Wednesday, April 25, 1956
Paqe
THE NEBRASKAN
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Nebraskan Editorials:
That Ik Might Return
An Open Letter To C. Clyde Mtichell:
Two weeks ago the University administration
replaced you as chairman of the department
6f agricultural economics because there was
"... a need to strengthen the research and
extension departments of the Agricultural Econ
omics Department.
The Nebraska knows as do many of your
itudent and faculty friends that this was not the
real reason for your demotion.
The real reason known only to you and those
responsible for your demotion lies somewhere
In the areas of special interests, outside pres
sures and administrative weakness.
However, for this very reason, for the very
reason that you have been a victim and certain
ly not the only victim of these deadly circum
stances, it is imperative that you do not become
discouraged to return here to the University.
The University is running short of men with
the courage and resourcefulness to express their
convictions in the face of administrative partial
ity and coercion.
Men who are not afraid to oppose the economic
interests whose efforts to mold conformity and
stifle dissent are all too prevalent in tht mid
west. Educators who refuse to be intimidated by the
pressures of conservative political elements in
the state.
Instructors who dare to fight the national, in
stitutional and personal conformity which threat
ens our constitutional liberties.
In short, professors who have the guts to fight
for what they think is right in a college com
munity which is moving closer to collectivism in
expression and farther from individual respon
sibility to its students, its faculty and its profes
sion. For these reasons, The Nebraskan urges you
to return to the University of Nebraska as a
professor in agricultural economics. B. B.
A Stronger Bond
Student representation on two faculty commit
tees will be discussed today in the meeting of the
faculty Committee on Student Affairs.
Acting on an endorsement by the Student
Council, the committee will consider adding
student members to its own group, and to the
library committee. The endorsement was
strongly approved in Council meeting two weeks
go
Students are already sitting on faculty sub
committees on student affairs, convocations,
calendar and final exams.
They fulfill a valuable function in givuig the
committees a student opinion on matters which
are more important to students than any other
part of the University community.
The logical conclusion to student representa
tion on faculty committees, therefore, is to in
clude students on one of the more powerful
faculty committees the Committee on Student
Affairs.
It is on a committee of the scope and influ
ence of this one that student opinion and repre
sentation is the most important.
For example, when the Committee ruled on
suspending the Kosmet Klub Fall Review, no
student vote of official opinion was heard on the
matter, yet it was an entirely student show,
involving student competition.
The library committee, too. is needful of
student representation. The head of the com
mittee has strongly advised that students be in
cluded, to acquire their opinions on proposed
library changes and expansion.
The Nebraskan has continually supported more
student participation in the governing and plan
ning of student affairs. Including them on these
committees is an excellent way to further this
participation, and an excellent way to build a
stronger bond in student-faculty relations.
The maintenance of this bond is in the hands
of the Committee. The Nebraskan is certain
they will act wisely. F.T.D.
Once And For All
The Student Council Judiciary Committee
ruling several weeks ago, placing IFC, Pan
hellenic and the Student Union Board under the
Council scholarship standard, will be brought
before the Faculty Committee on Student Affairs
for a decision Wednesday.
Two issues will be inherent in the discussion:
(1) Specifically, is the Council average minimum
applicable to the IFC, Panhellenic and Student
Union? (2) Generally, what control does the
Council have over these organizations?
Each group, because of its unique qualities,
las been specially provided for by the Board
of Regents by-laws.
The Union ". . . shall be responsible to the
Chancellor and the Board of Regents."
The IFC is responsible to the Interfraternity
Board of Control, actions of which are ". . . sub
ject to review and control by the Chancellor and
the Board of Regents."
The Student Panhellenic Association ". . . shall
be under the supervision of the Associate Dean
for Women," answerable ultimately to the Chan
cellor and the Regents."
Interpretation here would seem to indicate
that these three organizations do not fall under
Council jurisdiction but are answerable only to
the parent agencies established specifically by
the Regents.
