PAGE FOUR Editorial Opinion From Promise to Reality The referendum amendment to the Student Govern ment Association Constitution, which was approved unanimously last night by All-University Cabinet, marks a phenomenal occurence in student government: few—if any—campaign promises have been fulfilled so quickly or effectively. Each party in the spring elections proposed a refer endum plan. That the amendment which became part of the constitution last night is much closer to that proposed by the losing party than the winning party's plan is not particularly important. But it is important that both parties supported the referendum idea and that Cabinet acted so promptly in making this ided a reality. And we believe Cabinet members showed good sense in their formulation, discussion and execution of the ref• erendum amendment. For the third week in a row, Cabinet last night de feated an amendment which would have raised the per centage of the student body necessary to initiate refer endum. The latest move would have increased the signa tures needed on an initiating petition from 3 per cent to 6 per cent The issue in the initiating percentage is to determine a figure which will guard against overuse and misuse of the referendum by a small minority, but which will make the referendum readily available to students who are genuinely concerned about Cabinet action. We believe 3 per cent is a good starting figure. .If it is so low as to aid misuse of the referendum, Cabinet can change it easily enough. But it will be easier to raise the figure than it would be to lower it, it seems to us. Most Cabinet members have been in office only a few weeks. In light of their short tenure, we believe their actions on the referendum question and the other issues which have faced them deserve special praise. Although our belief remains strong that a thorough overhaul of the student government system is needed, it would seem that the present Cabinet has made an excel lent start with what it has. And if its members continue to think for themselves, to support progressive legislation and to keep the interests of the students in mind, this Cabinet may fulfill its poten tial of accomplishing more than has been done in many years. In, Out or Out? The question of whether to hold May Day in front of Old Main or in Recreation Hall now depends entirely on the weather. Lois Henderson, chairman of May Day, yes terday reversed a decision of the previous day that the affair would be held indoors regardless. She said yesterday it may be held, as it is traditionally, in front of Old Main if weather permits. When viewing the money expended on May Day, the purpose it serves, and the general artistic and educational service it provides, a surprisingly simple and logical alternative presents itself—junking the ceremony in favor of something worthwhile. Editorials are written by the editors and staff ambers of The Daily Collegian and do not nee sssss ily I the views of the University or of the *Went body. A Student-Operated Newspaper 01It Batty Toltrgiatt Successor to The Free Lance. est. 1887 Published funds, through Saturday morning daring the Umlversity me, The Daily Collegian Is a student-operated newspaper Knitted as second-class quatter July I 11.11 al the State College Pa Post Office ander the act of March I. Mt Mall Subscription Price: 13.00 per semester 15.09 on rear ROBERT FRANKLIN Editor 46:0`. City Editor, David Fineman: Managing Editor, Richard Drayne; Sports Editor, Loa Prato: Associate Sports Editor. Matt Mathews: Personnel and Public Relations Director. Patricia Evans: Copy Editor. Lynn Ward; Assistant Copy Editor, Dick Fisher; Photography Editor, Robert Thompson. Credit Mgr.. Janice Smith; Loral Ad Mgr., Tom Buckey; Asat. Local Ad Mgr., Robert Pirrone: National Ad Mgr.. Betsy Brackbill; Promotion Mgr., Kitty Bur gett; Personnel Mgr., Mickey Nash; Classified Ad Mgr,. Barbara Ryan; Co. Circulation Mgrs., Mary Anne First and Murray Simon; Research and Records Mgr.. Mary lierbein; Office Secretary, Myla Johnson, STAFF THIS ISSUE: Night Editor, Bill Jaffe: Copy Editor. Marie Russo: Wire Editor, Bobbi Levine: MaWants. Sandy }Ebel.. Carmella LaSpada, Phyll Weateott, Mack AlcGaughan. Susie Linkreuiu. Elaine Miele and Ono/ Blakeslee. THE DAILY COLLEGIAN. STATE COLLEGE, PENNSYLVANIA FRANK VOJTASEK Business Manager library: Chaos In Social Hall TO THE EDITOR: We have an extraordinary library here at Penn State. The librarians are quite unique; they talk constantly. They're always having friendly 'get-togethers", preferably in a place where students are trying to study. If they're not chatting with the student help, they're discussing babies, husbands and fashions with one another. And have you ever asked the information desk for help? Well, they usually have little or no information to give. The student help is most un usual, too. One student in par ticular is interesting. He makes and receives all social telephone calls at the desk in one of the reading rooms. If his friends want to see him, they simply make an "appointment" in the library. Discussion of studies with an other student is quite frequent. He probably got his job at the library because he's remarkably noisy. In addition to the unique em ployes, there is the problem of a very strange arrangement of books. For example, I once asked for a certain issue of a highly renowned science journal. The person on duty told me to look in the fiction section in the stacks. And sometimes, those highly sought-after-2-hour-reserve-books go out for 3 days. Our library is a social hall, too. It's the place to go if you want to sit and knit and talk about summer employment or your lat est love affair. Yes, sir! Our li brary is extraordinary—it's chaos. —Shirley Curran Gazette TODAY Bible Fellowship, 7:80 p.m . 