PAGE FOUR
Saihj Collegian
SicctMoi to THE FREE LANCE, wit. 1887
Published Tuesday through Saturday mornings inclusive
during the College year by the staff of The Daily Collegian
of The Pennsylvania State College.
Entered as second-class matter July 6, 1934, at the State
College. Pa. Post Office under the act of March 8, 1879.
Collegian editorials represent the viewpoints of the writ*
era, not necessarily the ooliey of the newspaper. (Jnsigne*
editorials are by the editor.
Mar 7 Krasnanslcy
Editor '
Managing Ed., Ron Bonn; City Ed.. George Glazer;
“Ports Ed., Ernie Moore: Edit. Dir., Bob, Fraser: Makeup
Ed.. Moylan Mills; Wire Ed., Len Kolasinski; Society Ed.,
Carolyn Barrett; Feature Ed., Rosemary Delahanty: Asst.
City Ed., Lee Stern: Asst. Sports Eds., Da/e Colton, Bob
Vosburg; Asst Society Ed.. Greta Weaver; Librarian. Millie
Martin; Exchange Ed.. Paul Beighley: Senior Bd.. Bud
Fenton.
STAFF THIS ISSUE
Night editor: Jim Gromiller; copy editors:
Jake Highton, Lynn Kahanowitz: assistants:
Fred Singer, Jim Peters, Gus Vollmer, Bob
Baumgardner.’.
Advertising staff: Frank Kelly, Bette Agnew.
Rash Actions Not
Only in Hollywood
The accounts in Saturday’s papers of a slap
ping incident involving actor James Mason and
author-playwrite-composer William Saroyan
probably brought from most readers- only a
shrug and a murmur something to the effect
that “one can’t expect much more from that
crowd out in Hollywood.”
We feel, however, the problem presented is
one which, is very common here in State Col
lege. The incident occurred when actor Mason
became annoyed at the constant yammering
going on a few rows in front of him during the
showing of a movie. After about 15 minutes,
Mason got up, told the offender, Saroyan, to
shut up, and slapped him.
While most of us probably would have not
reacted as violently as Mason, we all have
felt at one lime or another like doing the
same thing.
Here, however, our problem is not so much
the unthinking talker—though there are plenty
of them—but with another and even more
bothersome movie pest. This is the jokester
who, during a dramatic scene in a picture, feels
he must reveal to the audience his “very witty”
mind and breaks'the silence with an “extremely
funny” and, to him, appropriate remark which
brings forth raucous and appreciative laughter
from his cronies.
The person who has made the remark is almost
invariably a College student who has arrived
after the picture has started and who hasn’t yet
gotten the meaning of the scene, or one who has
found the picture above him and who, there
fore, has become quite bored. Finally, thinking
himself at least an average person, he decides
that the rest of the audience is bored, too, and
takes it upon himself to “liven the place up.”
Or sometimes the “entertainer” wants to dis
play his wordly knowledge by making an “ap
propriate” remark after a line from the sound
track which, by a great stretch of the imagina
tion, can be taken to have a double meaning.
Indeed, he sits there just waiting for such a line.
His remark is then followed by catcalls and
whistles from other sections of the theater from
similar characters who haven’t been quite as
fast on the draw.
The result is that a good bit of the screen
dialogue is blotted out while the poor, in
terested spectators must struggle to hear
what's being said on the screen and try to re
establish themselves in the mood that was so
stupidly broken.
We think it's about time that Time maga
zine's "silent generation" learned to be silent
at the right times.
Unification Nearer
The approval of the Schuman plan by the
lower house of the parliament of West Germany
brings an economic unification of Europe one
step closer. Under the plan, West Germany,
France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, and
Luxembourg will share the coal and steel re
sources of the Ruhr area.
This cooperation between countries involved
in the defense of the free world will strength
en existing agreements such as the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization. And since the
Schuman plan is to operate for the next fifty
years, it is not 100 much to hope that agree
ments above the level of economic lies will
be produced—maybe to culminate in a United
States of Europe. ’
One fact that is regrettable is Britain’s char
acteristic aloofness to engage in a continental
inspired plan. At first, the attitude of Britain
caused" consternation among the other six na
tions but they proceeded to spell out the for
mula for the plan.
The link between Germany and France may
overcome suspicion of those two countries of
each other, which in the past has indirectly led
to two world wars. Furthermore, by approving
the Schuman idea. West Germany will gain an
equal role in the general scheme of the defense
of Europe.
