Page 2
THE NEBRASKAN
Wednesday, April 21, 1954
EDITORIAL PAGE
4 Afeiv View On An Old Question
Drinking by minors in the slate of Ne
braska, the city of Lincoln and the Univer
sity has been noted as a real problem by
law enforcement agencies of trie first two
areas and by administrative officials of the
third.
Many students tend to poo-poo the
"drinking problem." Drinking is considered,
by more than a few college students, to be
part of the student life. This attitude may
or may not be right. The question has
been belabored by students, parents, admin
istration, law enforcement agencies, and the
general public for many years with no con
clusive results. The Nebraskan des not
believe the question should receive further
discussion here.
The Nebraskan does feel, however, that
one fact concerning drinking by minors
should receive attention in its editorial col
umns. It is not an aim of The Nebraskan
t this time to urge a moral policy toward
drinking.
One fact that might have been lost in
the long- argumments concerning drinking by
minors is the position of the person that
tells the alcohol to the minor. This indi
vidual is in the "hot spot," literally in the
middle of the question.
The individual holding a liquor license
is caught between the minor who wants
alcohol on the one hand and the legal en
forcement agencies on the other. This is
the practical evil of the situation.
Minors who purchase alcoholic beverages
re not only breaking the law, they are par
tially guilty of theft. The "theft" is not
actually a violent or secretive action to re
move valuabe objects from the place in
which the alcohol is purchased--it is a more
subtle thing than that. The minor, who pre
sents false identification in order to make
the illegal purchase, puts the person who
sells to him in a position in which his liquor
Makes A Difference
A recent newspaper story announced that
the new Supreme Soviet (parliament) will
meet for the first time in the Kremlin Tues
day. More important, the announcement
continued to say that the group was elected
by single-ticket voting.
Single-ticket voting what a far cry from
what peoples of democracies such as ours
hold to be necessary and proper! For some
f us it even stretches the imagination a
little to imagine what such an election
would be like.
We can't picture not having two major
parties battling their way through pri
maries, conventions and November elections.
As we look over the political situation this
spring, we should consider ourselves lucky
that we have all the comotion caused by
competing groups.
It wouldn't be pleasant to have just one
man campaigning and spreading his party's
(the only party's) idealistic propaganda.
We Americans like a little argument if it
makes the difference between a democracy
and a dictatorship. G. H.
Staying After School
Hopes ran high throughout Nebraska
Tuesday as the Legislature reconvened in a
special tax session in a last attempt at a
solution for the very thorny tax situation.
Certainly, every University student, as
well as every resident of the 14th largest
State in the Union, should take Veen inter
est la the day-to-day proceedings. (Let us
hope that the estimators were right and the
session will not last ever 10 days.)
The way the 42 senators vote deciding
n the perennial sales tax and the new
Operation Honesty will affect everyone and
more than likely have repercussions that
will be heard throughout the 93 Cornhusker
counties for many years.
Amidst the perplexities and grandiose
schemes regarding the tax situation, there
seems to be a lighter side hidden in the
politics and economics of the issue.
As closely as onean figure, the "extra
session" should bring smiles to every for
mer grade-schooler now masquerading as
dult.
The Governor, somewhat distraught, is
definitely worried about his tax plan and
with an eye to the future his own has
kept some 42 men, and one woman, for an
after-school session.
If the Governor is to play his part,
which he should. It might not be a bad idea
have each senator write out on a piece
rf paper "I will be honest with myself,
with my constituents and with my State
during this session."
Modem educators seem to doubt the value
t this exercise for small boys (but there
the failure usually is one of not memorizing
a spelling lesson well enough; this seems to
be just a bit more serious).
As far as this reporter can see, a pledge
of this type might remind the legislators
that their job, although brim-fu!J of com
plications, must be attacked and mastered
with the same type of energy that each of
thera advises for his own little boy in
tackling his school work. D. F.
license may be revoked by the State Liquor
Commission.
The license is essential to anyone, for
without it, he cannot legally be open for
business.
