Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 18, 1951)
EMERALD Tfce Einuu published Monday through Friday daring the college »<*f rates: $5 per school year; S2 per term -MS S 2K5S X dro associate editors. Unsigned editorials are written by the editor. _ Akita Holmes, Editor Maetel ScaocoiN. Busineaa Manager LoattA Laesok. Managing Editor Tom Kino. Ken Metii.ee, Jackie Peitzen , Associate Editors Fkan Neel, Advertising Manager Report on Gripeless Gripe Contest Several months have passed since the Emerald stuck its neck out by asking for gripes from the student body. Last term we asked for petitions from everyone who had a gripe to get off his chest. Then we waited. The response has been phenomenal. Thus far not one gripe has been received, brum this we may assume (1) Oregon students are too lazy to gripe about any thing, or (2) Oregon students are the happiest people in the world. Naturally, we chose the latter thesis. But it was necessary to prove it. We strolled through the Student Union and tallied the fa cial expressions. Here's what we found : Smiles ... 32 Neutral . 7 Frowns . 4 Miscellaneous . 2 We walked across the campus and said “HI!’’ to everyone we passed. In response we received an assortment of Hi's and Hello's as follows: MALE: Hi. 11 Hello . 9 How are you ?. 7 No response . 5 FEMALE: Hi. 9 Hello . 7 How are you?. 4 Drop dead. 1 No response . 4 We’re discounting the female who said “drop dead”. She’s an old acquaintance who hasn’t spoken to us for years. From these figures it seems quite obvious that Oregon stu dents are in good spirits despite the fact that this is approxi mately term-paper season. Without doubt the sunshine has much to do with it; there may be other factors. Incidentally, anyone knowing the identity of the cute red head (5’2”, blue eyes) who says “Hi!” in the nicest way, please phone 217.—K.M. The Senate Votes for Grain~At Last It is seldom that grain rises to become an issue of interna tional importance—but in the case of India it is a simple mat ter of life and death. The Senate, after teeth-gnashing delays, finally approved sending 2,000,000 tons of wheat to India on easy loan terms. The vote came not a minute too soon—though quite possibly too late. Next the proposal must go to the House of Representatives, where gathering opposition is expected to contest the grain shipment. Meanwhile—the Russian government, ever the opportun ists, has stepped in and made provisions for furnishing grain shipment to help the famine-stricken Indians. The propagan da value of such a maneuver is incalculable—although the United States has been expediting shipments all along, though apparently without credit. Thus—the United States is fiddling while India burns; and it has all worked out so that Russia has intervened to provide the tune. The situation is a sorry one—whatever transpires in the House. But swift action by that body would to some measure counteract Russia’s opportunism and perhaps win India as a friend of the Democratic nations. Of more importance: Opponents of the grain shipment dislike Indian criticism of United States policies in the United Nations and Korea. That is a political matter. Meanwhile, people starve and die. That is not a political mat ter.—T.K. THE DAILY ... to Edith ICading and Bruce Wallace who last night were named editor and business manager, respectively, of next fall’s Pigger’s Guide. THE OREGON LEMON ... to draft-eligible students who through negligence have failed to arrange to take the forthcoming selective service aptitude test. -Letters— The Campus. Answers Students Respond to 'The Code of Prejudice at Oregon' An (■ditorial In Thursday’s Kmcrald dealt with a specific case of racial prejudice at the University, and more Important with a Imslc problem of preju dice which society fat es. The last paragraph said: “Where Is the courage so many of us lack when It comes time to stand up against something which we know Is wrong? We will only advance when we ilnn- to advance, although some of hup culture will Inn behind u*, leaning «n sign* saying ‘we can't change the unwritten rule* of society . . . somebody else will have to do It fir*l.' Campus reaction reaching the Knierald whs ex tremely encouraging. It showed the courage Is here, anil we will dare to advance. Witness the following letters: Tntestinal Fortitude Emerald Kill tor: It gives many of us heart and a deep sense of gratitude to the powers that be to see the refresh ing editorial in Thursday’s Emer ald on "The Code of Prejudice at Oregon." That some of the leaders and moulders of thought on our cam pus have enough intestinal forti tude to speak the thing that ought to be spoken in this time when democracy Is on trial Is very significant. The whole editorial page. I’m sure, gives us a lift. Thank you. Clarence Elliott Manager, Carson Hall store Resolution Passed Emerald Editor: At an executive meeting of the Young Democratic