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VALUE AND WHY:
Required HOTC
It's odd how people will react when they have to do
something and when they do not have the opportunity to
do something. Students particularly.- Students and ROTC
(that stands for Reserve Officer Training ' Corps) double
particuarly.
Recently in the DAILY NEBRASKAN editorial mail
have been several letters from offended students protest
ing compulsory ROTC. Probably, it's just the Continued
reaction to the word 'compulsory'. Maybe not. Neverthe
less, it is hard to imagine such a reaction just because a
student has to take two years of ROTC.
Almost two weeks ago the Welfare Committee of the
Student Council randomly selected 150 male students to
answer a questionnaire about ROTC. In it was the state
ment, "We are not asking for a yes or no answer to the
question: should we have elective basic ROTC? We feel
that the answer to this question is NO! In other words,
the committee expressed an opinion and answered a ques
tion before the student even had a chance to outline his
own thoughts.
Yesterday, Lt. Col. George B. Haag, Jr., assistant pro
fessor of Air Science, and Col. Elmer R. Powell, professor
of Military Science, answered these two questions: What
is your department's position on compulsory ROTC and
What do you think of the "NO" answer provided by the
Welfare Committee of the Student Council (detailed above).
Lt. Col. Haag asked to look at the first question from
the standpoint of the cadets themselves. If it is a feeling
of the society in which we live, he said, that compulsory
ROTC is not good, then perhaps we should not have it. But,
he added, the University itself and the Board of Regents,
in particular, have definite reasons for maintaining it, one
of which perhaps is that it feels that ROTC is a part of
the educational requirement and that students, as cadets,
can be rounded out somewhat and thus made better citi
zens. If the program accomplishes this, he said, there is a
sound reason for its existence as it is.
Col. Powell explained the first this way: Compulsory
ROTC is one of the ways land grant colleges responded
after they had accepted 'Federal land. They have, though,
long since paid back their debt in terms of leadership ob
ligation. Any school can apply for a change of the system.
At Wisconsin authorities responded to left-wing pressure
and changed and at Iowa State a decision of the Board
of Regents changed it.
He continued that Nebraska could charge the require
ment. A new program could be set up similar to Iowa
State where students are required to complete 5 hours of
mathematics rather than ROTC. Col. Powell added that he
had just finished a talk to a central Nebraska adult group.
Most of them had taken ROTC in school and although only
one had gone on to become an officer, most felt they had
benefited from the basic program. He thought that this
' adult wisdom, in addition to that of the University ad
ministration, should be considered.
Col. Powell said with regard to the second question
that such a questionnaire is a hard thing to achieve and
the committee should be commended for not being a dis
ci edit to the state and school. He explained that legislation
is in Congress now that is designed to attract the kind of
student ROTC wants and who will satisfy national leader
ship requirements. The purpose of basic, he said, is to
help a man to a level of decision where he can decide
whether to enter advanced ROTC.
Lt. Col. Haag responded similarly. He said ROTC is
required to provide a number of officers yearly and the
core that basic provides is vital to national security.
What these men .have said should be seriously consid
ered before romping off to abolish something one has to do.
ROTC, in reality, offers the student many opportunities.
What better way to become an officer than while still in
school? Compulsory ROTC How can one decide to go ad
vanced when just out of high school with no taste of the
service whatsoever?
But, probably, it is a sad truth that these are not even
the issues. Look deeply before citicizing and define the
' real reasons. It will likely be found that the gripe is that
the student has to attend class two hours a week and
wear a uniform another hour a week. Are three hours a
week really too big a price to pay for the opportunities pro
vided? Isn't ROTC really an integral part of education?
FIRETRUCK:
What Does It Jake To Be
Innocent Or Mortar Board?
By Arnie Garson
What does it take to be
an Innocent or Mortar
Board? I don't really know
and I don't think anyone
outside the sacred organiza
tions could tell me.
The Mortar Boards claim
a 6.5 overall average re
quirement. That's fine. But
how about the Innocents?
