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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 23, 1967)
THE DAILY NEBRASKAN Editorials Commentary Page 2 Monday, .October 23, 1967 Grow Up Shocking, though true in many aspects was a statement made by Norm Snusted, Schramm Hall resident director, in relation to dormitory , floors occupied by only graduate students. Snusted said that one advantage to graduate floors is that they provide "a better study atmosphere for people who are serious about studying." Although the last part of the state ment implies a generalization that grad ate students are the only individuals at ' the University who are serious about studying, it could not be more true about the majority of students. Much money is spent each year to educate students at the University but but how many of these students really take advantage of the opportunity for an . education? Too often the bulk of time is spent in : finding dates, spending hours in dropping fire crackers from windows, "bull" ses sions, and any number of assorted other activities. Studying is slipped in only if ..-it does not interfere with the other activi ties. To outsiders who realize this situa tion, it only points out the immaturity of many University students. Yet many of our student leaders are attempting to fight for increased student voice for these immature students. A Free Press . (Editor's Note: The following editorial .reprinted from the Kansas State Col legiate, points up some specific free press problems on coUege campuses.) The question of so called "jour nalistic responsibility" was raised Tues - day at Senate and immediately buried " after a near-unanimous vote against re- strictive legislation but the question : still lies entombed in the minds of many : senators. : The bill considered by Senate stated : in bare terms that a definition is need : ed to outline the "place of 'freedom of the press' when it comes into direct conflict : with the expressed will of Student : Senate." Further the bill said, "Freedom has ; been used in poor taste against the ex : pressed decision of Student Senate." And ". . . discretion has not been shown : in the past concerning the desires of Sen v ate ... a means must be established to enforce the will of Seante on matters : of this nature." The bill, ended by resolving that af- ter any further action by this paper on : matters that, according to senators, i should not go beyond Senate chambers, all material concerning Senate meetings should be subject to prior approval. In addition to the bill's obvious un constitutionality (the First Amendment guarantees freedom of the press and has Repertory Theatre Pace, Talk Hurt 'Misanthrope' By Kenneth Pellow Instructor of English It would be difficult to find two plays : that differ more than Moliere's Scapin, : as produced last year by Nebraska Uni : versity Theater and Moliere's The Mis I anthrope, which opened the University : Theatre season last Friday evening. 'Scapin was broadly, howlingly funny: The Misanthrope is wryly, ironically funny (and, more often, thought-provok-ngly serious). And while Scapin was always brisk and lively, The Misanthrope is generally slow, occasionally even flat! The Misanthrope is o n e of those annoyingly ambivalent commedies. It raises some entirely just cirticisms of ;the soceity of its day an excessively formalized, fashion-minded society, fawn er ing and hypocritical. However, it puts i- those criticisms in the mouth of a "hero" v' -the misanthropic Al c e s t e with whom 'the audience cannot possibly identify. The result is that we find ourslves alter ..nately admiring or hating both "sides" and we come away from the play still not certain whether we sympathize with Alceste or not This fascinating ambiva lence is one of the play's strengths, yet accounts for its major weakness also. The University Theatre cast captured : all the paradox excellently, but only at : great sacrifice. For, in order to stress i.r the strong arguments both for and i- against Alceste's view of his contempor aries, Director Joseph Baldwin's actors played this highly rhetorical comedy quite slowly. Action and movement were minimized and lines were delivered with oratorical deliberateness. This has the advantage of allowing an audience to stay with all the argumentative dodges; unfortunately, however, it makes for a first act (where the conflicting ide ologies are most dwelt upon) with about ' as much dra'nati" zes -'s a Frank Mor-rison-Dwight Burney debate. Since pact was to be sacrificed for dialogue, this play could have b e en greatly helped by the adootion ot erse translation, rather than the prose trans lation which is used. The translation by contemporary American poet, Richard Wilburfor instance would have, by use of lively word-play and modern idiom, This immaturity is well pointed out in classes which contain undergraduates, and those individuals who are working hard to get an education graduate stu dents, students who have returned from military service and older people return ing to get a degree. Perhaps this problem hinges on in structors and their ability to relate the meaningfulness of a course to a student's later needs. But it still remains