TWO
THE DAILY NEBRASKAN
TUESDAY, APRIL 19, 3932.
The Daily Nebraskan
' Station A( Lincoln, Nebraska
OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION
UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA
Published Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and
Sunday mornings during the academlo year,
THIRTY-FIRST YEAR
Entered as second-class matter at the poatofflce In
Lincoln, Nebraska, under act of congress, March I. 1879,
and at special rate of postage provided for In section
1103, act of October S, 1917, authorized January 20, 1922.
Under direction of the Student Publication Board
SUBSCRIPTION RATE
ft a yxar Single Copy 8 cents $1.25 a semester
13 a year mailed 11-75 a semester mailed
Editorial Of tice University Hall 4.
Business Off ice University Hall 4A.
Telephones Day I B-6891; Nlghtt B-6882, B-3333 (Journal)
Ask for Nebraskan editor.
aMEMBERr
. 1931
This paper is represented far (eneral
drertUing by the Nebraska Fnm
Association.
EDITORIAL STAFF
Arthur Wolf Editor-in-chief
MANAGING EDITORS
Howard Allaway Jack Erlckson
NEWS EDITORS
Phillip Brownell Oliver De Wolf
Laurence Hall.. .....Virginia Pollard
Joe Miller Sports Editor
Evelyn Simpson Associate Editor
Ruth Schlll Women's Editor
Katharine Howard Society Editor
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS.
Cerald Bardo George Dunn La Von Linn
Edwin Faulkner Boyd Krewson William Holmea
George Round Art Kozelka
BUSINESS STAFF
Jack Thompson Bualnesa Manager
ASSISTANT BUSINESS MANAGERS
Norman Oalleher Frank Muagrava
Bernard Jennings
Freedom of Our
College Newspapers.
Editors of four eastern college newspapers
5n a symposium published Sunday in the Daily
Nebraskan give their views on freedom of the
collegiate press, including the propriety of ad
ministrative censorship of undergraduate pub
lications. The articles were written for the New
York Times following the expulsion of Keed
Harris, ex-editor of the Columbia Spectator,
for his attacks on the Columbia administration.
The consensus indicates the high value col
lege editors attach to freedom of their papers.
The Harvard editor, because of the liberal
attitude of that administration, is not ham
pered by control from above. Benton H. Grant
of the Yale Daily News defends attacks on the
administration as a final measure when other
attempts to secure what the editor believes are
necessary reforms have failed, but warns
against the abuse of this powerful medium by
overhasty assaults or those not justified by
fact. Charles S. Snyder, editor-in-chief of the
Pennsylvaniau, believes anti-administration
fishts are justified if necessary and when all
else fails, but believes the fire of the Hoggin.'
editorial should more often be reserved to whip
up lagging student interest in student needs.
The Princeton editor would stick to fairness
and truth, regardless of whom the bolt may
stntu if it is lieccssarv that a bolt be shot. But
he doubts if attacks are often necessary andj
prefers a "constructive policy, lie recognizes
that atlaeks may be constructive when they
w ould destroy what should not exist.
Singularly'this representative group of lead
ing college editors does not, in general, defend
Editor Harris. Altho they support freedom of
Ihe press as a theory, they indicate that Harris
did not act with due tact and might have ac
complished his end without the resultant dam
aging publicity both for his paper and. his
school. They do think the Columbia adminis
tration acted unwisely in using such strenuous
measures to point out Harris' rashness.
The Columbia case is an important one in the
history of collegiate journalism. It has aroused
probably the greatest interest and discussion
of aiiT such case. Nevertheless, the thing Mas
fortunate in that the main issue of freedom of
the college press from administrative censor
ship in beclouded by other circumstances which
seem to justify Columbia's action.
