Page 2
Lincoln, Nebraska
Tuesday November 30, 1954
Editorial Comment
CO1, SC Truce
An Honorary Commandant will be presented
at the Military Ball in spite of the Student
Council invalidation of the COA sponsored elec
tion held Nov. 17. The final word on whether
or not the winner of that election would be
presented at the annual Military Ball as Com
mandant was handed down by the faculty sub
committee on General Organizations in a meet
ing held last Tuesday afternoon.
In a report released by the Committee, It
was pointed out that the Student Council ju
diciary committee, the group makingvthe deci-
biuii uu uic cmiiuii, was correct ui taxing wnat
action it did. However, the faculty committee
noted that since there had been no intention to
defraud and that no fraudulent action had oc
curred, "... we are granting permission for
the results of the election to stand." The faculty
committee also noted the Council had been
unduly slow In Informing the COA the election"
had been Invalidated.
Now, after nearly a week of hurried confer
ences between the Council judiciary committee
and the harried Military Ball chairman exactly
nothing has been accomplished except to make
four young women even more nervous than they
were before all the dust arose.
The Student Council is to be commended on
its stand In declaring the election invaUd. To
have that organisation's regulations governing
a function (an election in this case) openly
violated without action being taken would have
dropped the Council Into the ranks of the do
nothing organization certainly not an attractive
tatus to any organization which has openly
dedicated itself to doing away with groups in
that category.
..
On the other hand, the Council left itself open
to criticism by not taking more timely action
on the problem. The committee in charge of
. campus elections knew of the infractions to
the rules governing campus voting had taken
place in the Honorary Commandant voting long
before any move to invalidate, the election was
made. When the elections committee finally
made its recommendation to the judiciary com
mittee (the group which had power to void an
election), all the COA could have done was
schedule another illegal election or forego the
long standing Commandant presentation. A sec
ond election would have been subject to invalida
tion because the elections committee could not
have been notified two weeks before the ballot
ing was to take place.
The issue for all practical purposes has been
settled. Actually, the whole business has re
sulted in considerable publicity and attention
by students for a University function that defi
' nitely, needs a lift. Both the Student Council
and the COA have been embarrassed by what
has happened, the Council because it was forced
to hand down a decision for which enforcement
seemed almost impossible, the COA because
of a glaring error in management.
The interesting thing about this mutual loss
of face is that the Council now plans a full
scale investigation of the COA to detemine
why such an error was made. During the
talks about the problem the Council apparently
was surprised that only a few men were handling
the entire work load of putting on one of the
biggest events on this campus a fact that has
been common knowledge among ROTC students
for some time. A great percentage of all ROTC
students realize the COA has but one purpose
of being in existence, that of putting on the
Military Ball. It is odd that an organization
which is supposed to serve as a clearing house
for student activities of all types, didn't know
one of those activities, the COA, comes to life
but once a year.
Now the Council knows about the COA, action
of some sort to remedy the situation will un
doubtedly be taken. However, this has hap
pened only after considerable difficulty and
embarrassment for both organizations. The
Council might be even more embarrassed should
the COA demand another investigation, one
concerning the Council in an attempt to find
out why action wasn't taken earlier in the
Commandant election question. T. W.
linil MAN ON CAMPUS
Chri$tma
$ Greeting)
Only 23 shopping days left until Christmas?
Better Hurry or Easter' will soon be upon
us,
Why is it that at Thanksgiving time the
Christmas spirit is almost in full swine? Whv
should the public start thinking of St. Patrick's
day before New Year's? Why must we start
Easter shopping cn Washington's Birthday. And
why are we planning Fourth of July on the
first day of Spring? Why? Because the com
mercialists, whose business it is to see that
the public is kept aware, of these important
days, does so for one reason only to pull in
as many dollars as possible out of the public
pocketbook.
And Christmas is the worst example of the
lot. Christmas has become a bookkeeper's holi
day, a-business man's obsession and John Q.
Public's financial headache.
