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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 13, 1958)
•EMERALD Suggestion to the Honoraries The sophomore and junior honoraries have recently been bombarded with criti cism for confusion- in purpose of their or ganizations. As it stands now, the sopho more honoraries (Kwama and Skull and Dagger) and the junior women’s honorary (Phi Theta Upsilon) are participating in a treadmill of “service” activities — such as selling programs, ushering at concerts, etc. and are mainly concerned with earning money for scholarships. Fund-raising for scholarships is a worthy goal and should be continued. But the wrong organizations have been doing the right job. The Emerald offers these recommenda tions: * 1. Exclude compulsory “service” activi ties for honoraries. The run-of-the-mill sell ing of programs, monitoring tests and oth er “busy work” can be handled capably by an entirely separate organization. There are plenty of willing workers who would gladly perform these tasks. We suggest that AWS be given authority to adminis trate the service duties now performed by the honoraries. This would add strength and purpose to AWS and also help stream line and strengthen efforts for scholarship fund-raising. 2. Make the present honoraries genuinely for “honor” alone. If the group would choose, it could meet and undertake any problem it wanted to. lint it would not he restricted to time-consuming busy work and would he freed to take on problems and projects of a much more significant nature. Druids, the junior men’s honorary, at present is organized in this manner. There are no restrictions or obligation as to what the group can do. Technically, it may work towards any goal it terms worthy — either individually or as a group. These suggestions have been generally accepted by several student leaders' and University officials. They do not prohibit a member of an honorary from belonging to the service group. They make a clear di vision between “service” and “honor” and, most important, allows already over-work ed “student leaders” more freedom in se lecting the jobs they want to do for the school. Members of Phi Theta Upsilon, Kwama and Skull and Dagger would be wise to consider these suggestions. Russian Guest For the first time in a long time persons came to a University assembly in droves and left talking about what they had heard. Georgi Safirov of the Soviet Embassy spoke for 35 minutes like a man selling vacuum cleaners. Smiling as warmly as he could, using the words “friendly” and “co operation” and “respectful” again and again, Mr. Safirov told how the United States and the Soviet Union had been great allies during World War II, and how the cultural exchanges between the two coun tries had been successful. Like a good salesman and a good Com munist, Mr. Safirov believed in what he was selling. And the audience, in good American tradition, probably didn’t believe a word of it. They paid attention because for many this was the first live Russian they had seen. Many didn't know' much about Russia — its people or its history — but they did know that the smiling fellow up there represented a country that is de termined to make the world, including America, a Communist dictatorship. Mr. Safirov showed a great deal of cour age after the speech. He consented to an swer questions from his critical listeners. He did all right answering questions until he asked one himself. The listener had asked why there was barbed wire on the borders of the Iron Curtain countries, if the Russians advocated free travel. “Have you ever seen the barbed wire?” asked Safirov. Then the student answered, "Yes, I saw them, sir — I am a Hungarian.” Amidst the ovation, it’s likely that ('.eorgi Safirov never experienced a more uncom fortable moment in his life. Nothing much was accomplished at the talk. Both the speaker and the audience had closed minds — perhaps a “first” in Uni versity assemblies. If there was something wrong with the thoughts of the audience after the speech, it wasn’t that they had shut their minds to Mr. Safirov. What likely was wrong was the thought that other peoples couldn’t possibly be taken in as they had not been taken in. There is evidence that Mr. Safirov and his friends have in fact done a marve lous job of salesmanship in other countries. — Letters to the Editor — Emerald Editor: The belligerent efforts of sev eral questioners following Tues day night's speech by the rep resentative of the Soviet Union showed a complete lack of taste and a distressing absence of perspective. Of maybe eight questions asked Mr. Safirov, about two were in the realm of common courtesy. The majority of the questioners tried not to enlight en but to vent emotions. They were painfully obvious in their attempts to accuse rather than ask. They were absurd in trying to hold Mr. Safirov to account for alleged wrongs of bis gov ernment. And they exhibited a tone of intolerance—"my coun try saint, your country sinner” —that would compliment a i—**■ United States government prop agandist but that would dis grace a free university. The level of intelligence dis played was brought to its nadir by the student who attempted to ask if Russia’s foreign policy was influenced by "some 600 million little yellow people.” The student was cut off, and prob ably wondered why. Mr. Safirov’s speech was sin gularly courteous and he him self bore earnest good will. That he could have been accusatory toward the United States was clear. That he was not, should have earned him a similar meas ure of respect from any listener. Those