WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1968
PAGE 2
The Daily Nebraskcn
Tlw faculty:
befuddledom
"Some of us are concerned with trying to find
the proper role of a professor on campus," Ivan
Volgyes said In requesting the faculty senate to
establish an ad hoc committee on human rights.
Volgyes, a political science professor, has been
concerned for some time. Perhaps some of the
rest of the faculty should begin to do a little
brow-wrinkling over something besides the bead
making customs of the Kwakiutl Indians.
The faculty, you see, is befuddled. Befuddled
and a little bit hurt that in all this student-administration
tug-of-war the faculty is being left
out. They have been left out, it seems for good
reason. At times the faculty acts, but always
through individual members (Volgyes himself being
the cardinal example.)
WHEN THE FACULTY does act, the results
are usually bad. Last spring they decided to change
their grading system without so much as a "what
do you think about this" directed at the students.
Then they wonder why they're lumped with the
administration when the battle lines are drawn.
Ultimately toe faculty is the most powerful
of the three factions on this campus. Acting in
unison, they can do almost whatever they please.
The day they act in unison for some worthy cause,
however, has never been seen.
The faculty, to no one's surprise, is where
most or all of the Ideas that come out of the
academic community are engendered. Here they
are, a vast group of Intellectuals brought together
and paid to do nothing but read, think and teach.
The result of that favorable environment, on
this campus at least, leaves something to be
desired. Our faculty has completely failed to
establish its identity. They are pushed and pulled
by the students or by the administration almost
at will, making it easy for both groups to ignore
them except for the isolated times when they get
their dander up about something.
IN THE AREA in which they should be most
effective, academic reform, the faculty has proved
itself largely incapable of providing any spark.
Sometimes the administration comes up with new
ideas for Faculty Senate to approve, sometimes
the students pick up something and carry the ball
until their idea is implemented. But rarely if ever
do you find the faculty, acting as a group, ac
complishing anything.
For most students, an association with some
faculty member will be the most valuable ex
perience they will have in college. These associa
tions, on a University-wide scale, could produce
the most valuable happenings for the University
community.
Nothing like this will happen, however, until
the faculty establishes an identity and sets out
on its own for a better University. We're waiting.
Jack Todd
Our man Hoppe ...
Chicken soup
for Mr. Nixon
The nation is again united. Liberal and Conser
vative have joined in common cause. And in an emo
tional display rarely equaled in our Republic, there
is but a single prayer today on the lips of millions
of Americans in all walks of politics:
"Heaven preserve you, Mr. Nixon, for at least
four more years."
This heartwarming concern for our President
elect has already resulted in the formation of The
President's Physical Fitness Committee. Its
chairman is the noted liberal, Dr. P. Granger
Grommet.
"The goal of The President's Physical Fitness
Committee," said Dr. Grommet simply, "is to keep
our new President physically fit for his full term
of office. Or, at the very least, alive.
"And we are confident that all Americans will
fully support our efforts once they realize the
alternative."
DR. GROMMET said the committee had failed
as yet to work out a precise physical fitness pro
gram for the new President.
"Some of our more panicky members insist
that the good of the Nation demands that Mr.
Nixon go lock himself in a padded bomb shelter,
not emerging until 1972. But cooler heads, while
agreeing, feel this is too much to ask.
"We have concurred, however, on asking every
American to send Mr. Nixon a weekly Stay Well
card. Each would bear a friendly little note, such
as: 'Don't eat fried foods, Mr. President.' 'Bundle
up well on chilly days.' Or 'Think of America's
progress and go jog.'
"We are also drafting legislation in the field
that we are confident will merit bi-partisan support.
The Galoshes Bill, for example, will require the
President to wear waterproof overshoes on damp
days.
...
"WE ARE GRAVELY concerned about Mr.
Nixon's love of the water. His first act on being
elected, as you know, was to fly off to Florida
to sport in the surf.
"Sport in the surf! Think of the fate of the
free world. Think of the late Prime Minister of
Australia. The Presidential Wading Act will forbid
any Chief Executive from getting in over his head.
"But on the whole," said Dr. Grommet, "we
look forward to the' future with confidence, Mr.
Nixon, after all, is only 55. He doesn't smoke,
thank heaven. He drinks only in moderation. He
is not seriously overweight. We feel that with the
prayers of all Americans with their offerings
of chicken soup, warm mufflers and motherly con
cern catastrophe can be averted."
Dr. Grommet was asked if he wasn't worried
that some insane gunman would attempt to
assassinate Mr. Nixon.
He looked surprised. "Nobody," he said, "would
be that crazy."
