Oregon W Emerald
MARGUERITE WITTWER-WRIGHT
Editor
GEORGE PEGG
Business Manager
TED GOODWIN, BOB FRAZIER
Associates to Editor
BILL STRATTON
Managing Editor
BILL YATES
News Editor
BERNIE HAMMERBECK
Sports Editor
DON FAIR, WALLY HUNTER
Assistant Sports Editors
Signed editorial features and columns in the Emerald reflect the opinions 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.
Attention on the Quarterdeck
We are not impressed with rank happy ex-four stripers, ex
bird colonels, or ex-T-5s.
Tuesday night’s fire was news. Reporters trying to do
their job ran into brass bound "no comment” trouble, got
their stories anyway.
They got their stories because a couple of good news
sources cooperated after the best news source put the run on
them.
As we said before, we will sit on a story as long as the
next paper when it has a release date or when its pre-mature
release would cause complications. We are sitting on one
now.
We can't sit on a fire.
We didn’t, as the news source seemed to think, blame him
for the fire. We merely wanted to tell the students, in case
they were interested, as much as we could before the ashes
were cold and the insurance adjusters satisfied.
In the service we used to wait for mimeographed press
releases. They often came out within 90 days. All the four
stripers, half-stripers and bird colonels saluted each other and
the adjutant signed the stencil.
We are not taking advantage of the opportunity to smear
any individual or group of individuals, we just want our news
sources to play ball. The war is over. Elmer Davis has gone
back to commenting. If the OWI can comment, anybody can.
The old "no comment” kick was terrific a few years, ago.
Any WAC public relations secretary could get a laugh out
of it.
Thanks a lot to those that did comment.
Good Neighbors
There has been considerable pro and con discussion of the
American Veterans Committee, both nationally and locally.
However, disregarding any of the political implications ,we
are pretty proud of the University chapter for the way the
members have made several sincere attempts to serve the
school.
Many of the veterans’ organizations have made public
their high-sounding ideals and aims; some of them have been
more occupied with publicizing their ambitions and purposes
than with putting their ideals into concrete results.
We couldn't help admiring the AVC lads who put their
“Citizens First, Veterans Second” motto into action during
the warehouse fire Tuesday night. The veterans, aided by
other bystanders, carried valuable material out of the blazing
warehouse, helped evacuate neighboring homes, and stood by
to assist the firemen in every way possible.
This is only one example of the fine spirit of these men.
Members and non-members may well be proud of the local
AVC.
Company Manners
Why police the campus three times a year before guests
arrive for those special weekends?
Tomorrow students will turn all-out to remove cigarette
butts and old muddy Kmeralds lying under shrubbery. It's
the big Operation 1’ick-up to clean house before the arrival
of our Dads.
There’s nothing wrong with that. It shows that we want
to be as presentable as possible.
Hut there is something wrong with our attitude of putting
on "company manners.” When no special efforts are made
to keep the campus tidy, student carelessness has no limits.
We must admit that the campus looks sloppy. Janitors and
other employees are kept busy "picking up" after thoughtless
students, but somehow no one seems to be able to keep up
with the mess.
To improve the situation, we have one suggestion to make.
Refuse cans, attractively painted lemon-and-green, strategic
alb located along sidewalks and around the tag-littered steps
of buildings, might be a solution. If the proper authorities
will bring out the refuse cans, we promise that periodically
we'll remind the students what their purpose is.
Oration for Peace ♦ ♦.
Rex Gunn Asserts Peace Depends
On Individual Regard for Liability
(Conclusion)
We can understand the causes of war in terms
of our own personal actions. Ever since World War
I we have talked glibly about the causes of war. We
read sociologists and learned that wars were caused
by population pressures—“Lebensraum”; by national
bitterness over defeats in previous wars; by fear—
especially between nations of equal power; by racial
discrimination as a policy of state; by extreme na
tionalism in any form. Or we turned to the psycholo
gist, the philosopher, the minister or the poet. The
causes they gave us were very real. But expressed
in the abstract, they made us feel that they were
remote, and of no concern to us. In reality, the causes
of war are close at hand. Racial discrimination as a
state policy exists in Mississippi. Political anarchy
and seizure of a government by force are no farther
away than Georgia. Fear and distrust of Russia are
preached in every barber shop in Eugene. It is not
uncommon to hear that Russia is behind American
labor troubles.
When it becomes apparent that the causes of war
are not remote, but close at hand, it becomes possi
ble for us to see how we can act. When a policy be
comes adopted as a state policy, it is because enough
individuals subscribe to it. If a war is declared, it is
because enough men have willed it so. Realizing this,
realizing the ultimate power of the individual, what
can we do?
We can inspect our club and social affiliations. We
can ask ourselves: What is the real purpose of the
organization? What is the idea behind it? If under
such a scrutiny, we would still be willing to join the
Ku Klux Klan, we would also be willing to oppose
peace. Be on the constant alert for local attitudes.