Years ago, literally ages ago, -Christmas in
all its glory was a spiritual humanistic celebra
tion, appealing to man's generous nature, and
not his gift-getting tendencies. Families observed
-uinstmas in modesty, trying to parallel the
acutal lowliness of the original Christmas. There
was a certain atmosphere, within the souls and
hearts of men at Christmas time that didn't
come from a $10 record album, or matching
gift prices with those of relatives.
The desire to worship, to live in friendship, to
enjoy what one had in life all these thoughts
used to be incorporated in the real meaning of
Christmas. Perhaps down deep in those few
etolid and unswerving members of the older
generation these thoughts are still present. But
it would be difficult to see these undercurrents
through the obstacles that commercialism has
brought to Christmas.
One flagrant corruption of Christmas as
brought about by the commercialists is to the
institution of Santa Claus. Santa Claus used to
be unseen, respected, loved, adored, and the
champion of all good children. Now Santa
Claus is nothing but a gimmick, used by de
partment stores to bring in children escorted
by their parents potential buyers. Children
now can see Santa every size and shape. They 1
' can pull his whiskers off and kick him in the
shins. They can pick up a newspaper and see
him being tossed in jail for drunkenness or
begging without a license.
Now on the local scene, Christmas tree mer
chants have already set up their tents, down
town stores are racing to get their Christmas
publicity in front of the shoppers in more vivid
color and bigger display than their competitors.
Loudspeakers scream Christmas carols into the
streets as mobs of shoppers push and shove
to get the bargains. The shopping district during
the Christmas season resembles a blatant car
nival midway.
Fortunately there are the churches and wel
fare groups who try against the commercial
odds to keep the soul of Christmas intact. There
are still the church caroling parties, parties for
orphans, groups who solicit for the less for
tunate, families who ignore the commercial
chaos around them and keep Christmas with
the humbleness which is inherent within it.
There are still individuals who ponder the
Christmas story and rejoice in the things in
life that don't cost money and can't be meas
ured by money. These individuals are the quiet
part of Christmas the part which in this mod
ern day have beerv obscured by the commercial
ists and their thirst for money. J. H.
Stolen Study Hours
- Love Library is one of the newest and best-
equipped college libraries in the country. Yet
it is open fewer' hours during the week than
most college libraries of any comparable size.
The average college library is open 85 hours,
but not so Love Library. It is only open about
75 hours.
The large readings rooms, the quiet study
halls, the vast reference material are all avail
able for student use. But the day students are
most apt to want to use them, these services
are unavailable. In short, the library is closed
on Sunday.
This is not only unwise, it is downright fool
ish. Is Sunday a forgotten day when students
are supposed to forget about libraries, books,
andsuch pertaining to study? The University
wants to encourage better study habits, but
they certainly aren't doing so by closing the
library on Sunday. ' v.
-Sunday is the day most students really buckle
down to studying. In the first place, it's crowd
ing close on the heels of Monday, and work
which has been put off just simply can't be
postponed any longer. All the stores are closed,
ao there is no attraction downtown.
Saturday has always been considered play
day, and who can study when no one else
is? Besides, there are always football games,
social functions or plans for the evening ahead
to take the mind off studies.
But if students want to do any research or
reference work on Sunday, it's out of the ques
tion. Or if they just want a quiet place to study,
where they won't, be tempted by pleas of "a
fourth for bridge" they can't go to the library,
which should be the logical place. Students who
work find Sundays their only free time.
Frank Lundy, director of University libraries.
has noted the increased use of the library in
the evening since the new Quadrangle opened.
Obviously these fellows find it a convenient
place to study as would more students, if it
were open when they needed it.
Lundy recognizes this need for extended li-;
brary hours, and has said he wants to open
the library on Sunday. He doesn't want, how
ever, to do it without added funds.
For several years, the biennual library budget
has included a request for a little over $7,000 .
for extended library service plus money for
other improvements. But each time the amount
granted the library for improvements has not
reached the amount requested. So Lundy, facul
ty, Library Council, and the administration have
determined what improvements should be made,
on the basis of the funds they did receive. ,'
Last year, the inadequate budget increase
went mainly to provide more books. This ex
penditure seems justified, in the light of com
parisons with other schools. For instance, the.
University of Kansas spent $266,000 last year'
on books, while NU spent $125,000.
Now again the budget in up for consida-ation
by the state legislature, with the request for
$7,000. It will probably not be discussed until
spring.
The students recognize the need for additional
library hours. The University administration
must recognize that need also, and take some ...
definite action.
This is not the first time it has been urged
that the library be opened on Sunday. Each
time everyone has pleasantly agreed, but noth
ing has ever been done. When a library has a
yearly operating budget of $395,000, a sum of
$7,000 seems like so little to gain so much.
The University has a responsibility to its
students. Right now that responsibility includes
persuading the legislature that extended library
hours are not Just a desired improvement, but
an absolute must. M. H.
JJisl ybJbuzAJtaiv
FIFTY-SECOND YEAR
Member: Associated CeHeeiate Press
Intercollegiate Presn
Representative: National Advertising Service,
Incorporated
eartKr of Nebraska u nniMi af etadeata aewa mml
'in -i a m aabiiaaee) a areaeau at la Cat.
MlniMM ai. AccorrHne to Article II ef tne Hr-lmm
sHtriaxtt aaiMiratlee 4 admlniaierea' ay ttx
r r,e-"-fVme. "It to the 4ur4 policy of the
S tm iwMtcaiMHU anon Ma tartadlrrfna hall ae
i at trom cduorMi ccatorahia aa tfie part af tba Hoard.
?',. "rt aa Member of tb 'aeon of tha
Lal.ar.Hy. b.l the member, of Ike ffo TbT Nabratk!
cTSI ,rl.T"ibl ,0r "-
e "b"?"'00",. nl" " " anaeeter. SI. SO aulM at
' tol copy Sc. Pab
tahed tana Mm week tfuriai iba ecaooi yaar except
vacatloaa aaa anamination periods. Oaa tern patiUaped
aeriai Aacact by fee Uaiwuty or Nebraeka anner lb
mparrbioa af tkt Committee oo Btaderrt Publication,
fcatarad a aaeoad elaaa matter at the Poet Office la
Lincoln, Nehraafca. aaoer an at Caaareae, Merck , 7,
and at epeclal rate af poatane provided for In Beetle
110. Act ef outran at October a, l17. aatboraed
September lit, 1821.
eaeanmeaaeeaaaaeaaamllll .ST. . . -mm
by Phk tibler q., ,m E
Columnists
Have Ethics
"It's only Gil's sister with the laundry."
Voice Of The Turtle
NU Campus Boasts
No Humor Magazine
By FRED DALY '
Once upon a time, when coffee
was only a nickle and people
whispered about girls who wore
Bermuda shorts in November,
this campus had a humor maga
zine. It was a fairly good humor
magazine for that period before
Worls War II, and the Pub Board
didn't mind supporting it financial
luy as long as the humor stayed
out of the realm of the nasty
chuckle and the sly grin.
The Agwan, for that was its
name, skipped merrily along un
til it died rather jechedly from
money worries at the start of World
War II. Things were kind of
tough all over, and it was all the
University could do to support
the Daily Nebraskan and the Corn
husker. ' After the shooting died down
and people started laughing again,
the Agwan was reincarnated brief
ly and spasmodically as Corn
Shucks. The humor in Corn Shucks
made pink cheeks of many a coed
until the magazine lost too much
money to make it worthwhile for
the University to sypport.
Now the Nebraska campus sits
with a rather foolish grin on its
face, its only source of humor be
ing Playboy magazine and Max
Shulman's column extolling the
virtues of Philip Morris cigar
ettes. This is a sad state of affairs.
The University of Colorado has its
Flatiron, Iowa State has the Green
Gander, Harvard has the Lampoon
and the University of Miami at
Miami, Ohio, has the Romahawk.
We have nothing.
r
Rather than have our humor
limited to what glimpses we might
snatch from other magazines or
what crudely lettered notes we
might find lettered on board fenc
es, suppose we thoughtfully tug at
our ears and meditate.
