A Non-Pacifist View
We Can Poke Fun At Shelters,
But Were Kind of Glad We Have Them
What do you call a person who is not a
pacifist? An indifferentist? A philistine? A
warmonger? Hard to say. Some pacifists
would settle for the latter, judging from
some of the letters to the editor.
The fallout shelter signs have stirred
up comment among pacifists and (warmon
gers - indifferentists - philistines — choose
one). One letter to the editor naively sug
gested that we forget about shelters and
concentrate on maintaining the peace. To
us, these suggestions show a certain lack
of understanding.
The shelters are. first of all. not bomb
shelters. The theory is that Lane County
contains nothing worth the expense of a
big bomb, but that Portland might. There
fore, we would be worried about fallout
rather than blast. Maybe the emergency
facilities already organized and the fallout
shelters already designated will be totally
inadequate. But maybe they won't. To work
on the assumption that everyone will be
annihilated is foolishness of the highest
order. Any organization in a time of dis
aster is better than none. Certainly that
doesn't need explaining.
Those who say we have all been lulled
into a false sense of security by the shelter
signs must, bv coincidence, know only the
nincompoops among the student body. Most
students, it seems to us, have accepted the
shelters for what they are—a somber and
necessary addition to everyday life. Flip
pant-sounding remarks should be taken
for what they are—attempts to make an
unpleasant situation bearable through
humor.
And as for the idealistic soul who sug
gests we insure peace rather than build
shelters, we would remind him of two
things. First, Selective Service passed in
Congress by one vote In 1940. Had it not
passed, the situation might have been so
bad that even the bravest of men could
not make it tenable. And second. Neville
Chamberlain's efforts at maintaining peace
made appeasement a dirty word in the poli
tical dictionary.
Letters to the Editor
Just Another Johnson
Emerald Editor:
In your sports column printed
in the Emerald on Jan. 14. 1963.
you stated that Gus Johnson
was the finest basketball player
to ever enter MacArthur Court.
If this statement is true, it leads
me to think that you have not
seen many good basketball play
ers. To rate Johnson along with
Elgin Baylor and Oscar Robert
son is absolutely ridiculous. It is
possible that you have never
seen Baylor or Robertson play?
Baylor is considered by many
experts as the best all around
player in basketball today, 'i our
asking quite a bit of Gus.
It is true that Johnson is a
good basketball player and he
demonstrates many skills on the
court. He can pass unusually
well, he can time his jumps to
perfection while rebounding or
tipping in a shot, and he can
shoot fairly well. Did you bother
to check his field goal percent
age for the two nights, I’m sure
he didn’t make 40% of his at
tempted field goals. And his free
throws, he made 2 out of a pos
sible 7 or 8, is that so good?
Most of the basketball players
in the country with a height of
6-6 can stuff the ball with regu
lar consistency, and a better
part of them can pass as well as
or better than did Johnson.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not cut
ting the ability of Johnson, I’m
just trying to point out that he
is not as good as you built him
to be.
jonnson snoweu„ eveij'uuc uc
was good, of that there is no
doubt; but could Johnson leave
his school at the end of this, his
junior year and join the pro’s
and be one of the top scorers in
the league! Elgin Baylor did.
You have overrated the poor fel
low, give him a chance. He put
on a fine show and I must admit
I enjoyed it; but he is certainly
no Baylor, Lucas or Robertson.
Tom Bates
Freshman, Business
Administration
* # £
Shelters Beneficial
Emerald Editor:
I wish to answer yesterday’s
letter on the subject of fallout
shelters at the University of
Oregon.
In the first place, it has been
proven beyond doubt that fall
out shelters would be VERY
beneficial in a nuclear war. Eu
gene is an insufficient target for
a nuclear bomb but it would get
the fallout from Portland and
Klamath Falls. It is the purpose
of fallout shelters to protect us
from airborne fallout, not a dir
ect hit.
