7
i
?
1
!?
V;
''5
r.2
&
S!
' i-
ii
VI
1 is
f-.
li
)l
i
J
i
-.3
- v
i
,
f
il
ll
i.
. :
Yf
T
Page 2
THE NEBRASKAN
Friday, January 8, 1954
CI
EDITORIAL PAGE
Creative Writing Soviet Style
The latest smokescreen sent up from be
hind the Iron Curtain to confuse the outer
world comes from the field of Russian litera
ture. ,
An official Soviet publication that being
Excelsior!
Common sense Wednesday appeared ready
vto win its greatest victory in the Student
Council
Displaying a sensibleness which has not
been one of the more dominant characteristics
of this year's Council, senior members Bob
Peterson and Mac Bailey presented a partially
completed plan for redesignation of class
standings. The proposed system would apply
only to spring filings and elections.
At present the Council employs the Uni
versity's hour system to determine class eligi
bility for elections. As The Nebraskan has re
peatedly pointed out during: the last year, this
plan discriminates against students who regis
ter for 18 or more hours each semester.
Last spring Bailey suggested a system
whereby the class levels would depend upon
a percentage of the number of hours required
for graduation. Wednesday, however, he ex
plained that this plan would give an unfair
advantage to students who enroll for 12 hours
each semester and would still discriminate
against those carrying 18-hour loads.
"
And then the impossible came. Instead of
suggesting an even more elaborate plan,
Peterson and Bailey recommended to the
Council that class standing might be deter
mined on the basis of the number of semes
ters a student has been in school.
Shades of the Einstein theory! The entire
Council was dumbfounded. The plan ap
peared to be the answer.
Instead of a red tape mathematical prob
lem, a simple little matter of counting the
semesters a student has been in school! Why,
it was nearly as simple as counting the num
ber of years and saying a second-year man
was a sophomore and a third-year student a
junior. (
A few complications, of course, remain to
be worked out by Peterson and Bailey. The
most sizable one appears to be convincing the
office of registration and records that it
should add an additional number of the forms
the Council uses during elections.
If administrative red tape doesn't defeat
the plan, the Council may even find a way
to install the system without changing the
constitution a possibility that was denied
last year.
The Nebraskan congratulates Peterson and
Bailey for their clear thinking in solving what
had previously appeared a dilemma. When
the matter is formally presented to the Coun
cil next week, the new system should be ap
proved unanimously. K.R.
Bid For Power
Historical experience has made the man on
the street traditionally wary of a powerful
ruler. And, sound basis does exist for such
a trepidation.
However, with the growth of representative
government the trend of authoritarianism has
progressively declined. True, Hitler and oth
ers have been as. despotic as any medieval
tyrant, but in the middle ages a Hitler was
the rule, not the exception as today.
This attitude is reflected in the Bricker
Amendment which is likely to be debated in
Congress very soon. The amendment is de
signed to limit the President's treaty making
power by making Congress responsible for
treaties. One section reads: "Congress shall
have power to regluate all executive and
other agreements with any foreign power or
international., organization."
'
But, the Constitution, written with the en
lightened recognition that a division of power
amounting to checks and balances which
would prevent either the executive or the
legislature from dominating the other, reads
as follows: "He (the president) shall have
power by and with the advice and consent of
the Senate to make treaties, provided two
thirds of the Senators present concur; . .
Thus, the present Congress, should the
Bricker Amendment pass, will have expanded
its power at the expense of the President.
As It stands now, the President has the
power to arrive at agreements with foreign
nations. The Bricker Amendment would ne
gate this. So, In a period of world crisis, the
President could conceivably be hamstrung
while a balky Congress (not possessing the
first-hand knowledge of the chief executive)
debated and filibustered.
In several numbers of the Federalist, this
accumulation of power by one branch of the
governmtnt is discussed. In fact, emphasis is
given to the danger that Congress, not the
President, is the division of government most
to be feared should the checks and balances
be forsaken.
