PAGE TWO
The Daily Collegian Editorial Page
Editorials and column* appearing in The Dally Collegian represent the opinions o! the writer. They make no claim to reflect student or University consensus. Unsigned editorial# arc written bf Ifes adttety
Politics—Why, How
Latest activity in the campus political arena
centered about the abandonment of a new third
party, while still in its nebulous stage.
With sophomore elections approaching, perhaps
it would be wise to consider the purpose and oper
ation of campus politics, and Collegian’s policies
concerning it.
As a mechanism for nominating, campaigning
for and electing class and All-College officers,
politics fulfills what should be its only purpose
—to insure the election, in an orderly and
convenient manner, of the best-qualified students
possible.
After the inaugurations, however, political par
ties should leave the functions of student govern
ment in the hands of the elected officers, except
to assure that they perform their duties satis
factorily.
If a party tries to hamstring Cabinet, becomes a
pressure or special-interest group, or practices the
spoils-system philosophy of doling out the best
committee jobs as political plums, then that clique
is overstepping its bounds.
Collegian’s policy is simple, clear and straight
forward—that of a non-partisan observer and re
porter. Thus while it neither backs nor opposes
any clique, it nevertheless fulfills its duty to the
students by exposing the dirt and praising the
laudable in all parties.
Individual candidates, regardless of party affili
ation, are always subject to appraisal. Where
great differences of ability exist between two
opponents, illuminating facts will be presented.
To preserve Collegian’s traditional impartiality,
its junior and senior board members are not per
mitted to associate with any campus party, nor to
participate in any campaign activities. Political
activity by candidates and sophomore board mem
bers is encouraged, however, for the beneficial
experience and personal contacts they will
acquire.
This year’s editor, however, has never been a
clique member, and has never participated in
elections except as a voter. Furthermore he has
consistently cast his ballot for individuals, split
ting his ticket in every election.
Collegian pledges itself to a continuance of its
equal treatment to all political parties. Although
it will encourage non-party voters to mark their
ballots on the basis of individual qualifications
only, it encourages the maintenance of at least two
political cliques, as a mechanism for efficient elec
tions, the foundation upon which good student
government is built.
Dewey Wins!
If the national elections were held on campus
now, Thomas E. Dewey would be the next Presi
dent of the United States.
That is the result shown by a recent survey of
political opinion on the campus conducted by the
Daily Collegian.
The result on this score is hardly surprising
though, to one who knows the political back
backgrounds of most students at the College.
Pennsylvania, on the whole, is a state with a Re
publican tradition and its sons and daughters at
tending the College would naturally be expected
to follow in the steps of their parents.
A more surprising feature of the poll is the
number who voted other than for the major
candidates. J
According to the survey, no one backed Gov
ernor Thurmond for President while Dwight
Eisenhower, who is not even running, received
h?,? ™te No ° ne seriously believed that anyone
hut President Truman or Governor Dewey would
bn elected. u
Assuming that the sampling was accurate, and
e Y e t u y e H°^ t 'Y a , s j Cnt to , that Purpose, six percent
th ? V odv would like to see Henry Wal
lace m the White House.
Despite their particular preferences, students
eem to believe that Governor Dewey will find
mmself m the White House next January with a
Hill b ICan Houso as well as Senate oh Capitol
& sss
!sSMvnsaf r —• write
Editorial writers often decrv the political ao-uhv
ih » a numh egme v? tS v,° a thG P°P ulnti °n- In this surv-y
wnn i cr W » ho had no s P e " ifl " "Pinion was qude
low on almost every question. It would tend to
diow that most students, even though they mav
b f at ? le to take part in the election, are at'
ast thinking about it seriously.
®ift HatUj CnUpgtan
SuccM«or to THE EKEE EANCK. cat. 1877
thiMl y , hr T K 3 “ turduy ■n<*rnm K . inclusive dur
‘he 10l nee year by iho Haft of The Doily Culleition of The
'.•nn.sylvanm State College. Kntered a. eocond cTase matte'
luty 5. *934 «t the State College. Pa.. Pout Office under the
tct of March 3 1879 Subscriptions - $2 a semester. $4 tht
‘fiool year.
Represented fur notional advertising by Notional Advertis
hi; Service. Mndieun Avo„ New York. N.Y Chicago. Boston
’a.s Angeles San hrunHscn.
Editor
Lew Stone
STAFF THIS ISSUE
Managing Editor.
\sst. Mgr. Editor
News Editor
tsst. News Editor
< upy Editor _. .
-t. Cony Editor ...
'vertising Manager
■ tauts _
. _ Quelle Allen
Karl Boriafc
—Elliot Shapiro.
-SB
Eliot Krane
-. _ - Art HenniiiK
Sylvia Ockntr
(Gloria Isenhera
Dick lirosumtn
Barbara Wachtrl
Ed Hinkle
Bill Dittenhoffer
"Ah'll show him and his Civil-Rights Bill!"
For more than a year, Temple University student leaders have
had a problem that Penn State can’t imagine—empty seats at home
football games. With a seating capacity of from 30,000 to 40,000 in
the Temple Stadium, according to a recent editorial in the Temple
U. News, more than half the seats go unoccupied.
Let’s make a deal with them. Have therri bring up their own
stands for the State-Temple game and everyone will be happy.
In the Land of Jim Crow
Ray Sprigle, Pulitzer prize-winning reporter and staff member
oj "The Pittsburgh Post Gazette," recently disguished himself as a
Negro and for four weeks "lived black" in the South among his
fellow Americans. In a series of twelve articles, beginning today in
The Daily Collegian, he presents his findings. Mr. Sprigle has
changed the names of persons and pldces in some instances to pro
tect those involved.
Next: A discussion in a pleasant Negro home,
I quit being white, and free,
and an American citizen when I
climbed aboard that Jim Crow
coach in Washington Union sta
tion. From then on, until I came
up out of the South four weeks
later, I was black, and in bondage
—not quite slavery but not quite
freedom, either. My rights of citi
zenship ran only as far as the
nearest white man said they did.
Not that that Jim Crow coach
was particularly bad—when re
garded solely as a railroad coach.
In fact, ft was surprisingly good.
The reclining seats were com
fortable. The wash room was
really luxurious compared with
those in some of the coaches I
ride around home. Seats -were
numbered and reserved, fhere
was no crowding.
But—even excellent accommo
dations are not going to reconcile
intelligent, cultured Negroes to
Jim Crow. My companion and I
were having a little difficulty in
finding the black section of tne
train. He encountered the daugh
ter of an old friend of his. a
handsomely-dressed, quite beail
tiful Negro girl, and asked 'viiere
the Jim Crow coaches were.
School Teacher Goes Home
“There’s the things we’ll ride
in,” she said with a contemptu
ous wave toward the two pieces
of Jim Crow rolling stock. It de
veloped that she was a school
teacher from Harlem on her way
home to visit her aged mother.
(Weeks later we passed through
the sun-baked, dusty, sprawling
little town where the mother
lived. There was a vast difference
between that unkempt town and
the fashionable, cultured-appear
ing girl from Harlem with up
swept hair-do and latest doo-dads
in the way of costume.)
Both coaches were filled. The
crowd was like any other group
of travelers one might encounter
anywhere—e xce p t, of course,
that nearly everyone was on the
decidedly brunette side. Every
one was courteous and quiet.
Even the inevitable drunk who
Edit Briefs
By Ray Sprigle
seems to be standard equipment
on every railroad coach in the
world was annoying only because
he was so insistently polite.
So, early in the journey, some
of the many absurdities—idiocies
might be a better word—that
mark' the Jim Crow system began
to develop. To get to the diner
we had to traverse half a dozen
Pullman coaches. My companion
stopped to introduce me to at
least three Negroes riding Pull
man—a doctor from Atlanta, a
minister and a businessman. And
I was astonished to learn that
Jim Crow doesn’t go on a Pull
man. If you’ve got the price you
ride Pullman, no matter how
black you are.
Ho Wait in Diner
In the corridor of the dining
car a long line of whites waited
tor vacant tables. My companion,
leading the way, brushed un
ceremoniously past them.
“Oh. oh, now comes trouble, so
early,” I said to myself. But it
was just that he knew the ropes
and I didn’t. There were no §eats
for white folks but at the end of
the diner were two tables cur
tained off from the rest of the
ear, and vacant. They were for
us while the white folks stood.
Just what protection that curtain
affords the white folks I don’t
think that any living human has
ever figured out. We could watch
them eat and they could watch
us eat. There weren’t any cur
tains around the Negro waiters
who served their food with black
hands.
I don’t know what kind of
service the white folks got from
those waiters. But ours was
something right out of the old
South. Our food arrived on the
jump—promptly—and hot. Our
waiter “sirred” us its I’ve never
been "sirred” before.
Across from us a family group
took over the other table. He was
a navy petty officer—spick and
span—and black. His wife was
(Continued on page six)
FRIDAY. OCTOBER 29. 1948
NAACP, It Means—
Abbreviations are many at the College, but
NAACP is one with a purpose.
NAACP means the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People. This organization
was founded formally in New York City as an
outgrowth of race-rioting which occurred in
Springfield, Illinois, in |948. It is somewhat ironi
cal that the race-riots which promoted the move
ment had occurred in Abraham Lincoln’s home
town.
This nation-wide association has an inter-racial
membership of approximately 400,000 distributed
in senior branches, youth councils and 60 college
chapters.
Membership is not restricted to Negroes alone.
The original founder, Mrs. Mary Ovington White
of New York, who is not a Negro, is still alive and
active in the program.
In the national legal field, 24 out of 26 cases
argued before the U.S. Supreme Court were won
by NAACP. These cases regarded education, vot
ing, segregation, mob violence, exclusion from jury
service to mention only a few.
Pressure groups were greatly aided by the as
sociation in working for the enactment of FEPC
legislation, anti-poll tax, and anti-lynch acts.
To bring things closer to home, the State Col
lege group was organized in May. A few of its
plans are to use direct and indirect action tech
niques to eliminate racial and religious discrimi
nation wherever it may exist. To promote cultural
programs and to point out accomplishments and
contributions of the Negro people to the world.
Educational programs will also be promoted to
emphasize Negro history, tracing it from its origin,
Africa, to the present era.
Cooperation with the national office of NAACP
in various fields of endeavor will be continued.
The local group meets every Wednesday night
and announcement of time and place will be pub
lished in the Daily Collegian.
No one race or creed is welcome more than
another. Any interested person may attend the
meetings and is invited to become a part of the
organization. NAACP offers an opportunity to
work for, and bring the country closer to Its stated
principles of democracy.
At Last
Hats off to the student committee composed of
Joe Colone, Men’s Athletic Association president:
William Lawless, All-College president; Terry
Ruhlman, senior class president; and Lew Stone,
Daily Collegian editor.
This committee has proved that by using com
mon sense and ingenuity a plan can be adopted
whereby a faster, more efficient and more pleas
ant way of ticket distribution is possible.
To prevent a recurrence of the “dawn patrol”
which appeared in front of Old Main for the Penn
tickets, a plan was adopted by this committee,
with the approval of Harold “Ike” Gilbert, grad
uate manager of athletics, whereby applications
for tickets for the Pitt game will be accepted by
mail next Monday.
Applications postmarked earlier than 7 p.m.
Sunday or after midnight Monday will be ignored
since the student quota is restricted to 3500 seats.
Besides not having to stand in line from two to
four hours, individuals desiring to sit together in
blocks may mail their applications together, ac
cording to the newly adopted plan.
COLLEGIAN GAZETTE
Brief notice* of meeting* and other event* nut be submitted
to The Daily Collegian office in Carnegie Ball by 2 p.m. ef
the day before the issue in which it is desired to appear.
Friday, October 29
PENN STATE BIBLE FELLOWSHIP, 405 Old
Main, 7 p.m.
College Hospital
Admitted Wednesday: Philip Klemick, Fred
Wiker, Charles Shenot and Pete Gorinski.
Discharged Wednesday: Mackey Emmert, Keith
Grant and Bruce Wallace.
Admitted Thursday: Audrey Eppley, Melvin
Widrow and Robert Martarana.
Discharged Thursday: Arlene Mack, Don De
sandro, John Stanford and Charles Shenot.
College Placement
Arrangements for interviews should be made la
204 Old Main at once
E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., November 1
to 5, seventh and eighth semester men from Chem
istry, Chem Eng, ME and Mining Eng.
Proctor and Gamble Co., November 2 and 3,
eighth semester men from ME, EE, lE, Chem Eng
Chem, and Commercial Chemistry. ’
Brown Instrument Co., November 9 and 10,
eighth semester men from EE, ME and Physics.
Carnegie-Illinois Steel Co., November 8 and 9,
eighth semester men from ME, lE, EE, CE, Metal
lurgy and Chem Eng.
Calep Chemical Division of American Cyana
mid, November 3, eighth semester men from Chem
and Chem Eng.
Student Employment
Students interested in working as substitute
waiters and dishwashers, etc., over the week-ends.
EE’s and Physicists interested in apparatus as
sembly relating to relays and solenoids.
Girls for housework.
■ Veteran’s wife to make beds.
At the Movies
CATHAUM—Southern Yankee.
STATE—That’s My Man.
NITT ANY—Hatters Castle.
—Arnold Gerton.
—George Vadass.