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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 7, 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 LARRY LANGE News Editor BOB CARL Managing Editor PHIL SEMAS Associate Editor WILBUR BISHOP, JR. Advertising Manager MAXINE ELLIOTT Associate Editor Page 6 University of Oregon, Eugene. Thursday, April 7, 1966 Try the Festival The International Festival, which is prob ably the most successful student-run activ ity at the University in recent years, will .celebrate its third anniversary next week, in the three years since Anant Chavan. Uni versity student from India, conceived of the idea, the Festival has grown into an event that has drawn widespread applause from the highest officials, both nationally and internationally. The Festival, involving students from over 90 nations, is run entirely by the stu dents with no professional assistance. It is the largest event of its kind in the United States. It has been commended by President Johnson. U.N. Secretary General U Thant, tlie U.S. Information Agency and a multi tude of civic service groups. The USIA has distributed printed material overseas on the Festival and portions of last year’s Festival were aired on Voice of America broadcasts, ft. Sargent Shriver, until recently director of the Peace Corps and presently director of the federal War on Poverty, will be this year's honored guest. It is a bit surprising that the Festival has been so widely received in Oregon, which has some reputation as being slightly pro vincial in its attitudes. But last year, of the more than 10.000 persons who watched Festival shows in person, only 10 per cent were University students. Busloads of adults and children came from all parts of the state to see the event. But the 10 per cent figure is also surpris ing. It would seem that students would be most interested in this type of event. The Festival, above and beyond any financial aspects, has a6 its main purpose the further ing of good will and understanding betw een peoples of the world, especially young peo pie. In these times of rapidly expanding communications, and of international con flicts, such a goal is both commendable and priceless. It is to Mr. Chavan’s credit that he has been able to do so much in con tributing to this effort. About 90 per cent of the students are missing a good chance to aid tiie cause and learn something besides. Don Duncan One of the most noteworthy speakers of the year will lecture tonight in the Student Union Ballroom. His name is Don Duncan, former sergeant and member of the elite Special Forces of the U.S. Army. Mr. Duncan served 18 months active com bat duty in Viet Nam. He has been behind many enemy lines and has an impressive string of awards for his service. But his most unique distinction is that, in the light of a promotion offer, he quit the Armed Services and, in doing so, voiced his disgust with the way the war in that Southeast Asian nation is being run. Duncan may be said to be an exception to the rule, and it is possible that there are other reasons for his resigning from the Ar my besides his dissatisfaction with the war effort. Nevertheless, he speaks from direct experience in the combat zone, a distinc tion few persons can claim. And he appar ently possesses a great deal of courage to challenge the operation of an institution in which he spent 10 years. It is likely that anyone who attends his Thursday speech will benefit from the insights of a man who has been in direct contact with the most debated and controversial military effort this country has pledged itself to. Letters to the Editor Hill Replies Emerald Editor: There are many things I would like to say in answer to LIr Camp's ‘open letter" to me (April 4), but most of them would not be printable. But there are a few things I would tike to set straight here and now. (1) I am not a segregationist. I do happen to believe that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is un constitutional and I do believe that the South should be al lowed to solve its own racial problems. This does not qualify ine as a segregationist. (2) Young Americans for Freedom has nothing to do with my proposed anti-vigil. Indivi dual members may join, but the organization is not backing me in any way. (3) The purpose of the anti vigil is to demonstrate to the faculty that some students still feel that a faculty member still has some rights in the class room. Personally, I don't think that it is such a terrible thing to say “yes sir, professor.” Let me say that this is the first time I have ever been call ed an “Uncle Tom.” That may he so. Perhaps in this day of “student freedom” it is wrong to respect faculty members as peo ple who have knowledge which, if I am observant, they may im part to me. No faculty member lias ever treated me as a child, only as a student. To me, it is shocking to realize that some one of Mr. Camp’s intelligence (Yes, Virginia, there are intel ligent people from Mississippi) would put our faculty on the same level as a bunch of rac ists. Long live Uncle Tom! Jim Hill Freshman, Pol. Sci. * * * Don Duncan Emerald Editor: Who is Premier Nyugen Ky? Who and v/hat does he repre sent? What Ls the meaning of the current student and budd hist demonstrations in Da Nang and in Saigon? Why are these demonstrations anti - government and anti-American? W'hy are Marines and Army personnel trudging through the swamps, getting killed, and hav ing to kill men, women and chil dren indiscriminately? W'hy do Navy and Air Force jets bomb, strafe and napalm villages and jungles in a kind of terrorism unmatched by the most atroci ous Viet Cong deeds? What are the implications for the several