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REGDN'lf Emerald
MARGUERITE WITTWER-WRIGHT
Editor
GEORGE PEGG
Business Manager
BOB FRAZIER, Associate Editor
JACK L. BILLINGS
Managing Editor
HERB PENNY
News Editor
MARYANN THIELEN and
walt McKinney
Assistant Managing Editors
BOBOLEE BROPHY and
BRUCE BISHOP
Assistant News Editors
JEANNE SIMMONDS
Women’s Editor
PAT THOMPSON
Executive Secretary
JUNE GOETZE
Assistant Women’s Editor
BOBEIE FULMER
Advertising Manager
BERNIE HAMMERBECK
Sports Editor
BILL STRATTON, WALLY HUNTER
Assistant Sports Editors
ROGER TETLOW DON JONES
Chief Night Editor Staff Photographer
Faculty Adviser—Dean George Turnbull
Signed editorial features and columns in the Emerald reflect the opin
ions of the writers. They do not necessarily represent the opinion of the
editorial staff, the student body, or the University.
Entered as second class matter at the postoffice, Eugene, Oregon.
‘Puddles’ and the ‘War’
An editorial in Thursday’s Barometer appeals to the Bea
vers to pull in their necks Saturday night after the game and
waddle quietly home, avoiding any display of fisticuffs with
the rough and tough Webfoots. The editorial lauds the clean
competitive spirit which characterizes college football ’ and
deplores occasions when “tine mob has taken command over
all reason to plunge into an outrageous struggle . .
“Is there any method by which this struggle can help es
tablish Oregon State as a center for the advancement and de
velopment of American culture ? Who wi'ns such fights ? W ould
Oregon State college, by virtue of. superior numbers, be the
victor? Or can any individual be declared the winner, 01 am
student body point with pride to triumph in such random ac
tivity as an inter-school fist fight, the essay asks.
The whole thing leaves us cold.
Does Oregon State suppose that abducting “Puddles,” the
beloved Webfoot mascot, contributes to the advancement of
culture on the Aggie campus? Do our friends on the Barometei
staff feel that their journalistic crowing over Puddles’ presence
on their campus think their attitude is the height of enlightened
intcllectualism ? After printing the threats to poor Puddles’
nervous stability, the Barometer has the naivete to suggest
there be no “general display of boxing and wrestling ability
after two hours of good football.
The Emerald certainly takes a somewhat disdainful view
of instigating any riots among the contented cowhands of Ore
gon State. We think they should not be given the satisfac
tion of running any Webfoots out of town. \\ e hope the Uni
versity of Oregon visitors show enough good sense to refrain
from damaging property. But after the Puddles kidnapping
we think the Staters should be a little wary of just how they
treat our angry Oregon men.
Shame, Shame on You
Friday’s Emerald ran a letter to the editor signed “Anne
Brady.” The letter, in no uncertain terms, criticized certain
professors who treat women students in an uncomplimentai}
manner. Since it is the Emerald's policy to print signed letters
of general interest to the campus, there was no question about
the letter’s origin when it was sent to press.
Now it turns out that the real Anne Brady, sophomore in
journalism, did not write the letter or sign it. If Miss Brady
were not an unusually reasonable and understanding woman,
the Emerald might have found itself threatened by a suit. It
seems that there is some law against publication of defamatory
material without the consent of the author.
We have the greatest contempt for the type of individual
who will disguise his complaints, legitimate or not, by the
fraudulent use of an unknowing person's name. A character
of this caliber has no place in a University. The Emerald is
ashamed to have had even an innocent part in such a display
of chickcn-livered weakness. To Anne Brady, our sincere
hpologies. . .
The letters to the editor column is one ot our widely ieau
features, but if this sort of misuse of the privilege of the students
to express their own opinions continues, the column will he
dropped'.
Common sense is not so common. Aoltahe.
The best prophet of the future is the past.—Byron.
Toivard Better Understanding...
Professor LeSage Tells Experiences
With Post-War Japanese Thought
By ONE WOULD CLUB
During the war I served in various places in the
Pacific as interrogator of Japanese prisoners of war.
Later, in Japan, my contacts with Japanese were so
cial as well as in my capacity as a member of the oc
cupying forces. I had, therefore, ample opportunity
to talk with all sorts of Japanese of every rank and
station in life.
While certain ideas lost some of their strangeness
through proximity, other aspects of Japanese psy
chology appeared increasingly remote. Consider, for
example, the role of the individual. It seemed incon
ceivable that a Japanese could be devoid of opinions
on sociological or political questions. Some of the
questions I put to them had never been previously
considered at all. The attitude towards democracy
illustrates this. Last January the library of the Im
perial university of Tokyo featured in their “brows
ing room” books on democracy. Apparently people
were expected to read up on the subject in view of
its topical nature. In the matter of vote, especially
suffrage for women, the Japanese attitude on the
whole seems marked by good will, but rather an ea
gerness to do what they were told more than a burn
ing need to express an individual opinion. Some were
even hostile. One Japanese lady exclaimed that what
they needed was rice not votes! A highly educated
gentleman insisted it was unwise to treat Japanese
women as if they had a western background. Accord
ing to him, they were not at all prepared to vote in
telligently. The shortsightedness of such views may
be annoying, but they indicate'how little prepared
the Japanese are to think as individuals in political
matters. Individual thinking implies a responsibility
that they seem unwilling to face. Previously they had
been asked merely to obey. That was much simpler.
Japanese submissiveness and western self-reliance,
self-assurance are worlds apart.
The whole system of social ethics, product of his
tory and economics, seems diametrically opposed to
ours. It is hard for the Westerner to consider blind
obedience as the chief virtue. And yet in discussing
the matter of war crimes with some university grad- j
uates, I astonisnea mem uy suggcoimg
might be justified in disobeying an order which vio
lated his own individual sense of right or wrong. The
idea seemed genuinely novel. To submit grimly a.nd
uncritically to a bad situation is a concept of viitue
born quite naturally of the sociological history of
Japan, One might almost make up the maxim What
ever is- difficult is good." It serves as a. key to Jap
anese psychology and has interesting implications in
Japanese esthetics, in the Japanese language, etc.
It was certainly evident in their war psychology. Time
and time again Japanese boasted that Japan was a
poor country. The idea of puny Japan challenging
giant countries to mortal combat seemed quite intox
icating. Great achievement, overcoming great ob
stacles, excites Japanese praise. All the Japanese |
with whom I discussed the atom bomb praised tifc
invention rather than deplored the destruction O', the
cities. The latter they dismissed philosophically, say
ing, “Shigata ga nai.” (It can t be helped.)
The deep admiration of the Japanese for us for
having won the war plus their philosophic resigna
tion towards their defeat may help us understand
their attitude toward the occupation. After all, their
adjustment is merely one of taking orders from some
one else. But developing a democratic nation of think
ing individuals will be a long arduous task. It is a
task which will call for our greatest understanding.
To graft occidental standards and democratic ways on
a culture whose roots are deep in another soil is a
delicate operation. How successful, how harmonious
a combination can be accomplished remains to be
seen. There are those who feel It is quite impossible,
that the only solution for Japan is either a complete
departure from her culture in favor of occidental
imitation, or complete isolation whereby Japan would
be merely a quaint island for tourists. It is indeed a
dilemma, for both these extremes are impossible to
achieve, even if they were desirabl. My personal
hope is that we find it unnecessary to meddle with
Japan’s culture except where it may have potentially
dangerous features.
I
By LeJEUNE GRIFFITH
Morals and pin-ups — We note
with some amusement that John
Bull is still in there pitching to in
sure that the war was not fought
in vain. Under the heading of “im
provements in the way of life of the
soldier,” British military authori
ties at the Aldershot, Hampshire,
army depot have banned pin-up
girls in officers’ and non-commis
sioned officers’ quarters. Authori
ties said they are attempting to pro
tect the morals of many youths
training there.
“Oh, come now” department —
The Tuesday, November 5 Emerald
contains an advertisement which
hails “Wolf Gal” nail polish and
lipstick as “the greatest news event
since the atom bomb.”
