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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 5, 1951)
Orman Daily a ' (EMERALD rssssssim THE OREGON DAILY EMERALD *• published Monday through Friday daring the college year except Oct. ^; No\. 4a. -3. 26; Dec. 5 through Jan. 3; Mar. 4 through Aprt. 1 . ami after May 29; with issue* on N.v. 24 and May 10, by the Asaoowtedl Students of the Univ ersityof Oregon. Entered as aecond class matter at the post otiice, Eugene, Oregon. Subscription rates: $5 per school year, $2 per term. , Opinions expressed on the editorial ige are those of the writer and do not pretend to represent the opinions of the ASUQ or of the University. Initialed editorials are written by the associate editors. Unsigned editorials are written by the editor. Lorn a Larson, Editor Abbott Paine, Busineas Manager Phil Bettens. Managing Editor Gretchen Gkondakl, Bill Clothier, Don Dewey, Associate Editors Taxi, Lady? We've been hearing complaints—so we did a little investi gation. Ever so often some student gets started on the Eugene taxi cab situation and his difficulties with it. Almost inevitably his audience chimes in, each with his own gripe. Most frequent complaint has been the non-enforcement of the 10-cent per extra passenger rule: other students report excessive baggage charges or just overcharging, pure and simple. We secured a copy of the Eugene city council’s ordinance, passed last Feb. 26, setting rates and rules for the operation of taxicabs in Eugene. Rates are set forth clearly : for the first half-mile or fraction, 35 cents; for each succeeding one-fourth mile or fraction, 10 cents; and—here’s where most of the difficulty is found—“for each additional passenger bound for the same destination 10 cents." In other words, if three students board a taxi at the same place, and ride, for example, one half mile, the charge would be 55 cents; broken down, that's 35 cents for the one half-mile fare, and 10 cents for each extra passenger. But what often happens? Each student passenger, though all got on and off together, is charged 35 cents, or a total of $1.05. The matter of baggage charges is a bit harder to pin down. Here, it seems to us, the Eugene city ordinance is at fault for not using plainer language. We quote: "Every person being served with a taxicab as herein provided shall be entitled to have conveyed without charge such valises or small baggage as can be conveniently carried with the vehicle. He shall be entitled to have a small trunk carried thereon at a charge not to exceed twenty cents (20c).’’ This is obviously cloudy—who is to decide how much bag gage “can be conveniently carried within the vehicle”? Would n’t the number of people riding in the cab have something to do with how much luggage can be conveniently carried? Does “within the vehicle” mean in the passenger compartment or in the trunk? Just how big is a “small trunk”? Actually, the baggage charges seem to be left pretty much up to the discretion of the driver; some of them told us that their usual practice is to charge 10 cents for every bag over two. Even this might be on pretty shaky ground; we suggest that the cab companies ask the city council to clarify their wording. What should the student who has been—or thinks he has been—overcharged by a taxi driver do about it? We talked to some of the cab companies; they say they’d like such incident* reported. Naturally enough, they don’t want a black name. And the city ordinance (which is eight pages long, if you care to read it) provides that “whenever demanded by the passenger, the driver in charge of a taxicab shall deliver to the person paying for the hiring of said taxicab, at the time of such pay ment, a receipt therefor in legible printing or writing, contain ing the name of the owner and his address, the name of the driver, the taximeter number and any and all items for which a charge is made, the total amount paid and the date of payment.” It seems to us that any taxi driver asked for such a receipt would think twice before overcharging any passenger. Then you can check your receipt with the cab company and an ad justment, if one is in order, can be made. The student will note that this leaves the initiative vn to him. If he is unwilling to question the driver who he believes may be playing him for a sucker, he deserves just what he gets. Naturally this doesn’t apply to the great majority of drivers, but for those to which it does maybe a few contacts with stu dents who will stand for what they believe are their rights will correct the situation.—G. G. Toward Better Understanding A chance to play a vital role in creating better world under standing lies before University students this year. We have 120 student-visitors from nations all over the globe living and studying with us. These students are here to ob serve the American way of life, and to take their impressions back to their countrymen. As D. P. Bhutani, graduate student from India, so ably points out in his article on this page, the American students must bear the largest responsibility in giving the visitor a true understanding of our country, and its .people, .......... So THIS Is Oregon A Sad Farewell To the Anchorage By Jim Haycox A follow named Hoy Crowe is keeping pretty busy these days with a crowbar. Roy, you see, i.s the man dedicated to tearing a o w n w n a i other men put up ... in this case it's the Anchorage. Roy, who thinks he's prob ably better known as "Roy, the Handyman,’’ has been tearing things down for 18 years now and the Anchor age is his 331st job. He seemed JIM IIAVC'OX like me man 10 go u> iu.v a few final words. The huildiiiK was generally in good shape, he remarked. There are almost no rotten timbers. The job, which began Sept. 1, will probably be finished in another week. And while we're on the sub ject of eateries, etc., somebody told me just the other day that the Side is serving coffee now . .. genuine coffee. Times were not so very long ago when a cup of coffee at that establishment meant one of two things . . either you’d forgotten your ID or you wanted something that would take a long, long time to drink. But as I say, this improved coffee routine is just hearsay. It. wouldn’t be surprising though, for more amazing is the Side’s offer of dinner for less than a buck. Maybe they’re try ing to get a Friday night supper club started ... and it wouldn’t be a bad idea. This summer in Portland, Montgomery, Ward and Co. had a Friday night dinner deal going and were quite successful. They charged something like 55 or 77 cents and the meal really wasn’t half bad . . . second cups for noth ing. ***** The Union still seems to be having its troubles at the soda bar. One solution to get a few more working on it, if that is what they’re after, would be to raise the wage a little. I doubt if they could argue business didn’t justify it. The kids behind the counter make 76 or 81 cents an hour, depending on how long they’ve worked there, and no body works any harder than they. One would suppose that the downtown restaurants pay a little better wage than this but even if they don’t, a waitress there makes a lot of her money in tips. That’s one custom we have n’t picked up yet. tynam the MoA*j,ue 40 YEARS AGO Oct. 5, 1911—Oregana Editor Karl Onthank announces new staff members, promises his “big ger and better” yearbook will be in student hands by Junior Week end. A journalism class Is formed bn the campus to satisfy requests of newspaper editors across the state. 20 YEARS AGO Oct. 5, 1931—A student com mittee meets with the faculty to consider the proposed “bunion derby,” which has been twice voted d’own by the interfrater nity council. 10 YEARS AGO Oct. 5, 1941—Oregon Graduate Stanley Robe is announced as one of five students in the nation who have received scholarships to .Chicago university.... Qul VUit&M Speak . . . Indian Likes U. S. Informality (Ed. Note: Thin Is the first of ii number of urtlelcs written by foreign students vvlilch will ap pear on the Emerald editorial pace this year under the hemline “Our Visitors Speak.” VVe Im lie\e our readers may gain I" In* ternatlonal u n d e rs t a n d 1 n c tlirouch these articles. The uuthor of this first artlele, I). 1*. Itbutunl, from New Delhi, India, is a craduate student In journalism. He served as senior press analyst for the t .S. Infor mation service In New Delhi for t\\>i years. Before that, he as sisted the chief correspondent of the Central News Agency of China In New Delhi during the Chinese Nationalist regime. Bhutan! has been In the C.S. for two months.) * • * * » Even after traveling far and wide in the state of Texas, hun dreds of miles in I^>s Angeles and San Francisco, and after meeting people from all walks of life, I cannot claim to have seen much of this country. But whatever fame my way could not escape my close examination. I saw not only the beauty of things, but realized the skill and hard work required of the hand that made them and the refine ment of taste, sincerity and na tion-building spirit of the brain which planned them. Living conditions in towns and homes that I have visited in this country bespeak of the sustained seriousness of purpose the Amer icans as a nation have kept be fore them. And, as a rule, a suc cessful collective effort is indica tive of the individual contribution and character as well as the facil ities provided by the state. To teli the truth, an American does not look like a serious work er but, surprisingly, the results of his craftsmanship show organi zation. I have seen glimpses of Ameri can democracy in farmers' and factory workers’ homes. I have been fascinated by their hospi tality and friendliness. I like the informality In Amer ican habits. It is disciplined more often than not, though some times it interferes seriously with their duties. This country is fascinating In deed, as are its countrymen. The word countrymen does not apply to women, and I am sorry to ad mit my observations are based cn my contact mostly with men and very few women. The part that women play in America’s social life has remained a secret to many foreign students The reason may be found in the bit Oi fill approach of the foreign students In general, along with rriucmlirancc of the fear among native kIrlM of Incurring unfavor able public opinion In their con- M? iterative Horlal circle*. ^4 If a foreign Htudent goo* back ^ to bis country without having • talked to more than half a dozen American women, his mission is incomplete. It is not only the study of books on politics, econ omy and oth< r sciences that mat ters in creating understanding abroad. It is first-hand knowl edge of the country's social struc ture that will pay toward dis seminating American culture abroad. Hooks on other subjects are available everywhere out side the United Stales, while It is generally believed that this country has no such tiling us cul ture to offer. The foreign students arc-a re sponsibility not only of the United States government or the Univer sity of Oregon fueulty. The native students must assume the largest responsibility in orienting the visitors. I find myself unable to com ment on life In New York. In fact, any comment may be mis leading, or. on the other hand, may be absolutely correct. Yet there is a feeling inside me that even if I live the rest of my life in New York, the New Yorkers will not take notice of me. Hike other human beings, Americans seem to have their shortcomings. And they admit It. I have noticed a realization of the fact that their relations with the Negro people draws a lot of at tention from the anti-American world. This realization aleac, in places where the public mental ity is changing rather slowly, is a healthy sign. I must add that the U S. and India have a lot in common. An intelligent approach to the prolr 11 lem of creating better under- l| standing between the two nations is an urgent necessity. I cannot think of a better idea than the students’ exchange program to bring the two nations clcsei to gether. But againt the need Par en couragement of social mixing of the foreign students ami the na tive student* In this country must receive much attention If the ex change program is to he success ful. And the degree of success will be indicated by the amount of attachment that a foreign stu dent will, toward the end of his stay, have developed for the American social and cultural life. Work Party “I thought the national secretary wasn’t coming until the first of the month.” '