It is extremely doubtful if fall
out shelters by themselves would
ever play a significant part in
the decision by any nation to
start a nuclear war. The argu
ment that fallout shelters would
condition people to a military
way of life would seem to have
no basis in fact. Fallout shel
ters have not led to a military
way of life in the Scandinavian
Countries which employ them
very extensively.
Perhaps the author of yester
day's letter should write the
United States Government Print
ing Office for the booklet “The
Effects of High Yield Nuclear
Explosions" and other booklets
on the subject in order to be
come better informed.
Jim Wright
Senior in Business
£ * *
We Have No Go
We were prompted to write
this letter after reading a letter
to the editor of the Eugene Reg
ister-Guard, dated January 15,
1963
Did you attend either of the
basketball games over the past
weekend? If you did not, this
letter is addressed to you. If,
however, you were one of the
few there, you must agree that
the spirit was almost zero. The
little spirit that was produced
came mainly from fellow ath
letes. The few who did show en
thusiasm met with questioning
stares.
when school started in the
fall we were looking forward to
attending a school with good
athletic teams, but most impor
tant, spirit that would lead these
teams to great victories. How
ever, since this time we have
seen the spirit develop into a
remedial state and our great
teams in football and basketball
lose morale because of the lack
ol backing that they received
from their student-body.
Spirit is used to build team
morale and give it confidence
knowing that it has support
backing it. Let us take a case in
point. Example: Last Friday
night’s basketball game with the
University of Idaho. We think
that most people that went to
the game went to see Gus John
son. Throughout the entire game
the difference between the
schools in score was almost nil.
Toward the end of the game
with the score tied many times
and the winner still undecided,
the team could greatly have used
backing from the entire stu
dent-body. With the teams start
ing the over time period stu
dents began to stir with spirit
that should have begun as soon
as the referee blew his whistle
to start the game.
Another case in point. If you
happened to stay home and lis
ten to our arch-rival team's
game you would have heard
some real spirit. From the start,
chants of "Take it away.” “Get
the ball,” "Go, go . were
heard from the beginning whis
tle until the end of the exciting
game. Spirit was most evident
Spirit is one of the many
things that leads a team to vic
tory. We propose that the rally
committee go through with the
rule that was stated in the Em
erald, dated January 11, 1963
The rule was that a section be
set aside for all persons that
wear white shirts. Also, we think
that it is the job of the rally
squad to create spirit with yells.
If the team is to get support it
is the job of the rally squad to
start the ball rolling.
In spite of the above, it still
remains your decision to attend
the games, or to tend to other
affairs. We are just saying that
if the team is to feel wanted by
its student-body there must be
shown spirit and attendance far
superior to that of prior athletic
events.
Peter Kosberg
Soph, in Business
Warren Lobdell
Graduate in Math
Pete Botsferd
Soph in Sociology
John Gaines
Junior in Psychology
Ron Justis
Soph in Music
* * *
In Agreement
Emerald Editor:
I would like to express my
agreement with the extremely
perceptive analysis of the situa
tion made by Mr Jerald Tucker.
It is true that his analysis is a
known fact, but at least some
one dared print the truth. Who
cares about the missing “O”?
Nobody! It is this writer's opin
ion that the theory expressed by
the Oregon Daily Emerald is a
bunch of Balderdash. It isn’t
that we are too mature, as far
as most of the students are con
cerned. The OSU’ers might as
well have taken the O, the seal,
burned down the side, and
smoked on the old campus.
Hopefully, we will see more
of this type of serious thought
in the future. Congratulations,
Mr. Tucker.
Lawrence Brenner
Junior in Foreign
Languages
\Y
j r *—• f i
"RtCKOM WE t?OUEWOH."
?
The Academic Retreat;
A Worthwhile Experience
Tilt* second academic retreat
begins this afternoon, and it
might be useful for these and
future retreat-goers to be warn
ed of what to expect.
If last weekend's retreat, the
first one attempted, can be used
as a basis for evaluation, the
participants will find that the
value of the retreat, in some in
definable manner, will be worth
the time and effort involved.
