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Nebraska n Editorials:
THE NEBRASKAN
Tuesday, September 27, 1955
Hires Rushees Md The IK
Two rather hurried and ambiguous amend
ments will be considered by the Interfraternity
Council Wednesday. The amendments are the
result of an embarrassing and confused incident
which occurred during Rush Week,
Three rushees made hasty and unwise de
cisions concerning their choice of fraternities
and after conferring, with members of other
houses decided to break their pledges. Under
present IFC rules, it is impossible for the rush
ees to pledge another house until the second
semester.
The retroactive amendments would make it
possible for the rushees involved in last Rush
Week's mixup to pledge, but it would set a dan
gerous precedent and could very easily cause
more serious and more confusing incidents in
Rush Weeks to come.
The proposed amendments would make it
possible for pledges who break their pledge
during Rush Week to affiliate with another fra
ternity after a period of 30 days.
Official pledging would then held little or no
significance until the pledge and the fraternity
had weathered a period of thirty days. Rush
Week would not signify the end of the season's
rushing as fraternities would seek to recoup
their losses by influencing impressionable rush
ees to depledge their first choice and within a
few weeks affiliate with the better fraternity
which they had ill advisedly passed over during
the period of formal rushing.
The proposed amendments seem to be di
rected at specific occurrence with little thought
for the future. It is like cutting off a hand to
cure a broken finger.
If this case warrants special attention, the
logical thing for the IFC to do is to suspend
the rules in this specific case which could be
done through parliamentary channels. All the
fraternities involved in last Rush Week's affair
are reconciled to the switch and there is no
difficulty in repledging by the three rushees in
volved. But, after all, what can a fraternity
do once a man has decided to depledge. It
would be quite humiliating to again tryo change
the rushee's mind. The proposed change states
that both fraternities would have to agree to a
switch, but few reputable fraternities would
want to dirty their hands by trying to again
convince a rushee of the various merits of their
group.
mv -
The IFC is currently looking into the recent
Rush Week with a critical eye. The IFC's Rush
ing Committee will soon become activated. It
has its work laid out for it. The problem of
spiking and other unfair practices should be
considered carefully and objectively.
The IFC's reputation has grown and strength
ened in past years. It it about time it put its
foot down and considered some of the following
proposals which are not new or revolutionary,
but they are practical.
Enforce rules which do not allow contact by
fraternities of rushees during Rush Week at
times other than during formal Rush parties.
This would mean that Rushees would not stay
with fraternity men in private homes in Lincoln.
Stop "Spiking parties" in Lincoln the nights
immediately preceeding Rush Week.
Control summer rushing, at least to the ex
tent that rushees would not be contacted per
sonally before the first of August.
Investigate fraternities that have large pledge
classes immediately following the opening min
utes of the first party. This sort of action would
mean that the IFC would not wait for formal
charges by a fraternity, but would take auto
nomous and immediate action.
There is a decided difference between a Rush
Week that is watched and one that is super
vised just as there is a note of futility in open
ing the door too late after the kitten, or the
pledge, wants to get out. S. J.
Let's Start A017
Last Saturday afternoon, despite chilly and
rainy weather, competition from an exciting
football game and a minimum of advanced pub
licity, the Sigma Chi fraternity staged an un
usually successful, first annual, "Derby Day."
Everybody on the mall during the "Derby"
kept talking about the weather, but this is nor
mal. And even more normal, nothing happened.
It just continued to rain and become colder.
But everybody liked the "Derby."
Sigma Chi, as a fraternity, is to be congratu
lated. There was more work, behind the
scenes, before the actual competition and then
afterward in cleaning up, than most people
realized.
It seemed from observation that all who at
tended and watched the affair enjoyed it. Grant
ed, it had traces of the gladiator ring in old
Rome, some silliness (even for a college fra
ternity), maybe a little mockery of University
rules and possibly a little too much sex for the
more staid element; but it was to most of us,
a lot of fun.
And judging from the attendance, it was as
successful as conditions would allow.
It was so successful, in fact, that we n ust
look a little bit beyond the Sigma Chi's "Derby
Day" to what someday might be an all-University
"Derby Day," with a change of name, of
course.
What about the Spring Event?
Last winter intricate plans were begun for
an all-day affair, actually very similar to what
the Sig Chi's staged. It was to be held near
the mall, it was to consist of games and team
races, the campus was to be divided in logical
competitive teams, there were to be prizes,
The Repi
As the entire world knows, the President has
suffered what the nation's leading heart special
ists have called "a moderate, not mild and not
serious" heart attack.
Mr. Eisenhower has become a victim of one
of this country's greatest current medical prob
lems, a sickness that strikes, just as it has in
the case of the President, the most active men
in all fields.
Newspaper reports have carried the well
wishes of leading men and women throughout
the world. All of us, large or small, famous or
unknown, Republican or Democrat wish, in
most tervent way, that Mr. Eisenhower's
covery may be as speedy and complete
possible.
Right now the most important wish anv
us could make is for the health of the President.
But, politics being as they are in this country,
pundits are already looking ahead; for even
though physicians say the President might well
be able to serve his present term and then be
healthy enough to survive the strains of another
four years of office, there still remain the two
jobs of, first, getting the voters to agree with
the doctors and second, living through the rigors
of another presidential campaign, undoubtedly
the longest, at times most useless, and always
Ibe most trying extravaganza of the entire po
litical world.
lor a good many months now pollsters and
predicters have wondered what Mr. Eisenhower
will decide about 1956. Mamie's ideas have
crept out. The new farm in Gettysburg seems
very nice. But the President has kept his si
lence, as he should. Now, things are really
confused.
For the first time in many months the Demo
cratic nomination seems inviting. And the
a
re-as
of
publican nomination, well,
say what it seems to te.
Re-
who can possibly
The Ne
FIFTY-FIVE YEARS OLD
Member: Associated Collegiate Press
Intereolleriate Press
Representative: National Advertising Service,
Incorporated
Th y-hrmmkm TwMtmwl hy tnAni ef the rnJTT-
ny nt rsse nndw the aorhortrattoa ef the Commit
ter nil Siu.i.nt Affair a mi eprjii of tttlnt optnlrm.
J-oi.i"-tton pnflrr thr )urttlrttrm of the fitfbeeromltt'e
m MHrtnit fTMifltttirtis Khali fee fre from editorial
riiwrKtoj oo thr rmrt lhr Wirfoeommltt-, w mi the
tart f aflf mrnvr af the farirlty of the r'nfverHj'J er
tm the pun of any persm otitetde the mtveruty. The
rnmVit of the !jr&ftkan Btaii are perwonaOy re?rnn
fMe frr what Ihejr tntr, or ao or cause t be printed.
Irrhrminr a, JSW.
f ruered e weonfl1 Wm matter at the pot offfrj ta
Onroln. rbraa, trader the act of Aegunt 4, 19JZ.
there was to be a large dance afterward, there
was to be a lot of publicity and, to top it off
and this Sigma Chi just couldn't arrange there
was to be part of a day off of classes.
But we all know what happened. Came a
warm night pnd a little bit of foolishness and
the best laid plans were for naught. There was
no desire on the part of anybody to go ahead
with the Spring Event.
Right now is the time to begin thinking. We
have just witnessed what one group of frater
nity men can do. Is it really possible that an
entire University cannot equal their perform
ance? Last year the Council began work. A large
committee was appointed by the Council which
actually made the preparations, those that were
made. The committee found complete co-operation
from the entire faculty and administration.
In fact, the committee's only stumbling block
was the student body.
Right now is the time to begin. There is no
reason why a committee cannot be set up and
plans begun. This is not too early, and cer
tainly there is not a soul who lived on this
campus last spring who could honestly oppose
the project.
Let's take a lesson from Sigma Chi. They
were successful in their field day. Here is
something positive the Council can do." Here
is something the entire campus can support.
Here is something that just might be able to
Fill that certain "void" with which this univer
sity seems to be plagued every year on many
of those warm Monday evenings. But let's get
started on this project and do something while
we still have time. D. F.
Tcussions
It is unusual that the nation knows as much
as it does about the condition of Mr. Eisen
hower. In times past, the government has at
tempted to keep the declining state of various
Presidents' health unknown. With the political
overtones being what they are, this could h2ve
been reason for the men around Dee to repeat
past secrecy. But since they did not, we are all
speculating.
To the Democrats, there are new possibili
ties. Already in the presidential field are such
names as Stevenson, Harriman, Williams and
even Kefauver. Each of these men has his
standing and his following. Each of them have
been considered by all "in the know" as "pos
sibles." But in the Republican camp, there has come
a mighty and a swift change. Ike, unlike few
presidents before him, has remained throughout
over two years in office, amazingly free from
personal criticism.
Ike was considered a "sure thing" for re
nomination and re-election if he just gave the
go ahead sign. There has been no other candi
date who could even begin to compete with the
President for next year's race.
Now, the GOP is faced with a rather large
question mark.
"Just who," GOP leaders are saying to them
selves, "are we going to run?"
There's Nixon, Warren, Humphrey, Dewey,
Stassen and others, all of whom are usually dis
missed (with the exception of Nixon) for one
reason or another.
So here we go. First, we all want and wish
the best of health for Mr. Eisenhower. And
then, sadly enough, we now seem to be begin
ning, over one year in advance, the political
spectacle we call our presidential campaign.
D. F.
braskon
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Little man on campus
by Dick Bibler
!; Pi PJT I' V-X.l I'll
J - ""a.e
If
'NOW I KNOW WHAT THEY MEAN FY HI6HK JPUCATiON.!
College Deludes
Young Idealist
Gay, reckless scapegrace that I
am, another week has passed with
out my discovering anything perti
nent or important to relate. Thus,
I have been driven to explor
ing the dark and morbid recesses
of my mind, where are found
thoughts not usually brought be
fore the public. In doing so, I have
come up with a tale calculated to
make you slightly uncomfortable
and a trifle itchy.
e
Jhis charming story Is about an
idealistic young man who came to
college while suffering from the
ft
Jess Jesting
delusion known as education. That
is, he firmly believed in education
as a great and good power in the
world.
Even worse, he believed that col
lege was the proper place to get
one. My experienced readers can
well imagine the dire consequences
in store for such a fellow.
Before I go on, I had better tell
you more about my hero. He was
a pleasant lad who paid his debts,
was reasonably loyal to his friends
and did not go about striking others
without provocation, even when
drunk.
In short, had it not been for the
delusion which I have mentioned,
he would have presented no prob
lem for the college. However, plans
had been laid long in advance for
students of his type. He possessed
certain superfluous qualities which
were not long in being removed.
The first thing he lost was his
soul. It was taken from him during
registration, given a number,
placed on an IBM card, punched
full of holes and fed to a machine.
. s
The first step taken while the
victim was too confused to protest,
the rest became progressively eas
ier. His enthusiasm was quickly
sapped by a series of dull and con
tradictory teachers; his respect for
his fellows was removed by the
simple strategy of placing h i m
among too many of them; and his
love for simple and somewhat
bawdy pleasures, while not de
stroyed, was made to seem a sort
of perverted desire which was
hardly discussed, and never ful
filled, by really nice people. All
these things having been accom
plished, he was considered ready
for the diploma mill, and set to
work.
And here is where the surprise
ending of my story begins. For
while appearing to be a well-functioning
member of the system, this
clever and sturdy fellow was act
ually learning. He discovered the
meaning and value of education,
and learned that its acquisition
was a life-long process.
He saw the ways of the world,
and most important, he learned
that if the things he loved were
often despised by many, this did
not lessen their value for him.
But his crowning achievement
was. that upon graduation, he re
mained a pleasant lad who paid
his debts, was reasonably loyal to
his friends and did not go about
striking others without provoca
tion, even when drunk.
Yet when I meet him on the
street, I still discern a harrowed
look about his eyes which attests
to his former struggles and which
I fear time will not erase. He is a
good man, in the good sense of the
phrase, but he learned his trade in
a hard school.
A
i f Henkle Defines
VaCI Column Position
Since my first and almost last
column a week aso, people have
been after me with brickbats and
clever comments, advising me to
strangle myself with typewriter
ribbon.
I only go out at night any more,
and then with a pack of dogs, and
as soon as I get fat enough and
sleek enough and grow a good
enough coat of fur, I'm going into
My Bootless Cries .
hibernation for the rest of the win
ter. But before I do, I'd better pull
up and explain my attitude to
wards column-writing and what
I'm planning to do in this space.
I'm not trying to be another
Walter Winchell Drew Pearson is
good enough nor is this intended
to be an Ivy League version of
the Zebra Derby, or of Jess Brow
nell. " This is intended to be a serious,
furrowed-brow sort of thing about
petty campus affairs (that is, petty
affairs, not petty campus I'll get
in trouble on that one, too), and
what I say had probably better not
be taken too seriously. Remember
the Roman Cato who said, "Be
lieve nothing rashly." He's dead
now.
A columnist, it seems to me, has
certain rights and freedoms which
are denied editorial writers and re
porters. I feel I can say things un
der this by-line that I wouldn't
dare or care to say as an editorial
writer.
For one thing, I don't have the
responsibility of the paper to up
hold. I speak now only for myself,
and sometimes I will undoubtedly
speak in opposition to the views of
Dick Fellman, the editor of the
Nebraskan, or Bruce Brugmann or
The Nebraskan as an entity."l am
free to be inconsistent with the pa
per. Secondly, I am not bound to
stand by so-called journalistic eth
icsa nebulous thing at best, but
definitely influential in any news
man's reasoning. These ethics re
quire that a newspaper writer who
cares not to be guilty of "yellow
journalism." makes sure to back
up each statement he makes in
news columns with enough facts to
defend himself in' court, if neces
sary. I should have facts before I say
outrightly that so-and-o drinks
beer with Dean Hallgren, or shoots
craps with Dean Marjorie, but I
don't have to have such facts if I
prelude such a comment with "it
seems to me," or "I believe" or "I
think."
As long as I make clear what
comments are the results of per
sonal observations or opinions, I
am not violating any ethics, journ
alistically or otherwise.
This column is frankly intended
to give my personal views and con
victions on campus questions. I'm
not out to run a crusade, but I'm
out to point out any evils or wrongs
which I see.
I'm not out to slander people or
carry out personal grudges, but
sometimes I will undoubtedly be a
little incontinent. I'm also not pre
tending to be an expression of
student opinion, but rather of one
student's opinion which may or
may not be shared by others.
Finally, since this is a personal
column, I will admit to certain
prejudices. I am a fraternity man
and so intend to support the fra
t e r n i t y system, prejudicially if
need be. It's about time, it seems
to me, that somebody supported
the Greek point of view in this
newspaper's- columns.
However, I'm not likely to be led
around blindly by the fraternity
pin. If I think there is something
wrong with fraternities, I'll point
it out, because no healthy organi
zation needs to be glossed over by
secrecy. And the IFC, despite the
prophets of doom, seems to me to
be a pretty healthy organization.
That's about all I have to say at
the moment, except that, as you
notice, the name of this column
has been changed. We had a hard
time finding an appropriate and
unusual title, running the gamut
from "Drop the Henley" to "Boy
on a Hot Tin Roof." "My Bootless
Cries" is a phrase from Shake
speare (which helps a lot). He's
also dead now.
And this column is well on the
way.
Letterip
History Staff
Dear Editor:
Your headline "History Staff Cut
Ten Staff Members Leave the
University" would imply that the
History Department has no per
scnnel remaining, since it had a
staff of only nine and one-h a 1 f
members.
Perhaps the public should be as
sured that the staff is in no way
reduced from its previous stature.
The department has two members
on leave, and the two members
who resigned have been replaced.
The changes leave us with a net
increase in staff. Professor E. N.
Johnson who was on leave last year
without a - replacement to handle
his advanced courses during the
second semester, has returned.
Professor A. T. Anderson has been
replaced by Professor Samuel Ba
ron. Professor E. N. Anderson is re
placed by Professor Robert Koehl.
Professor Pincetl, a temporary ap
pointment, has been replaced by
Professor Burdette Poland. Pro
fessor John Alden has been re
placed by Professor Aubrey Land,
from Vanderbilt University.
In addition, instruction in the
field of Ancient History has been
resumed through the appointment
of Samuel Eddy, who has taken
his advanced work at the Univer
sity of Michigan. Professor Robert
Sakai who has a Fullbright leave
will return next year.
The Department feels that its
offering of courses is more com
plete than at any time within re
cent years.
J. L. Sellers
Chairman of History Department.
Filmed in
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MORE EXCITING THAN "REAR WINDOV"!!
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- ALFRED HITCHCOCK'S
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frf'e tm year ,
danger een- ' .
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