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)