But just as the lines of authority of these three
groups are not given to the Council, neither are
they placed exclusively beneath the parent
bodies nor are they expressly denied to the
Council.
And the Council constitution states that it has
the power to (1) "regulate and coordinate . . .
all student organizations of general university
regulation;" (2) "to recognize and approve the
constitutions of any new student organization,"
and (3) "to review the constitution of any student
organization with power of revocation."
Interpretation here would appear to mean
that the Council, even though it may not be able
to approve these constitutions, can nevertheless
call them up for review.
Both the Regent by-laws and the Council con
stitution are too vague and to general to ex
plicitly clarify the lines of authority between the
Council, Panhellenic, IFC and the Union.
It remains for the "proper faculty committee
in this case, the Faculty Committee on Student
Affairs to settle the question once and for
all. B.B.
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, L.J
From The Slot
'rounds For Doubt
Must Be Cleared
By SAM JENSEN
Managing Editor
During the past two weeks.
The Nebraskan's front page
and editorial page have been
largely concerned with
changes in administrative
posts of two of the Univer
sity's departments.
Editorially, The Nebraskan
bas deplored the means and
questioned the ends involved
in the transfer of responsibili
ties within the department of
agricultural economics and the
School of Journalism.
On the news pages, The
Nebraskan has reported the
events as they happened. In
repetorial procedure, Nebras
kan reporters have asked
questions. The answers have
Bet always been clear, neither
bave they always been con
sistent. Perhaps this is what
is causing the confusion and
misunderstanding.
It Is hardly conceivable that
the officers and administra
tors of the University would
be pursuing a policy detrimen
tal to the general welfare of
the University community. It
is also extremely unlikely
that outside interests are con
trolling the policy of the Uni
versity. In trying to attain a degree
of objectivity, there are cer
tain things that must be ac
knowledged. The first of these
is that C. Clyde Mitchell,
chairman of the department
of agricultural economics, is
not the most tactful or the
most discerning individual.
Mitchell is a competent and
stimulating instructor, but it
is possible that he is not the
most suitable type of individ
ual to represent the University
as a department head and an
official of the University ad
ministration. Secondly, people are leaving
the School of Journalism like
rats leaving a sinking ship.
The reason for this may be
due to a failure of the ad
ministration to recognize the
needs and importance of this
department, but if the present
director is unwilling to work
within the means available to
him, then someone who is
willing to do so should fill the
positioB.
This, of course, does not
mean that the present direc
tors aims or objectives are
wrong, nor does it mean that
the administration is correct.
But this rather pragmatic
analysis does point out that
things are unsatisfactory in
their present state.
What all this does mean is
that, as in most cases, nothing
is black or white there seems
to be varying shades of gray
which have shrouded and
fogged a distasteful and de
gradinp situation.
The Nebraskan can not
question the administration's
right to execute its preroga
tives, but The Nebraskan's
prerogative remains and is the
right to continue to ask ques
tions. When completely satisfac
tory answers appear, then
The Nebraskan will in turn
have satiated its appetite for
asking questions. And when
grounds for doubt disappear,
then The Nebraskan will cease
to doubt.
The Nebraskan
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Intercollegiate Press EDITORIAL STAFF
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Little man on campus
by Dick Bibler
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The Sad Story
Of Birdie Slocum
Children, it is time to rise up
from, your beds, throw away those
nearly empty bottles, and take
your weekly injection of Brownell.
Those pf you who feel to weak
for even such an insipid tonic may
have a few more minutes of re
spite, but mind you, then we
must be about the Lord's business.
I see that my friend Roger
Henkle has greedily snatched up
the only important issue on cam
pus, apparently in the hope that I
would be able to find nothing to
write about.
However, I shall foil him again,
for I have received many requests
Jess Jestin'
for another of my charming
tales of the West, and today you
shall hear the gripping story of
Birdie Slocum, the Flower-Girl of
the Plains.