The benefits of the retreat
are not the only difficult aspect
of the idea to define, however.
An adequate description of the
activities is equally hard Last
weekend, for instance, the three
faculty members and 18 stu
dent.-, participating spent Friday
evening and Saturday morning
at a place called Albert's Lodge,
located on the McKenzie Itiver,
talking about things.
EVERYONE seemed to think
the conversation went pretty
well. Although most people
probably didn't change their
minds much, there was enough
difference in viewpoint and
background to make conversa
tion interesting. One of the pri
mary values of the occasion was
probably that by talking about
something with a person who
disagreed, one could solidify
the reasons for a belief which
he had always taken for granted.
In short, then, the purpose of
the retreat was talk. It was an
attempt to revive for a while
the vanshing art of interesting
and serious conversation, and in
this it was successful.
But future retreat partici
pants still might want some ad
vice and a warning or two about
the project. So, in no particular
order, here are some observa
tions about various aspects of
the retreat.
The food was good. This, of
course, didn’t guarantee the re
treat’s success, but it helped to
keep everybody in a relaxed,
pleasant mood, to carry on ser
ious conversation about, among
other things, the food.
THE CONVERSATION was
good, too. It had been expected
that Friday evening might be
a bit awkward until people be
came acquainted, but this was
not the case at all. Enough per
ple knew each other to provide
a spark whenever conversation
lagged a little bit.
Introductions occupied most
of Friday evening, since in de
scribing his background, prac
tically everyone touched on
something which prompted
questions or comments. Some
people thought these introduc
tions were a little long, though.
The general enthusiasm about
the rereat did not extend to the
attitude with which male stu
dents viewed their sleeping
quarters, however. While the
girls and faculty members were
able to stay in nice rooms at
the lodge, the boys slept in cab
ins eight miles up the road.
Since it was one of the coldest
nights of the year, the pipes
had all frozen and the little
electric heaters were onl> slight
ly warmer.
AI.I. WAS BHTTKR the next
morning, however, when every
one could get warm again back
at the lodge After breakfast,
the participants formed three
groups and talked about what
ever subjects the conversation
led to.
It is difficult to say whether
people on future retreats will
have the same sort of experi
ence as those on the first one.
Because of the unstructured na
ture of the program, it is likely
that each one will assume a
character of its own
Last weekend there was a
spark which somehow got things
going and kept them going.
In the future, it will be this
uncertain quality which will
make each retreat a success or
failure. But despite the poor
ones which may occur, the first
retreat showed that they can be
very worthwhile.
OREGON DAILY EMERALD
The Oregon Daily Emerald in published
nrvcii time* in September and fur day* a
week during the vhool year, except dur
ing examination and vacation period hy
the Student Publication* Hoard of the
I niversity of Oregon Kntrrcd as second
class matter at the post office, Kugene,
Oregon. Subtcription rates $5 per year;
$2 per term.
Opinions expressed on the editor ial page
ase those of The Emerald ami do n> t j>**
tend to represent the opinions «»f the
ASUO or the University.
RON BUEL, Editor
MARTY KETK1.S, Business Manager
TED M AIIAK, Managing Editor
KVKRETTE DENNIS. New* Editor
I’D L COGSWELL,
Editorial Page Editor
LARRY WILLIAMS,
Ad\crtising Manager
LARRY CRAVES. Sports Editor
Dl. LCY MORAN,
Assistant Managing Ed tor
DAVE SANDS, JIM ERAKE,
JAN El COET/E.
Assistant News Editors
GEORGE HICHAM, Photo Editor
LINDA HJ(f! WN, Entertainment Editor
RON COWAN, CATHY NEVILLE,
Til ORA WILLIAMS,
Associate News Editors
EDITORIAL BOA RD :
Ron Huel, Phil Cogswell, Fed Mahar
Kverette Dennis, Dav< Sands
Dulcy Moran, Linda Irown
Hal Carpenter, Hob I* jrsytli
Grant Lcdgervvood, Dot ( Ragen
Janet Cretze, and Bill H itcliison