The Obegon Daily Emerald is published Monday through Friday during the college year,
except examination and holiday periods, with issues on Homecoming Saturday and Junior
Weekend Saturday by the Associated Students of the University of Oregon. Entered as sec
ond class matter at the post office, Eugene, Oregon. Subscription rates: $5 per school year, $4
per term.
Opinions expressed cm the editorial page are those of the writer and do not preCerd to
represent the opinions of the ASUO or of the University. Initialed editorials are written b*
the associate editors. Unsigned editorials a^ written by the editor.
Loin a Larson, Editor
Abbott Paine, Buaireaa Manager
Excuses in Place of Reason
A lot of people are taking pot-shots at the American Press.
Harry Truman made the biggest noise when he blasted the
newspapers for printing material which his public relations
officers had cleared for publication. Logically, this winds up
sounding like, “any newspaper stupid enough to print what I
say should be censured.” Also censored at times. We re in
clined to agree.
Now a Mrs. Thomas Levi of Redwood City, Calif, has
triggered a few wild shots at newspapers in general.
She blames the newspapers because her 12-year-old daughter,
Mary emptied her piggy bank and ran off to Portland to enjoy
herself.
Mrs. Levi told Portland newspapermen that Mary got the
idea from reading about the baby-sitter and her two girl
friends who lifted about $20,(XX) from a doctor in Massachusetts
and then went to New York where a pair of unscrupulous men
relieved them of most of the profits.
If the newspapers had soft-pedallfid this story, Mary would
have stayed home by the fireside, said Mrs. Levi. If some
thing had to be printed, Mrs. Levi knew what it should have
been.
“If they’d put in pictures of the kids ready to commit suicide,
that would have done some good,” she snapped. Again, using
about as much logic as Mrs. Levi, we asume that this sort of
treatment would have caused Mary to go to San Francisco and
jump off the Golden Gate Bridge. Anyway, her score is about
as high as that of Mr. Truman.
This is evidently the age of excuses and countercharges.
No matter who does what—if it isn't right—somebody else
is to blame.
Mr. TrUman might better look to his own official family if he
wishes to correct mistakes made by them. It is not the business
of the press to censor the censors or to ignore the embarrassing
odor exuded by many of the President's governmental asso
ciates.
Neither is it the business of the press to withhold information
which might give some people bad ideas. It would be easier to
stop the tides.
Recently a man beat his wife to death while the re-t of the
family watched and chanted “amen” in unison with the strokes
.of the whip. This murder was done in the name of religion but
so far no one has suggested banning the Bible.
You can’t clean house by sweeping the dirt under the car
pet, but a lot of people like to think you can. Newspapers can
be, and have been guilty of making sensational and factually
distorted news out of issues which should better have been
played down, but when they report facts as such, the facts
themselves govern how sensational the news can be.
Mrs. Levi might do well to forget the persecuting press and
examine her own family circle for another excuse which might
turn out to be a reason.—B. C.
Rivals Can Be Friends, Too
Maybe the time has come to stop feuding with OSC and
make friends.
Ever since most Oregonians can remember the two schools
have made periodic raids on each other’s campuses. They’ve
booed each other at games, thrown eggs at the other’s rooting
section, slapped paint around, and so on.
It even goes deeper than sports events. Years back the status
of higher education in Oregon was threatened by serious
squabbling over which school should have which departments,
the most money and authority.
Granted we’re rivals in sporting events. Let's have our fun
along those lines, but let’s make it just fun.
Back in 1931 a joint committee of OSC and UO people
planned a luncheon the day of the UO-OSC football game for
’students and alumni from both institutions. To quote an Em
erald article of Oct. 27, 1931, the’committee expected “pro
motion of a new era of good will between the two.” The plan
didn’t work, as OSC had planned a luncheon of their own.
But the thought was still there. The UO band and student
representatives still welcomed the Staters when they arrived in
Eugene on their special train.
The students of 20 years back saw a need for friendlier re
lations. True, their plan didn’t work. But that was long ago.
Our Lemon-Orange Squeeze, a joint dance during basketball
season, is a step in the sight direction. With the OSC-UO game
approaching, *he titrfeife -ripe-for a-few more steps: • *
— Letters to the Editor—
The Whiskerino Band
Emerald Editor:
At the outset, let me apologize
personally, and for the Sopho
more Class, to those people who
were offended as a result of the
entertainment put on by the band
at the Whiskerino last Saturday
night. It was something I did
not expect, and I don't believe the
students attending the dance ex
pected it either, and to those of
you that were offended, aguiiv it
was a rcgretable occurence.
Now, if 1 may, I would like to
speak for myself. In no way re
flecting on the Class of ’54, and
ask you a few questions, tJretch
en. Admittedly, two or three of
Mr. Donahue's jokes were of a
very low caliber and frowned on
by most of 11s, yet why Is It that
we as college students must be
treated as children? Don’t you
feel that as college men and wom
en we are mature enough to
choose our own entertainment?
To clarify a bit, when we go to
night clubs and the like, we are
subjected to all porta of jokes
and songs, both smutty and other
wise, yet it is 'up to the Indi
vidual to overlook the ones that
are offensive, and to laugh with
the rest of the crowd nt the one
that are afceptablc to him or her
personally.
You told me that you were not
at the dance, Gretchen, and that
may be the reason why you don’t
feel as I do, or perhaps I’m wey
off the track, but a good number
of the couples there at the time
of the band entertainment laugh
ed at all the jokes presented.