hundreds of thou sands of college students who are facing an increasing draft call and are being told of their ‘ obligation” to American ideals of freedom abroad and to the freedom of the Vietnamese peo pie? How many of these students have an understanding of so cial revolution, of unequal so cial conditions, or even of free dom here at home or anywhere in the world? What repercus sion is the current form of Am erican foreign policy having on the exercising of freedom here at home and on the observance of sacred constitutional rights of citizens to question, to dis sent, to determine their own “wars”? Why are students, pro testors, and pacifists beaten, jeered, and jailed almost daily by intemperate US. citizenry? What do you as potential draftees, as ROTC personnel, as conscientious believers in Am erican ideals, or as pacifists face? What do you face in this homicidal war in Viet Nam? Every student of draft age should be sincerely asking him self these questions and should not be content with accepting the answers given out by the State Department or the mass news media. Democracy and freedom is much more than this. Every student should be examining his “obligation” to his country, his “obligation” to himself, through a self-sought study and analysis. Not to do so is the misuse the word “de mocracy.” Don Duncan, a retired-by choice master sergeant in the U.S. Special Forces “Green Beret” service, who spent 18 months in Viet Nam fighting in that revolution will be brought to the University cam pus April 7. What he has to say is of the upmost concern to each and every male of draft age. I sincerely hope that stu dents will turn out en masse to hear this man speak. Philip Brandt Junior, Anth. J V> vtC iverr/ Yes ... it docs moke your hygiene book more interesting, . . . but are you sure we could sell it at the Co-op? QJ, Era A Why We Should Make Our Voices Heard Editor’s Note: This column was written by Gale Brock, a graduate student In Interdisciplinary studies at the University. Brock has traveled in Europe several times and has been to Russia once. Big business is making fortunes from the Viet Nam war, obvious even without the effect of the "peace scares” on the stock market, and businessmen seldom consider it their obligation to support any view harmful to their interests. This is understandable. Military leaders, as a result of selection, training, and ego involve ment, take a narrow, one sided militaristic stance. This is understandable Politicians, from the lowest to the highest level, see advantages in a medium-sized, distant war—it stimulates industry, cuts un employment, and. most important, provides a rallying |>oint around which the hates and fears of a nation can be mobilized to insure support. Few politicians have the courage of Senators Fulbright, Gruening, McCarthy, Morse, and Young to resist the fever to dare, perhaps, to think tiiat our "defense" department can do other than defend, that the line is slim between what may be called treason at a moment of heat, and what is truly loyalty to American ideals of two centuries This is understandable VOICE OF PEOPLE But where are the voices of the American people, of the millions more knowledgeable, more educated, more sophisticated than ever before in the history of any one nation? What do we think of the "International Communist Conspiracy"? Do we still believe that Russia, China, Poland, Cuba, Yugoslavia, and North Viet Nain are one great monster, about to destroy us’ Can they look as menacing to us as we look to any of them, with our ring of nuclear bases around them, our nuclear subs off their coasts, and our planes flying around the world day and night, each apparently carrying four nuclear bombs7 What do we think of Communist underdeveloped countries? Admittedly they provide few markets for our surpluses ami no bases for our planes. But are their governments no more oppressive to their people and ultimately dangerous than the governments of Franco, Salazar. Batista, Chiang Kai-shek, Diem, or Ky, supported by the money and armed might of the "United States? GENEVA AGREEMENT Can wo allow an underdeveloped country without education or tradition for democracy, in accordance with a Geneva agreement approved by us, to decide through a supervised election to adopt a communist system if 80 per cent (according to Eisenhower) of its voters wish it? Was our lighting in Viet Nam instigated and begun surrepti tiously and enlarged as response to public relations measures permitted? Are we supporting a dictatorial government we created of refu gees, landlords, and hangers-on of the French, against the wishes of the vast majority of the people? Are we solidifying world opinion against us by herding villagers into concentration camps, bombing, destroying crops, unleashing the inhuman weapons of the laboratory and the vast resources of the United States against a primitive people? Are we killing and dying in a war which antagonizes our allies, frightens neutrals, and strengthens the resolve of our enemies? MUST WE NEGOTIATE If we sincerely want peace must we negotiate with our principal opponent, the NLF, and agree to respect the Geneva agreements and withdraw, regardless of adverse election results? If we believe that the answer to all, or even some, of these and similar questions is yes, can we find our voices to protest? If we believe that our vote, one of millions, counts, does not our letter one in thousands, count as well? Let us show our friends and our legislators that our interests are not tiivial and facetious, our education is not in vain, and our intelligence and perception do not permit our captivation by tho worn-out phrases of militarism and reaction.
