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t•• • • e 7
DAVE JONES Editor
STAFF THIS ISSUE: Night editor, Mary Bolich; Copy editors, Herm Weiskopf, Roger Beidler; As
sistants, Mike Moyle, Phyllis Toiv, Dottie Stone, Ruth Barnard, Ira Wasserman, Bobbe Weinberg.
Spring Elections and
The spring election will see several experi
ments in campus politics, all designed to make
the Penn State system a bit more appealing.
Critics of some of these experiments would say,
perhaps, the changes Ivill make the system
a bit more appalling. Nevertheless, the experi
ments should prove interesting innovations in
the old process.
For the first time Penn State politics is
attempting a decentralized voting procedure.
Under this procedure, polls will be located at
four places on campus, instead of one, to give
more students an opportunity to vote. This plan
is designed to' increase voting by an unknown
percentage.
Also for the first time, the All-University
elections code has incorporated what has pre
viously been a verbal agreement between cam
pus parties. All-University Cabinet last week
approved the code, providing this year's All-
University president shall be an independent,
and no independent man shall oppose a fra
ternity man in any office.
Pros and cons of the decentralization experi
ment have been rather fully discussed. Little
discussion has been forthcoming, however, on
codification of the rotation procedure. This
codification is far more important than de
centralization.
The All-University elections committee first
proposed codification of the rotation procedure
as a realistic step. The committee felt that, since
rotation was traditionally in practice, it should
be in written form.
Political parties did not agree. They charged
the committee was overstepping its jurisdiction
and openly refused to obey what they called
an edict. And then, after an elections commit
tee meeting, the parties and the committee
reached fast and mysterious accord.
This mysterious accord was not due to com
promise. Accord was reached because the parties
produced a signed statement, agreeing before
the elections committee they would run fra
ternity men for certain offices, independent
men for others. •
This agreement has not been publicized be
cause no one connected with the incident will
Dorm Separation Plan
The separation of freshmen and upperclass
men into different living units in the West
Dorm area would radically miss the mark in
meeting the problems of that area. The pro
posal should be discarded and a more-to-the
point plan formulated.
The problems that confront the University
in this area seem to be those of discipline, the
lack of a strong counseling program, and—most
of all—the very size of the living units. This
last problem plagues both the administration
and student government.
All three problems are interwoven into a
kaleidoscopic pattern and puzzle that defies
solution. All three seem to be reflected in the
extent of vandalism and failing grades in the
area which James Dean, assistant to the dean
of men in charge of independent affairs, haS
said greatly concerns the University.
But, examine for a moment what is proposed
—and was even approved by the West Dorm
Council—to meet the situation:
1. House upperclassmen in McKee Hall;
Froth Prevention ...
Today the Penn State Froth, that Penn State
fraud, which appears a bit less irregularly than
it should, departs from its usual forsaken for
mat, and climbs to a new low.
Today Froth pokes its own -sort of grim fun
at seven Penn State publications. It claims to
parody the Penn State Farmer, Forester and
Scientist, the Home Ec News and Views, and
Independent, Inkling, the Penn - State Engineer,
Penn State Fraternities, and (gasp!) this pub
lication.
Froth thinks this is funny.
We don't think it is funny. We asked people
on the staffs of the seven publications. They
don't think it is funny. We're going to get up
a petition.
Froth's appearance this week as particularly
ironical. This is National Smile Week. Now,
we try to be patriotic. We try to smile during
National Smile Week just as we try to prevent
crime during National Crime Prevention Week.
But how can we smile? Froth is upon us.
Maybe we can yet perform our patriotic duty.
Froth is a crime. Maybe we can prevent it.
Then we coud smile.
TODAY
weressor co ME FREE LANCE. est. 1832
—Mike Feinsilber
THE DAttY COLLEGIAN: STATE COLtEGE PENNSYLVAMA
VINCE DRAYNE. Business Mgr.
Cabinet Action
frankly admit its existence. Neither can they
deny its existence. But - the agreement does
exist. Both parties are bound by this agree
ment, yet, both parties are reluctant to make
it known.
A member of cabinet last week asked cabinet
how it could be sure both cliques would nomi
nate in such a way as to keep independents
from facing fraternity men in elections. This
party agreement provides the means.
The basic question, then, is whether cabinet
and the parties have oeen wise in codifying
this policy. Merely because the parties and the
elections committee kept their agreement silent
does not mean the agreement is a poor one.
Alternating the All-University presidency be
tween fraternity and independent students is
perhaps a good idea. This has been the un
written policy in the - past. It prevents the
stronger fraternity element from gaining too
much hold upon the political system. It is
questionable, however, whether it is better for
the .elections code to say an independent shall
be run this year, or to simply state the pres
idency will be alternated each year.
The agreement that a fraternity man shall
not face an independent man in any office need
not be codified, as it has been by cabinet. This
is an inter-party affair. Reason behind the agree
ment is to prevent an all-out fraternity-inde
pendent fight which has hurt student govern
ment on other campuses. Yet, this should be
a party matter.
Up until now, neither party has broken its
verbal gentleman's agreement to prevent a fra
ternity man from opposing an independent.
There is little need, then, for the elections
committee to institute a written policy on this
matter. If the parties had violated this tradition,
and placed a fraternity man against an inde
pendent for an office, cabinet might have had
grounds to act. Until that happens, there is
little reason for codification.
In one area, then, cabinet seems justified.
This is in establishing the rotation of All-
University president. In the other, cabinet has
been too hasty. There is no need to place more
control on the parties until it is shown such
control is necessary.
Misses the Mark.
2. Have three resident counselors per floor
in the other men's dorms of the area and re
strict these dorms to freshmen;
3. Convert present counselor suites into study
rooms and move counselors into single rooms.
