Thursday, December 11, 1941
DAILY NEBRASKAK
The Daily Nebraska!.
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Editor' "7. . "Mary Kerrigan
Business Manager Ben NovicoM
Associated Golleftwle Press
Diitnbutot of
Gollebide Digest
Mfmnrt .Ner.ii.SK'. ft
BI SINKSS nEMRTJWKNT
-. -.--T-T..: o;.nr'Man.-Tger Phil Kantor
Ci.' . nl-iion Mannrer
Frv Fneclm.'in
" Kfprcsented i lot National Advr rlisiiiK by
NATIONAL AI)KKHIN. "KIU l K. IM
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H(l MIK.AI IIKI'AK I 'SIKN 1.
ManaKinu Editors . Morf.n Moulin, r'aul Sy oU.d
Marjone May. Helen Killcy. Hob Sch laier.
Sp..rts Editm H"b M"'".
Threat h Great
Many of us have boon saying that it's going to
be easy to whip Japan. We've been saying that
"little" Japan is no serious threat in the Pacific
and that we'll polish that nation off in short ortler.
We forget that altho Japan is small, she is mighty.
We forget also that the Japanese empire is made
up of thousands of small islands making it ex
tremely difficult to launch an effective attack
against the empire. Until we are able to stage an
offensive on land, the battle must be at sea. Ja
pan's strength on the sea is not to be underesti
mated. We quote some figures on the lineup of sea power
In the Pacific given in the Dec. 12 issue of the
United States News. "Exact figures on the num
ber of warships in the United States and British
far cistern forces are closely guarded military se
crets," the article says, but the information given
was based upon available data, including authorita
tive estimates of the size of the Japanese fleet in
servico.
Up to the start of the war on the Pacific esti
mates showed that the United States, Great Britain
and the Netherlands East Indies had mobilized ap
proximately 343 major warships in the Pacific,
against a Japanese total of 274 -not too safe a
ratio for the democracies. Total tonnage for the
democracies was 1,501,000 and for Japan 1,131,000.
A breakdown according to types of ships is as
follows: Battleships: Japan 11, United States 14,
Britain 2, Neteherlands East Indies, none. Airplane
carries: Japan 9, United States 5, Britain 2, Nether
lands East Indies none. Cruisers: Japan 49, United
States 30, Britain 27, Netherlands East Indies 4.
Destroyers: Japan 130, United States 104, Britain
47, Netherlands East Indies 12. Submarines: Ja
pan 75, United States G5, Britain 15, Netherlands
East Indies 18. Those of Great Britain include the
forces of Australia and New Zealand.
These figures are self-explanatory. The com
bined forces of the democracies add up to just 71
more warships and 370.000 more tonnage. The fig
ures indicate that Japan probably can be defeated
in the Pacific, but the victory will not be easy
against this "little" foe.
QommsmL
Behind the News
By David Thompson
After 12 Years Growth .
U.S. Faces Test
So far all the news that we have heard in this
war has been bad. That applies to the official as
well as unoffictal information that is being circu
lated thruout the nation But that is what we
have been warned to expect in the early weeks of
the conflict, and as a Jesuit there is no reason to
be overly discouraged by it. The American people
have been living in a "dream world'' too long, and
now that such an illusion of invulnerability has
been punctured, we can only face the bitter facts
with the courage and determination that have al
ways been the chief characteristics of our nation.
Just remember that the chief aim of the enemy is
to create a feeling of oefeatism in our minds to
hinder a successful prosecution of this war.
Democracy faces the greatest test in its whole
history. We all realize that its major criticism has
been that it is too cumbersome and slow moving,
that it cannot adapt itself rapidly enough to face
crises. On the other side of the story we all must
realize that in spite of all its other preponderant
handicaps, totalitarianism is efficient and moves
with a rapidity hard to appreciate. That accounts
more than anything else for the initial successes
credited to the axis in this far eastern phase of
the greater world war. The test of our form of gov
ernment, then, is its ability to cushion the initial
shock and then go on to a final crushing victory, in
spired and made possible by the fearless, indepen
dent and inventive people whose development has
been fostered by a democratic way of life.
The admitted loss of the two British capital shins
in the far east, the battleship Prince of Wales and
battle cruiser Repulse, is a serious blow to British
American naval strength. It will take valuable
time to replace them. We can thank our lucky
stars that the U. S. has had 18 month.1? in which to
get our naval building program started. Several
new capital ships have been commissioned for serv
ice and several more have already been launched
tho not yet commissioned. There is no doubt that
we will need them before this Japanese naval threat
is destroyed. Even more serious, however, is tho
necessity for adequate air protection for our far
flung fleet, as indicated by the fact that both the
British ships lost yesterday were sunk by Japanese
aerial attack.
