Afai
Thursday night the boys were oriented—
just ask ’em. They were oriented via a speech
by Carveth Wells, “explorer, engineer, author,
lecturer, geographer.” Mr. Wells’ speech, part
of the army’s orientation program, was heard
by some 2,000 ASTP men, faculty members,
students, and Eugene townspeople. His ad
dress was ambiguously entitled “Countries
Behind the Battlefronts”—a title purposely
vague, according to Mr. Wells, “so that I can
talk about anything I want to.” He certainly
did. ves, he certainly did.
* * *
Mr. Wells discussed the Federated Malay
States, China, India, Japan, the Star-Spangled
Banner, the war in the Pacific, and Mr. Wells.
A traveler by profession and by preference,
Mr. Wells has seen most of the world. The
record of his wanderings is a condensed trav
eler’s guide, and his conversation is a fascinat
ing vocal transcript of the National Geo
graphic, without statistics, footnotes, or pho
tographs. Mr. Wells has the distinguished,
handsome good looks of a career diplomat, al
though he’s a bit less dashing and a bit more
portly than we like our explorers to be. His
manners are charming, and no more interest
ing" a dinner companion could be asked. Fie
surveyed the Grand Trunk Railway in Can
ada and the Fast Coast railway to Singapore,
has led sundry expeditions, has lectured in the
United States, Great Britain, Norway, and
Sweden, has produced several motion picture
travelogues, and is the author of 14 books.
That is the Carveth Wells who appeared in
newspaper articles and on book-jacket bio
graphies. The Carveth Wells who spoke in
McArthur court is even more interesting, in
many respects.
* * * *
Wells spoke under the army’s orientation
program. His address was supposed to de
scribe die bchind-the-headlines story of the
in tlie headlines countries. This lie should be
well-fitted to do, for he certainly has lived
and traveled in the countries of which he
spoke, llis lecture should have been a highly
factual, informative, and entertaining back
ground picture of Asia.
Why, then, did those in the audience leave
frowning slightly? Why was there a nagging
little doubt in their minds? Why did some of
them mutter, “Propaganda,” and others say,
“Too flashy,” and still others dismiss the
whole speech with ‘‘Glib.”
Mr. Wells said many things we know are
true, many that we think are true, and many
that we do not believe at all. But his proof al
ways consisted only of “I’ve been there my
self, and I know. I talked to him personally,
and I know. I’ve seen it with my own eyes, and
I know.” Some of the things he said we would
like to believe, some of the things we are will
ing to believe, although we don’t like to. But
we cannot believe on faith alone, for Carveth
Wells did not inspire such faith.
There is no Indian problem, if we are to
believe Carveth Wells. India, he says, is not
really a British colony at all. (What is it then,
Mr. Wells ? You didn’t say.) Gandhi is “merely
an agitator.” Unity for India? No, says Mr.
Wells, there are too many religions there.
(No melting pot in Asia, Mr. Wells?) As Mr.
Wells himself kindly pointed out, most of the
public information on India is greatly erron
eous.
Mr. Wells is very greatly interested in
China. We must be friendly with China, he
says, and we agree with him. He says, “Friend
ship with China is essential for victory over
Japan,” and we agree with him. But then he
goes on to explain why wc must be friendly:
“If China, India, and Japan ever unite it will
be goodby to the white race.” (We’ve got to
watch the yellow menace, huh, Mr. Wells ? We
Aryans have to stick together, don't we, old
chap?)
Postwar planning has no friend in Mr.
Wells. “The ‘Peace Now’ movement is rotten,”
he charges. “We must be as ruthless as the
Germans would be. We must win the war
before we start any postwar planning, other
wise there may not be any necessity for post
war planning.” (We all want to win the war,
Mr. \Veils, lint we also want to win that part
of the war we lost last time—the peace. Does
that hurt the war effort. Mr. Wells? Doesn't
it make us better fighters it we know what
we're fighting for?)
