PAGE FOUR
Pabllalittf TiMdftj tiirongti
Sttarday Mornings daring
ttia University rear, lha
Dally Collegian la a stadent*
operated newspaper-
Entered as eeeond-elass matter Jaly I, 1914 at the State College, Pa. Peat Office andev the act of ftterdi S, IST9.
MIKE MILLER, Acting Editor
STAFF THIS ISSUE: Night Editor: Ed Dubbs; Copy Editors: Mike Moyle, Marnie Schenck; Assist
ants: Anne Friedberg, Elaine Huberman, George French, Ford Minsked. Ad Staff: Sue Brown, Jackie
Schenberg.
Too Independent to
Not long ago a few of our readers were con
cerned with the quality of social dancing at
the University; now the issue seems to lie with
the type and quantity of dances.
It was recently reported that there are too
many Association of Independent Men spon
sored dances—that is, in relation to the dance
attendance, according to the social chairman,
Harold Dean.
His suggestion was to have more social events
and dances. In a meeting of the Board of Gov
ernors Wednesday night, Mr. Dean advised
that AIM should continue to sponsor the im
portant social events, but the living areas and
the individual dormitory units should sponsor
a greater portion of independent social func
tions.
This seems to mean several dormitory unit
dances should take the place of one big AIM
dance—for the purpose of encouraging better
attendance. In the opinion of Mr. Dean, social
functions would enjoy greater success if they
were held at the level of the dormitory unit
because a student would be more inclined to
attend a dance sponsored by his own dormitory
than a dance sponsored by AIM.
Before elaborating on the problem and Mr.
Dean’s suggested solution, we should list what
we think are the main reasons students attend
dances—not necessarily in the order of their
importance.
1. Because they like the orchestra.
2. Because some women feel their social
rating fluxuates as do their “Big Weekend” bids.
3. Because they just like to dance.
4. Because they feel obligated to attend.
5. Because they will be fined if they do not
attend—in the case, of some fraternity and
sorority dances.
Mr. Dean's suggestion in essence—to vary
the sponsorship which would seem to necessi
tate an increase in the actual number of dances
'Childish Politics'
TO THE EDITOR: I would like to take this op
portunity to say a few words on the present
political conditions at Penn State, especially
those concerning Campus party.
As you know I was one of the co-founders
of Campus party. Along with a few people I
worked very hard to build what I thought
would be a good political party at Penn State,
which was and still is very much needed. Now,
much to my sorrow, I feel that I was only re
sponsible for creating another "monster-like"
organization which seems to thrive in all the
dirt and unmanly characteristics of "old-day"
political parties.
If this is the case I apologize to the student
body. But I feel that there is still hope. May
I suggest that those who plan to attend Sun
day’s meeting for the purpose of electing new
officers try to cloak themselves in the air that
ALPHA DELTA SIGMA INITIATION DINNER, 6:15 p.m..
State College Hotel
CAMPUS PARTY CLIQUE MEETING, 7 p.m., 10 Sparks
HILLEL FOLK DANCE GROUP. 2 p.m., Hillel
HILLEL FRESHMAN MIXER, 2 p.m., Hillel
PLAY TRYOUTS (The Innocents”), 7:15 p.m., ittle Theater,
basement of Old Main
Mid-East Tinderbox Plays Into Reds’ Hands
By WILLIAM L. RYAN
AP Foreign News Analyst
The United States faces a
grave dilemma in the Middle
East, and many regard the
problem as the natural result
of American overemphasis on
Maginot line thinking.
The United States, such ob
servers argue, for a long time
v/as obsessed with the idea of
forming a Middle East Defense
O r g a n i zation embracing the
whole area. This not only hand
ed effective propaganda am
munition to the Russians, but
it also caused aggravations
v/Uhin the Western camp it
self.
It was easy for Soviet propa
ganda to identify the idea of
MEDO with colonialism, with a
threat to the sovereignty of na
tions in an area newly emerg
ing from colonial status. The
Russians pictured MEDO as a
devise to expand Western con
trol of the area's natural re
sources. chiefly its oil. It also
pictured the attempt to build a
military alliance as an invita
tion to war on the soil of the
Middle East.
Many in France had serious
misgivings about MEDO. These
Sty? lath) CoUrgian
tHMm t* THB FREE LANCE. ML ISIt
ROGER VOGELSINGER. Acting Business Manager
Safety Valve...
Gazette •..
