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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 26, 1937)
From where I SIT By CLARE IGOE SO THIS IS COLLEGE! For the three years I’ve gone to college I’ve been pretty dis illusioned about it. When I came here as a freshman I thought, with youthful exuberance, “Oh, boy. I'll bet college will be fun!” I'd seen lots of movies about college life, and they all seemed exciting, and I thought maybe it really was that way. I was pretty naive then, I guess. Well, at the end of my freshman year I realized that some of my youthful dreams were perhaps a little extravagant, hut I still had hope. But during my sophomore year it wasn’t much better. Oh, It was fun, of course, and lots of things happened, hut not anything I could tell my grundehildren about, or muse about with classmates at homecoming in future years, like old grads are sup posed to do when they start out—“Remember when . . . . ” and continue with precious and time-honored recollections. By last year I'd become hardend to it, and I didn't expect much. After all, everyone said, the days of Joe College and raccoon coats and rowdy-dow are dead. The new type of student is more serious minded, more worldly. This rah-rah college stuff doesn’t go any more. I sighed, because I thought those days, though perhaps a little Crude, must have been very colorful, and I felt, with a bit of resent ment, that I’d missed something. But today I was happy, for I realized that students were still Students, that their zest for a good battle was still keen and that this thing we call Oregon spirit, which has been so submerged these last years, is not dead. Our only regret is that" it took an Oregon State “invasion” to prove it. Some of the most downright peculiar conversations I’ve heard In some days came from the booth in back of me at the Side today, I think by a group of students from the drama department. Following are some bits of the talk that, went on: “Swish, swish (imitation of the, sound waves breaking) the Waves break upon the shore, throwing up brown dead things in front of my door. The slimy waves slide along the slippery sand— zoom, zoom (more soudns of waves breaking)” .... and more along this line, all very confusing. Then came this: "Oh, dear, what can the matter be. Dear, dear, what can the matter be. Dear, dear, what can the matter be Johnny's so long at the fair.” (The group in unison on this). I recognized this as a little ditty I used to sing in grade school, but this didn’t make matters any better. In fact, the whole thing was queer. VERY queer. Pollock's FOLL Y By BOB POLLOCK I DON’T KNOW anything about the authenticity of this, some body just whispered it in my ear. But it goes something like this: Hal Young, the music school's own, was tenoring his way through a hymn in one of the local churches one bright Sunday morning as is his custom. Fetching tile Young tenor to its most magnificent efforts, he finished with a rousing finale that would have brought down the house if it had been that kind of a house. Later, he was stopped by a woman member of Ids audience who inquired if Mr. Young had ever taken any music lessons at the University school of music. MR. YOUNG had not. Would Mr. Young be interested in taking some he evidently had some promise and lacked only training if she woidd arrange for them ? Mr. Young would be only too delighted. The lady therefore departed with a somewhat smug expression on her face, promising to call Mr. Young as soon as arrangements had been made. Mr. Young has not heard from the lady. Can it possibly be that she has abandoned the idea? SPEAKING OF Hal Young, my Idea of a perfect assem bly would be one in wlieh he sang three solos, the band—dry cleaned and the best outfit to tootle for Oregon in my time— played three numbers, and Babe Binford’s pianist, Little Papo lean Clair Esehelby made Satan Take a Holiday while Smoky Whitfield trucked. . . . I’d even take my eyes off the freshman class expose with a menu like that .... LIKE THE BOY who stood on the burning deck and wished, that he'd missed the boat were Oregon's footballers in Thursday’s as sembly. They arose with a stricken look on their respective faces, sidled up to the mike like it was Amblin’ Amby Schindler, gazed at it apprehensively and then delivered themselves of the brilliant and original, “We're goin’ out there and beat ’em” which I have obediently pounded my grabbers together about since high school days. The footballers can hardly be blamed. Who could get up be fore tlie audience and deliver a snappy, pat little pep talk with preparation time of approximately SO seconds? Well, it's a cinch nobody could but a speech prof and you can't get those birds within a mile of a platform. THEREFORE, MY FRIENDS, T have, as always, a suggestion. Let there be an official speaker appointed, elected, forced, or given to the football team. If possible, let it be one of their own mem bers. Duties of this professional blarneyer will be to appear at all rallies and explain what the team is going to do and how it is going to do it. Also he will appear during the halves, and, if the team is ahead then all alumni present are expected to give him something to keep out the cold and the spirits up. NOW A FINAL BEEF: I've forgotten the name of tin' young gentlemen who remembered to get up in time for Thurs day’s assembly, lint I here and now nominate him for the best yell leading these old eyes have ever seen and these old cars have ever heard. Mayb lie’ll have an abdication? 