ilirTBUflfflHi'T
THE NEBRASKAN
Wednesday, MovemKer 8, 1941
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Editor ,
Msnafinr Editera
Newt Editors
Janet
Builnru Manager
Asnstant Baaineaa Manager.
Secietj Editor
Pat Chamberlia
Mary Leaiae Geadwia. Hareld Aaaeraea
Leslie Jran Glotfelty. Betty Lea Haitaa,
Pkvllia Tunrdra
7...... .. Ja Marts
Lerraiae Akraaaaa, Mrldred Bnfatraai
, Helen binwn
Les Said The Better
1 By Les GlotfJiy
'Politician9 and 'Politics9
James Hilton, noted author, recently wrote an article appearing
in the Washington Sunday Star in which he deplored the fact that
at the present time the words "politician" and "politics ' are well on
their way down hill. "Already," he says, "they are not complimen
tary; soon, at their present rate, they will be the sort of thing you,
could sue about."
Continuing, Mr. Hilton asserts that this degrading connotation of
these two words "reflects a trend of vital Importance In onr national
life, and potentially one also of great damage. For politics, by defini
tion is the art of rovernment; and that means the art, of all arts, that
humanity will most depend on dnrine the difficult (post-war) years
ahead. .And it is odd to say the least that at a time when we are
fighting a war to preserve, among: other things, the ideas and ideals
of democracy, we should think so little of the practical Job of mak
ing it work.
"Somehow we must break away., from this, because it is es
sential, if we are to remain democrats, that democracy should have
first pick of all the first-rate minds that are now reaching matur
ity. How can we tempt youth, honor, idealism, and intelligence into
the job of jobs which is, and will be for as long as we can look
ahead, that of bringing the art and science of government up to the
level to which human brains have already brought so many other
aits and sciences? If we fail, civilization itself will go down in
ruins."
Altho Mr. Hilton was speaking of the national political situa
tion, he might very well have applied these same words to the Uni
versity of Nebraska campus. Here, too, the word "politics" has trav
elled so far from its original meaning, "the art of government," that it
is synonymous with "faction." And on the campus the word "fac
tion" connotes to the majority of students a secret, dictatorial social
organization whose purpose is to keep barbs or unaffiliates out of
elective offices, or an all-barb organization united by antagonism
toward the Greeks and whose purpose is to gain control of campus
elective offices because of mutual spite and distrust of both groups.
The word "politician" has fallen from its primary meaning, "one
experienced in the art of government" until at present on the
campus it generally means a ward-heeling, selfish, party boss who
directs the underhanded methods of a faction to further his own ends.
It is an exceedingly unfortunate development at UN that the above
labels of condemnation are applied by the general student body to all
party members and party meetings, regardless of any party's sincer
ity of purpose and attempts to better the political situation of the
party. If a student is in politics, he or she is branded as a "poli-
ician" in the worst sense of the word; if a political party is formed,
it is immediately accused of indulging in "politics" or dictatorial
machinations.
The political party system of nominating candidates for office is
not provided for in any formal constitution of government but mere
ly grew up as the most logical and efficient method in a democracy
of electing the best qualified man to office. If a candidate is con
oemnco as a politician oeiore ne ever tries lor on ice, now can a
Student body expect to elect a person of integrity and strength to
office? .The best qualified men and women for any office, knowing
they have little chance of election without the organized backing of
a party, either have the choice of not running for office or of the
cold shoulder of their non-political friends.
The Student Council has taken the fundamental steps in cor
recting this attitude of the student body by forcing the reorganiza
tion of the existing political parties on rounder basis than previ
ously. But in the last analysis of the problem, the solution rests
with the students themselves, who must pledge themselves to weight
carefully any new or old party formed this year, in respect to its or
ganizational set-up, its platform of principles, its fairness of method
of electing officers and candidates, and method of representation.
Students will soon be called upon to declare ibeir allegiance to
some one party. If enough students show enough interest to get into
polities and better whichever party to which they belong, they would
realize the party's responsibilities ia carry ig on a fair, democratic
government, and the word "politics" will lose its stigma, and return
to Us original, rightful meaning.
Ratings , .
(Continued from Page 1.)
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Things are happening on the Nebraska
campus, things that haven't happened since
we have been here all three long years.
Consequently, we think everyone ought to
sit up and take notice. OK, so we're going
to talk about politics. The very word is
enough to make lots of people stop reading
right here, but stick it out. There are two
new political parties being formed on this
campus, and maybe more. At any rate, for
the first time in a heck of a long time, the
students are going to get a chance to see
what they are voting for. Last night and
tonight respectively, the two new parties,
the Progressive and the Student Party for
Democratic Government, are having open
meetings to explain as best they can their
policies, their organizational plan and what
not. Whether you vote or not, whether you
vote because vou have to, or whether you
don't care what happens in elections at all,
you should still make an effort to find out
what the two new parties stand tor.
For years UN has been running elections
on the old affiliated-unaf filiated stand. Now
we get a chance to break away from those
out-dated and foolish standards. Whether
or not the new parties will be any better and
whether or not they will be able to solve
any of the old problems remains to be seen.
