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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 6, 1948)
The Russians in Tokyo Mind Their Own Business Tokyo, like Berlin, is another occupied capital where the Amer ican army is in close proximity to the Russians. Although they have no real occupation role besides representing their country, there are approximately 500 Russian soldiers, sailors and civilians at tached to the Russian embassy, the largest in Tokyo. Some of the reasons for this large staff are that the Russians do the routine jobs which Ameri cans assign to Japanese, intelli gence activities, and advising the Japanese Communists. They have also attempted to persuade White Russians residing in Japan to re turn to Russia, but without much success. They stick to themselves; 'the only contacts they have with Americans are on an official ba sis. They are sometimes seen in groups at the Ernie Pyle and other theaters. Besides their own embassy, the Russian delegation has two large billets, which along with Ameri can and Japanese supplies and services, have been allotted them by SCAP. Most of their vehicles are lend-lease jeeps and trucks with the exception of some Rus sian-built sedans which resem ble 1937 Fords. Travel between Russia and Tokyo is by Ameri can-built aircraft, usually PBY's. The nearest the Russians have ever come to having any on-the spot voice concerning occupation policy was when the four-power allied control council for Japan was set up in Tokyo after the war to “advise” General MacArthur. General Deverenko, the Rus sian council member, criticized aspects of the occupation at the first sessions, mostly to the effect that the Americans were not really democratizing Japan. Oth er council members were also critical. General MacArthur’s implied attitude toward the council was that it interfered with his au thority, and that he who pays the piper calls the tune. The council has therefore degenerated into an fossil which periodically meets for a minute or less, and then ad journs without conducting any business. There have been some opera tional disagreements with the Russians in Tokyo, but SCAP policy is to keep quiet concerning them, and (while being firm) to lean over backwards to be fair to ward the Russians. For example when the air force is notified that a Russian aircraft is scheduled to arrive over Japan, the customary P-51 fighter escort is dispatched to the rendezvous. Sometimes the Russian plane is there, sometimes not. Numerous protests by irritated air force of ficials have been largely ignored or smoothed over by SCAP. Another example is the pur chase of Japanese food by the Russians—contrary to SCAP reg ulations. These regulations were issued because of 'the acute Jap anese food shortage. The quanti ties bought have not been large —about one truckload in the case I am familiar with. It is impossible to determine to what extent the Russian embassy has been aiding the Japanese Communists. All that is known definitely is that members of the mysteriously well-financed and capably led Japanese Communist party have been in frequent con tact with the Russian embassy. Army counter-intelligence offi cials presumably know much more, but they aren’t talking. Russian short-wave stations Outstanding Sophomore Men or House Representatives What is this thing called Skull and Dagger? Well, it s de fined as a sophomore men’s honorary with membership based on scholarship and service to the University, lhe ques tion remains whether the men tapped are always the ones who have contributed the most “service” to the University and whether the method of choosing new members is particularly “honorable.” Here’s how the members are chosen: Selection is based on a quota system and a form of inheritance. Each fraternity man in the group suggests the name of one of his brothers who has been “suggested” previously to him by some of the older boys in the house. The name is voted on by the members of Skull and Dagger and in each case the name is accepted by “gentlemen’s agreement.” This system works to a limited extent among the Independ ent members of Skull and Dagger. At present there is one member each from Campbell club, Yeomen, the dorms, and two “at-large” members. These positions will probably be retained within these living organizations. # The present quota calls for 21 Greeks and 5 Independents, regardless of the year’s ratio of Greeks to Independents in activities. Last year the Independents waged a battle to get more representation in Skull and Dagger. Rather than cut out any of the fraternities, the number of men to be tapped was raised from 21 to the present number of 26. Not only does this system cut out some worthy Indepen dents—it also eliminates some worthy Greeks. Several of the new fraternities on campus do not have representatives in Skull and Dagger and with the present quota system they’re not about to gain recognition. Some of the men in the older fraternities get cut out, too. There is the usual quota of one man to a house, and frequently the man suggested is not the one who has done the most in activities, but the man that the house wbuld like to see get into activities. A prime ex ample of putting the proverbial cart before the horse. The system gets worse year by year. Previously the Greeks, with their majority, could tap Independents whom they felt they could pledge, In consequence, the Independents pushed through a defensive measure whereby this year's members will not be chosen by the whole group—the Independents will choose the Independents and the Greeks will choose the Greeks. This doesn’t do much to improve the situation. It simply widens the Greek-Independent breach which is always wide enough. Since the members will be chosen at a meeting this evening and tapped at the Frosh Glee, not much can be done about the system this year. But something can be done about it for future years. In commenting on the situation, Dean of Men Vergil S. P'ogdall said that it was within the pow^r of the ASUO executive council to investigate and remedy this method of selection. A small dose of that nebulous quality, pubic