Birdie was the only daughter of
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To
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Courtesy Lincoln Journal
Professor of Agricultural
Economics
(Eds. note: Today's "Chal
lenge" is aa article submitted
by Clyde Mitchell, former chair
man of ie department of ag
"ricultural economics, to Decem
ber 2, 1953, edition of The Ne
braskan. It was originally titled
"Must A Prof Surrender His
Beliefs To Be Paid?" and was
run shortly after the Regents
adopted a policy endorsing the
principles of academic freedom
in 1953.)
From an imaginary editorial in
the Podunk Tribune:
"Professor Doakes is currently
under attack by the Podunk Chap
ter of Sons and Daughters of 100
per cent Americanism for his
leftwing views. Naturally, he and
his pinko friends are howling that
their rights of free speech are
being threatened.
"Heck, Professor, nobody is try
ing to take away your free speech.
You can talk all you want to about
how nice it wauld be to have
socialized medicine, pubbc hous
ing or any other new dealish
scheme you want. Nobody will
stop you.
"But our taxpayers here In
Podunk support the University,
"and we intend to have some say
so about whom we hire. We don't
like our money going to pay peo
ple who say things we disagree
with. Remember, professor, noth
ing in the American constitution
gives you the right to work for the
state."
Unfortunately for America, this
imaginary editorial, with real
names and places, has appeared
all over the nation. Professors
have been gagged or fired be
cause their views and opinions on
economic and social matters were
unpopular.
In a slightly different way, the
"right to a job" argument has
Hoi
Po
sifions
come up in Washington. A Federal
employee is summarily fired with
out a chance to find out why..
He "hears" that a loyalty board
has considered his case, although
not finding evidence of disloyalty,
nevertheless has ordered him dis
missed as a "security risk."
The man, believing himself to
be completely loyal, demands to
be faced with the allegations, to
meet his accusers and to force
them to prove his guilt or with
draw accusations.
Under regualtions set up under
Truman and continued under Ei
senhower, he is denied this right.
He is told that in accepting a fed
eral job he has surrendered his
rights.
"You have all your rights as an
American citizen," he is told, "but
you cannot claim the right to work
for the government. If your su
periors fire you, they do not have
to tell you why."
Somehow is this hysterical era
the direction of justice has been
lost. No longer is a man presumed
innocent until positive proof of
guilt is established under law, with
the rights of the accused protected.
We have moved over into the
fanatic realm, where charges of
guilt, even those made irrespon
sibly by spiteful and anonymous
tipsters, are accepted as proof.
The reason for this hysteria, of
course, is the desire to ferret out
any Communists who may be
employed in the government. It
is highly probable however, that
the methods employed are as sini
ster as communism itself.
It is possible to staff government
and universities with people who
relinquish their basic rights in ex
change for jobs. The result will
be a loss of one thing Americans
have long considered priceless
the free and questioning spirit.
No, no one has any inalienable
"right" to a job with the state
Good, Evil
Columnist Interprets
'Academic Freedom'
By JACK FLYNN
Academic Freedom?
This is a question which is both
ering the minds of many people
in our world today. The answer
to the question is of signal import
ance to the student, for it is he who
will be most directly affected.
The lectures of Dr. Reisssman
and the dilemma of Professor
Mitchell puts the question of "aca
demic freedom" to the fore on
our campus and the student body
The Mirage
scratches its collective bead and
wonders what it is all about. Here
is my interpretation
As defined, "academic freedom"
Is "the right of the teacher to
teach whatever he desires and the
right of the student to hear what
the teacher has to say".
Political theories, both national
and international, and religion are
the two areas of academia most
often connected with the question
of "academic freedom".
Should the teacher be allowed
to teach the theories of commu
nism and socialism?
Should teachers be allowed to
teach theology and evolution and
should there be a chapel or medi
tation room in the Student Union?
It is principally in these two
questions that the controversy
over "academic freedom" lies.
No honest man will deny that
good and truth should be t he
earthly goals of man and that evil
and false things should be opposed.
Someone once wisely said that
you can not know good until you
know its opposite, evil. 1 think
that this is justification for the
teaching of "opposites" which is
implied by "academic freedom".