five or six questioners who caused embarrasment for the audience as a whole should be roundly condemned for their injudicious attacks. Don \V. Robinson Senior in Journalism Emerald Editor: To Mr. Safirov: You talked to us Tuesday eve ning. The title of your address was: "Soviet Foreign Policy.” The ballroom was crowded, we thought you were going to speak about the political for eign policy; but this was not your intention. So, you told .us about the exchange of movies, sport-teams and artists. After having emphasized that agree ments in these fields strengthen the understanding of two na tions, you asked for common un derstanding as a basis of com munication to end the cold war between East and West. Do you know, that people in the free world have the ardent desire, too to communicate with the Russian people ? But you mentioned in your conclusion, that there is, unfortunately, still a cold war between East and West. While you were speaking about the tour of the Bolshoi Theatre and the success of the American pianist Van Cliburn in Moscow, we were thinking of the cold war. What about the army the Russian government sent to Hungary? I saw pictures re flecting the horror of the Rus sian suppression. But you told us that the Soviet government is doing everything for protect ing human life. Your govern ment stopped the nuclear tests, because the radiations endanger people’s lives. You look for a better under standing; so do I. You were smiling all the time, and when we asked you questions about the political Russian foreign policy, we had the impression that we hurt your feelings. (Continued on page 3) Good Thing He Wasn’t a Pledge *6o X me* HIM fK* his OU twemv m * ^olin aCenyeH Hail the New Anthro Queen! Cedar Rapids Takes Crown "Let's put up someone for Anthropology Seminar Drug Queen. A girl-like." The rrackly voice felt Its way through the dat^p, smoke filled chapter room to the president's seat. “Okay with me,” the presi dent said. “All in favor of put ting up a queen say aye." The chapter split. Some said aye; the others raised their right hands. The man who made the sug gestion stood and thanked the chapter for approving his idea, lie said that this would really let the house "smooth In" with some sorority. Nominations were opened. A scholarly looking gentle man stood and said "I'd like to nominate for chapter consider ation Miss Cedar Rapid.” A crew-cut youth jumped to his feet and shouted, "Man, that chick is a stupid scene. She doesn't have anything on her mind but sand.” “You'renot exatcly on a Ful bright scholarship yourself, old crew-cut baybees.” “Now just a damn minute, who are you accusing of Ful bright scholarships?” The president, his shoulders sagging like an old warrior, In tervened. He accepted Miss Kapid's name and explained that Fulbright scholarships weren’t really bad. Another crew-cut slowly rose and nominated a Miss Minne Apolis. He said, “she’s really stacked, and besides she reads a lot, and is gay, interesting, rich, witty, a judge of fine wines and all the girls like her." Yet another crew-cut youth stood. He was dressed in a pair of “go-aheads” a San Onefre bathing suit and a stolen Eu gene Active Club jacket. "I wanna get elected Stella San Diego.” The vote was called for. Cedar Rapid was the chapter’s nom inee for queen. Minne Apolis lost primarily because she was pinned to a Delta Chi at the University of Alabama. Stella San Diego received a token vote because she formerly wai a Chi Omega at Purdue; even though every body knows there are no Chi Omegas ut Purdue. Worth mention was a fourth place can didate that snared zero vote because the president neglected to call her name. Cedar Rapid went on to reign us queen of the Anthropology Ilrag. Kho duly thanked every one that voted for her. and strangely enough—“It’s the big gest honor of my life.” A thorough behind the scene investigation will show how Mis* Rapids won. It seems the chapter that nominated her got hold of an alumni list. They sent in Miss Haplds on a wave of absentee ballots disguised under the names of various alumni. This was necessary because no one remembered to officially enter her in the contest. The whole thing puzzled the Anthro majors. They dropped school and formed an expedition in search of "Kllroy was here” signs. Anyway', everybody was sorta happy even though the band leader forgot to hire side men, and the couples danced to pul sating rythnis lapped out on a waste basket by a date-less so ciology major. Our C^onlemfyorieS The University of Washington Daily sponsored u "TfJIF Do-It Yourself Kit” contest recently, apparently for the "advance ment and better weekend proj ects.” The first-prize winner turned out to be a do-it-yourself tacho meter to be attached to the Latin American Ship of State, so that the number of revolu tions per minute could be de termined. Second prize was awarded for "a home-built triangle kit for those students who do not fit into the ordinary pattern.” Prizes were not specified. Oregon Daily Emerald The Oregon Daily Emerald is published four limes in September and five days a week during the school year, except during examination and vacation periods, by the Student f Ubhcations Hoard of the University of Oregon. Entered as second class maun at the post office, Eugene. Oregon. Subscription rates: $5 per year $2 tier term Opinions expressed on the editorial page are those of The Emerald and do not pretend to represent the opinion of the ASUO or the University. 1 PHIL HAGER, Editor BILL BRYANT, Business Manager JERRY RAMSEY, Manatting Editor CHECK BORDENKIKCIIER, Advertising Manager