Don't fool yourself, we were not completely pre
pared for t'his war. The threat never seemed immi
nent enough for us to realize the need for full speed
ahead. Only now that the bitter truth faces us will
all efforts be expended to bring about complete pro
duction effort. Those of you who blame our aid
to Britain and Russia for this had better stop and
think a moment. Had it not been for that, we would
be facing the full might of the axis alone, and real
ization of that should sober even the strongest
critics who now view the effect of a Japanese at
tack by itself.
How About Getting Lead Out
Of Andrew s Target Ranger
If Sgt. G. W. Johns wants to do
some more for national defense,
he might get the lead out of his
target ranges. After 12 years of
use in the Andrews hall, the mili
tary department's target ranges
contain, it is estimated, nearly a
ton of lead.
This lead is pulverized in the sand
that serves as a backstop at the
target range. After the bullet is
fired the lead is deflected from a
metal backstop and then settles in
the sand.
According to Sergeant Johns,
military storekeeper, the sand at
Corn Cobs Hold
Posl-Baskclhall
Dance Friday
Corn Cob actives will hold an
informal dance Friday night after
the basketball game. According to
Frank White, "There'll be lots to
eat and every one will have lots
of fun." The party will be a barn
dance, to be held at Lcavitt's barn
east of Lincoln.
For National Defense
the target ranges has never been
strained, and it it were, at least a
ton of lead would undoubtedly be
revealed because of the continual
use of the range by the military
department.
Some Brass.
However, the brass in cartridge
shells is saved by Sergeant Johns
and is sent to Omaha to be used
as salvaged junk. He remarked
that the brass was not used over
again as cartridges but because
of the present war the brass may
be sent back to armories to be
used.
Each year two boxes of brass
are sent to Omaha. Each box orig
inally contained 2,000 rounds of
live ammunition. Sergeant Johi s
emphasized that the brass that
was saved was from the 30 calibre
bullet and not from the 22 calibre
bullet. He said that the war de
partment requested the return of
only the heavier calibre bullet.
Gtv OUwl QampuML
..Ji
Educators Need Public's
Su pport, Appreciation
"The present world crisis has made it imperative
that in our country the schools shall rededicate
themselves to effective citizenship training. We
must create a real tolerance toward those who dif
fer from us in race, wealth, occupation or belief.
We must study the weaknesses of our government
and economic system, as well as their merits, and
we must point the way to needed corrctions. It is
of the utmost importance that the public realize the
difficulties faced by the teachers of this country as
we attempt to shoulder these heavy responsibili
ties. Hundreds of thousands of us are underpaid,
employed without contracts, or from year to year,
and subject to discharge without cause or notice.
Various minority groups are unjustly criticizing
and attacking teachers, school management and
school expenditures, textbooks and courses of study.
It is important in this period of peril that schools
be well financed and that necessary protections be
given teachers that we may work at greatest effi
ciency. But it is of the utmost importance that we
have the support, appreciation and respect of the
public if we are to succeed in protecting our de
mocracy." Donald DuShane, president, National
Education association, asks public understanding of
the educator's task. ACP,
fj By Marjorie May
Missouri U will hold an informal dance Friday
in the Rothwell gymnasium to the music of Russ
Morgan who will play there for the Mortar Board
blow-out. Price of admission is $2, "stag or dra
"Hello Week"- similar to our Howdy Week,
only coming later in the year was held last week
on the Fresno State College in California to renew
an FSC campus tradition. Students there are sup
nosed to greet each other, friends and stranger
alike, all during the week.
Intorducing a new honor system with the Dece
mber exams Utah State university is trying out a
method of student co-cperation to prevent and
eliminate cheating. Mortar Boards on that campus
launched the program which operates as follows:
During a test when students see some one around
them cheating, they tap on their desks with pencils
or pens. This is sufficient to inform the offender
of their disapproval and it is assented that in most
cases the guilty person will change his tactics
However, if he persists in cheating the tapping will
be taken up again.
This measure is being introduced largely as
a protective measure for consientious students who
resent the unfavorable reputation which the uni
versity is getting from persistent cheating and
who also resent seing their study go to waste
when fellow students get thru a test by not open
ing a book until the exam has started.
NYA funds on the Indiana State college were
cut last week and 512 students received a flat 25
percent reduction in pay and working hours, the
Indiana Student announced recently.
YOUR DRUG STORE
Embodies the Old and the New.
Friendship and Service.
Owl Pharmacy
148 No. 14th & P 2-1063
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?iv-'.ivnMywv,v.' - oomxt- . vwtw y r. aw.-.
' j - ' ' '- " ' ' 1
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E"P a type of carrier telephone circuit is now helng
huilt into many miles of Long Distance cable lines
to increase their capacity.
Engineers at Bell Telephone Laboratories developed
this circuit which enables two pairs of wires in parallel
cables to carry as many as twelve separate conversations
at the same time.
K carrier is one of the ways we have found of adding
a lot of long circuits in a hurry to meet defense commu
nication needs. Such problems constantly challenge Bell
System men with pioneering minds.