In short, the minor though he make only
a 25-cent purchase has jeopardized a tavern
owner, a package store or other liquor
license holder to such an extent that he
might lose his license and hence his liveli
hood. The State Liquor Commission has issued
bulletins telling persons selling alcoholic
beverages to require definite identification
in cases where there is any question as to
the purchaser's age. Commission chairman,
Tal Coonrad, told The Nebraskan that the
license holder may lose his right to sell
alcohol if he is noted to be the person mak
ing the sale to a minor, whether or not
false identification was presented. Coon
rad noted, however, that the Commission
took into consideration the facts of the in
dividual case and seldom punished the
license holder, when he had made an honest,
complete effort to make a check of the
questionable person's identification.
The fact remains, however, that minors
place license holders in an unfair position
when they present false identification in
order to buv alcohol.
Also minors who borrow identification
from persons who are 21 in order to make
purchases take an advantage of the friend.
If caught, the person who loaned the I.D.
could be in serious trouble.
It is not The Nebraskan's intention to
carry the banner of "moral wrong," for
drinking. It is The Nebraskan's purpose to
show the minor what his illegal action can
cost others who are guilty of no crime, save
being deceived.
Certainly, University students are not so
attached to alcohol that they would ask
anyone to put a business investment "on
the line" so they can make an illegal pur
chase. T. ,
Margin Notes
Frog Derby
Horse racing has always been a popular
sport, and in recent years midget auto races
have reached a new high. But there is yet
another animal contest, which although
little known, has a few enthusiastic sup
porters. Immortalized by Mark Twain, the thrill
ing contest is the frog jumping contest.
Contestants are already training for the an
nual international competition in California
this year.
So far, the favorite is Leaping Lena, a
South African frog who has reportedly set
the world record 32 feet, three inches.
Must be pretty good odds on that one.
Easy Money
The Nebraskan is fond of saying, "Now,
back in the Roaring Twenties it was like
this, but NOW . . ." Goldfish swallowing is
pointed to with horror and this paper insists
upon the fact that college students have
grown up. A recent item caused us to won
der. A student at Dartmouth picked up $30
on a bet there by slipping a goldfish or two
into his highball glass and gulping them
down. Oh, well, anything can and usually
does happen in the spring.
Do Nothing Dimes
Talk about getting nothing for your
money many of the citizens have been hav
ing actually that experience.
The city treasurer' of Salem, Mass, has
reported that 1 per cent of parking meter
receipts in that community represents dimes
which tumble into the coin boxes without
giving motorists any parking time.
The meters are designed to register only
for pennies and nickels.
A Deep Worry
Worry, worry.
The modern world is sure a mess. As
if hydrogen bombs weren't enough to give
anyone a headache, now the geologists have
to threaten us with another possible dis
aster. It seems there is a hidden volcano 2,500
feet below the Mississippi River delta.
But it cooled off 69 million years ago
they think.
Coo Class
What will they think of next?
Five Italians paid approximately $700
each for space in the refrigeration room of
a liner to Australia. The system was that
the recipient of the money, a member of
the ship's crew, was to smuggle them aboard
and fix the tempersture of the refrigerator
so that they wouldn't freeze.
JIul TMaoalcuu
FTFTY-THIRD TEAS
Member: Associated Collegiate Press
Advertising representative: National Advertising Service, la.
429 Madison Ave, New York 17, New Vork
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RK PORTERS
Bweriy Deep, Harrlrt Rurrc Larlrraoa flwltnr, Jark
Pranaun, illlamrittc hiwh, Barbara Kirk, Marola
Mlrkrlum, Rum Jmwn, Barbara Clark, firanny Warrra,
Harold KimfIIim. Ruth klrtnort. Kurtnn Mann. Lnwrll
Vrwtal, Ralph Mrkxl. Krura Mlntrer, John Trrrlll, Kill
Rail. Hcrmaa Andrrana, Cark Glbnt, Rrura SrufBiann,
Sandra tjurraa.
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N It lu .Ncm Editor Janer Carmaa
LITTLE MAN ON CAMPUS
by Dick'iibitr The Student Forum
A ' 1
"If ya ask me, all that test will ever measure is FRUSTRATION."
