+ EMERALD EDITORIALS +
A Hat Is Tossed
Something happened Monday which is al
most unprecendented in the recent history of
campus politics—a politician has tossed his
hat into the ring three weeks before the pri
mary and a little over a month before the
general ASUO election.
The politician—Sam Vahey, ASUO sena
tor-at-large and ex-president of Campbell
club—announced his candidacy for the Unit
ed Independent Students nomination for
ASUO president in a letter to the Emerald
Monday.
It’s still early in the campaign, and the
statement shows that—Vahey's platform is
“one of action,” which “will indicate positive
steps which should and could be taken by
out senate.”
Vahey’s action is no great surprise, many
were expecting it.
But we're glad to see the campaign get
underway early—it's a good sign.
Exchange Assembly
Oregon students will have a chance to
view the annual ASUO exchange assembly
today.
The assembly has been the center of an
on-again, off-again controversy ever since
it was banned by Portland high schools a
year ago. High school administrators
charged at the time that the assembly
placed too much emphasis on smoking and
drinking, and objection was taken to some
“off color” jokes.
Whether or not the assembly should he
censored then became an issue in last spring’s
ASUO elections. This year the ASUO senate
set up an entertainment commission "to ad
vised and be responsible for the ASUO ex
change assembly’.”
Alleged “vulgarity” became the issue
when the Senate met to select a director
for the assembly. John Jensen, originally
appointed, resigned when his past perform
ances were questioned, saying that “...
you are getting to the point where we’re
going to find vulgarity in a young lady
showing her ankle.”
We’re interested in seeing today’s per
formance. Perhaps the assembly, after a
couple of years on good behavior, can regain
lost prestige and once again be admitted to
Portland high schools.
At any rate, it should be a good hour’s
entertainment.
Needed: New Pastime
If the state senate follows the lead taken
last week by the House, it looks as if the
less-wealthy among Oregon’s oppressed cig
aret smokers will have to find a new vice.
We refer, of course, to the passage of a
bill calling for a three cent per pack tax on
cigarets in Oregon.
Actually, the plan is an excellent one—
it will raise an estimated 10 million dollars
in a two-year period.
And Oregon’s smokers have been among
a lucky minority who have not paid a state
tax in addition to the eight cent per pack.
federal tax in the past. According to a pam
phlet issued by the Tobacco Tax Council
(which has a bias, but dues give actual sta
tistics). 32 states have a eigaret tax, and in
some areas, there is even a municipal eigaret
tax.
Washington has a four to six cent per
pack tax on cigarets, which makes the retail
price somewhere in the neighborhood of 27
cents a pack.
We don't begrudge the state its much
needed tax money, but we'll probably take
up knitting, basket weaving or some such
activity to replace eigaret smoking—if the
bill becomes law.
Notable Progress
Oregon’s 1955 Canoe Fete will be the re
vival of a longstanding and colorful tradi
tion on the campus. It will show the Uni
versity administration, the city of Eugene,
and the citizen> of Oregon that students
are interested in the Millrace.
Houses have begun preliminary work on
floats, and we know of one house which has
completed the sketches of its proposed float.
The barges upon which the houses will
construct their floats have been completed
and are now stacked over at the physical
plant.
\\ ith such progress, we cannot help but
give praise to the Canoe Fete steering com
mittee when we see how well they have
organized the event.
However, a large number of faculty mem
bers, other interested persons and groups
have given assistance. Among these are the
city and state police, who have given tenta
tive aproval of temporary rerouting of
traffic for four hoyr*dtiring the Canoe Fete;
Gordon Wilson, president of the Oregon
Dads’ club; H. L. Ramey, instructor in
speech, who has given technical assistance
in programming; Si Kliingson. director of
the Student Union, who has solved manv of
the administrative problems; and Victor
Morris, dean of the school of business ad
ministration. who took the proposal to the
board of deans that Friday classes be dis
missed so that Junior Weekend would be
a three-day event. •
\\ e hope the Canoe Fete, when it is jrre
sented in less weeks, will reflect all of the
work which has gone into it. — (P.K.)
Footnotes
'J he ASUO senate will soon publish an
other flyer on *its noble accomplishments.
\\ e wonder who they’re trying to convince
—themselves, the faculty, or the rest of the
campus ?
* * *
'I he excess of good weather at the end of
winter term apparently foredooms us to an
other gloomy spring term. This will make it
something like three or four in a row.
* * *
We wonder how many victims have al
ready been claimed this term by the middle
door on the east side of the Student Union
which is still out of order but which no
longer has an “out of order” sign on it.
Committee Writes Sample Letter
(Editor’s Note: The following
is a sample letter to high school
friends prepared by the publicity
committee for Duck Preview.
The committee has requested
that students write letters of in
vitation to high school friends.)
Dear Future Duckling,
You should hear about the
great weekend planned for you
April 22, 23, and 241 “Let’s Go
Oregon* is the theme and the
whole campus is ready to show
you a grand three days.
Fun time will include the All
Campus Vodvil Friday night, a
full show of campus talent and
Saturday afternoon’s athletic
events and the women’s swim
ming honorary’s water show.
The Duck Preview dance in the
Student Union ballroom is Sat
urday night. Cottons and heels
will be in order for the girls,
slacks and shirts for the boys.
Along with having loads of
fun you’ll have the chance to
see the more serious side of
school life, too. You can talk
to the various professors
about how to plan your course
schedule for next year in spec
ially planned sessions. Campus
administrators and student
leaders will introduce you to a
few of the many thing* that
make the Oregon campus ‘tick’
in an orientation assembly.
Special tours of the campus
will teach you your way
around and acquaint you with
our many beautiful buildings.
If you haven’t received any
material concerning the week
end be sure to drop us a line that
you’re coming and we'll send you
the necessary details. And keep
your fingers crossed that the
good old sunshine will appear
and make the 1955 Duck Pre
view a spring term weekend at
Oergon you’ll never forget.
Joe College
CAMPUS COMMENT
Plans Announced
For Freak Week
remind
no hu
year'a
By Sam Frear
Emerald Columnist
"We would like to
everyone that there are
morons events In this
Freak Week. The Freakish sys
tem does have a very definite
humorous side, both in what the
clans believe in and stand for,
and in the events which they
carry on throughout the year to
the detriment of the school and
the community.”
Thus spoke Ftaotn Shrdlu,
Royal Giand Supreme Kxnlted
Master of the United Freaks,
campus do
I nothing clubs.
Pausing thot
fully, Shrdlu
f added, “It is
•our intention
to tdd a hu
morous side to
next year's
Freak Week as
t will then be
« i’lUUlf I I Mill
tion on the Oregon Campus, and
we can then be familiar with
the problems involved.in putting
on such a Freak Week. Of
course, the Week is really only
a weekend, really only part of
a weekend, just early Sunday
morning, that is. We call it a
week because it sounds nice."
Next year, he continued,
“we lediexc that Freak Week
should be planned for Fall
Term. That way we can add
another useless activity to an
already overcrowded sched
ule."
Freak Week on the Oregon
campus will begin on the Oregon
campus. This is convenient. It
will begin sometime after clon
ing bourn Sunday morning with
the clans participating In several
contest*. The old hag feminine
Freaks will have a sack rare.
They do this by putting paper
bags over their heads and then
trying to ratch the masculine
Freaks, who will be having a
tentative football game. Tenta
tive touch is really lots of fun,
all you have to do la think about
It.
Next on the dlcket Is « Jalopy
race around Commonwealth hall,
a flagpole sitting contest on the
SU flagpole, and a rocking c hair
contest on the front porch of
Johnson hall. The Freak who is
still on his rocker by the end of
the Weekend will be kicked out
of the clan. An extra special at
traction is that all thrrw-iegg. ,|
men and women Freaks will pas
ticipate in a race.
The evening's events will be
ehnisxed. In the event of ram, •
everyone will get wet.
I-atrr on. toward morning,
there wilt he a huge Weiner
roast In the middle of High
way M). This will last until the
Freaks are kicked till. After
slopping down, the Jokers will
go In u mess to a jim-dandy,
rip - snorting, A-numher-one,
genuine, one hundred per cent
artificial simulated Formal ,
Dance—which will be held In
Farmer Ben Terwllllger's Imrn
out on the Coburg Road,
Dress for the day's events will
be Bermuda shorts and shower
shoes for the men, and Bikinis .
and Mortar Board for the wom
en. They can change into cloth
es comfortable for the early
morning exercises.
Double Play
“I’ve bwn practicing • atrhin’ file* like you wild, coach, but
I think I caught Rome beett, too.”
i lie Oregon Daily Emerald i*. published five days a week during the school vear except
examination and vacation periods, by the Student Publications Hoard of the I'iiivefitv i f
Oregon. Entered as second class matter at the post office, Eugene, Oregon. Subscription
rates: $5 per school year; $2 a term.
Opinions expressed on the editorial pages are those of the writer and do not pretend to
represent the opinions of the ASl’O or the f'niversity. I'nsigned editorials arc written by
the editor; initialed editorials by members of the editorial board.
JERKY HAKREI.I., Editor
DONNA Rl'.N'HERtl, Business Manager