UNIVERSITY OF OREGON, EUGENE, FRIDAY, MAY 1!), 1950 NUMBER 131
VOLUME LI
Near-Riot Develops at Dance
As Police, Students Clash
V-wote: tHe following report
"as received late last night at
the Emerald. It incorporates the
statements of several eye-witnes
ses, but is incomplete in many
respects.)
A near-riot broke up short of
violence last night, as an estimated
300 University students began mill
ing' about police and firemen who
were attempting to break up what
started as a peaceful street dance.
A mob scene was enacted for
nearly an hour on Alder street be
tween 14th and 15th, as TNE
mocking students began a street
dance after a parade had wound
through the campus, with mock
TNE trappings.
Police arrive at about 10 o’clock,
after the dance had been in pro
Art Johnson, student body
president, made this statement,
regarding the street dance turned
mob scene last night.
“There was a riot on the Ore
gon campus last night that was
sponsored and oganized by the
TNE grbup. I have proof to this
effect. Furthermore, at approxi
mately 7:15 p.m. I called the Eu
gene Police and asked them to
stop the parade that had congre
gated in front of the Sigma Chi
house.
io prove to you that I did have
evidence that it was planned at
approximately 8, I told Lyle Nel
son (Director of Information of
the University), that a riot was
going to take place on the camp
us. I then came to my office,
where Mr. Fogdall was informed
that I expected trouble.
As long as this sort of thing
can be staged on a campus, stu
dent government will never be
able to function effectively, and
will never receive any responsi- j
bility.”
gress for well over an hour, at
which time students began milling!
^ about the police cars. The mob cen
tered around the corner of 15th
and Alder.
Police at 8 p.m. had approved the
street dance so long as half of Alder
street was left free for traffic.
A fire truck arrived shortly at
that corner, and hoses were laid,
apparently with the intent of dis
persing the previously-peaceful
crowd. A small hose was turned
on at least one student when they
seemed to threaten to cut the
larger hoses.
By 11 p.m. peace had been re
stored following the arrival of Don
(Please turn to page 8)
Board of Deans Favor Week-Long
Spring Vacation in Two Years
A week's spring vacatioft is probably in store for Oregon students in
1951-52, Lyle Nelson, director of information, said Thursday.
Action to extend the vacation between winter and spring terms was
taken by the Board of Deans Wednesday after receiving a request
from the ASUO Executive Council asking for consideration of a modi
fied academic calendar.
The Board decided the request had considerable merit and went on
record as favoring the modification, Lyle Nelson stated.
Art Johnson, ASUO president, transmitted the Council's petition to
the deans.
Since the calendar for 1950-51 has already been adopted and printed
in the University catalog, it would not be feasible to make the revision
next year, due to the confusion" which would result, Nelson explained.
President Harry K. Newburn, in his answer to the Council request,
stated he believed it best “to concentrate on preparing a calendar for
the following year which would more adequately meet the suggestions
of faculty, students, and administrative staff.”
Next year’s spring vacation will follow the same pattern as this
year’s with final examinations ending Wednesday, Mar. 21, and classes
and registration scheduled to begin the next Monday, Mar. 26.
Soph Picnic Features
Inter-Honorary Game
Ukes, picnic clothes, and “rah
rah” will be in order for Saturday’s
all-campus picnic at Swimmers’
Delight.
The admission-free event, which
begins at 1 p.m., will be sponsored
by the class of ’52 under the direc
tion of General Chairman Merv
Hampton.
“Farce of the year” is what
Hampton calls the featured event
—a softball game between Kwama
and Skull and Dagger, sophomore
honoraries.
Left-Wing Activity Set
The battle begins nt 3 p.m., with
the Skull and Dagger boys using
their left hands, if normally right
handed, or their right hands, if
normally left-handed. Lineups and
latest news releases from the
teams’ training camps appear on
page three.
On the entertainment program
before the softball game will be
two similar but unique acts, enter
tainment co-chairman Carolyn
Krengel reported.
Scheduled is Fred Schneiter,
“virtuoso” on the guitar, banjo,
and ukelele, who, according to the
Oregana, is gifted with a “snappy
line of patter,” Appearing with
him will be singer Paul “Way
Down South” Barrow and uke
player Doug Farrell.
Con Sheffcr and Jerry Cr'ary,
Violin and ukelele duet, who have
participated in several campus
functions, will also appear on the
pre-game program. Crary was
named the outstanding male per
former at the All-Campus Vodvil
this year.
No Loyalty Checks
Anyone who has access to a
student body card is welcome to
the ‘she-bang,' In fact, anyone can
probably get in since there will be
no check-up, Hampton said Thurs
day.
Sophomore class funds will fin
ance renting the playground, which
includes a swimming area and
floats, two softball diamonds, and
picnic grounds. A public address
system and recorded music will
keep things popping, Hampton
said.
Capitalism Evidenced
Soft drinks will be sold by the
sophomores.
In a drawing Monday picnic
chairmen paired living groups for
rides out to Swimmers’ Delight.
Social chairmen or sophomore
class presidents of the groups were
asked to contact each other to ar
range rides if possible. The list of
pairings appears elsewhere in to
day's Emerald.
(Please turn to page 8)
Law Spokesman Clarifies Position;
Objects to Method, Not Constitution
Asserting he favors the proposed
new ASUO constitution and pre
viously opposed only the legality
of the procedure used in the first
constitution vote, Donald Myriek,
outgoing vice-president of the law
school student body Thursday is
sued a statement to the Emerald.
Myriek originated the petition
which ultimately resulted in a de
cision by the judiciary committee
declaring the voting time extension
illegal and the election invalid.
Over fifty per cent of the student
body must vote and two-thirds of
these votes must be affirmative for
the constitution to pass.
Myrick's statement follows:
“This is to clarify my position
as regards the ASUO proposed
constitution. I contested, by my
petition, the legality of the voting
procedure only. The merits of the
proposed constitution were not in
issue.
“I hereby go on record as stat
ing I am personally in favor of the
proposed constitution and feel it
is definitely a step forward in good
student government.
“So long as the voting procedure i
is regular, I will vote in favor of ;
the proposed constitution and feel
that the majority of the law stu
dents will do the same. I>onald My
rick.”
The second vote on the constitu
tion will begin next Monday with
student body elections, but will
continue Tuesday and Wednesday.
The judiciary committee’s decision
stated that voting might be held on
more than one day, so long as this
was announced in advance of the
vote.
Presence of TNE
At U.O. No Joke,
Says ASfJO Prexy
" I XK does exist on this campus, and the present effort to
ticat it as a joke is the lowest possible blow at good student j^ov*
eminent," Student Body President Art Johnson told the Emer
ald Thursday.
Johnson's comments were aimed directly at the recent flood
of I Nh, banners, parades, signs on cars, “convention announce
ments, painters caps, and efforts by various spokesmen to make
light of, or even approve, the
outlaw secret group known as
Theta Xu Epsilon.
J o h n s o n commented that
many of the students who have
taken part in this campaign
probably do not realize the
damage that can be done to student
government.
“There is a direct relation be
tween the amount of self-govern
ment allowed the students by the
administration and the actions of
the students themselves,” Johnson
said. “How can students ask to be
granted a larger voice in their gov
ernment when they engage in such
activities as these?” he asked.
Statements Given
The seriousness of the group's ex
istence is further reflected in state
ments from national leaders of fra
ternities with chapters on this cam
pus.
(The following random samples
were not made in relation to any
current situation, but reflect only
general feeling about TNE. They
are not intended as indications that
TNE is, or is not connected with
these groups. Fraternities as a
group, as evidenced by the state
ment of the chairman of the Na
tional Interfraternity Conference,
oppose TNE.)