A re-reading of the Federalist is certainly
In order before a hasty Congress upsets the
balance provided by the authors of the 173
year -old Constitution. E.D.
the only type not liquidated recently pub
lished an article calling for greater freedom
for novelists and spoke out sharply against
political conformity for creative artists.
"Writers must be permitted to write what
they feel they must write. A writer is not a
mechanical apparatus," the writer, a Soviet
novelist named Ehrenburg, demanded.
He praised foreign writers who had pre
viously been heartily condemned by the gov
ernment. He even went so far as to include
Americans in his rash outburst.
Yet evidently Ehrenburg' has suffered no
dire consequences, so he could not have
sneaked the article into the official publica
tion. Have the Russians suddenly decided to
reverse their attitude or is this merely the
latest hoax to convince the outer world that
Russia is "a peace-loving nation?"
i If the writer is actually sincere and the
outspoken policy proves to be a permanent
one for Russian writers, Soviet authoritarian
ism is already on the way out. For authori
tarianism is the natural target for creative
writers, and the first thing they will do will
be to attack it.
But this change of policy is a little hard to
swallow. For the sort of government ruling
Russia to day dares permit no public protest.
The "truth" manufactured by Russian propa
gandists is hard enough to believe when evi
dence to the contrary is seen on every 6ide
and the concept of uncensored criticism from
writers is just a little too incongruous with
the rest of Soviet doctrine.
Ehrenburg has demanded relaxation of the
rules. But nobody makes demands of a dic
tator like Malenkov. This itself casts a
phoney light on the article.
The article was obviously written for for
eign consumption.
And we are supposed to believe every word
of it. But we only believe Ehrenburg made
his "demands" having been ordered to make
them. We believe it might be officially cor
rect for a creative writer to write as he
pleases only until the propaganda value has
been established.
We believe any writer who tries it might
be joining the silent ranks of Beria and
countless others. M.H.
Canoe Country
A Presidential committee recently recom
mended that the federal government "acquire
the remaining private lands within the Super
ior Roadless Areas" (wilderness canoe coun
try in Minnesota).
Cries of "Socialism!" from congressmen
favoring state and private ownership can al
most be heard in Lincoln. Men who voted
for the offshore oil bill and who now favor
presenting federal public lands to states may
object to the committee's recommendations.
The value of what the committee calls "the
wilderness character of (the) area" perhaps
is difficult for profit-minded men to realize.
But, as the committee points out, "with our
expanding population, the opportunities for
enjoying those qualities of solitude, remote
ness and removal from civilization inherent
in this wild lake country, are becoming in
creasingly rare."
According to the report, the Quetico-Super-ior
area, located on the Minnesota-Canada
border, is the "last island of midwestern
wilderness."
The problem facing the American public,
the report says, "is how to preserve this value
in the face of increasing commercial pres
sures." A second phase of that sameproblem is
how to prevent commercial interests from
hiding behind arguments for state and pri
vate ownership.
In the case of the Quetic-Superior area,
the committee concludes that only the federal
government can withstand the pressures de
manding that the lake area be converted Into
a money-making proposition.
If it takes federal ownership some call Jt
"socialism" to insure the continued exis
tence of untouched recreation areas, federal
ownership has become a necessity. K.R.
Margin Notes
The Cancer Controversy
From present indications, the American
reader may find that the number one contro
versy in 1954 will be whether clgaret smok
ing is linked with lung cancer.
Everyone and hir doctor seems to be In
vestigating the possible link and coming up
with different answers. The latest develop
ment, we note, is the nearly full-page adver
tisement announcing that cigaret manufac
turers are establishing a Tobacco Industry
Research Committee to Join in the quest for
an answer. v
Of course, if the various research reports
continue long enough, the scientists may ob
tain a cure for cancer before they determine
whether smoking has anything to do with
the disease.
LTTU MAN ON CAMPUS
by Dick UbUr
JJisl yi&bha&kan
FIFTY-THIRD TEAR
Member: Associated Colleriate Press
Advertising representative: National Advertising Service, Ine.
420 Madison Ave., New York 17, New York
W JfcBraakaa fts anblltaoo fry tha ftadmto af tha EDITORIAL HAfT
Mm m4 apUrtMM anly. AatwnUag ta Arttola II af Cm Maaaging &4Iter ,,. , fully Hull
DHUmti gawrolag atndoat pubttmtloM MS MhnlniitMviS J!"w ir!'.u rt ...T Wmwlwrnr
, . r f rM.mtUm.. ! U (h. pnf 'IJSSSL hSI
tumt. or on tfe Prt of any mMflhr of ttto enHy of ftEFOBTCM m"
'!r? VLJl fToLil" IX-rxi, Hllllftmttt notch, Dirk tWnmm, Jk Fraud Ma,
Mr w s priom Martin Um&t.n. Mlml Oor4on, Kmlly MrmpMIl, Hmm
lijfffrt(tto rU mr SI m txmmtw. S.M nailed. f jnon, rioronr Loo, Carol U, MILD Nauoa. Rlloa
" I""' aM'- "' W riokatt, Mara rorMi. IHrtlor Shaffor, Mary IMIoJy,
. rm Taoooay. Wnmday rrirfay J ana Spowor. I.nrlrr "wltr. Nanry Tr1trri. Lowrtl
'"" - wl yaa. "" n amlnaMoa Volal. Kirk WooawarS, Raiiot Knot,, Marrl MlekoUoa,
pvrtv. 0 " Bul.ll.ho taring tha month ol aH. Kornlo KooonaaM, Mary Ana Vm, Shirt? Roaenborg,
mat meek yaar bf M I nlvoralty of Mrhraaka nndor ttw rrra Kleka, janoy (armon.
c M-vtclMi Iba C'aawnlttoa Bf Stonont raollratlona. - StSIKKIM STArf
$.rrHI aoffond manor at tha rat Offlra la Rualnont Maaaaar Btaa) Slnola
(Ma. Mokraaka. nn-11 Art of Convnnw, Marrh I, Aaa'l Baatnwa Manaaan. . .Caa Mnror, Dorma Jaoohi
:'', r.t at aooFlal rl of MMlao provKloil for la dim Hafatatlar. tlrk tvootoott
Act CongroM af ri. S. aiilhnrlnoa rirrnlarlon Maaaar. ,. ...Kaa ayilHaawoa
on't. ! ,"ht K"t' Mrrl
I
I
REFEICE I PPR
"How's about getting somewhere's outta sight That's the
second prof that's looked in here and fainted."
The Challenge
US Policies In Europe
Questioned By British
By H. N. V. TEMPERLEY
Visiting Professor of Physics
(This is the sixteenth in a ser
ies of articles treating the prob
lems, issues and challenges of the
day by persons in varied fields
of endeavor. Today's "Chal
lenge" is written by H. N. V.
Temperley, a visiting professor
of physics from Cambridge Uni
versity in Britain. He discusses
British views toward foreign
policy.)
I am writing this without any
wish to offend or hurt anyone,
because I feel .that nothing but
good can come of bringing cer
tain issues between our two
countries squarely before some
of the informed people over here.
Basically, our interests are
identical, but our approaches to
certain problems are very differ
ent (it would be an unhealthy
sign if they were not). Any one
of these issues could be argued
at great length I shall give my
own opinions in as few words as
possible. I should explain that I
do not belong to either of the big
political parties, my position be
ing somewhere between the two.
I sincerely believe that any one
of the points that I am about to
make would be supported by a
large number of Englishmen, but
I have no means of knowing
what percentage . would support
allVf them, our public opinion
being at present such that polls
and similar devices are quite un
reliable. First and foremost, why all
this hesitation about Big Four
talks? If you think that the tra
ditional methods of diplomacy
are good enough, what are you
doing in the United Nations? If
Russia is really not prepared to
retreat from her present positions
at all, wouldn't it be better to
know this for certain as soon as
possible?
