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Page 2
THE NEBRASKAN
Wednesday, January 6, 1954 f)
EDITORIAL PAGE
'Prayer1 For Pragmatism
A perversion of a well-known prayer by
Reinhold Nelbuhr recently came to the at
tention of The Nebraskan.
Keibuhr, one of the foremost Christian
theologians of the present day, In his prayer,
asked:
"Give ns strength to' endure those things
we cannot change, courage to change those
we can and wisdom to distinguish one from
the other."
The perverted form came out this way:
"Dear God: Help us to do the things we
can do and to leave alone the things we can't
do and help us to know the difference."
If results cannot be obtained from a par
ticular action, the revised prayer said, don't
let 'us have anything to do with it. The
prayer set the stage for pragmatic action.
The Student Council and a large number'
Questionnaire
ifte Student Council questionnaire to be
found elsewhere on this page is the result
(according to the Council) of a desire to
find out if students feel the Council is ade
quately serving them.
While this is not quite the same thing as
asking for a vote of confidence, it borders on
it, regardless of the Council's Intentions.
Thus, the student body is presented with an
opportunity (outside of elections, which are
not always determined on Issues or platforms
alone, but frequently on personalities and
popularity) to express approval, criticism or
suggestions to the Council..
The Council, however, baa cleverly stacked
the odds In its favor. A glance at the ques
tions reveals that the Council is selecting the
Issues upon which it wishes to be rated.
A representative body should serve Its
electorate and not exist to insure the per
petuity and good reputation of its members.
Instead of asking students whether they ap
prove of previously acknowledged problems
which have been acted upon, the Council
would prove its worth by acting upon issues
facing the student body both new and in the
future.
Therefore, the most Important section of the
"questionnaire" is the request appended al
most, as it were, as an afterthought: "Please "
attach any Ideas that you feel . . ."
But, the Council has been given suggestions
of problems by The Nebraskan during the
current semester. Yet, those do not appear
among the "areas" students are asked to eon
sider. No mention is made of the problem to come
up In a few months concerning allocation of
rooms in the new dormitory between Incom
ing freshmen and returning upperclassmen.
Chancellor Selleck himself implied that the
.final decision has not been made and he
would like to know what students think
about it. This was mentioned as a possible
subject for Investigation by the Council in a
Nebraskan editorial. No move from the
Council
"Inequities in filing and voting," a hold
over problem from last year was the subject
of another Nebraskan editorial offering a sug
gestion (or rather, a reminder) to the Coun
cil. No move from the Council. Last year's
Council acknowledged that this was a prob
lem to be dealt with. Still, this year's Coun
cil looks for suggestions.
If students are sufficiently interested in
what the Council Is (and isn't) doing, this
questionnaire is the ideal opportunity to offer
some "suggestions." EJ.
'Inferior'
Chancellor Selleck stated during Christmas
vacation that the department of athletics is
weaker than the academic departments of the
University.
While he did not present any evidence
which proved his statement (if, indeed, the
relative strength of the departments can be
tabulated), undoubtedly he knew what he
was saying. Certainly the Chancellor knows
much more about the affairs of University
departments than any student, and probably
more than any other individual
Two exceptions in the matter of "inferi
ority," however, are worth noting.
First: Athletes are allowed to register first
In order to avoid conflicts. Other students
must register in. their turn even though
earlier registration might have eliminated a
number of conflicts.
Second: The percentage of scholarships
awarded to athletes far out-ranks the per
centage awarded to history majors or en
gineers or any other group of undergradu
ates. Patsy Clark pointed out that any athlete
who doesn't have a scholarship isn't consid
ered too seriously by the coaching staff.
Ia any other department the student who
possesses a scholarship is the exception.
In both of these instances the athletic de
partment appears to rank well above its aca
demic counterparts.
Perhaps the Chancellor meant that the
athletic department does not enjoy similar
advantages in all phases of comparison. X.R,
of other organizations might well have begun
its year with such a prayer, for, as was
pointed out in an editorial yesterday, the
Council seems interested only in projects
which will produce noticeable results.
In the case of the Council's motion to bar
discriminatory clauses from the constitutions
of honorary and professional fraternities, The
Nebraskan editorial called attention to the in
consistency of the proposed action. The Coun
cil was opposing racial clauses but only in
the cases in which its members thought they
could produce results.
The injustice of the motion is readily evi
dent The Inconsistencies of pragmatism (in
which the result of an action determines , the
worth of the action) are usually not exposed
so readily. Nothing succeeds like success, the
old saw goes. And pragmatism is based upon
success.
