Faculty Pledge Bahai Support
By Jackie Helstrom
Almost 100 University of Kansas faculty members have joined a worldwide appeal of clemency for nine members of the Bahai faith condemned on charges of heresy by Moroccan courts.
The petition asks the United States government to investigate the situation in Morocco.
THREE MEMBERS OF THE BAHAI religion were sentenced to death Dec. 10, 1962, in Nador, a Moroccan fishing village. Five others were sentenced to life imprisonment and one to 15 years.
The formal charges against them were "rebellion, disorder, attack on public security, criminal association and a blow against religious faith."
"We would like to reach the appropriate agency of the U.S. government with this petition before it is too late for anything to be done." said Melvin Landsberg, instructor of English, who wrote the petition.
"WE ASK THAT THE government of the United States speak out against this display of fanaticism. In 1962, the U.S. extended to Morocco $43 million in grants, $33 million in credits, and $16 million in other assistance. Surely the United States should now add a protest conveying shock and dismay," the petition states.
Landsberg's attention was first drawn to the incident when he read an account of it in a Philadelphia paper. However, it wasn't until recently that he found a full account in the West Coast edition of the struck New York Times. With the help of Edward Robinson, professor of philosophy, he wrote the petition and began circulating it among faculty members.
Its signers include some of the University's administration and deans, as well as professors and instructors.
"We would like to emphasize that none of the persons who have signed this petition are members of the Bahai faith or have any interest in advancing it." Landsberg said.
"WE ARE INTERESTED in it only as a matter of religious freedom. From the reports we have, we have been led to believe that three people are being executed on the basis of their religious beliefs alone. We feel that this sort of thing should be protested."
The petition will be sent to the representatives of Kansas in the U.S. Congress. They will be asked to bring it to the attention of the Department of State and appropriate congressional groups.
On Jan. 15 the New York Times said the severity of the sentences given the Bahai members is said to be due to a statement by King Hussan II emphasizing that Morocco "could not tolerate such heresies as the sect of Bahai."
The King holds the title of "Commander of the Believers" and thus is obligated to defend Islam as the state religion.
ACCORDING TO THE TIMES, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs began a press campaign against Bahai in December, 1961, asserting the 300 Bahai followers in Morocco were heretics and were attempting to lead Morocco's overwhelming majority of orthodox Moslems astray.
Bahai, founded in Iran in 1844, is a worldwide religion based principally on the ideals of universal peace. It recognizes Baha'a u'llah as a prophet that came after Mohammed, who Islam accepts as the last prophet.
"It is one of the Bahai beliefs that the members of the religion must be obedient to the government of the land that he lives in," said Jean Randazzo, a Lawrence resident who is a member of the Bahai faith. "That is why we cannot believe that the charges of subversion are correct.
"We feel that this action is baseless, senseless, and frightening; but it is not entirely unexpected," she said. "It has happened often before."
Security Council Head To Address Model UN
Frederick H. Boland, president of the United Nations Security Council, will address the Model United Nations here March 29.
Boland will speak at a convocation at 10:30 a.m. in Hoch Auditorium, opening KU's fourth annual Model United Nations session. Boland's topic has not yet been announced.
Boland's topic has not yet been announced.
Fast president of the United Nations General Assembly, Boland has much experience in international affairs. He has lectured much in this country. He is Ireland's permanent representative to the UN
More than 400 KU students will participate in two days of activities resembling United Nations Sessions. More than 100 nations will be represented by volunteer 4-member student delegations, many of which will be advised by one or more of the 365 KU foreign students from 65 nations.
Boland, who was Ireland's ambassador to the Court of St. James in 1950, holds an LL.B. degree from Trinity College. Dublin, Ireland
Wednesday, Feb. 27, 1963
An evening diplomatic reception March 28 will be at the Eldridge Hotel.
The reception and regular activities of the assembly are designed to give students insight into day-to-day United Nations functions, said Tom Moore, secretary of the KU-Y, which sponsors the Model United Nations.
KU classes will be dismissed for the 10:30 convocation, but other classes March 29 will meet as scheduled.
Daily hansan
LAWRENCE. KANSAS
ASCMembersDiscuss Council Effectiveness
60th Year, No. 92
By Patti Behen
ASC members voiced varied opinions last night concerning the effectiveness of the All Student Council as a student governing body.
The discussion was prompted by Rab Malik, Karachi, Pakistan, graduate student, who said there seems to be "a gap between the ASC and the student body."
"THE STUDENT COUNCIL should represent the students," he said, "but it seems the University Daily Kansan is sometimes closed to student feeling."
SCHIFMAN SAID HE and three other men in the room had been shooting the pistol out the dormitory window earlier, but that the pistol was not working.
Malik noted that many students feel the ASC should be concerned only with matters directly affecting KU.
KNAPP WAS RIDING his bicycle south in front of the dormitory where Conway lived about 7 p.m. Feb 14 when he was struck high on the left temple by a "BB" from the pistol. A physician as Watkins Hospital described the wound as "minimal."
A former KU student was bound over for trial today in Douglas County District Court in connection with the shooting of another KU student Feb. 14 with a CO2 pellet pistol.
Ex-Student Held for Trial
By Blaine King
Conway did not appear to hear him, Schifman said.
Richard E. Conway, 18. Ft. Leavenworth, is charged with felonious assault with intent to kill or main in the shooting of Lawrence Knapp, Kansas City, Mo., sophomore.