The rumors are that they
. require a 6.0 overall. Ex
cept they will drop the
lowest semester from the
records. Except a unani
mous vote can overrule a
low average. Except that
they won't drop the first
semester junior year
grades.
Well, those are the rum
ors for what they're worth
and theyre not worth much.
Even the Innocents them
selves will admit the Uni
versity exists primarily for
academic achievement. In
view of this, two questions:
, First, why won't the hooded
gentlemen state exactly
what their scholastic re
quirement is? Second, is a
weak 6.0 (as the require
ments rumors seem to in-
. dicale in required) really
representative of superior
academic achievement?
In regard to the first
question, an Innocent recen
tly told me in defense of not
nielli ttttiiill.il
Wednesday, March 4, 1964
publicizing the admission
requirements that the past
record of men selected
speaks for itself, scholastic
ally. I don't think it does.
Since I have been college I
have known some Inno
cents who carried low five
averages.
If the group really, wants
their successors to be re
spected on campus as lead
ers, why are they afraid to
set standards for them
selves and their successors?
In regard to the second
question, opponents of rais
ing the average argue that
good men might be elimin
ated from consideration
simply because they are
enrolled in a more diificuu
college. If this i s a valid
objection (and I'm not yet
sure it is), why not consid
er men only in the upper
third or quarter of 20 per
cent of their class?
Now I can see the de
fense and even justification
for a certain degree of mys
ticism surrounding both
groups, but I cannot see
the justification for no in
suring the campus that
this group of men will al
ways deserve the degree of
(C'on't. on Page 3)
niiTi,iniiti'iyiiiiiiiri -i in iirff- tit -i-t
View horn The Right
By Dick Recker
This is the season for po
litical prognosticating. Con
sidering that this writer
gave odds on Liston over
Clay in the first round, per
haps infallibility is not one
of his credentials. However,
on the basis of some expert
advice, I shall venture some
predictions.
Recently this writer had
the privilege of meeting Mr.
Fulton Lewis III. This
young man is a brillant and
articulate champion of Con
servatism. When we talked,
he had just finished a ten
day campaign swing
through New Hampshire. He
made fifty-seven speeches
during this ten day period.
Mr. Lewis, based on his
first hand knowledge, gave
this estimate of the New
Hampshire Primary. The
field is far too crowded for
a decisive victory. Senator
Goldwater's campaign had
faltered at first but now is
functioning smoothly. Bar
ry will be the winner with
nearly 40 of the vote.
Rocky, with his lavish use
of funds, has earned second,
place. Lodge will be a
strong third due, primarily,
to his strength in Boston. A
surprise will be Senator
Margaret Chase Smith who
will run better than Mr.
Nixon whose campaign for
write-in votes will fall far
short of the 25,000 which he
amassed as write-in candi
date for vice-president in
1956.
These views are quite differ
ent from our press reports.
The question, however, is
whether the press is really
giving us the facts. A na
tional news magazine, for
example had written: Gold
water's campaign has all
the zip of a snapped rubber
band." This and other re
ports are giving the Ameri
can citizenry a false image
of the campaign.
One of the most cherished
myths that our liberal press
likes to preserve and pro
mote is Goldwater's alleged
ly poor appeal in the big in
dustrial states. Let us look
at the facts. In Illinois, Bar
ry is virtually certain to win
the primary over Senator
Smith. By virtue of this vic
tory alone he will have that
state's 58 votes in his hip
pocket. Governor John
Rhodes has promised Ohio's
58 votes on the second bal
lot in return for not running
in the primary in that state.
Governor Romney can hold
his delegates for only the
first ballot
But what of the East which
is often described as the
heartland of Anti-Conservative
sentiment. Senator
Goldwater, in a daring
move, is entering the June
2nd primary in New York.
