where he eventually coached Jerry in the finer points of putting out the high school newspaper. Terry's dad later became men's counselor at HHS. Since Terry's sophomore year in college (1957), his father has been director of guidance activities in Geneva, Ill.
S. U.A.
OREAD JAZZ FESTIVAL INTERVIEWS BEGIN FEBRUARY 25
Pick up applications at director's office NOW in the UNION on the MAIN FLOOR
Positions open:
- ticket chairman
- registration chairman
- arrangements chairman stage manager and sub-chairmanships of the above.
CONFIDENCE IS APPEARANCE
and appearance is our business. Our professional dry cleaning methods get out deep down dirt. Renew your wardrobe NOW! Remember, good dry cleaning will save you money in the long run.
For the Finest In
- Cleaning
- Altering
- Reweaving
- Repairing
VI 3-0501