While full information is not available, it is
indicated that Harris refused to present evi
dence to prove his assertions, particularly m
that attack on the university cafe management
following which he was expelled. As the N
brsskan has naid before in reference to this
case, there is a law of libel which limits what
newspapers in general may print. This law can
be applied only awkwardly as regards college
newspapers. An administrative censorship,
then, replaces it. Whether or not this censor
ship is exercised with fairness is the whole
question. Accusation without proof constitutes
libeL It would seem that the Columbia admin
istration exercised a punishment for this of
fen so
"While in general freedom of the college
newspaper from administrative interference is
desirable, there are cases where this interfer
ence is necessary and justifiable. This, it ap
pears, is one of these.
In fact, regrettable tho it may be, college
editors are often motivated by other ihing
than their own burning desire to promole im
provement when they stir up crusading and
attacking editorial campaigns. When an editor
has hut a single semester, or a year at most, in
which to round out his collegiate editorial
career, there is an fippeal to make himself
heardby whatever means are necessary to
accomplish lliis. The editor who quietly fills
his post, interpreting college news and, to some
degree, directing student thought on student
questions, refusing to raise a stir when no stir
Is necessary, may pass unnoticed.
Add to this the inexperience and youthful
enthusiasm of llie college editor, and the result
is a tendency to radicalism.
The ease for freedom of the .college press is
Jittle advanced by the Harris ease. The whole
controversy, as it criiters around his repri
mand, is beside the point. The real issue was
not nt stake at Columbia. When a ease arises
involving the din-el and reid issue unencum
bered by justifying circumstances, the Ne
braskan will support freedom fcr the college
newspaper.
We Are ot
Drunken Sol.
Nebraska mHhIi-iiIm mi; not "the drunken
hot k tin ciihiusiiig jazz hound Hint ome of
tiur Morbid politicians and over-umbitioii
newspapers would have you believe," accord
ing to Harold D. (Three Gun) Wilson, fed
oral prohibition agent for Nebraska. Too, Mr.
Wilsou adds some more to one side of the con
troversy as to whether students now drink
more than students in the saloon days. Says
he: "In my days they used to almost promote
u man for staying drunk new they expel
him."
Considerable attention has been centered on
the alleged university "liquor situation'' since
the Coliseum episode some mouths ago. The
incident, of course, was deplorable. Neverthe
less, as Mr. Wilson points out, no students
were i any way involved, and that fact, nt
lenst would tend to support Mr. Wilson's state
ments in praise of Nebraska students.
While tlie Nebrusknu cannot vouch for Mr.
Wilson's open niindedness or lack of prejudice
in his point of view he receives his salary for
helping on force prohibition it does feel that
facts are facts. Mr. Wilson has seen both sides.
He went to school in the east when students
were saloon patrons. In his work he has become
acquainted with present day student life. i1 li-
ers have presented more evidence to 'he same
conclusion. And at present students are not ion
young to have heard tales of the old days from
those who knew them.
We do not pretend to believe that students
do not drink. They do. The question is whether
the practices is on a decline. We do Hunk stu
dents drink less than before prohibition came
iu. As to comparing any recent year with an
other to get the same conclusion. Mr. Wilson
says nothing ami we sometimes wonder.
Let her or not prohibition is responsible lor
the decrease since saloon- days has not been
proved. Mr. Wilson of course likes to have us
believe prohibition did tin; trick. J.ach mans
opinion to himself, it is commendable that oc
casionally a person acknowledges the younger
generation may not be the "hell raisin' outfit"'
others would have us think.
APOLOGY: Inadvertly. the line crediting
the editorial "Student Newspapers" in the
State Slants column of the Sunday Nebraskan
to The Lincoln Star, from which it was taken.!
i
was ommeu.
To Fraternity
Snobs mnd Sluggards.
A student letter attacking the fraieruiiv
svstein and an editorial warning the fraternity
group against slippiug up on the things fr
which they should stand in Sunday's Ncbras
kau, have provoked two more student lette-s
which appear in the Morning Mail column to
day. One is an enthusiastic and sentimental
justification of the system on the grounds of
friendships developed. The other is an intelli
gent attempt to analyze some of the problems
which face fraternities at tin" present time, in
cluding the financial question.
Two interesting assertions are made in the
latter letter, signed O. 11. First, it says that the
eastern fraternities face a more difficult finan
cial problem than do those of the middle west.
