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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 3, 1944)
Pna and Gan Dear J. N.: Briefly, I should like to answer some of the statements made in Wednesday’s Emerald by its read ers. First, to Edie Onthank: Believe it! There are soldiers who disagree with Mr. Wells. Not only disagree, but consider his lecture a cleverly presented bit of propaganda. If Mr. Wells’ purpose is to arouse the hate of the American army toward the Japs, he’s wasting his time. Mr. Jap is using much more effective means —and not so easy to forget. You say Wells wasn’t condemn ing the orientals en masse. No? Can you remember one sentence, one phrase, one kind word lauding them? Of course not—the Malay ans are lazy, but always have mon ey (must steal it). Chinese? Don’t care about themselves, so what are we worrying for. Indians? They worship cows and then eat them. Yes, Edie, there will be a yellow peril—a yellow and black tide of hatred inspired by men like Wells who preach white supremacy but forget that we whites are a world minority. Be nice to them- they’ll help us win the war—then what, Mr. Wells? Do the British, American and other foreign interests go right back to do business as usual, or do they get the hell out and let the orient alone ? Sure—make a national park out of Japan and give a billion orien tals something to think and fight about. And India, Pvt. Smith - is no problem ? They love Britain and just won’t let her go they don’t even pay taxes India is not a col ony (but it sure is a source of wealth). And now, John Craig. If all you could get out of the Wells lecture (if it was one) is an inspirational fire talk, then it’s you who need a course in interpretation; I and my friends didn’t need intestinal fortitude to Ildar that pep talk . . . it was too funny. Because we don’t like Wells' lec ture we’re a bunch of pacifists? Where were you and Mr. Wells when the League threw Ethiopia to the Duce? And when Spanish loyalists cried for help against Franco and fascism? So you think we need lectures to make us fight, eh, John? Well, they didn’t lecture in China, they fought they fought even back in the days when American oil ran Japanese ships and United States scrap blew China to bits. They fought even when Imperial Limited sold war chemicals to both sides and, as admitted by Sir Harry McGowan, “We’re not interested in making peace, but selling war chemicals." But Mr. Wells ssijys, don't worry about the Chinese, they don’t mind dying. Well, maybe they don’t; because they think they’re fighting for a hope—a fair chance. If they aren’t—then Mr. Wells had better stop reciting the Star Spangled Banner and shout “Long live the Empire, or Britannia rules the waves!’’ It'll be much more in keeping with his sentiments. And as for you, dear Penny—ev en if you do make mistakes, and offend some people, I hope you go right on disagreeing as you see fit — without deference to any title, position, or self-styled patriotism. Pvt. Herman J. Morrison Co. A. Soldiers to Pick 'Queen' (Continued from pac/e one) Tucker, Casablanca lodge; Nancy Heber, Laurel lodge. Virginia Travis, Alder lodge; Bobbie Toncray, Alpha Gamma Delta; Charlotte Johnston, Mill lodge; Jean Oveross, Chi Omega; Frankie Worst, Highland house; Gayle Nelson, Kappa Kappa Gam ma; Melissa Snyder, Rebec; Yvonne Copeland, Lombardy lodge. Oregon Emerald MARJORIE M. GOODWIN EDITOR ELIZABETH EDMUNDS BUSINESS MANAGER MARJORIE YOUNG Managing Editor ROSEANN LECKIE Advertising Manager ANNE CRAVEN News Editor Norris Yates, Joanne Nichols Associate Editors Betty Ann Stevens EDITORIAL BOARD Edith Newton Mary Jo Geiser 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, Chief Night Editor Elizabeth Haugen, Assistant Managing Editor Published daily during the oollege 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. ^otal Victasuf. Jteatfue A considerable number of students and faculty members are working very hard on the Total Victory League. Right now. the campus is naturally asking them why. Some will, and have, questioned the real value of a Total Victory League. They say, “Remember that this war isn't over by a long shot . . . let’s win it first, and worry about the peace later.” Others approve of the League’s plan to study possible ways toward lasting peace, but doubt that a ‘'bunch of kids" can have much influence. “Suppose you do work like the devil and figure out what you think is a good plan—so what? V ho s going to listen to you?” The League council, and all of the students who have already rolled up their mental sleeves and gone to work will answer those questions something like this: 1. We realize thoroughly that the war isn't over. It's going to be increasing blood, and lives lost, and horror before the axis surrenders. 2. We believe that a student’s first duty is toward the immediate war effort, and that Oregon students have demon strated and will continue to demonstrate their desire to live up to thatdutjv 3. But our duty and privilege goes farther than that. We are in a position of trust; we are studying in a world where so many books are gathering dust, where so many laboratories lie in ruins, where so many people dare not think, where so many others must fight day-by-day and cannot look toward any tomorrow. We can learn and keep alive all the knowledge we care to absorb and make use of. And we must do this. 4. We, as students, will be able to live in the postwar world. Many people of our own age will not live, but they will have contributed their greatest sacrifice toward it. We want to think, and study what we can about that postwar world. And in our small way, we must know that we have tried to make it good. 5. We are interested in the peace treaties, and the possible and probable attempts at world organization which will be made. To understand them, we will have to know what happened to the League of Nations, the Balance of Power, the “Pax Romana”, the “Pax Americana”. We must understand the cause of war. * * * * Call it selfish idealism, call it “trash”, call it “Un-American”, if you really believe that. But organization of the League is prob ably the most worthy action any students have taken this year on the campus. Other universities will hear of it soon; this cam pus will be talking it over more and more seriously as the months go by. M. M. G. feloMant Out, feasuHi! A surprising number of us write poetry with no other pur pose than to hide it in our drawers whenever anybody asks to read it. Well, let’s drag it out in the open. There are two poetry contests on right now, the Walter Kidd and the Julia Burgess contests. Bring your literary treasures out of