Battalion Editorials Page 2 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1951 Let the People Elect. . . President’s Term Limit Becomes ‘Law of Land’ lanriWSOOP HANDS 1VFO PRESIDENT CAN now serve more than ’ two terms in the White House. That’s the law. The Twenty-Second Amendment to the Constitution became a reality last night when Utah and Nevada became the thirty- fifth and thirty-sixth states to ratify the proposal. Now there exists only one major flaw in the Constitution’s requirements for the presidency. The rules and regulations of the politics game still insist that the president be chosen by vote of the Electoral College— a group which is as obsolete as mustache wax and about as useful in this age as a musket in Korea. The Electoral College was established in 1804 under the Twelfth Amendment to the Constitution. That was 147 years ago. Times have changed in nearly a century and a half. Among the reasons given for es tablishing an electoral body then were lack of communications—the voters themselves Old Hero Emerges New—the Artillery A NEW HERO has emerged from the smoke of Korea. Credit for canceling the vast enemy sup eriority in manpower goes largely to the ar tilleryman and his constantly available fire power. The new artilleryman goes with the troops into enemy territory, and his usual station is closer to the fighting than the old textbooks recommend. Guns are usually grouped in a circle, and perimeter defense goes along with the usual duties of providing support upon request. A determined enemy attack must be turned back when it happens, and the delay involved in calling for air support is often excessive. Artillery shells, on the other hand, can be on the way in a matter of seconds, in any kind of weather, and it is this avail ability that wins the confidence of the front line troops. Some of the individual types of guns that are used are the 105 howitzer, the 155 how itzer, the 90 mm. anti-aircraft gun, and the twin 40 mm. cannon. The success of the so called “killer” raids is largely due to the mobility of this fire power, and the coordination with mosquito (piper cub) spotting planes. Caves and tun nels become enpmy death traps, and our loss es are correspondingly reduced. By the time the last shells burst on enemy positions, our troops are ready to charge into the positions to take advantage of the stunning effect of concentrated and accurate fire. For the time being, a good 155 battery on the other end of a field telephone is more valuable to the infantryman than several hundred “push button” missiles in the blue print stage. When the final chapter of this police ac tion is written, the man behind the big gun will deserve a large share of the glory. WASHINGTON, Feb. 27—UP) ™ The 22nd amendment, barring T r n future presidents from serving couldn t know the candidates; the U. S. was m0 j- e than two elective terms or hibition. It became effective Dec. 5, 1933. Utah was the 36th state an infant nation and perhaps couldn’t trust more than 10 years in the White to ratify that one. outright election to its only partially-educat- sc n ight. anu th ° law ° f the land Utah and Nevada—the 35th and The last amendment to the con- precedent set by G'eorge Washing- stitution—the 21st—repealed pro- ton. In recent weeks Democrat-con trolled states have been among those voting for ratification. ed populace and many others. But those reasons no longer exist. With television, radio, and the press continually bringing every action of a presidential-tim ber citizen to the eyes and ears of the public, Rush To Ratify The amendment has been around Texas Vote One-Sided The vote in the Texas Senate 36th states to approve the amend- state legislatures since March 1947, was 25 to 4 for ratification, ment—voted for ratification. It has three fourths majority of 36 states needed to make the amendment effective. It will not apply to President each candidate is quite well-known to the Truman, specifically exempted the last few weeks have been when Congress submitted the pro- Texas, Indiana, Montana, Idaho, ratified the amendment, with the posed amendment to the states in New Mexico, Wyoming, Arkansas, years they voted: but only 24 states had voted to ratify until late last month. Ratification was completed with a rush. Other states voting to ratify in Rep. Max Smith of San Marcos, Tex., said “the unpopularity of some of Mr. Truman’s policies boosted the demand” for such a law. The other 24 states that have interested voter. Texas—or at least a Texan—has been leading the fight to abolish the Electoral College for many years. The man is Repre sentative Ed Gossett of Wichita Falls, whose bill last year was stopped by a Senate bound by tradition and perhaps afraid of the pub lic vote 1947. Soviets Facing Deep Problem Actually the public vote determines the IVTilf ’tnrifil vrvfp fnr nil nrartirnl rmrnnsps All ifiM. 1/^1. J-dXij Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina. The amend reads: Maine, Michigan, Iowa, Kansas, New Hampshire, Oregon, Illinois, Delaware, Vermont, California, ‘Section 1. No person shall be New Jersey, Wisconsin, Ohio, elected to the office of the presi- Colorado, Pennsylvania, Nebraska, dent more than twice and no per- Missouri, Connecticut (1947); New son who has held the office of York, Virginia, Mississippi (1948); president, or acted as president, North Dakota, South Dakota electorial vote, for all practical purposes. Only a few times in recent elections has an elector stepped “out of line” and cast his ballot for a candidate