PACE TWO
The Dally Collegian Editorial Page
Udnnriain and eolumne appearing in The Dally Collegian repreeent the oplnlona at Iha writer. They make na data ta reflect atadent or ITnlre ratty eonoenaua. Unatrnad editerlale are written fey the edtteek
Worth $1000?
Is Penn State getting its money’s worth from its
NSA affiliation? National Student Association dues
and convention expenses will consume $lOOO of
the 1948-49 Interclass Finance budget.
Penn State has been instrumental in the forma
tion and growth of NSA, nearly from its inception,
and has compiled an enviable record of participa
tion and leadership in conventions and in the re
gional and national organization.
But of what use is all this prestige to the indi
vidual students who compose NSA, and for whose
benefit NSA exists?
The ultimate worth of NSA can be measured
only on the basis of concrete accomplishments on
each individual campus.
Granted the local committee has consumed
much time and energy planning for the year’s pro
gram and the regional assembly, as well as con
ducting many surveys, what has it done to im
prove the College?
If NSA is to fulfil its proper function as an
association of students, it must create student
interest in itself. To do this, a program of action,
properly publicized, is absolutely necessary.
What happened to the publicity campaign and
the membership drives? Why have the delegates
to the national assembly failed to prepare reports
for publication in Collegian?
All-College Cabinet, as the sponsor and patron
of NSA on this campus, cannot be relieved of the
responsibility for ascertaining that Penn State
students are receiving full value from the NSA
appropriation.
The Public Grows Up
Whether we like it or not, the picket line, like sex, is here to
Indeed, one might go so far as to call this the “Age of the
Picket Line.”
The picketing by the NAACP to protest refusal of State College
barbers to cut the hair of Negroes is nothing new; for the past
several years the picket line has no longer been confined to the
working men striking for higher wages, but has teen employed by
numerous groups wishing to get a message across to the public.
Student picketing has almost been the vogue for the last few
years. In addition, white-collar employees, such as those in the stock
exchange, have hit the pavements carrying signs and hurling cat
calls at scabs. Even men of the cloth have joined the lines and have
taken an active part in picketing. Men, women, and sometimes even
children, have registered their protest against situations or events
in this way.
AH in all, it’s a good sign; it augers well for the future. Picket
lines, when they become so widely-spread, begin to indicate the de
gree to which the public is beginning to come to grips with the
problems that face it, problems which usually would go unnoticed
,-ave by a few avid reformers.
Once the people take a more active interest in the conditions
which surround them—the conditions which, by constituting their
environment, play a great role in shaping individual lives and atti
tudes—then the alert public will begin to look after its own in
terests and take action to protect those interests.
So don”t be disturbed about the picket lines. They’re merely
symptom of a populace finally coming of age.
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—L. D. Gladfelter
Site Safety VaL
• Because of the controversial nature and
extreme importance of the subject matter (and
the availability of space), letters exceeding the
200-word limit have not been cut.
Annual Bandwagon
TO THE EDITOR: Every year the Penn State
student body gets on a bandwagon—And every
years end sees that same bandwagon stuck in the
mire that results when the members fail to think
out the broad scope of the problems at hand.
Now you have a boycott of barbers . . . Swell!
The correction of a problem starts at home, not on
alien ground—And I for one have seen no local
person in the picket line.
If these so-called reformers are truly against
discrimination they will refuse to live in fraterni
ties, sororities or rooming houses which hold dis
criminatory practices. I don’t imagine they’ll do
this because it would directly jar their comfortable
way of life. I guess over 70 % are at present paying
for the privilege of living in discriminatory sur
roundings.
“Don’t cut your hair here—wait till you go
home!” Don’t make me laugh. Do you all come
from non-discriminating home towns? I doubt it.
I hope all the girls who are picketing stop going
to their home town barber shops and beauty par
lors, if they find out discrimination exists in any
single one of them. . . .
I also hope no one else will be led into the
glamour of your first picket line job with discrimi
nation as your excuse. It is far more serious than
just joking in front of a barber who is only pro
tecting his business. Only through education and
evolution, not revolution, will this deep rooted
problem be settled.
Don’t, by any means, let nature take its slow
course. Hold educational sessions here and at
home. Meat with your own Chamber of Commerce
and try to amiably solve your home town discrimi
natory problems in an intelligent, lasting way.
When you feel like carrying signs—show up at
next years “Beat Pitt” Rally! I’m sure your efforts
will really be appreciated then.
—Mike L. Horen, '4B.
Where the $ Goes
TO THE EDITOR: In Wednesday's Collegian it
is stated that “if the men (who eat in the Nittany
Dining Hall) had a good explanation of where the
money goes they would be satisfied.” Undoubtedly
some of us would be pleased to learn that we are
contributing to a fund for The Society of Aged
and Indigent Dieticians and Dining Hall Super
visors, or some such worthy cause.
The real issue, however, seems to be the indis
pqtable fact that we are paying for something we
do not receive. To illustrate, let me cite the cur
rent month. In December, we shall pay $5O for
food and $2O for lodging despite the fact that the
vast majority of students will not be here for half
of this month. In short, we shall pay $25 for food
we will not receive and $lO for beds we will not
sleep in.
