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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (March 1, 1960)
Tuesday, March 1, I960 Page 2 The Daily Nebraskan Editorial Comment: Is TV Breaking Down Political Effectiveness It is said that when radio was in its in fancy back in the 1920's, it received one of its major boosts when the happenings at national political nominating conven tions were aired. And frn this radio ?rew into the great entertainer and educator that we remem ber it by and in this era the former for mat of radio programming is nearly for gotten. And as radio grew from a partly po litical beginning, candidates recognized they could reach great numbers of the people by buying a time spot on a nation al network during an entertainment-wise valuable evening. , However, radio did one thing. It short ened the amount of time that candidates used to discuss the issues because of the expense involved and the unwillingness of networks to have regularly scheduled pro grams be crowded off the air by political broadcasts. A half an hour became the typical time period for candidates to appear; conse quently discussion of the complex issues were reduced to the bare minimum. Can didates searched for aides who could write radio speeches that would entertain as well as inform. Then in the 1940's came along another revolutionary method 6f communication television. In its infancy TV often was scorned; radio officials did everything they could to demote video successes. Yet by the early 1950's, millions of sets were in United States living rooms and the radio was reduced to sitting in the kitchen or den and its programming largely had to be changed to music and news. Political candidates caught on to tele vision by 1952, bought time and brought not only their words but every motion of their bodies into the homes of millions of Americans. At first glance, the marriage of TV and politics looked good; people could see the candidates in "full life," instead of only hear or read about them. It was a direct means of communication. But there are problems connected with the splicing. A person who probably knows as much about campaigning as any per son in the country brought out a few of these things in an article in This Week magazine. Two-time Democratic presidential nomi nee and two-time election loser Adlai E. Staff Comment One field of endeavor which I have wanted to dabble in since I came to the University as a freshman is theater, but with there being only so many hours in a day, time has prevented me. My only stage appear ance, outside of junior high drama class, was in the play "Bus Stop," which was presented by a group of college stu dents with whom I worked at a summer resort. I was cast as Dr. Gerald Lyman, alcoholic profes sor, thrice married and out of a job. Unfortunate ly, no talent scouts were in the audience during the four-night run, so my ability continues to go undiscov ered. There is a certain atmosphere about a theater, which more or less attracts one to the point where he becomes addicted to it This might have been the case with me, had I ever gone at it from a serious angle. Instead, I have had to be content with sitting in the audience as just an other paying customer. Thursday night, however, I look for ward to attending the opening night of "Rockspring," the experimental theater production of the winning play in the na- Daily Nebraskan SIXTT-MXK TEAKS OLD jr Member: AModated Collegiate rreu, later- Mab.er.pt.Mi ru semester - ft u e!ieU.r?T.W, I-, Ram "-'' the n Pnblicfced at: Room 29. Staden Cuioa MMtnMi'!r"!!!!!!!!i."TIIXlKMSmL!lSIS u-e?-. 