The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current, April 27, 1954, Page Page 2, Image 2
Page 2 THE NEBRASKAN Tuesday, April 27, 1954 EDITORIAL PAGE Sincerity . . . The Necessary Element Witnessed over the weekend was an ovent which would be well taken by Uni versity students, especially AUF members. Oyer KMTV Sunday from 2 a.m. to 2 8p.m. viewers in the Omaha TV area saw television stars, telephone operators, stage The Battle Ground The battle of Dien Bien Phu which has filled long columns of newspaper space for several days has been called, "an agony of conflict a testing ground between dictator ship and freedom," by President Eisenhower. This statement was made in an address by the President in an informal speech at Transylvania College in Kentucky. crews, orchestra members and civic work ers participate in an all-out soliciting cam paign for the Cerebral Palsy Association. Presented on the stage of the Paramount Theater in Omaha, these people literally knocked themselves out for subscriptions that would help children crippled by cere bral palsy. Omaha citizens and those from the Omaha area telephoned or brought in money and pledges which finally exceeded $100,000. Many of the pledges were pre sented by cerebral palsy victims themselves. The manpower and showmanship was entirely voluntary and the sincerity with which these people threw themselves into the canvassing was Inspiring. They knew they were helping in a great cause and because of this their pleas some- The President's general remarks about "use ana because oi tm. v.,- i rAnt. nartinnlnrlv mes TOOK on an almost ueapeiaw hoib., those about the surrounded French forces at Hien Bien Phu seem to be a summation of the feeling of many Americans. Almost all the persons who read and listen to accounts of the battle feel the desperateness of the struggle. Should the French stronghold fall, the Communists will have an even more ad vantageous vantage point at the Geneva conference, not to mention the effect the defeat will have on the already hard pressed French public. However, on a more practical plane, the President might have picked a better ex ample of the battle between "dictatorship and freedom." More than a few persons who have fol lowed the news about the attacks on Dien Bien Phu have wondered how the fortress has managed to hold out as long as it has. They have also wondered at the statements about the battle which carry the tone of "If the fortress falls"; to them, the question would be more logical if it were prefaced, "when it falls." The defense of the French bastion has been heroic, gallant, wonderful, but seem ingly hopeless. The only thing that kept the fortress from being taken long ago was the fact that the French were able to para chute in supplies and men and able to evacuate the wounded by 'copter flights. Now, however, the parachuting missions have become even more hectic with the addition of several new Chinese anti-aircraft batteries equipped with radar track ing devices. The helicopter flights were made impossible some time ago when Com munist forces knocked out the remaining air-strips around Dien Bien Phu that were open to the French. The Communists with 40,000 men around the fort are sure of victory, and their boasts of triumph may soon be based on facts rather than empty air not a pretty end for the "battle between dictatorship and free dom."!. W. Regulations In Order The American public has been given a first-hand picture of what is happening within their government by the TV "eye" which has focused glaringly on the Senate Committee investigation into the Army McCarthy battle. One of the interesting sidelights to this over-sized production has been the contro versy over the acceptability of transcripts made of telephone conversations by persons connected with the present squabble. Many persons on the anti-McCarthy side have been strongly in favor of admitting the evidence, hoping the "investigator prober" will be forced to explain even more bout his actions. Pro-McCarthy persons have maintained that the view that these transcriptions were made without his (Mc Carthy's) knowledge, and should not be used 1b the le .rings. Even those persons who feava tried to remain aloof and "im partial" (no easy task in this case) have noted s danger In using transcripts of tele phone calls. The Nebraskan feels that the explana tion that the Senator did not know the transcripts were being made is not valid. If the complaints were to be written into rules governing use of telephone conversa tions as evidence in a hearing of the type being held in Washington today, the Ameri- Li: . 