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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 6, 1966)
OREGON DAILY EMERALD Opinions expressed on the editorial page are those of the Emerald and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the ASUO or the University. Opinions expressed in signed columns are those of the writer. CHUCK BEGGS, Editor LOUIE ABRAMSON Business Manager MAXINE ELLIOTT News Editor BOB CARL Managing Editor PHIL SEMAS Associate Editor WILBUR BISHOP, JR. Advertising Manager ALLEN BAILEY Associate Editor Page 6 University of Oregon, Eugene, Thursday, January 6, 19t>6 Greeks Should Go Local The Delhi Gamma Case Prom Again That Nationals Hindci' Locals' Gmul Intentions Fraternities and sororities here have come under heavy criticism from this news paper. We have taken issue with Greek policies on hazing, relations with the Con duct Code, and racial discrimination. But we have also said that Greek houses have a lot to contribute to the University. They have made great strides in the past few years in some of these areas. Locals here have demonstrated their willingness to make changes and listen to criticism. But their efforts to keep pace with the changes taking place at the University are being held back by the hidebound tradi tionalist attitudes of their national organi zations. The University’s Delta Gamma chapter last term had an experience that demon strates how a national can stop a local’s efforts to make a contribution to a worth while program. DG wanted to contribute to the National Student Association’s Fast for Freedom—an effort to feed hungry South ern families—but had to get permission from its national first. The national said no, because it doesn’t want its girls to partici pate in any “political, sociological or ideo logical" programs. One of the major chang es that has taken place at this and other colleges is the student interest in political and social issues. But apparently it is the view of the national DG organization that this kind of activity is bad for sorority girls. We don’t propose to single out DG for special atention. Apparently a number of other sororities also have this clause in their charters. This case does demonstrate, though, that nationals are living in the past and are hindering sincere efforts by local chapters to adapt to the changing Univer sity and to continue to be a worthwhile part of it. There is a reason for this. Most of the Readers of national Greek organizations went to college before students became in terested in the central problems of society. The main problem most college students were interested in then was which party to go to on the next weekend. A fraternity or sorority was only a social organization. There was no reason for involvement in anything else—including the kind of edu cation students were getting. But today’s student is interested in these larger problems—civil rights, the war in Viet Nam. the problems of education. And Greeks are just as interested as anyone else. In fact, Greeks have an ideal opportunity to make a real contribution to the develop ment of the University, since they are co herent, organized groups. There is evidence that many of them would like to. But they are often hindered by outmoded national policies. It’s doubtful that locals here can do much to change these national policies. They’re set by alumni over whom the locals have no control. There seems to be only one other answer, and we endorse it strongly for University Greek chapters: pull out of the nationals. We fail to see any real objections to go ing local. The main problems are obviously financial, since the alumni organization usu ally owns the chapter’s house and gives it other financial backing. But we re certain that President Flemming would support any chapter that wanted to go local if its national put on financial pressure. As far as other advantages of national af filiation—contacts after graduation, etc.— they seem negligible when stacked up against the fact that locals to a large extent can’t determine their own future. Obviously, local fraternities and sororities are practi cal. They’ve worked well on other campus es. “Going local’’ would have no effect on a chapter’s local activities. Co-ops here have no nationals but are able to compete easily with the nationally-affiliated houses in cam pus activities. The advantages of dropping national af filiation seem to outweigh the disadvantag es. Greeks could make a much better con tribution to the University, if they weren’t held down by outmoded and hidebound na tional policies. Mr. Quill’s Impudence The recent actions of one Mr. Michael J. Quill, president of New York’s Transit Workers Union, have made a sham of hon est collective bargaining. Perhaps no other single event, save the criminal philanderings of the Teamsters’ Simmy Hoffa and Dave Beck, has done tnore to publicly display the avarice and ruthlessness which characterizes the atti tudes of some high-level labor leaders. Quill, now in custody of court for defying an injunction, said on his way to the jail liouse that he (and eight of his arrested Officials) will “rot” there until their de tnands are met. The demands are extrava gant, but not surprising—substantial in creases in wages and benefits combined with a 32-hour work week. In other w'ords, more toioney for less work. Quill, thus far, is showing little desire for a reasonable settlement of the strike, Sun day, one day after John Lindsay took over as New York’s new' mayor and found him self greeted with the strike call, Quill pro claimed on television that the real reason for the dispute was political rivalry be tween Lindsay and New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller. It’s quite unlikely that Lindsay would choose to usher himself into office with a massive transportation tieup. Mr. Quill must feel proud that he has brought the biggest American city to its knees, causing staggering economic losses. Ostensibly preaching the labor union theory of betterment for the laborer, Quill and his 34,000 transit workers have virtually de nied several million persons the right to move freely about their city to earn a living. It’s a sad day in the history of the labor movement when a union boss can stand be fore television cameras and literally tear apart an order from a court of law, as the impudent Mr. Quill has done, and thereby cause temporary chaos in the lives of mil lions of persons. pin. POVERTY WAR mi Letters to the Editor mm All letters to the editor must be typewritten and double spaced. Letters not over 300 words in length and those deal ing with one subject will be giv en preference for publication. All letters must be signed in ink and must give the class and major of the writer. Letters not meeting these criteria will be returned to the letter writer. The Emerald reserves the right to edit letters for style, gram mar, punctuation, and potential ly libelous content. No Meters! Emerald Editor: For some time it has been the burden of the ofT-campus stu dent to grumble and complain about the increasing expansion of parking meters around t h e campus, such activities general ly being ignored by the Uni versity. At least, new life mhy be infused into the battle. According to a story in the Jan. 4 Oregon Daily Emerald "Flemming Turns Down Park ing Change Request,” a study is to be made for extending park ing meters along Kincaid St to the Education Huilding and be tween Alder and Kincaid on 14th and 15th With this pro Other Editors Say j From the Corvallis Gazette Times Down at the University, where professors have been known to read dirty poetry in public just to demonstrate their academic freedom, some of these same professors violated an even more basic American freedom. By a margin of almost two to one, the University faculty vot ed to exclude the press from a faculty meeting. The primary topic of discussion, and this makes the action even more rep rehensive, was the expenditure of public funds. John Hulteng, the estimable dean of the University’s School of Journalism, correctly told the teachers they would get a much more accurate report in the newspapers if the press at tended in person and did not have to rely on second-hand re ports which were certain to leak out. The academicians were not impressed. The vote against ad mitting representatives from the Eugene Register-Guard and the student Oregon Daily Emer ald was 208 to 112. This is a deplorable view point at a University which “Howls” for liberalism and freedom of expression in all its forms for both faculty and stu dents. We are happy to report faculty meetings at Oregon State Uni versity have always been open to the press. posed expansion of pay parking a new group of .student* will be affected For the first time stu dents living in fraternities and sororities will be faced with the problem of meter feeding and parking tickets ' These groups have an advan tage not enjoyed by the off campus students. They have both organization and cohesion, the two basic qualities neces sary to be effective in any at tempt to challenge the Univer sity. As a member of that amorphous mass known as tho “off-campus student" I chal lenge the fraternities and sor orities that will be affected by this proposed expansion to take up the battle where we have failed, for their benefit as well as ours. James Tt. Hargreaves First Year f.aw Student Protests Construction Emerald Editor: As a student following cur rent trends on campuses, I pro test' Much was made of the construction confusion last Sep tember, and rightfully so. T h e situation has improved, but not so much that something should be said again. It seems a pity to sec such incompetence and waste made on the brand new sidewalk to tlie new student health service building A sidewalk was poured improperly and in about three weeks later the compressor and jack-hammer were at work again ripping it out. It also seems to me that an un reasonable amount of time is being spent on job completion making studying in the dorm area impossible. The noise in this dorm area coming from construction is not particularly conducive to study, especially with the approach of final exam inations. For three months one has had to suffer through noise outside the dorm, and be re signed to stay there and study because library and other study area facilities were grossly lim ited. The unattractive views of con struction in progress and t h e sloppy mess of mud in Oregon’s wet weather might—just might —have been bearable had it not been for the duration of the parking problem. The south (Continued on page 7) Oregon Dally Emerald Ramie Wilmarth, Sports Editor Norni Bor< iiHtein, Assistant M a mixing Editor Larry Lange, Assistant New# Editor Dave Butler, Feature Editor Shota Uhltio, Photo Editor Steve Dimeo, Entertainment Editor Mary Ann VVakasugi, Religious News Editor Editorial Board: Chuck Beggs, Bob Carl, Maxine Elliott, Phil Sernas, Allen Bailey, Pam Blndine, Karen Win it, ( lit! Kaufman, Gene Sokolski, Norni Borcnstein.