From a practical point of view pragmatism
turns out more units of production, earns
more money and attains more success for its
user than any other philosophy. The employ
ment of pragmatism in the school system is
now producing a generation of woodworkers,
bookkeepers, engineers and super-market
managers.
The coupling of pragmatic thought with a
prayer Is ironical, since Christianity (and
nearly all great religions) places greater em
phasis upon the motivation for an act than
upon the results of the act or the act itself.
The prayer was well-intended. The or
ganization which used it was simply asking
that it not go off on tangents which could
lead only to wasted time and effort.
But the students who prayed for fore
sighted pragmatism forgot that the men who
accomplish the greatest good begin work with
the odds so heavily against them that no
pragmatist could take the chance of wasting
his time.
They forgot that men have died on the
battlefield and as Christian martyrs for re
fusing to modify their actions and change
their beliefs to conform with what was the
obviously practical solution. ,
They forgot that one of the greatest virtues
is the unrelenting stand of a man who knows
he is right and refuses to bow before the
power of practical men. They forgot that the
greatest test of a man is his ability to follow
his conscience his belief in what is right
even though the rest of the world were
against him.
No one can prove that such a man is right.
History, the recording of results, may even
call him a fool if it recognises him at all.
Re may be laughed at, scoffed at or perse
cuted. But he is answerable only to himself and
to his God. No proof of results can change
his course. - '
He 'cannot pray that he might turn his at
tention only to things he can do. He prays
that he might work toward things only God
can do. K.R.
Merry-Go-Round
The peace merry-go-round in Korea has
started to spin again.
At least the initial push has been given by
unidentified intermediaries from the United
Nations and the Communist stronghold. They
are "informally discussing" the possibility of
resuming Korean peace talks.
Although the United States is understand
ably eager to resume talks in the hopes of
stabilizing the tottering world situation, the
US appears to be conveniently forgetting the
heated .events which terminated the peace
talks so abruptly a month ago.
At that time, Ambassador Arthur Dean
dropped negotiations with a protest against
the Red accusation of perfidy on the part of
the US. He demanded that the Communists
retract an accusation that American authori
ties had plotted with President Syngman Rhee
of South Korea to release anti-communist
prisoners.
Yet no retraction has been made. Appar
ently the US is willing to sit calmly by as
Communists make wild accusations, prefer
ring to "forget" the Incident rather than force
a showdown.
The best policy would be to face the isues
squarely now and stick by our first, and well
grounded, demand that the Reds retract their
accusation. Avoiding the whole issue may
resume peace negotiations for awhile, but the
Communists win have learned a dangerous
and obvious lesson: That the United States
does not have the courage to speak with con
viction and "stick to its gnus."
Two mighty world powers cannot indefi
nitely play coy with each other. Demands,
accusations, name-calling; the incidents will
grow until it is impossible to ignore the in
sults and resulting bitter feelings. Then,
when action is taken, it will be drastic.
And the merry-go-round might blow up
end stop forever M.H.
JJul TMuaAhu v
FIFTV-TBXRD YEAS
Member: Associated Collegiate Press
Advertistaf representative: National Advertising Service, Inc.
429 Madison Ave., New York 17, New York
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Limi Man on ca.v.pus
by a true rhe Student Speaking
"I always write my term paper criticisms Illegibly so the
student wont be able to take issue with what I say."
The Challenge
Deferred Rushing Plan
Is No Solution For NU
By HELEN A. SYNDER
Assistant Dean of Women
(This is the fifteenth in a
series of articles treating the
problems, issues and challenges
of the day as viewed by repre
sentatives of various fields of
endeavor.)
Some time ago during the an
nual Panhellenic Workshop The
Nebraskan featured an editorial
on our University's sorority
rushing system. Certain critic
isms were leveled at that sys
tem and in good constructive
fashion a possible solution was
offered, namely deferred rush
ing. As one working closely
with our Panhellenic in the ca
pacity of University advisor, I
should like to comment on the
situation as I see it.
We start by saying we know
our system is not perfect. The
workshop which gave rise to this
discussion is one of Panhellenic's
own attempts to turn a critical,
eye on procedures in order that
improvements may be made. At
the same time it is interesting
to note that at the conclusion
of that week announcement was
made of a national award cit
ing our University Panhellenic
as the outstanding Panhellenic
in the country.
