PAGE FOUR
Editorial Opinion
Take the Good Points;
Progress from There
Many incidents have occurred these past few weeks
to arouse speculation as to the worth of the entire system
of student government on this campus.
Is student government on the rocks? Is this new sys
tem ineffective? Has it been corrupted by dirty politics?
First of all, lei us say that the new system did not
appear on the scene unexpectedly, nor was it the product
of one mastermind Interested in promoting his own
personal gains.
Reorganization came after years of careful study. The
system was born out of extensive debates on its values and
faults. It was designed to give the students a better degree
of representation directly from the classes, so that the
system could not be controlled by interest gioups which
represent a small number of students. In essence the pur
pose behind it was to create better student government.
The important thing that is to be observed in viewing
these recent events is that the SGA system as it now
stands is dependent upon the responsibility and reliability
of campus political parties.
Through these parties, candidates for SGA positions
are chosen to i un on a ballot in the hopes that the results
will be determined by the student body, in hopes that the
student body will have a choice as to which candidate
would best fulfill his major duties of representing their
views.
Penn Stale has had a long-standing reputation among
colleges throughout the nation for its effective system of
student government. And student government for the
most part deserved this reputation. At times accusations
have been levied at actions taken by the student leaders
—they have been declared Irresponsible. This may be true
in some instances, but the good side of student govern
ment far outweighs its bad angles.
We do not think that student government will fail in
its objectives if the students recognize how imperative it
is to maintain good government and that the SGA mem
bers represent the student body.
Students may become disillusioned with these inci
dents. They may lose faith in student government. But
tills is the coward’s way out. They do not want to look at
both sides of the story nor do they want to consider the
many accomplishments that could be made under this
new system if responsibility is inherent in its members.
The facts are out on various incidents but these facts
are not designed to dissuade the student body from the
good side that student government has to offer.
What would happen if there was no student govern
ment? Or if the administration were obliged to take over
where student government had failed?
What are we going to do about it? We can all shrug our
shoulders and say “why bother”. Why bother? So we
can make our student government work. So we can clear
up the bad spots in the system and leave no room for
criticism.
How to do this patching up? By cooperation on the
part of all people directly and indirectly connected with
SGA so that it can have the results that were intended
last year.
Cooperation cannot be forced upon the students. They
must realize its necessity by themselves. But if the state
ments that have been issued in the past week hold any
truth, if party chairmen, candidates, and people within the
SGA are sincerely concerned with producing a good sys
tem of government, let us see them all working together
for a common goal.
This is the only way to make student government
work for the students. Individuals, political parties, stu
dent leaders should combine their efforts to maintain the
party system and thus maintain the forum of the student
body.
/MV SRAMMA \ (.AST NiSHT tOE ALL WENT TO
•' /IS STAVING WfTH] THE SHOW EXCEPT GRAMMA..
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( SO SHE STAYED ( NO, tOE GOT A Y~*
VALONE THEN, HUH? J v A-SITTER' J
i| V
THE DAILY COLLEGIAN. STATE COLLEGE. PENNSYLVANIA
Letters
Brandt States
Campus Party
Principles
TO THE EDITOR: In the past po
litical parties have been, for tha
most part, election clubs which
have had as their sole purpose
that of getmg people elected to
office. More often than not, the
candidates have been motivated
by self gain and desire for recog
nition by various pressure groups
which, so it appears, admire the
ability to control rather than to
govern.
The present Campus party con
sists of a small group of people
who feel that the establishment of
a proper political party and tha
holding of a real nominating con
vention supercedes the desire to
elect and particular candidate at
the present time.
Proper candidates will arise in
the debate on the issues that form
party planks and in the interac
tion of actual factions that would
come to exist in a properly-run
political convention where the
deck, for the first time, has not
been dealt until the candidates
votes are counted.
Therefore, Campus party pro
poses to make available a large
room, a competent chairman, sev
eral issues we feel are worthy of
student support and an open de
bate in which students may ex
press themselves fully.