7.7.7" .v v Kite Utll mm At New. RHtar km umt TeJeiAone HE S-7631. ext. 4225, 4226, 4227 ft ot irer. W-"to aaa rWU MM "2UE tff Writ.ni Mike Milroy. Am More, tZLZZXZL L Juliit rHttM e.m.1 h rw BUBIXEM STAFF TiimL MMhll m the ! ebeani- Roslneee Manatee fltaa kalmaa aJZZi, l t" Urt ml y person Cm.. Ardlth l-hier. the I Tha Tmemtoew Urn DmUy Xebrwkaa Ctrcalntloa Hon Dong lenataa Stevenson says that television is reducing political speaking to oversimplification and showmanship. Stevenson documents his arguments. Firstly, TV time is tremendously expen sive. Back in 1956 it cost the national Democratic party treasury $70,000 to put Stevenson on the networks for a half hour. Total cost of television campaigning to both Republicans and Democrats in the 1956 campaign was more than $7 million. These TV appearances definitely give candidates tremendous boosts. But should money decide who can carry his case to the people and who should be elected? Fifty years ago candidates debated is sues for hours; radio cut the time down to 30 minutes to an hour; and now parties recommend speeches no longer than 15 minutes because of the expense. Complex subjects can hardly be touched in that length of time; slogans become naturals and oversimplification is the ob vious result. Television also encourages the political weakness of attempting to entertain, rath er than explore the issues. But perhaps the worst thing that might happen is that people will digest political broadcasts like they consume comedies and westerns, Stevenson says. Then they will sit back and enjoy another program or switch channels. Their attitude will be "let the perform ers perform." And the performers will be candidates for the president of the United States,the most powerful office in the world. The whole problem involves making pol itics serious again, Stevenson says. The business of presenting issues must be made so interesting and compelling that the voters will want to listen. What is the answer? Only time will tell. The only solution seems to be found from the candidates and the parties them selves. Television couid help by making time cheaper and by discussing issues on special programs. Whatever happens, the current trend if continued can result only in a situation where the rich and the flamboyant, rather than the best candidate, will be elected. It is a problem that political theorists may not have ascertained, but one with which they must deal in not too many years. Balm and Sane tional contest Masquers. The play was written by R. G. Vliet, who won out in competition with 62 other playwrights in 48 states. Money-wise, he gets only $300, but the purpose of the con test is to discover new talent. Vliet ap parently is a good choice for moving up to the big time, since during the time he has been in Lincoln working with Dr. Joseph Baldwin of the University, who is direct ing the play, he has also been honored by the Southeast Conference Theater. It chose his work "Regions of the Noon" for its play of the year. This award guar antees at least 100 performances for the play, which means royalties each time. In addition, the Conference considers only plays that it feels have a better than even chance of hitting Broadway. The play which was picked last year is now on op tion for Broadway. Students cast in "Rockspring" are cre ating roles never before done, which means the success of the play rests heav ily on their shoulders. This event deserves the support of the students during its three-night run. The audience is a powerful critic especially at an opening night, one of the fiiat in years at the University. 1 Probasce By Herb Probasco sponsored by Nebraska ' 1 1 I I I LLU .111. T - - . I r' I E,SN00Pv! GOOD 6RlEFl V IIIL IHKulO THfe III FTHfcKES 1 Afehs: I gm &&$ IttJWkJM 1 I 1 I 1 I""" HOUDEFT J Nebraskan Letterip Tk Okll NvbrmHkM mil aMIk mil tbtm Wttcra imirk mm Xcwd. t4tfm attarklm taidirtdnal nmt frry ill Author 't Mum. Otbn o m MtitUt or m imn nam. LNtm thoald nt exrwd to words. Mlira tUn r-xropd thin limit the Nobrufew liKMi i Umi rtrbt to Mdratio tkraa. rMainln IIm wrltvc't Tknrs. Real Big T To the Editor: I was disappointed to note that some of our more "astute" columnists have allowed themselves to be come entangled on the horns of Mr. Eason's ab surd dilemma. Eason's semi-literate tracts contain so many fallacies per para graph they ought to be re printed and distributed to freshman English students who are studying logic. There is too much babble on this campus about that honorific and meaningless term "leadership." I wish Mr. Eason (or one of our more "astute" columnists) would set forth a definition. Just who is going to lead whom? And to what glori ous heights are the resi dents of Selleck Quad go ing to be led? Consider some of the pos sibilities of "activity" in the Quad: 1. Attending RAM Coun cil meetings and playing at Robert's Rules of Order. 