!
Sunday, March 2. 1941'
DAILY NEBRASKAN
QommsmL
So little to ask
so much to do
The World Student Service Fund drive ends Monday
night And to date only three organized houses out of a
total of 38 have made any contributions at all. In a week
long campaign, the YM and YW has raised but $200.
They're not begging money from anybody, but they
are persistent because what they need seems so little to
ask.
Three hundred dollars must be raised by tomorrow
night to go over the top. This must largely come from
organized houses. But dividing it among the 35 that
as yet have contributed nothing, it would necessitate
only $10 per house to make the drive a success.
Kappa Alpha Theta is raising three times this much
by giving up desserts during Lent and turning the pro
ceeds over to the fund. Other groups could easily make
similar pledges. Small sacrifices by each individual in a
group makes the contribution of that group sizable.
Tomorrow night at meeting is the time to act. Vote
at least $10 to this worthy cause.
America's
Physical unfitness
needs your attention
. . . immediately
That American youth is more largely physically un
fit than the youth of any other large nation has become
apparent again and again by the large percentage of
draftees being rejected on this score. This in itself should
give America something to worry about.
But the fact that the ratio of physical unfitness
has been steadily increasing since the World war pre
sents a far graver and more immediate problem. Can
it be true that the American strength is degenerating?
And if so, why?
Leon Kranz of Northwestern University presented
this problem last week thru a comparison between the
percentage of draftees rejected because of physical weak
nesses today, and those rejected for the same reasons in
1917. Whereas this ratio stood at only 21.2 percent at the
earlier date, today it has topped 43 and appears to be
mounting.
Where the trouble lies is quite evident. Working in
classrooms, in the library and beneath a study lamp a
good part of the day; indoors, laboring mentally perhaps,
but without any physical exertion to speak of, no stu
dent can stay healthy.
Yet the above routine is followed by a large percent
age of the students at Nebraska and other educational
institutions. And those following this schedule are in nine
cases out of ten, the ones who need a little physical exer
cise most.
Less than two-fifths of the entire enrolment of this
university make any use at all of the extensive facili
ties of our $400,000 coliseum, and only a little over 50
of those who do, use it outside of regular credit courses.
Free swimming hours at noon and at 5 o'clock daily
have only half a dozen attenders and six handball
courts open to any student, are for a good part of the
time unoccupied.
Following the World war, Kranz points out that
America became vitally concerned with the high percent
age of physically unfits at that time. The response was
a nation wide extension of athletic programs, the erec
tion of gymnasiums, stadiums, and the landscaping of
parks. The millions being spent today for sports, how
ever, is being largely wasted the nation over. And this,
Kranz concludes, is because of an overemphasis upon
major intercollegiate games and too little emphasis upon
personal recreation.
If America was concerned then, how much more
concerned it should be now. The state and the univer
sity has done everything possible to make athletics fa
cilities available to all. But "they can't make the horses
drink." It must be the personal responsibility of each
individual to plan some exercise program as an integral
part of his curricula. This is as it should be. He is the
one most benefitted by good health and most hindered
by atrophy and other ailments in later life.
The coliseum athletic schedule will be published from
time to time in the NEERASKAN. Costs are absolutely
nothing unless one wishes to check out a basket and have
a towel service. But even then the maximum outlay is
only $1.50. The facilities are there; the need for their use
is vital. Let's see them used.
Dear Advertisers . . .
The DAILY NEBRASKAN is first, last, and always
nn impartial reporter of what organizations on this cam
pus do. We carried the report of the Prom Committee's
decision to ban corsageB at the Junior Senior Prom be
cause that was a story of first rate interest to our read
ers. The ban was not the decision of this staff, nor was
there anything this staff could do to prevent it.
The Junior Senior Prom is an all campus party. In
order to encourage those who can't afford corsages to
attend, and at the same time to remove any appearance
of cheapness);!, the part of those not'sndin thexn, the
JhsL Sunday IfYbiAAaqsL
Circle-Drawing
Luke 19:1-10
Once more the season of Lent is with us, a season
during which the Church bids us, in the words of Our
Blessed Lord, to "Come apart and rest awhile." Words
worth said, "The world is too much with us." How true.
The world was never more with us. It fills the front
pages of our newspapers. It shouts at us through our
radios. It is the common talk wherever men and women
are gathered together.
We can't seem to get away from the "world," which
is so filled with unrest and destruction and grief. Or
can we get away from it? The Church says we can and
should, at least for a little while each year. That is what
Lent is for.
Lent is based upon Our Blessed Lord's temptations
in the wilderness, described in the Fourth Chapter of the
Gospel according to St. Matthew, which is the Holy Gos
pel for this first Sunday in Lent. Those three temptations,
when analyzed, show us that they contain every type of
temptation which may assault us, you and me.
Temptation tests character.
What Is temptation, anyway? The word temptation
comes from the Latin. It means to test or to try. So
when you and I are tempted, we are being tested or tried
to see what we are made of, how much we can stand,
how much real character we have. St. Augustine said,
"It is the Devil's part to suggest, it is ours not to con
sent." St. Gregory said, "Sin is first by suggestion, then
by delight, and lastly by consent."
Unless the tempting impression be felt, there is no
real temptation. Unless it be yielded to, there is no real
sin. Where, then, is the point in temptation at which sin
begins? It is when the evil which is presented to us be
gins to be the determining factor or impression upon our
lives. From Shakespeare: "'Tis one thing to be tempted,
Escalus, another thing to fall."
Temptations may draw up.
So much for the temptations which may drag us
down. We may have temptations which will draw us up.
We may be exposed to Shakespeare, Browning, Stevenson
or Dante. Do we respond, or do we still prefer the cheap
novel ?
