'AGE FOUR
Editorial Opinion
It's Your Government
The small turnout, 17 percent of the student body, in
the last. SGA election might have been a result of the
student body's disgust with SGA's accomplishments.
' The non-voting students apparently felt they would
register their disgust by failing to vote, and thit "con
spicuous by their absence" attitude would prompt student
and administrative leaders to strengthen student govern
ment.
This philosophy has been proven false in the past
semester. Student government during that period has
been as weak and ineffective as ever.
Perhaps these dissatisfied students should try a dif
ferent method of prodding student leaders and adminis
trative officials into realizing the need for a student gov
ernment that truely represents the wishes of the student
body and possesses the power and methods of instituting
them.
If the 83 percent of the student body which failed to
vote last semester were to vote this week, the incoming
student administration would have a firm structure upon
which to build its programs.
On Friday, the • day after balloting closes, student
government will begin another year under a new adminis-
tration.
In the following week or two, the winning presidential
candidate and his administration' will begin to formulate
a program, deciding what programs and policies to sup
port. and what issues to disregard.
In the following weeks, SGA reorganization will give
birth to a new system of student government.
All of these events will occur whether one percent
or one hundred percent of the student body votes this
week.
However, the enthusiasm of the new administration,
the form of the new student government, and the programs
and policies adopted by the. new 'administration will
depend upon the magnitude of the student vote.
But perhaps most itiwortant—the administration,
which is the most important factor in determining the
success of SGA programs, might be more syMpathetic to
SGA's proposals if they knew they had the support of the,
entire student body.
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BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T,
HAVE ANY CHARACTER, ITO
A REFLECTION ON ME !
"51 1 )
I=lll
Z.,1 4
THE DAILY COLLEGIAN. STATE COLLEGE. PENNSYLVANIA
WAYNE HILINSKI
Business Maniger
LOHI? SHOULD YOU CARE IF
I HAVE ANY OPINIONS OR
' PERSONALITY CR CHARACTER?
' n - ,:•: a
I Ammags.4 - `-• a- i A
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AN ,HA.,
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Letters
No Violence
In C.D. Drill
Applauded
TO THE EDITOR: There are
two ways for patriotic Ameri
cans to react to a law or cus
tom which they consider to be
wrong. One is to obey it "un
der protest," while they seek
to start in action the long legis
lative or social process to
change it.
The other is to disobey it in
a non-violent way, accepting
the legal consequences of such
civil disobedience.
The Negroes who are partici
pating in the nation's sit-in
movement have chosen the sec
ond way. The Penn State stu
dents who opposed the Civil
Defense on Friday also took
the second way.
The reaction of school ad
ministrators and law enforce
ment officers has been trau
matic in both cases. Both ac
cused the students before the
demonstrations took -place of
attempting to incite a riot, and
both threatened disciplinary
action.
Several comments come to
mind. Unlike the situation in
the South, there is no local
ordinance (or state or national)
which applies— i.e., which re
quires citizens to get off the
street in times of no emer
gency. The students were not
breaking any laws.
There are valid objections to
the reasons behind, and worth
of, the Civil Defense drill
which ought to be considered.
The editorial opinion in
Saturday's Collegian which
stated that the welfare of the
majority was infringed upon
by the demonstrators is non•
sense. Perhaps the majority's
welfare was enhanced by a
few un-ostrichlike humans.
It seems that in a day when
student conformity is being de
cried, and when the memory
of the German soldier's blind
obedience to commands is be
ing raised, it would do well for
the university community to
uphold last week's dissenters.
After all, how strong is our
American democracy.
—T. A. Braun,
Chaplain to the University
Nomination Note
TO THE EDITOR: I would like
to express my thanks to •Mr.
Katzen for his most educa
tional letter to the editor, from
which I quote:
"Eisman is not such a naive
politician as to really believe
that planks presented by a
candidate when up for his par
ty nomination at the party
meeting are really significant
in getting the nomination at
the party meeting.
4‘ .
• , it is the votes the can
didate has before he comes to
the meeting that really count."
Thank you, Mr. Katzen, for
telling those of us who are
naive in politics just. why an
obviously superior candidate
such as Duane Alexander was
defeated for the University
Party nomination.
Angel Flight Pledges, 6:30 p.m., 101
Wagner
Communion Service, 8:16 p.m., Wesley
Foundation
Ed Student Council, 6:80 p.m., 214
HUB
Fraternity Presidents, 10 a.m., 217 HUB
1.V.C.F., 6:30 p.m., 216 HUB
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NUB
S.G.A. Elections, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Houck.,
lobby: 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Hammond
lounge: 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Willard lob
by: 8 a.m.-7 p.m.. irround floor HMI
Special Orientation, 7:30 p.m., 212-218
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T.T.M. Movies, noon and 6 p.m., HUB
F ,... , 4,
assembly room
West Halls Judicial, 12 :15 p.m., 217
HUB
WYZ Committee, 1 p.m., 813 HUB
—Ralph Wise '64
Gazette
Snowed
Shades of Wilson
The town independents, who hold the potential of bal
ance of power in campus politics, are faced with a dilem-
These men, who for the most part have been proud
of their complete disinterest in the campus political game,
have one of their own men,
Dennis Foianini, entered in
this year's presidential elec
tion. For the first time in four
years, campus fraternities have
failed to control the top posi
tions on the party tickets.