1 J i : can yuuuc wouw never D quite sure iney CI. f a were hearing the real thing or a polished, tmt3arras$ing Situation No activity points were involved. Their time and expense was their own. They did not have to walk a few blocks to solicit a few dollars from a set list of names. They talked, sang, danced, played and worded for twelve straight hours without stopping. There were no shifts. If soliciting is to be done for such or ganizations as cerebral palsy and cancer, the way to the contributor's heart is sin cerity. A little sincerity can open the pocketbook far wider than a couple giggles and a cold stare. Perhaps one needs to be a television star to show sincerity but this is doubtful. At any rate the old familiar gripe on cam pus when AUF drive time comes around could be soft-pedaled if a few solicitors would really believe In what they are sup porting. It's not AUF you're supporting, it's cancer, and cerebral palsy, the deaf and blind, polio victims, orphanages, and hos pitals. If every student on this campus felt sin cerely that money is needed for these or ganizations for life itself, the AUF drive would be a huge success. J. H. The Deadly Season As any fool can plainly see, things in general have changed at the University. On a normal weekend afternoon, to wit, last Saturday, one needn't look far to find a ready and captive group of willing stu dents for a picnic (or so they are called, for somewhat obscure reasons). One could only hazard a guess as to why the picnics are so popular year in and year out. On any afternoon providing, of course, the sun is out any inquiring male can find a few hours pleasant entertainment waiting on the roof of some unsuspecting, innocent, yet very, very hopeful "house." On Monday morning, more than likely each professor wondered what he said that made, his attentive (?) students appear so red in complexion and coloring. The only reasonable explanation, that we can find, was uncovered by noting the quick rise in market quotations on golf courses, tennis courts, beaches, parks, lawn mowers, screens and automobiles providing they were con vertibles. The ROTC boys have again taken to the field, toting 9.5's around in seemingly suf focating winter uniforms, each Wednesday afternoon. Therefore, as any fool can plainly see, SPRING IS HERE. fBut lest we forget, the ultimate of spring as not been overlooked Finals. As everyone, fool or not, will soon real ize, there is an imposing list of exams on on page 4. It seems a pity to have to interrupt such pleasant spring activities to remind the stu dent body of those unhumane braintwisters of knowledge, supposedly assimilated long ago. But the issue cannot be overlooked. Finals, by decree from on high, are a part of normal spring activities. D. F. Margin Notes smoothed over, publication-type tion." "conversa- The Nebraskan does feel, however, that evidence gained from transcripts of tele phone calls is often of limited value in find ing the truth of a matter. The Nebraskan also feels that transcripts of telephone con versations could be useful in manipulating the facts, especially when the transcript ad mittedly has some holes in it missing a few words. The evils of using statements taken out of context and consequently shaped to mean something completely different from what was intended are well-known. Unless definite rules and regulations governing the use of telephone "tape" and transcription evidence are made and en forced, the procedure will develop in little more than a wy in which to manipulate 1teU to suit the purposes of the person who presents the "facte." T. W. Nowadays it seems that you even lose for tryin', or at least it seemed that way to two Philadelphia patrolmen. While booking six prisoners, "somebody bad stole their car." Ninety minutes later, the two very em barrassed patrolmen, on foot, stumbled across the missing car seven or eight blocks from the station house. Stop Tha Muiicf Some people certainly get "darn right nasty" about having their own way. Recently, a Bellingham, Wash., man com plained to police that he was playing a jukebox in a tavern when a stranger walked up to him, objected to a particular number and waved an automatic pistol to stress his point. However, the complaining man said that he. didn't play that number any more, so apparently the man got his own way. J Jul VlriJiaAkcuv CnfrH rf Nebraska aa aa mxWMiim mt FIFTT-TiURD TEAS Member; Associated Collegiate frees Advertising representative: National Advertising Service, Inc. 420 Madison Ate New York 17. New York rnrroRiAA srarr Sally Rati Im WaoaVard imm Mam -frw Mlta. . N.b Cap fcdltara Jauwy Carina. tHtk krtmm, Kajlaoaa Maaaaa, Unrn Harr C4llir. Man ftm ane Carter..... .(Hut rraaaara (UtrOXTEM Swart ttaefw. Stem Raafg, Laelgraaa Swttiar, Jack fraadien, M Ullaenetta Pwk, tvarbara ' Klcaa. Marela MlriulMii, Hum Jentrn, Barbara Clark, Gnf Warren, ilanrtd UeHlae. Kulk KJaiant, Butitm Mwn, Low. I! VMlal, Ralph KtckaL Brara Mint, ha TerrM, Kill Rail, Hrrmaa Aaderwm, Carti Olbka, Kraca Bragmaaa. aadra Carraa. BUSINESS ST A ft HulncM Manage Staa SIppM Aat't BlnM Maaagere. ....Chat Stage, Daraa Saaoba, Maatt (;hUa f'lreotatlna Managef ...................... Uou Inrww Mlfbt fews E4IUNT .Jaa? Caraaaa w-nrnnm ananr ne MruMMtlm akall ST ? trvm iaJ rii aa tfea aart af Urn frf. m aa Mm part at ai avmttar of tka faeaH at fcaferaaaaa an. pemaally rcapoadfclt far aaM UMf at aa at asaaa to H prtotoa." NmipMaa Mm aia SS a amnwotar, ix.m aattKa, M 4 Im tM aolHwra araw, S4 availed. Start mo. la . awta. raktekaa aa Taaaaay, Waaaaaear aai rrtAu artu tk acaaot raw, mmi raaatlna anS atarbtaOaa portMa. Oat taaaa paMlolwa oartaf la awaia H aactt tmt ay tiw InlvrrtSt H Nchraaka auAar tar uparvMwa at Wx CuoimlHoo at St4al rakilratlaaa. t.nmv4 a mb4 auu nuMrt at ta Vnmi Kflea la Itecxta, craaw, asorr Art of Coaraaa, Harcfc S. .rt. a at aiMMitaJ rata af aaalata prwvtduS far la af Caaaraas a wet. S. Mil, aalaartaaS PU I, J.'-., The Student Forum "Ed and I have been drafted Professor Snort - we'll have to drop your course." JUahaW jalVWH So It look. Ilka Copped Copy Dance Floor 'Etiquette 'Silent Week' Explained By BRUCE BRUGMANN The Purple and Gold of Col lege View gives a few tips if you should happen to fall down on the dance floor during a fast number. 1. Just lie there they'll think you've fainted. 2. Start singing they'll think you're part of the act. 3. Start mopping the floor with your handkerchief they'll think you work there. a At Mississippi University a stu dent made a $17 bet that he could go for a week without ssying a word except in class. He bought a couple hundred note cards on which he scribbled notes to his friends during the interim of sil ence. His dating didn't even slow down. He would give a friend a number he wanted called and Jot down what he had to say. Then he would take the girl out, keep ing his end of the conversation with a quick pencil and a packet of cards. He won the $17, but practically "paralyzed his right band with cramps." a Ibn Hosed, Ag. Fr., imaginary hero of Don Funk's Ballyroot col umn in the Iowa State Daily, has been having trouble lately. Ibn says that for the past two quar ters he has received the same grade in Chem. 101, and that he may get another F this quarter. Shrewd observers think that Ibn's trouble might possibly lie in his crib notes which are writ ten in Greek and were used by his grandfather in the old coun try. Ibn, however, is rather com placent about the whole thing and says that In taking so much chem he "has a chance to get his initials carved on all the desks in the Annex, know how many pairs of socks my instruc tor has, and how often the win dows are cleaned in that build ing. Ibn is really quite a campus figure and is working to increase co-educational relations, to or ganize and publicize riots, and to get more people out on the golf course during the warm aft ernoons. Since pantie raids have been outdated, Young Hosed's ac tivities have been somewhat con fined, but he remains confident. "We'll think of something," he says. From The Cornell Daily Sun Another Freedom From Conformity We are approaching the end of a four-year association with the University and with this news paper. A little more schooled in the ways of the world, perhaps capable of expressing ourselves in terms a little bit more cogent than when we first set foot on campus we sit down to analyze the undergraduate experience now being completed. a a a Academic life, activities and social life are Integral parts of the educational process the last two supplementary and sub ordinate to the first. Each of these parts has problems of its own, but today we would Jike to devote our attention to a prob lem which faces the educational process as a whole, a problem which is greater than those which beset its components. One year ago, when we first assumed responsibility for the material appearing in this space, we wrote: "We recognize that the major purpose of the University is to provide a place where the scholar can pursue the truth unhampered by any disturbing Influence . . . We stand opposed to any entity that would obstruct this process." These words sre still signifi cant today, as we not the singu lar, drab-hued shroud of con formity that Is beginning to cloak the American campus. It is con formity that we mske light of when we notice such superficial items as the clothes we wear the white bucks, the grey flan nels, the button-down collars. It becomes harder to shrug this off, however, when the com munity begins to conform in the realm of ideas. That is what is happening; knowingly or not, stu dents are adopting the social practice of corrupting the defini tion of certain words until a Com munist has become almost any thing under the sun, an .athlete has become one who never "cracks a book," a scholsr has become one buried deep in the stacks of the main library and the campus patrolmen are con cerned only with finding out and ticketing student parkers. a a a Needless to say, such absolute Ism, such conformity is not in keeping with the spirit of educa tion. The student with precon ceived ideas, the student with a closed mind is, as the expression goes "wasting his time at Cor nell." Not only this, he is failing to perform his obligation to society a society that thrives on dis sent, on a variety of ideas which provide the intellectual and ma terialistic progress on which civU lizttlon is based. At times we appear very brave we flock to Olin M to hear aca demic freedom defended or the Republican foreign policy excor ciated. We openly discuss the problem of Communist teachers, Congressional Investigation, and loyalty oaths; we confront each other with the latest stories of right-wing abberstions ("did you hear snout Robin Hood being banned") but all this is done in the sanctuary of Cornell. ' When the sanctuary is left be hind, will we remain so "brave?" Have we really learned that the unguarded comment is often the most fruitful, that by invoking antitheses to exaggerated posi tions we can often advance know ledge by exaggerating their oppo sites, that caution is often as dangerous as recklessness in the educational process? At Cornell, we have had an op portunity for non-conformism many of us have taken advantage of it at one time or another, many of us have not. It is easy for the non-conformist to be a "con troversialist" at Cornell in Ideas as well as in clothes it is easy to drop comments without fear of their consequences, it is easy to overthrow stifling caution. Un fortunately the number of those taking advantage of this oppor tunity is steadily decreasing. a a But Cornell should not be merely the locale for non-conformity. It should not merely "provide an opportunity" for those willing to test their ideas before they have been certified and approved; it should provide us with the intellectual vigor and honesty to overcome conformism wherever it is met. A Second Glance By PAUL LAASE What does it take to be elected President of the United States, besides luck? First, you get nom inated by one of the major par ties, then you have an election, and the man with the most votes wins isn't that it? That, very briefly, is the usual way we elect our officials. But not so with the President of the United States. He is selected in a spe cial manner, employed only once every four years in the election of the President and the Vice President. a a a Although Grover Cleveland re ceived 100,000 more votes than Benjamin Harrison in 1888, he was not elected President. In 1876 Rutherford B. Hayes was elected President over Samuel J. Tilden despite running 250,000 votes behind. Had less than 4, 000 voters in California shifted from the Democratic to the Re publican ticket in 1916, Mr. Wil son would never have enjoyed a second term, in spite of a 600,. 000 vote lead over the Republi can candidate. And If a total of 2,00 voters in Calfornla, Ohio and Indiana had shifted sides in 1948, Mr. Dewey would have been the first Republican President in 16 years, although he would have received two million less votes than Mr. Truman. This phenomena is possible only because of a venerable in stitution known as the Electoral College. The election of a Presi dent is conducted on ' a state basis. Each state has as many electoral votes as it has Sena tors and Representatives in Con gress. Nebraska thus has six electoral votes in the Electoral College. The presidential candi. date receiving the most votes .re ceives the entire electoral vote of the state. For example, if the Re publican candidate carries Ne braska, by one vote ... 