But, they are making an honest and de
termined attempt to DO something. They
are setting down in black and white what
they stand for, how they propose to run
party caucusses, how they want to deter
mine representation, and all the other lit
tle things that have been kept in the dark
for too long in the past. Lots of us never
vote, but the fact remains that the people
the parties nominate and eventually elect
are going to be running the campus. Too
many students feel that because they aren t
in activities, they have no cause to be in
terested in pohtics or what goes on in elec
tions. Manv students don't vote or take
an interest in these matters because they
think that their one "cry in the wilderness"
would be ignored, or that things are so
messed up that an honest person hasn't got
a chance.
All right, no matter what the reasons
are for either being interested or not be
ing interested in politics, the new set-ups
are giving us a chance to look them over,
make our own decisions, protest if we don't
like what they stand for or how they work,
LETTERIP
Dear Editor:
"First come, first serve" is a good old
adage any day, and it has come to us as a
shock that there are students on the cam
pus who have forgotten both the saying and
their manners. It seems 4-hat the "Campus
line" is being mobbed by the students who
hold places for their chums and who ruin
the order of the line and the temper of the
other customers who are patiently await
ing their turn. It's a fact that every cus
tomer can be served by the cafeteria and be
finished with his lunch by 12:50.
We hope that perhaps an expression of
editorial opinion combined with firmness
from customers in the line toward persons
mobbing the line, will correct this fault. A
little of the attitude of the typical New
Yorker toward anyone crashing a line any
where would serve to dampen the spirits of
the bold, and a little more patience on the
part of everyone will solve the problem.
Pat Lahr
Director, Student Union.
(Editor's Note: The "expression of edi
torial opinion" which Miss Lahr hoped for
is merely an extension of advise to those
pushed around in the "Campusline" line to
use the terribly effective "Brooklyn elbow."
Results are guaranteed for life!)
and most of all, by these open party meet
ings, we have a chance for the first time to
actually see who is doing what, and to howl
our heads off where it will do some good.
Take a good look, kids, whether you give a
darn or not. There is nothing to lose in
just looking!
Incidentally, in looking through the Stu
dent Council constitution we noticed a bit of
an omission. Under Section IV, Election
Rules, there is a conspicuous blank with
only the two words, "See Harnsberger"
printed therein. Now Harnsberger is un
doubtedly a fine fellow, but the fact re
mains that he has not been in school since
spring of 1943 and is now in the army some
where. Consequently "seeing Harnsberger"
about election rules might be a bit of a
problem. We suggest that either the Stu
dent Council print these election rules and
have them added to their printed constitu
tion or that the new parties add them as
plank in the !atform, or something just
so we don t have to chase Harnsberger from
pillar to post looking for the rules and regulations.
Religious Week
Begins Nov. 12
On UN Campus
Nationally prominent Christian
leaders will headline Religious
Emphasis week on UN campus,
Nov. 12, 13 and 14.
Sponsored jointly by the uni
versity religious welfare council
and the convocation committee,
the discussions center on the
theme "What for Tomorrow?"
Rev. Ralph Douglas Hyslop, min
ister for student life, division of
Christian education, will initiate
the week in his address. "How
We as Students Pay the Price of
a New World," at 8 p. m., Nov. 12.
Editor Speaks
Dr. Joseph Sittler, ir editor of
Credo Ecclesiam, theological quar
terly, speaks on "Postwar Reli
gious Education" at the faculty
luncheon Monday.
Mortar Boards are sponsoring
the student leaders luncheon on
Tuesday, at which Rev. Mr. Hys
lop will discuss the kind of cam
pus life we must develop to pre
pare student for world citizen-
Forty-Three Air
Corps Reserves
Swell UN Ranks
Forty-three Air Corps Enlisted
Reserves and Army Specialized
Training Reserves, representing
most of the states in the Sev
enth Service Command, arrived
at the University of Nebraska this
week, and wiil begin class work
Nov. 6, CoL J. P. Murphy, com
mandant of military units on the
campus, announced today.
The total number of 17-year-old
reservists now on the campus is
245, which is near the maximum
quota for the university. Trainees
will be given a program along
conventional academic lines,
stressing the basic sciences. Place
ment tests were begun on Friday
afternoon.
Twelve of the trainees are from
Iowa, 12 from Missouri, six from
Kansas, six from Minnesota, four
from Nebraska, two from North
Dakota, and one from Colorado.
The four from Nebraska are: Jim
mie D. Farber, Lyons; William E.
Hare, Broken Bow; Francis J.
Schaaf, Atkinson, and Warren M.
Wiley, jr., Venango.
XHAS CARDS
Large Stock to Qtooae From
Opm Eremingg
Golden rod Cord Shop
21S North 14
STATIONERY
Personalized for Gifts
Opea Evening
Coldenrod Stationery Store
21S North 14
WELCOME
to
CEIBiS' GGQD EATS
ZI4 N. 13Ui
Free Variety SEiov
Choices Lougrtton end Maureen (yHora
in
The Hunchback of Notre Dame'
3:00 P. M., SUN., NOV. 12
UNION BALLROOM
Convocation
Lei? 1 8
"WHAT WENT WRONG WITH
CIVILIZATION?"
11:00 A. M., THURS., NOV.
First of This Year's Series
UNION BALLROOM
iSmm
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