Don't Follow the Leader
Some students and faculty members have been wondering
why there have been a few student cars parked consistently
on such forbidden areas as 13th Avenue, and the faculty park
ing lots. A certain amount of envy and resentment arises when
rules are seemingly unenforced—and someone appears to be
“getting by.”
It is necessary to bear in mind that there are several disabled
veterans on the campus. These men have difficulty in walking
and the exceptions are a necessity.
Consequently special permission was granted to them last
year both on the campus and by the Eugene Police department
for privileges in other parts of the city.
This convenience is virtually a necessity for a very few. But
there are no excuses for “follow the leader” tactics by the stu
dent body as a whole.—H.S.
The Real Nuisance
Moving picture theaters are nice places. We can stand most
of the pictures, we can tolerate the drug store in the lobby to
which patrons retire during intermission, we can even bear
the advertisements from local merchants. All these, because we
understand that the local movie distributor makes most of his
profit from candy and popcorn, and not much from the movie
itself.
However, the film industry’s short propaganda piece on the
federal excise tax of 20% on admissions is more than we can
take. We go to a movie to be entertained, and do not appreci
ate the efforts of the industry to use its audience as a pressure
group. .
Hollywood is naturally worried about b.o. (that’s box of
fice.) And if admission prices were cut, more people might bo
to the movies. But if film quality were raised more people
might go to the movies, too.
The reference to the 20% tax as a nuisance tax is not par
ticularly adept, either. It may be a nuisance to the film indus
try ; but to the paying public it is probably an easier-than-most
way to be taxed.
Taxes must come from somewhere, and since movies are a
luxury (though frequently a painful luxury) a 20% tax doesn t
seem unjust. What does seem unjust are some of the products
of Filmland—particularly its propaganda piece._
"Don't worry about hot—sho'H have plenty of dates when
finals start shcwiaa v».'
w Daihf
EMERALD
The OREGON DAILY EMERALD, published daily during the college year except
Saturdays. Sundays, holidays and final examination periods by the Associated Students,
University of Oregon. Subscription rates: $J.OO a term, $4.00 for two terms and $5.00 a
year Entered as second class matter at the postoffice Eugene, Oregon.
Opinions expressed in editorials are those of the writer, and do not claim to represent the
opinions of the A8UO or of the University. Initialed editorials are written by associate editors.
Unsigned editorials are written by the editor. , . , . ,
Opinions expressed in an editorial page by-lmcd column are those of the columnist, and
do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editor or his associates.__
Joan Mimnaugh, Bujinesj Manager
Don A. Smith, Editor
Barbara Hevwoop, Helen Sherman, Associate Editors.
Guinn Gillespie. Managing Editor
Don Thompson, Advertising Manager
Ntws Editors: Anne Goodman, Ken Metzler.
Assitant News Editor: Lorna Larson.
Assistant Managing Editors: Norman Aimer
m ii. llal Coleman, Lorna Larson, Hut Stan
field.
Snoots Editors: John Barton. Sam Fidiuan.
Chief Night Editor: Mary Hall.
Copy Editor: Marjory Bush.
Desk Editors: Marjory Bush. Bill Frye,
Cretehen Groudahl, Larry Meiser, Jackie
Pritren. ,
&4fUand OiAesioatiattA
'Lizzie Borden
Took an Ax
And Gave her Father
40 Whacks'
by Hill Royebl
x •
R C t
The two-bit word for “mercy” killing
euthanasia-—has been enjoying a lot of popu
larity lately.
It had its latest revival in mid-December,
when Doctor Herman N. Sander closed the
books on a cancer patient by pumping forty
c.c.’s of airlnto her veins.
As soon as the word got around a young
lady named Carol Ann Paight got into the
act too. Her father was incurably ill of can
cer, as the story goes, and so she took his ser
vice revolver and pumped a little lead into his
brain. Before it all dies down there are prob
ably gofng to be as many “mercy” killings as
marathon prayer meetings.
