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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 22, 1948)
Writer Sees Hope in United Front Of Non-Partisan Liberal Groups By DALE HARLAN Our generation seems to be faced with one crisis after another: we know no lest. And, as Walter Lippmann points out in his “United States Foreign Policy,” we must face the pathetic fact that for nearly 50 years our nation has not had a settled and generally accepted foreign policy. This is a danger to the Republic. We are unable to agree on just where our true interest lies when it comes to foreign policy. We are unable to prepare adequately for war or to safeguard success fully the peace. Thus our course in foreign affairs depends, in the words of Alexander Hamilton, not on reflection and choice but on accident and force. I believe we had a secure foreign policy to ward the great powers from the decade after the end of the War of 1812 to the end of the Spanish-American war in 1898. In that long period it was true that politics ended at the water’s edge, and that the people were not seriously divided on our relations with the Old World. But the nation became divided on the consequences of the war with Spain, and never since then has it been possible for any president of the United States to rely upon the united support of the nation in the con duct of foreign affairs. Policy Needed The recent war has left us as one of the two great powers of the world; this will be a dubious honor unless we as a nation can agree upon a clear and consistent foreign policy. We can save ourselves and the world only if we know what we want and where we are going—only if our values are clear and our direction is sure. This will require the development of a real honest liberalism that refuses to let anxiety corrupt its values and confuse its directions. We need some strong and clear convic tions about the world. One is that mankind is not necessarily predestined to the bleak choice between Communism and reaction. Another is that the forces of the center and the non-Communist left—the people who be lieve that political freedom and social abun dance can both be achieved—may yet pre serve the world, if they bestir themselves in time. And time is important from the false dualism which Communists and reaction aries alike seek to impose upon us all. Americans, Unite This means that democracy must quit compromising its values either here or abroad and once again become a fighting faith. As Americans we must unite for democratic ac tion and so united work out responsible pro grams and policies in support of our values. The policies we evolve must confront the facts of life in all their discouraging com plexity. Neither wild-eyed-Wallacites or do nothing-Tafts have, or likely ever will have, a responsible program on foreign and domes tic affairs to offer. There is one bright spot on the American scene today in the many non-partisan organi zations, local and national, which, are being formed to study and debate the major issues, foreign and domestic, that confront us. Such organizations can be of immense help in creating a responsible and enlightened na tional opinion that can serve as a guide to our leaders. ADA Favored One such organization is the one known as “The Americans for Democratic Action,” which was founded about a year ago. It includes in its membership well-known lib erals from each of our major political parties and has as its main purpose the support of all liberal candidates, regardless of party, and of liberal legislation regardless of which party may propose it. Included in the ADA are such well known names as Palmer Hoyt, former editor of the “Oregonian” and now editor of the “Denver Post;” Monroe Sweetland, editor of the “Mo lalla Pioneer;” columnists Marquis Childs and Stewart Alsop; radio commentators Ray mond Swing and Elmer Davis; educators Reinhold Niebuhr and Arthur Schles inger; and finally such national leaders as Sumner Welles, Herbert H. Lehman, Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt, Wilson Wyatt, and Leon Henderson. I believe just such organizations as this, and its junior affiliate the “Students for Democratic Action” (SDA), which aline themselves with neither the right nor the left, can do much to help our natiop develop liberal and responsible long-range policies on all the issues that confront it. The Voice that Persuades Bylarrylau SidePatter I’ve thought many times to de sert the financially arid fields of journalism for advertising. For the lusher pastures of that he roic group whose battle cry, “Who cares if Roosevelt died, Ma Per kins must go on!” has moved mil lions to tears, nausea, and help less rage. After all, what mere author could ever hope to excite such intense feeling in so many? Something (certainly not the dean of the journalism school) has always held me back. Per haps it's an intangible sense of loyalty to the unbesmirched pen, or perhaps it’s because I don’t know the right graders. Adver tising intrigues me nevertheless. Any dumb graduate, working for $12 a week as a reporter, can cover a murder trial or write knowingly of congress, but it takes real talent to make up a jingle that will sell Borden’s Homo and Vicks Nose Drops at the same time. And how those rogues sell things! “Sin-All-Night” perfume to frustrated old ladies who've never gotten beyond the closet member stage, used cars to peo ple who can’t drive, cigarettes to people who don’t smoke, and Schenleys to men with ulcers. The list is endless. Talents Obvious Take a quick peek through the ad-choked pages of any newspa per and you’ll find documentary evidence of the ad-man’s superior talents. Take “Bodies that don’t take on a middle-aged spread’’ for instance. A plug for a Formfit creation, a Turkish bath, or Lydia Pinkham’s pills ? . . . no. Our hon eyed commercialists penned that gem for the Heil Truck body and Hoist corporation. Or, take “Never too warm, never too cold, just the warmth you like best the whole night through.’’ It’s not whac you’re thinking; it’s not even a blurb for Willie’s Woolen PJ’s. The professional poison penmen hired by Westing house put that one out to promote their new electric bed comforter. Now what could be more clever ? Heat and Enjoy “Heat and Enjoy” The electric bed comforter again ? Not on your life! Ths literary extrava ganza was drummed up by a group of men intent on not let ting the public slip past a meal without a sloshing of Heinz Pork and Beans! Reports indicate that the two companies will combine their campaigns and ads in the future will ask a susceptible public to heat their pork and beans on the electric bed comforter. You’ve got to have deductive powers to understand some of them. Just anybody can't shilly shally through advertisements nowadays. “True at all tempera tures” refers to neither a men’s magazine nor a pinned co-ed. The reader must dig deep to find that this little gem refers to the one and only Hamilton watch. A re cent trade journal predicts that, through some stock juggling, the Hamilton people will merge with Frigidaire. Evidently we’re to be asked to test our Hamiltons in a Frigidaire. I don’t know what a good frosted watch is, but people clever enough to know go into advertising. A1 Is Slipping Old line companies are entering the frenzied race for bigger and better superlatives. The Ameri can Tobacco Co., makers of Prince Albert,, are rumored to be considering a new face. After more than 30 years on an Ameri can can, don’t be surprised to see good old Albert shunted aside in favor of some more modern fig ure. Perhaps the ex-Prince of Wales, or Comrade Molotov. Next we’ll hear that they’ve signed the Duchess of Windsor to model for Copenhagen, or the Dionne quintuplets to pose as women of distinction with a short snifter of Calverts in their chubby hands. Consider for instance, “Once you sit in any furniture cushioned with Restfoam, you’ll never again be content with ordinary cushion ing.” In other words, hubby must keep a watchful eye on the little woman lest she sneak into a chair covered with Restfoam and never thereafter be contented. The manufacturer must be in league with the Nevada bar association. Too long have advertisers and their hirelings been maligned by an unappreciative public. Where else can you read, for free, such matchless prose? Or hear, at no extra cost, top tunes like the “Rinso White” ditty or the Pepsi Cola song ? So what, if newspa pers must oftentimes modify their policies to cater' to big busi ness ? A pox on being literate. Me for some more ads. Ever see the one drumming for Marfak lubri cation. . . Where the Old and the New Mix fred young The old sound has been heard a little more frequently around the fraternities lately, and we're glad to note a lot of new appear ing brass beneath that proud look. The Khatchaturian Symphony for Piano and Orchestra can be heard in the library record room. It is another case of a contempo rary Russian composer using folk music to provide some of his ideas for producing music with modern jazz intonations, besides sheer beauty. While you’re there, try Milhaud's “Creation of a New World’ - it also proves that the modernists possess the perspec tive for beauty .After gaining his reputation in France. Milhaud came to the United States and was a professor of music at a California women’s college. In the early 1940’s, a fellow named Pete Rugolo gained special per mission to be in his classes. Ru golo spent more than a year studying with the classicist, and since then has been Kenton’s chief arranger. However, this does not explain Wayne King. Louis Armstrong has a new al bum on the mart, also King Cole has released album number three. Charlie Barnett’s “Cherokee" is in town on the Apollo label. Todd Rhodes, of no advance notice, has an octet on Vitaconustic records with “Dance of the Redskins" their outstanding offering, the reverse featuring an alto with “Blue Sensations.” This might add to the expediency of a fire side. The educational activities office is undoubtedly a benefit to the campus, but it seems too bad that it cannot discern the difference between the music and the GOOD music of the local hornblowers. Its ransom seems to be the $5 ex tra a term for a student union that will probably be washed away by the millrace. Texas Beneke and orchestra and violins will be at the Park about February 4. Can’t save our pennies till after the 30th when the March of Dimes campaign is over—so maybe there won’t be too many familiar faces present. Too bad Tex hadn’t heard of our Military Ball. Sigma Delta Chi gave us Kay Kyser one year and made money besides. By SALL1E T1AIMENS A local authority of various trivia and I have been analyzing the architecture and construction of the College Side Inn. We have come to the decision that the structure is tha£ of Tudor, or Elizabethan, design. However, the goings on inside said structure are more liike those of a Central v European mead hall of the same period. Sig Ep Paul Smitlirud got off easy the other day. He was de livered on his senior ride to the Chi O doorstep, and dumped in the living room as a valentine gift. When last seen, he was trip ping across the campus toward the Side in search of his shoes and some liquid refreshment after his harrowing experience. Many congrats to lovely Kappa Kathy Cornell who just an nounced her engagement to Phi Delt Don McCollom, and to Alfa Xi Delta gal Ellen Stillwell who revealed her June wedding plans. The lucky lad is Robert Tracy who graduated from ye ol’ U last year. The two names chosen at ran dom from the Piggers’ Guide this week for those cartons of CHES TERFIELDS are Joan Elliot and John Browning. Incidentally, while mentioning 'things being given away, Susan Campbell’s (Please turn to pane three)