Publicly taking on a New
York Governor for his own
delegation is a move in po
litical memory unparalclled
for sheer audacity. The
June 2nd primary is a con
test to elect two delegates
from each Congressional
.IOHN MORRIS, editor,; ARNIE
G ARSON, managing editor; SUSAN
HMI1 HHKIlGKii. news editor;
FRANK I'ARTSCH, MICK ROOD,
senior staff writers; JKIiltl O'NEIC,
MIKE KKKDY, Ah BRANDT, KAY
ROOD, junior .stall writer! RICH
ARD IIAI.I1HKT, DAI.i; IIA.IKK,
CAY LEITSCHUCK, copy editors;
OHNNIS llrl'RAIN, photographer;
CHUCK SAI-FIM, sports editor; I'liG
GY KI'KKCK, assistant spoils editor;
1'KKSTON I.OVE. circulation man
fttier; JIM DICK, subscription man
ager; JOHN ZKILINGKR. biuitien
manager; B'M, OIINL1CKM, BOB
CUNNINGHAM. FETE LAUE, busi
ness assistants.
Subscription rates $3 per semester
or $5 per year.
Entered as second class matter at
the post office In Lincoln, Nebraska,
under the act of August 4, 1912,
The Daily Nebraskan is published
at room fil, Student Union, on Mon
day. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
by University of Nebraska students
under the jurisdiction ol the I-'aculty
Subcommittee on Student Publication,
Publications shall be tree from cen
sorship by the Subcommittee or any
person outsido Hie University. Mem
bers of the Nebraskan aie responsible
lor what the.v cause to be printed.
"m iit"ii,i"iTii'riiiiiiniri'r,rii' i
District. The Goldwater for
ces intend to battle for thir
ty to fourty delegates of the
ninety-six man delegation.
Further, they intend to cam
paign in that center of right
wing extremism known as
New York City. Never in
history has an avowed
Presidential candidate from
New York State been at
tacked on his home ground.
This is a remarkable sign
of the latent conservative
strength of the Republican
Party.
Pennsylvania's Governor
Scranton has run into a sim
ilar grass roots revolt. At a
convention in Allegheny
County (Pittsburgh) five
Goldwater delegates were
endorsed. The most signifi
cant point was that Paul
Hugus, Allegheny County
Chairman, was included
among those endorsees,
chairman Hugus is one of
the Goldwater conserva
tives whom Governor Scran
ton has been trying, unsuc
cessfully, to purge.
The old adage that you
can't beat somebody with
nobody is holding true. The
Liberal Establishment with
in the Republican Party
has yet to come , up with
something to stop Barry
Goldwater. Walter Lippmann
can huff and puff but Big
Bad Barry won't go away.
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i inty --'iTrTFifr n ririiiiiiiiiriniiijiiiwri'- 'i ni " in 1 i
ROTC
Dear Editor:
Arnie Garson's article in
last Thursday's DAILY NE
BRASKAN concerning
ROTC should be read and
mentally digested by every
person on our campus, for
indeed, ROTC is a matter
that concerns all of us who
are interested in the im
provement of our university.
Ask yourself these ques
tions. What does the current
ROTC program contribute
to me as a student, as a
teacher, as an administra
tor? Does a course in mili
tary tactics (?) really be
long in a university curricu
lum? How is ROTC benefi
cial to our goals of higher
education?
When I first entered this
university I listened in awe
of what was expected of me
as a student of higher learn
ing. I would now need to
budget my time intelligent
ly such that I would re
ceive a maximum of bene
fits from a limited amount
of time. I set up my budget
only to discover that al
ready I had an unwarrented
amount of time, allocated
needlessly, to military train
ing. In the business, an un
necessary part of a valuable
budget is soon cut out. Since
times have changed and
this unnecessary part of the
budget no longer contributes
to the attainment of univer
sity goals, I feel it too
should be cut out of the
budget.
I submit another observa
tion. No other department
or college on this campus
can draw upon over 60 of
the students enrolled. With
this potential, why can't
ROTC command a greater
return for its efforts? It is
my opinion that we students
do not wish to integrate two
distinct and separate factors
of our lives. Higher educa
tion and military training
should be separate. They
are separate entitys. They
should not be integrated un
less the individual student
feels that he wishes to do so.
