+ EMERALD EDITORIALS +
House Organ Plus
Today’s edition of the Oregon Daily
Kmerald marks the beginning of daily pub
lication during the 1955-56 school year. In
the 140 issues that follow. this paper will at
tempt to be more than just a house organ for
the campus.
The Emerald will at all times attempt to he
a newspaper in the fullest sense of the word.
It will keep the students informed of all that
happens on the campus, and of the signifi
cance of these events.
It will also carry news of outside agencies
whose actions may affect the University of
Oregon or any part of its student body, such
as the State Board of Higher Education or
the state legislature.
In addition, the Emerald will carry each
day the more important and significant news
of the world.
However, this paper will not he content
with printing the news as it comes from our
wire service or from publicitv releases. It
will seek at all times to he first with that
news.
To keep the students informed this paper
will print articles from time to time explain
ing some of the more complicated problems
facing the University and the students.
The ultimate goal of the Oregon Daily
Emerald will be to serve the interests of the
University of Oregon and its students, but,
believing in the students' right to know, this
paper will not hesitate to print news of
wrongdoing bv those students or of un
favorable conditions in the Universitv.
Fight Watcher's Plague
In the past two or three years we have
watched approximately 50 professional box
ing matches over television. In that time we
have not had the opportunity to watch the
one boxer whom we would really like to see
the -most: the incomparable heavyweight
champion of the world, Rocky Marciano.
We had one chance to see the Brockton
strongboy on the video screen when he
KOed Jersey Joe Walcott in the first round
of their return match a couple of years back,
but unfortunately we-missed that one.
Ever since the Walcott fiasco, we have
been patiently waiting for another oppor
tunity to arise. None has. It is not hard to
see why.
When television first began to show -fistic
duals on a nationwide scale a few vears ago,
both the boxing organizations and the TV
networks were more than willing to cooper
ate in bringing the top fights to fans all over
the country. The sale of television sets
boomed, the International Boxing club and
Other such groups made money like they
never had before, the boxers and their man
agers doubled or tripled their purses and of
course the video people profited immensely
by the whole set-up.
Everyone was pretty well satisfied for
awhile until someone got an idea which
would net still more money for the afore
mentioned groups and persons. The idea is
now developing into the plague of the tele
vision fight-watcher. It is known as the
closed-TV circuit.
How does it work? It is simple indeed.
When a big fight comes along, such as one
in which Marciano is defending his title, the
home TV-viewers are blacked out complete
ly. Planners then carefully schedule special
theater showings of the match throughout
the country. Then by charging what we
consider ridiculous admission prices, the
promoters and fighters haul in even more
wealth for their venture.
Last Wednesday night Marciano stepped
into the ring for a title defense against aging
Archie Moore, the light-heavyweight cham
l>ion. And. a* usual, the closed circuit show
ing was put to use.
In Kugenc the tight was shown at the
local armory, \dmission prices ranged from
$6.00 to a low of $3.50.
In our opinion this is just plain disgust
ing. People are lured into buying TV sets
on the presumption that they will then get
to see all the top sports' attractions. Then
when a big boxing match comes up in which
interest is high all over the country, the
closed-circuit is shoved into use so a rabid
fight follower ha> to shell out some more
money if he wants to see a live telecast of
the match.
.Thank goodness for one thing. So far this
boxing idea has been limited strict!v to the
fistic sport. But if it proves to be a success
ful venture, we wonder just how long it
will be before the same plan is put to use
with the bowl football games, the World
Series and the top horse races.
\\ e don’t know how it should be done
but TV sports fans ought to revolt. ( H R.)
Geared to the Campus
Just under 800 freshmen and transfer stu-*
dents received their first nibble, and in some
cases. si]i. of Oregon’s Greek svstem this
w eekend. The main course is yet to come for
most.
The fraternities and sororities have put
their best foot forward to counteract the
nationwide negative publicity received by
the fraternity system as a whole in recent
years.
Actually, as the 302 freshmen women and
the expected over 400 men going through
rush w ill discover, there is much to be said
for the fraternity system.
Both Panhellenic and IFC recommend
that rushees visit a number of houses before
rushing. 7 hat wav they can compare the ad
vantages of large and small houses and of
(’.reeks and independents, at the same time
meeting more people and insuring the
rushees that they choose the house which is
right for them.