DR. GROMMET concluded by saying that the
nationwide concern for Mr. Nixon's continued good
health was "a virtually unprecedented display .if
unity." And "we should all be proud," he said,
"of the great progress our political system has
made."
In closing he was asked if be could recall
the country ever being so worried about a
president-elect surviving his term of office.
"Yes," said Dr. Grommet. a pained look in
his eye. "In 1952."
Chronicle Features
.11
"Strom, isn't one Spiro T. Agnew enough .
Editorial
Commentary
Dan Ladely ...
Prayer for Indian Summer
Time has passed swiftly as
always. The fall was
beautiful, almost as beautiful
as the summer. The weather
was wonderful, warm autumn
evenings, even warmer
autumn afternoons. A
beautiful sound was
reverberating across the
campus. It was the same
sound that has been heard in
campuses all over the world.
Young people were finally
beginning to revolt against
the old, sick society which
was trying to hold them in its
own image.
They were seeing the
hypocrisy, the racism, the
fascism predominant in our
society. They saw these
things and didn't like them.
The movement was born.
Even here in good old
Nebraska the movement was
finally beginning. Beginning,
however, as with all other
things, late. A year behind
every other place. But what
was important is that it was
beginning.
It was first manifested in
the Peace and Freedom Party
convention. Students got
together and talked about the
revolution in a meaningful
manner. Not a bloody and
destructive revolution, but a
revolution of action. Action
manifested in a march on city
hall. Even the administration
was worried. What will these
children do?"
THE MARCH was probably
,a success. At least 500 people,
young people, marched for an
end to racism in Lincoln.
They marched for the
passage of an open housing
bill, a boycott of prejudiced
landlords. Even though the
mayor refused to talk,
everyone went home happy.
Indeed, here was beginning.
The students finally took ac
tion. Yes, everyone went home
happy. Everyone patted
themselves on the back and
said, "I did my bit to end
racism." No one attended the
human rights meetings. Few
even helped the petition drive
to keep the boycott working.
Only a few have kept the
cause alive.
Dialogue per sisted
everywhere, however. Hyde
Park became even more
heated as dcbators argued for
their causes (or against
others). One student sent in
his draft card and read a
nicely prepared letter to a
small group of interested
students and an even smaller
group of interested newsmen.
Students going to classes
that day stopped and smiled
or joked. "Look at that fool.
He will spend a few years in
jail." Perhaps he will, but at
least his conscience will be
clear. Will their's?
NOW EVEN "the dialogue is
dying. Chicago is now almost
forgotten. I won't even speak
of the election. Two weeks
ago Time Out was held. At
tendance records were broken
for the poetry readings, the
rock band and the forum on
the Dally Nebraskan. That, is
all well and good, but at the
same time forums were being
presented on racism, draft
resistance and even the
question of a partisan
legislature. They were being
presented to record-low
crowds.
Winter approaches. Cold
winds blow across the plains
to chill the sounds and sights
of autumn. Only a few in
terested students now voice.
their opinions and the real
issues remain unanswered.
The administration people are
settling back In their easy
chairs before warm fires,
knowing that dissent has died.
They prepared for a long
winter. They have won. What
is worse, they have won
without lifting a finger.
The war goes on (now we
cannot even agree with our
ally) Nixon smirks, Hum.
phrey cries and the revolution
in Nebraska is crushed by
Homecoming displays. After
all, it is much more important
to stuff crepe paper in wire
mesh than to worry if
children in the Malone area
will be warm this winter. It is
much easier that way.
The revolution is dead and
winter has come creeping in
with the election. Perhaps,
however, it is not dead
forever. Ever hear of Indian
Summer? Perhaps the
weather won't change, but
will we? Can it be that the
sound which was there in
autumn is as full of hypocrisy
as the society it opposed? Are
we really living in the genuine
backward state? I hope not.
Excitement
prevailed
over Olympics
Dear Editor:
Because my impression of
the recent Olympic Games in
Mexico City is known to be
quite different from the opin
ion expressed in the "From
That Desk in the Corner"
column which appeared in
your October 20 issue, I have
been asked to comment on the
observation that. "During the
competition, the participants
and spectators appeared
pensive, as if they were
waiting for something un
desirable to happen," and the
farther comment that: "An
fr of worry and anxiety hung
over the Estadio Olympico
until the closing ceremonies "
I must say, "Not from
where I sat."