2. Planning a clandestine beer blast in some farm er's pasture. 3. Running off such in anities as the RAM News gram on the Quad mimeo graph. 4. Planning an exchange dinner with a group of libidinous clock-stoppers from the girl's dorm. The list could be ex tended indefinitely (and ap parently this is Mr. Eason's aim). By not participating in these activities, Mr. Ea son warns (and some of our more "astute" column ists imply), one's college education is far from com plete. Hogwash! If Mr. Eason and others could get half as excited over the real "big I" in college life (i.e., the IN TELLECT), there would be more STUDENTS on this campus and fewer PER SOXAUTIES whose sole concern is what activity is on the calendar for tomor row night! Ron Mohl Porter Letter To the Editor: Although some of the points Mr. Porter made in his letterip (Nebraskan, Feb. 29) may possibly have some substance, I am loath to concede that his argu ments are really the object of thoughtful conclusions. I would suggest that they are more an attempt to use the dorm controversy for a "timely" bit of advertise ment for the Greek system. It would seem from the nature of the article that Mr. Porter is also interested in ruining any attempt to build a positive social at mosphere in the Indepen dent Dorms; perhaps be cause this would place it in competition with a Greek system that is suffering more and more from a loss of new pledges both in per centage and whole terms, a system which has been heavily criticised during my sojourn on campus for not living up to the ideals that have so recently been re iterated to us as the proper ends of the Greek system. Contrary to what Mr. Porter would have as be lieve, the problem is not money, A great many splen did campuses across the nation I will name Bran deig University In Massa chusetts where the Greek system is absent have a very active social ex istence with formals and parties and all the other usual glitter and probably on a generally higher and more adult plane. They have student coun cils, charitable organiza tions, etc., as we do which operate probably even bet ter because the reason for membership is often more honest.' If they do not have the Greek financial reserve, they substitute something better for it ingenuity and enthusiasm. On campuses where the Greek system exists, too frequently the independent gets a complex that he is an out and that everything outside of the class room is Greek controlled. He un- . derates his own ability and initiative and never quite learns that things are only sewed up by the Greeks un til he has enthusiasm enough to snip the seams and climb inside himself. I do agree with Mr. Porter on his statement that a man need only cooperate extra curricularly if he desires. The man who cannot see the benefit of cooperation in voluntary social and ac tivity efforts for the round ing of his education de serves about what he leaves himself. On the other hand I vi lcntly disagree with Mr. Porter on his money thesis. This has never been proved and has more often been disproved. And if this gen tleman will look at what his activity budget buys him except a few yards of crepe paper at a formal, an un necessary homecoming dis play, etc., he will find that most of his Greek living comes out of his pocket after housebills have been paid. Certainly the I n d e pendent is as capable 'of paying a reasonable sum to go to a party as a Greek. As far as tradition and brotherhood concepts are concerned, I think that the most important thing for social association is man's natural gregariousness. . Mr. Porter's fourth item I think demands utter con demnation. Not because of what it says, but what it implies an attempt to make the big "I" effort seem futile before it is tried. Prestige on a campus of intelligent people comes from doing, not from Greek letters tacked on a man's chest. I do not question but what the Independents do not give a good damn whethe'r the fraternities "recognize" them or not any sorority as a whole or any sorority woman who would laug'i at a successful independent is insulting her intelligence and is in short a fool. Alpha Gralkot KGDL ACROSS LTtwu 4. The woman yam left behind 5. Part of a lake 12. Yours and ruin 18. Your and mtn and all 14m not 15. Old