1 guess I’ve cried around enough for today. Even the Most Rabid of the Oregon Old Grads' Ought to Be Satisfied Dictatorship and the Controlled Press JN t}ic United Staffs there have recently been objections to flip polipy of American imivprsitips accepting German exchange st.u dpTits. About a ypar. ago Williams college broke into the headlines when its president revoked tbp exchange scholarship of a Ger rnan student—with the since oft-quoted state ment that lie did not want students with “certificates of political responsibility.” Not long ago the University of Toronto paper published an editorial expressing a similar criticism. It was based on the alleged propagandistic activities (and, in the case of journalists like Oregon’s Werner Asendorf, publication) of the exchange students. The Toronto editor charges the exchange students are subjected to a. one-year course in propoganda before they are turned loose on an unsuspecting and innocent. America. This, of course, couldn’t have been true in the case of Werner Asendorf, as he returned to Germany last January after two years in Canada and the orient and left about six months later to come here. During that six month period he won tin1 right to attend Ore gon—and even the USSR would have trouble finishing a one year propaganda plan in that time. Werner writes from the Orman viewpoint. In his attempt, to depict, the German scene honestly and fairly and to explain that, view point is to be found the value of his columns, lie is a competent reporter and a widely-read and traveled commentator and has made shrewd comparisons of America and Germany in many ways. 'TNIAT same issue of the Toronto daily which strikes at so-called. Nazi- propa ganda contains a defense of freedom of the press. That freedom which is backs heartily in spirit (and condemns in practice) is one of the basic factors in the success of American and Canadian democracy. Although it has not always made 1 lie most, of its opportunities, the American press has always enjoyed political! freedom, has always been free to report and criticize the activities of any political group. 'Flic criticism of exchange scholarships has, unfortunately, reached the Oregon campus. The Emerald has been accused of allowing itself to become an instrument of German propaganda. i et Mr. Asendorf s contributions have boon reproduced only under an editorial head ing, “Strange Land,” and beneath his by-line. They have been accepted for two reasons: first, that Mr. Asendorf is an interesting and ('lever writer; and secondly, that he has something important to say. # # # r|~'IIOSE who would abolish the exchange ships apparently fear that American democracy bus reached a point where it can no longer stick by its guns and maintain un restricted political expt'essjion. Apparently they fear it cannot withstand the challenge of dictatorship and fascism -that at least it has degenerated to a stage where it must be petted and shielded, jrtst as is fascism, from political “coinpet it ion. ’ ’ These ‘‘defenders of democracy” auto matically stand accused of all the heinous (•rimes they charge fascism with committing. They are guilty of censorship and political repression. In countries when* dictatorships hold sway today it seems that leaders are not willing to submit their political doctrines to a com parison with democracy. They must main tain a censorship and a controlled press to survive. Lsually the financial status of their governments will not stand the revealing light of publicity. ■ Censorship and the controlled press not only deceive the people “at home-’ but create misunderstanding throughout the world. Cen sorship exists in Germany and that prevents foreign correspondents there from presenting a complete picture. The main value of Mr. Asendorf’s articles, even though he is now in the Cnited States, is not to be found in the completion of that side of the picture, however, lie expects to return to Germany someday and even though tin* censors cannot read his American-published articles before they appear. Germans may see them after publication. * * # a country attempts censorship and the dispersal of propaganda (a con trolled press), it defeats its own aims. No one places much credit on dispatches bearing the dateline “WITH THE JAPANESE ARMY’’ which tell of the hundreds of Chinese dead. Censorship adds weight (by the re action it causes) to propaganda aimed against the censoring nation—-propaganda which, written of a country with nothing to conceal, would quickly be recognized for what it is. America has been subjected to a great flood of anti-Nazi propaganda. Within most Americans the belief has been built up that the Hitler government is not truly supported by Germans. The United States has not been informed to any great extent of conditions in Germany, of the desperation and deprivation which was forced upon that nation and which made the rise of Hitler possible. It is in providing a balance for this that Mr. Asendorf and his fellow students can serve. The information they disseminate may be in a sense termed propaganda—but, knowing the source, the reader can evaluate it just as he does the Japanese report of Chinese easual 4t no KMOCRACY lias stood tlio test of time. It has outpointed every philosophy with which it has entered the political ring. Tt lias been successful because it has nothing in its closet which cannot he revealed. It has been successful because it can invite comparison with challenging theories. Remove its basic tenet of frank fairness and it, is already on the tremulous ground of deception and false hood. Yet. defenders of the republic against “propaganda” would have us weaken this principle—would advocate a withdrawal of the right of free expression from the German students. Such people are democrats neither in theory nor in practice. They are clearing the way for the development of that sort of misunderstanding that makes for national hatred, for unreasoned action, for war—and for dictatorship. They are doubting the American intelli gence which makes democracy possible. They are placing themselves on a level with countries which openly support a con trolled press and censorship—on a lower level, even, because they are political hypocrites and by the premises of their philosophy do not wish to practice the principles of that for which they are fighting. They are, ostrich-like, the kind of people who would face a world situation by plug ging uii their ears and sticking their heads in the sand. As long as the American public can rationally consider such irrationality and evaluate anti-propaganda propaganda, demo cracy doesn’t seem to be in danger. SMART MAN Midst the ruins of a war torn campus, one head at least was cool. Palms for the SAE man who f a t h e r e d the tennis court dance. It's better to keep students occupied step ping on each other's feet than on each other's heads. In the Mail A NOBLE AND PRACTICAL PLAN To the Editor: We just can't repress our selves any longer. All through last year we suffered in silence, but now we are just so filled and thrilled with school spirit, and love for our dear Oregon, that we simply must do our bit. Hence we submit this con structive criticism it is just welling out of our altruistic and public-spirited hearts: We believe that as an instru ment intended primarily for the purpose of raising the social and scholastic standing of Oregon, and dedicated to the high pur pose of guiding this institution to ever more noble and aesthetic ideals, the Emerald should lead in a courageous and determined campaign to effect the follow ing changes in the present sys tem : 1. First, it is our conviction, after long and frequently sober contemplation, that all students should be required to wear uni forms, both to classes and to social functions. We all know the disadvantages of permitting each student to choose his own apparel; and we believe that if each boy and each girlie were always to appear dressed in — for example a lemon - yellow cement sack and bright green sandals, there would result not only a much higher campus g.p.a., but also a far more cheery and enthusiastic campus social spirit, 2. Each student should be re quired to carry at least twenty four hours of classes besides labs and those who failed to make a grade point average of 3.7 should be firmly slapped upon the open hand. 3. Pin-ball machines, smok ing, driving of cars, movie at tendance, imbibing of beer, wine, milk and coffee, and unneces sary conversation, should all be strictly prohibited. To appease those antt-social-minded rowdies whom it seems are ever with us, the University should install roulette wheels and corn whis key faucets in every classroom, professors s h o u l d distribute opium and morphine at the be ginning of every class, and the new libe should be turned into an all-night truckin' school, with only (but all) professors hold ing Ph.D's instructing, working in 18-hour shifts. We believe that our plan needs no elaboration, but can stand on its own merits. Iuspiredly yours, JOHN VALLEAU and MORITZ THOMSEN SLOPPY JOB?