THE DAILY NEBRASKAN
Editorials
Commentary
Thursday, November 9, 1967
Page 2
Use The Laws
Selective Service Director Lewis B.
Hershey perhaps should hire a lawyer to
inform him about proper judicial proced
ure.
Hershey perhaps should hire a lawyer to
to strip deferments from college students
who interfere with military recruiters on
campus and put them at the top of the
induction list. He does this on the grounds
that student deferments are "given only
when they serve the national interest."
If we remember correctly, we recall
Hershey saying several years ago when it
became necessary to draft college, stu
dents that this phrase meant that if col
lege students were satisfactorily continu
ing their college education they were aid
ing the national interest. But now Her
shey has expanded this clause far be
yond its original and intended meaning.
Despite this, it certainly seems high
ly questionable whether the draft should
be used as a punishment for those stu
dents who have blocked military recruit
ers from coming onto campus.
We could not more heartily agree
that it is wrong to deny a person access
to the campus to recruit or speak though
one may be opposed to his views.
But we feel that the draft is not, and
should not be, punishment for disobeying
the laws. We feel the punishment provid
ed under the laws and it is nearly cer
tain there were laws broken should be
the penalty for this conduct.
Out Of The Many . . .
From the myriads of boards, organi
zations and courts, and their even great
er number of committees and subcommit
tees, some very bold, yet progressive,
ideas have been born this semester.
The AWS Constitutional Committee
has-been one such committee. Its rec
ommendations proposing fundament
al structural changes in AWS could very
well create some order in what has been
developing into utter chaos.
One of the best proposals is that wom
en would elect representatives to a Con
gress from their own living units. Pre
viously members were elected from class
es and a few more members from the
sororities, dormitories and Lincoln stu
dentswhat might be termed an at-large
election.
Under the present structure it was
very rare if a voter actually knew the
views of the person for whom she was
voting.
And even more important there was,
in reality, no way for a delegate to know
the feelings of her constituency on an is
sue. With delegates elected directly from
living units they should be able to test
their constituencies on issues and, thus,
be more representative of University wo
men. Another important proposal is that a
member of the Court of Appeals would
work with each of the regional courts.
It had earlier appeared that region
al courts would be set up and would have
little guidance at all from the primary
judiciary body of AWS. But under the
new proposal there should be greater uni
formity in the decisions of the approxi
mately six regional courts.
The Daily Nebraskan commends the
Constitutional Committee for bringing
forth reforms which will make AWS a
more workable and representative body.
Scrip Is Up
Scrip magazine has suffered its ups
and downs from year to year, especially
financial downs which may be due in part
to the quality of the magazine.
But if the quality of this year's edi
tion is any indication, Scrip should be a
financial success IF students realize the
outstanding writing potential shown in
this edition.
Many of the authors in the 1967 Scrip
may be the writers that our children
may someday read in their English cours
es. Not only is the content superior, but
the magazine is also typographically beau
tiful. The excellent use of photographs
add much to the beauty of the maga
zine. It is not often that student" authors
get a chance to get their own works pub
lished. The financial success of this
year's magazine will mean a continuation
of this opportunity for student authors.
But needless to say this is not the
reason to buy Scrip.
The 1967 Scrip is very capable of
standing on its own merits.
Sigkvn . . .
Sound
(By Galer Chamblee
"The Sand Pebbles," now playing at
the Nebraska Theater, is the very model
of a modern morality play.
The setting is China during the late
1920's when the Kuomintang under Chang
(that tiger Dwight D. promised to release
in the campaign back in '52 was busily
knocking over the warlords in an attempt
to unify China and free it from the terri
torial enroachments of the white-faced
foreign clerks (that's us). It was, of
course, the beginning of the Chinese rev
olution, which moved to a later stage un
der Mao (see. agrarian reform) and which
continues even now (see. Red Guards,
et.al.).
The conflict, as in all good morality
plays, is for the soul of Everyman, and
the two conflicting parties are the good
guys and the bad guys, just like in real
life. The forces of light are represented
by a benignly blond missionary and a
strikingly inept teacher, both sympathet
ic to the revolution. The forces of dark
ness are represented by the insane cap
tain of a dingy gunboat, working the
backwaters of a Chinese river. Everyman
is an old China hand played by Steve
McQueen, who doesn't care much for the
slope heads pf the navy, though he does
like to diddle around with engines.
McQueen is the sailor, named Holman
(whole man, get it?), is the most com
pletely realized character in a production
marked by pitifully weak performances
from almost everyone. Richard Crenna's
navy captain isn't half bad, but toward
the end of the very long movie, his me
thod of showing inner turmoil by tensing
up his cheek bones mightily and keeping
his eyeg open wide, much as if his shorts
were overly shrunken, "begins to pall.
Richard Alenbourough, normally a fine
actor, is strangely weak as the enlisted
man's pinkerton, who marries Butterfly
this time. Candace Bergman is so bad she
must be seen to be believed.
Candace Bergman is so bad she must be
seen to be believed.
McQueen once stated that he had tp
be careful in choosing his roles because
he was a limited actor, who could only
play a certain kind of character. In this
he shows great intelligence, and in Hol
man he has the kind of character he can
play for Holman i one of those drifters,
qua Hemmingway, qua Raymond Chand
ler, that McQueen erforms oyer and
over again. A man good with machines,
with animals, with action, but incapable
of expressing either an idea or an emo
tion. McQueen's characters do the right
thing because they intuit the right thing.
They are moral men from whom moral
ity is an abstraction is meaningless be
cause all abstractions are meaningless.
Only this beer, this engine, this incident
exists.
They cannot think, however, and they
cannot communicate with other people
because of their incredible inarticulate
ness. In this picture, McQueen alone with
his engine can beautifully show the im
portance of that machine to his charac
ter. He makes completely believable the
peculiar American lust for mechanical
expertise. But where he must show some
how his love for Candace Bergman's
teacher, he must needs fall back on his
stock response for an emotion his eyes
go blank, his mouth gapes, and h i s
shoulders half-way shrug. This irritating
gesture is the oniy one he has for emo
tion. By himself or with others like him
self as an observer, he is a superb actor.
But he cannot talk or express emotion at
all.
The movie, of course, is only inci
dentally about the late 20's in China.
Specifically, it is about the middle 60's in
Vietnam, for the directors and writers
try to show how American imperialism
in conflict with the rising tide of nation
alistic revolution can only lead to disas
ter. The relations between the off-duty
sailors and the Chinese show clearly
enough why anti-Americanism is a fact
of every country in which we have large
numbers of troops, but it is overdone al
most to the point of burlesque. The auction
ing off of Madame Butterfly is pathetic
ally embarrassing. The navy captain
preaches the virtues of dying for one's
country, but this virtue leads only to the
slaughter of a group of Chinese high
school students during a futile attempt to
rescue a missionary, who doesn't wish to
be rescued in the first place.
And more. It leads to the death of
the missionary, of the captain pnd of Mc
Queen's Everyman of no politics caught
between the two opposing forces he tried
his best to ignore. His last words are a
warning to other such innocents: "I was
home. What happened? What the hell
went wrong?" But the conflict leading up
to that culmination is too broadly drawn
toe obviously inept, to make the good in
tentions dramatically effective.
loen
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writ
age
J I1 I oV I - "I mmu
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CAMPUS OPINION
Dear Editor:
In reference to Joan Baez's appear
ance on Nov. 15: It is too bad that this
event is sponsored by the Union Special
Events Committee because a proper de
monstration or an all-out boycott would be
very appropriate.
Even though Miss Baez's political
views will not be presented that evening,
I can think of nothing more satisfying
than to give her a taste of his own medi
cine. After all (All of you Hawks),
shouldn't she be entitled to the same kind
of "Negative Support" that she led in
Oakland two weeks ago?
J. R. Wertz
Disgrace
Dear Editor:
This country has seen a lot of politi
cal and moral extremes. And, as a be
liever in democracy, I think these ex
treme positions and views are something
of good use. If, of no other use. they
at least serve to remind people of the
dangerous conditions which extremes
may, and have often, produced.