cull.. IS. Wtnsinci at tanu? 17. Short chaof 1. Girt ia -J-itat Ttmr CO. Era's eouaia tl. Soak flat ZZ. Kind of acttva U. Glva ia 14. Frasoa't first Bants S&. But-bxrraf like 2ft. Sono-as 12. TMy i DOWN L Boring urt of S brother 1. London, Paris, Roma, etc t. Tree mdnrnm 4. Th Magical a -toot 5. Ei-governor! nic-niame t. Was introduced to 1. Air Raid Precautions (abbr.) I. Nothing's a as Kocd t. Whew your beart'i 10. Ready lor Salome's danca 1L It's good for tha bctr 14. Short jrssr 18. Neck 2k. Earthy cleavage 2S. Hivy leagues 24. A Friday diet 27. African noun try, yoa goose 29. When it's time lor a . change t Kiwis SO. In this placs 11. Calls a halt tegaJly U. Maria's lasts-unt 24. Dodge li. Infant's first position 24. German dty 15. Maaonhisttikrk 4X Seventh Grass, letter SS. No eirar-tta liaxa Eod ST. Evr toirlne St. Valedictorian condition 40. Chanraa start ing in Nevada 42. New (prefix) 43. Arranged an oreniag's aurtajninest (t aordaj 44. Blank spaa 45. Hollywood VIP . 44. BparUa 47. Prsnea conjunctions YOU NEED THE -4 n H . Jk A Few Words ... . . .Of a Kind E. E. Eternal price of vigilance is the independents, at , . .i .ni. . ;" ieasi inose wun a nine . Knowing absolutely noth ing about Selleck Quad, I feel I am c o mpelled to give my a u thorita tive views on the HELP is s u e. Re member, I don't know enough to be p r ej- udiced. E. E. There is no doubt that Tom Eason is revolting. He is revolting against apathy, that is. He seems to say that he is tired of having to do things by his lone some. Let's all get together and have a good time," he seems to be saying. But having a good time appar ently is, in this case, play ing the same game as Mr. Eason wants to play. The trouble is that some "u n g o d 1 y" people either don't want to play with Mr. Eason in the first place, or don't care to accept his choice of games and rules for said such games. Now, if they won't play with Mr. Eason in the first place, perhaps he might re call the words of Cassius to Brutus: "The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves that we are un derlings " This, of course, is not to suggest any possible short comings in the character of Mr. Eason, nor to hint that he perhaps has forgot to read Dale Carnegie's books and to pay attention to toothpaste commercials on television. Only a cad would make such a sugges tion. Seeing how we have de fended the character of Mr. Eason, we must now ana lyre the possibility that the independents don't want to "help" him play his game. If this is the case, mi KROSSWORD I 2 J 1 i 6 p t 1 1 If ho hi 2 75 u Tj "71 17 ' AfE YOJ KOQL T9 ENOUGH TO m KRACK THIS? 2i 24 27 p""" - 2S 2T 50 TT i2 """"! ST 34 I J J j jj6 j5 nr j ; 40 TT "-" 42 - - - 'III inirii I I I a- J I When your throat talis ) its time tor you need a real change... V cjf 1 c... ,Ti tlABPiTA UIDE VERTCAL WHEN VOU'Rf HORIZONTAL V HINES Mr. Eason must convert the independents to his way of thinking and rule making. Convert! That seems to be an important word. We must remember that at one time Mr. Eason referred to the persons who didn't want to play his game with him under his rules as "ungod ly." It is true that he later apologized for use of this term, but we must not for get that Mr. Eason has been found a noble man. It is possible then, that there ac tually may be some "un godly" souls in Selleck Quad. We shudder to think this, but it cannot be denied that the ranks of the sophomores often are filled with newly recruited ( agnostics and atheists. Isn't it common for colleges to be referred to as dens of disbelieving professors and amoral men? Mr. Eason, then, needs help. But from what quar ter is this aid to come? What about Religious Em phasis Week? What? There is not going to be a Religious Empha sis Week this year? You say that the student religi ous groups are not holding one this year in order to have more time to prepare for next year's? What does it take them two years to prepare for? The Second Coming? Mr. Eason, get on the ball. Have these groups di vert some aid to you. Tell them you need help in order to help HELPlesi. hun dreds. Good luck, Mr. Eason. 03iN P IV A O N 3 y C a U CZ2 .VI J Wr ? Viil Tib fl N HiOO d 3 -Lt I id O d d'XI3 NJ 3 N OA a 3 A3 a no A:OlDOVVV tflWSN ".El)! No. 7 a change f