The memory of Yalta seems to
haunt everyone, but no one sup
poses that our people would now
go to a conference with the In
tention of "keeping the Russians
satisfied." And just what was
"given away" at Yalta that
wasn't lost anyway If the Rus
sians chose to take it?
The question whether this is
the correct timing for such a con
ference is a different matter al
together, which only the state
ment can settle, but at home we
feel extremely strongly that it
ought to take place, if not now, at
least fairly soon. And why try
to ask for an "earnest of good
behaviour" (i.e., some concess
ion) before the conference even
starts?
Secondly, it seems to me that
you are just a bit too ready to
accept the words of people whose
word is obviously not good. (We
made just this mistake in the
thirties.) I find it very difficult
to see how you can trust Franco
on a "long term" basis. Not only
did he break his military oath
(the most sacred promise that a
man is ever asked to make), but
he treated his own allies abso
lutely shockingly (at least Hitler
said so, and his verdict is prob
ably correct in this instance!
Not that we object so violently
to his government (and we can
do business with them on a short
term basis), but we feel that he
will "ditch" any "long-term"
arrangements just as soon as it
suits him. Again, you seem to
have accepted all too readily the
abject promises of Germany and
Japan to be good boys and never
do it again, in spite of the fact
that the "master-race" doctrine
has been drummed into them for
generations.
Already Germany is blustering
about the Oder-Niesse line. The
alteration of this will, no doubt,
be the "only territorial demand
she has to make in Europe!"
Germany told a sob-story last
time, resulting in her collecting
about as much in loans as she
did in reparations, and she seems
to be getting away with it again.
Making due allowances for the
confusion at the end of World
War II and the misunderstanding
of Russia's real intentions I find
certain actions very dif ficult to
understand.
a
a. We are still hearing about
the shocking deeds of the "minor"
war criminals (see Readers' Di
gest for November) and yet
many of them have been re
leased. Why?
b. .Handing back the boodle
to the Krupp family.
c. Allowing West Germany to
rebuild her industry to a point
at which she takes the bread out
of our mouths the nation that
accepted bread-rationing in
order to help her after the war!
We should not object to, and
could overcome fair competition,
but West Germany is able to
quote attractive delivery dates
as a result of having no rearma
ment burden. Not my idea of a
fair deal!
d. If West Germany has really
paid as much reparation as she
can, how was it that she made
a voluntary agreement with Is
real? Why do we not demand
more?
Unperson7 Beria r
George Orwell's Predictions
In 1984' Proving Accurate
(The following article is re
printed from The Lincoln Journal
of Thursday. This editorial Illus
trates another facet of "Creative
Writing Soviet Style.") .
Uncanny is the mildest terrn
that can be applied, the world is
again reminded, to the fearful
accuracy with which the late
peorge Orwell depicted the
'course of events in his book
"1984."
THIRTY YEARS In advance of.
that apocryphal date the case of
Beria proves him right again. In
relation to a high party official
(jhickkA .
By CHICK TAYLOR
Judge: What's your name?
Man: Smith.
Judge: Your occupation?
Smith: Locksmith.
Judge: Locksmith upl
Father:
what did you
learn in Sun
day school to
day. Anything
new?"
Young
hopeful:
"Sure, daddy.
I learned all
about the
croMpyed bear. His name was
"Gladly. We sang a song about
him, 'Gladly the cross I'd bear
OUOY-
CW
who had beea fulsomely lauded
by the dictator for years, only to
be purged, measures were or-
dered to eradicate the man's rec
ord and turn him from a person
Into an "unperson."
The fictional thought control ap
paratus found the solution by de
stroying the original encomium in
the official record and substitut
ing for it a similar heaping of
praise on an entirely non-existent
'Comrade Ogilvy," complete witn
faked photographs.
THE Soviet government hasn't
done quite so well, due to the un
happy accident that Vol. 5 of the
Great Soviet Encyclopedia, con
taining a highly laudatory biog
raphy of the late unlamented of
ficial, was printed in an edition of
300,0u0 copies, of which thousands
were distributed over the world.