French feared it would under
mine the traditionally privi
leged position of France in Sy
ria and Lebanon. Thus in Syria
there grew up an alliance be
tween pro-French elements and
Syrian leftists against Ameri
can policy in the Middle East.
The coalition was so powerful
for a time that it held the fate
of the government in its hands.
The only reason for such
power, which was out of pro
portion to the numerical,
strength of the coalition, was
the apparent need of the pro-
French elements for allies to
stand off pro-British and pro-
American elements. Gains were
made in the long run by pro-
Soviet elements.
The Israeli attack on Syrian
military positions near the sea
of Galilee -did little to help the
United States out of its dilem
ma. but it went far to strength
en French sympathies for Sy
ria. The attack may have dam
aged Israel herself, since it
raised fear in London and
Washington over prospects for
peace if Israel were to acquire
additional arms.
The United States dilemma is
the heart of the Middle East
problem: How to restore the
THE DAILY COLLEGIAN. STATE COLLEGE. PENNSYLVANIA
Dance?
held—does not seem to us to solve the problem.
In our list of reasons we can see but one
advantage a living unit dance would have over
the usual association dance. And that it would
stimulate a feeling of obligation in, say, dorm
10 residents to make an appearance. For if no
one in dorm 10 attended the dance sponsored
solely by dorm 10, what would the general
student body think of dances in general spon
sored by dorm 10—moreover, what would peo
ple in general think of residents of dorm 10?
Social obligation to independent affairs has
never had a very great unifying influence, and
we feel even this obligation would fail to get
the independents to go to unit dances.
The sponsoring group has very little to do
with dance attendance. For instance, do more
juniors go to the Junior Prom than other class
members? Or do any students refuse to at
tend the Junior Prom because they don’t like
juniors?
Which brings us around to the core of the
problem, should there be AIM dances, regard
less of the level of sponsorship and relative
size of the event.
If the main problem is to get the people to
attend these disputed AIM dances, should not
the Board of Governors, or in particular the
social committee, determine the need or de
sirability of having dances at all.
The reason for having dances should be
analyzed. If it is mainly lo entertain the inde
pendent, and he turns down the opportunity to
be entertained, the Board of Governors should
not trouble itself with the apathy.
If it is to gain publicity for AIM, it is a
waste of money.
If it is to make money .another field of en
deavor should be looked into.
If it is lo spend money, no one should com
plain.
surrounded the people at the final meeting of
the Campus Party last spring.
Try lo get above the childish politics that
were so apparent at the last meeting and think
of student government and what would be best
for its success. On your actions rests much of
the reputation of Penn Slate and its student
government.
—Jack McMeekin
EDITOR'S NOTE: Mr. McMeekin was clique
chairman of the Campus party last spring.
Too Old to Learn?
TOTHE EDITOR: A fair criterion for a rule is
its constructiveness. As far as I can see, nothing
constructive has resulted from the compulsory
dress rule in the Nittany-Pollock area. In gen
eral, the age level in the East area is beyond
the age of easy indoctrination.
University Hospital
Joseph Beres, James Bizzack, Richard Doherty, Francis
English, William Frantz, Judith Gropper, Lenore Hamilton,
Joan McDonald, Jean McGeary, Katherine Oswald, Theo
dore Paletta, Roger Richards, William Schweikart, Walter
Shanks, Faver Snyder, William Thomas, Robert Merrell,
and Rachel Milligan.
military balance and yet avoid
an arms race that surely would
lead to a big “little war.”
If the United Stales met Is
raeli requests for the sale of
arms lo offset Egyptian acquis
ition of Communist weapons,
there was no guarantee the Is
raelis would restrain them
selves from launching preven
tive attacks before the Arabs
got too strong. The Galilee at
tack increased such fears.
But if the "United States does
not give arms to Israel, there
is no guarantee, either, that the
Arabs will not attack in concert
when they are trained and
ready with their new Commun
ist arms.
The Soviet Union has no such
problem. The arms go to Egypt,
the Russians claim, in a purely
business deal having nothing
to do with politics. The Rus
sians contend this proves they
are without sin and the West
is the devil. The Arabs, so long
as they are on the receiving
side ol’ the arms argument, go
along with this reasoning.
Once again, the lesson is driv
en borne to the West that Mag
inot lines are no defense against
the determined political attack
that overleaps them.
Briltttlal* nnaml Ik.