Ralph F. Potter, past grand con
sul of Sigma Chi fraternity, writes,
“Sigma Chi fraternity disapproves
membership in TNE.” He quoted
from the fraternity’s constitution,
which provides for expulsion of
members who are or have been
members of “organizations not ap
proved by the Interfraternity Con
ference.”
National Group Opposed
That TNE is definitely not ap
proved by the National Interfrater
nity Conference is indicated by
L. G. Balfour, chairman, who wrote
specifically ih regard to TNE, that
"we pledge our unequivocal coop
eration in any course which (col
leges) may pursue to suppress an
organization . . . the possible con
sequence of whose influence and
conduct are too serious to be over
looked by anyone who has a genu
ine regard for youth.”
John M. MacGregor, worthy
grand chief of Alpha Tau Omega
writes of TNE members as “Cheap,
ward-heeling politicians.” He stat
ed that proof that any member of
the fraternity at Oregon was a
member of TNE would cause him to
bring sufficient pressure to expel
him from the fraternity, something
that he has done elsewhere.
Cecil J. Wilkinson, former na
tional officer of Phi Gamma Delta,
writes, “Laws of Phi Gamma Delta
provide ‘no person who holds mem
bership in Theta Nu Epsilon ... or
any other organization of similar
character . . . shall be eligible to
membership in (the) fraternity,
and any member who accepts or re
tains membership therein shall be
liable to expulsion’.”
TNE Blamed
Charles E. Gaches, former na
tional officer of Phi Delta Theta,
writes, “Phi Delta Theta strongly
disapproves of any of its members
joining TNE. This sub rosa frater
nity is the direct cause of the down
fall of many fine young undergrad
uates. Such membership is abso
lutely contrary to the code.”
Concluding his remarks, ASUO
President Johnson asserted, “I be
lieve this makes clear beyond doubt
(Please turn to page 8)
Vote Illegal
For Grads
In ASUO
Graduate students were declared
Ineligible to vote by a unanimous
decision of the ASUO Judiciary
Committee Thursday afternoon.
The decision, reached through an
interpretation of the present ASUO
Constitution, will affect next
week’s student body and the con
stitutional elections. Graduate stu
dents may not vote in either elec
tion, and they will not have to be
counted as members of the ASUO
in fixing the number who must
vote in order to reach the 50 per
cent requirement for constitution
al approval.
Explaining the decision, Acting
Committee Chairman K. J. O'Con
nell, professor of law, said that the
ASUO constitution states that any
member of the association who has
paid his educational activities fees
may vote. In another article, how
ever, it limites ASUO membership
to undergraduate students.
Status Questioned
"This brought up the question of
who is an undergraduate,” Prof.
O’Connell explained.
“According to the definition in
the academic regulations, a gradu
ate student is one who has earned
an accredited bachelor’s degree.
“It is true that some graduate
students must pay one fee and
others must pay another. The State
Board of Higher Education dis
tinguishes between two different
classes of graduate students; those
under the graduate school, who pay
the graduate fee, and those study
ing in other schools, who pay an
other fee which is the same as the
undergraduate fee.
Not in ASUO
“The fact that these graduate
students pay the same fee, how
ever, docs not make them under
graduate students. And the con
stitution clearly states that a per
son is not a member of the ASUO
unless he is an undergraduate stu
dent. Thus graduate students may
not vote in student body elections,”
the chairman concluded.
If the proposed new ASUO con
stitution passes at the polls in the
voting Monday, Tuesday, and Wed
nesday, most graduate students
will be eligible to vote.
Don Collin Tries
For Sophomore Rep
lion Collin is running for soph
bmore representative on a non
partisan basis in the ASUO elec
tions Monday. Collin was nomi
nated at the assembly Wednes
day, but his name was inadvert
ently omitted from the list which
appeared in yesterday’s Emerald.
Collin spbkc on the desirability
of more non-partisan candidates
running for ASUO offices. He is
competing for one of the two
sophomore representative posi
tions with candidates Don Pail
lette (USA) and Herb Cook (A
GS).