SUNDAY. SEPTEMBER 17. 1961 Background Drawn In Kamen Conflict Last December Charles Kamen, a 21-year-old volun teer in the Peace Corps group which just finished train ing for the Philippines here went to a movie in his home city of Miami, Fla. His attendance at that movie—“ Operation Abolition” —and his subsequent Peace Corps training, have jettisoned this somewhat retiring, intro spective past senior class presi dent of Brandeis University in to the headlines of the nation Kamen was ejected from the film showing at the Miami Ro tary Club because he "laughed and applauded at the wrong times,” according to a spokes man for the club. At this point the subject mat ter of "Operation Abolition” becomes relevant, for the film has been produced by the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC). It pur ports to depict the demonstra tions against HUAC by stu dents in the San Francisco area. Included in the film are claims that the demonstrations were Communist-inspired and that the students became vio lent when police attempted to dispurse them. When Kamen "heckled" the film he did not initiate a new controversy tor these charges have been denied by both the students who participated and faculty members of the insti tutions in the San Francisco area. Professor John R. Searle of the Universtiy of California’s philosophy department, on hand for the demonstrations, eaid they "were well monitored and orderly from beginning to end. Nor was there any out side leadership of this group, Communist or otherwise.” As a production of a Con- The 57th Year (Contmued from page four) usually eight or twelva pages long. It will issue its first call for candidates during the first ■week of classes. Students may try out for the staff by reporting to the Col legian office after 6 p.m. week days. Staffers need not be journalism students. Experience is desirable but not necessary. A desire and ability to write are necessary. Opinions expressed by columnists do not necessarily represent the views of The Daily Collegian. to the freshmen ... WE EXTEND OUR WELCOME The Peoples National Bank of State College 117 S. Alien Street Drive-In & Installment Loan Branch 222 S. Alien Member of The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. By MEG TEICHHOLTZ Editorial Editor gressional committee, the film is privileged and therefore not subject to libel or slander ac tion. After Kamen was chosen for Peace Corps training this spring. Rotary Club members complained in the press and attracted Congressional atten tion to the dispute. One of the members of the Miami Rotary Club was also a member of the Miami Draft Board. The Miami Draft board re fused to defer Kamen and R. Sargent Shriver, director of the Corps came to Kamen’s defense. He rejected the de mands of Congressmen that Ka men be dismissed. Shriver added, with refer ence to the draft status of Corpsmen, "In the Peace Corps you do not get an exemption from the draft; you do gel a deferment from the draft." Final selection of the Philip pines group has not yet been determined since the members must undergo further training and screening. Kamen himself has refused to comment on the situation, noting that his fate is in the hands of the Peace Corps com mittee. He said he has been assured his case will be han dled impartially. "I am more interested in my work for the Peace Corps than in my 'battle’ with the Rotary Club,” Kamen said Wednes day. a la carte (Continued from page four) meet every day. These lessons, it seems to me. are more lasting and al most more significant than the courses which introduce us to them. And if, by being here at Penn State, we have the oppor tunity to get these lessons, then we will be far better and hap pier people when we're gone. And besides learning how to make a living, we will have learned something more—how to live. THE DAILY COLLEGIAN. STATE COLLEGE. PENNSYLVANIA A few years after fooling around with a kite and a key Ben Franklin sat down at his desk and wrote “They that would give up essen tial liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.” It is rather shattering to rea lize that at Penn State the un iiable trend past student 'ernments > been the irse of “tem •ary safety.” 'here are two in g s that ike this, not iy a sick phil phy, but a ingerous one: The first is t it is im- Mba TriehholU possible to achieve that which is not at tempted. Especially at I’enn State, where the principle of free government becomes arbi trary. The second and infinitely RECORDS - CARDS - ANTIQUES - GIFTS the megaphone 'Neither FRESHMEN SOPHOMORE We welcome you all back and hope this year at Penn State will be both happy and successful. During Orientation Week, Sept. 18th thru the 23rd, we will be conducting a special "Get Acquainted Sale" for all Penn Staters. We hope that sometime during the week each and everyone of you will stop in and browse. MUSIC ROOM OPEN 9:00 'til 5:30 TUESDAY thru SATURDAY OPEN 9:00 'til 9:00 MONDAY Liberty nor Safety' more important reason con cerns something called compro mise. Freedom is not dilutable. Equality cannot mean “sepa rate but equal.” Democracy cannot be stratified. Yei the overwhelming ma jority of past student leaders failed to realize this and over the past years have not sought the freedom that they think it is dangerous to seek. Dangerous to seek freedom? Dangerous for student govern ment to take the reigns of gov ernment from Old Main? This has been found danger ous to the student leader’s sta tus. He just might be labeled as one of those liberals, or worse yet . . . “the beat type.” His political career, upon which most of his ego is founded could be seriously undermined. Further, job recommendations could become difficult to ob tain. This dim picture suddenly grew sunny last spring when a liberal flood swept the cur rent SGA president into office with one of the largest majori- JUNIOR SENIOR 143 $. ALLEN ST., STATE COLLEGE by meg teichholtx ties and vote turnouts ever seen at Penn State. A lot of people got tired of compromise and they did something about it. They voted. As entering freshmen, the members of the class of 1965 will hear much political talk, but talk is cheap The only thing that can get them the student bookstore they want, the increased gov erning power they should have by right, the myriad other needs that will appear, is their interest in their only elected spokesman—SGA. This does not mean blind support, it means strength and thought. Those who are will ing to make the temporary compromise may find them selves in that big, cold, cruel wide etc, world all safely com promised out of freedom, equal ity and democracy and tucked away in a thorny bed of totali tarian roses. They may have made their bed, but only ideological strength will save the rest of the world from lying in it. PAGE FIVE
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers