DAILY NEBRASKAN
Thursday, February 6, 1941
diiohiaL
QommsmL
(Sullsdin.
2
We're for giving anything a try, but . . .
The opinion of the DAILY is that sorority girls
and incoming freshmen are in for a lot of heart
aches by the application of the new quota system
for sorority houses.
Chivalry or some other noble principle may
suggest protecting the weaker houses and equaliz
ing the prestige of all sororities in this manner.
Put even university freshwomcn are human and all
the chivalry in the world isn't going to soften the
pain in the hearts of those kept from their sorority
choice by this system.
his is America remember. And one of the car
dinal principles of the democratic American system
is to think of the individual as the entity to be
protected, rather than to be enslaved in the inter
ests of the group. We usually say protect the rights
cf the individual first, and through that protection
and the satisfaction derived from that protection,
sc;ve the more general interests of the group.
We don't say forget the sorority system and
the fact that it is somewhat unbalanced; we say
rather that in curing the diseases of that system,
consider the effect the reforms will have on the
individuals.
The restrictions imposed by the new system will
undoubtedly fill up the dormitories. Chalk that up
in its favor. It will undoubtedly strengthen the
weaker sororities. Again it scores a hit. But with
each hit it scores a hardship; with each popular
girl forced into a poorer group, and thereby
strengthening that group, that same girl is being
kept out of another sorority, the one of her choice,
the one she will always think of as the one where
she belonged.
Questions keep popping up in our minds; ques
tions that only a trial can answer.
What's going to happen when a sorority's
quota is so limited that a girl must see a lifelong
chum kept out of her group.
What '8 going to happen when legacies stand
in the way of pledging girls which are wanted
rather badly by a particular sorority.
And how can a girl be enthusiastic in one
group when many of her best friends are in another,
and she must constantly feel that her sorority is
not the one of her original choice.
But on the other hand . -
Perhaps our fears are unfounded. The system
has worked on a number of campuses. It is true
that the reduced membership in the houses, and the
scarcity of weak chapters are the only criteria for
indicating the satisfaction of the girls for the sys
tem. But perhaps the victory of these two ends
warrant the unrest and heartaches necessary to get
a new system in motion.
Its good points may outweigh its bad. We
hope so. We're for giving it a chance; more than
that we will give it all the support we can to give
it a fair start. But as we look at its prospects now
... .we have our fears.
Our duty to democracy . .
...To educate ourselves
With the slogan, "Defenders of Democracy En
list," college students all over the country are or
ganizing propogandizing organizations for democ
racy. Arising from the realization that threats to
the American way of life from without can be coun
tered only by organization from within, the move
ment seeks to stem the tides of naziism and com
munism, to preserve the principles of democracy in
practice and to instruct America's youth in what
democracy means to them.
The fall of the French government before a ma
chine of regimented German youth, the infiltration
of bund organizations into the hearts of vanquished
Belgium and Holland and the rumors of such infil
tration into the United States itself certainly justi
fies activity of this sort It justifies it where there
is a threat.
Yet we can he proud that no organized demo
cratic movement has arisen on this campus; we can
be proud that here there is no need. Wc won't soon
forget the fact that federal agents omitted the name
of this institution from their sizable list of colleges
and universities where subversive uazi and commu
nist activities exists.
We cannot be lax, however, we cannot let our se
curity poison us within for it is thru laxity and un
wariness that diseases of this kind take root. We do
have a duty to democracy; that duty is to become
informed. That thru an understanding of the evils
threatening our way of life, we can better arm our
selves against them.
Towards this end the university library is pro
viding pamphlets and books on American govern
ment and Dangers to Democracy for student use.
Fifty pamphlets published by the American Library
Association on what can be done to aleviate the dan
gers to democracy will be given away free by the
reference librarian.
For the same purpose a great number of books
dealing with American foreign policies and other
aspects of world affairs have been placed on the
Home Reading Shelf.
Let schools where a threat is imminent do the or
ganizing. Let us make use of the facilities offered
to learn what democracy means to us. And thru ed
ucation present a need for organization from aris
ing here.
That we may profit . . .
The Student Union has placed files of the leading
All American and Big Six college newspapers in
the book nook for student use. But from all indica
tions they are not being used to the extent that they
should be, possibly because of the ignorance of most
people that they are there.
The problems of other schools are the same aa
ours. Yet the organization of their activities, their
political factions and their class schedules are some
what different. A study in the way they meet their
problems will give us constructive ideas for meeting
ours.
We cannot live tcr ourselves. Here is the first op
portunity offered Nebraska students to learn what
other schools are doing.
'- Behind!;.
Y:. the PV!
IaCuJ News D0
I Onlal Olson I
Willkie will testify
By the time this is in print Wendell Willkie
may be on the Lisbon clipper winging his way west
ward across the Atlantic to tell the senate foreign
relations committee and the American people what
he saw in his whirlwind tour of Great Britain.
The former republican presidential candidate
left London Wednesday, flying to Lisbon where he
planned to take the first plane home.
The two weeks tour which has taken him from
bomb shelters to Buckingham Palace was climaxed
Tuesday with a flying visit to Dublin to confer with
Damon de Valera, prime minister of Dire. The pur
pose of the visit was to talk with De Valera regard
ing Dire's neutral bases. What he learned is un
known, though it is believed that he will be willing
to discuss his Dublin visit before the foreign rela
tions committee, if he is asked.
Willkie undoubtedly will have much to tell
when he goes upon the stand. He saw everything
he wanted to sec and talked to many of the im
portant personages in the government, including
Prime Minister Churchill. In addition to the government-arranged
visits, he often went out pri
vately, appearing at unannounced places.
Though Willkie 's return and his testimony are
awaited with great interest by the rank and file
of both political parties, it is becoming increasingly
uncertain just how he will be received by the lead
ers of the republican party.
While no definite action has been taken by of
ficial groups within the party, it is well known that
his whole attitude on the lease-lend bill is not ap
proved by many of the republican leaders; and
there arc rumors that there is a movement on foot
to oust him from his place of influence.
At the Chicago and Omaha meetings of Q. 0. P.
chieftains, Willkie is supposed to have come in for
some exceedingly severe criticism. At Omaha a gag
rule was applied to keep any conclusions that might
have been reached from the public.
The Federation of Young Republicans meeting
in Des Moines, considered several resolutions re
pudiating Willkie as their leader, but, upon the ad
vice of party chairman Joe Martin, did nothing
about it.
However, they did pass a resolution inviting
the Willkie clubs, led by Oren Root, to get back
into the party.
Balanced against these expressions of disfavor
from party leaders is the fact that the 1940 stand
ard bearer continues to remain popular with the
rank and file, and continues to have considerable
influence with the independent voter.
Council-
( Continued From Page 1.)
problems, each school will make
out a mimeographed outline of
their subject to be handed out
at registration.
Thursday night the first dinner
will be held with Chancellor
Boucher and Dean Thompson as
guests. Friday is the night of
Kansas university's dinner meet
ing, and Saturday night the dele
gates will be guests at an infor
mal dinner in the Cornhusker, fol
lowing which they will attend the
Interfraternity Council Lall en
masse.
Chairmen for the committees in
charge of the convention are
Lodging, Ray Murray and Ruth
Iverson; Registration, Ruth Ann
Sheldon; Welcome and Publicity.
Dale Theobald; Discussion Group
Leaders, Burton Thiel; Thursday
night dinner, Mary Rosborough;
Saturday night dinner, Marian
Cramer; Nebraska, discussion
meeting, Kenneth Holland; and
General meeting, John Mason. Bus
Knight will direct a tour through
Lincoln and the city and ag cam
puses Friday afternoon.
All meetings, luncheons, and
dinners with the exception of the
dinner at the Cornhusker Satur
day will be in the Union.
Quota-
( Continued From Page 1.)
board of regents these women will
be forced to spend their first year
in the university women's resi
dence halls but whether they will
be allowed to pledge, or if, when
pledged, they will be counted in
the house quota still remains to be
determined.
Further, the status of alumni
and inactive members living in the
houses has not yet been adequate
ly explained, according to a group
of sorority women polled yester
day afternoon by the DAILY.
To assupge the fears of Greek
women who fear arbitrary chang-
Bulletin
INTKRIIOIHE COUNCIL.
Interhouse Coanrll will otrot today at
7 p. m. la the llaro office.
I'M Hlrma Iota will meet today at
la the In ton ballroom today it I , a.
Present Identification eards lor admittance,
at I p. m. today la room tin f Me-
irrr.aa.AS8 aws.
Epperelas AWS will nirt at S p. m.
today la Kllra ttmlth. New committer
mil ba assigned.
ing of a house's quota, Helen Hig
gins, Sigma Kappa president of
the Panhellenic Council reminds
that the Panhellenic Council makes
its own rules and is not subject to
university Interference as long as
it Btays within bounds. Lincoln
girls will not count In a house's
quota.
Other schools using this quota
system are Drake university, Iowa
State at Ames and several of the
colleges in Missouri.
The Daily Nckaskaii
JfJjSlernPnlH'r f Mr Than 7,000 Studenti
FORTIETH YEAR.
v. . fp,i"!.KJ,lM,re ,'-00 P" ,mler or 11.40 lor lh Caller
year. u.M Mailed. Slnrle eopy, 5 Cents. Entered a seeand-elata
matter at the pohlotrtce In Lincoln, Nebraska, ander A el at Confrere.
iin!C I . A 'nd 'P',I rata l postage provided lor la 8ectlea
llM.Act of October it. IUI7. Aalhorlied September M. I9?t.
Offices ITnian Burldinr
. Day -7ll. Nirht t-VM. Journal Mm
Member Associated Collegiate Press, 11)10-41.
"ember Nebraska Press Association. 1M0-4I.
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