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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (March 21, 1947)
,1..... Page 2 THE DAILY NEBRASKAN Friday, March 21, 1947 Democracy On Campus . . . Within the past six weeks, college administrators at two universities in the United States have established dangerous precedents in connection with student political activities. The president of a university in Michigan and the Board of Regents at the University of Colorado have seen fit to outlaw a political group, composed in the main of university students, known as American Youth for Demo cracy. The Daily Nebraskan holds no particular brief for AYD or any other individual student political group. We do feel, however, that any college administrator who at tempts to lead, or force, the political ideologies of the student body is treading on thin ice. The story of the fiffht against AYD, which in some places is referred to as a "witch-hunt," and in still other places is referred to as merely an attempt at eradicating communist influences on American college campuses, is an involved one. About two months ago, a campaign was started in the state of Michigan to "clean up" Michigan universities insofar as any Red influence was concerned. In the en suing melee, the President of Western Reserve college placed all active AYD supporters on disciplinary proba tion, the aim of this move being to stamp out any traces of an organization which is purported to be Communis tically controlled. Immediately following the Western Reserve President's proclamation, an investigation was begun by the legislators of the state of Michigan. At the present time, the hunt has been carried into nearly every institution of higher learning in the state. Dr. David D. Henry, president of Wayne university, went on record as specifically denying the existence of subversive activity on his campus. He went on to say that Wayne university required no information from its students as to their political and religious beliefs. End ing his comments on the entire situation, Dr. Henry said that his university's policy on admission of "student groups and students must be based upon the rights of American citizens, not upon my opinion of them." This fight in Michigan can be referred to as chapter one of the AYD story. Dr. Henry's liberal and forward looking comments helped to inject a healthy note into an otherwise unwholesome campaign. Chapter two took place much closer to home when AYD was placed on the black-list at the University of Colorado. Preceding the decision on AYD by the Board of Regents, Edward C. King, Dean of the School of Law at Colorado, wrote a letter to John P. Lewis, editor of New York's PM, requesting information in connection with American Youth for Democracy. Mr. Lewis, in an open letter, gave Dean King a lengthy, but what we consider to be correct answer. He told Dean King that as far as PM's records were concerned, AYD was an organization that had consistent ly followed the Communist party line since 1943. Mr. Lewis said in his letter that, "It is the strength of democracy that it can permit dissenting opinions op posing political viewpoints to be voiced to test the met tie of our thinking, but it is essential that the people know who is speaking and why." Lewis concluded his letter to King with the state ment that "Any move to prohibit college students from exploring, organizing or joining, if they so desire, any political organization they choose could only bring dry rot to the campus. ... It is inconceivable that enlightened students, knowing the facts and knowing the choice be tween Communism and Democracy will be misled by th Communists. Confronting youth with such decisions is the very essence of education. If we have sufficient faith in ourselves, our youth and our democracy, so that we do not use the bans and gags and the book burnings of the Communists and fascists, we do not need to b afraid." We feel that Mr. Lewis has put his finger on the real crux of the controversy. In the long run of student af fairs. Communist control of AYD is not important. Free choice and free activity in any organization on a college campus, provided that that organization is not seditious, is of the utmost and prime importance. When college students are given full credit for the intelligence and reasoning power that they have, there will be no need for fear of Red infiltration. Only when this is done can the self-righteous and sanctimonious witch-hunters rest back and be sure that America's col lege students are not Communists. J. H. J Jul (Daih TkbhaAkcuv Member Intercollegiate Press fOETT-FIFTB f BAB Subscription rate ar $1.50 per semester. $2.00 per semester mailed, or 2.00 for the colleoe year. $3.00 mailed. Single copy 5c. Published daily during the school year except Mondays and Saturdays, vacations and examination periods, by the students of the University of Nebraska under the supervision of the Publication Board. Entered as Second Class Matter at the Post Off ce In Lincoln. Nebraska, under Act of Congress. March S. 1879. and at special rate of postage provided for In section 1103, act of October 2. 