The Challenge
Workman Tells Of Future
ROTC Commission Policy
By COL. J. H. WORKMAN
ft'ol. Wortiffiaa has smtd a rh Prof.
nr of MilHarr rVtrac and Tarrtrt at th
l"aivslrs for ffar yrark. Hi prctoas dwty
atatloa a Hh lh trainint command
of tot Illtnoh Nahoaal toward. Workman,
a rradtHM of n rmnt. will rmr
from rot Army after th completion of
his toot aorr at the I nhwity thh arl.
There has been some publicity
and comment about the new pol
licy of the Defense Department in
the matter of commissioning
ROTC graduates. I am happy to
have this opportunity to clarify
the problem insofar as it affects
the Army ROTC graduate.
The situation as it now stands
for 1954 graduates is good. All
graduates this year who are reco
mended by the PMST will be
commissioned, and will be ord
ered to active duty by June 30,
1955. However, mere completion
of the course does not guarantee
a commission. Instructions are to
withhold commissions in each
case where desired standards are
added requires that the commis
sion of an officer on active-duty,
who fails the branch basic of
ficers' course, will be revoked
and that the officer will be re
lieved from active duty and re
ported to his draft board.
The situation as to commission
inc for the class of 1955 and there
after is less favorable. ROTC stu
dents of these classes are in
formed before entering the ad
vanced coarse that all graduates
cannot be promised immediate
commissions. The needs of the
army for officers on active duty
and the status of the Selective
Sen ice Act at the time of grad
uation will govern.
Those who cannot immediately
become officers will receive Certi
ficates of Capacity which will
Qualify them to apply for com
mission upon completion of their
active duty as enlisted men. It
is presumed that this group will
receive some preferential treat
ment in service, although nothing
of that nature has been directly
promised as yet. So much for the
situation as it now exists.
a
The reasons why this problem
has come up are not hard to
f.nd: first, the end of the fighting
in Korea and second, the reduc
tion in military forces in the in
terests of economy. If the Armv
accepted the some 15,000 ROTC
graduates from ROTC as 2d Lien
tenants annually, due to man
power ceilings, it would mean
forcing out thousands of capable
and useful officers each year, in
exchange for green officers whose
usefulness, initially, is limited.
This is neither fair to the officer
on active duty nor good for the
Army.
A compromise has been effected
which allows this year's class
to be absorbed. By liberal release
policies, and some arbitrary re
duction has been utilized to make
the necessary vacancies. There is
no fat left to be used for next
year's class, so only normal at
trition vacancies will exist.
The question is asked then, why
not commission the graduate and
simply not call him to service.
This is not possible under the
selective service laws, nor is it
fair either te those who have
served.
This, then, is the problem and
the solution. The solution is not
what we should like, but no bet
ter one seems available. There
will be a substantial number of
commissions issued each year for
the best qualified cadets. Other
ROTC graduates can be commis
sioned after active duty and serve
their six years reserve time as
officers. They get an excellent
military background, an oppor
tunity to complete their college
course and an advantageous posi
tion upon induction. In my opin
ion, the Advanced ROTC 'Course
still provides the best opportun
ities for the qualified student.
Copped Copy
Coed Chemical Makeup;
Ways To Flunk Descibed
By BRUCE BRUGMANN
The McCollege college student
paper gives an "analysis of the
creature known as woman as
seen through the eyes of the
chemist."
Symbol: Woo.
Accepted Atomic "Weight: One
hundred and plenty.
Physical properties: Boils at
nothing and freezes at any min
ute. Melts when properly treated.
Occurrence: Found where ever
mill exists.
Chemical properties: Posws
great affinity for gold, ilver,
platinum and precious stones.
Violent reaction if left alone,
able to absorb great amounts of
food matter. Turns green when
placed beside a better looking
speeimen.
Uses: Highly ornamental. Use
ful as a tonic in acceleration of
low spirits and as equalizer of
the distribution of wealth. Is
probably the most effective income-reducing
agent known.
Caution: Highly explosive in
inexperienced hands.
Following are 35 easy ways in
which to fail a course, as written
by Jack Seward for the Oregon
State Daily Barometer:
1. Enter the course as la'e fes
possible. By changing your mind
ibout the curriculum after school
starts, you should be able t o
avoid classes until the second or
third week.