Receiving the Lei and award
was a vote of confidence of na
tional staff members that our
local organization was doing an
excellent job in administering
its program.
This still does not mean per
fection and, to show we deserve
such distinction, we mnst con-
By CHICK TAYLOR
We heard that:
Errol Flynn and Charlie
Chaplin have collaborated on a
new novel which will be out
just any old time. The title is
"On Whom the Belles Told."
Have you heard about the
devil who backed into a lawn
mower, then went into a liquor
store because he heard they re
tailed spirits?
A pessimist is a man who feels
that all women are bad.
An optimist just hopes so.
One strawberry to another: "If
we hadn't been caught in the
same bed, we wouldn't be in
this jam."
The American way: Condemn
ing a naughty movie; attending
it to see if it's as shocking t
advertised; kicking because the
naughty parts have been cut.
My political science teacher
says that in America every boy
has a chance to be President
when he grows up. Guess its just
one of the risks we take!
During the last World War,
our Marines had a hard fight
with the Japs on an island in
fested with cannibals.
After the battle, it was evi
dent the native cannibals did not
approve of the Americans. When
pressed for an explanation of
their attitude, their chief re
plied: "You are savages. I do not
want my people to be spoiled by
you. I have watched you for
two weeks. Each day you have
killed more Japs than you could
eat."
Judge to prisoner: "You've
been brought in here for drink
ing." Prisoner: "Fine, lesh get
started."
a G.
from
I. to his
Letter
wife:
"Please
send me $5
for shaving
cream and
stuff."
Came the
reply:
"Home r.
here enclosed
is 25c for the
shaving cream.
back here,"
"In the old days did the
knights fight with their battle-
axes?
' "Well, the married knights
did.
"Like short skirts, Nick?"
"Naw, they get lipstick on me
shoit front when I dance wit
em."
The stuff is
tlnue to improve. At the same
time it does mesn our csmpus
should be grateful that we are
doing a fine Job and we do not
have the problems some cam
puses have.
"
Panhellenic- is glad The Ne
braskan, its editors and its con
. tributors are interested in see
ing an equitable system in effect.
No one is more interested than
Panhellenic itself, for this organ
ization is merely an association of
all sororities. Sororities want
strong chapters and these are
built on happy pledge classes.
It is, therefore, imperative to
sororities (and by the same token
to Panhellenic) that a system of
rushing be in operation which
will protect and promote the in
terests of the rushee. The match
ings that go on during Rush
Week begin with the girl's choice
and no decisions are made that
do not take this into considera
tion. Let's look quickly at some of
the so-called faults of the ex
isting system as pointed out by
the original Xehraskan editorial.
One thing cited was the possibil
ity of error in the workings of
matching preferences.
Where human action is con
cerned there is always the pos
sibility of error, but I say as one
who came mto fhia set-up three
years ago that I marvel at how
that possibility has been reduced
to a minimum.
It is also an honest statement
to say that to my knowledge
there has not been an error In
the operation of matching pre
ferences as turned in during my
years of association with it. That
is why. each year at rushing we
have observers from other
schools here to see how it is done
so they may carry the ideas back
to their schools.
The release system, or "rejec
tion slip" as it was referred to,
was critisized because it adver
tises a girl's apparent difficulty.
Actually, "no- one receives a
"stack" of them but a girl may
get a call slip to come to head
quarters to discuss her situation.
Her release from a particular
party may be as much a source
of relief for the girl as it is for
the sorority.
. It may be an opportunity for
her to accept a party Invitation
which she now wants hut ori
ginally -turned down. The method
of notification may not be the
best, but was selected because
it meet the time urrency of the
situation. Efforts are being made
to see if this can be handled more
efficiently.
What would deferred rushing
do? It would not solve these
problems. They would still have
to be handled at any time the
rushing program was conducted.
No "system" can be an answer
to problems. The argument for
deferred rushing is usually that
it gives more time to the rushee
to make up her mind. Actually
it introduces so many new prob
lems and tends to confuse the sit
uation so that those who have
observed it do not believe it is
an answer.
I shall Just have space to list
some of the new difficulties that
would be introduced by holding
rushing later in the year. It
would be a scholastic hindrance.
It would open up the avenue for
long term rushing throughout the
period when a girl is supposed to
be free to make up her mind.
It means other agencies of the
University are solicited to help
rush and dates are used in a
way that Is not good for a whole
some social program. It postpones
a girl's association with her chap
ter so long that the period of her
active status is too short to build
good strong chapters and train
officer material.
