7 AGE FOUR (Sijp ®atlg CaUegtatt Sbcmsmt *• THK HtEB LANCE, nt. 1887 Published Tuesday through Saturday nonainga inclusive mrinc the College year by the staff of The Daily Collegia* «f The PMUuylrania State College. fiatered as second-class matter July a, 1934, at the State College, Pa., Post Office under the act of March 3, 1879. Collegian editorials represent the viewpoint of the •enters, not necessarily the policy of the newspaper. U»- ♦igned editorials are by the editor. Dm Pellnii* Franklin S. Kelly Editor Business Mgr. STAFF THIS ISSUE " Editorial staff: Night editor, Tammie Bloom; Copy editors, Chiz Mathias, Diehl McKalip; As sistants, Paddy Beahan, Mike Feinsilber, Bill Pete, Joan Rowland. Photographer, Bill Boyles. Ad staff: Louise Caspary, Vince Drayne. New Fine Program Is Improvement The new* revision of fines and paying proce- dure announced yesterday by Tribunal is an- other step in the effort to get the student court back to its chief purpose, enforcing the rules 'and regulations for male students, not just act ing as a traffic violation court. Since the current parking plan went into effect. Tribunal has been deluged with viola tors. The rush got so bad for awhile that the board held to meet two nights a week in order to hear /all cases. . Under the new plan, the number of hearings "should be greatly reduced, and the stiffer pen alties called for should be one factor in reducing -the number of violations. By allowing first of fenders to pay their fine at the Student. Union desk, fewer students will make an appearance at the Tribunal sessions. Only those who be „lieve they can justify their violation will bother to, come before the court. In the past few ...months, about 80 per cent of the traffic violators •who came before Tribunal were first offenders. “The new plan also is a convenience for the ‘student violator in that he can pay his fine without having to wait in a long line at the -Tribunal sessions. The lightened restrictions on second and third offenders should somewhat deter the flagrant violations of fhe parking regulations which have been so noticeable this year. The approach of spring may also bring a decrease in the number of violations. In any case, the 'new fine program should be an improvement over the old system. Alpha Kappa Alpha Reaches Its Goal The newest sorority on campus is the Delta Gamma chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha, which received its charter at a ceremony Saturday. Although many obstacles confronted the wo men who were interested 1 in getting a College chapter of the national sorority, ever since Octo ber, 1950, the women have overcome those ob stacles until their sorority is finally a realiza tion on the Penn State campus. Yvonne Carter and Charlotte Page, two of the three persons who were. instrumental in the organization of the sorority, did not give up when they were told no new sororities would be permitted on campus until ground was broken for new women’s living units. After a short time, it became apparent that the delay for. the construction of new women’s dormitories might be indefinite because of other building needs, and thus, the sorority was given permis sion to organize a local chapter, the lonians. After a one year probationary period, the wo men were told that they would be granted a charter—but, no suite. And so, the AKA's did just that, and now, - without a suite, they are officially the 20th " sorority on campus. This is a goal they have strived for during the past two and one-half years. We should like to congratulate them on their untiring efforts, and hope, along with them, that it will not be too long before the College provides some provisions for a - sorority suite. Nuclear Reactor . The news that Penn State might be the site of a nuclear reactor before too long impresses once more on the people of the state the'im portance which atomic energy will eventually have in everyday life. That Penn State is mak ing, efforts to get into the field early is another indication that the College is continuing to keep Up with the current of the times. The College Board of Trustees has approved the idea of constructing the reactor. Only -V approval by the Atomic Energy Commission 'stands in the way of final action on the plans.' If this approval is given soon, the reactor could be completed by the summer of 1954 . .another fine addition to the campus for its centennial year. The proposed reactor would undoubtedly be a boon to the accredited status of the College. It is already high in many fields, particularly agriculture and engineering. The reactor will make available facilities for important experi ments in several fields. Approval by the AEC will mean another stride forward