With almost pathetio naivete,
the government Is sending all sub
scribers four substitute pages and
suggesting that they discard the
Beria biography and substitute
the new "B" pages, dealing with
the Bering Sea and with one
Frledrich Wiihelm Bergbols.
a
It can be assumed that this
process is mandatory within the
Soviet boundaries. Just how the
University of Paris, for instance,
or the British Museum is to be
persuaded to make this amend
ment isn't instantly clear.
Nor is the failure of Moscow to
understand that a very few such
instances will serve to vitiate all
their publications, even the most
scholarly, for the rest of the
world.
The Student Speaking
Stern Thoughts
By'ARNIE STERN
I want to start off by wishing
everybody a very happy 1954.
With the new year came many
resolutions. I, for one. didn't
make any resolutions this year;
instead I just tried to remember
all the resolutions I had made
and later broken in past years.
I'll proceed throughout this year
merely thinking of how much
easier it is to not make resolu
tions than to make them and
break them.
As you can see, I have re
turned to prose after my pre
vacation attempt at poetry. At
the end of this semester I prom
ise to return to the reader status
after a one-semester attempt at
journalism.
a
While this is not supposed to
be a sports column, I cannot re
strain myself from making some
mention of the current situation
in Nebraska's athletic picture. At
the present time there is but one
vacancy in the local coaching
union Athletic Director at the
Universitr of Nebraska.
Many names are being
rumored as hot prospects for this
job. I would like to propose to
the Board of Regents and to the
Athletic Board that they dissolve
precedent and hire a Student
Athletic Director.
I feel that this would be an
excellent start in rebuilding the
Nebraska Athletic program. Such
a plan would certainjy be more
economical, for a student would
surely not require an excessive
salary.
One also might consider that a
student, being on the same age
and social level with the athletes,
would be better able to under
stand their problems. If such a
plan were put in effect, the
Student Athletic Director should
be free to choose his own coach
ing staffs in all sports.
. a
Here, are some suggestions for
coaches in various sports (thanks
to a number of law students):
Football: Bob Waterfield and
Jane Russell. Basketball: Bevo
Francis. Golf: Ben Hogan. Base
ball: Casey Stengel or Charlie
Dressen. Tennis: Jack Kramer.
Swimming: Johnny Weismuller
or Esther Williams. Wrestling:
Gorgeous George. (No offense
intended to present coaches or to
any of the above-named per -a S
sons).
Seriously, however, I feel that
most Nebraska fans can be satis
fied very easily. Just give the
fans and students a happy ath
letic family and winning teams.
That's all it takes.
In case it isn't mentioned any.
where else in today's Nebraskan,
here is a clue to the band for the
Interfraternity Council Ball. The
bandleader's initials are T. P.,
and his name is Tony Pastor.
This will be the second bigr-name
band dance of the year. See you
there.
a a a
Tune in next week to see if
Juliet Jones still has a heart.
On The I '3 Sailors And A Girl'
A'sle Is Delightful Musical
Have v you ever thought just
what a sailor does with money
when he is given a thirty-day
shore leave in New York City.
It is an interesting thought, and
I am sure the last thought that
would occur to anyone is that the
sailor, in fact the whole crew,
would end up on Broadway, in
vesting all their back pay in a
Broadway show.
"Three Sailors and a Girl,"
now showing at the Varsity the
ater, is a delightful and thor
oughly satisfying musical com
edy, and a show well worth the
while of any movie goer this
weekend.
a
Jane Powell does an excellent
job displaying both her acting
ability and her beautiful voice.
Her scintilating personality and
charm do much to hold the movie )
together and make its atmosphere
a completely happy one. Cast as
Penny Weston, star of the Broad
way show, Miss Powell is given
many excellent opportunities to
show off both her dancing and
singing talents.
Gordon McRay, who in the
movie is known to all his sailor
buddies as "Choir Boy" plays
the part of a sailor who is trying
to be thoughtful enough not to
spend his back pay foolishly. How
he ends up investing his money
in a risky Broadway production
does much to add to the mixed-up
plot. His acting is fair, but hiis c .
rich baritone voice and gooq ;
looks carry him through. ' '
The movie opens with a quick
dance routine number inside of a
submarine, starring, of course.
Gene Nelson. He somehow man
ages to appear in every scene
(always near Jane); however,
Jane Powell and Gorden McRay
are the real stars. What dancing
he does is excellent, but I would
have liked to have seen a little
more of it.
a a a
The rest of the cast is good.
Moss, Harte, Ira Gershwin, and
George Abbott make small ap
pearances on the scene.
The plot is as fantastic as most
plots in musical comedies are.
and yet it has certain tip and
fast moving Quality that make
it an above average Hollywood
production.
If you want good entertainment
and a good laugh, I recommend
that you see Three Sailors and a
Girl, in technicolor. I think you
will enjoy it.-JANICE CARMAN.
Hollywood Headache
Self-Restraint Not Law-
Best For Movie Censorship
''"4 -
(The following editorial is re
printed from the St. Louis Post
Dispatch.)
Maybe some changes will be
made in the wording of the
Production Code of the Motion
Picture Association of America,
the code which was adopted in
1829 to keep the movies "clean."
Samuel Goldwyn and several
other powers in the industry say
that the time has come for re
vision and liberalization; and
their voices are not often ignored
in Hollywood.
a a
The changes, however, are not
likely to add up to much more
than the existing generalities.
These provide among other
things, that a picture shall not
"lower the moral standards of
those who see it," and that "cor
rect standards of life, subject
only to the requirements of
drama and entertainment, shall
be presented."
a " a
If anybody wants to argue,
almost any concievable human
situation might be defended as
a dramatic requirement. Authors
like Francois Maurlac can dip
their nets deep into the dregs
of life to illustrate the theme of
sin and redemption.
Graham Greene has given his
readers a much more Intimate
understanding of depravity than,
In our opinion, is within the
powers of a Micky Spillane. How
is a movie industry code to be
applied to such artists?
No man of good repute will
argue for licentiousness in a mo
tion picture or in any of the
arts. Yet he mav well av that
specific prohibitions against pro
fanity, crime aii sex in a film
are not automatic safeguards
against it. Beyond the ban
against obvious obscenity, no
legalistic set of rules is adequate
to this situation. The only useful
reliance is cultivated good taste.
a a .
There are shelves of moral
maxims ranging all the way
from the commands which Moses
brought down from the moun
tain to the rules of polite behav
ior enunciated by Emily Post.
Out of due consideration for
these come attitudes which
should be equal to the problem.
Yet these attitudes will vary in
sincere individuals. They may
vary so much that. In extreme
cases, one man's wit may be
another man's smut.
American courts never have
had much trouble with out
right pornography and filth.
They are on firm ground in
dealing with them. But what
Judge will venture into the gray
and misty area of varying stan
dards of taste? This is not an
area for law, but rather for self
restraint. And when opinions differ,'
there is always the right to leave
a book unread, or a play or a
movie unseen. We Americans all
may be sitting at the same table
of freedom, but each of us need
not taste every dish which is
served.
Student Council Questionnaire
Do you feel your Student Council is adequately handling-tht
problems in the following areas?
Yes No
1. All University elections such as COA, UMOC,
Nebraska Sweetheart, Prince Kosmet, etc.
2. University Parking facilities and systems of fin
ing. J. Promotion of unofficial migration. .
-4. Campus improvements such as the series of lec
tures on love and marriage, the addition of tha
traffic light on 16th Si R.
5. Complete representation of the entire student
body on the Council such as through organiza
tions and colleges.
. Do you feel your Student Council is reflecting
student opinion.
7. Do you believe campus honorary and professional
unjdnizauons snouia be allowed to function with
restrictive racial and religious clauses in their
constitutions.
Please attach any ideas that you feel the Council might take
action on. Completed questionnaires should be placed v th Stu
dent Council box outside the Union Crib. I
'
, . ' i! ' .:''