Some were received with more
gusto than others, naturally, yet
I don’t believe anyone will call
me a liar when I say all were re
celved.
Anyplace you go where there
is a crowd of people, be it a
dauce, a night club, a football
game, Taylor's, or a private par
ty, you are likely to hear jokes,
some of them pretty smutty. Still,
I think you will agree that there
So TIMMS Is Oregon
Last-minute Love-A Real Tough
Problem That's Been Solved
By JinvKtycox
You can say an awful lot of
mean things about sorority girls
if you want too ... or about fra
ternity men ... or independents
... or just about anybody you
fact you can
say a lot of
mean things
and just leave
it at that.
But why be
mean ? Espec
Ially when we
know that
every coin has
two sides;
there’s a little
bit of sunshine
for every bit of
K re y , y o u
JIM HAYCOX
know. So let 's, for a rnangc, take
some problem that appears to be
a real touchy but has been read
ily solved. Let’s look to the
sorority Kiris again.
A good tough situation to be
handled might be that of the in
timate relationship that exists
between male and female . . . kiss
ing, necking, smootching, mug
ging or just plain making out on
a not-to-large scale. Admittedly
the lady is on the defensive. As
suming that she’s willin', how
does she go about it ?
First let it be observed that a
distinct relationship between the
structure of the girl’s living or
ganization and her ensuing atti
tude is present. If she lives in one
of the more spaciously arranged
villas, where plenty of porch and
back door exists, we may find a
“no kiss by the front door” clause
in the constitution or a house rule
to the same effect. She drags her
male into the shadows for the
coupe de grace.
On the other hand, If her or
ganization is squeezed in between
the Manque...
30 YEARS AGO
Oct. 30, 1921—The traditional
Homecoming dance, usually held
in the armory, will have to be
split into two dances this year.
One will be held in the women’s
building, the other in the new
armoy. Alumni and half the stu
dent body, probably upperclass
men, will congregate in the for
mer, the lower classmen in the
latter,
20 YEARS AGO
Oct. 30, 1931—Student Body
President Brian Mimnaugh Voices
objections to the library board’s
plan to close the library Friday
evenings.
5 YEARS AGO
Oct. 30, 1946—The Eugene city
council has scheduled a discussion
tonight on the future of the mill
race. .A student representative
will attend the meeting to urge
'th<S City to' bify the race property.
a couple of rival units or so situ
ated that the front steps are the
nnly place for that last minute
thrill, we won't find the afore
mentioned rules on the books. It
is probably a matter of discretion
on her own part to keep things
looking good.
Now what's her pitch? Various
ways arc open, it is reported. Fre
quently she remains in the car
l if she went out in such) until
the last minute. Men who drive
autos with sun visors are way
ahead in this game. Or she may
prefer the nlley around to the
side, or under the shadiest tree
on the parking. Finally, if none
of the former exist, she may have
to use the front porch but always
the darkest cranny th-rein. She's
always a lady, be sure of that.
Occasionally somebody takes
a poke at the time-honored rou
tine of leaving one's date with a
parting memory. There seems to
be no foundation for it anymore.
Many are the modern women who
wear the smearless lipstick or
carry a bit of handkerchief for
the man’s convenience. The art of
last-minute love seems to have
been kept up, may even gone
ahead of, these changing times.
Hats off to the gals.
ore a goodly number of jorson*
that enjoy that kind of thing, and
those of un that don’t aren't too
likely to condemn an acquaint
ance, or a close friend for his ac
tion, but Instead simply overlook
the Joke, or song that to on In
too low to enjoy.
When It comes to late closing
hours we all clamor and shout,
“Why shouldn't we lie able to
come In whenever we choose. We
are old enough to make our own
decisions.'' Please tell me where
there Is any difference In the two.
In your last paragraph you
said, "We understand that the
current slump In the demand for
dance music has Induced some
bandleaders to go In for this type
of comedy as an audience draw
er.” How could a band that has
n't played here since 11M7, and
likely will not play here again
for several years, If at all, expect
to draw a future audience by
his actions here, unless someone
made n big point of playing up
a small instance in a big way?
Why miftt you take a specific
instance out of a reportedly good
Saturday night, and bring It up
on Monday morning to be kick' d
around for a while ?
In the editorial directly below
yours, written by the editor, there
Is un expressed disapproval of
the blanket policy of covering up
things. Combining the two ex
pressions of opinion In the editor
ial section, I would gather then
that you, ai d those that gave you
your Information, disliked all the
jokes presented by Mr. Donahue
and his people. If this be the ease,
again I offer my upology, hut
sincerely believe you are In the
minority.
Quoting a fellow that I was
standing next to when I read the
paper this morning, ‘'Perhaps we
should have the University Band
play for the dances, und the Uni
versity Choir entertain." Every
body on this campus begs for a
band from Hollywood because It
is supposedly "big stuff" yet,
when we get one we find that
maybe we aren't ready for the
"big stuff,” maybe we never will
be. Then I ask you, why the
clamor ?
Again, why spread a specific
instance ull over the paper. I was
responsible for enguging the
band. Why not write me a letter
telling of your dissatisfaction
rather than subjecting the Issue
to the whole campus? Let's let
dead dogs lie, remain friends, let
the ASUO Class council set the
policy on the situation, and go to
dances and the like with an open
and mature mind, rather than to
spot "Monday morning flaws.”
Holt Brittain
Sophomore Class President
A Little Learning . . .
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“Well Dean, for th’ last lew days we’ve keen discussing theories of
revolution—an’ then about 10 minutes after class took up today ..