their hiding-places and turn them in. Hold your nose if they smell. Most of them, we I know, won’t smell. This is supposed to be a liberal arts institution. Poetry is one of the finest of the liberal arts. Our exhortations are not for the benefit of those who habitually write poetry. We know that they will compete. But we would also like to see those who write only occasionally and seem ashamed of it to enter their work. And we fully expect that they will. An Ugly Man contest was sponsored last spring on the San Jose State college campus in California by Alpha Phi Omega, scout service fraternity. At a penny a vote, $150 was earned by the ballots to contribute to a war purpose. N. Y. Up From UO By PEGGY OVERLAND This is about a man who, up until a few years ago, was called “'Oregon’s No. 1 Alum”, and “the little giant” from Oregon. A man who was awarded a medallion from the Portland Alumni association in honor of his rapid and distinguished rise in the service of his government in 1936, but whose name has.probably been struck from the roll since then. A PLEDGE FOR PEACE The following is a reprint of the peace pledge which will be dis cussed in the coming meetings of the Total Victory League: Mindful that I am a citizen of a great country created 160 years ago by the union of thir teen divided and quarreling col onies; and convinced that the world of today holds as much wisdom as did that of the Found ing Fathers, I declare myself for these propositions: One, that to save myself, my children, and my fellow-beings from inevitable destruction in future wars, a world organiza tion shall be formed; Two, that this world organiza tion shall in the beginning con sist of the United Nations and such neutral countries as may be admitted by them; Three, that the Axis powers, their allies and their sympathiz ers, shall have the status of ter ritories on probation until the world organization shall admit them to membership; Four, that no member nation may at any time or for any rea son, secede from the world or ganization. Five, that each member nation of the world organization shall give up forever the sovereign right to commit acts of war against other nations; Six, that the authority of the world organization shall be made effective and irresistible by the establishment of an internation al police force; Seven, that a primary goal of the world organization shall be the gradual abolition of econom ic and political imperialism throughout the world; and Eight, that it shall be the first duty of the world organization not merely to destroy the mili tary power of the Germans and Japanese, but to formulate and carry into execution whatever measures may be deemed neces sary to prevent them from pre paring for a third world war of conquest. Solemnly aware that the ac ceptance of these propositions in volves the creation in myself of a. loyalty to the human race along with, but not conflicting with, my loyalty to my own country, I do hereby set my hand, and pledge the allegiance of my heart. PLEDGE FOR PEACE COMMITTEE Justice Owen J. Roberts (.U. S. Supreme Court)— Honorary Chairman l Tins "illustrious graduate ” who came to Oregon at the age of 13 years, “alone and unbefriended”, and who has probably cost a great deal of embarrassment to a great many people since then, is none other than Yosuke Matsuoka, LL.B. ’00. There is no attempt anymore to praise or describe the achievements of Foreign Minister Matsuoka. But there are probably very few stu dents who are familiar with the de tails of his life on the campus and in his own country. It is well-known that he arrived in Portland as a youngster, in 1892, seeking a eola tion to the problem of family and finance in his native land, and that he was determined to get an in tensive education in America. But there are few who know that his scholastic record was among the most brilliant ever achieved at the University. In 1900 he left the law school, which was then in Port land, with an LL.B.—with honors. He had graduated second highest in his class, and when he returned to Japan in 1904 he passed the diplo matic examination with the highest record ever attained there. He is still remembered by those, “who knew him when,” for his flu ent use of English—and until the world stopped considering him im partially, he was known as the most adept of any Japanese diplo mat in his use of the English lan guage. It isn’t necessary to trace his rise through the diplomatic ranks. He first sprang into strong political prominence when he led the Jap anese delegation from the Leagtie of Nations in 1933 following a dis pute over the Manchuria question. He explained his nations’ views on the matter in a speech to the stu dent body when he visited the cam pus on his return home, and it was probably the biggest “news” the Emerald ever carried. Since then Matsuoka has risen steadily as the leader of a nation alistic fascist party which finally reached full power with his appoint ment as Foreign Minister in 1940. One virtue which the University publications must recognize in Matsuoka was his willingness to provide them with copy ^or “scoops”. The first and largest was his report on the League split-up and the second was only a few years ago—October, 1940—when he mail ed to Old Oregon, the alumni mag azine, an article in which he attempted to explain Japan’s aims in the Far East. In this article he said that the purpose of Japan was to bring “a new order of peace and life” to (Please turn to page jour) i OREGON MUD By “CHUCK” and “SQUIRREL” It has been called to our attention that there’s something sadly lacking- at Oregon. Xo longer does that breakfast cup ot Java taste quite so good. No up-to'date gossip column to pry those eyes open and set the tongues a-wagging. So in response to numerous appeals we give you “Oregon Mud”—uncensored (we drugged the night editor) and with malice toward none, of course. Things we miss around the cam pus: that oh so constant twosome of '“Lover-Boy” Pence and Nancy Ames. "Somebody else is taking somebody’s place.” In regards to L.B.'s inhibitions (as long as he’s not suppressing them any longer) we feel free in shouting their names from the house-tops—Alla Loomis, ChiO and Benny Thomas, Gamma Phi Beta. Things we like: One o'clock per mission-orchids to the military for shaking the cobwebs off Student Affairs . . . Bill Larsen's soothing voice . . . the rosy cheeks of Larry Stanek, who by the way has our nomination for handsomest Engin eer on the campus. '•—v Marge Cordon of the Pi Phis laid Asia—“a sphere of common exist ence for East Asia.” Almost exactly a year before Pearl Harbor, in 1940, Matsuoka (Please turn to page four)