Oregon W Emerald
MARJORIE M. GOODWIN ELIZABETH EDMUNDS
EDITOR BUSINESS MANAGER.
MARJORIE YOUNG ROSEANN LECKIE
Managing Editor Advertising Manager
ANNE CRAVEN
News Editor
Norris Yates, Joanne Nichols
Associate Editors
EDITORIAL BOARD
Edith Newton
Shirley Stearns, Executive Secretary Carol Greening, Betty Ann Stevens,
Shaun McDermott Warren Miller Co-Women’s Editors
Army Co-editors Bill Lindley, Staff Photographer
Bob Stiles, Sports Editor Carol Cook, Chief Night Editor
Published daily during the college year except Sundays, Mondays, and holidays and
final examination periods by the Associated Students, University of Oregon.
Entered as second-class matter at the postoffice. Eugene, Oregon.
"OuteAim Aisii(f4>wije#itrr. . .
The selection of Orlando J. Hollis as acting' head of the
University is all wavs a pleasing', heartening' thing from the stu
dent ; viewpoint. As one student put it, "He's honest, by golly,
and he has the most uncanny way of finding the point of a
conversation.” Those of us who have seen him in action at a
board meeting look with some awe upon his ability to call for
the question. Make no mistake, it is an ability. That knack,
.which he probably acquired the hard way, of clarifying an issue
is something very rare and very valuable to students who must
choose their official attitudes and their private ones, when
University government is concerned.
We’re going to know just where he stands, every time.
And we’re going to know why lie's standing there. A univers
ity is just as full of puzzlements and unresolved questions as
any other organization. When you combine these problems
with the attitude of the “best” which is a university’s goal,
and which is constantly referred to the situation can get very
hazy, not to say impossible. And that’s where courageous
'thinking can make the difference between confusion and good
government.
5jj >> 'i'
There has been fear that the University would lose the
forward march it has taken in recent years. Right now, as tire
prospect of postwar readjustment and development faces Ore
gon—clear thinking, and clear vision seem imperative. As Mr.
Hollis stated, “The University of Oregon must not lose ground
or mark time while it is without a permanent leader; it must go
forward.” Mrs. Beatrice Sackett, of the state board of higher
education, lias made it clear that “this is not a policy making
year”, that this is (quoting Mr. Hollis) an “interim assignment”.
However, it is an assignment of clearly great importance. The
plans and policies which the late Dr. Krb was working through
in matters of education, postwar planning, and development
of the school as a state influence arc recognized and honored,
but if they are to lie strengthened, the “interim assignment”
cannot be just gap-filling.
:jc »|c
If it surprises some people that students at Oregon are
concerned with the events on this campus which may occur
.■within this next year when some of them will he gone, it would
he well for them to remember that many students, however
inarticulate, want their school to become greater. Theories of
education for the betterment of a state and of a nation take
root in their thinking-—even though they may remark cynically
about current methods. They want, and will respect improve
ments. '1'hey need fine teachers, and will learn from them.
They want, and will imitate wise approach to government
wherever they see it. AT. M. G.
A Pat On ^Ue fiacJz . . .
We don't want to put on airs. Hut a comment from a former
University of Oregon student now in ASTP training at an in
stitution which we shan't mention, may well make us at least
permit ourselves a pat on the back.
This disgruntled cx-UO-er says: “The soldiers here at
Oregon don’t know how lucky they are. Where I’m in training
soldiers are not permitted to attend any of the social functions
of the civilian student body whatsoever, and even independent
dating is strongly, if unofficially discouraged hv the university
officials.”
As a contrast, we at Oregon take it as a matter of course
that the soldier-students on the campus will be permitted to
take part in the Nickel Hop as they hav e done in several other
social events this term. Wc are pretty sure that this particular
case of snobbery is an isolated one, nonetheless it contains two
points well worthy of note :
One is, that a state bordering on concealed warfare is
here demonstrated to be by no means impossible, delations
here have been smooth on the surface so far winter term, but
beneath smoulder a number of trivial grievances which cause
perpetual, if slight friction. “Kvery little makes a mickle,” how
JtettenA
to the CditoA
December 20, 1943
Dear Editor:
It seems very odd to be writing
to the Emerald and not putting a
name on the envelope which I
knew while in school. Neverthe
less, I have just read my first
Emerald for this school year,
namely, the issue of October 19,
1943. Congratulations on your
splendid work and the very effi
cient manner in which you have
preserved the Oregon tradition—
at least what is left of it!