— To the Editor: As an ex-Oregon student I feel disposed to criticise the handling of yesterday's game with Oregon State college. Let it not be thought that I am criticising the conduct of the team, I think they made a brave fight against a better team, but I am criticising those respon sible for the arrangements re garding the general public. Readers of this may say: “It's so easy to criticise,” ‘‘Sour grapes,” or some such trite re mark, but if this criticism is taken in the right spirit it may possibly lead to the correction of the things criticised. Whoever was responsible for the sale of general admission tic kets should have provided more selling stalls. The mob was so great that many people had to wait in line for over an hour in order to obtain tickets, in fact some people were actually late to the game on this account. I ask you if this is conducive to Ore gon hospitality when well-mean ing visitors from out of town get an introduction like this? X wish that someone would tell me what the purpose of the rally committee is? I had some vague idea that they were to foster school spirit and assist in th management of athletic and cultural activities, but after their exhibition at Saturday's game I am at a loss. The major ity of the handsome men and lovely women congregated down in front of the rooting section and sat or leaned upon the players' benches during almost the entire game. I will admit that the men, or some of them, helped the hard-working yell leaders during the card stunts, but even then they were very careful not to get their pretty white clothes dirty. Was not their most important task that of controlling the crowd ? Were they not sup posed to keep people back from the sidelines so that the pay customers could see the game ? They made two half-hearted at tempts to do this, then gave up and went back to ornamental lounging around the players’ bench. One would almost think that they did not come to help at all. One would think that they came to show off their snappy suits and enjoy choice places from which to see the game. Now if the rally committee can't control the crowd why don’t they admit it and turn the job over to the local bulls, Skull and Dagger men, or the Boy Scouts! any one of which or ganizations could have done it without white pants. With regard to the girls' rally committee, I will admit my ignorance. What are they sup posed to do ? They all sat very prim and pretty on a bench right next to the players, I'll admit they were decorative, and whenever the band played they jumped up, turned around, and began to wave little colored pom-poms around. But even so, there was always one girl or another who couldn't get in time with the others. If they were supposed to be a chorus and wave pom - poms around all through the game they should nave practiced more, it shouldn't have taken them long to learn how to wave a pom-pom. I pre sume that they were also iri-~ tended to instill “pep" into the And the Battle Raged—to a Draw ^^FFICIALS of two state educational insti tutions breathed easier last night as one of the most delicate situations in inter-campus history apparently drifted to a consequence less conclusion. Monday Oregon had its first successful rally in years—and it took a motorized bat talion of corn-waving Staters to galvanize the long-dormant campus into action. In other words', it took Oregon State to put on Ore gon’s most successful rally. After a hasty reeonnaisanee last night it seemed that the party of roistering Beavers and the equally enthusiastic Ducks who greet ed them had suffered little from the day’s activities. Injuries apparently were slight-. No one seemed particularly angry and every one seemed to have enjoyed the day, on the whole. Officials feared that relations between the two schools might be strained but as far as the students were concerned the combined “rally” and “dunking” seems to have brought the two campuses closer together. * # * rJMIF events of yesterday should have satis fied the most rabid of the “old grads” who have annually protested the lack of spirit on the campus. Oregon arose to the occasion with gentlemanly decorum, if n^>t calmly, capably gave the Beavers a plentiful dose of what they came after. 1 P’or massing together a caravan under adverse conditions—bucking an official veto of an appeal for a holiday and gathering students from Monday 8 o’clock’s—to invade a “hostile” campus, OSC deserves commenda tion. That the Beavers do not lack enthus iasm is evident. Some may question their dis cretion but luck was on their side, at least as far as accidents were concerned. Scoring for the day was about equal. State put over the rally and the University men dunked the Staters. I r\ESPITE the fart that the events of yester ^ day evidently aren't going to cause any repeeussions of much importance and that the demonstration was an enthusiastic one con ceived and executed in a sportsmanlike man ner, it was a foolhardly move on the part o! the victory-elated college men. The possibility of accident in the 45-mile trek was limitless. State laws about the number of persons riding in and on a car were shattered. And a bloody riot on the campus might well have resulted probably would have had not both student groups exhibited so much friendliness. Perhaps the Staters believed, as does Japan, that they were “defending the Ore- ^ gon State campus with an aggressive policy. All the “danger” in the situation has not yet blown over. Though both campuses are in the main satisfied with the results of the “warfare” and no further attack or retalia tion is planned, the actions of small, irre sponsible marauding bands might cause the bad feeling which so