fur the student to do something about his atti tude toward learning. It is very disheartening for a profes sor to attempt some communication with a class and to find that those individuals in the class know nothing about the sub ject under consideration. But when that first day of work looms ominously in the near future, too many students only then realize the importance of their education. And then it is too late. Students might take time each week to evaluate themselves and find out whether they are getting the most out of their education. In other words, whether they have grown up. And then it will no longer be neces sary for graduate students to get a floor by themselves so they have a "better study atmosphere for people who are serious about studying." been interpreted in Patterson vs. the State of Colorado to mean "there should be no previous restraints upon publica tions") it portrays a belief held in Sen ate by more than the bill's sponsor. This is the central issue. Some Sen ators are indignant that problems or statements made during the legislative meeting, are printed in this paper when such publication . is against some form of "expressed decision" of Senate. This paper, just as Senate, has no corner on perfection. But unlike Senate, it has the responsibility to the student body to print any issue deemed impor tant. What some senators fail to realize is that to cover up any event at Senate only incrases speculation as to what takes place there. When an issue, such as a recent one involving Bob Wehling, Commerce senator, is brought into the open, only then can it be resolved. If some senators are concerned with the . coverage afforded their meetings, restrictive legislation is not the method to show disapproval. Would senate rather have a complete ly obliging press concerned only with Senate's benefits and not with its faults? Would Senate's senators rather have an obliging press in Washington that prints only the good about this nation's government? have served considerably better. If con centration is fixed upon the language of a play, one has a right to demand that the language be pleasing in itself. Despite the handicaps of pace and translation, the show has a lot going for it. Technically, it's almost flawless. The Theatre's new tech man, Jerry Lewis, and new Setting-and-Costume Designer, A. E. Kohout, have made impressive de buts. Lighting and set combine for a properly garish, yet remarkable pretty environ, and the costumes and hair styles are perfect! Also, given the limitations forced upon them, the actors perform very ad mirably. They nearly all . had trouble sustaining reactions to the speeches of other characters, but, considering the amount of time some of those speeches took, that's not surprising. The leads, John Jessup as Alceste, and Susan Vosick as Celimene, had less trouble with this than some of the other characters and stayed in character quite consistently. Jessup's job was particularly tough since the character of Alceste is so amgibuous; nevertheless, Jessup made him a thor oughly believable personality. In sup porting roles, Phillip Zinga, as Acaste, and Mary Meckel as the prudish Arsinoe, did much in the last three acts to over come the slowness of the first two acts. James Sellmeyer set what perhaps should have been the pattern for all five acts. His speeches, though capturing all the pomposity of the self-congratulating Oronte, never dragged and seemed, at a couple of points, to help pick up the tempo for the entire ensemble. The first half of this year's repertory system at Howell Theatre hits The Mis anthrope alternating with Edward Albee's A Delicate Balance, which opens on November 3. To University play-goers who have not yet seen The Misanthrope, , I would recommend catching it late in the semester. It is perhaps the most diffi cult of Moliere's plays to perform, and this past weekend's premiere gave indi cations that by the end of its run, after ample opportunity for improvements in tempo, the challenge will have been successfully met v A YoOe &eAV pi rEHflli) y, 1 o J r virtue, Hoooy V I j4t KtfcPifViJk ft YcO ZfckV Do Tli6? (tuST Too Our Man Hoppe Ronald Figures The White House has flatly denied Governor Ronald Reagan's charge that we are actually winning the war in Vietnam and the President is cleverly keeping it a secret. Mr. Reagan said he figures the Pres dent is holding out on us and will let us have the good news when it's "politically advantafeeous for him to do so." Mr. George Christian, the President's press secretary, was obviously caught by sur prise by this charge and said he didn't know what to say, except it wasn't true, which is a pretty weak defense. In reality, however, Mr. Reagan is very close to the truth. The truth is that we won the war six months ago. To understand why the President has kept this a secret you have to understand what kind of man he is humble and straightforward with an abiding abhor rence of adulation. You can imagine the dilemma this placed him in when he received the news last April that the war was over we having killed, by actual body count.every single enemy soldier in Vietnam, many of them several times. "Great balls of fire," said the Presi dent to