First, there is , no proof that the freshmen
have caused enough of the damage in the area
to merit further supervision, although more
counseling might decrease the number of fail
ing grades among freshmen. Yet, the problem
still remains of producing a sense of individual
and group responsibility for conduct and study
habits in a "living unit"—in this case a dormi
tory floor—housing over 150 men.
Furthermore, even though a few more upper
classmen would be permitted to live in the
area, the total number of students in the area
would be decreased if counselors were given
single rooms. The necessity for study rooms is
also questionable.
Thus, the proposals miss the mark. The aim
was poor anyway.
Gazette ...
AMERICAN CERAMIC SOCIETY, 8 p.m., 229
Mineral Industries
FROTH ADVERTISING STAFF and CPA AD
VERTISING STAFF, 7 p.m., 9 Carnegie
GRANGE, 7:30 p.m., 100 Horticulture
LAKONIDES, 6:30 p.m., White Hall •
PENN STATE GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY,
7:30 p.m., Mineral Industries Auditorium
PERSHING RIFLES drill meeting, class 4,
7 p.m., Armory
NEWMAN CLUB BASKETBALL GAME, 8:30
p.m., Lutheran Student Association
NEWMAN CLUB DISCUSSION, 7:30 p.m.,
Catholic Student Center
RADIO GUILD, 7:30 p.m., 312 Sparks
TOWN COUNCIL, 7:30 p.m., 106 Willard
WRA MODERN DANCE CLUB, 7 p.m., White
Hall Rhythm Room
CHESS CLUB, 7 p.m., 3 Sparks
PLACEMENT SERVICE
SQUARE D CO. will interview graduating seniors in IE,
ME, & ER on March 17 & 18.
THE TEXAS CO. will visit the campus on March 8 to
interview graduating seniors in ME, ChE, Chem, & CE;
M.S. candidates in ME & ChE and Chem. who have
completed at least one semester; and Ph.D. candidates in
the above fields expecting to receive their degree in 1954.
THREE DIVISIONS OF CONTINENTAL OIL CO. will
interview graduating seniors in Chem., ChE, ME, IE, &
PNG: and M.S. candidates in the above fields who have
completed at least one semester on March 17..
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Editorials represent the
viewpoint of the writers,
not necessarily the policy of
' the paper. Unsigned edi
torials are by the editor.
—Len Goodman
Tonight
Little Man - on Cam
"I used to have the darndest time getting
those front row seats filled up."
Interpreting the News
Nationalist Chinese
Posed as Threat
Nationalist Chinese sources in the Far East are whispering that
if the United States persists in holding their army on Formosa
merely as a threat against Red China; instead of unleashing it for
invasion of the mainland, it is go
Their argument is that the fo
drew from the• mainland in 1949
are rapidly approaching an over
all age at which fighting effi
ciency is greatly impaired, and
that there are not enough replace
ments.
These sources are inclined to
belittle the interest of Formo
sans themselves in the idea of
reconquest, and there is little
chance. of bringing recruits from
the non-Communist forces on
the mainland, where at any rate
they would be needed.
The issue was revived by the
recent statement of Asst. Secre
tary of State Walter S. Robertson
that the United States intends to
keep Chiang's force strong as a
constant threat. This is taken by
some as an oblique statement that
it will not be permitted to take
the initiative.
Actually, however, Robertson
has also said that the United
Stales must not wait too long in
aiding Free China, which was
accepted by Nationalist Chinese
in the United States as advocacy
of a more active program if not
of actual early invasion.
Chiang's premier, Chen Cheng,
reecntly told Free China's. Parlia
ment it must concentrate on plans
for an early assault on the main
land.
The Nationalist sources in the
United States still cling to the idea
that this country must eventually
come around to the invasion idea
as the only means of taking China
back from Red control. They make
a strong appeal.
They just don't quite seem to
realize that the United States
and her Western Allies are not
going to take the initiative at
this time in anything which cre
ates additional disturbance in
the world. That had to be clari
fied last year, after Republican
campaign speeches had left the
impression the Eisenhower ad
ministration would support rev
olutions to liberate the Euro
pean satellite countries.
Syngman Rhee of Korea has
now fallen into the same position
WEDNESDAY", MARCH - TO; 21954
By J. M. ROBERTS JR.
Associated Press News Analyst
ng to get rusty.
ces which . Chiang Kai-shek with-
as Chiang on this point. He says
he would like to resume fighting
the Communists who held the
northern part of his country. The
Allies have given him a flat
thumbs down. But he is being
given a buildup for defense, and
for participation in a renewed war
if the Communists start it.
That is the best the Chinese
Nationalists can hope for, too.
Three Cadets Win
In NRA Matches
• Three Army ROTC cadets won
medals at the National Rifle As
sociation Sectional Championship
match in Carlisle Sunday.
Hugh Swartz, seventh semes
ter poultry husbandry major, took
first place' in the sharpshooter's
class.
, Donald D. Greth, fifth semes
ter forestry major, and James G.
Byrne, • fourth semester forestry .
major, won awards in the marks
manship class.
Eiser Places First
In Poster. Contest
John Eiser, sixth sem es t e.r
architecture major, has won first
prize in the 1954 engineering
architecture open house poster
contest. Robert Breading an d
Warren Gran, sixth sem ester
architecture majors, won second
and third prizes, respectively. • -
The Department of Architec
ture faculty judged the contest
sponsored by th e Engineering
Student Council.
Tonight on WDFM '
7:25 • Sign on
7:30 --_____ BBC Concert Hall
8:00 Spotlight on State
8:15 Guest Star
8:30 Vomen's Angle
9:00 __--_______ _ _ 1
9:15 _______
9 :30
10:30
PARODY!
Bibler
M.l MEGACYCLES
Lest We Forget
Campus News
Masterworks Hour
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