('.reek living is not essential on the Oregon
campus: the Greeks are but a minority of
the total enrollment. There are less than 600
Greek women on campus, and a somewhat
larger number of ('.reek men. But the ('.reeks
continue to wield a power that exceeds their
size. \\ hv? Because a number of the campus
leaders, the athletes, the scholars are fra
ternity people. Because the smaller unit of
more congenial people encourages the de
velopment of the individual. Because the
(.reek organizations are geared to the cam
pus.
There are those who charge that fraterni
ties operate at the level of a boarding house,
that they are the proponents of mediocrity
and immaturity in their lack of stress upon
scholarship. Such generalizations are diffi
cult to justify. Of the 20 students featured
in the outstanding senior section in the 1955
Oregana. 17 were Greeks. On the spring
term grade list, the top two positions were
held by sororities, while the leader in men’s
grades was a fraternity. Non-organization
men and women were right behind the lead
ers. In all realms of student affairs it is the
same.
The Greeks are not big bad men who
waylay freshmen. The independents are not
social misfits with two horns and a tail. And
there is no major split between the two.
The choice is up to the rushee, for both
have much to offer. The advantages of the
Greek w ay are not to be denied by tall tales.
(SR.)
Footnotes
Ode to the Trojans:
Gather ye touchdowns while you may,
Soon will come the Bruins of UCLA. (
Study Hints
"Him system Is to study thi* hooks. I study the professors."
LOOKING AT THE WORLD
Test Case for Faith
It> Gunther Itarth
President Eisenhower's heart
attack eliminate* him as a candi
date for MMS». Thin is the only
possible conclusion in a moment
in which the outlook is still
colored by emotions and nature's
unpredictable course The GOP
will hardly attempt tin- suicidal
task of offering the country a
nominee with a record of cor
onary thrombosis, despite the
growing t.enu of conservatism in
the nation which labels 1956 as a
Republican year.
President Eisenhower has
been able to intrude suercs*
fully the no man’s land which
lies between the letters of the
constitution defining his office
and the imagination of the peo
ple. The emotional reaction of
the Western world ubout the
news from Denver demon
strates his personal achieve
ment .
President Klnenhower'K heart
attack has become more than
jtiM a dilemma for the presi
dential campaign of tb<* P-epub
I con party or u threat t.> h.s lsf«
It forma a test case for the demo*
cratio faith of the West when
major portions of the world are
Mill struggling to tian .'ei their
confidence from the symbol Kts
enhowt r to the abstract Institu
tions of democracy.
Nature’s unexpci ted blorv
against the heart of the 01 -
\ ear-old President has sewrely
increased the busic anxiety,
the characteristic key note of
our age. This Uliccrtinty
might confuse the world in Its
tribute* to the President, leav
ing the realm of sympathy or
respect and dangerously equat
ing the patient with t ie sound
democratic Institutions It - rep
resents.
PRESIDENT DWIGHT 1>. EISENHOWER
op'ecjor'l
a^EDCLO
The Oregon Daily EmeraM is published five (lays a week during the sc|i.,<»l w „ .seent
durniK examination and vacation periods, by the Student I’ubliratmns ||„ard'of tin I ■,,,
versity of Oregon. Entered a, second class matte, at the post office, Eugene, o,,.. sub
scription rates: $5 per school year; $2 per term.
Opinions expressed on*the editorial page are those of the writer and do not pretend to
represent the opinions of the ASI O or the Iniversity. i;,.signed editorials .re
the editor: initialed editorials by memliers qt the editorial hoard. y
(iORDOX RlCE, Editor |>o\\\ in vi'i.i>< » ,,
.. , . . rr-s-irra . ,—r-r«- 1 A Husim-h* M..,,
SALLY RY Aw, Editorial Pagt, Editor .I.M K RADIfll, Advert,sin,- \t.,
JERRY CT.AUSSEN, ANNE Hlf,l„ HO If KORIN SON,Iw^iate Edit', ,7s
_SAM VA H KS . Managing Editor
ANNE RITCHEY, News Editor JOAN HAlSTVlLLti, Awt. Atlverti.ibg Mg*
Sjancy Shaw, 5Sicc Mai
HUCK MI ICHELMORE, Sports Editor