If anyone feels like bringing
forth such issues as the exemp
tion of active reservists from
ROTC, the participation of stu
dent government in the affairs of
borough, state and national gov
ernments or the establishment of
the students’ voice a force that
cannot be ignored, then this is
the time for all good men to form
a parly.
The opportunity for political
activity on this campus and es
pecially in Campus party is now
possibly greater than It has ever
been.
The failure of students to par
ticipate in behalf of their own in
terests will result in interest
groups picking away at our rep
resentative government until it
reverts back to the previous aris
tocratic Cabinet system.
Campus party feels that a two
party system is essential to the
continuance of an elected Assem
bly. If public support is forth
coming, we pledge not only to
work and to win for candidates
who represent the student inter
ests, but to devote our time and
energy to establish a proper po
litical party which feels its mem
bership and whose membership is
felt
If not, then we refuse to run a
sham election.
Gazette
Center Stage, production of "An Italian
Stiaw Hat,” 3 p.m
C*ens, card party and ffldhion show, 1
p.m , HUB ballroom
Freshman-Sophomore Dance Committee, 1
P.m., 212 HUB
TIM Dance, 9-12 p.m., HUB ballroom
tICA Faculty Committee and SCA, lecture
by Dr. J. Neal Hughley, profe*ior of
economic, North Carolina College, 8 p.m..
Chapel, topic: “The Christian Faith
and the Capitalist-Socialist Controversy*’
TOMORROW
Chem-Physlcs Student Council, 2 pm, 212
HUB
Chens Club, 2pm, HUB cardroom
Christian Fellowship, 2 p.m., 21? HUB
Commerce 474 Planning Committee, 3:80
pm. 218 HUB
Emerson Society, 6:30 p.m., 205 Roucke
Executive Committee, 6 p m., 214 HUB
Freshman Advisory Board, 3:30 pin., 203
HUB
Graduate Students Bridge, 7 p.m., 212-13
HUB
Management Meeting, 7 p.m., 217 HUB
Newman Club, 7 p ni., 214-15 HUB
Protestant Worship Service, 9 a.m., Chapel,
Rev. William Kuhre
Reception, S: 4 > -11 pm., HUB main lounge
Roman Catholic Mass. 9 a.m , Schwab
Sophomore Advisory Board, 1:30 p.m., HUB
assembly room
Swedcnborgan Service, 10:30 am., 212-13
HUB
University Lecture Series, 8 p.m,, Schwab,
Dr. Herman J. Muller, Topic: “Isie Fu
ture Physical Development of Man"
USF, 9*30 am, 217-18 HUB
MONDAY
A Phi O, 7 p.m., 212-13 HUB
Botany Club, 7 p.m., Buckhout Lab
Cht Lambda, 4 p.m., HUB main lounge
Christian Fellowship, 12:45 p.m., 218 HUB
College of Mineral Industries, lecture by
Dr. W. S. von Arx, 10 am., 317 Wil
lard, topic: “Heat Balance of the
Oceans”
Engineering Mechanics Seminar, 4:15
pm., 2UJ Eng A, G. T, Vavouras, topic:
“Special Stress Problems Caused by Two-
Dimensional Temperature Distributions"
Faculty Luncheon Club, noon, HUB din*
ing room A, Wallace F. Workmaster,
topic: “Conserving our Historical Re
sources”
IFC, 7 p ru., HUB assembly room
lUFC, 7 pm., 217 HUB
BGA, • .218 HUB
—John Brandt, '6l
TODAY
Little Man on Campus by Dick Bibler
•Wight ee ms •© a rjoilty Mmm to immtmi aw*
MENCEMEHT SPEAKER.—TME/RE lISEOT&QIW<SB>-MINWE LKTUffiS.*
Students Comment on Parties
TO THE EDITOR: It seems to
me that the talk of party sell
outs, party collapses and elec
tion fixes points up the fact
that the two political parties
now stand for little more than
the personalities that run them.