Furthermore, experience has
shown it does not solve the prob
lem of error in judgment. Girls
still depledre or leave school if
they are unhappy with the choice
they have made. Students will
atwaya cbanre fraternities,
change curricula, change schools.
That is human nature.
.
Undoubtedly there Is room for
improvement. A wholesome
viewpoint in working these out
is needed on the campus in gen
eral and specifically in Pan
hellenic. The determination to do
the best job possible is impera
tive, as well as awareness that
it is through knowledge of our
errors that we improve.
The grass on the other side of
the fence is not necessarily
greener. Another system is not
necessarily a panacea.
Hey, A
Tha Black
By JERRY SHARPNACK
The embalming-room humor
at the Beckerman Mortuary was
certainly unique, as embalming
humor goes. Nowhere else was
to be found such wholehearted
mistreatment of the human body.
Maybe it was the fates who, in
a playfully destructive mood,,
tossed that assortment of frus
trated comedians under one
roof. At any rate, thus it was
and it seemed no more than nat
ural that these Jesters (who con
stantly regarded that tragedy
of tragedies, death, so flippantly)
should be the recipients of such
a sobering experience.
It Was Clancy who answered
the phone: "Beckerman's Mor
tuary." He had almost said "body
shop." A somber monotone in
formed him that George R. Stlb
jni had expired at such and such
a place and the body was to be
removed immediately. Clancy in
advertently said "check" at the
end of the conversation.
Quickly, he ran back to the
preparation room where the other
three embalmers were convened,
as usual. "Come on, Mack, we
got one."
Mack reluctantly left the con
versation and followed Clancy to
what was commonly called "The
Black Dahlia." It was a recon
verted ambulance; and the siren
and one red light still remained
a sort of reflection of the em
balmers who, though being in a
way reapers of death, were still
basically lively and eager young
men.
The house of the deceased was
a three-story nineteenth-century
structure resembling something
you might see in a Charles Ad
dams cartoon. The man who an
swered the embalmer's knock
was evidently a butler. Clancy
noted his resemblance to Drac
ula. He invited them into the old
mansion and they were led into
a large, high-ceilinged living
room occupied, for the most part,
iTGCidy
Dahlia
by three Great Danes. The but.
ler had little information for the
death certificate except for the
fact that under "deceased oc
cupation" he had written "super
naturalist." "Maybe he didst have no par
enta, at all," quipped Mack as
they were on their way back to
the mortuary.
They unloaded the body as soon
as they were at Beckerman's,
Fletcher and the embalmer ev- '
ervone called "Horrible" for no
subtle reason) were playing,
cards on the preparation slab,'
so Clancy received a good deal
of criticism when he announced
"Embalming will commence iml
mediately, if not sooner. Grab
your cards if you don't want 'em
buried."
It was Mack's turn to do thega
honors and he deftly went about I "
preparing the hapless Mr. Sab.
ini for his ultimate resting place.
And, as was the tradition, the
other men gathered at various
points of vantage to voice opin
ions and general comments about
the proceedings.
"I don't like this man's looks,'
said Horrible. "I don't think we
should embalm him."
"Who are you to talk about
looks?" asked Mack.
"Seriously, though, Just take
a look at that little mustache,
the pointed ears. He looks like
some sort of ghoul."
"So do you," said Clancy.
Horrible became peeved at this
last remark and shuffled sulk
ily to the instrument cabinet. Ha
began to play mumbley-peg with
a scalpel.
A gurgling sound was soon
heard and draining Sabini color,
ed the sink.
"Oh my! Oh, my!" said Flet.
cher, "now you've gone and cut
him. Someone fetch a Band-Aid.
Horrible looked surprised. "I
didn't know ghouls had blood,"
he said.
(To be continued)
Slide
Rule
Terrace At Capitol r.
Rebuilt Three Times 0
The repair on the terrace or
walk-way which surrounds the
Nebraska capitol building is es
sentially completed. Many peo
ple have been curious as to
why the terrace had to be re
paired and why it wasn't capable
of lasting as long as the rest of
the building. This is the third
time that the terrace has been re
paired or rebuilt, and I suspect
that within another 25 to 40
years the whole process will
have to be repeated.
When the capitol was first
built, each of four or five con
tractor was allowed to complete
a separate section. Occasionally
there would be a discontinuity
when two sections of the build
ins" met or were Joined. -
When the terrace was built
for the first time, the contractors
were mostly concerned with the
terrace as a walk-way and not
a roof. Consequently, it served
very well as a terrace, but poorly
as a roof for the offices beneath.
Just recently the terrace has
been replaced officially by a
roof, a 20-year bonded roof. The
removal of the old terrace was
undertaken by forces of men
from the State Reformatory. The
old yellow tile that was on the
surface has been salvaged and
used to rehabilitate a dormitory
floor in the State Reformatory.
About three or four inches of
asphalt was removed and used as
resurfacing for roads.
No one knows what the pre
vious costs have been to repair
the terrace, but it is estimated
that the present installation will
cost from $75,000 to $80,000. The
copper flashing which was sal
vaged from' the tld terrace
amounted to about $3,000.
Present installation costs will
include about $50,000 for the
chipped Georria marble which
covers the roof. One becomes
aware of the size of the roof If
one realizes that the bulldinr
measures 400 feet square, which
means about one-third mile of
construction, as wide as a high,
way.
The ceilings in the offices un
der the roof are mostly sus
pended ceilings. They are hung
from either a pan and girder or
ordinary beam system that sup
ports a structural concrete slab;
this lab serves as a foundation
for the roof. The old terrace was
removed down to the surface of
the structural concrete slab and
then rebuilt. A hot mix asphalt
was used to refill the roof area.
A pitch .membran was then
spread over the asphalt for water-proofing
and the Georgia
marble spread on top of that.
The entrances to the main north
door and the two side east and
west doors were laid with 4
inches of reinforced concrete.
The Highway Department de
signed the roof and then let con
tracts for ita construction. They
had originally planned to lay a
concrete roof all the way around,
but contractors would not supply
a bond on such a roof, and cost
estimates varied between 100 and
180 thousand dollars. The desirn
was then changed to allow for
both cost and a bond.
The main problem encountered
was that of expansion. Henry I
Schlitt, Deputy State Engineer1
who supervised the job, states
that temperatures may approach
150 degrees on the roof surface
during the summer although the
air temperature may only be 90
degrees. Mr. Schlitt thought that
the leaks in the old terrace were
caused by the inability of the
expansion joints to compensate
for the expansion of the concrete
and steel.
Visitors are now restricted
from walking on the roof area
except where the concrete is
provided at the entrances. Per
haps now the offices below the'
roof can be repl8stered and re
painted without fear of another
leak for at least 20 years. J. A.
MARKS.
Use Of Fifth Amendment By Faculty
Condemned By Ex-President Of Yale
NEW HAVEN. Onn TP
Faculty members who invoke the
Fifth Amendment as ground for
refusal to answer questions are
"unworthy to serve on a univer
sity staff," according to Charles
Seymour, President Emeritus of
Yale University.
At the same time, he empha
sized that the university must
"guarantee to a professor that
he will not be penalized for an
honest opinion that is supported
by adequate evidence, even
though it runs counter to that
of a disapproving majority and
evokes strong criticism."
The university faculty "must
themselves represent a variety
of opinions," the former Yale
president stated. "This means
that the university not only tol
erates but invites a diversity of
view upon current problems and
will protect its teachers from
any compulsion of conformity."
Mr. Seymour, who served as
Yale's president from 1937 until
his retirement in 1950, criticized
professors who invoke the Fifth
Amendment pointing out that
"the university promises the pro
fessor freedom; in return he owes tt ,
the university complete candor."1L
When it comes to a question '
of communistic affiliation, every
member of the faculty should be
above suspicion, he stressed and
added that if charges are brought
by an authoritative agency, the
teacher must be frankly co
operative In clearing himself.
I.
4.
Student Council Questionnaire
Do you feepyour Student Council Is adequately handling tha
problems In the following areas?
Yes No
1. All University elections such as COA, UMOC,
Nebraska Sweetheart, Prince Kosmet, etc.
2. University Parking facilities and systems of fining.
Promotion of unofficial migration.
Campus improvements such ac th mH nt
tures on love and marriage, the addition of th
traffic light on 16th & R.
5. Complete representation of the . entire student
body on the Council such as through organiza
tions and colleges.
. Do you feel your Student Council Is reflecting:
student opinion.
7. Do you believe campus honorary and professional
wiutsutmi inouia ne snowed to function with
restrictive racial and religious clauses in their
( constitutions.
Please attach any ideas that you feel the Council might take
action on. Completed questionnaires should be placed la the Stu
dent Council box outside the Una Crib.
4
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