Mrs. Johnson, "What am I going to do now?" "Well, dear, why don't you just tell people you've finally won the war?" "What? And have the whole country start idolizing me? Why folks would be shaking my hand and pounding my back and shouting my name. I'd never have another moment's peace and quiet. You know I never could abide that kind of thing." "It's your only fail ng, dear, but..." Campus Opinion Dear Editor: That the students should be held responsible for the administration's error in calculating the amount of dormitory space necessary is both ridiculous and ab surd. I should think this as justifiable as my expecting a separate grading scale for my botany class because I dislike the subject and con sequently fiad it difficult to study. . Adam Craft VoL tl, K. M f YoU DoMT WANT To V,TT tfiMjMiiL iTiJt OooR- - Reagan It Out Arthur Hoppe "But, nothing. And think of my dear, old friends over in Congress the ones who keep returning my letters marked, 'Sender Unknown.' They'd be calling up night and day to ask if there's inythinc they could do for me. One thing I can't stand is a grown man fawning over me." "You simply must overcome this weakness, dear." "Oh, I try, I try. But worst of all I'd soar upward in the public opinion polls and there 'd be no way on God's green earth to keep a grateiul nation from re electing me to this awful job for another four years." "How I wish you could be vice pre dent again, dear. Those were your happiest years." "There's no hope of that if this gets out. Nope, the only chance is to keep it a secret and pray the party will nominate that fine young man I have long admired and quietly helped every chance I got that boy I think of as a son. Bobby Kennedy." "Yes, deer, but I just wish the world know what a shy, humble, self-sacrificing man you are." "Good Lord, Bird, don't tell. It would ruin everything." Up to now, the President's secret plan has been succeeding admirably. Be yond his wildest dreams, even. But now that Mr. Reagan, with brilliant political sagacity, has stumbled so close to the truth, the President may no longer be able to keep the best-kept secret of his Administration. I am referring, of course, to what a shy, humble and straightforward man he is. Daily Nebraskan Oct . 17 Hob. TELEPHONE I 7Z-5M, dTMSaa. C7M9N. Bobscrrpoo rate arm M ear earnest or M tor tat Mttanto int. Fab Mnd Maadv. WedaeaiUjr. Ttmmtar utf frMa terba Ik mbmI pwr. cwpl artx vaottMaB mat mm parted, at Ik tu6il at lb umnki at Nabruka Oder th JortKSictio at tta reu)tj tabeammtac a Rode PaMJeaiioa. Publication kII b fra tram ecuonhl; aw tb gubeoauntt at any nim ataid tb Uaivmitr. Membcra of tb Nrbnukas an napoanM for what Ihv can t b printed. Member Anociated Colleitatc Pren. Kitmoal Mvartlatn- Rctvm, Hear orated. Published at Boom si. Nebnuka Uaa. Uacota. Nb.. Ml EDITOBIAL KTAFT Editor Bruce Gilea: Maaasini Editor Jack Todd: New Editor Cberrl Trltt: Night News Editor Alan Pleismaa; .Editorial Pate Auntaat Jalie Morriii SporU Editor Mark Gordon. Aasisuat Sporta Editor Charlie Davie; Auittam Niaht News Editor. Randy trey ; Stall. Writers. Dave Buataln. Andy Corriiaa, Gary Gillea, Ed Icenogie, Daa Liooker. Mick Lowe, Sherry McGaflia. Jan Parks, Toai Victor; News Assistant Kendra Newland; Senior Copy Editor, Dick Tegtmeier; Topy Editors. Lynn Gottachalk, Betsy Fenimoic Jim Evincar, Jeaa Reynolds; Photocraabara Mik Haymaa aad Daa Ladle. Liixrm rtajr SasnMa Maaarer Glenn friendti KaOoaat Mfrari&nt Manaftr Roger Bayct Productma Manater Charles Baxters Secretary Jamt Boatman; Bookkeeping and aasstted Allan bra not; tafaacrspbea ataaaaer J Ctrruation Manater rd Ktnanatub and Gary Meyers SaJea kUaafaca Onaaa, Katfiy Drat to. Back aaark. & Millar and Wan ksolas. IIIIIIHHIINIIHmininHUII(niMIIIIUIMIllll)UIIIIIIHIHIIimilltlllllllllltHMIMIMnillllllllllllllll!lll!!ll!! Grand Sprixl I . by Geor&e Kaufman j This being the month of the Great , Pumpkin, the time has come to confer upon deserving parties the an nual Make Every Day A Halloween awards. The Wicked Witch of the West Award this year goes to The Lincoln Star, for Its fine editorial against draft ing capital (machines and labor) from the nation's in dustry for the Vietnam war effort. "For," states the Star writer, "how much can a nation ask of it's citi zens in an undeclared war." A lot of local mothers got a real chuckle out of that one The Good Witch of the East Award is taken by Frank Morrison for his public service of getting out of politics. The Linus Award For Believing in the Unsubstantiated in the Face of Ridicule and Adversity goes this time around to all Red Sox Fans and to Nebraska football fans who believed the Huskers would win the Big Eight title again. The Lucy In The Sky With Pumpkin Award for be ing a little too cocky for their own good is given to St. Louis Cardinal fans and Coloardo football followers. The Charlie Brown Wishy-Washiness Award goes to Dick Schulze. The Trick Without Treat Citation is grabbed by Chan cellor Hardin for his interpretation of Equality in housing rights. The Halloween Is Meant for Kids Award goes to the Lincoln Police Department for arresting three Lincoln youths for being dressed in women's clothing at a private party on a 1936 statute prohibiting