Campus party must stand
for something more than a
campus, and the University
party a university, but not
much more. How then can
we blame anyone for leaving
his party if such action will
further his political career?
If a two-party system is
necessary to good student gov
ernment, and if the parties
must stand for something to
hold their members, it is ob
vious that these two parties
must find something, some is
sue, on which they will per
manently disagree.
Because both parties are
composed entirely of students
it is not enough for a candi
date to say that he will work
for the bettermen of the stu
dent's position. He must say
how he will do this.
There are, it seems to me, at
least two alternatives. One can
take a liberal or a conservative
attitude toward cooperation
with the administration. The
conservative attitude would
amount to a close cooperation
with the administration in the
hope that favors would be
... And Propose Alternatives
TO THE EDITOR: Although I
saw some truth in your edi
torial, “Party Sell-Out,” I feel
that I must disagree with some
points.
It is certain that we need
two political parties, or more,
if our system of student gov
ernment is to be successful at
all. It is a sorry thing when
a strong political machine is
able to entice candidates to de
sert their party.
It also seems that Messrs,
Crosby and Darran are show
ing a definite Judas tendency
in switching parties. What I
dislike is the hanging of How
ard Byers from the same dog
wood as the other two.
Each of these three were
charged with “trying to fur
ther his own interest forget
ting his primary job of ade
quately representing the stu
dents and his secondary job of
supporting the party. It was
Successor to The Free Lance, est. 1887
PablUhed Tntsdsj through Saturda, morning during tho Unlaonlt, rear. Tha
Daily Collegian is a atadent-operated newspaper. Entered aa aecond-claaa matter
Joir 9. 1934 at the State College, Pa. Poet Offico ander the act of March 8, 1879.
Mill Subscription Price) 83.09 per eemeater 85.00 per rear.
DENNIS MALICK GEORGE McTURK
Editor Businas* Manager
STAFF THIS ISSUE: Headline Editor, Jerrie Markos; Wire Editor, Pat Dyerj
Night Copy Editor, Sue Eberly, Assistants: Carol Kunklem&n, Ellis Hummer,
Sue Taylor, Jo*zt Karen SaldutU, Kathy Kuchta* .
SATURDAY. MARCH 12. 1960
r-^
granted. The liberal attitude
would be that of very directly
representing the student, of
criticizing administration pol
icy when it adversely affects
the students, of trying to force
aclion with a “damn the tor
pedoes” attitude.
Comparing the student situ
ation with that of labor, the
conservative element would
favor a sort of company union.
The liberal element would of
course, claim that a company
union is no union at all.
The union comparison is not
at all unrealistic when one
considers that the administra
tion, like management, makes
all the important decisions. The
students have the power to
criticize, to demonstrate and to
demand action. But the final
decision on such action rests
with the administration.
I don’t claim that the sug
gested party philosophies are
the only ones possible. Parties
could divide on the basis of
fraternity-sorority versus inde
pendent and fight eternally
over the best way to live. They
could divide according to cur
riculum and fight over tha
relative merits of technical
and liberal educations. I do
claim that this division would
be one with the inherent pow
er to improve the student’s
position.
—Robert Biesterfeldt, '6O
also stated that these people
were unable to have their “in
terests . . . transcend the mere
level of personal gain."
I do not see how the charges
fit Mr. Byers. Although he has
severed the ties with the party
which elected him, this action
may not be without reason. Is
it not true that Mr. Byers found
it necessary, earlier in tha
term, to resign from his posi
tion of minority leader and
from the Rules Committee?
As for the charge of seeking
personal gain, how can this ba
true in the case of Mr. Byers?
He is a senior and will have no
use for future office in the As
sembly.
As for representing students,
it seems to me that his name
has been outstanding in your
paper when you gave cover
age to any SGA business which
had an effect on us, the stu
dents. —Lawrence Royer. '6O