I WAS IN that stadium for
each event in track and field
competition during the eighi
day schedule of such events
and spent more than 12 hours
there on the Sunday of the
Grand Prix and closing
ceremonies. I may be old and
unperceptive out apparently
thousands of other spectators,
ranging from young to much
older Hian I, lajl.eil also the
discernment of your colum
nist. Those among whom 1 was
seated from day to day were
far from pensive. Excitement
and happy expectation
prevailed. We were not
waiting for something un
desirable to happen; we were
waiting to see great athletes
perform record-b reaking
feats.
We were not unaware of
some special pressures upon
the competitors and upon the
Olympic officials. They had
our understanding sympathy.
But I think it is not accurate
to say that the spectators
were anxious and worried.
Neither gloom nor fear of
doom pervaded the stadium;
rather, a spirit of jolly com
radeship prevailed.
PEOPLE FKOM all coun
tries were generous in ap
plauding a fine performance
from whatever nation, and
they shared the disap
pointment of any athlete who
suffered illness or injury.
Your columnist and I con
cur heartily on one point,
however. The genuine
warmth and enthusiasm of
the Mexican people did, in
deed, win the respect and
appreciation of all Olympic
visitors.
Mrs. Dorothy Switzer
Dear Editor:
I cannot see what cause is
served by printing Mr. Dietz's
emotional and self-pitying
protestations. What he writes
is probably interesting to his
psychiatrist, but only embar
and irrelevant to
us in the normal
Daily jelrakan
Second-class pjstase paid at Lincoln. Net).
TELEPHONE Editor 472-2588. News 472-258!). Business 472-2JSKI
Address correspondent', to Dailv Nebraskan, Room 51. Student Union, University
of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nehiaska 68508.
Subscription rates are tA per semester or to. the academic veai
Published Monday, Wednesday. Thursday and Friday during the school year
except during vacations and exam periods hy the students of th. University
of Nebraska under the iurisdlctinn ol the Faculty Subcommittee on Student
Publications Publications shall be free from censorship by the Subcommittee '
or any person outside the University Members of the Nebraskan ara responsible
for what they cause to be primed
Mmber Associated Collegiate Press. National Educational Adverttslna Service
Editorial Staff
Editol Jack 1'odtl; Manatjini: fcMitoi Ed IctouKI.. News editor Lynn Goils
chalk; NiKht News Editor Kent Cockson, Editorial Page Assistam Molly MurreU:
Assistant Night News Editor John Kranila: Sport. Editor Mark Gordon i Assistant
Sports Editor Randy York: Nebraskan Staff Writers Jim Evtneer. John Dvorak.
Larry Eckhnll. Georee Kaufman. Julie Morris. Jim Pederiee. Terry Grobe, Hill
Smitherman. Connie Winkler; Senior Copy Ertitni loan Wagoner; Copy Editois
Phyllis Adkisson. Oave Kilipi. June Waeorer. Andrea Wood; Pholotfrapnv Chie.
Dan lriely; Photographer J. E Shaw: Artisl Gail Plessman
Business Slaft
Bumiicss lauHuet .1, L Schim'tf. Hoofckeepei Kuri-i liuve: Pioriui-Uoii Han
aaei John Fleming: Nat nnul Ad lannyel f- i it.' hormat-ei . Business Scci' tary
and t'lassit'f it d'. I. mils ' irii-li SuhsrripUon ' ir1" ip .nt-.i n i .-nn
Manners R in Piipika hid; lYiiitn. d erimni R.-prescntnHvPs Me? te,.w.l
Joel Davis, Glenn rrienUL Nancy Giiillialt, Dun Looker
rassing
those of
world.
While I'm on Itie subject, I
should like to suggest that you
try to correct the monolithic
(and therefore tedious) tone
of your editorial page. You
are forever deploring a sup
posed lack of communication
between students and faculty.
Since most students are not
radical and, according to both
national and regional polls,
favored Nixon over any other
candidate, you would do well
to consider whether you are
"dialoging" with them any
more than we musty, old,
ivory-towered gents are.
Sincerely,
It. f). Stock.
Assistant Professor
of English
AtiPiition
student spy
The Ad-Hoc Vigilante
Committee for Freedom of
.Inquiry has issued - he
following WARNING:
Due to the failure of ASUN
and the Administration of the
University of Nebraska to in
act a proper anti-spy policy,
an Ad-Hoc Vigilante Com
mittee has been formed to
expose and to discipline stu
der spies. Any student know n
to work as an undercover
asent will be Jea!t with in an
appropriate fashion.
Duid Bunion
Inside report . . .