What does "freedom" mean?
Does it mean that the person who
possesses it has the right to do
whatever he desires whether it be
right or wrong? There are those
that bold to this definition which
I consider to be completely false.
I will define "freedom" for you
"Freedom is the right of the
individual to be good and to do
whatever he desires that is good
as defined by God's Law and the
civil laws which are taken from
it."
Therefore, "academic freedom"
is "the right and duty of the
teacher to teach the individual to
be good and to do only that which
is good".
If we are to know good by know
ing evil we must insure that "op
posites" are taughk But evil must
never be represented as good.
Teachers must know the differ
ence between good and evil and
define the subjects of their teach
ing as such so that the easily
impressed student will know every
thing for what it truly is. Only
then will we have "Academic
Freedom"!
Convincing Argument
To the Editor:
Please accept my congratula
tions for being alive.
To my mind The Nebraskan of
fers one of the most convincing
arguments that this state really
has an institution of higher learn
ing The vigorous way you defend
free speech and academic freedom
stands out like Mars at Perhelion.
Please keep it up with good heart.
Truly each generation has to win
its own freedoms and it is hearten
ing to some of us old roosters to
note that The Nebraskan is furn
ishing its full quota.
When the bells of doom's day
sound, truth will still be struggling
for a chance to be heard and the
mossbacks will still be sitting on
the lid. W. T. Davis
or the county or the city or the
nation. But our citizens will rec
ognize that the type of government
employee or school teacher most
valuable to America is one who
will not surrender any of his basic
rights merely to draw his salary
from public funds.
The Nebraska Board of Regents
recently adopted an outstanding
statement of principles regarding
the rights and responsibilities of
teachers, a statement of which
Nebraskans can be proud.
The number of universities
whose governing bodies have been
simiarly courageous is unfor
tunately small.
The number heading the other
direction is frightening. And most
frightening of all is the now of
ficial attitude of the largest em
ployer of professional scholars in
the world the U. S. Government.
a respectable cattle rancher, and
as lovely a lass as ever straddled
a pony or baked a blue-berry pie.
She was a great favorite with
her father's men, who were be
witched, beguiled, bereft, be
knighted, bedraggled and bedad
at the very sight of her. But for
all that, she was a simple girl
who wanted only to grow up and
become Princess of Monaco,
a a
Alas, her fond dream was not to
be; Grace Kelly married Princa
Rainier, and one day in '76 Birdie
Slocum met the man who was to
change her life.
That day she took a buck-board
into town to pick up some hard
tack and sour-dough for her moth
er, who prided herself on setting
a good table for the men.
She had made her purchases and
was gazing at some of the old
Paris creations in a store window
when her eyes caught the reflec
tion of The Man.
He was Ace O'Shaugnessy, soft-
spoken, flint-eyed, craggy-jawed,
thinning-haired, runny-nosed, runt-
ish gambler, who divided his tim
between baccarrat and bawdry,
and was known all over the West
as "The Laughing-Stock of Mur-
dock's Saloon."
a a
Birdie loathed him on sight, and
despite his protestations of eternal
love and devotion, as well as his
promise of a million dollars for
her on their wedding day, abso
lutely refused to have anything to
do with him. Instead, she loaded
her groceries and went home like
a good girl.
Six weeks later, Ace died, and
when his personal effects were ex
amined, it was discovered that he
had fourteen million dollars sewed
in an old sock and hidden in his
burro. The money was willed to
the Iranian Fly-Casting and Vodka-Swilling
Club.
a a a
Birdie was never the same girl
after this heart-breaking revela
tion, and she soon left home to join
a group of touring players.
Her family never heard of her
again, but informed sourced say
that she eventually wound up in the
flesh-pots of the University of Ne
braska, where she contracted Crib
Rash and died.
Nebraskan Letterip
Removal Of C. Clyde Mitchell
To The Editor:
I want to compliment you and
your staff on the manner in which
you have discussed of C. Clyde
Mitchell's removal from the chair
manship of the agricultural eco
nomics department.