2. Do not bother with a text
book. 3. Put your social life ahead of
everything else. If necessary, cul
tivate a few friendships in the
class. Interesting conversation
should be able to drown out the
noise of the lecture.
4. Observe how seedy most
professors look and treat them
accordingly.
5. Make yourself comfortable
when you study. If possible,
draw up an easy chair by a
window.
C. Have a few friend handy
during the study period so you
can chat when the work becomes
dull.
7. If you must study, try t o
lump it all together and get it
over with. The most suitable
time would be the last week of
school.
8. Keep your study table in
teresting. Place photographs,
magazines, goldfish bowls, gtmes
and other recreational devices
all around you while studying.
9. Us? Menemonic device? on
everything you learn. Since they
are easy to forget, this approach
prevents your mind from getting
cluttered up with stale facts.
Letterip
Student Letter Cites Bible Passage;
Attacks Pepper View Toward Religion
Dear Editor:
F. Jay Pepper's latest idea of
a debate suggests there is some
thing he should read. I Corin
thians 2:20-21) "Where is the wise
man? Where is the scribe?. Where
is the debator of this age? Has
God not made foolish the wisdom
of the world? For since, in the
wisdom of God, the world did
not know God through wisdom,
it pleased God through the folly
of what we preach to save those
who believe.
Of course, one of his vast know
ledge has probably already read
this, but just in case he missed
it, I thought I'd mention it.
Mr, Pepper has a babit of eon
fusing truth with logic. Many true
things are not logical, and many
logical things are not true. It is
apparently true that light has
the same velocity with respect to
two bodies at diferent velocities,
but this is hardly logical. It Is
logical that heavier weights
should fall faster than lighter
weights, although untrue.
Knowledge is all right as long
as you don't take it too seriously.
Apparently Mr. Pepper has been
carried away by it, although per
haps not far enough.
JAMES G. ELLINGSON
Where he We?
By BERT BISHOP
With customary stench and fire, '
The Big Probe is coming out in
full glory again. The latest man
to fall victim to it is the man
most individually helpful in de
veloping America's great terror,
the atomic bomb. Dr. Oppen
heimer is not quite flabbergasted
at its nonsense. He wants to see
it function itself once more into
absurdity.
At question is the amount of
damage done to a person's loy
alty by "Communist associations'
in the 1930's. Also to be deter
mined is whether there was any
delay in the development of our
newest weapon because of Com
munist sympathies in the scientist
and technicians whose job it was
to build "our bomb."
As usual, the weakness of an
"investigation," in all its gaudy,
demonstrative ambiguity, is pres
ent. Admiral Strauss doesn't like
Dr. Oppenheimer. David Teeple,
Strauss' assistant, is quite fond
of Joseph McCarthy.
The inevitable result is that Mc
Carthy has grabbed another frothy
mouthful of free publicity, and
the burden is now upon Oppen
heimer to demonstrate his own
good faith the man who helped
give this country what was its
greatest weapon.
The issues are absurd. Dr. Op
penheimer admits that he joined
the fashionable circle of depres
sion intellectuals who, for lack
of something more meaty, dis
cussed Marx. He knows, as does
everyone else, including, probably
both Strauss and McCarthy, that
what happened in those circles
was as harmful and violent as
what happened at last week's
meeting of the Thursday Ken
sington. It Is as imprudent in retrospect
as American aid to the Soviet in
the days of Stalingrad, but no ona
knew these things then. Now, how.
ever, someone is shouting "Com.
munist" at Dr. Oppenheimer for
his actions, in the same kind of
ignorance which is behind tha
charges that "the Roosevelt
gang" was Communistic because
it aided an ally in fighting a
common enemy.
As to delaying the development
of the hydrogen bomb, who is to
say? Certainly not any group of
congressmen or military men,
who know relatively nothing about
what a hydrogen bomb is, let
lone how or with what speed it
might be developed. They can
learn only what is revealed to
them through the generous help
of Dr. Oppenheimer's fellow sci
entists, who are as outraged
about the whole idea as is tha
in in himself.