Suppose we meditate on the
chances of a humor magazine on
this campus again. Fine idea, isn't
it. Run out and ask the first ten
people you meet on the street and
you will find at least 60 per cent
are in favor of the return of the
printed "belly laugh to the Univer
sity. "Capital idea!" they might say,
and clap you heartily on the back,
causing you to bite your pipe stem
in half. I'll buy your first issue,"
they will reassure you. "Just let
me know when it comes out."
After several dozen promises to
'buy your first issue," you retire
to your den with a pocket full of
broken pipe stems and a bewildered
look. Everyone has a keen inter
est in the finished product, as
long as someone else puts it out.
There lies the problem. In or
der to sell copies to all the nice
people who will buy your first one
it is necessary to find a way to
get the thing published. All you
need is a bit of unlimited financial
support to start you off. After
you have printed two or three is
sues of fine workmanship and
sparkled wit you can take these
around to get people to advertise.
It is as easy as that. Just find
enough financial backing to give
you a start, organize a good busi
ness staff to carry the ball from
there, and ell the while gather a
large stock of good, sharp humor
that you wouldn't hesitate too
much to show your aged aunt.
If everyone hustles around busi
lv, there is a fair chance that a
good, serviceable humor magazine
might rear its puckish head above
the underbrush and wiggle its ears
at passersby. Then the campus
wouldn't have to blush with confu
sion and bite its lips when a casual
visitor asks to see its humor
magazine.
Right now a bumor magazine
here is little more than a gleam
in the eyes of a few dreamers,
Organization, support, backing and
unlimited enthusiasm is needed to '
point the efforts of those interested
in the direction of a finished pro
duct. Let us dispense with flag-waving,
spirited oratory and promis
es u buy the first issue. Let us not
waste our time taking public opin
a little inspiration and a little
money and a little support.
Anybody got any ideas where
ail this might come from?
Anybody got any ideas at all?
One of the most vital parts of
a student newspaper is its col
umns. A column is, for the most
part, the individual's interpreta
tion of life and its components,
as he sees them. The columnist has '
a wide field of subject matter from
which to choose, and seldom is he
bound by the political, social, or
editorial policies of the paper for
which he writes.
The coumnist Is not concerned
with presenting the news as such.
His literary efforts encompass
ideas, ideals, and opinions. Writ
ing columns is not a pleasant past
time, nor is it a means to found
ing a mutual admiration society.
It is a sincere endeavor on the
part of the individual to aid in the
edification of his fellow students.
The columnist is regulated and
controlled in his expression by the
same criterion that regulates all
freedom: truth. He has one great
f .ivantage, however, that may al
m be a disadvantage: when dis
cussing a subject that can be prov
en neither true nor false, he is
permitted to express his own opin
ions. I think that we all assume that
freedom of the press has. become
an American tradition, standard,
and ideal. Unfortunately however,
it seems that this freedom is only
an ideal. A student newspaper such
as the Nebraskan casts money to
print, and a great part of its fi
nances come from advertising
placed in the paper by Lincoln
businessmen.
This business of finance leads
us to the rather surprising discov
ery that the Rag is read, not only
by students, but also by the Lin
coln businessmen. Herein lies the
disadvantage. If a businessman
plaes a regular advertisement in
the Raj for Mother Matilda's
Anti-Mildew Material, and a col
umnist states that he does not
think that this product is all it is
cracked up to be, then the busi
nessman becomes very unhappy,
He threatens to remove his valu.
able ad from the paper, and iB
the frantic flash of dollar bills,
the, columnist is quietly removed
from the scene. Ignored are the
facts, that he was trying to save
his fellow students money and that
he was stating a legitimate
opinion; impractical is the ideal of
freedom of the press; the colum.
nist is an idealist, and we need the
ad.
The Nebraskan has been carrying
an excellent column which reviews
the current local cinema. This col
umn has been under fire from cer
tain local interests, and the ?ead.
ers of, the Rag were almost de
prived of one of the most objective
and well-written columns that the
Rag has ever published regularly.
The question of student freedom
of the press is more serious than
it may seem, and I think that we
should all be thankful that the edi.
tors of our newspaper are fore,
sighten and idealistic enough to
realize wherein lie the true valuei
of journalism ... and life.
MM
USE NEBRASKAN
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