214 Boucke Bridge Club, 7:80 p.m., HUB Card Room Cheat X-rays, 0 a.m.-1 p.m. and 2-8 p.m., Health Center Christian Fellowship, 12:45-1 p.m., 218 HUB Department of Education, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.. 217 HUB Hiilel, Sabbeth Eve Service, El p.m.; Folk Singing, 9:20 p.m , Foundation Hubcapoppin% 9 p.m., HUB Assembly Room !CR, 8 a.m.-10 p.m., 209-212 HUB Interlandia Folk Festival, 7;30 p.m., HUB Ballroom Mineral Induatriea Colloquium. 4:10 p.m., ' Mineral Sciences Auditorium . Newman Club. Open House. S p.m., Stu- dent Center Players, "The Merchant of Venice," S p.m., Schwab Auditorium Player? "Tonight at 8:30," 8 p.m., Cen- ter Staae Traffic Officers Training, 3 p.m., 214, 215, 21G HUB WDFM, 7-9 p.m.. HUB Assembly Room Wesley Foundation. Strawberry Social, 7:30-10 p.m.. Foundation UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL Dorothy Ammerman, Mark Baker, Pat rick Botula, Raymond Boyer, Bruce Epple, John Fuller, Gaye Lenker, Louis Lopre ato, Betty McAllister, Stuart Monroe, Bar bara Morrow, William Nelson, Juan Perez, Agnes Rollins, Deborah Smith, Dale Tut tle, Bruce Weiner, Brenda Vogel, Richard Weeden, Howard Gabriel, Paul Tassie, Edward Grossman, John Timony. Journ Society Initiates Dennis Lawrence E. Dennis, vice pres ident in charge of .academic af fairs, and 14 graduate and under- • graduate students have been ini tiated into Kappa Tau Alpha, na tional journalism scholarship so ciety. Dennis was chosen because of his service as a member of the School of Journalism faculty. Four of the 14 student initiates are gr2duate students in journal ism—Margaret D'Ardenne, Char les Seller, Frances Davis and Win ifred Sullivan. The undergraduates are Linda Ely, Jean Hartley, Ralph Manna, Mary Ann Romano, John Shenk, Mary Reid, Charles Reiser, Laurel m ,, rtout, Mary Kelly and Jeanette Saxe. James W. Markham, director, of graduate studies in the School of Journalism and national secretary of Kappa Tau Alpha, was in charge of the ceremony and the coffee hour that followed. Xi Sigma Pi Honorary Initiates Six Members Xi Sigma Pi forestry honorary fraternity, has initiated six mem bers. Four were awarded active mem berships. They are Wilber Wolf, Donald Rotell, Loring Huislander and Anthony Procopio. Dr. Charles L. Fergus and Dr. Norris D. Blackburn became asso ciate members. Little Man on Campus. by Dick [tibia PAVES , OA TODAY "Burwell—you've certainly improved the papers you've been handing in to me lately:* et cetera Big Brother Dons Ivy League Dress One of the worst effects the Cold War has had on this country is a presumably inevitable abridgement of the very freedom we have put up for sale in the Persian and other Eastern markets. And it's not only McCarthyism, loyalty oaths and news suppression we refer to —we even have a Big Brother cast ing his fraternal eye about on college campuses. The students at Antioch Col lege have recently been in formed that a swarm of FBI agents in students' clothing had surreptitiously been observing the functions, members and speakers of their campus or ganizations They were also informed that there were many such ob servers on other campuses. We wonder.what the FBI is about when we stop to think of all the information that has been collected since the days we last shook hands with the Russians at the Elbe River in Germany. Why are they com piling this by-now-we're-Sure gigantic Doomsday Book? Will it be brought ceremon iously into a courtroom (ringed with television cameras, of course) by a new McCarthy someday? Will some employe of the State Department or per haps an elected official have an answer, for the whole na tion to hear, why he belonged in college to what he consid ered a very idealistic and lib eral "club" that in later years was termed "a communist front organization?" These are questions which take little contemplation before they spring to mind and de- t."3 , :.=a-''=.. - r. V. 61 at .16 lf- FRIDAY, MAY 9, 1958 by Dave Fineman, mand that we attempt to an swer them. Another question that occurs is, isn't this in some way a violation of cert a in of our rights? Certainly, the FBI made no attempt to stop these meet ings in any way—indeed, no one ever knew of their pres ence. But freedom of thought and expression is not only a law written on a 170-year-old piece of paper. No law yet created can guarantee you freedom of speech if you are afraid, what you say may someday cost you your reputation and your ca reer—and whit does that leave in life? . We don't deny that some of these secretive measures are necessary; at least, we can't off-hand think of alternatives. Russia's tactics are such that we have little choice in pre serving what we can of our principles. But we ask you one question. We don't have the answer—do you? It is, What will be left to pre- Nerve? WDFM Programs Friday nights 8:60, Sign on and news; 7, "A" Train; 8; Rubaapopnin'sl 8:30, Faintly Reminiscent; 9, Name; 9:15, Starlight Review; 10, News; 10:05. Light Classical Juebox: 11:30. Sign off and news. *Also carried on WMAJ. 601,z2 ~....=,Th Ift i !
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers