THE NEBRASKAN
Friday, October 20, 1944
In "Good Old Days'9 . . .
Politics Bring Rocks, Eggs On Students' Heads
... Makes 94i Politics Look Mild
BY JANET MASON.
So you think politics are rough
huh?
Too bad present students
couldn't have been at UN back in
the "good old days" when politics
were really something to become
disturbed about. The first inkling
that "those terrible, activities"
were going on at Nebraska came
when Mary Louise Goodwin,
managing editor of Nebraskan,
started reminiscing one afternoon
concerning her freshman year in
college.
Seems that in 41 there was a
big political rally staged by the
parties to acquaint the students
with their candidates for student
council. Poor little freshman
"Goodie" had taken her car to
ride in the parade and hear the
speeches, when suddenly, in front
of the dormitory, a group of en
thusiastic supporters jumped upon
the bumper of the car and started
bouncing it up and down.
Goodie Came Through.
Slightly confused and extremely
frightened, Goodie drove on slow
ly in the midst of the milling
crowd, her car resembling an
overgrown jumping bean and the
campaigners laughing and scream
ing with delight.
Looking back in some old Ne
braskans it was revealed that
these so-called "political rallies"
were quite common (and boister
ous) occurances. They were con
riurtpri on the Drincinle of every
man for himself and the devil
take the hind-most.
An exerpt from the November
7, 1939 paper gives the loiiowing
account:
"One student was reported in
jured late last night as rotten
eggs, rocks and garbage flew
along fraternity and sorority row
in a clash between the three
major campus political factions.
The student, altho full details
could not be learned, was knocked
unconscious in the melee after the
organizations had made the
rounds in support of their candi
dates for class offices."
Police Were There.
"Although police were on hand
to quell any disturbances, action
was taking place on so many
fronts at the same time that it
was virtually impossible to con
trol. Armed mostly with rotten
eggs, over-enthusiastic students
centered their attacks mostly on
the Phi Kappa Psi and Phi Delta
Theta fraternities. Water hoses at
both houses were torn up. Garb
age was dumped in cars parked
at the houses. Burned-out torches
lined the streets."
Those were the days when the
student council really had some
thing to do. Three days after this
rally brawl the student council
judiciary committee came to the
defense of the students and pro
posed penalties for such actions.
The penalty discussed was that
whenever any faction could prove
that its members "were attacked
with eggs, stones, or other missils
or weapons" by another faction
member, their candidates would
be replaced by the man with the
next highest number of votes.
Effective Action.
The action must have been ef
fective because in the next elec
tion of that year the Nebraskan
carried the Headlines:
FACTIONISTS STAGE LIFE
LESS RALLY.
This paragraph appeared in the
subsequent story:
"Completely void of any of the
conflict, which so often accom
panies these annual pre-election
pep sessions, the rallies went off
under police escort. Even a bat
tery of eggs which flew between
the two factions as they met on
the Gamma Phi Beta lawn could
bring no more than a few Weak
and dispirited, "Vote Progressive"
and "Vote Liberal" shouts.
The spotlight of political fervor,
the Student Council, had its ups
and downs in days of yore as in
the present. Recalling the last
meeting of the '44 council it was
disgusting to see that the govern
ing body had nothing more con
structive to do than argue about
politics but it seems that in 1936
the situation was reversed. Quot
ing from the May 12, '36 Ne
braskan we find that:
"For the first time in years, Ne
braska's political parties have
found a bone of contention more
controversial then whether or not
mixed swimming should be al
lowed in the coliseum pool."
Turn Back Time.
Oh for the turning back of time
so that .the council now could
argue about mixed swimming, in
stead of mixed-un politics!
In 1939 one council meeting had
to be held in the Union ballroom
because over one hundred non-
members were present to witness
an argument concerning illegal
elections.
I thought I had hit the jack pot
in political events when I found
an April 1st, 1941 edition of the
Nebraskan, with blaring headlines
stating: FBI INDICTS BLAINE
SLOAN.
Excitedly I read through the
first paragraph: "Indictments
were issued by the Federal Bu
reau of Investigation yesterday
charging Blaine Sloan, campus
political leader, and three of his
associates with un-American bund
affiliations. Charges were made
following study by government
agents of anti-Greek and pro
nazi activities in mid-western uni
versities." Then to my consternation I
looked at the date again and dis
covered that this was the April
Fool's edition of the .paper. Who
said April Fool comes but once a
year?
This Week At War
By Albert Reddish
Still pondering the next move calling for all-out effort of all
Coeds Complete Work
On Servicemen's Paper
All Nebraskan's for Service
men workers must complete
their assignment and check off
their names by Saturday,
Marilyn Adlcr, circulation
manager announced today.
of the allies, the Japs Thursday
announced an American landing
in the Philippines. As yet there
is no confirmation from allied
sources.
Though beginning the week
with boastful claims of destroy
ing the American Third fleet and
of seriously wounding Halsey,
Tokyo radio became more sub
dued with American announce
ment of B-29 attacks on Formosa
and of the success of Third fleet
strikes at both Formosa and the
Philippines. It is reported the Jap
fleet sailed out to face Halsey's
fleet but withdrew without firing
a shot on determining the size of
the American force.
Navy Secretary Forrestal an
nounced the Third and the Fifth
fleets accounted for 3,080 Nip
planes and 905 ships from June
through Oct. 16 and that subs
sunk 205 ships in that period.
Well over 900 aircraft have been
destroyed since Oct. 9, according
to Admiral Nimitz.
Surround Aachen
In the west the Germans have
finally admitted that Aachen is
! surrounded and Americans speak
of fighting there as mopping up
action. Fearing a big allied push
as forces are gathered along the
Maas river and west of Aachen,
Hitler has formed a home guard.
Dewey's effective speech given
last Monday at St. Louis was
thoroughly ripped apart by the
New York Times, which has an
nounced support of Roosevelt.
Charging misrepresentation of the
president through lnsumcieni ana
misleading quotation, ine umcs
compared Dewey's quotations
with the actual statements ana
clearly demonstrated its case.
Senator Ball and the New York
Times together, along with the
fact the republicans have not ef
fectively refuted the cnarge or
isolationism, goaded Dewey into
a statement on foreign policy
Wednesday night. The g.o.p. can
didate soundly scored the presi
dent for his "personal secret
diplomacy," making what super
ficially appears to be a good case.
Attacks Policy.
He attacked the administration
policy toward Poland, Italy,
France, Germany and Romania.
Critics say he made an admirable
garble of truth and fiction. One
example is Romania, where he
charged the Russians with mak
ing a treaty in the name of Rus
sia, Britain and the United States.
Factually, however, it was not
a treaty, but merely an armistice
such as Eisenhower signed with
Italy in the name of the three
allies.
A
First Feature
of tha
Lincoln Junior League
TOWIt HALL SERIES
Joseph Dunninger
"The Mauler Mentalitn
University Coliseum
TONIGHT
SI
nrle flJl JA T" ,
Ticket on 8la t Ftaflrnt Union
Office, or at th door.
FREE
Juke Box Dance
9:00-12:00
FR1. OCT. 20
Union Ballroom
fete
pi 1 w' ry
F
1 1 ," jr
W I
nous EiE-E-
lave
to- doM-cef
and especially in those
dream -queen dresses I
find in Miller's Modern
age Room. So many
smoothie date dresses. . .
in wools and rayon crepes
. . . colors and devastat
ing blacks. And just look
at those nice -to-Father
prices!
895 .o2995
In Miller's special shop for JUNIORS
the MODERNAGE ROOM on SECOND-
p..
r
V-rrt