far has been avoided. * # * pLATNLY the incident of Monday had pos sibilities for both good and evil. The ties between the state’s big schools could be strengthened by an annual University and .College get together, scheduled and planned— say for the Sunday after or the Friday before the big game. This might very well be held at Benton Lane, halfway between Eugene and Corvallis. Supervised and planned and with dancing and other entertainment possible, it would make a fine pre-game rally or after-game celebration. It would, if properly managed, involve little of the dangers of yesterday’s incident. Its possibilities for drawing the student bodies together are limitless. Besides, maybe Oregon could pick up some pointers on how to conduct a rally—and give the Beavers an annual bath. Strange Land By WERNER ASENDORF THE SCENE IS BERLIN in 1932. A big throng of students is gathered on the place before the university. Faces are excit ed and uplifted towards a speak er standing on a truck. Accusa tions are shouted against the Treaty of Versailles. Suddenly the police appear. Heavy clubs beat down on undergraduates and professors equally. A wild chase begins through the build ings of the university. When ever a student gets caught he suffers the might of a strong policeman to the full extent of the law. That is the picture of a political riot on the grounds of one of the finest institutions for higher education. Those who were present at that time felt they were being treated with injustice. They believed that the police were nothing else but the executives of a foreign power. They believ ed that the Treaty of Versailles was the reason for need and un employment among academi cians. Only political reasons like crowd, but the majority of their faces reminded one of female pallbearers on their day off. Why not try and figure out something definite for them to do by the next game? I think they mean well and would work hard if given the chance. One more point. It was not very smart to put the Oregon State rooting section 'way down in the corner of the field and behind the goal posts. I’ll admit that it happened that that end of the field saw most of the action, but after all, that was because of the flip of a coin. Were not the Oregon State stu dents the guest of the Univer sity and shouldn’t the guests have the best seats in the house ? Where do you think the Ore gon rooting section will be at the game next year in Corval lis? I hope that offense will not be taken from these remarks, as I really meant them for the good of the school. STUART MOCKFORD. FOR SILENT SERVICE To the Editor: It is high time that Oregon students rose en masse and de manded their rights. Their rights that are being ruthless ly trampled on by the attend ants in the east wing reserve department of the library. Af ter spending an hour there try ing to study, I came away with an impression of ceaseless small talk, grunts, gooney laughter and untuneful whistling, all emanating from the glass mon key house at the side. The library was intended for study, but under the above con ditions it takes supreme con centration to learn that one and one makes foo. Yours for deaf and dumb li-._ brary' attendants, HAMILTON KENNEDY II that could haul them away from “cracking books.” And it was no fun either. * * * THE PICTURE OF such a demonstration of politically aflamed youth was recalled to me today when I saw the rally • and exciting scenes of the Ore gon vs. Oregon State incident. I didn’t then think with pleasure of those years passed by which, so I hope, will never reappear in Germany. I thought with a more than slight sadness about years pas sed by, full of political fighting instead of being carefree and • loaded with fun. In' other words I envied you. I was deeply envious of your kind of college life. It may be wild but it is happy. Even though many of you have to work yourselves through college you do not have to feel it neces sary to fight for the freedom of the nation. Maybe we made a mistake in thinking so. Maybe our youth in being political through and through. I cannot get those years back now. I hope that my children have more fun and less politics of such an unpleasant nature as «i we had in our time. And I be lieve that every American col lege boy should be extremely glad of having the chances he has. Without trying to be polite or dishonest—I believe that the American youth should do its best to hold the present stan dard of carefree fun and solid education by fighting for tradi tional A m e r ic a n democracy, which should mean to you what freedom meant to us — every thing. i 'cufunr'i Ojim Shy\L * Wa/hburnej KT M OR RANI (r WASMB'IRNf Phons 2700 The Season’s Smartest! ★ Wrap Around Styles ★ Single Breasted ★ Double Breasted This is your opportunity to buy a smartly tailored Over coat at a reduction! Fine quality, durable materials. Oxford and Cambridge gray. i Men’s Suits Single and double breasted . . . fancy or plain backs . . . smart herringbone weaves . . . latest colors and patterns. 00 WASHBURNE 'S ON THE CAMPUS is THE FIELD SHOP