It is common knowledge that the living expenses
of a student living in town or Tri-Dorms are less
than ours m spite of the fact that, judged on the
basis of cost, meals in the Nittany Dining Hall
suffer by comparison both in quality and quantity.
Still I believe most of us feel the exorbitant rates
are compensated by the privilege of living in the
“spacious” rooms of Nittany Dorms and dining in
the "homelike” atmosphere of the mess hall. It
will be interesting to note, however, if anyone can
satisfactorily explain this assessing of almost half
a month’s subsistence without apparent justi
fication.
From time to time, the Collegian publishes edi
torials decrying the lack of school spirit here at
State. I ask you. in all fairness, can any student
display school spirit under an administration
FRIDAY. DECEMBER IT 1!
Driving Company
Heh! Heh! Heh! Go ahead and eat those words.
So you thought it didn’t seem enough like Christ
mas without snow. Well, I did you a short favor,
I talked to the people on the top floor about send
ing a little "atmosphere.” Have to admit, though,
that I did have a slightly selfish motive. After all,
it would have been a rather dull holiday without
all this slippery stuff on the streets.
Who am I? Well, I am quite a celebrity. In fact
I’ll go as far as to say that you’ll read more about
me in the city newspapers than any other "Wheel.’*
Sometimes I just rate a bunch of little one column
notices, and sometimes I’m flattered with a blazing
banner headline. You really are quite fortunate to
meet me . . . it’s a thrill you experience only once
in a . ... lifetime.
Say you’re ready to go now? Let’s see . . . 224
miles . . . hmmm . . . that should take about four
hours. Come on, come on, pass that “Dull Tool.”
You’ll never make any time behind this . . . er
. . . funeral . . . procession. Truck in the other di
rection? I’ll bet your life you can make it. Tell
those people in the back seat to shut up. Who’s
driving this car anyway? them ... or Us?
See? You’re O.K. so far. Watsa matter? You’re
not going to “goof off” going down this hill are ya?
You’ll never kill any time this way. The ice? Aw
you’re a good driver.
Car’s spinning? What’dya know. Re-lax, there’s
nothin’ you can do now. Well, isn’t that a shame
... no railing on the side of the road . . . pretty
good little drop too. See you down-stairs, friend.
Heh !Heh! Heh! I can just see it, “Death (that’s
me, by the way) takes five students.” What an
operator, what an operator!
which is obviously working overtime devising new
ingenious methods for “extracting its pound
—John Peri cola.
• The editor, who lives and eats downtown,
has been ignorant of reader Pericola's "com
mon knowledge" of the comparative costs,
quality and quantity of meals downtown and
'.'on the Hill."
As to the "indisputable facts" about value re
ceived, we are unable to say, since we .are not
yet acquainted with the true facts. The findings
of the All-College Cabinet food committee will
receive the fullest publicity, however.
Colossal Nerve
TO THE EDITOR: NAACP, incited by irre
sponsible leaders whose names are familiar as
leaders of last year’s Y.P.C.A., took an irrespon
sible, rash step without any regard for more capa
ble, intelligent groups already in the field and now
has the colossal nerve to demand that all respec
table organizations back up their action or be
counted Jim Crows.
Is a doctor expected to prescribe any old medi
cine if he is not sure of the correct one simply on
the grounds that some medicine is better than
none at all? NAACP is trying to force medicine
down the throat of a patient not yet ready for it,
and if they succeed, that medicine will be vomited
up in the near future with explosive force and
tragic results.
. T h ? boycott has only served to crystallize oppo
sition and cannot hope to achieve permanent re
sults. It is a minority weapon and therefore can
pot expect support from organizations that exist
by reason of a system of government based on
majority rule through legislative action. Christian
students, who do not believe that the end justifies
the means, know that racial discrimination must
be wiped out of the hearts of men by true faith
m Christ.
P,S. Collegian is violating the tradition of dem
ocratic newspapers by not restricting its views to
the editorial page.
'Erotic ' Lights
TO THE EDITOR: Regarding the headline in
Tuesday’s Collegian: lights are only "erotic” when
turned off.
_ —Jim Heinly.
• Reader Heinly is so right! "erotic: tending
to excite sexual desire."—Webster.
Collegian Gazette
College Hospital
Admitted Wednesday: Claire Dunkleberger.
Admitted Thursday: Judith PoKempner.
Discharged Thursday: John Karcha, Joseph
O’Donnell, Martin Garflnkel, Inge Hoffman, Eve
lyn Smith, Robert Patton.
At the Movies
CATHAUM—Johnny Belinda.
NITTANY—SiIver River.
STATE—Christopher Blake.
latly Collegian
Successor to THE nil LANCE. sst. 13(7
Published Tuudiy through Saturday mornings (neluslvs dar*
111 tbs Collegs year by the itaff of The Dally Collegian of Tbo
Pannaylvania State College. Entered aa eeeond claaa Matter
July I. 1934. at the State Collage, Pa.. Poet OJflae ondar tfca
'ct of If arch S. 1179. Subaarig iooa It a earn eater, (4 tb*
lehoo) year.
Editor
Lew Stono
STAFF THIS ISSUE
Niwi Editor
Copy Editor I.’ Ed Weteaa
Aaalatanta
—Jo Fox.
—Joseph F. Albert.
Business Manages
Vance C. Klepper
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