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(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
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