Second, he declares that the small college fra
ternities are finding going easier than those
in the larger schools.
This last we are inclined to doubt. We are
aware that many University of Nebraska
houses are findinir it hard to keen coing. But
taking Lincoln as an illustration close at hand,
fraternities at one smaller school are now con
templating mergers to save their lives. One
merger between two sororities has already been
consumated and another is probable. Nebraska
fraternities have not yet gone to that extreme
fur it i an extreme, particularly to ihe par
ticular fraternities and is hotly opposed by
alumni meniliers. allho such action might be
beneficial to ihe t r;,t( rnity situation as a whole
where it is admittedly over-populated. Be that
as it may, Nebraska fraternities are, many of
them, in a bad way financially.
But it is not the financial problems which
is the fraternity's greatest problem. Perhaps
the financial difficulty is bringing the other to
notice.
The fraterniit's greatest problem is to be
more than a high-priced boarding lioiw.
Fraternities are not democratic. They eon
tiDue, in a school supoiied by the slate where
education is theoretically ripen to ajiyone re
gardless of wealth, to nurture a spirit if class
distinction and social prestige based n money.
It ii t lion fratcrniiy men are getting wise to Ihe
game. The barbs are often -barbs by choice."
Not every barb is a "sour grapes" critic of fra
ternities. There may be "barbs who regret," but
there are ''barbs who are glad of it." This is a
severe criticism of fraternities.
Fraternities are su posed to stand for de
velopment in the students of Ihose churacleris.
tics which are most beneficial to tin; man. They
are siipKed to siaud for scholarship. The
tendency is rather for them to stand for snob
bery and for academic "gelling by.'' All ihis,
except the laking to-task on scholarship, ap
plies as well to sororities as to fraternities. If
anything, sororities are even more snobbish
and undemocratic.
Nebraska student affairs are at present firm
ly in the grasp of 1he fraternity group. But
that hold may weaken and must, if fraternities
continue in their present manner. A move is
now underway to organize Ihe unaffiliated Mil
dents and to give them a part in student af
fairs. This is a small thing, but it is a begin
ning. That the fraternity is not entirely obliv
ious to the fact that it should exist for the
good of the school is indicated in that fratern
ity men are the leaders in the present move 1o
better the ositiofi of Ihe barbs. That is not.
however, ihe real motive. Back of any attempt
to help the barbs, is the desire to divide the
spoils more evenly between Ihe two fraternity
grouvs and to prevent tin majority group from
bursting of its own internal dissentioii. But it
is a recognition that no iiimi is belter than an
other because he wears a bit of jeweled gold
upon his vest.
We do not mhocaie abolition of Ihe fratern
ities. We do not say they are yet failing en
tirely to justify their existence. They are going
that way. But they have many admirable
points, too. However it is not these they stress.
Neither do we believe that things have always
been this way nor that the situation is inherent
in the system. We feel that fraternities could
do something about it. We sincerely urge them
to do so.
In Ihe first place ihe tipping of house rate
and dues makes the fraternity restrictive, and
eliminates niiinv worthwhile men. Small
schools have from (he first been handicapped
by not being wealthy enough to build large
houses. But perhaps they are not handicapped.
Perhaps now that they cau maintain low rates
allows them to keep up their membership. Per
haps they cau initiate men of smull means as
well as men with money. And because the fra
ternity of the small school can maiutain a var
iance iu its membership it appeals to more
men. Iu other words it seems that fraternities
could first begin a solution to their problems
by looking at their finances, trying to econo
mize with the idea iu mind of lowering rates
and attracting desirable men who can't afford
fialernities at present.
But if we listen to thebarb iu his "Fratern
ity Spirit'' attack, we can see another reason
why national officers say that fraternities in
the smaller schools are having fewer problems.
True fraternity spirit developed in some small
schools at least should be deprived by those of
the larger. In the first place wealth is more
completely disregarded in the small, and for
this reason cliques within a group do not de
velop. The fraternity is considered a place for
any man. The fraternity of tho larger school is
not a place for any man. There is something in
it that one cannot explain that often determines
membership. There is a discriminative attitude
that is repulsive.