Democracy:
Chicago-style
by Rowland Evans and Robert Novak
Chicago As the 45th Precinct of the 24th
Ward Inside Chicago's West Side Negro ghetto
opened its polling place at the James Johnson
School election day, tlie voting was clearly going
to be dominated and directed by one man: the
Democratic precinct captain.
Although the legal status of a precinct captain
is merely the passive one of poll-watcher, this
Democratic functionary traditionally runs Chicago's
voting precincts. It was not the only violation of
law in the 45th Precinct on Tuesday. Indeed, the
voting there was a travesty on democracy, solely
an instrument enabling the Democratic precinct
captain to meet his vote quota. .
DEMOCRATIC officials here bar newsmen from
polling places, a prudent decision considering what
goes on. However, we obtained poll-watcher's
credentials, permitting us to observe democracy,
Chicago-style, in several polling places on the black
West Side. What we saw showed that lurid
Republican charges levelled for years have not
been exaggerated.
In the 45th Precinct, for. example, voter
registration was meaningless. A nod from the
Democratic precinct captain allowed a n
unregistered voter to vote by merely signing an
affidavit. Whether he might vote in another precinct
as well would be impossible to determine.
Even more remarkable was what happened
Inside the voting booth. Without asking whether
the voter wanted help, the election judge an
attractive young lady in a bright red dress
entered the booth with every voter and Instructed
him to pull the Democratic straight-party lever,
breaking the state law.
Once the curtain had closed and the voter
was alone inside the booth, the judge would hover
just outside so that the vote was anything but
secret. If the voter tarried more than 30 seconds
and thus appeared to be splitting his ticket, the
judge would reach inside to tap him on the shoulder
or even re-enter the booth with him.
NOBODY WAS permitted close to the four
minute maximum time in the booth. When one
voter had spent more than a minute inside, the
precinct captain shouted across the room to the
judge: "Come on, get her out of there."
When we questioned the precinct captain about
these irregularities, he was enraged: "You white
folks show up here on election day and try to
run things. All the people here is of the same
color and they all want to vote Democratic -nothing
else. The judges just show them how to
vote straight Democratic. Now, you sit down and
shut up."
Such activity by judges Is no less illegal than
the conduct of the assistant Democratic precinct
captain, who roamed about the polling place wear
ing Humphrey buttons still another violation.
The assistant captain would usher certain
voters into the school, then retire outside while
they voted. When each left, the assistant captain
would hand him what looked like a white chit.
Without variation, the voters carrying chits would
walk halfway down the block into an alley.
The outrages of the 45th Precinct did not vary
greatly from wnat we observed elsewhere on the
West Side Tuesday. Moreover, they echoed reports
of irregularities from hundreds of precincts which
poured into the headquarters of Operation Eagle
Eye, the voter-security operation run by the county
Republican organization.
OPERATION EAGLE EYE compensates for
the fact that oversight is not exercised by the
moribund Republican party in Chicago's black
ghettoes. "Republican" election judges are but paid
auxiliaries of Mayor Richard J. Daley's Democratic
organization. In the 45th Precinct we saw a
"Republican" judge silently watch the Democratic
election judge tell voters to pull the Democratic
lever.
Operation Eagle Eye, with 5,000 volunteers
Tuesday, has reduced outright vote theft here and
Inhibited Democratic precinct captains. But Eagle
Eye cannot man every precinct (the ones we visitet
had ro Eagle Eye observers), and sometimes Eagle
Eye volunteers are intimidated by precinct cap
tains. The result is continued fear and coercion which
have no place in a free society's election. Although
Negro voters here obviously wanted to vote
Democratic anyway, the oppressive mood in polling
places such as the James Johnson School militated
against their even splitting their tickets. This
system has permitted Mayor Daley to ignore Negro'
demands and still collect their vote over the years
and it worked again on Tuesday. '
(c) 1968 Publishers-Hall Syndicate
She Loved Me Like a Vault
She cast the longest shadow to be had
in the city
that noon that she crossed the downtown
desert
(so dear to all our hearts)
on her elbows
without a scratch to show for it.
and with her feet touching the clouds
and the sun red on her tender buns
and blue from the sky all over her
she let it all go to her head
until something burst
and she bled all over the sidewalk
and a cop turned her upright
and set her straight with a civil tongue
about causing a public scene
I remember the look on her face when
she came home that evening
after being charged with overexposure
she unrolled her long limp body on my
sola
stared at me with her always negative eyes
and positively exclaimed "screw cops?"
The last I heard of her she was livin-?
with some black cat in Denver
. smoking pot
sn '.p? i.a
a! l plaj ir- ; r her .'or a goo 1 e:.v-.
cuz' she ncer dug nuns
Rich lioruey