1917. authorized September SO. 1922. Jtrt (b nr . Qjactiit xperts on vise ays Editor Daily Nebraskan: Freedom of thinking and freedom of editorial expres sion does not carry with it the license for deliberate editorial distortion of fact. " In your editorial of March 19, 1947, The Daily Ne braskan presented its .official opinion that, March 17 was "A Day To Remember" for a "dangerous Supreme Court decision". The decision? The Supreme Court refused to reconsider the case of Morton Friedman, who was dis missed from the WMC by the Civil Service Commission because of admitted membership in a Communist front or ganization. Since the implications of the pending "Witch hunt" contained in this editorial are contrary to fact, I believe it would be enlightening to the student body to compare the implications of your editorial with the facts of the case. Your editorial: "We find ourselves faced with the un certainty of. who is to decide whether or not a civil servant is a Communist sympathizer. . ." Fact: (Associated Press dispatch, Washington, March 18, 1947) "The Supreme Court Monday in effect upheld the right of the Civil Service Commission to fire a Govern ment employee on the grounds that is a Communist sym pathizer." Your editorial implication: "Senator McKellar", "Re presentative Rankin," and "Senator Wherry" will "Be the judge" and "set the criterion" of "what being a Communist sympathizer consists of." Fact: Why, in the face of the above dispatch, mention these three men? Certainly none of them have any direct connection with hiring and firing of Civil Service Em ployees. And why, Madam Editor, mention three of the most reactionary public figures in an attempt to influence opinion by prejudice? Your editorial: "To rid ourselves of the reds in gov ernment, let us set up a proper screening board from within the (Civil) service (Commission) itself." Fact: Your lack of information is amazing. (AP dis patch, Washington, March 18) "The court refused to re view protests by Morton Friedman, who was ousted from a job with the WMC by orders of the Civil Service Com mission." In reality, the Supreme Court Decision upheld the right of the Civil Service Commission to do that very screening, thereby accomplishing by that "most dangerous decision" the very thing that you belatedly set forth as a desirable end. May I suggest that in the future the official organ of the University of Nebraska refrain from an attempt to influence student opinion by playing on prejudice; and that the editorial staff of The Daily Nebraskan secure the facts of the news before its disseminates misinformation under the banner of student liberalism. Sincerly, RICHARD SCHLEUSENER BY SAM WARREN. When Henry R. Hope and How ard Devree come to the campus this weekend from Indiana and New York to advise the univer sity art faculty on purchases from this year's annual art exhibit, they will find in one gallery alone a number of paintings worth own ing permanently. A total of nearly $12,000 for Lincoln purchases will be at the committee's disposal, including $6,800 for the Hall Collection, $1,200 for the Nebraska Art As sociation, plus $3,500 for private purchases which is allocated for metal work by John Stenvall. A sizeable sum considerably larger than that available in other years, the amount will purchase both paintings and sculpture. Assistant art editor for the New York Times, Howard DeVree will give a gallery talk at 3 p. m. Sat urday. "DeVree covers all con temporary art shows for the Times," Dwight Kirsch said yes terday, "and he has a wide know ledge of the artists represented in our show here," which is an ex hibit of current work. Henry R. Hope, who is chair man of the fine art department at the University of Indiana, will offer the second of the weekend's gallery talks on Sunday at 3. All students are admitted free and are urged by Mr. Kirsch to attend the Saturday lecture particularly. In addition to paintings exhib ited in Gallery B and in the cor ridor (see Daily Nebraskan, March 13), there are a number of ab sorbing canvases in Gallery A, particularly portraits. These drew more comment from Rotary club members who strolled thru the gallery while this reviewer was there. "The Oil Lamp" by An drew Wyeth is done in predom inantly gray tones, and shows an aging farm hand leaning back against a door, gazing into the low light of a blackened oil lamp. "Solid comfort," remarked one passerby. "There's Lum" and "Lookit the old Indian" came other comments. Truest remark overheard was, "More real than some!" An imaginative treatment of a man with an imaginative mind is Raymond Breinin's oil portrait, "Prof. Jean Piccard." Among the first to explore the stratosphere, Dr. Piccard is a 63-year-old, Swiss-born physicist and chemist. now professor of aeronautical en gineering at Minnesota university. A large canvas, it is in a class soxnioit UD k n s , ' . 1 V S - J 'X -. 1 f ' - ' X I i f i ; . , ' ' - ' ' " .. .. 4 . . . .. -.v w- ...... ; fV " v - y.v.:'-'' V, " ' -. r -i t . - - . ,r ,, i : iW. .. H. Courtesy Sunday Journal and Star CORBINO'S "SAPPHIRA distinctly above portraiture. Diminutive Sapphira." A refreshing contrast to these is Jon Coibino's "Sapphira" (see cut), a diminutive portrait of an unidentified, red-haired lady. Executed with a light-hearted hand, "Sapphira" gives an impres sion more of pastel chalks than of oil. A feeling of movement not found in portraits is seen in "Tri umph" by Joseph Hirsch, a trio of figures in combat, perhaps . Among Galley A portraits at Morill usual, factual brandishing picket placards, and in "The Backwash" by Sol Wilson, showing sea motion thru its solidarity and good design. An other interesting oil is Louis Bosa's "Quarry," populated with swimmers in various states of dress and undress. Not to be overlooked is Louis di Valentin's sombre "Annual Meeting." Whisps of blue flame like ghosts, resembling Ku Klux Klanncrs, circle near a dead tree on the brown grass of a deserted, lifeless house. Prom . . 7 (Continued from Page 1.). Doris Martens, Connie Parsons, Helen Plasters. Jackie Scott, Shir ley Schnittker and Arlis Swanson. Name of the coed elected will remain secret until she is pre sented Saturday night. Raymond Scott's orchestra will play for the dance in the coliseum from 8 p.m. until midnight. - 5 The THEATRE GUILD presnti LAURENCE OLIVIER .TV . . in William Shmktsttart! OENRY VI In Ttchninlor i REI.FA5ED THRU UNITED ARTIKTS 1WO SHOWS DAILY, 2.I0-(:M All JLm. k . NKKRASKA Beg. Thurs. Mar. 20 ErA",: "f5 Eve.: S1.SO-S2.4I T.w " """T Theatre for S Te.r. 1 soo 7 ! V"rt M