I believe that the people holding
these extreme positions and ideals are not
wrong in doing so: nobody likes war and
very few of us would want to see the
United States overrun by Communists.
The trouble starts when such groups of
people are infiltrated and subverted by
the Communist underground in this coun
try. But, to my point. My tree has been
shaken.
There has been, since classes began,
a Communist flag hanging in a window
on the tenth floor of Harper Hall. When
I first saw this absurdity. I passed it off
as a prankish student and assumed the
flag would shortly by discarded in favor
of a different sign (we dormies love our
signs).
But the flag has remained, and now
its lovable possessor has added "50th"
signifying the 50th anniversary of the
USSR. This is not cricket, fellow students.
Would one walk down the street in
Red Square carrying a flag of the Unit
ed States? No, not unless suicide was the
intention.
The flag should be removed from the
window immediately, and if the student
does not remove it, the student assistant
on the floor should remove it. If the
student assistant will not remove it, then
the residence director should remove it.
And if they will not remove it, then
I wish to invite each and every one of
my fellow students to come and see this
stain which is such an ugly mark on our
complex and, for that matter, on the
University, itself.
Scott Smith
(Editor's Note: Lancaster County Attor
ney Paul Douglas reports there is a Ne
braska state law which prohibits citizens
from displaying the national flags of any
but the U.S. and "friendly foreign coun
tries." Douglas said violation of the law
can bring a fine of up to SI .000 and a
jail sentence of not more than five years.)
Caniclol
Dear Editor:
There was all too great a anise fur
the hush;
it seemed that something had grown;
that it had become something all too
noticeable,
but only to those who could hear.
And well it was that they could,
for, not hesitating, they found the
source.
destroyed an accomplished unrest,
and drew a straight line from now to
good.
At last week's Senate meeting, discus
sion centered around the failure of Vietnam
Week and the subsequent referendum.
Camelot, for one, thinks that there
definitely was a basic point brought out
and that that point bears study. The point
made was that something in our Univer
sity education is lacking. ,
Just what is lacking, that we are not
motivated? Is it complete decision upon
indecision that many of our leaders advo
cate? Could it be that given sufficient ex
amples of the phoniness of our college
communal existence we resort to the sad
but true, "old man" image, discarding,
in our dejection and depression, all that
has to do with change?
Camelot, for one, thinks that there
been feeling awfully old lately. Yet, he
knows that there can be change and that
there is and can be good in what we do.
He personally challenges the senators
whose committee will be blamed for the
failure to define or at least hint at the
cause for the failure.
Is it the student? Is it you, Mr. Aver
age U of N? Camelot does not think so.
He thinks, in fact, that it does reflect a
lacking in your society. It's true that you
are not completely . without blame, but
then, few can remain unstained in a so
ciety whose most evident quality at times
is stain.
Take this challenge, senators, for
things uncovered in this search can't help
but reflect on the University campus in
particular and on society in general. Cam
elot will in turn gladly accept challenges
from you.
Overlooking for now, maybe all too
foolishly, the need for basic changes in
our society, let us concentrate upon the
educational problems at hand. Theoretic
ally the problems of the world need to
be, first, absorbed into the classroom sit
uation rather than throwing fact-and-prin-ciple-filled
graduates against cold, com
plex reality; and secondly, they need to
be approached on a stimulus, quest, ex
planation, response basis rather than the
gestapo dictation system that now pre
dominates. Ideally such renovation revolutions
should erupt in every college, every course
or rather every department head, ev?
ery instructor. Granted there are a few
flowers blooming, but toe weeds off Mon
ey, Regents,, Administration, Seniority,
Seniality and Stupidity use Time, like wa
ter, to keep them but buds.
A practical solution? A required "is
sues" course on an effort-graded, pass
fail basis. Issues of today: ghettoes; def
icit spending and government programs;
'68 politics-leadership.
We have the instructors eagerly rea
dy to transfer to such an educational
environment, and we have students that
in such an environment, just might find
themselves and an answer to the ques
tion of student motivation (negative ap
athy). Camelot Wonders
By JULIE MORRIS
All the election news Wednesday was good news.
