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Marjory Bosh. Don Dewry, Caarciiew Gronoaiil, AKsociate Editors
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Stas$en's*Right
“Only with ... a trained and informed leadership ... does
America have the best possible chance of meeting successfully
the challenges which lie ahead in the last half of the twentieth
century.”
That’s what a letter received by a University student the
other day said. The signer? Harold Stassen, candidate for the
Republican nomination for president. The receiver? Neil Chase,
promotion man for Friday’s Republican mock political con
vention—“Operation Politics.”
Stassen went on to congratulate the University of Oregon for
holding such an experiment in national politics.
He’s right. We do need that "trained and informed" leader
ship. And what better place to obtain some of that training and
information than right here in college.
You’ll have an opportunity Friday. You’ll have the chance
to hear an important politician—Gov. Val Peterson of Nebraska
—speak in person on the Republican party. You’ll be able to
view, and participate in, a replica of the illustrious national
convention of the Republican party.
Here’s hoping for a better informed—politically—student
body after Friday night.
A Successful Weekend
Now that the dust has died down, it looks as if it was a pretty
successful weekend.
The changes in this year’s Duck Preview program—setting
the Vodvil back to Friday night rather than Saturday, as was
the case last year; switching exchange dinners to Saturday,
thus avoiding a last-minute rush on Sunday; providing more
things for the high schoolers to do Saturday afternoon—seemed
to work out quite well.
In fact, the only major gripe about the weekend which has
reached our ears to date was the result of a rather comical
oversight in the Saturday luncheon preparations: 825 persons
were assiduously' plied with hot dogs—without a single blob of
mustard.
Maybe Oregon State had more guests for their Senior Week
end—they reported 1550—but at least ours were all invited ac
cording to the legitimate rules. And we’ll hazard a guess that
they had just as good a time, if not better, than their friends
at OSC.
Congratulations and the sincere thanks of the campus are
due Jackie Wilkes and her staff of Preview planners for a job
well done.—G. G.
A New One
“you’ve been tardy three times already. What’s your excuse
this time?”
V t ' ■ l 1
j . 5 r
Ah CditoiuU ^
CAMPUS POLITICS: JACKSON VS. DIGNAN
The USA anil AGS candidates for presidency of
the ASUO are two very nice people, who have pre
sented two nice though similar platforms.
Helen Jackson l* an excellent speaker anil those
who heard her platform speech at the nominating
assembly last week have used adjectives ranging
from “great” to “wonderful” In describing It. There
is no question that she would be an excellent repre
sentative of this Institution. And her Ibng list of
campus activities and accomplishments Indicate that
she would be an effective administrator—us effec
tive as a non-Greek administrator could possibly be
on this campus.
Pat Dignan is equally likeable. People who have
worked with him report that he Is an easy man with
whom to cooperate.
Dignan lacks Miss Jacksons speaking ability.
Many who heard his nominating assembly address
admitted disappointment. They accused him of say
ing little and of hedging on part of what he did say.
But more than personality is Involved In the
selection of campus leaders.
Both candidates favor sending an observer to the
National Students association convention, though it
is included only in Miss Jackson's platform. She
would like to scrape together the funds by cutting
the Pacific Slope President's Association convention
to finance an observer at the NSA convention this
summer. Dignan prefers to wait until next year
when funds could be definitely set aside, or to try
other sources, such as alumni gifts this year, so
that student government would not be short
changed by omitting PSPA, which he feels is of
proven value.
We have always favored sending observers to the
NSA convention to gain some concrete knowledge
over which student Officials can haggle.
The opinions also coincide on the removal of pay
telephones from the dormitories. But what politician
would dare come out in favor of the pay phones?
There is decided difference on Dignan's united
fund drive plank. Miss Jackson is opposed, arguing
that she wants it to remain on an individual basis
so she, and other students, can donate more or
less to whichever drive they consider more worthy.
Dignan contends—and he’s talked to drive officials
about this—that an all-campus drive would actually
bring in more money, and bo less trouble for the
students.
We'd like to hoc It tried.
Omitting several minor points In their campaign
platforms, wc are left with the one really Import
ant iHHue. Mlhj* Jackson favora a campus open pri
mary election in which anyone could vote for what
ever candidate he favora. Ho, In esaencc, ahe favors
the break-up of the Greek bloc. Dignan, speaking for
hlmaelf and not hi«t party, ulso desires an open pri
mary. The AGS platform this year advocates a
popular primary within the Greek party itself, but
Dignun has Indicated that he hopes the potentiali
ties of an open primary will be displayed to the
Greeks through the success of un In-party popular
primary.
Miss Jackson has presented an idealistic platform.
She plans to put through a much-needed Improve
ment in student government. An open primary and
the resulting coalition pnrties would result in the
removal of much of the dirt from dirty politics. But
her plans are nebulous. She seems hazy as to just
how she will bring about the chunge, aside from
‘cooperation1 with the AGH leader.