We are glad you came here, Mr. Wells. We
thank j-ou for a stimulating, thought-provok
ing lecture. But it will take more than a per
sonality smile to make us swallow everything
you said. AYe’re sorry, but we can’t do that.
Not quite, Mr. Wells. —J. N.
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We were very pleased to note announcement on the event
proclaiming signs in the libe that Drs. Huestis, Bee, and Ja
cobsen will be assisted in their discussion of the biological,
psychological, and spiritual phases of love and marriage by the
army swing band. We feel sure that the band will do much to
create the restive, contemplative mood demanded by a dis
cussion of this nature.
A White-boy White drum solo
with cymbals and tom-tomical
emphasis is perhaps, together
with Moussorgsky’s "Night on
Bald Mountain," the best non- vo
cal expression of that period in
man’s life when he is irrecover
ably entwined with the most vocal
of all God’s many works.
We will never forget, ns long
as we are eonstanlly reminded, of
the I,ove and Marriage series of
our freshman year. Then the af
fair was one of the major events
of the school curriculum. Petitions
were filed and chairmen were
chosen, and there were lengthy
and loquacious arguments over
who should have charge of the
J.ove and who would be left hold
ing the Marriage. The chairman
who lost and was designated Mar
riage always felt she had been
robbed naturally and how times
have changed.
The general chairman that year
was Theta Janet Morris who is
now married which would undoubt
erly prove something to the psy
chology department. The speaker
was Dr. Paul Popenoe, nationally
known L. & M. expert and con
sultant tributary to Mr. Anthony's
overflow.
He lectured in McArthur court
without the swing band, and
scheduled two question and an
swer forums for the following
evening—one for girls and one
for boys, which he considered was
probably the best way to divide
them up.
So we went to find out what our
mother had always delegated to
our father and our father was
either too bashful or too well-in
formed to tell us.
There seemed to be quite a few
others who had similarly reluct
ant parents because the place was
full, and mostly with football play
ers.
Everybody sat very composed
and all-knowing in the dark, rich
Rajah throne room atmosphere
of Gerlinger’s upper hall, every
one about to go, except Dr.
Popenoe.
When he finally clicked off the
electric exercise horse he seemed
to be standing on, he asked us to
write out any questions we had
on little scraps of paper he passed
around “and please don’t sign your
names.” This we did and he gath
ered them up and very democrat
ically drew them out of a hat that
some local merchant with a flair
for advertising had provided for
the purpose.
Then he answered all those
many things, except that he sub
stituted rabbits for stork, which
we thought was very practical.
Hope they do that this year, too.
First woman to receive a mas
ter’s degree in astronomy at Case
School of Applied Science, Cleve
land, is Miss Virginia Burger, a
graduate of Swarthmore college.
Miss Burger is the second woman
to receive a master of science de
gree in sixty graduations at Case.
Breaking all local and Red
Cross mobile unit records, the
A.S.T. unit at Indiana university
recently exceeded its quota of 700
pints of blood and had another 100
potential soldier donors awaiting
when time and blood containers
ran out.
Globally Speaking
By BILL SINNOTT
The appeasement policy of our state department towards
Spain seems at last to have borne fruit. Franco has switched
from being a pro-Axis non-belligerent to one who is a neutral,
with a slight United Nations bias.
Before the 1931 revolution, the monarchy rested on three
suports: the army, the Church, and the nobility. After King
Alfonso’s flight, Spain became a republic with a very liberal
constitution. The Church and state were separated—the great
estates of the grandees were expropriated—at least on paper.
But the Spaniards had had no experience in self-govern
ment. They are the great individualists of Europe. Parliament
ary government was soon a farce, due to the partisanship ofthej
Spanish and the excesses of the left and right factions. The ad
vent of the Popular Front govern
ment in February, 1936, led to a
military rebellion engineered by
the rightists in July 1936.
The revolt could not have suc
ceeded, however, if both Hitler
and Mussolini had not supported
Franco with men and war supplies
from the very beginning. Russia,
in retaliation, aided the loyalists.