Tl.wp.hMa *< th. Triton,
not ■•eCMarllr th* p.Uef
of th. papat, th* at.ri.at
bod?- .r th. UaWmltf.
—Jackie Hudgins
—Paul Christopher
Littl
" I wish he could be like other proto an’
just laugh at the wrong answers."
the cobbler's bench
On Shopping
The Christmas buying rush has been underway for some
weeks now. But with only seven more shopping days left
until Dec. 25, stores are staging a last-minute burst of sales
manship.
Take the other day for instance. I dropped into one
the local druggerys with no other purpose in mind than
buy a can of shaving cream (the
kind that fizzes when you press
a button)
Now in the old days, a drug
store was just that—a place where
you went to buy pills, toilet arti
cles, and the like. But no more:
this is the age of super-markets
and one-stop shopping centers.
The old time pharmacy, with its
bottles of colored water in the
windows and the romance that
went with it, is past.
So after pushing my way past
the toy counter, the camera coun
ter, the home appliance counter
and encountering crowds of peo
ple, I finally found the shaving
soap—stacked on an inconspicuous
counter to the rear.
"A can of shaving soap,
please," I said to the clerk.
"With menthol added?" she
asked.
"No," I replied.
"But the menthol makes your
face feel cooler," she protested.
"No," I replied firmly, be
fore my will-power had a
chance to the temptation.
Reluct? ntly, she put my pur
chase in a bag and handed it to
me. For a moment, I thought I
had won. But the young lady was
not easily discouraged.
As I turned to go, she called:
“I’m sure you must need some
razor blades!”
“Uh-uh ’’ I mumbled, “two box
es at home.”
"Well, how about a new ra
*or." she wanted to know, pull
ing a new super dooper auto
matic safety raior from the
showcase.
“No thanks, already have two,”
I said.
For a moment, she was discour
aged. Then the inspiration—the
pitch.*
“Razors make a good Christmas
gift,” she said, “how about one
for your father?”
“We’re modern at home—use
electric razors—have several,” I
mumbled incoherently.
Before she had a chance to re
mobilize the attack, I beat a hasty
retreat. I figured I was safe.
But I made a mistake.
Or. my way out, I stopped to
buy a pack of cigarettes. Now
this in itself was harmless enough,
but it happened that the vitamin
counter was next to the tobacco
counter.
The clerk gave me my ciga
rettes but while she was reach
ing for my change, she noticed
a large bottle of vitamins on the
SATUROAY, DECEMBER 17, 1955
>n Campus
By DON SHOEMAKER
opposite counter. Again, the
gleam.
“Say,” she commented, “you
look kind of run down. How about
a bottle of these vitamins so you
can be in shape for the holidays?”
Special today: only $3.50 for 100
. . . say, are you sure you’re not
sick?”
"No, just a student ... al
ways look this way," I replied.
Once again. I headed for the
door.
I was just about to leave. But
this time it was my turn to have
an inspiration. I headed back to
the razor counter.
The clerk spotted me. “I knew
you’d reconsider,” she said con
fidently, “you want the new sup
er-dooper automatic razor?”
“No thanks," I replied, “how
about one of those electric mod
els?”
Her eyes gleamed. This was
more than sho had bargained
for. Instead of selling just safety
razors. she could really make a
killing on the electric model.
But I was the real winner.
Never again would I have to suf
fer the ordeal of buying another
can of shaving soap.'
McKee Hall to Hold
Yule 'Going-away' Party
McKee Hall Unit 111, second
floor, will hold a “Christmas Go
ing-away” party from 2 to 4:30
p.m. today in the McKee recrea
tion room.
Girls from first and second floor
Thompson Hall have been invited.
Refreshments will be served and
prizes awarded to the winners of
novelty dances.
This Weekend
On WDFM
tl.l MEGACYCLES
7:15 Siam On
7:20 ............ News and SporU
7 :30 .......... ...... Musical Marthon
8:00 ... ......... Hubsapoppin
9 :00 ..... Hi Fi Open House
10:85 Siva Ott
7:15 Sign On
7 :20 1 Newt* and Sports
7 :S0 Third Program
10:3* Sign Off
Monday
7:15 Sign On
7:20 New* »nd Sport*
7:80 Music My Friend
8:15 A* You Believe
8:80 Showcase
9:00 I 111-I—III- In on the Wall
9:15 ■ New*
9:50 : Brmpkonlc Notebook
10:30 ■ ’ Sion Off
By Bib
Tomorrow