Should the fraternity live for its nicmwrs,
or should its ineinliers live for the fraternity?
There are alumni who live for a fraleruitv. For
them "Taduation did not break bonds of frater
nal life and often times you see men well along
in years who do mere for a fraternity than they
ever did iu undergraduate years. Such alums
say they receive immeasurable satisfaction
from doing something for a group that is doing
something for young "men. For such men a fra
ternity is a unselfish project. To the under
graduate the fraternity is different. The fra
ternity should live for its active members; it
should have something worthwhile to add to
their college life. It should be careful not to
detract from any purpose for which univer
sities are established. Herein fraternities are
severely criticized.
Fraternities which live only for their name,
for their self and not for their individual mem
bers are likely to be called selfish. Activities
on a campus should be for those students who
for some special reason are interested in the
thing that activity sponsors. Yet activity par
ticipation is often encouraged by fraternities
for other reasons. If a fraternity wishes to save
a strong heterogeneous group it must realize
i hat it may have some members who are not
ailapied to activities of any kind. So it is in
many oilier fraternal undertakings, even social.
The fraternity tails to recognize that some of
its group are not adapted to those undertakings.
All kinds of people make a world. It takes
many kinds of men to make a fraternity. If a
fraternity is to live for its members it will have
to recognize individual characteristics and
peculiarities. Iu fact striving for individualism
may not be such a bad thing to encourage. Fra
ternities which try to make themselves adapt
able to ihe 1 borough student, athlete and so
cialite alike, trying to promote understanding
between such people, may be more attractive.
Fraternities which encourage individual, self
determined attainment may be first to rank
high as an organization.
G. n.
MORNING MAIL
More Fraternity Spirit.
TO Till: KDITOIJ:
Becent contributors to the Morning Mail
column of ihe Daily Nebraskan have launched
bitter barbs at the fraternity system as exem
plified by ihe Greek organization on the Ne
braska campus. The controversy between Barb
and Greek is not new arguments on troth sides
have been presented so often that almost every
one is familiar with the thing each side is ex
pected to say. ,
Fraternity men, replying to the Barbs salvo
of critlcisnrcnter iuto the fray with gusto. Hair
pulling and catcalls ensue. Barbs are charged
with bitterness because they are outside the
fold or Greekdom. The pointed phrase "sour
grapes'' is invariably called into use. And the
battle ruges. Barbs, advancing in spirited at
tack, claim that fraternities, "theoretically
based on friendliness and the spirit of fellow
ship' desert these standards for advancement
of their own selfish interests.
And Ihe war goes on. It is not too bold to
prophecy that the war will continue to go on
for a long time. Both sides, it must be admitted
have oints in their favor, but Inung a some
what ardent fraternity man I fail to see how
the Barbs can make a case for their segregated
lives as against the cameraderie that prevails
within cveu the most suooly fraternity group.
The value of friendships, it has often ln-eu
pointed out, exceeds all else. That is oue of the
theories which first led to the founding of fra
ternities. And where else but in a fraternity
does the college man have such ideal conditions
for development of friendships? True, uon -fraternity
students make frieuds of their own. But
thev have not the medium for perpetuating
those friendships that is afforded the fratern
ity man. There is a bond uniting fraternity
men, even after college days arc over, and the
friendships formed there are erpetnaled by
alumni organizations, fraternity publications,
and so on. True fellowship has its roots iu mu
tual interests, and the necessity of working to
gether within a fraternity group is wonderful
soil for the cultivation of that fellowship.
As may be gathered from r.ll of that, I am
strong for fraternities, and the above para
graphs do not even begin to list all of their
advantages.
fiiatki:.
EXTENSION ISSUES
BULLETIN TELLING
OF RULE CHANGES
Statement of tho standards ot
rules for the government of
schools tn the Nebraska NoHft
Central Association of Colleges and
Secondary Schools with changes
for the present year has been pun.
lished In a bulletin issued by tho
extension division of tho university
recently.
Changes in tho regulations for
the present year are: three your
senior high schools must require a
minimum of eleven uniti for
graduation. Four year high schooU
must require a minimum of fifteen
units fot graduation; there uniti
are to be carried in grades 9, 10,
11, and 12.
Analyzing the Creeks.
TO THE KDITOIJ :
As Nebraska becomes consejous of increasing
fraternity problems let her find consolation in
the fact that hundreds of other fraternities of
many other schools are finding similar prob
lems. But wise it is for Nebraska fraternities to
look to these problems. It is no idle lalk that
depression is bringing criticisms of campus fra
ternal life to the front. In dollars and cents is
the fraternity worth it? Local chapters are
finding it difficult to maintain their financial
programs because insufficient members stay in
the house. National offices find they have to
be conservative, even Scotch, because fratern
ity membership is not increasing, because new
chapters cannot be installed.
But while mid western fraternities are wor
ry ig a nalional officer was heard to say the
oilier day that we don't know what hard times
are. In the east fraternities are really in
trouble. Also this officer suggested that it is
the fraternities of the large schools t hat are
finding it hardest sledding. Small school fra
ternities do not seem to be having as many
problems. In this statement perhaps Nebraska
fraternities should look for a solution to a
problem.
Diversity iu membership is always a thing
needed in fraternity life. The local chapter
finds that it needs all kinds of members to
make itself versatile and successful. The na
tional organization finds that it needs chajs
ters in all types of schools to endure. To se
cure this tyjie of membership is the first prob
lem of a fraternity. To secure a healthy mem
bership will be a first step in the remedying
of finances..
"THREE GUN" WILSON
SAYS UNIVERSITY ONE
OF BEST INSTITUTIONS
IN AMERICA
(Continued from Page 1.)
is some plain horse sense, and
plain horse sense is just "stable
thinking." We listen to the wailing
stories of disappointed politicians
to the clamour of brewery man
ufacturers, and last but not least,
to the poor wretched individual
who is not strong enough to re
sist the outcries of his alcoholic
eaten stomach," he said.
"It is a popular misconception,"
he added, "that people want to
break the law, because it is the
law. Take for instance: should the
municipality of Lincoln pass a law
prohibiting the housewives of the
city from throwing their kitchen
swill out the front window do you
think they would do it? Of course
not. For aeons of time we have
had Cod's Ten Commandments,
and do you believe that people
break them because they are laws.
No, people obey laws or break
laws because of their own convic
tions, not because of the fact that
it Is the law."
"Thus we sec the absurdity of
believing heresay and newspaper
propaganda. Newspapers today
for reasons unknown, tend to play
up any apparent weakness in the
prohibition law. As an example of
this I wish to cite an incident that
happened in pre-Volstead days. In
an important newspaper I found an
article of four lines, describing the
death of one young man, and the
serious illness of three other young
men, from drinking grain alcohol.
If such an incident should take
place today, it would be broadcast
thruout the United Stales, head
lines and pictures in every news
paper, placing the blame on prohi
bition. I appeal to the people of
Nebraska, use your head don't
believe this ropaganda, investigate
and find out the truth."
"The purpose of prohibition,"
be continued, "is not to take away
liberty but to preserve it. It U to
give those people who want to be
good a chance to do it."
"We often hear the comment to
day, that conditions are worse
than before prohibition. College
students, don't believe it! I was a
student myself at one time, and I
know whereof I speak. In my days
they used to almost promote a
man for staying drunk today
they expel him. The recent episode
which happened on your campus
Indicates that conditions are noth
ing like this. None of your Univer
sity students were connected with
it in any way, but still, wrong Im
pressions are cast out in many In
stances." "It is interesting to watch the
gullibility with which lome of us
still watch the Utrrary Digest
straw vote," said Mr. Wilson. "The
only surprising thing is that some
of im are still flabbergasted to find
that the results are always wring
ing wet. Here is another glaring
example why some of you may
need an examination by a psychi
atrist to determine your thinking
"facilities. I realize it is painful for
many or you to think, but after all,
it isn't altogether impossible," he
said. "Just ask yourself the ques
tion, have you received a ballot?