Perhaps for this reason, this
campaign has generated more
interest than usual, The plat
forms of the three candidates
are certainly not strong and
they avoid many major issues
The long
dormant con
troversy over
"status seek
ers" and "ac
tivity me n"
has been
brought into
the limelight
by Duane Al
exander's and
Robert Harri
son's tremen
dous activi -
ties' ad van
tage over Foianini
Foianini's supporters claim
that other activities conflict
both in time and interest with
the job of SGA president, while
their opponents say that ex
perience is a necessary pre
requisite for the position.
The interest and feelings
stirred by these arguments
seem to indicate that last elec
tion's poor turnout, in which
only 17 per cent of the eligible
students cast ballots, will be
greatly exceeded, and possibly
doubled.
If the current campus poli
tical campaign has an analogy
in national politics, it would
seem that the 1912 election
bears the closest resemblance.
The dominant GOP forces, In
this case the fraternities, split
between Taft and,,Roosevelt al
lowing a relative unknown to
win by a razor-thin majority.
He was Wilson; a reformer.
Letters
Jr. Approves
Campus Party
Referendum
TO THE EDITOR: I have no
ticed, with much consternation,
the recent attacks that have
been leveled against Campus
Party's plank offering the stu
dent body an opportunity to
insure themselves against the
threat of lame student govern
ment.
This plank, which consists of
a referendum to be conducted
during the Winter term next
year, presents a very simple—
yet politically pure—concept;
direct responsibility of the
governing body to the will of
the governed.
Most of the attacks in ques
tion express fear of consequen
ces which might arise out of a
vote of no confidence for the
Campus Party candidates.
This, however,'is the wrong
way of looking at the plank.
What the candidates are say
ing is, in effect—"lf the major
ity of the students will elect
us it is our obligation to repre
sent their will.
We will produce according to
your standards, or get out."
The main statement here is
"we will produce."
The election of the slate of
Campus Party's candidates
will usher in a new refresh
ing concept of government at
Penn State. One in which the
basic democratic element of
grass -roots control will be in
stituted.
Let's not be afraid of-genuine
sincerity. Rather, let's ap
proach the ballot-box with one
thought in mind; this time my
satisfaction's guaranteed.
—Tom Lomen '62
TUESDAY. MAY 2, 1961
by 'eel myers
Letters
Alexander
Addresses
Students
TO THE EDITOR: Dear Fellow
Students: In a few days you
will be making a very impor
tant decision, for your vote will
help elect the next SGA Presi
dent. As a candidate for this
office, I request that yOu give
careful consideration to sev
eral points.
Experience in student gov
ernment is a necessity. No one
can just take over the most
important position on campus
without having close contact
with the organization and
knowledge of its functions.
The SGA President must
know the students and have
their respect and confidence,
particularly of the leaders.
MYERS
Consider also what the can
didates have accomplished to
benefit you. As chairman of the
SGA Stone Valley committee,
I originated and organized
Stone Valley Work Day, the
only thing SGA has done in
two years which has been com
mended by the Administration.
I hope that as SGA presi
dent I can help win back the
Administration's respect for
student government so that our
powers may be increased.
Platforms are also important.
I firmly believe in all that I
have proposed, and promise to
work to carry everything out
for your benefit. All are feas
ible and sound, and will make
a better Penn State.
Finally, I ask that you con
sider carefully the person you
want to represent you as your
SGA President, Please keep all
these things in mind; and when
you cast your ballot, I hope
that I will have your support
for SGA President. ,
—Duane Alexander '62
C.D. Protesters
'Unrealistic'
TO THE EDITOR: Miss Arlene
Shupak and Sam Rotenburg,
and in fact all those who pro
tested the C. D. pradtice, re
mind me of the fearless, daunt
less, robust ostrich who hides
his head when danger is pres
ent and by this manner thinks
he is safe.
I would be ashamed if any
one would connect me, a Penn
State student, with the pro
test that occured on April 28.
Evidently these few people do
not realize that at any moment
we can be blown to bits.
I repeat, any moment we can
be annihilated. What chance
could we have if we were not
warned. This talk of peace and
security is all well arid good,
but what are we to do in the
meantime just sit back and
relax and wait and hope and
pray we will not die?
Is this false security what
the U.S. people would like to
have? I am proud to partici
pate in the C. D. practice to
my fullest, because I realize
that by these alerts people are
trying, to keep me alive. Let's
wake up and realize this and
give our fullest support to
the next C. D. practice.
WDFM Schedule
TUESDAY
:25 Financial Tidbits
:30 Stock Market Reports
4 :00 Critic's Choice
6:00 Music et Five
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—Dave Peffer '62