“A little tact and wise management may often
erase resistance, and carry a point, where direct
■force might be in vain.”—Anonymous
Edward Shan ken
Business Mgr.
—Dave Pellniiz
—Len Kolasinski
THIS DAILY COLLEGIAN. STATE CctILEGE. PENNSYLVANIA
If Customs Go*
Here’s a Substitute
For some time now we have felt that customs,
as now practiced, were on their way out. Many
colleges across the nation have eliminated them
as childish, immature, and detrimental to a
sane conception of college values. Even at Penn
State, where customs still exist, they are being
met with an indifference which will eventually
kill them in one way or another.
But supporters of the ritual claim that cus
toms orient freshmen to the Penn State way of
life and acquaint newcomers with college spirit
and ideals. Thus, if we eliminate customs, what
will take their place?
If we look closely at an all-100-scaniily pub
licized function of the offices of the deans of
men and women, we will find the basis for an
adult approach to freshman : seasoning. The
Orientation Week program supervised by these
offices and administered with the help of the
administration and students offers, if expand
ed, an intelligent approach to the problem.
This program is relatively new and each year
kinks have to be ironed out.as new methods
are experimented with, so that a sizable slice
of time would have to be spent in working this
program into a replacement for customs.
Even if the program were not perfect in its
first semesters of operation, it would certainly
be better than customs, which are of virtually
no value. The one aspect of customs which
could be retained would be the name cards and,
possibly, the green dinks. These practices do
have the assets of acquainting-members of the
frosh class with others in their class and with
the upperclasses.
But a specific, well-planned orientation pro
gram could accomplish many things which cus
toms ignore completely. The frosh could he in
structed in every phase of Penn State life from
class-room'*procedure. to extracurricular activi
ties. How the College is financed and adminis
tered and the past achievements and future
hopes of Penn State could be presented to the
newcomers. If possible, the persons responsible
for each aspect of College life could meet with
the frosh. These get-togethers would break down
many of the barriers between the newcomers
and the higher-ups and create a more knowing,
a more understanding student body in' later
years. ,
The frosh class could be broken into small
groups and actually shown, for instance, the
operation of the Student Union office, the
placement office, the Chemistry and Physics
department, the Players' advertising crew,
etc. Tours of the campus, currently part of the
present orientation program, could be kept in
the overhauled system.
Social get-togethers could be a portion of the
program. At such gatherings, the College songs
and cheers could be injected in the proceedings.
There is no limit to what this program could
include. It wouldn’t be perfect at first but it
would be much improved over the present sys
tem which teaches the frosh, among other mal
practices, how to avoid being caught dating
during the period when frosh dating is for
bidden.
We feel this system shows possibilities of pro
ducing freshmen capable of entering Penn State
life knowing more of what to expect from
higher learning, capable of shouldering campus
responsibilities with an attitude of intelligence.
Certainly it merits consideration as a replace
ment for a customs system which is barren of
almost everything but horse-play.
—Moylan Mills
Safety Valve —
Cooperation and
Could Ease Parking Situation
TO THE EDITOR: It is true that parking
conditions on Penn State’s campus are in a very
poor state. Those who would park after 8:05
a.m., or 1:25 p.m., may drive ’round and ’round
the area in which their business lies, gnashing
teeth and gears, both to no avail.
It does seem that an institution as large, as
Penn State, with all its state and federal aid,
with all its new building, could, at compara
tively small additional expense, provide ade
quate parking facilities. It would also seem, to
the writer at least, that in addition to building
additional parking spaces—in, fact, prior to the
building of additional space—existing facilities
should be utilized fully. The unusual sight is to
* find three or more cars parked with the two to
three feet between bumpers allowed in any
city’s parallel-curb parking spaces.
It is the firm opinion of the writer that if
the ill-bred drivers abounding on campus will
not be considerate enough of others to utilize
the space efficiently, the Campus Patrol, in the
name of economic efficiency 'and fairness, should
organize parking regulations in such a manner
as to eliminate the extravagant practices of
these drivers. Curb spaces large enough for a
good driver to park an ordinary car should be
clearly marked off on the streets named. Then
a follow-up campaign of those large, firmly
glued posters of last fall, pasted across, the
windshield of any driver careless or inconsider
ate enough to park incorrectly anywhere on
campus, should soon bring to the fore the in
herent sense of decency and fair play now so
apparently lying dormant in many drivers of
campus cars.
When efficient use of existing facilities has
been established, plans to increase facilities
should be taken under consideration by the
proper authority. The campus is certainly large
- and spacious enough to provide abundant space.