Collins said the pistol was about as powerful as a 22 short.
Harold Schifman, Mission freshman who owned the pellet pistol, said he yelled "don't shoot" at Conway when he saw Knapp.
Schifman also said Conway had hit a car with a pellet from the pistol, and that Conway had fired the pistol when a student was walking by the dorm.
He said he did not know if Conway had fired at the student.
Dr. Gross said the pellet entered Knapp's forehead and "scooted along the skull under the skin for about an inch and a half. He said he had not tried to remove the pellet at that time.
JAMES R. COLLINS, assistant chief of police, said Conway had denied that there had ever been a pistol in the room, but later admitted he had fired the shot.
Conwav is free on $1,500 bond
"The ASC is certainly concerned with things affecting this campus," he said, "but KU is part of Lawrence, part of Kansas, part of the U.S. and of the world. This is not realized.
"We cannot isolate ourselves." Malik said. "The University must produce people who will go out and compete with the products of other universities."
MALIK SAID THAT although the ASC has done many useful things, it has not done enough.
"The council has formed so many committees," he said, "and many of these do not function."
Jerry Dickson, Newton senior and student body president, noted that each year the primary election issue is that ASC committees are not doing anything.
"I assure you," Dickson said, "that the committees are doing their jobs."
DICKSON ALSO REFUTED charges made on the Kansan editorial page concerning ASC action.
"Contrary to the Kansan editorial," he said, "I feel the ASC does some very specific things."
Dickson added that the ASC should have more power, although "the philosophy of American education is that students should be subordinate to the administration."
"However, the KU student council certainly has a lot more power than councils at many other universities," he said.
BULLETIN
TOPEKA — (UPI) — The Kansas House state affairs committee today voted 10 to 9 on a secret ballot to amend the Wichita University bill. The amendment would remove all possible references to a university in the bill which would bring Wichita U. into the state system.
The committee was tied 9-9 to accept the amendment offered by Rep. John Gardner, R-Johnson County, when committee chairman Jess Taylor, R-Greeley County, cast the deciding vote in favor.
Head of NASA To Visit Here
James E. Webb, head of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASA, will visit the KU campus March 7 for talks with University officials.
Senator James B. Pearson and Deane E. Ackers, chairman of the board of Kansas Power and Light, made arrangements for Webb
Webb is expected to discuss the role of education in the race for space. He will visit KU during the morning of March 7, the Topeka Rotary club at noon, and Kansas State University in the afternoon.
MALIK SAID HE FELT the ASC still could have done more than it has.
Jane Breckenridge, Louisburg sophomore and ASC secretary, said, "I have considered the theory behind student government, and some of the expectations I had have not been fulfilled."
The discussion on the effectiveness of the ASC and its committees followed a short business session, in which the council voted to establish a joint Faculty and Student Committee on University Events. The committee would handle the scheduling of events on the campus.
In other action, the council voted in favor of a resolution that the Kansas Union Book Store be requested "to buy books any day or days during the week immediately following final week."
A PROPOSAL WAS MADE concerning the formation of an Appointments Committee, which would determine the ability of student executive appointees. The proposal was referred to the Committee on Committees.
A guest speaker at the meeting was Joyce Manville, Wathena junior and president of the KU World University Service (WUS) committee. Miss Manville explained the program and its projects to the council.
Vox Replies To Charges
Vox Populi president Roger Wilson, Wichita senior, replied last night to charges made by Charles Whitman, Shawnee Mission junior and University Party's candidate for president of the student body.
Monday night, Whitman said the student body presidency should be made a "service position," rather than a stepping stone to state senator from Kansas.
Wilson termed the implication ridiculous. "It's outlandish and founded on nothing," he said. "Tm flabbergasted."
"What he (Whitman) is saying is that past or present student body presidents have had ulterior motives in seeking the position- To me, motives are not important, but the job the person does when he gets the position is."
Wilson said Jerry Dickson, student body president and Newton senior, "has done a very good job."
Whitman had nothing more to say. He refused to elaborate on his statements. "I'm too busy with Rock Chalk right now," he said. "I'll have all the information you want after Mar. 2." Whitman is producer of this year's Rock Chalk Revue.
Dickson could not be reached for comment.
Basil Rathbone Will Present Dramatic Readings Program
Basil Rathbone, stage and movie actor, will present a program of dramatic readings and poetry here next Wednesday.
"An Evening with Basil Rathbone" will be sponsored by Student Union Activities (SUA). It will be given at 7:30 p.m. in Hoch Auditorium.
AFTER THE performance, an informal reception for students and faculty will be held in the Music and Browsing Room of the Kansas Union.
In the program, Rathbone will proceed from stage recollections to
James Stoner, manager of the
a poetry session, and close with scenes from Shakespeare.
HE WILL INCLUDE the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Dylan Thomas, Shelley, Poe, A. E. Housman, Robert Browning, and Shakespeare.
Rathbone has explained his dramatic approach to poetry saying, 'With poetry, the essential sense of the ear and sound is the vital element. It is not meant for reading, but is designed for a spoken, dramatic presentation.'
Union Book Store, said copies of Rathbone's new book, "In and Out of Character," will be available at the reception for those who wish to obtain autographs.
THE EOOK DEALS with Rathbone's experiences in connection with the theater. Stoner said.
David Smith, Jackson, Mich., junior and chairman of the SUA Featured Speakers Committee, said, "Rathbone said he loves to meet with students and faculty for discussion, and he likes to be very informal."