What will result is a clamorous
and publicity-decorated laboring
of the obvious, the result of which
will be a quiet, obscure announce
ment that Dr. Oppenheimer is,
after all, a loyal American. Mean
while, much political and per.
sonal satisfaction will have been
gained from the carnival, de
pending upon the motives of those
who first raised the stink.
Those who watch, wonder how
long the Great Investigator can
drink at other people's wakes be
fore he furnishes an excuse for
one of his own. Considering the
increasing rate of abortive at
tempts, it shouldn't be long, now.
The fool who tries to play Ham
let does nothing out burlesque
his lines, until he is laughed
right off the stage.
From Iowa State
Fear And Smear
In this day and age of charges
and counter charges on Capitol
Hill, Bcrtrand Russell has some
warnings concerning "The Cor
roding Effects of Suspicion" in a
recent New York Times Maga
zine. The historical examples he
cites to show that history shakes
its head at unreasoned fear,
dovetail startingly with the taint
of suspicion McCarthyism is
smearing in the United States
today.
a
Russell moves back in time to
the lth Century 'Popish Plot"'
in England, the Dreyfus Affair
and the Reign of Terror in
France and Hitler's purges be
fore and during the Second
World War in Germany.
He demonstrates that, in each
ease, fear which had been gen
erated by an outer threat was
converted by unprincipled and
brutally ambitious men into am
munition for their own guns.
"The technique, Russell says of
suspicion, "though used obsten
sibly to combat the external
danger, is almost always used,
in fact, to give ascendancy to
some group in the internal poli
tics of the country concerned
. . . Hitler's rise of power would
not have been possible except in
a nation insanely dominated by
suspicion."
a
Today we Americans find our
selves in almost the same pre
dicament. The English feared the
exterior forces of the Catholic
Church, the French feared the
Germans, and the Germans in
turn feared the French.
Too many Americans are dom
inated by a fear of Soviet Totali
tarianism, an outside distrust
which is responsible for suspi
cious of everyone who is not a
strict conformist.
a a
This suspicion is being capi
talized upon by a group of fear
specialists who have already
shown they do not respect what
they are defending.
Russell shows how these ,-de-
fenders are working to establish
one's self in public opinion as a
more vigorous and more search
ing than anybody else in un
earthing secret treachery or sym
pathy with treachery . . . When
by such methods the inquisitors
have caused themselves to be
universally feared, they can pro
ceed to stronger measures lead
ing step by step to imprison
ment or execution by adminis
trative order."
The British writer pictures
"'the intolerable society" which
suspicion ultimately creates. In
this straitjacket of intolerance,
minds are so dulled and rusted
that not only do they fail t
protect against gradual removal
of internal security but are soori
blinded to real dangers without.
It's hiph time we Americans
began to look about and see who
is. and who is not, in the Trojan
Horse.
University
Bulletin Board
. WEDNESDAY
Orchesis and Pre-Orcheis
candidates practice session, 7 p.
m. Grant Memorial Hall.
Music Departmental Recital, 4
p.m. Social Sciences Auditorium.
Dr. S. E. Ackert, seminar.
"Factors in Resistance to Para
sitism with Special Reference te
Age and Nutrition," 4 p.m..
Room 201 Bessey Hall.
Pi Lambda Theta, 7 p.m., Un
ion Room 315.
Dr. George Sarton, lecture,
''Ptolemy (Second century A.
D.)", 8 p.m. Love Library Audi
torium, THURSDAY
Bis Ad "Gripe Session," 11 a.
m. Room 208A, Social Sciences.
Young Republicans, 7:30 p.m,
Ferguson Hall Auditorium.
Chamber Music Concert. 8 p.
m. Union Ballroom.
Coeds "Rush" College Men
in Arrow While Shirts
Smarter Stales, Smoother "Lines"'
Attract Cals
. v..
I v
"A
I '
I I
A guy in an Arrow shirt here . . . and everywhere
a pretty coed a typical scene on our college cam
pus and from coast to coast. When asked why they
go for men wearing Arrows, the gals agreed that
Arrow shirts do more for a man's appearance.
ARROW
TtADt t
SHIRTS TltS UNDrtWtAt HANDKERCHIEFS I0T$WIAI