Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-02-09
JUST IN PASSING.

Just in passing, and in advance Of
developments which may reasonably
be expected in the a future, a
little comment on several phases of
the controversy into which Townley
machine politics has PLUNGED, the
university suggests itself. FOR in
stance:
AS one Of the grounds for the de-
mand that has been made for the
resignation Of DR.. Kane as president
of the university, it has been stated
by MI. Totem, Of the board of adj
ministration and by some Of the
Socialist papers, that DR.. Kane
showed lack Of efficiency in the
handling of the influenza epidemic at
the university in the fall Of 1918. 1t
was the impression of the army Of
fcers who were stationed at the uni
vorsity at that time that they, and
not the president Of the university,
were in charge Of the situation. The
medical of1cer in charge informed
The Herald at that time that when
the camp was started he had urged
upon the military authorities su-.
perior to him the importance Of pro-
vidine additional hospital facilities as
a ~precaution against any epidemic
which might occur, and that he had
accordingly made tentative arrange
ments for the rental Of a building on
University avenue which he thought
suitable for the purpose, and had
recommended the completion Of the
arrangement. This Recommendation
was not approved by tho eastern au-
thorities and whep the epidemic did
come, adequate facilities for coping
with 1t did not exist. He suggested
no criticism Of the university au-
thorities, nor did he seem to under.
stand that any but the army repre-
sentatives were in charge.
1t seems hat President Kane is .
member of a. college fraternity, an
exceedingly reprehcnsible thing. The
Herald is informed by another local
man who knows something Of the
facts that the fraternity to which
DE-. Kane belongs is some Is years
old, and most Of its members are
naturally past military age. Yet it
appears that in the late war, of all
the living members of that society,
30 per cent wore the uniform, either
OF the American army or of the
American Red Cross. On the whole,
therefore, the American who Is. a
member Of that fraternity nnds him
SELF in fairly good company. OF
other college fraternities, too, most
seem to have made fairly good rec
ords in both scholarship and citizen
ship. Hence it is to be hoped that
Dr.. Kane may in time live down the
consequences Of his youthful error
in joining a college fraternity.
The Grand Forks American sue-
gests that in the interest of harmony
President Kane, Dean squires and
Totten should an resign. Totten's
ohfn1e is that he has done the work
OF the machine too well. He is a.
quarrebome politician and a natural
trouble maker. And whenever n
Ia their hired men gets too hot to
hold the bosses let him go, just as
they let stenseland and Macdonald
go. They will be just as ready to
throw Totten to the fishes whenever
the are convinced that he has out
lived his usefulness to them. Doubt
less they would be quite willing to
trade Totten for two Of the me on
the university faculty who have stood
squarefy for making and keeping the
university an educational institution
instead Of . piece Of political ma.
chtnery.