Of course, being in the navy, I
have acquired a tolerable attitude
towards the “dog-faces”. Never
theless at the first news of the
Oregon campus receiving many of
the “same” for training, it made
me, and many others, very thank
ful. For now, the school will con
tinue, some old Oregon ideas will
be retained and many fellows will
receive very excelent training
for specialized service.
Two articles, which were very
interesting, were the “Letters to
the Editor”, and “Oregon Firsts",
an editorial. Fred Beckwith’s
(V-12) letter mentioned so many
of the fellow's. Their schooling
helps, out here, when you wonder
if enough men will be obtained
to win the conflict.
The editorial presenting the
fact of “earning” what you re
ceive whether education, life, cr
pleasure is something everyone
is learning during these times.
How anyone could be “bored” w ith
college life right now—please tell
us about them!! Especially now,
one never knows what the next
day, week, or year will bring. In
order to prepare for it, they are
studying in universities, drilling
on parade grounds, going through
tactical maneuvers in the field
and, working at their particular
job until they have learned every
minute detail.
Then comes the final exam !
At an unannounced hour many
blue, khaki, or green-clad men
board a transport and steam out
of the harbor. With them goes
the finest equipment available
and knowledge gained from these
many hours of study and practical
work. Some time later they ar
rive at a foreign port and dis
embark. Then comes those long
and weary hours of transporting
equipment or sleepless nights
while “pills” are being dropped by
“Low-Winged Jos”. It is during
those times the American fellow
uses those ideas he had to earn!
Even with all the seriousness at
tached to school now, there still
should be dances, parties, etc. For
when those “cool evenings under
a palm tree, on a coral beach” ar
rive, it is the best “bracer-up”
1 o have a bull session about “that
Junior Prom in ’42” or the “house
dance at the Thetas”.
I have met several fellows in
this area who attended Oregon or
Oregon State and are now doing
specialist work in the navy hos
pital corps. I am running a lab
oratory and doing malaria and
mosquito control work. We iden
tify all the mosquitors (six-legged
dive bombers) we collect from
several areas and then lay out
plans for removal of breeding
areas.
Time for our evening entertain
Globally Speaking
By BILL SINNOTT
Th recent revolution in Bolivia is probably the greatest
threat to the Good Neighbor policy since its inauguration.
Bolivia is the most backward state in South America. The
country has averaged at least one revolution per year since gain
ing its independence from Spain.
In addition to suffering continually from the ravages of
revolution, Bolivia has never recovered from the effects of two
unsuccessful wars. In the so-called War of the Pacific, (1879
1881) she lost her seacoast, with
its enormously rich nitrate de
posits, to Chile.
The “idea fixe” of every Boliv
ian government since that time
has been to regain these lost
provinces. President Penaranda
was deemed by the revolutionists
to have been slack in presenting
his country’s demands for terri
torial revision against Chile.
The Chaco war of the last de
cade, in which Bolivia was soundly
thrashed by little Paraguay, also
has contributed to the present un
rest. Bolivian Indians, conscripted
into the army, died like flies in
the torrid jungles of the “Green
Hell” as the Chaco was called.
They were used to the ratified air
of their mountain country, where
the average height is around 10,
000 feet.
Bolivia’s only major source of
wealth lies in her rich tin deposits.
The tin barons supported the
ousted Penaranda government.
The Bolivian “tin king,” Simon
Patino, lias led a life comparable
to that of the famous Count of
Monte Cristo of Dumas. He was
born in a poor Indian hovel in
the Cochabamba district, and
when lie was a young man, he op
ened a wretched little store.
At one time he was given a
worthless mining claim in pay
ment of a debt. The mine was later
found to contain limitless tin de
posits, and thus the Patino saga
got its start.
The “tin king” amassed a for
tune totalling 200 millions of dol
lars! He manipulated himself into
the position of minister to France
in 1920 in order to escape having
to pay certain taxes from which
government officials were exempt.