the wearing the ap parel of the opposite sex in public places. All girls wearing slacks and sweatshirts beware. Best Costume of the Year was awarded to a group, rather than an individual, as it was impossible to de cide from among all the fine SDS nominations. The Squash The Pumpkin Before the Frost Gets It award goes to faculty senate for screwing up Thanksgiving giving Vacation. The Edgar Allan Poe Award for best death and sub sequent burial technique goes to Che Guevera and the Bolivian government. A hard act to follow. The Vampire Award for drawing blood goes to Dean Helen Snyder for sucking all the blood from every coed on campus. The Adolph Eichmann award for being credited with the most deaths in one year goes, by an overwhelming choice, to Lyndon Baines Johnson. And the Dick Nixon Award for wasting your time goes to all the readers who got this far in the column. P.S. Keep those cards and letters coming in, friends. Sigkt'n . . . Sound (By Cater GkamUee "Vietnam: The War and The People" is a documen tary film produced by the British Broadcasting Co. It will be shown free of charge at 7:30 p.m. Tues day in the small auditorium of the Nebraska Union as part of the Vietnam Week on campus. It is an unplea sant film which everyone should see. Its subject is war and the pity of war. The poetry is in the pity. The boy in the film is crying. He is crying because the stump of his leg is tender. The men measuring the stump for a prosthetic device are gentle, but still it hurts the boy, who being only five, cannot understand that his pain is unavoidable. His mother watches im passively. One cannot know her thoughts. She too must be in pain, for both her legs are gon.e Her husband died in the same" bombing raid. All she remembers about the night is the sound of the planes. The 17-year-old girl is very beautiful with long black hair and the thin-boned delicate grace seemingly char acteristic of East Asians. That she is a bit proud of her beauty can be de duced from the touch of vanity implicit in her gold earrings. She was engaged until her leg was blown off in the bombing raid three months earlier. As she learns to walk on her artifical leg, her left hip twists out gro tesquely. The Army sergeant looks to be in his early forties and appears to be an unremarkable man, an average citi zen. He must be a good man, however, for as a special project of his, in his spare time, he collects children for the hospital. He brings about eight a week to be fitted for artifical legs. At first it was difficult to get patients to come to the hospital, but those who have received new legs pass the word around and now the hospital is overrun. The G.I.'s on leave in Saigon tell the old woman that they, too, are poor, that they, too, have children, and that they cannot help her. The two children are not hers, but are her competitors. They follow the soldiers, who thank the policeman who takes them away. From time to time in Saigon the police round up the street orphans between the ages of five and 13. They get 400 to 500 each time. The children are put into prison for three months, for vagrancy is a crime. They are kept in a large compound with the insane on one side and the prostitutes on the other. There is no exercise yard, they receive no schooling they have no beds, for that matter. About a dozen a week are released to the Catho lic Church on condition that they attend Mass every day, and shine shoes for a living since shoe-shinning is a respectable trade. The soldier explains that he buys lighter fluid in the PX for 26 cents and sells it on the black market for about 86 cents. The buyers resell if for a dollar. The soldier laughs as he explains that trade is so brisk that the PX runs out of supplies quickly so that he buys most of his own supplies on the black market. The camera shows that the street vendors are well-stocked with Ameri can goods. The soldier is a young 22 and has a thin, newly ac quired beard and mustache. He explains that getting shot ; and killed are the worst part of it. The heat, the dust and the mud are bad, too. One is never clean except at base camp. His unit has lost 11 men on this mission. No, he feels nothing about the people he kills. No, he didn't enlist Another soldier says that it is stupid. War is stupid. But he guesses that we have to. The psychological warfare specialist, who planned this mission is nervous and he giggles as he describes it. He is m his 20s and wears glasses. He looks like a bright economics major, a grade-getter. The village has been under Viet Cong control for 11 years. His unit will surround the village so thc.t no one may leave They will then warn the villages that anyone attempting to es cape will be shot. Four farmer-villagers are along to finger the Viet Cong members. When asked what will happen to these men, the specialist grins and says that "If they run, 'Blat!' " Then he giggles again. No one was in the village but the very old and the very young. One old man was accidentally shot. The Viet Cong who were there are gone. The villagers are told to pack their belongings as they are to be moved to a frotified valley five miles away. They are told that their village, their homes, are to be destroyed.