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University Daily Kansan Wednesday, March 20, 1963
LITTLE MAN ON CAMPUS by Dick Bibler
Strikers Push Luck
The end of the New York newspaper strike appears to have been a mirage.
For a while it seemed as though everyone were going to be satisfied. New York's Mayor Robert Wagner was satisfied with his mediation efforts to bring the union leaders and the publishers to a compromise. The union leaders were satisfied because they had gained enough of their demands to claim the strike was justified. And the publishers had lost so much money that they were willing to agree to terms that merely would not kill any of the city's newspapers.
Everybody was ready to resume normal activities . . . well—almost everybody. All that remained was the mere technicality of ratification by the union members. Or at least we were lead to believe it was merely a technicality.
Now the union members have proved that New York's relieved citizenry had jumped to the wrong conclusion—the conclusion that a reasonable offer would be accepted.
The typesetter's trade is living on borrowed time anyway. That they would hasten its inevitable demise is almost unbelievable, but this is in fact what they are doing. Ironically, protraction of the strike could force the publishers to resort to the mechanization that the union is fighting. When a machine breaks down, at least it does not refuse to be repaired.
There is no magic guarantee that what already has happened at some newspapers cannot happen in New York City also. In Los Angeles and Oklahoma City there are newspapers where the
linotype operator has become obsolete.
At these newspapers the reporter types his story on an electric typewriter that produces a perforated tape. The editor then punches another tape with changes and corrections. Both these tapes are fed into a computer, which produces a single, corrected tape. This tape is fed into an automatic linotype machine called a teletype-setter, which sets the story in type. One workman can attend several of these machines, each of which sets type faster than a machine operated by a member of the ITU or any other person.
The city's retailers were satisfied because they could advertise again. And the newspapers' subscribers were satisfied because they once again could find out what was for sale at what prices, which nation had sent the most recent indignant diplomatic note and which movie star appeared to be squabbling with his wife.
The Ottawa Herald will soon switch to this type of production system. When it does,it no longer will need most of the linotype operators it now has. Some of these men can be retrained to use the offset equipment. But far fewer men are needed to run the offset operation. Fortunately for the linotype operators at the Ottawa Herald, the paper is part of a chain and many of the men whose jobs have been eliminated on the Herald will be transferred to other papers in the chain.
Before casting aside reasonable settlements, the New York members of the ITU should consider carefully the fact that the publishers have an alternative to settlement.
By mechanizing gradually as union members retire, the publishers can fully mechanize their plants without throwing out of work any of those now in the trade. The publishers are now content to mechanize in this way, but an extended strike easily could force them to immediate and complete mechanization in order to survive.
— Dennis Branstiter
Another method, known as offset printing, does not even require a linotype machine. This is primarily a photographic process that does not employ type as it is produced by a linotype machine.
Daily Transan
University of Kansas student newspaper
Founded 1889, became biweekly 1904, triweekly 1908,daily Jan.16,1912
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.
"Billy Budd"
By Margaret Cathcart
Peter Ustinov has produced an effective movie without radically altering Herbert Melleville's novel, "Billy Budd, Foretopman."
As in Melville's story, Billy Budd is doomed, yet as the film ends the viewer experiences peace of mind as Billy approaches the gallows, smiles at his accusers and shouts out "God Bless Capt. Vere!"
BILLY'S COMPLETE endorsement of the men responsible for his death makes the viewer realize Billy's fate is not all-important since he is capable of transcending beyond all his tragic misfortune.
The story of Billy Budd is set in the era of the Great Mutiny, when iron bound discipline was the lot of British seamen.
The show is staged on brigantines still being used in Sicily today. The vessels were overhauled for the film in order to meet the standards of antique accuracy. The riggings were changed and the cargo hatches removed. As a final touch, figureheads were carved and mounted on the vessels, a slave breaking his chains on the Rights of Man and the blind figure of justice on the H.M.S. Avenger.
THE FILM opens as the H.M.S. Avenger sails short-handed from England in 1797. Her captain, Edward Fairfax Vere, keeps an eye out for sail—either enemy French or friendly English. The first he wants to engage in battle, the second, in this case the Rights of Man, he wants as a source of manpower.
The Avenger boarding party inspects the crew of the merchant vessel, the Rights of Man, and finds but one likely sailor to impress, Billy Budd.
