P>ia and Gan
The Emerald Editor:
I read with interest, which quick
ly turned to disgust, your editorial
entitled “Not Quite, Mr. Wells”. Al
though I do not agree, or expect any
one else to do so, with all that Mr.
Wells had to say, it seems to me
that the author of your editorial
tried to read into Mr. Wells’ lecture
some implications that were not
there. This tendency to misinterpret
material is serious at any time, but
it is not nearly as serious as the
mental attitude that prompted it in
this case.
It seems that your author, like
too many Americans, still retains a
“1776” mental attitude toward Eng
land and all things English. This
attitude is both stupid and costly.
It is stupid in that it brings out
American provincialism and nar
row-mindedness; it is costly be
cause of the detrimental effect that
it can, and I am afraid does, have
on our united war effort.
It was the British views express
ed in Mr. Wells’ lecture that alien
ated a large part of the audience
and immediately caused them to
say, "propaganda” and “British im
perialism”. This is a dangerous at
titude, and one that we can ill af
ford at present.
Your truly,
Fred S. McGeoeh
Co. A, ASTU 3920
* * *
(The Oregon State Barometer
also received letters concerning the
Carveth Wells lecture, evidently
identical, held on that campus. A
partial reprint is included below:)
Gentlemen:
We noticed that the Barometer
of last Friday carried a short com
mentary neither praising nor crit
icising the convocation address of
Mr. Carveth Wells, eminent explor
er. We feel that this speech, deliv
ered in so expert a manner to a
very impressionable audience, is
deserving of careful scrutiny as to
validity of fact and implication. We
shall attempt to point out obvious
fallacies and misleading statements
made by Mr. Wells.
Mr. Wells stated that “in a race
against time,’’ the Japs were build
ing a railroad to link China with
Malaya and serve as a supply route.
He failed to state that the only
difficulty facing the Japs was that
the Chinese controlled 1000 miles or
more of the territory through
which the railroad would have to
go.
Wells also said that the best Jap
soldiers have not been engaged in
battle by our troops. According to
Jap sources, their crack divisions
are at present fighting on Cape
Gloucester.
He stated that Japanese mothers
and sweethearts, when bidding
good-bye to their sons and lovers,
pray that they may die in battle for
their God. Facts prove this to be a
fallacious idea. Before a Japanese
soldier leaves for the front he is
given many amulets and charms
by his loved ones so that he may be
safe on the battlefield and return
home.
He went to great length to prove
that England is not very concerned
in Indian affairs of government
stating that “contrary to popular
belief, India is not a colony.” Ac
cording to the Army Service Forces
Atlas and maps just issued India
is considered a colony or among
those nonself-governing members
of the British Empire.
A viceroy, who is elected by the
crown has supreme authority in In
dia. Indian council members are ap
pointed and removed by him and
have no constitutional rights.
Wells dismissed the economic im
portance of India to Great Britain
with a shrug. Before the war, India
contributed 120 million American
dollars per year in home charges.
The British also enjoy a very ex
cellent preferential tariff in their
large trade with India. There are
three hundred thousand English
(l'lease turn to page three)
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
Betty French, Chief Night Editor
Elizabeth Haugen, Assistant Managing 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.
wluf. Matnix, *7able.?. . .
A week from tonight Theta Sigma Phi, women’s journalism
fraternity, will sponsor its annual Matrix Table, a formal banquet
honoring outstanding women in journalism, letters, and the arts.
Many things are changing in these days of war. Many of
the old ways must change, many of the old events must be put
aside for a duration-long period. But some thnigs must go on,
because they cannot wait for idle days of peace. Among such
things are the products of creative imagination. It is the crea
tively imaginative workers who are honored at Matrix Table.
Prominent women in the fields of creative work will, as
usual, be guests. So, also as usual, will be the outstanding fresh
man woman and the outstanding sophomore woman in journal
ism at the University and the two girls most outstanding in
journalism at Eugene and University high schools. This year for
the first time, the guest list will include the names of all the
junior and senior women in journalism, honoring them for their
work.
Matrix Table is held because the members of Theta Sigma
Phi believe in the importance of creative work and wish to honor
those who produce it. This year’s speaker, author Helen Hedrick
of Medford, will point out the importance of creative work,
especially of writing, in her speech on “The Present Challenge
to American Writers.”
Mrs. .Hedrick’s speech and the Matrix Table at which she
w ill give her address are a sign that, although war may post
pone or do away with many things, creative imagination and the
creative worker will still be recognized as essential and honored
for their worth and significance. J. N.
fWetli at OSQ. . .
(The following comment on Carveth Wells was printed in the Ore
gon State Barometer, Tuesday, February 2. The Barometer’s editorial
followed his appearance there.)
Air. Wells gave us an interesting and extraordinary lecture
Wednesday night. It was extraordinary in the fact that he talked
about four Asiatic countries in one hour, and in all that time said
very little of real significance. 11 is talk consisted mainly of half
truths and distorted opinions that anybody with a little informa
tion on the subject could easily debunk.
Let’s just take India as an example: The few facts that Air.
Wells did get correct can be found in a pamphlet published by the
British government in 1942 entitled, ‘'Fifty Facts About India.”
The other things said about India can be attributed only to a
vivid imagination. Air. Wells said that the irrigated land in
India was 22 times the area of the irrigated land in America. This
is not true. The latest available figures on the subject show that
India has only twice the irrigated land that we have. Air. Wells
said that India produces all of her own military supplies, and
also has a fine machine tool industry. Again this is not the case.