Statistics and logic — According
to Sam’s “fiction and fact” on the
ABC “Breakfast Club,” half of all
the married people in the United
States are men. According to the
U. S. Bureau of the Census in the
1946 World Almanac (Page 487),
the laundry
by larry lau
i!:ii!iiiiiiiiMiuiiiiuiii!iuiiiii]iuiiiiii!iii>iiiii»iiin>iiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiin|i»iiiiniiiuinuiii!ii!i!iiini
Well, whaddaya know! The ed
slips down to ye olde Side for the
big cuppa Joe so methinks I’ll sneak
in another bundle of laundry. The
repercussions from the one yester
day are still causing shock waves
all over the campus. One gorgeous
little dark haired gal did three flips
and a half-gainer at the breakfast
table when she spotted her name,
but still, there’s something gay
about the whole business. The profs
have been mumbling nervously, in
quiring of their students whether
they’ll be there for class this morn
ing. Of course, all bobbed their
heads and lied that sweet lie, “yes.”
The team that will be fired up en
route will probably be lit up coming
back. Fraternity men are digging
the brass knuckles out of the bow
els of their chapter rooms, just in
case the Beavers don't take their
licking graciously and the T.G.I.W.
crowd marvels at the steadiness of
their newest pledges, Lulu Preston
and Bill Hanna. Speaking of corn
valley, we almost lost one of the
campus bright lights over there re
j cently.
lll|l!lllllllllllllllllll!lllll!i;illi!!!!l!llUlllllli:i!)l!llllllll!lllllllllllllll!l!lllllllllll!lllllll»!!iiM|ll
Perry Holloman’s OSC true love
wanted to quit school and go to work
so they could pay a non-social call
on the minister (legalize my name,
la de dal. Pi Phi Peggy Fennel may
be an “unknown sweetheart,” but
.she’s certainly not unappreciated;
Marsh Glos, who she’s knitting
socks for, is pretty well sold (oh I
am a weaver and I work at my
trade). The disappearance of the
phonograph at the Alpha Xi house
has forced Delores Becker and DU
Lou Wright to spend more and more
time out on the terrace (some guys
got it tuff!).
Phi Anne McGeorge and KS
pledge Vic Kisley seem to have one
of those quiet, comfortable arrange
ments on tap. In the “Nobody
fooled nobody” dept., we have the
story of Jack Daly, who shoved off
for Seattle and a sly date with an
unnamed Theta. His girl, Sue Mer
cer, in the meantime had a sly date
with a much pleased Gabby Mar
tinson (just how sly can we be?).
K-Sig pledge Jim Snyder, risking
health and comfort in a liand-hold
I (Please turn to page seven)
of the 1944 population over 14 years
of age, there are 29,690,000 par
ried males and 32,850,000 married
females. These numbers exclude
widowed and divorced. That would
leave us with the disturbing fact
that there are over 3 million more
married women than men. Maybe
only the -women will admit being
married.
“Excuse it, please, we didn't un
derstand.” — Representative John
E. Rankin D., Miss.) claims that
he did not snatch Dr. Harlow Shap
ley's personal documents from the
Harvard proffessor’s hands during
a committee hearing on un-Ameri
can activities as charged. He mere
ly took hold of the papers and they
were torn because Dr. Shapley
wouldn't let go.
* * *
Twenty-five years ago via the
New York Times — At an interna
tional conference, Japan was insist
ing upon changing the Hughes for
mula for the composition of future,
battle fleets of the United States,
Great Britain, and Japan. The A. F.
C. endorsed as a “magnificent pro
posal” the American plan for reduc- ,
tion and limitation of naval anna-1
ment, and Japan voiced good will to
China and avowed an “open door
policy.” An army wife returned
from Germany with the observation!
that American soldiers in Germany
had a soft snap and balked at com
ing back to the States. A local de
partment store was offering ankle
length pantelettes with shirred
ctiffs at only $2.95, and ladies’ head
bands, the hazard of the raised eye
brow, were the rage. A “modem
miracle” as “marvelous even as
Burbank’s wonderwork with fruits,
vegetables and flowers, or the pres
ervation of meats and milk was
claimed by Kraft when their new
cheese loaf hit the market.
Longshoreman’s Lingo — (From
a compilation by John A. Knoetgen)
Center-fielder—someone who wants
to get in on the racket but is afraid *
to take the risk; flame-thrower—
lady-killer, boastful Romeo; *
in the garden—tale-bearers in tW
gang.