Carol Ann got out of taking a rap by virtue
of temporary insanity. How Dr. Sander is go
ing to beat the law isn’t established yet. There
is one thing about the whole messy business
that is a little troubling when you get to think
ing things over, and that is that two murders
have been committed, no matter how you look
at it.
”How much of an excuse is temporary in
sanity for being acquittel of murder ? You sort
of wonder how many killings there would be
if the murderers weren’t temporarily insane,
not only that, but the punishment of such
people is not supposed to be directed against
them personally, but is for the protection of
society. What’s to keep a temporarily insane
person from going off his stick again? The
next victim might be suffering from a head
cold.
It’s a bit difficult to plug up a bullet hole in
the head of someone who has had the benefit
of enthanasia and write the death off to nat
ural causes. And that’s what’s so surprising in
the case of the now famous Doctor Sanders;
the colossal gall he displayed in writing up
his murder in the medical history of his victim.
If he thought he had done the right thing by
her, he should have kept quiet about it and it
would have gone unnoticed. It may sound a
little calloused, but it would have'been the
smart thing to do.
Whether you’re for this euthanasia busi
ness or not, Sander committed a crime by
breaking one of the oldest laws. If he is ac
quitted, as was Miss Paight, it will be a mis
carriage of justice. It will establish a legal
precedent for “mercy” killings, and protec
tion of life will be gone. If you go out and
bump somebody off, you can always claim
you did it in his own best interests.
Here is something to chew over in case
enthanasia legislation is forced because of the
present controversy. Who will be considered
incurably ill? There were plenty of people*in
that bracket twenty years ago who could be
cured by today’s medicine.
Rilin' at Random
Foreign and Good
Not Synonymous
hy fjo- Qil&esU
Two of the most thought-provoking pieces
of writing of this year in this person’s opinion
are found in last Friday’s Emerald—on the
edit page. An editorial, “It is Easier to Love,”
and a letter to the editor by Bill Hilliard, “Is
This Week Necessary?” It’s gratifying to
find the Emerald more than a University
“house organ.” Re-read the two articles—a
re-evaluation of your attitude might result
(faculty included!!).
With our season passes in hand, we dutifully
went to the Foreign Movie the other night.
“La Traviata” by name. To say the least we
were sadly disappointed. It was not up to
caliber of the other films shown by the group,
and even Hollywood has done better. The act
ing was sad, the recording worse, and my
guess is that the production was a good 10
years old. If the distributors are planning to
palm off such shows under the club’s auspices,
I believe that many club members will be lost.
It seems a shame to cheat the members, but
beyond that, the trade for the foreign movies
of a higher caliber coidd easily drop off as a
result. The public doesn't like to be fooled,
and the label “foreign” on it doesn’t neces
sarily mean that the film is good. The club
members discovered that last week. “La Bo
heme," presented by the Educational Activi
ties Board, a few years ago, was on the same
theme (of a story following the opera’s story)
and much better done. A German film, fairly
old, but quite satisfying.
For the last few years any film coming
from across the seas was termed “wonderful,
magnificent, and superb” by critics. And for
the most part the criticisms were just; be
cause the early foreign films were good.
But now, however, both the novelty and
the quality is wearing thin. Sub-titles no lon
ger mean excellent filming; and foreign no
longer is a guarantee for good.
This is probably because with more and
more foreign films coming- to America, the
movie-going public is seeing more of the
common-run product, and not only the best
from the European countries.
A bad picture is a bad picture; if it is in
Italian, French, German, or English. And a
good picture is a good picture. Particular
audiences (and there are few) will soon be
come as discerning in their pick of foreign
films as they have (these particular few) in
their selection of American films.
An author that isn't given a great deal of
the recognition due him is Ludwig Lewisohn.
A number of his works are out in two-bit edi
tions including "Tyranny of Sex,” “Anniver
sary, "Forever A\ ilt Thou Love,” etc. A fine
understanding of living is shown by this man.
I ve read several books of his, and all are sen
sitively written.