India docs not produce some of the most important military sup
plies! She does not manufacture tanks, nor does she manufacture
airplanes. The machine tools that are supposed to be produced
in India, according to Air. Wells, are only produced in Shangri
La, for India produces less than 5 per cent of her total need.
These are only two of the many erroneous statements that
Air. Wells would have us believe. His lecture was full of interest
ing stories, but when it came to giving us reliable facts—things
that we could depend upon—Air. Wells was terribly lacking.
Logic alone would disprove many of his statements. Facts and
figures are available to us that would immediately destroy the
erroneous impression that many of us got last Wednesday
evening. As one man said, Air. Wells is an interesting speaker,
but it would be exceedingly foolish to take him seriously.
GEORGE DEWEY
Women students out-number the men at the University of
Texas this fall for the first time in history. The normal propor
tion is two men to each woman, but in this war year, registration
of women is 3,291 as compared to 3,155 men.
' 4*
iat ease!
*
i *
By CPL. WEN SMITH
Via the sour-grape vine this week
came a story that made you realize
the acute need for an ASTP chap
lain. Your tests get too rough, or
you get gigged for leaving that old
banana-split in your stocking draw
i er; then you really feel the need of
the kind man with the ever-ready
' punch.
But the story: The men down in
the Italian section had a little quiz
-—an exameroo. In short, he threw
the book at ’em. First Sgt. Dale
found himself fresh out of what
Time magazine euphemizes as
‘‘weeping slips,” so the Italianos
took their troubles to Dr. Quirinus
Breen.
Pfcomplainer Sheldon Colen out
lined the terrible hardships of this
life. It was a gruesome, pathetic
tale of academic persecution.
“Wretched!” sympathized the kind
Dr., reaching the height of com
miseration. Translated into GIngo
it meant “Tell it to the chaplain!”
And the boys really wished they
had one to go to. Punch another for
Colen and colleagues.
* * *
Every night the winged seraphs
of the Air Corps go singing past
your window, and you sometimes
get ideas. Maybe a pitcher of cold
water would do the trick. One gang
goes by yelling, “Give ’er the gun!”
First thing you know there’s an
other singing, “Lay that pistol
down, Babe!” Nothing but a bunch
of Indian givers.
You’re sitting quietly in your
room knitting an afghan when in
comes Pfc. George Noble with a
custard pie which he threatens to
throw at you unless you print his
name. George claims to be the poet
laureate of the Barracks who wrote
the worthless poem which appeared
here last week. Seems he is a form
er ghost writer for Mr. Jordan. His
latest effort is “Elegy Written
While Policing the Area,” which he
recites well. You mumble that even
the garbage business is picking up.
Then he throws the pie and leaves
you sitting there among the re
mains of Custard’s Last Stand. And
the afghan is ruined.
Jj! jj! 5{C
Trying to hear the NY Symphony
on Sunday, you get good and sore
at the guys who think they have to
use their electric razors then. You
can’t figure out why they shave
with razors: they’re trying to cut
’em off, not raise ’em .. . You prom
ise to stop punning.
* * * -y
Campus seems vacant to you
since the unexplained disappear
ance of the uninhibited citizen, Rod
ney. Where, oh, where has the mon
ster gone ?
Things are beginning to wear
on your tattered nerves, such as
that zombie-voice who announces on
KORE . . . Then there arc the pro
fessors who talk in your sleep . . .
And another month to go . . .
Clips and Comment
By MARGUERITE WITTWER
Personal Note : The writer of this column has learned some'
thing-. We came to this campus with certain stereotyped ideas
about many things, about education, college, men. We have
learned that, “Mares eat oats and does eat oats, and little lambs
eat ivy, kids’ll eat ivy too, wouldn’t you.” . . . Okay, shoot if you
must this old grey head, but spare that lovely song.
At Oregon state college the
AST’s are said to have a strange
aboriginal language all their own.
Traces of same have been heard
through the campus scuttlebutt, as
well as when the lads are marching
to classes. It sounds like, “Hubha,
hubba, huhba, hubba, hubba.”
At Stanford university an honor
system has been adopted for the
army students. University profes
sors will no longer proctor examina
tion taken by the AST’s if the sol
diers agree not to give or receive
aid, in examinations, classwork, re
ports, etc. All violations of the hon
or system will be turned over to
the grievance committee of the
Army Student Council. The defend
ant soldier will receive a hearing
before judges nominated from his
fellow students and may request n
defense counsel . . . This is the
army, Mr. ASTU. Now' there’s
nothing left to worry you.
A towel from the Imperial hotel
in Tokio will be auctioned off at the
bond rally to be held at the Uni
versity of California. The towel be
longed to the ASUC general man
ager and was obtained by him in
1926 when the California Varsity
C
"HIYA SAILOR"
plus
"DRUMS OF
FU MANCHU"
Bond Premier Tonight, 8:45
baseball team played in Japan. . . .
Just left by the last tide.
A scientifically minded soldier
at an unknown outpost in the South
Pacific sent an aboriginal skull to
the anthropology department at the
University of Minnesota. Since
military censors deleted the sol
dier’s location, the professors have
no way of even knowing where the
relic comes from. The mystery will
remain unsolved until, if and when,
the soldier returns to tell the an
thropologists where he found it . . .
Might be uncle Louie (Louie the rat,
they called him); used to run rum
in them there parts.
FIRST TIMES TODAY!
SONJA HENIE
in
"WINTERTIME"
pus
LIONEL BARRYMORE
"DR. GILLESPIE'S
CRIMINAL CASE"
"TRUE TO LIFE"
with
MARY MARTIN
DICK POWELL
Plus.
"YOUNG IDEAS"
RICHARD CARLSON
and SUSAN PETERS