3 Years- But the 'Doomed'ASUO Still Lingers On...
A Healthy Invalid
A little more than three years ago this writ ok*
attended an interfraternity council meeting,
a1' a reporter, at which then-Student Body Presi
crnt James Blais presented an impassioned plea
t > the house presidents for fraternity aid to bolster
1A sUO finances.
President Blais, declaring he was speaking for
Ihm-Graduate Manager Hugh Rosson and Assist
fry Tom Stoddard, asked each fraternity head to
\i«? Ids influence to get his organization to pledge
at d support one athlete every year.
The plan would have meant donations equiva
lent to almost $400 in cash each year from every
X eternity.
The details of the appeal are not important
1 -day, although at the time Manager Rosson saw
f) to halt the distribution of papers containing the
story and there was much comment from many
4;oupees.
* . # *<
IT was defeated, largely, I believe, because Em
erald Editor Robert \V. Lucas printed the story
<G the meeting—a story which, although fair to
tt.e ASI’O and President Blais in every detail, in
f mined the campus of the movement and created
a strong reaction to it.
What is important is the basis on which that
appeal was made. President Blais told the assem
bled house leaders with a tear in his eye and a
rivvh in his voice that the ASUO's days were
numbered unless they came to its aid. Nothing
else ■would save the student corporation.
►Student government and student affairs were,
according to the president, going down for the
third time. Faced with the necessity of budget
reorganization because of the adoption of optional
fees, the manager’s efforts to put the business on a
sound basis had failed. The end was near.
*= # *=
"D LAIS’ declaration was one of the first indica
tions the students had of the state of ASUO
finances. Not long after the graduate manaegr and
his assitant resigned, adding to the impression that
even the captain was leaving a sinking ship.
Reorganization of the ASUO followed. Activi
ties were split into two groups, athletic activities
and educational activities,. and the president of
the University took over, nominally, control of
both. Two boards were appointed to .handle busi
ness affairs. Two managers were named.
Strangely, the ASUO's ship of state is still
afloat. All student activities haven't ceased. They
have, rather, been expanded; a concert series has
been developed, dramatic productions are being
offered. and the sports program is gradually being
extended.
Apparently the ASUO leaders of three years
ago were poor prophets. They forecast correctly
the passing of something, it is true. But not the
ASUO.
It becomes increasingly apparent, as both
boards come closer to balancing their budgets, that
what has passed is poor management.
*= # #
few days ago President Barney Hall told the
educational activities board that revenue from
the sale of ASUO cards for this year had exceeded
the budgeted income by almost $1000, or about 3
per cent. That increase and other increases in
income or reductions in expense will probably
enable the educational activities board to meet its
budget—although it receives, by agreement, only
40 per cent of the increase, the remainder going to
the athletic board.
Neither board of the ASUO is completely out
of the swamp. It would probably be poor business
for either board to run, at this time, entirely
within its income. For one thing, both are build
ing up tangible assets—and both must pursue a
long-sighted policy which will not permit the sacri
fice of ground already gained in order to reduce
expense.
But the important thing is that the ASUO is.
still here, depression and gloomy forecasts not
withstanding. Manager Kosson probably would not
recognize the corporation—or, at least, the form
in which it is doing business today.
And today's ASUO serves the student better
and is, generally, better received by the student.
The predicted crisis came. The “government" fell.
But the ASUO is stronger today for its downfall,
—L. M.
Lecturer Kirby Page Illustrates American 'Lack of Contriteness’
We Live in Glass Houses . . .
tlu* forum in (ierlinger hall after the assem
hly speech .yesterday, Kirby Page, the noted
j) "mi fist, made a number of significant remarks.
Among them was a plea for a new national atti
v le—one of eontidleness, and unknown virtue to
most Americans in matters of national or inter
ji tional affairs.
Those wlio listened to his speech will realize
that America does have a history which would well
f.' nd a bit of effective repenting. They were pre- *
• rd h! with the Anglo-American record of im
p •ailism, die long lists of “Taken by conquest”
v ’ ioh are \\ ritten across the territories of the two
gr atest powers of the world. And unless they
v 'iv unusually dense, they would have seen the
iia 1 iutable logic of this “robber store.”
lb-actions to Mr, Page’s statements as shown
V student- questions during the forum, revealed,
inn ever, that too many students were no more
c-it'ite lor the.sins ot the 1 nitod States than they
l1 : been previously. Their attitude was typified
1>.» the young man who admitted the faults but
« d if was too late and wo could do nothing
a nut it'.
*:> * *
i • A1.1 Xi I with evils through sources rather than
through results has long been recognized, in
i e(»r\ at least, as the better system. If tin* Knifed
-tes faces a bristling world of dictatorships and
aggressors, who have arisen largely, as Air. Page
• fowed, because of our actions in the past, the
1 gn-al solution of these evils should be through
I hiking at their sources. ]f we are willing to admit
i -> thesis, our position in defending present poli
c w becomes weak.
Whether we admit this lor not, we should,
Jp >wever, realize that the possibility of peacefully
• wing the tangled relationships of the nations of
1 e worhl. is in the hands of the Anglo-American
countries. And what better impetus to easing tense
situations could there be than a contrite and re
pentent attitude for our past?
Mr. Page quoted the parable of the self-right
eous Pharisee and the lowly Publican. lie did not
add that the latter’s humble plea was answered.
Perhaps if the 1 nited States could become a con
trite penitent in the circle of the nations she could
set a truer example than that of the braggart who
thanked the Lord he was not as other sinners.”
( ompletion of this parable in its new international
setting needs one great thing—a contrite public
opinion. We might do our share by forgetting the
old song of “My country right or wrong” and
singing the new: “Please Lord, forgive me, a sin
ner.”—P. 1).
Here's for More Forums
^ student coming in contact with Mr. Kirby
Page only through the latter’s assembly ad
dress yesterday might well have formed the opinion
that Mr. Page is something of a propagandist.
from the balcony Mr. Page’s presentation of
his material seemd over-persuasive, over-empha
sized. almost wheedling. The lecturer repeated his
phrases a great deal to make them emphatic. He
did not. with one exception, advance material or
ideas which were particularly original. lie touched
upon sweeping causes, mentioned broad effects. lie
did not .very definitely establish this thesis.
dhis was the impression that several students,
at least, received. Fortunately, those students voic
ing this criticism had their doubts as to Mr. Page’s
thesis and as to the sincerity of its‘presentation
dispelled at the forum held immediately following
his address.
tjjs v
J * ^uls become increasingly apparent since the
development of the radio that the formal address
is not the ideal means of establishing communica
tion between a speaker and his audience. Because
every speech must inculde a certain amount of his
tory, explanation, and "round-clearing-, there is not
a great deal of opportunity for the speaker to
explain and elaborate the conclusions which his
analysis of the situation has led him to reach and
there is no opportunity whatsoever for the speaker
to determine which points in his doctrine are puzzl
ing his listeners. There is no chance for peg-sua
sion and counter persuasion.
Whatever its short-comings, Mr. Page’s ad
dress provoked considerable interest, for the forum
following the lecture was very well attended and
the questions asked were for the most part intelli
gent.'
Not all of the audience attended the forum.
Many of those who din’t probably derived a great
deal from the lecture proper but those who heard
him explain and defend his ideas in semi-formal
discussion and answer questions about world af
fairs probably gained a far clearer impression of
Mr. Kirby Page and were probably better able to
evaluate what he is driving- at.
'J'HAl f01 urn, truly invaluable, was possible only
because the lecture was scheduled for 10 o'
clock. Many students were forced to miss it be
cause postponed 10 o'clock classes were held at
eleven.
When a lecturer of the caliber of Mr. Page is
brought to the campus, students would derive a
great deal more from his appearance if a two
hour period, 10 until noon, was left free of classes
to permit them to attend both lecture and forum.
this also should he done in fairness to the
speaker. Mr. Kribv Page might easily have been
misjudged on the basis of his formal address. Be
eause of the obvious limitations on this type of
communication,’ the same is probably true of
other lecturers.
M iken Will Speak
To Local Teachers
In Open Meeting
• V YV. Aikon, chief commissioner
<91 relations of secondary schools
«»j- 1 colleges, will speak at the open
meeting of the Progressive Eduea
liw association Saturday after
noon at 2 in the physical education
hi doing.
Mr Aiken will speak on the
various experimental work carried
o by the association and of the
r.unimer scool “workshops’* for
teachers. He will also explain the
method of obtaining scholarships
tin appointments to these schools.
' || i f y 1 1 | • " t » :
After the lecture meeting, the
local association will hold a dinner
meeting at the Osborn hotel at
6:30.
Faculty members, high school
principals, superintendents and
persons interested in discussing
the experiment schools of the PEA
will attend the discussion dinner.
Results of experiments relating to
the success of college students will
also be discussed.
The evening meeting will be the
first professional meeting of the
local association this spring.
Send the Emerald to your par
ents and let them read UO news. ,
• f I f t ( | | V!
Speech Honorary
Initiated Eight at
Banquet Yesterday
Four men and four women were
initiated into the Order of the
Mace, spech honorary, at the. ini
tiation banquet held yesterday at
the Anchorage by the group.
The pledges are Florence San
ders, Pearl King, Doris Leighton,
Helen'lrvine, Norman Pohll, Mar
shall Nelson, Kenneth Erickson,
and Dean Ellis.
John Casteel and Walter Esche
beck of the speech department
i faculty addressed the gathering.
Bill Lubersky, president of the or
der, acted as toastmaster.
Plans to sponsor a campus pas
try sale to provide funds to send
the University women debaters to
Seattle were also laid by the group
at the meeting.
GETS MASTER’S DEGREE
Mrs. Zelda Morrow, a teacher in
the Eugene schools, passed her
master of science examination yes
terday. Mrs. Morrow's subject was
based on a study of modern educa
tors.
Professor O. V. Langton of Ore
gon State college will take his
examination for doctor of educa
tion Monday.
Kirby Page Books
In Browsing Room
A collection of books by Kirby
Page, assembly speaker at the
University of Oregon on Thurs
day morning, have been placed on
the center table in the browsing
room of the library, according to
Miss Ethel R. Sawyer, browsing
room librarian.
Among the collection are “Dol
lars and World Peace,”
ism and Socialism,”
Causes,
“A New
‘Individual
“War: Its
Consequences, and Cure,’*
Economic Order,” “The
Abolition of War,”
tense," and others.
“National De
e w