for : Penn State in the field of science. —Mimi Ungar THE DAILY COLLEGIAN, STATE COLLEGE, PENNSYLVANIA Safety Valve 'Lute Song' Criticized TO: THE,EDITOR: Thefecent'review of • - L'ai v Song,” Penn State’s latest failure, reflects the sterile conventionality that pervades our , cam pus theater. An experiment of the sort, it not only bespeaks tlie confirmed mediocrity of most of our . dramatic attempts, but also .iron ically echoes the cultural aspirations of a stag nant, not silent, generation of students. Defended by reviewer Mathias as spectacle (which, by the way, begs DeMillian'definition), this oriental excavations is little , more than a mixture of artificial theatrics, a director’s show piece, a catalogue of quaint (neither historical nor histrionical) Chinese custom, steeped in re ligious ritual and mummified mummery. As the work of uninspired actors, it is insipid imitation: as the experimental : product of a deferential director; it is inoriginal sin; and as an interpre tational document of oriental tlieater, it is an insult to Chinese intelligence. Why is our theatrical artistry bought at the . expense of common sense? Must our plays be mediocre failures, to be commercial successes? Where is the director's-sense of balance, our actors' sense of discretion, the theater-goers' , sense? Until Collegian reviewers can criticize without apologizing for the truth, until our theater assumes the stature missing in our youth, this restrained critic will corrode him self with the: cinema. • Letter Cut Where Do We Start? TO THE EDITOR: The Harvard report cited in Dave Jones’ column, of last Saturday high lights an eternal problem: “Where do we start?” Any teacher, of .freshman classes realizes the wide variation in high school courses as regards area and depth of coverage, and the equally wide variation in. ability and ambition of stu dents. Nobody has been able, so far, to devise a way to avoid the high freshman mortality due to poor preparation or to lack of effort, or to avoid boring the student who is unusually well prepared. In some fields, courses have been provided for students having varying degrees of prepara tion. In mathematics there are Math. O for stu dents without adequate high school algebra and Math. 54 for those with better-.than-average preparation. In English composition a course, English Comp: O, is provided for those not ade quately prepared. As one who has been an adviser to numerous engineers' from their freshman year through their course. I should like to state that until our high schools do a better job of preparation, we must stress fundamentals even more strongly in the freshman year; the engineer ing freshman who finds his college work too easy is the rare exception. Independent Cooperation TO THE EDITOR: In reference to the editorial in the Daily Collegian of March 17, representa tives of the independent groups have already begun “to get the ball rolling.” We plan to hold a meeting at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow in McElwain Hall at which time representatives of the var ious independent groups will present their plans for organizing, independent participation in the Spring Week activities. Once the plans have been, formulated, the committee will be able to submit a joint booth proposal to the Spring Carnival committee under the direction of JoAn Lee. It is hoped that all independent organiza tions will send a representative to the meeting to hear the plans proposed before making any decisions to join with other groups. —Ethel Wilson. Andy Jaros, ■, co-chairmen of the indepen dent Spring Week committee Gazette... Wednesday, March 18 ALL-COLLEGE CABINET FOOD' COMMIT TEE, 7:15 p.m,'. AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS; 7 p.m., 105 Mechancal Engineer ing. CHESS CLUB, tryouts, 7 p.ni;, 3 Sparks. . DEMOLAY CLUB, 7 p.m., behind Old Main for trip to O: W. Houts... V OPEN CAMP SEMINAR, 4 p.m., 405 Old Main. COLLEGE-HOSPITAL Oliver Bonnert, Patricia Collins, Richard Grotefon, Robert Hetrick, Walter Hoopes, Gilda Koplovitz, Emerson .-' Laubach, Dale - Matson, James Miller, Lee Myers, Roger Owens,' Bruce Parizo, Edward Rizika; Edith Spalding, Ralph Tencate, Ronald Velosk'y, David Wilson and Robert Hislop. V "... ' ' STUDENT •EMPLOYMENT,.,-;- Camp Conrad Weiseiy Pa. r ; will interview ‘March 17. . Coys wanted to. work for meals on Fridays, Saturdays, and . Sundays. .for the rest of the semester.. •, . ‘ Summer resort seeking three or four piece combo. Camp Redwing and Winnicut will interview March 18 and 19. Camp Skycrest, Pa„ will-interview boys March-28.. Camp Sinking Creek,’ Pa. will interview boys March 18. .. Couple without ; children wanted for summer employment near State pollega\ . . ' > . ’ .Boy . with experience wanted as linotype operator. Waiters wanted for permanent work in fraternities. Interviewers for-survey “Nine-tenths of our university tgachers. are more competent, to discuss the literature of Eng land than, the literature of America,’’- ~ , .