—Eugene A. Roden
• Letter Cut,
Little Man On Campus
*.'
The Old
Millstreom
The have gone one step too far, at least in
Hollywood. And that timid colossus has finally decided to uphold
its integrity and fight back.
A group called the Wage Earners Committee of the TJ.S.A. Inc.
has attacked Stanley Kramer, producer of such fine, off-beat films
as “Champion,” “Home of the Brave,” and “The Men.” Kramer
has been called “notorious for his
Red-slanted, Red-starred films”
in a circular distributed, by the
Wage Earners
A number of instances are on
the record of other Hollywoodites
who have been attacked and who
fought back but they have al
ways had to fight alone. The
movie colony never rose in a
body because it was afraid of
what such concerted action might
do to the box-office. But the Kra
mer attack was the last straw.
The cinema industry has decided
to back Kramer to the hilt by
concurring with him in his mil
lion dollar libel suit brought
against the Wage Earners,
you want, but it looks like movie
want, but it looks like movie
town has at last realized that
honor is sometimes more impor
tant than box-office. If such a
careful, backtracking organiza
tion as the film colony can' rear
and roar against the name-callers,
maybe the long, overdue time has
come when the individuals and
institutions under attack from
overzealous name-calling organ
izations will fight back and. ex
pose the Red-baiters for what they
are.
'The picture which has-brought
Gazette...
Thursday, January 17
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE OR -
GANIZATION, 304 Old Main,
6:45 p.m.
NEWMAN CLUB lecture-dis
cussion, John Hammes in charge,
317 Willard Hall, 7:15 p.m.
MOVIES, sponsored by Petro
leum .Engineering, ( Society -for
Petroleum Engineering: students,
229 Mineral. Industries,. 3 p.m.
FENCING CLUB, Beaver Field
water tower, T p.m.
COLLEGE HOSPITAL
Harvey 'Bolan, Lois Brown,
Marilyn Dupont, David Fenton,
Edward Flynn, Marcia . Germaine,
Lavem Merritt, Barbara New
quist, Arthur Rosfeld, Joseph Sa
ber. John Thompson, Anthony
Tornetta.
AT THE MOVIES
CATHAUM: Weekend With
'ather 2:13, 4:06, 5:59, 7:52, 9:45
STATE: The Man With The
Cloak 2:11, 4:03, 5:55, 7:47, 9:39
NITTANY: Jim Thorpe 6:25,
8:19, 10:15
STUDENT EMPLOYMENT
Man for secretarial work.', -
Women .for part.time secretarial work.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 17, 1952
none of the answers are righl.
• . f
By MOYLAN MILLS
all the trouble to Stanley Kra
mer seems to be his latest re
lease, “Death of a Salesman.” The
Wage Earners have been picket
ing the movie ~ in, Beverly Hills
with placards accusing • Frederic
March, star, and Arthur Mil
ler, author of the play from
which the movie was taken, with
“having communist front rec
ords.”
“Death of a Salesman,”, itself,
has also been attacked for its
so-called deprecatory view of the
American wage-earner. This
seems like' an odd “tribute” for
a play which has received the
Pulitzer. Prize, the Drama Critics
Circle award, and numerous other
prizes for its understanding treat
ment of a man who has lost his
sense of values.
Admittedly, the play shows
some of- the unsavory aspects of
American life, but it certainly is
not preaching communism. There
is a difference, groups; like the
Wage Earners will have to learn,
between baring flaws in the Am
erican system and plugging com
munism. This difference is all too
often forgotten in a zealous at
tack on an unsuspecting indivi
dual who is merely trying to say
some sincere things in a country
where freedom of thought is not
yet curtailed.
Some ; observers feel the attack
on Kramer was just the beginning
of an attack on the entire film
industry. Therefore it’s hearten
ing to see that a group, silent on
any issue which might drive one
person arid his ticket from ■ the
box-office, has finally decided to
fight the slandering of another
group, which may have the na
tion’s' good at heart but is using
the wrong-method to fight com
munism.
This method being used by the
Wage Earners could conceivably
lead to exactly what they are
fighting, a fascist-communism re
gime in-the U.S. .
David Gray to .Receive
Insurance Club Award
David Gray, will be the recipi
ent of'the $25 . Insurance Club
award at January commencement
exercises.
Gray, president of the club and
an insurance major, was selected
by the faculty section of the club.
The award is made for contribu
ting and adding prestige to the
club.
By Bibler