Carl Stokes' victory and Mrs. Louise Day Hicks' de
feat are cause for cheers in this land of racism.
Stokes, elected mayor of Cleveland by a bare 2.497
votes, becomes the first Negro mayor of a major U.S.
city. Mrs. Hicks, a plump, grandmotherly Bostonian lost
her bid for mayor as a symbol of white racial backlash.
In a country so dominated by racist thinking how
long has it been since you looked at a Negro without
immediately thinking "Negro" and vice versa the vic
tory of a Negro in a major political election is a real
bve patch of blue.
Mrs. Hicks' defeat is another patch of blue because
it indicated that the white backlash created by last
summer's riots may not be as strong as it looks.
A patch that isn't so blue is Gary, Ind. where Rich
ard Hatcher, a Negro, won the mayor's race by only
a slim margin and plans to bring charges of election
fraud were already underway early Wednesday.
The Gary campaign was racist America in minia
ture. Townspeople, the candidates and observers all said
the contest was based on one issue race.
There are still dozens and dozens of situations in
America that are likewise based on your color where
you live, what kind of a job you can get if you're an
average Joe, who you can date.
The tension in Gary on election day was so high po
lice and National Guardsmen were on standby alert.
What White Gary feared was that the Negro community
would riot if Hatcher lost. Similarly White America lives
in fear of a Negro riot or a revolt
And, finally, in Gary what is being done to solve the
problems of racial conflict is what is being done in Amer
ica the minimum.
Our Man Hoppe
By Arthur Hoppe
Newsweek magazine reported that Donald Duck will
appear in an educational cartoon to be shown around the
world this Christmastime in order to instruct the under
privileged in birth control.
The selection of Mr. Duck for this important role is
certainly a wise choice wiser, for example, than Peter
Rabbit. But I fear complications may be envisioned.
Scene: The thatched hut of Mr. and Mrs. Taiwan
Onn near the little village of Whar Dat in West Vhtnng
where we have been fighting in a lightning campaign
to spread the blessings of American democracy for the
past 42 years.
It is late on a moonlit night and Mr. Onn is just
coming in the door with a bottle of pills, a bagful of
Art Nouveau objects and a bemused expression.
Mrs. Onn (with a frosty smile): Did you have a nice
time, dear, at the Teahouse of the Passionate Lotus?
Mr. Onn (with dignity): I have been to the movies.
Mrs. Onn (mollified): Oh. was it Rock Hudson? He would
be so handsome, if he didn't have such a big nose.
Mr. Onn: No, it was a duck. An American duck, I be
lieve, in a blue sailor suit. He said there were too many
of us Vhtnnngians.
Mrs. Onn (frightened): Still? That means they will in
crease the bombings?
Mr Onn (frowning): I don't know. This duck was most
difficult to understand. He quacked. And he jumped up
and down a great deal. But 1 think he said if we all take
these pills, there will be fewer of us.
Mrs. Onn (shuddering): At least the guerrillas have the
courtesy to come around and shoot you personally I hope
you will bury that bottle quite deep so that no poor child
or dog will find it. (nodding toward the bag) But what
are those?
Mr. Onn: I was told that you must use them for the
sake of generations yet unborn.
Mrs. Onn (relieved to deal with something familiar Mi
fertility symbols. I shall place them on the family altar
and burn a joss stick.
Mr. Onn (scratching his head): I do not think that is
the American way. But that fool duck quacked so. that
Mrs. Onn (nervously): Hush. You must not offend this
great American duck god. He is obviously their terrible
god of life and death-bestowing blessings on us with one
hand and dropping bombs on us with the other.
Mr. Onn (nodding): That is the American way. But what
can we do?
Mrs. Onn: Perhaps some day they will give up their
worship of this duck in a sailor suit and come to feel
the peace and love that emanates from our beloved
three-headed snake goddess, Kris Mab Phut.
Mr. Onn (shaking his head as he sets forth to bury the
bottle of pills): I admire your faith, dear. But these
Americans! Frankly, I doubt anyone will ever make eood
pagans out of them.
Daily Nebraskan
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