Club of Lane County, a resolution was passed commending and supporting the stand taken by the young lady in defiance of undemocratic prin ciples enunciated by her soror ity's "National Officers and older alumni.” We are also commending the Editor of the Emerald for her stand against this social injus tice and disregard of the prin ciple of equality as expressed in our y. S. Constitution. Young I>emocrats of I>ane County George Smith, President, “Impossible to Believe’’ Emerald Editor: I was shocked to read of the sorority which gave one of its members the choice of breaking her dates with a colored man or moving out. It is impossible to believe that this sorority was acting on its convictions. Surely we Oregon students all respect the worth of every individual, whatever his color. If college has not taught us that, it has taught us nothing. But it seems that we lack the courage of our convictions. We are afraid of what other people will say. The kind of action taken by the sorority not merely limits the freedom of colored students at this university: it hits just as se verely at the freedom of white students spontaneously to associ ate with whom they please. These students have cut off a whole area of possibilities from their own lives. I admire the uprightness of the girl who chose to move out rather than acquiese in her sorority's segregation policy. Traditionally students of all countries have been leaders in the fight for hu man rights. What is the matter with us? Renate Kaufmann Fundamental Issues Emerald Editor: In regard to the editorial pub lished in yesterday’s paper, there seems to us to be two fundamen tal issues involved: 1. Does a house have the right to determine who a member’s friends shall be? 2. Should alumni control the house policy for the acting mem bers of the house? Notwithstanding one’s mem bership in a dormitory or a sorority, it is incomprehensible to us that any group on the campus of an American University should so openly avow principles so con trary to our cherished democratic principles. We do not feel that any cam pus living organization has the right to Holoct tiie choice of friends of its members, especially on the grounds of race, religion, or nationality. Furthermore, we »»n not be lieve that an alumni group should be allowed to exert control over the policies of the active mem bers of the house. Such actions retard the personality develop ment and Intellectual growth whieh university experience should foster. Therefore, on the basis of these fundamental questions, we dis approve of the action taken by the house. Kvil Gull Knnnir Glenger Barbara Hendren llrlrn Johnson Jerrie luebrelch Eve Overbark Tolnettc Rmenbcri; Mary Srhoawrilrr Jo J low r Martha Tupnuainen “No Valid Reason” Emerald Editor: Docs any living organization have the right to' determine who is "socially acceptable" in a heter ogenous society such as exists in the United States ? I would like to ask what rea sons have been given for dis criminating against members of the minority racial groups ex isting on our campus? As I sec it no valid reason has ever been given supporting racial discrimination. Must it be repeat ed once more that scientific evi dence has proven that the men tal capacities of one racial group are no more superior than the mental capacities of any other racial group. With this knowledge, on what do we base our prejudices? We base them on racial differences that have no value whatsoever to the survival of mankind WV bHso our prejudices on Hindi«11 f f • • i mi ch hh texture of body hair, color of nkln and eye shupe. We evaluato racial groups In comparison to the standards of our own particu lar race, But who is to say which race has the best standards? Before this can be determined, an indi vidual would have to be born and reared under the standards of each racial group in question. We attend a University that is government supported. We owe it to our government and to qni - selves as Individuals to sugBpit the liberal ami democratic Ideals on which our government was founded. Candle Coffey The Second Cup Education commence# at the mother's knee, and every word spoken within the hearsay of little children tends toward the formation of character.—lloscn Ballou. What greater or better fight can we offer the republic than to teach and instruct our youth? —Cicero. * • * Training is everything. The peach was once a bitter almond; cauliflower is nothing hut cab bage with a college education. — Samuel I,. Clemens (Mark Twain) • • • The things taught In schools and colleges are not an education, but the means of education. —Emerson • • * Wear your learning like your watch, in a privnte pocket; and do not pull it out and strike it, merely to show that you have one. Chesterfield. * * * Reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man. Bacon. It Could Be Oregon “Everyone passed yesterday’s shotgun—so we’ll have another today”