opinion, would not hurt matters either. We don’t suggest that the members should be all Greek or all Independent, or even 13 of each. We suggest that the mem bers be chosen on that equitable but almost extinct basis of merit, pure and simple, with all mention of affiliation cut to the minimum. A system whereby every interested and eligible man could file a petition setting forth his qualificatons would help to clean things up. This method has been used with a fair degree of success by Kwama and Phi Theta. Either the system should be changed or Skull and Dagger should be known for what it is—a group of house representa tives. By Nature The American Is a Friendly Cuss Some folks say that the clays of the lusty, flag-waving, parading American passed with the last Indian penny; that Americans pay their taxes and go to war, but look with dis dain on patriotic demonstrations. But it is not so, if we are are to judge from the red, white and blue-with-the-cold citi zens who qued up for hours Saturday to see the historic Uni ted States documents on display in the Freedom train. The wind was cold, the day damp, but the atmosphere was gala—dress uniforms, pennants, hot clogs, one handsome horse provided by the local possee, and much good humor. The people in the little cross-section of Eugene, of America, jammed together waiting, were good friends by the time they reached the marine guarding the entrance of the Freedom train. Farmers joked with college students about the cold and about the quips of the man “inside” the loud speaker. Soon one party would learn that the other came from Iowa too, (or Idaho or Kansas) so then they could joke about the folks back home. Babies were passed from arm to arm, and cigar ettes traded. It was all very neighborly. The spirit of unity was genuine. And these people, by studying the glass-enclosed documents in the Freedom train learned that the men who had carefully penned these works were much like the neighbors they had met in line. Thomas Jefferson, in the middle of a very busin ess-like letter to Edward Carrington, inquired after the gout of a mutual friend. LaFayette discreetly began a letter of state to George Washington by wishing the general a happy new year and solicitously inquiring after Mrs. Washington’s health. Persons long dead seemed very much alive when one read these little “say hello to dear Harry” messages written in scripts that seemed to exude the personality of the men who once penned them—Washington’s hand, bold, even, generous; Jefferson’s, tiny, scraggly, tenacious; John Paul Jones’ big illegible wind-up signature; Teddy Roosevelt’s typewriter. The documents, the Freedom train visitors and their at titude brought back that good feeling of security in America that many a child has felt before he identified the United States with strikes, wars and racial discrimination— that feeling that America is the home of friendly, enthusiastic people, and is watched over from above by the dim but be nign faces of Abraham Fincoln and George Washington. And ma\ be it still is a little like that. Saturday made us think so B.H. By HENRY KAMIN beamed propaganda broadcasts to Japan last year which were ap parently monitored by Japanesee Communists. A new propaganda line received by short-wave radio one day'would be repeated ver bally and in print the following day by the Japanese Communists and their pseudo-intellectual al lies. At last reports, SCAP had taken steps to make difficult, if not impossible reception in Japan of these and similar broadcasts. All things considered, the con duct of the Russians in Tokyo, if not Korea, has been circumspect. Whether this exemplary behavior is .due to policy or circumstance is difficult to determine. But with the Russians in Tokyo receiving their supplies from SCAP, and with nearest Russjgn forces nearly one thousand miles distant, it would be difficult to create incidents such as recently occurred in Berlin. Is Drout Uncout? By JOHN MacDONALD Top network announcers refer to the recent California disaster as the “drout,” and they’re not using Flatbush parlance either. Webster gives “drouth” as second pronunciation. We were discuss ing the crisis with one of the'Cali foreigners the other day. Said he: “Drout? What drout? Pass de vermoot” . . . Secret of Arthur Godfrey’s popularity in the East: ANNOUNCER: (High pressure and phoney) ReMEM-brrrr. AL WAYS buy Chesterfields. They SAT-is-fyyyyy. GODFREY: Aw sheddup .... Knox Manning narrates for 15 minutes on unusual personalities. Last week he told of an interview with an amazing woman—Nellie Taylor Ross—director of the U. S. mint for the past 20 years. Knox had to satisfy a lot of Skeptics as to why a woman handles the na tion’s purse-strings. “Nothing to it,’’ says Nellie, “just like making biscuits.” O.K. Nell, but watch that yeast . . . Caught in that drout: Jack Benny’s script writers .... Best program on a Eugene station Wed. Nt. from midnite to 12:30 is the “Traveler” (KORE). The traveler is a student writing a master’s thesis on novel tortures . . . Portia COULDN’T face life. Lucille Wall, lead character in the gripping serial, is sick. But neith er of the program’s followers can tell the difference. The new Por tia knows the standard sob tech nique too .... From the campus radio front: Alumni are making good. Paul Marcotte, June ’47, has worked up to chief of continuity at KALE, Portland, in eight months. Paul is writing a breakfast club type of show called “Brunch at the Ben son” . . . Marian Macy and Dave Waite, Jan. ’47, are also fixed for jobs, Marian at KRUL, Corvallis, and Dave as special events man at KVAN, Vancouver. A nondescript female voice ush ered in tahe Academy award win ners for 15 minutes of idle chat ter. But Louella Parsons declares it’s the best program she’s eveh had. . . . Walter Winchell’s insist ence on waiving the middle com mercial for his address to the president has brought up a con troversy: Walter's die-hard- sup porters say it’s a sign of things to come. But students of radio commercial technique claim it’s gimmick to call attention to the sponsor, and artificially build up the importance of Mr. Winched. . ■