- ...'1..!- ~ —Stuart Sherman- . —-N. Fitzgerald -Craige —W. B. Shepperd ittle Man On Campus STUDENT CAFeTeRIA ' loading platform Interpreting the News France On New France, whose diplomats have consistently proved themselves among the world’s great realists in the postwar period, is working on a new plan for conduct of the war in Indochina which contains, perhaps only incidentally, the germs of some tough fundamentalism, Essentially, it has been produced by the strain of carrying on the conflict in far Southeast Asia while attempting to maintain a position as the leading nation in the defense'of Western Europe. Even with American aid, the French have found it impossible :o do either properly. Under these pressures. Pre mier Bene Mayer is expected io bring to Washington in a few days .a proposal which, in its : long-term effects, tends to take France more out of Indochina and put ‘ the United Stales in. In essence, it calls for the U.S. to finance most of the Indochina operation and for . the Vietnamese to take- over most of the fighting. In return, France would agree to hoe her own row. in Europe with out U.S. aid; Entirely, aside from relieving pressure on France, the idea con tains the-seeds of approach—whe ther the-French intend it that way or not—to a revised attitude in Indochina itself which is basic -if the conflict there is ever ; to be concluded successfully. There would be an inference ihai France was renouncing In dochina as an empire project, and an implication that-Amer ican influence, would in. its tra ditional fashion-: tend toward greater Indochina independence. France created three new states in Indochina right after the war, giving the governments a certain autonomy but retaining' control over foreign and military'’affairs. These controls were inevitable: in the face: of the Communist-led war, but unsatisfactory to nation alists who, despite Communist im tervehtion and eventual control, continued to look upon the war as more for their liberation than, as Communist aggression. France has never promised, and of course is not yet promising, to do as fully, for Indochina, once .the Commun ist threat is over, as Britain did for India. And that is really what' the people want. It seems fairly obvious, how ever, that; a. reduction of. French responsibility and an increase i in American responsibility, if the, lat ter is handled carefully, /would give the people increased hope and reduce their cooperation with the enemy. ■ • u’ ■' ’ '•' I There is, of course, an impor ianf question as io whether , any new -enthusiasm would .be-isuf- i ficient to make a national army .:. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18; 1953 Working War Plan By J. M. ROBERTS JR. dependable against the Viet minh forces which, while Com munist led and supplied, are still composed largely.of-people who started fighting because they wanted to oust the cErench. But it is a fertile field! lor\ ex periment. The French long ago - found themselves in the red on the col onial ledger in Indochina, the war having eaten up all the profits. They rightly contend! they , are now carrying on out there as a public service to the rest of the free world. „ ' The record- would be a little clearer all round if this-"sector of the, anti-Communist . front, could be put on more of an Allied; and less of an individually '.'.French basis. 22 Are I n itiqfed Into PS Club Twenty-two students were ini tiated into the Penn State. Club, independent men’s social organi zation, last night. : New members, are William Al bright, Philip Austin, Carl Buss, Todd Carter*, Douglas Crowl,.Mi chael’ Fackenthal, John ,F oge 1, Stuart Horn, Jack Iseman, Wil liam Jones, Willis Kuhns, John List, Paul Mackes, Rudy Marisa, Robert’ Meurer, Cameron Myers, Bert Orban, Lavier Procopio, Bruce, Stauffer, Richard Witney; James . Wyatt; and Ronald Zuil koski. • . - William Rudderow, club presi dent; said election of officers will be held following the Easter va cation. Final- plans are being made for the club’s annual spring formal which will be held March 28 at the University Club. Jack Huber will provide music for the dance. Political Science Club Meeting Canceled The Political Science Club meeting Which- was to be held at 7:30 tomorrow night has been canceled.. : The Columbia Law School rep resentative scheduled to speak to the group will be unable to at .tehd. the: meeting. By Bibl a o
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers