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
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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.