We may be exposed to the Corinthian column or the
figures of the Sistine Madonna. Do we respond, or do we
still prefer the Colored Supplement? We may Tie ex
posed to Washington, Lincoln, or Bryce. Do we respond,
or do we still prefer the tactics of the cheap ward poli
tician? We may be exposed to the Church with its
Blessed Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, its sacraments and
its helps. Do we respond, or do we still prefer the secular
clubs?
We can be tempted up or down. The Church says,
"Lift up your hearts" in the "Sursum Corda." Get above
the things of the "world." The "world' is too much with
us. That is the purpose of Lent, "to come apart and rest
awhile," to fast, to pray, and to give alms.
Fasting is discipline.
What does it mean to fast? Fasting is giving up
some lowful things like food, movies, theaters, dances,
parties and various other secular amusements, which in
themselves are right, lawful and allowable, in order that
we may discipline ourselves to give up something that
is not right, lawful and allowable. In other words, it is
saying "No" to something that is lawful so that we can
have the strength to say "No" to something that is not
not lawful. Not only should we give up something during
Lent, but we should do more, in prayer, in devotions,
services, and Communions, and in giving alms to the
Church to help those who are in need. In other words,
fast for a purpose.
Athletes fast for purpose.
Athletes train and prepare so that they may contend
against competition in the athletic world. Soldiers train
and prepare in order that they may be able to contend
against the enemy when attacked. Athletes and soldiers
fast. They go without many of the things which they
like. Soldiers of the Cross train by self denial, self dis
cipline that they may be able to fight against the world,
the flesh, and the devil. They do this by going without
things that they like very much. They fast for a purpose.
When the "World" does these three things: fasts,
prays, and gives alms, the solution of the world's prob
lems will be easy. Let's keep Lent. There can be no real
Easter without a real Lent any more than there can be
any mountain peaks without the valleys bi-tween. Lent
is a valley. Let's keep it.
A PRAYER FOR LENT
O Lord, who for our sake didst fast forty days and
forty nights, give us grace to use such abstinence that,
our flesh being subdued to the Sipirit, we may ever obey
thy Godly motions in righteousness, and true holiness,
to thy honor and glory, who livest and reignest with the
Father and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end.
Amen.
committee urged every student to refrain from sending
flowers next Friday.
There was no intention on their part and certainly
not on our part to injure advertisers in university pub
lications. It has always been our policy to urge patron
age among the students of those who patronize us. And
so long as our action is not contrary to general all cam
pus policies, we will follow the same course in the future.
To the editor:
My policy is "Give credit where credit is do (sic),"
and this accounts for my following rash but justifiable
letter.
In the DAILY NEBRASKAN paper for Feb. 28, 1941
you have this statement "Dorothy Jean Brown directs
Rosa Bouton in their act. . . ." This is a terrific mistake.
Miss Brown did not even want the play, let alone
helping or directing the skit. She was too busy studying
and what have you to fool around with the play.
Please if it isn't asking too much change your state
ment, Miss Anna Burda, who really directed the play,
desires a little space of credit.
Yours Truly, A Student.
u
Thanks for calling it to our attention; that in the future
we may give credit where credit is due.
As to your feeling that bias governed the NEBRAS
KAN policy last spring; it may or may not be justified.
Nevertheless the fact that such a feeling exists among a
large group on the campus will make the DAILY follow
a more cautious path in the future. If such a bias ex
isted then, it may have resulted from the shortage of
barb representatives on the staff. Without men to turn
in a particular type of news, Ward, it is most difficult to
play up that news fairly and indiscriminately.
This spring the situation is quite different. A nun,
ber of able unaffiliated students are on our utaff; one
will be given a salary and a position of barb editor. The
work of this group with the support and cooperation of
the rest of the staff, should remedy this situation. Lt'
give it a try.
Commentorial
from our reader.
More publicity to prom committee,
and lens bias on IS'ebraskan please!
Dear Editor:
I would like to apologize to the Prom Committee
because of the careless wording of my letter. I did not
intentionally insinuate that anything was wrong with the
Trom Committee; I merely wanted to ascertain the rea
son the Innocents, and not the Committee, had been fea
tured in the publicity concerning the Prom.
Thanks for the explanation on universal subscrip
tion. It was well enough done that I am prepared to vote
in favor of universal subscription just as soon as an
agreement is made that will insure the barbs against the
type of biased paper that the DAILY NEBRASKAN has
been in the past. I don't want to incur the wrath of the
DAILY by such statements but no one could say that
the barbs got a square deal from the NEBRASKAN last
spring.
It Is my opinion that universal subscription will in
crease the social system of the university 25 percent.
Though compulsory measure are not admirable, the
end tometimet justifies the means.
Ward Brunson
Ed.: If the Innocents have been played up too much
in the -past, Ward, it was an, oversight on our part
If' i Behind "I
W: i It,. ; )?..
M v News
II Ordal OlHon If
Lending is not war
The opponents of the lease-lend bill are at
tacking it on the ground that It will brnig the
United States into war. The testimony of Sena
tor Norrii to the contrary It particularly signifi
cant because of hit former isolationist ideas, and
is a clear exposition of the reasoning that is go
ing to pass the bill.
That reasoning is, that Inasmuch as the nazi's
normal method of conducting foreign relations is
war, that treaty promises mean nothing to them,
that between their system and ours there is an un
bridgeable chasm. The only way for the United
States to avoid war at German convenience is to
see to it that the English keep fighting against
tliera.
For this, American Industrial products in
England are essential, and the lease-lend bill i
aimed at achieving precisely that. The obvious
conclusion It that If tuch it done, the United
Statet will not need to and will not go to war
against the nazia.