Billy, whose innate goodness blinds him to the evil in other men, turns out to be a prize seaman and the most popular man on board the Avenger. He has one flaw—he stammers in moments of stress.
The four main characters in the film all give excellent performances.
TERENCE STAMP as Billy Budd, a young foretopman in Her Majesty's Royal Navy, plays a most convincing role. He is portrayed as an overgrown little boy, the personification of innocence and naivety.
The role of his destroyer, John Claggart, the ship's Master at Arms, is played by Robert Ryan. Ryan does an excellent job portraying the true iron disciplinarian. He is cold and hard and he gives the sailors ample reason to fear him.
Peter Ustinov, in addition to his production role portrays the part of gentle, pensive Captain Vere, a man caught in the dilemma of authority.
The able veteran Melvyn Douglas creates the prophet-like figure of Dansker, the sailmaker.
This film is a must for every boy and man. And despite its all-male cast, the film should have tremendous appeal for women because of the emotional impact of Billy Budd's conflict.
UN Tries To Maintain Peace
By Janice Pauls
On Oct. 24, 1945, with the taste of a second world war still lingering in the mouth of the world, a group of international nations ratified a charter in San Francisco which bound them together in a world organization.
The group, which appropriately assumed the title of the United Nations, was dedicated to the philosophy of world betterment. It designed its charter as a broad base which hopefully would develop to meet changing needs.
However, as peace wiped the memory of war terror from the minds of the people, some of the issues given special attention in 1945 became obsolete. Eight years later a few of the established articles already had fallen into disuse. Since the organs and members of the UN were left free to interpret the various articles according to their own discretion, the concensus, at this time, was that if the present trend continued, the time would come when world opinion would expect the colonial powers to looks to the UN for efficient administration of their non-self-governing territories.
HOWEVER, by 1954, after the body had survived its first period of trial and error, the turn of the atomic tide brought
THE FOUNDERS felt that only a firm partnership among countries fighting for liberty would establish a solid foundation for the present and hope for the future. An effort was made by the nations to organize while the threat of war still prevailed, since "in the time of war steps are taken which are far more bold than those ever considered in the calmness of peace."
a feeling among the nations that the UN was no longer a mere peace convenience but an indispensable organ for human survival. Therefore, the organizational emphasis turned from the unity of all members against aggression anywhere to unified preservation of peace in order to deter aggression from Communist sources.
Today, the struggle for peaceful coexistence has over-shadowed many of the other objectives that the founders of the UN may have had. Although the organization has been relatively successful and has made an important contribution in the field of human rights, the majority of its goals, as set out in 1945, are still pending.
The hope for peaceful settlements between world powers is still challenged by the basic conflicts between Russia and the United States. Likewise, the UN goal of dealing with complex economic and social problems has been somewhat unsuccessful as indicated by the food shortage and population problem in China and India.
Short Ones
Familiarity breeds contempt — and children—Mark Twain
The more things a man is ashamed of, the more respectable he is.—George B. Shaw
Faith may be defined briefly as an illogical belief in the occurrence of the improbable.—H. L. Mencken
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The important thing is that those who see an injustice do not remain silent.—Edwin Wilson
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The softest heads containing the murkiest thinking are found lodged between cap and gown.—Fred Hale
Government, in the last analysis, is organized opinion. Where there is little or no public opinion, there is likely to be bad government, which sooner or later becomes autocratic government.—W.L. Mackenzie King
AS THE UN is viewed today it seems to have fallen short of its original goals. Especially vivid is the troublesome fact that the cold war issues have been, as a rule, resistant to UN suggestions and recommendations.
The future of the UN is uncertain since each variation of events brings a variation of duties for the international organization. Regardless of its destiny, however, it will continue to be a source of hope in a world of peril. It will continue to serve as a neutral meeting ground and conference table for member nations and will seek to preserve the peace by harmonizing the policies and actions of states.
WHAT THE United Nations will mean to future generations will depend largely on the progress that is made throughout the world toward the values and goals as outlined by the organization.
Perhaps the best analysis that can be made of the UN was expressed by the late Secretary- General Dag Hammarskjold.
"We should recognize the United Nations for what it is—an admittedly imperfect but indispensable instrument of nations in working for a peaceful evolution toward a more just and secure world order."