Do you know of one who has re
ceived one? If so, did they vote
and return it? Students, the only
ones who do return it are those in
terested in the return of the saloon
consequently they are the ones to
whom the ballots are sent."
We must fight for prohibition
push ahead, it can be enforced.
Drunkeness, prostitution aad gam
bling go hand in hand. Take liquor
away and the other two will starve
to death. Honest officials are all
we need to enforce the law, and
we are enforcing it in Nebraska,
and elsewhere.
In examining the great amount
of wealth amassed by Al Capone,
we find that only 20 percent ac
cumulated was from liquor sales,
while the other 80 percent ac
crued from his gambling devices
and houses of prostitution.
"If I sent one of my men down
to Lincoln with a warrant for a
crook, he wouldn't go to any of the
University officials or church of
ficials to find him, he'd ,-ro to thj
places frequented by such charac
ters. Any person wno tens you
that he can go to thirty places and
get a drink either in Omaha or
Uncoln, is either lying, or else he
isn't the tvpe ot person desirable
for you to be associating with."
"The bootleffgci Is woisa than a
thief he takes your reputation aa
well as vour money. The detection
of speakeasies is not difficult. They
all have living advertisements, a
human trail leading down the alley
or into dusty, dirty piaccs ot ill re
pute. I might add that some of our
"shyster" lawyers who delend the
boot-legger are in the same cate
gory." This is my advice to University
students, "There never was a more
red blooded fight than the one to
day for prohibition. The welfare
of our government hinges upon it.
With our high powered automo
biles, aeroplanes, etc., there can be
no existence with liquor. It is up to
you the future generation to han
dle it.
CHILD STUDY IS TOPIC
TUESDAY PSI CHI TALK
(Continued from rage l.i
ceived his Ph D. from the Univer
sity of Iowa. He has lx?en a mem
ber of the faculty at the Iowa in
stitution since 1922. where he
teaches social psychology, psychol
ogy of art and the psychology of
ad vet Using.
He is a member ot the American
Psychological a s o c l a t i on, tho
American Sociological association,
the American Association for the
Advancement of Science, the Iowa
Academy of Science, the Midwest
Psychological association, the So
ciety of Sigma Xi, the Western
Arts association, the College Art
association, and the executive com
mittee of the Conference for Re
search in Art sponsored by Car
negie. At the University of Iowa
he is director of the Art-Psychology
Laboratory.
The third University of Iowa
team to be captained by a married
player has started its schedule. It
is the baseball nine of which Elmo
Nelson is captain. Laat fall a 6hot
puttr on the track team captained
the football team and another
married man headed the gymnasts.
The board of publications at
North Carolina gave $1,000 to the
student oan fund. t
Spring Coals
Sport Suits
Sweaters
Nov's the Time
to Have Them
CLEANED
Modern Cleaners
SOUKUP & fVESTOVER
Call F2377 For Service
"2Sth Year in Lincoln"
1931 MADE HISTORY IN SHIP ELECTRIFICATION
i ECAUSE the combined horw power of turbine-electric equipment in
stalled and now in process of construction passed the one million msrlc
during the year. BECAUSE the PrtiiJtnt Ilaovtr, first all-electric ship b'jilt in
America for commercial transoceanic service, completed its first round trip to
Asiatic ports. BECAUSE the TaUmancs, the first of the largest electrically
propelled fleet ever laid down, was delivered to its owners. BECAUSE elec
trification an American contribution to marine transportation was adopted
by le leading shipbuilding countries of the world. BECAUSE, on the hi ;h
seas and on inland waterways, electrically propelled ships established new
records for speed and continuous operation. General Electric engineers
not only pioneered the application of electric propulsion, but have made
many contributions to its development during the last two decades. By the
complete electrification of the TrtsitUnt Hctir end the six new ships of the
United Fruit Company's fleet, college-trained General Electric engineers have .
made another striking contribution to American shipbuilding and world trade.
GENERAL
ELECTRIC