Since he went to Paris he has
never set foot in his native coun
try.
He married his son, Antenor, to
a Bourbon princess. Antenor is
now Bolivian minister to Great
Britain—and like his father lie
took that appointment merely in
older to escape taxes!
Patino married his daughter,
Elena, to the Marques del Merita,
the Spanish sherry king. As wed
ding present he gave her Marie
Antoinette’s $1,000,000 pearl
necklace.
Ex-President Penaranda was
purely a “stooge’’ of Patino. The
tin baron’s workers, in revolting,
were striking against an employ
ment and a beer! Yes, we get
about three bottles (just a new
morale builder introduced here)
a week and have three movies.
Best of luck to all the Oregon
felows, wherever they are, and
to the “new” Oregon men. Expect
to see Gerald Johnson (Capt!) in
a few days so will save the Emer
ald for him.
Sincerely,
J. C. Walsh
Ph m 2-c, U. S. N. R.
Navy 421—
c-o Fleet Postmaster
San Francisco,
California
ever, and it is up to us to see that the flame of dissent is not
fanned but pinched out.
He He $ H*
The Nickel Hop is definitely a step in the right direction.
Which brings us to the second, and lighter, of our two points,
namely, that we may allow ourselves a pat on the back, if only
a very slight one, for the manner in which we have brought
the soldiers into our college social life. They lead hard lives,
by our standards, and the most that we have to give them is
not a bit t< >o much. Let's keep up the good work. X. Y.
or who paid them only a few dol
lars a month. Penaranda’s troops
fired on the strikers in one local
ity, killing 400 of them.
German, influence has always
been strong in Bolivia. In the
twenties, General Kundt and Hit
ler’s “friend” Ernest Roehm, who
was later killed in the purge of
1934, developed the army into an
efficient modern fighting force.
Two years ago leaders uncover
ed a Nazi plot to overthrow the
Penaranda regime. The instigators ‘
were Major Belmonte, Bolivian
military attache in Berlin, and
Paz Estenssoro, who headed the
present revolt.
The revolution, then, is obvious
ly a potent protest against pre
vailing social conditions, as well
as the expression of the desire
for more land and an avenue<to
the sea.
Bolivia forms a buffer state be
tween Brazil and Argentina. Pres
ident Villaroel spent some time
in Buenos Aires just before the
revolt broke out.
The Argentine press hails the
Bolivian revolution as a vindica
tion of the conduct of her own mil
itaristic type of government. Bo
livian oil and rubber are vital to
Argentina in order that she may
continue her present policy of neu
trality, and it is therefore to her
interest to support whatever re
gime is in power so long as it de
livers the goods.
WeeJi
♦Russians make long-hoped-for
crossing of the old Polish bord
er. Southern Poland declared
"direct war zone” by German high
command. One million Germans
threatened with encirclement in
the Dnieper bend area as Red
troops take all but one of the vital
rail centers. Questions of Polish
sovereignty increased by Rus^sian
entrance into Polish soil. Pravda.,
Russian news agency, accuses
Wendell Willkie of attempting to
stir up strife, and complicate polit
ical argument already brewing.
Drive continues in the west of Po
land, and stretches southward
toward Rumania.
♦Excitement grows in London as
Germans increase invasion
alarms. Arrival of General Eis
enhower, invasion commander, ex
nected.
♦Allied bombers raid Berlin,
Stettin, Kiel naval and shipyard
base, Tours and Bordeaux air
fields. Invasion coast bombings
continue on “non-stop” basis.
Allied campaign in Italy inches
forward from San Vittore pivot
where house-to-house and pill
box to pillbox fighting is in pro
gress along a ten-mile front.
Japanese strengthen counter
attacks after yielding Cape Glou
cester airfield in New Guinea.
Secretary of the Navy Frank
Knox reports continued “soften
ing up'’ raids on the Marshall
islands.
Virtual civil war reported in
Vugoslar ia as the partisan forces
of General Tito clash openly wj£h
General Mikhailovich’s Chetniks.
One hundred eight recent pe
troleum engineering graduates at
the University of Texas are now
in the armed services.