I have been subjected to
two years of ROTC and I
have made an honest at
tempt to make a qualitative
appraisal of the benefits I
have received from these
two years. Taking all fac
tors into consideration, I
a Gob 033$
CONTACT YOUR PLACEMENT OFFICE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
A STONE & WEBSTER REPRESENTATIVE WILL BE ON Umpik aJ if 11.. .
ST0PJE 6 WEBSTER ,
Needs These Changes
found that my assets had
not increased. This was a
sad conslusion wnen
viewed the time and energy
that I expended. But, when
the Cuban invasion broKe,
I ran for my gun. J. knew -1
could help. In ROTC I had
learned that you need bul
lets for a gun. Not only that,
but you point the fun so that
the bullets go away from
you. I knew I could help.
Any criticism that is to be
of any value at all must be
constructive in nature or it
is self-defeating. It is with
this thought in, mind that I
respecfully submit the fol
lowing changes to be made
in the ROTC program:
1.) Make ROTC an Elective-let
the individual de
cide for himself whether he
wishes to integrate his mili
tary training into his higher
educational efforts or keep
them separate. This ap
proach will raise the stand
ards and effectiveness of a
ROTC program. Those stu
dents who then elect to take
ROTC will be motivated by
personal goals, not by help
less submission. 2.) Modern
ize the Objectives while
the past is important in
planning the future, the real
goal should be to familiarize
one's self with the present
techniques of modern war
fare. The next war we have
could very well be decided
in a matter of hours. We
will not be concerned as
much with "holding a posi
tion" as we will be with to
tal destruction, nuclear de
fense, and nuclear fall-out.
These are the enemies of the
future. 3.) Take Advantage
of the Opportunities Ex
tended by the Other Col
leges in the University
courses in mechanical, elec
trical and civil engineering;
courses in math and the sci
encescourses that Mill
give a realm to the ROTC
program. Courses that will
give substance to its new
objectives and meaning to
its new goals. With this, of
course, will be courses of
real value in military train
ing, tactics, and procedures.
4.) Professional Instructors
-filter out "spoils jobs"
and replace these people
with professional, sincerely
interested, and adequately
trained specialists in the
flk
litk'iWrwtl
tions, EHV transmission, chemical and petro
chemical plants, pulp and paper mills, as well
as a broad variety of general Industrial work
around the world. A formal on-the-job con
struction training program is offered to newly
graauarea engineers.
' v, mfimi q
mi wy)wii. im,,,,
field of military Science
When the student feels that
the Instructor is sincerely
concerned and familiar with
what he is teaching, the stu
dent will become more lert
to its importance. There are
many other suggestions that
could be made but I feel
that these four could great
ly benefit the University of
Nebraska ROTC program.
ROTC could then become a
meaningful and proud part
of our university.
A major objection to im
proving ROTC by making it
an Elective is that this will
reduce the supply of of
ficers. This is a Vity poor
argument for these four rea
sons: 1.) Advanced ROTC
is not compulsory and this
is the training ground for
officer personnel. Compul
sory ROTC does not in fact
increase the supply of ma
terial, but it decreases it.
When the students on cam
pus are subjected to the
firsV two years of ROTC it
is here that the advanced
material is lost. 2.) I do not
feel that it is the uni
versity's responsibility to
recruit material for the mil
itary service. The univer
sity's function is to "ed
ucate", not to "recruit and
train". We have the respon
sibility of the military serv
ice (SS) to recruit officer
material. This can be ac
complished by improved
methods and increased ef
forts on their part; but not
by compulsory ROTC in our
university. 4) College stu
dents, males, must serve in
the armed service, under
our present laws, as must
all other male citizens of
the U.S., age 18-26, etc, etc.
The point here is that col
lege graduates will seek our
officer training and use
their education rather than
let it lay idle for two or
three years. They provide
good material for officers,
benefit the service, and
themselves.
This brings us to the prob
lem at hand. Should we be
subjected to compulsory
ROTC in our university? For
the above stated reasons, I
submit that we should not
and that a positive change is
long over due!
Thomas E. James