who didn't receive his state’s majority of votes. By WILLIAM L. RYAN AP Foreign Affairs Analyst The Soviet Union is run- for more than two years of term to which some other person was elected president shall be elect ed to the office of the president more than once. Won’t Get Truman “But this article shall not ap ply to any person holding the of- (1949); and Louisiana (1950). Tests Thursday Night ning into serious trouble in fice of president when this article Army Trying to Develop V-2 Rockets as Weapons Thp FJprtnrinl GnlWp m nnlv annthpr branches of its heavy indus- was proposed by the Congress, and ine Jbiectorial UOliege IS only anotner nno^hlv hprmiqp nf an sha11 not prevent any person who means of contributing to “smoke-filled American clamodown on shin- may be holdin s the office of P r . es ' room” elections for it is not a vote of the Am f ncan Ciampaown on smp jdent, or acting as president, during room elections, ror it is not a vote or tne pent of strategic materials to the term within which this arfcicle people. And the people have progressed iron curtain countries. Shakeups becomes operative from holding the WASHINGTON, Feb. 27—(A 1 )— known way of getting needed data. Sands for both its own and Air enough in 147 years that we believe them f n nd ^T^lndustriaffield IttSt office , °f J pre . side i t ° r ac . tiag aS , ,n The Army says it has finished “Concentration is now on devel- Force and Navy research projects. r , . / o ^ f 1 g fiA industrial neia attest president during the remainder of its untra-high altitude experiments opment of rockets as weapons.” The Air Force said the instru- capauie or electing & presiaenL. 0 11S * such term. -with multi-stage rockets and now The rocket scheduled for firing menta are for study of the composi- We should clean the dust from our Con- There have been a number of “Section 2. This article shall be is concentrating on development of Thursday night if the weather tion of the atmosphere, “to mea- „ ro > r o rlnino- it cn'-ira tLo s ‘ ia , u PS m Soviet ministries re- inoperative unless it shall have rockets as weapons. , doesn’t delay it will carry a war- sure two types of radiation and* ’ ’ fc> > t> cently. One ot the niost intriguing been ratified as an amendment to Scheduled for Thursday night is ^ ead P ac ^ e( ^measuring instru- analyze artificial and natural air- people a chance to elect the man or men has just come to light: the constitution by the legislatures the 57th of a series of V-2 tests at me nts sent to White Sands by the g i ow » at high altitude. The supreme Soviet’s presidium of three fourths of the several White Sands, N. M. This one will Upper Atmosphere Laboratory of These sub j ects although seom- approved a shift in the admims- states within seven years from the be a single V-2 rocket, not the the Air Foi ' ce > a P art of the Cam ' ingly related to pure science 'ire tration of the metallurigcal in- date of its submission to the “bumper” style combination of a bridge Mass research laboratory (/importance to men bent on (in dustry. 3he ministry has been split states by the Congress.” i big and small rocket which two USAF signing intercontinental guided into two ministries—one for fer- Outside the legal phraseology, years ago attained a. record height Ihe Army fires V-2 s at White m f 8sil * which ^ attain * es here s what the amendment pio- 0 f over 250 miles. ± i> 4- ^ ousands °f miles, would have • V1 n^i S A -j j. i That firing was. with a combina- TU Stlldeilt PlllS to go perhaps hundreds of miles Top Man Removed + Tha t a president may serve only tioin of a v . 2 and a smaller mis _ w • v aloft. two elected terms. A man who ,, ,, “WAP rn.-nm-nl ” The III Verbti . The former head of the overall served up to two years of another , ’ , , , . P , I _ U> a ® was indicated last week, ministry has been demoted. A. N. president’s unexpired term could nf C< fVi 0 1 ir or at the Studei * Activities Office, Room 209, ■ —1 tee chairman. The Associated Press is entitled exclusively to the use for republication of all news dispatches cred- The feeders conference is for ited to it or not otherwise credited in the paper and local news of spontaneous origin published herein, the purpose of bettering sales, Rights of republication of all other matter herein are also reserved. feeding, controlling disease sani tation, breeding, and managing France—an infantry battalion. ship and medical supplies. India Greece — six transport planes; sent a field ambulance unit. Israel ground forces. offered medical supplies. Italy will Netherlands—a destroyer; three send a hospital unit, infantry companies. Nicaragua has offered 5,000 • New Zealand—two frigates; a quarts of alcohol. Paraguay has combat unit enroute. offered medical supplies. Sweden Philippines — regimental combat sent a field hospital. Rocketeers, looking to the possi bility of atomic power for long T ,, range missiles, want to know what In uniform he s quite the guy, such cosmic ray bombardment “ my time ’ 1 know not mi & ht d ? to the atomic power plant t, ,, c . , . , or atomic warhead of a missile. » Wb^ ? ^,m y r? at f dayi l lg - h ^ The Air Force’s passing refer- liirht ■ ^ t0 6ee bn ® b ence to “airglow” study also seem- ’ ThniYiMs’t ed re i atcf i to missile operation. TheZhMn LS 1 V* “Airglow” is a scientist's fancy. m g y cyes lsn t f° r name for what mariners long have Rut sonn tw, -u, * • kno '™ as “St. Elmo’s fire,” tho ‘ But, soon, bir Tom with sword m tordi-likc ghostly glow of static Will leave to defend tho native ‘ l thc c "