You have displayed a healthy
respect for facts and have used
restraint and good judgment in
dealing with this question. Active
student interest in questions of
this kind is essential for the de
velopment of a strong University
community.
The University community must
be the place where the develop
ment of ideas is encouraged. You
as students and student leaders
share responsibility of rbuilding
nomics were informed by the ad
and maintaining a vigorous Uni
versity environment where the
search for truth is held as the
highest objective.
We as staff members of the
University also share in this res
ponsibility. The members of the
Department of Agricultural Eco
nomics were informed by the ad
ministration on March 16, 1956,
that C. Clyde Mitchell would be
replaced as chairman of the de
partment. Following this administrative de
cision we were asked to make
suggestions for a possible succes
sor. From subsequent statements
attributed to the administration
and reported in The Nebraskan,
inferences can be drawn that th
Department of Agricultural Eco
nomics was a party to this decision.
I think it should be made clear
that to my knowledge no members
of the Department of Agricultural
Economics were instrumental or
a party to recommending a change
in the charirmanship. The working:
relationships in our department
have been excellent despite a wide
range in professional training and
points of view.
During the past few years the
research, teaching and extension
programs have been improved to
the point where our department is
nationally recognized as a strong
department.
C. Clyde Mitchell has consistently
attracted competent professional
personnel.
Despite a relatively low salary
scale, C. Clyde Mitchell was abW
to attract competent staff mem
bers because of his stimulating
leadership and because he en
couraged independent thought
even when we disagreed with him.
Kris Kristjanson
Associate Professor of Agricul
tural Economics
Solution To Parking Problem
To the Editor:
As I have read a few of your
articles as of late which all de
plore the tragic situation with re
gard to the parking of automobiles
on the University campus, I thought
I might be able to add a sugges
tion. I think everyone at the University
is thoroughly agreed that the park
ing situation is atriocus at the pres
ent time and that within a few
years it will become even more
acute.
a
,1 also realize that any complete
solution would be very expensive,
i.e. building a multi-story parking
lot.
As long as all students who can
possbily afford a car and a lew
who who can't, but think they
can, insist upon wheeling their
belch-fire eight convertible down
to school every day, the parking
problem will never get much bet
ter. It has been my observation that
most of the parking is used by
students and faculty that live at
least three or four blocks from
campus, but still live within the
city limits of Lincoln.
a
Since so many students and fac
ulty livei throughout Lincoln, it
seems that one solution, although
not the most pleasant, but still
practical and probably the most
inexpensive would be for the Uni
versity to either rent city buses or
buy their own buses and allow
students and faculty to arrive at
the University at the most conven
ient time they could decide upon.
The buses would, of course, have
to have definite schedules and would
have routes that would accomodate
the most students and faculty while
driving the shortest distance.
These buses would be free for
riders at the University's expense.
I don't believe these buses would
be too expensive to operate 1 if
only operated in the morning, at
noon and again at four and fiva
in the afternoon.
a a a
I, like everyone else at the Uni
versity, detests riding a bus, city
or otherwise, and revel at the free
dom of riding in private car
where you can go where ever yovi
please.
However, if the parking prob
lem is to be solved before fifteen
thousand students are enrolled at
the University, rather drastic mea
sures will have to be taken.
I am an Ag College student, and
this past year have had downtown
classes at eight a.m. three times
a week.
To get a parking place you must
arrive at least by 7:45 and I am
certain that about 30 to 40 cars
each morning are driven by stud
ents living near Ag College.
If a bus or two were chartered
from Ag College these students
would probably ride It. If not, then
possible a compulsory system
could be arranged.
This, of course, is not fool-proof
system, and would have many prob
lems before it moved smoothly,
but if the present trend continues,
I am certain very drastic mea
sures will have to be taken to get
students from their homes to clas
ses and back again.
a a
You asked for suggestions and I
thought I would give you one. I
am certain it is not the most per
fect solution but at least it. is a
try,
Rull Lf