'iy 300, 000 votes, he receives all six electoral votes. Thus a large ma jority in. one state may be over ridden by a tiny majority in an. other. This makes possible the election of a candidate who is not the "peoples choice." a a , The Electoral College also causes other unusual situations in presidential elections. In 1948 one electoral vote in South Caro. Una represented 12,000 voters, while in New York the same elec toral vote represented 134,000 voters. A citizen of South Caro Una carried eleven times more weight at the polls than a citizen of New York. In Nevada one electoral vote represents 53,000 persons, while in California the ratio is one to 423,000, giving each Nevadan eight times the in fluence of each Californian. Thu occurs because each state re; ceives two electoral votes repre senting its Senators regardless ol the state's population. a At present we select almost every single one of our elected officials by a direct popular vot Senators, Representatives, Gov. ernors, Mayors and other state , and local officials are selected di rectly by the people. Why not the President? The only elected official who represents each and . every single American citizen is the President of the U n i t e d States Why, then, do we not al low those he represents to choose him directly? It would be a sad commentary on American democracy if, in 1956, we should have a Presi. dent who is not the "peoples choice." How would this appear to our friends and allies abroad, coming from we who preach the doctrine of the "will of the ma jority." We talk about equality, yet we find no such thing, for the voter, in electing our President, Criticism of totalitarian meth ods would be difficult in the face of such a situation here at home, Until and unless the Electoral College system Is abolished com pletely and the President is chosen by a direct vote of the people, the possibility of a de fection of our democracy will al ways be with us. Letterip Pepper, Cooper Use Of Ignorance' Noted As 'Unusual' By Student Writer Dear Editor: If the contention of Mr. Pep per, Miss Cooper, et al. is that religion thrives only because of ignorance and that an extension of knowledge in the various dis ciplines would erase all religious convictions, then I can't help but feel (despite the "authority" of Mr. Pepper on religion) that they are naive and question their pre sumptuousness in putting such ideas into print. a a If on the other hand, they are merely saying that any person with religious convictions can not argue their validity with the same conclusiveness as an argu ment with self-evident premises. University Bulletin Board TUESDAY Dr. Alfred Washburn Lectures, 1:30 p.m.. Union Faculty Lounge; 8 p.m., Ferguson Hall Audi-' torium. Farmers' Fair Kally, 5 p.m., Ag Hall. Dr. S. Valter Schytt Lecture: 7:30 p.m., Love Library Audi torium. French Club Meeting, 7:30 p.m., Union Room 316. WEDNESDAY Dr. Alfred Washburn Lectures, 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., Union Faculty Lounge. AWS Workshop, 7 p.m., Union Ballroom. THURSDAY Annual Engineers Open House, 2 to 10 p.m., starting at 11th and R. Lab Theater Plays, 7:30 p.m., Room 210, Temple. FRIDAY Lab Theater Plays, 7:30 p.m., Room 210, Temple. Engineers' Convocation, 11 a.m., Love Library Auditorium. Pink Elephant Party, 9 to 12 p.m., Union Ballroom. German Club Picnic, 12:30 p.m., Pioneer Park. then they are quite right since in every case the major premise is one accepted through faith. To say that faith in a supernatural Being is the result of ignorance is defining "Ignorance" in a manner other than the common meaning of the term. Their use of the word can only indicate a marked bias which has been too apparent in the letters they have written thus far. (And I have no doubt there are more to come). P. Jersild Dob's Dillies Some women who won't cleai up the house will gladly pick ui all the dirt in the neighborhood a a A girl in a low-cut dress asked her doctor what to do about i cold. "The first thing," said th doc, "is to go home, get dressed and go to bed." a a Then there was the guy who was so conceited that he walked down Lovers' Lane by himself, a a I serve a purpose in this school On which no man can frown I gently enter into class , And keep the average down. . a a a First Senior "Let's cut philos-Second-Senior "Can't. I need the sleep." Classified Ads WANT TO MAKE MONEY? Earn ISO. 76 waakly working vanlnfi and St. urriayt. Salt aonfidinea, plaaalng par. fonalfty, at !at on mora year In ehool and una of ear ara abolutly neaaary. Phona 6-M42 for Intarvlaw, Thi! lan't kitchen utanatla, appliances, Inauranee, magazine, books, door to door eanvaaalnf, collecting, or dally ring. ' I1b yLafck Sleeveless Blouse Fresh as a Daisy for Spring oa if, Slovalaat blouse 2.83 to 5.85 Women Aeeenoriet . , TeuU he frssa es daisy, cool as m eueumbar and look imsrlw la a alaara less blouse from Moose's. Thasa clevtr little blousas coma In washable cotton broadoloth in white, block, brown, nary and pastels, and patterns in' prints and strips. Chooso bstweea m V seek and open cellar er a closed Fsler Pan eel lor. Hits 30 te 31. Magev'g First Floor