Do you hear the cracker barrel philosophers saying
that the exchange of foreign students and professors
will lead to communism in this country ? Do your
friends tell you that we should postpone sending food
and clothing to Europe until we have fed and clothed
our own people ? If you acquiesce in these untruths,
you are hurting the cause of peace. Watch your vote.
Be not guilty of putting a Bilbo or a Tallmadge in
office. Such men are the type who destroy the power
of the individual and who advocate a “free” govern
ment: “free,” that is, as long as the government serves
their personal interests.
Most of all, support your government when it at
tempts to settle a dispute by a peaceful procedure.
We, along with France, Britain, Russia and other na
tions have pledged ourselves to the United Nations
Organization. Here is the youngest and the lustiest
manifestation of an international will for peace. Even
amidst constant bickerings, frequent personal de
nunciations between delegates of different nations,
and such dramatic interruptions as the early walkout
of Soviet delegate Andrei Gromyko,—even in the
midst of all that—there has been convincing evidence
that peace is being considered by this body for a
number one priority over the interests of any par
ticular nation. Hesitantly, sometimes mistakenly,
through overt trial and error, the United Nations Or
ganization is seeking peace. In the past, lawful dele
gates of nations could not sit down at a conference
table and trust each other. Their motives were hidden
more often than revealed by what they said. When
they spoke, they spoke on matters of agrement. Now,
thank God, nations are frankly discussing their dif
ferences. There is much friction. How can it be other
wise? Does anyone imagine that men of different
creeds, different languages, different environments,
believing in converse religions and philosophies, does
anyone imagine that they can settle their differences
without discord? Be thankful for that discord. For
every battle around the conference table, there is one
less on the battle field. The significant thing today
is that the United Nations Organization is not only
talking about peace, but is acting to achieve it.
Let me reiterate. Believing that the causes of war
are close at hand, as close as the person who sits
next to you, the individual can act for peace. He can
re-evaluate his social affiliations; he can challenge
fallacious local attitudes; he can elect men for public
office who will act for peace; he can support his gov
ernment as it strives for peace in the United Nations
Organization.
All this you and I can do for peace. Or we can keep
on talking until the next war.
Side Patter
By BOB YVHITELY
Everybody had a hot one last
night! There’s nothing that draws
students out the library pursuing
the art as a good rip-roaring fire.
Several of the home-loving girls
turned their backs to the flames,
hoisted their skirts and had a $135,
000.00 toast! Professor Millican of
the advertising school lived first
house behind the warehouse, and
felt for his safety. Students hoped
their mid-terms would go up in
flames. How the house next door
remained in one piece is a miracle,
as with any kind of a w’ind the
whole area would have gone up . . .
Mr. Millican’s house and all. Praise
goes to the unknown students who
saved much equipment, and to the
AVC group which helped the Erick
son's move their belongings out of
their home in the path of the flames.
There isn’t enough good wood left
to have a weenie roast! Even stu
dents helped to put out the fire in
their own little way . . . and it was
a big help! A lot of pretty ribbons
prominently displayed are seen on
the campus as the Gamma Alpha
Chi wimmen ran off with a haul of
nine neophyte layout ers. Those who
emphasize breathing gaze motion
j include: “little” Benke, Jane Ells
j worth, Marg Jennings, Joan Mil
lard, “Dodo” Misled, Helen Nelson,
Miriam Sullivan, J. Utz and Kit
Wilhelm. Good to see the Phi Sigs
back on active duty. Even Anse
Cornell was down at the fire count
ing the house! 3000 isn’t bad for a
Tuesday night! The Emerald edit
on Public Relations Office is fully
in accord with the students. “We
quote from yesterday’s paper . . .
However ,we go on recommending
a PRO for the use of the adminis
tration ... It would be a good thing
for all public school affairs. Now for
le affairs d’ heart.Alpha Gam Bet
ty Towe and Deli Jim Dunlap are
all sewed up, as well as Bev Zam
sky and Delt Dick Smart. Here’s
one for sportswriter AI “the nose’’
Pietschman. Since he put on his
feminine sketch for some local so
rorities, the Delt house has received
innumerable calls inquiring whether
“Loving Al“ would be available for
pledging a sorority. He musta
looked good! Chi O Phyl Perkin is
doing just that when Jack Coins is
now without his Sigma Chi pin.
IV ' ■ 1 _
Bring out those stocks ... or has he
already had ’em?
Don’t forget to bring pop and his
money . . . down to the center of
campus activity . . . the Side natch
erly. John and Jim have promised
fine luncheons for you and your pop.
. . . Benny DiBenedetto ... of the
Sig Ep clan blew double high “C”
when the house handball team final
ly won an IM contest! “The cup is
practically on de mantel,” “Bloo
nose DiBenedetto expounded.
—Pd. Adv.
HAIR CUT
The Way
U want it
INKS
BARBER SHOP
Next to the Mayflower
Westgate House
For
Excellent Food
and
Pleasant Atmosphere
Phone Early for Reservations
Dinners from $1.50
PARTY AND BANQUET ARRANGEMENTS