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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 18, 1944)
^llte fyote—Ato- Puppet QeA.tu.Xe (The following is the speech given to the two | political rallies held last night by Nancy Ames, president of the ASUO. It is printed here be cause the Emerald feels that it represents the essence of idealism in student body elections. As such, it bears careful reading.) * * * * MEMBERS OF THE STUDENT BODY: As you know, two political rallies are being held tonight. I would like to assure you that I am giving the same talk to both meetings. I have come here tonight to speak to you as president of the student body—not as a repre sentative of either political party. I have no intention of speaking for or against any of the candidates who are running for office and I have no desire to change your vote. But I would like to remind you of our responsibility as students of a state-owned and operated uni" versity. First, if the taxpayers are willing to finance a university, they must feel that they, the state, will benefit by such a university. They must feel that by sending us to school for four years, we will in some way be better equipped to make a contribution to society. Just what, then, is this contribution that the state expects us to make? It does not expect us to major in mathematics so that we can calculate the amount of steel that it will take to construct a public building. It does not in sist that we learn how to type or take short hand so that we can carry on the mechanical business of the state. No, the taxpayers arc not so restricting in their demands. They have only one request to make—they have only one hope—that we will graduate from this Uni versity as open-minded, level-headed citizens. That we will be able to stand on our own feet, to make our own decisions, and to stick by these decisions no matter what the oppo sition. Many students who come to the Universitv have a capacity for leadership. They are open minded, they have opinions to express, and they have a genuine interest in student gov ernment. II our student government was really fulfilling its purpose, it would recognize these people, it would give them an opportunity to put their ideas into practice. At the end of four years, these people would be able to walk out of the University and take their places as leaders in state and national affairs. bar too many of these people, however, graduate as followers and not leaders! Just what happens to these potential leaders dur ing their years at college? As I have said, most freshmen are curious and are concerned about the campus situation. They may want to know why some particular condition prevails—they may become indig nant and ask why something isn’t done about it. Occasionally, they may openly rebel against the stereotyped beliefs of the upper classmen. But far too often they become disillusioned— they resign themselves to the fact that “some body else’’ is running things—that it is im possible to find out what the real situation is. They get the idea that all politics are dirty and say: “I’m not going to have anything to do with them, and anyway, what difference does my vote make?’’ So they stop asking questions and they stop thinking! Not until then can “the few’’ sit back and dictate policies for the many. Up to this point they have had to deal with in dividuals, reasoning individuals, individuals with ideas that might not conform with theirs. But now “the few” can be sure that these in dividuals are no longer individuals—they are now part of an insensitive, disinterested mass. A very efficient mass for those who are dictat ing policies, for now, by one quick telephone call they can be assured that this mass will vote as one—and as “the few” decide. But we should not necessarily condemn those few leaders, but rather those who fol low them unconditionally. For what assurance do we have that this disinterested mass will not remain resigned and disinterested when they vote in state and national elections? Can we have any hope that they will suddenly, upon graduation, be able to obliterate an atti tude which they have had for four years? Is there any reason why they should now feel that the vote is important? 1 said that I wanted to remind you of our responsibility as students of a state-owned and state-operated university. That responsibility involves more than merely going to the polls and voting. We must get over the defeatist idea that our vote does not count—elections do not become cut and dried until we stop thinking. It is our responsibility as University students to main tain and open-minded, unprejudiced attitude toward our own elections so that we, as citi zens, will not let the act of voting become a mere gesture made by puppets! The Cutting Room By BILL BUELL The much-heralded ‘'Song of Bernadette” cost $1.20. We do not believe in excess profits. So we went to the Heilig and saw "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves.” Gaudy technicolor shots of des ert scenery, galloping horsemen, luxurious oriental palaces, and Maria Montez in a bubble bath make "Ali Baba" mainly an eye appeal picture. It is crowded with saber fights, horseback chases, shouting mob scenes, and knife throwing exhibitions guaranteed to please the action-loving juveniles. An attempt is made to intensify the action with mellerdramatic music of the here-comes-the-vil lian type. All of this sound and fury makes rather good entertainment for about 15 minutes. But after that i ur eyes and ears were exhausted from excessive stimulation and we began to yawn with increasing fre quency. The story contains approximate ly forty thieves, a large pottery jar for each thief to hide in, and a door named “Sesame." Any further resemblance to the original Arab bian Nights tale is purely acci dental. Ali Baba (Jon Hall) is the son of tin Caliph of Bagdad. When a horde of Mongols capture the city and liquidate his papa, Ali escapes to tlie. desert and joins a band of forty thieves. He becomes their leader, turns them from a robber gang into a patriotic guerrilla band, for ten years plays Robin Hool tricks on the Mongol Khan. Then, just as the Khan is about to marry Maria Montez, whom Ali loves, the forty thieves sneak into the city. After a short fight they free Bagdad from the invader and Miss Montez from the arms of the tyrannical Khan. Jon Hall is a very handsome man. He is so handsome that he can get leading film parts without even knowing how to act. He re cites such emotion-packed lines as "Know that I will come to you un der the stars” with all the deep- j felt passion, convincing sincerity, and masterly elocution of a high school sophomore playing a minor role in “Seven Keys to Baldpate.” The dynamic originality of the lines themselves indicates that the script-writer is probably a regular reader of “True Story” magazine. Miss Montez takes her veil off more than any Mohammedan wom an in history. She is very nice look ing. After seriously considering the matter, however, we feel reason ably safe in predicting that she will not receive an academy award for her efforts in this picture. Oregon W Emerald MARJORIE M. GOODWIN EDITOR ELIZABETH EDMUNDS! BUSINESS MANAGER MARJORIE YOUNG Managing Editor GLORIA MALLOY Advertising- Manager ANNE CRAVEN News Editor Norris Yates, Joanne Nichols Associate Editors EDITORIAL BOARD Betty Ann Stevens Edith Newton Mary Jo Geiser 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. JletteAA. to the £dUton. To the Editor: We understand that some people have made the statement that the Independent students nad tried to prevent the soldiers on this cam pus from voting. Under no circum stances is that true. The question was brought up by anonymous per sons, not by any one person to our knowledge. The judiciary commit tee rendered its decision and every one is happy to abide by it. All that we hope is that the soldiers will make themselves acquainted with the student government rec ord of the candidate. Sincerely, MARIANNE BLENKINSOP (Independent Campaign Manager) ALICE BUCKINGHAM Poor cows eat almost as much as profit producers, according to fig jres compiled by specialists at Michigan State college. Positions Still Open On Red Cross Drive > Girls who are interested in Red Cross work may still register for the type of work in which they are interested, Carol Wicke, Red Cross chairman, announced Friday. Any one interested in nurses aide work, disaster relief, home nursing, first aid, sewing, nutrition, or working on a scrap hook should contact Miss Wicke before next Tuesday at 5 p.m. Miss Wicke can he reached at telephone number 1309 the Alpha Delta Pi house. A large turnout is needed for the surgical dressing classes held Tuesday and Thursday from 3-5 p.m. and from 9 to 12 Saturday morning, according to Dorothy Rasmussen, chairman. Any girls who are particularly interested in knitting for the Red Cross are urged to contact Betty Householder at the Chi Omega house. An important step was recently taken in the development of the Wayne university medical science center when the site for the pro ject was formally approved for the first unit. TIME AGAIN t TO ORDER DANCE PROGRAMS Distinctive Styles — •--—-Order Early Valley Printing 8 Stationery Co. Phone 470 76 W. 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