Ulgnun's stand is less Idealistic but a good deal
more practical. He prefers a slow approach to an
open primary. He contends that the grrek Greeks
and the Independent Independents must first be
educated toward such a plan; that they cannot mere
ly he TOIJ) to vote for the good of the University
rather than the faction.
Miss Jackson promises a great deal. We wouki
like to see her platform incorporated Into student
government. However we do not sec how she can
do it. It seems simply impossible for an independent
student to tell the Greek bloc to break itself up.
Dignan promises less, but there is more chance
that he will be able to ‘‘produce.” Dignan has not
been closely connected with the powers behind the
AGS. but he would have definite control over the
party if he were elected president. As vice-president
under Miss Jackson he would be only an AGS figure
head and would not be able to encourage reform
within the Greek bloc.
Because he stands for some long-needed Improve
ments in the AGS, and consequently In the entire
campus political scene, we favor I'at Dignan for the
ASUO presidency. Because her excellent Ideas and
ideals do not seein as possible of attainment, ue
pass over Helen Jackson.—The Kditorinl Staff.
Letters
to the
Editor
National Acclaim
Emerald Editor:
Friday night, May 2, University
of Oregon’s venture into “Opera
tion Politics" will be unfolded in
the form of a Republican mock
convention. This convention will
be in the hands of the students
themselves except for the opening
keynote address by Governor Val
Peterson of Nebraska. In so far as
possible "Operation Politics" will
be a realistic replica of the Re
publican party’s national conven
tion this summer in Chicago.
Promotions Chairman Neil
Chase has arranged for nation
wide coverage of the event by
the newspapers and several maga
zines including Time, Life, News
week, and Collier’s.
All living organizations are
again reminded that they must
have enough students on the floor
of the convention to fulfill their
number of delegates. Pat Ritchey
is promotion chairman for Eisen
hower, Verla Thompson for Taft,
Sylvia Winsor and Nancy Yates
for Stassen, and Bob Hooker for
Warren.
All students are urged to par
ticipate regardless of their poli
tical affiliations. It does not mat
ter whether one is a Democrat, a
Republican, a member of another
party, or a nonregistered voter in
order to take part in this conven
tion.
The significance is that it will
give all students a chance to ac
quaint themselves with the con
vention aspect of the American
political party system. The suc
cess of the affair depends on us,
the student body. Let’s put U.O.
in the limelight of the political
arena. National acclaim is beck
oning. Let’s get it.
Bob Hooker
—-The Atomic Age
Kremlin Comm/es: 'Adore Errors
Than Centipedes Have Legs'
_—-By Phil Johnson -
A recent book has been pub
lished to prove that the men in
the Kremlin are not infallible.
Actually, it hardly seems nec
esary to prove
the fallibility
of these men.
They have
made more er
rors than cen
tipedes have
legs. It might
be said of the
Com mn nis t
movement:
"Leaders to
the left of
run, Johnson
them, leaders
to the right of
them, leaders in front of them,
Follied and blundered."
Communism its/Mf is founded
upon a number of mistaken as
sumptions. Marx assumed that
the workers must rebel against
the oppressors and set a dictator
ship of the proletariat. No reason
is given for leaving the farmers
out of this dictatorship. Nobody
explains why the workers should
have complete control of the na
tion.
In addition, Marx assumed that
the dictatorship of the proletariat
would later he disbanded. Here
he ignores the fact that dictators
almost never voluntarily relin
quish their powers.
Another fallacy is the atheism
which Marx demanded of his fol
lowers. The Communists would
have gotten along much better if
they did not oppose religion. This
opposition has Alienated a great
number of peasants in the Slavic
regions and has led to useless
persecutions of Christian minis
ters and followers.
The Communist Manifesto has
many other propositions whirl)
seem nnreusonuble, but none of
them compare with the classic'
blunders of Stalin and his follow
ers. j
The worst of these Is the un
restrained brutality of the Soviet
leaders. Millions of peuple have
died In Siberian slave labor
rumps.
The harsh brutality of the So
viet regime has probably alien
ated foreigners more than
any other feature of Russian pol-*
icy. The fear of the secret police,
the suppression of the press, the
numerous other horrors of Rus
sian life, all contribute to the
growing dislike of Communism in
other lands.
It Is difficult to convince others
of the “advantages" of Commun
ism when the great massacres in'
China or the slaughter of Polish
prisoners of wai^ln Katyn forest,
are rememltered.
The main reason for the harsh-'
ness of Russian life is probably
the officials' fear of revolution^
However, there is no need to fear,
revolt as long as a decent stand.'
ard of living is assured to the,
people. -j
Portugal has had a dictator for
decades, and there is no threat of'
revolution. Franco has had little
trouble since he gained control of
Spain. Hitler, even when hi ca
tion was crushed and ground un
der in 194.r>, faced no revolution
ary threat outside of the army.
Consequently, the Soviet t niori
did not need to introduce the
slave labor camps, the secret av
rests and the quiet massacres.
Their system, which has alienate^
much of the world, was
unnecessary.