For a time the Spanish civil war
threatened to develop into a gen
eral European conflict.
Franco’s government was re
cognized by us on April 1, 1939.
He ruthlessly jailed the loyalists
by the hundreds of thousands. His
power rested in the army, sup
ported by the Church, the Mon
archists, the Carlists, and the
Falangists.
Since Franco had no program,
he appropriated that of the
Falange. His brother-in-law, Ser
rano Suner, became head of the
Falange and also foreign minister.
Suner was the real ruler of Spain
until his love affair caused Franco
to dismiss him.
Franco was called the “best
known brother-in-law in Spain’’
while Suner was in power. His un
accustomed life of ease made him
lazy. He became too busy enjoy
ing the luxurious prerequisites of
his office to bother about running
the country.
Franco brought Spain into the
war on the Axis side in everything
but name. His speeches praised
the “new order.” German tourists
were as thick in Spain as the med
als on Goering’s chest.
After Hitler’s invasion of Rus
sia, Franco sent a token division
to aid them. Spanish economy was
dependent on imports from
abroad. These the axis could not
supply. Our state department
adopted the policy of sending
Franco the bare minimum of raw
materials which would keep
Spanish industry functioning.
Our liberals were furious at the
administration’s policy of aiding
the fascists. However, it has fin
ally been vindicated. Spain’s neu
trality permitted our North Afri
can invasion. We have bought up
all Spanish raw materials that are
vital to our war efort.
Franco at present is making
desperate efforts to trim his sails.
The “Blue Division” has been
withdrawn from Russia. Allied
war news and propaganda are al
lowed to appear in the controlled
press.
The generalissimo is also seek
ing some way to perpetuate his
regime. The Falange is unpopular
with his chief supporters, the
army, Church, and the nobjes.
Consequently he is toying with the
idea of restoring the monarchy.
Don Juan, whose mother was Brit*
ish, would be the ruler. It is in
conceivable that his regime can
outlast the victory of the United
Nations.
Oregon If Emerald
MARJORIE M. GOODWIN
EDITOR
ELIZABETH EDMUNDS
BUSINESS MANAGER
MARJORIE YOUNG
Managing Editor
roseAnn leckie
Advertising Manager
ANNE CRAVEN
News Editor
EDITORIAL BOARD
Edith Newton
Norris Yates, Joanne Nichpls
Associate Editors
Shirley Stearns, Executive Secretary
Shaun McDermott, Warren Miller
Army Co-editors
Bob Stiles, Sports Editor
Carol Greening, Betty Ann Stevens,
Co-Women’s Editors
Mary Jo Geiser, Staff Photographer
Carol Cook. ChiefiNight Editor
Elizabeth Haugen/Assistant Managing Editor
Published daily during the college year except Sunday!, Mondays, and holidays and
final examination periods by the Associated Students, University of Oregon.
Entered as second-class matter at the postoffice. Eugene, .Oregon.
Seems way back last term Dr. Victor if, Morris asked this
cjuestion in a final: \\ ho or what are the following; Montgom
ery, Marshall, Mountbatten . . . Ah! Mounjtbatten. Somebody
knew. \\ e quote—“Mountbatten is a hill in Italy recently taktyj
by the allied forces at great cost.” ]■
1 here’s a new prerequisite for admission to Croatian uni
versities, according to the Xazi-controlled sZagreb newspaper,
llrvatski Narod. No girl student will be admitted to any uni
versity unless she can offer proof of 12 months service in the
Nazi female labor service.
-- f
Monticello college, Alton, Illinois, opens its 106th academic
year with the largest enrollment in history .
1 he University of Texas library, largest in the South, has
doubled in size during the past seventeen years.
Largest in history is this 3-ear's freshman class at Georgian
Court college, Lakewood, New Jersey.
On October 25 Oregon State college celebrated its sev
enty-fifth anniversar)-.
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