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University Daily Kansan Wednesday. October 4,1961
YAF Criticized
Conservatives are discontent with present world conditions, a discontent shared by others, but for different reasons. The conservative looks at the world and is appalled because he sees changes made or attempted which violate what he considers to be sacred and eternal truths. These "truths" form the basis of the conservative principles currently being advocated by the Young Americans for Freedom.
CONSERVATIVES USUALLY SEEK a political, economic, and social order based on these principles:
- A central government with limited authority, with primacy given to state and local governments.
- A maximum of individual freedom with an absolute minimum of hindrance from government or social institutions.
- A completely unregulated economy, relying not on government regulation, but on free play of economic forces (supply and demand).
- Belief in and reliance on natural rather than man-made law for guidance.
- Individual self-interest and antipathy to any collective whole that subordinates individual preregative to a common good.
THESE PRINCIPLES are used by conservatives as a measuring stick to determine how far away the world is from their idealized state of being. Any movement away from conservatism is viewed with mistrust because the conservative equates his philosophy with freedom; therefore, anything anti-conservative is anti-freedom.
YAF believes that economic rights should be placed above human rights, that the federal government's role is to help individuals achieve greater economic power and that Americans are supposed to be concerned only with their own well-being, not with the welfare of people in other countries.
ONE FACT YAF NEVER ADMITS is its undemocratic structure that lifts the mask from its pretended belief in freedom. Its by-laws give almost total power to the board of directors. Nowhere do the rules or organization make the board accountable to the entire membership. The closest thing to this is the procedure of electing board members (Article 5) which provides for one delegate and two alternates from each chapter to attend YAF's annual meeting in New York when half the board members are elected.
ONLY THE DELEGATES, not the alternates. cast a vote for board members. This means that a delegate from a chapter of five (the minimum number per chapter) has the same voting power as a delegate from a chapter of 75. This practice, however, is small compared to what happens once the board members are elected.
Section one of Article VI states, "All powers of the corporation shall be exercised by the board of directors who may delegate to officers and to committees of their own number such powers as they may see fit in addition to such powers as are specified in these by-laws."
SECTION 7 of the same article states that at all meetings of the board of directors, one-third of the members shall constitute a quorum. Any action of the board of directors at a duly constituted meeting shall be binding on the membership.
What all this means is that a handful of people can run the organization as they see fit without ever being bothered by such a nuisance as having to account to the membership. Seven people, the prescribed one-third quorum of the board, can make any decision that is binding on the entire membership.
IT MEANS THAT an even smaller number, three (a policy committee quorum), can make decisions. "that are subject to change only by the board of directors." This is hardly likely since the policy committee is composed of the highest officers in the organization who are members of the board.
Finally, it means the power of the organization can be delegated to a few trusted souls since one member can hold an unlimited number of offices. The national chairman appoints members of temporary committees and the two standing committees, advisory and publications. He also appoints all chairmen and his decisions are subject only to the approval of the board.
IT IS EASY to see how a small clique can run an organization governed by such rules. This is the same organization that proclaims in the "Sharon Statement" (YAF's constitution) what a wonderful document the Constitution of the United States is because it prevents "the concentration and abuse of power" by government.
Arthur Miller
Editor:
More On SIC
Because of widespread interest in SIC (Students Interested in Culture), I thought your readers would like to know that our SIC executive committee has adopted a slogan — SIC SEMPER! Note the classical tone.
Elmer F. Beth
Professor of Journalism
Fears Liberal Regression
Editor:
Good God! Mr. Zimmerman. Are you trying to set liberalism back 50 years?
Though your statement that communist sympathizers are harmless is in full accord with liberal doctrine, YOU JUST DON'T SAY THINGS LIKE THAT OUT LOUD! These backward Kansas conservatives won't understand at all, particularly since many of their sons and lovers have been called to active duty in the Guard and Reserve because of that silly ol" Berlin crisis."
Be patient, Mr. Zimmerman. Be patient, for if we harmless community sympathizers have our harmless way, and by hook or by
crook, we will, you'll soon be able to lift your head and voice and shout proudly: "You see. I told you they weren't so bad. The old lady and I got almost enough for two meals a day this month. So, Ya-ya-yaa."
Marick Payton Lawrence subv
P. S. to Carol McMillen: It's awfully embarrassing when my Bircher friends (I'm inexcusably broad-minded) cuff me gently on the Adam's apple and ask taintingly: "Why doesn't the NSA permit popular election of its delegates?" I really don't know what to say . . . it's such a democratic-minded organization and all and . . . Please?
Daily Hansan
University of Kansas student newspaper
University of Kansas student newspaper
Founded 1889, became biweekly 1904, triweekly 1908, daily Jan. 16, 1912.
Telephone VIking 3-2700
Extension 711, news room
Extension 376, business office
NSA Commended
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Member Inland Daily Press Association. Associated Collegiate Press.
Represented by National Advertising Service, 18 East 50 St., New York 22,
N.Y. News service: United Press International. Mail subscription rates:
$3 a semester or $3 a year. Published in Lawrence, Kan., every afternoon
during the University year except Saturdays and Sundays. University
holidays and examination periods. Second class postage paid at Lawrence,
Kansas.
NEWS DEPARTMENT
**Tom Turner** ... Managing Editor
Linda Swander, Fred Zimmerman, Assistant Managing Editors; Kelly Smith, City Editor; Bili Sheldon, Sports Editor; Barbara Howell, Society Editor.
Managing Editor
EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT
BUSINESS DEPARTMENT
NSA Commended
Editor
Ron Gallagher ... Editorial Editor
BUSINESS DEPARTMENT
BUSINESS DEPARTMENT
Tom Brown... Business Manager
Editor:
Tom Brown
I feel that KU has a great deal to offer the National Student Association. This is not a question of debt, but rather a question of duty. Why should we cheat the NSA from hearing the opinions of KU? Why should we deny KU the right to vote in the NSA when the NSA offers us the opportunity of agreeing or disagreeing with its actions and political stands.
I wish the people who want to withdraw from NSA would please reconsider.
Barry Meader Anthony sophomore
Short Ones
The newly created SIP sounds like the KU version of the Gandy Dancers' Ball—Bill Mullins
By Calder M. Pickett Professor of Journalism
Books of World War II date fast. Each great man writes his memoirs, and then the revisionists take over. A Lord Alanbrocke, a Field Marshal Montgomery gives his interpretation of the war, and of how things should have been done. "Crusade in Europe" appeared earlier than most other volumes of the war, but it still holds up.
CRUSADE IN EUROPE, by Dwight D. Eisenhower. Doubleday Dolphin, $1.45.
The Eisenhower story is one of dignity and of understanding. Think what you may of Eisenhower as president, as supreme commander he made monumental decisions. Where his decisions were bad, he makes rapid admissions of blunder. His modesty is extraordinary. It may be, in fact, a deficiency (at least in an American president).
This is the story of a Kansas soldier who moved from comparative obscurity as an aide to Douglas MacArthur to celebrated greatness as commander of the Allied forces in Europe. It is the story of the creation of a mighty fighting force, of unprecedented cooperation among nations, of the centralization of Washington as a world capital.
Eisenhower describes in great detail the invasion of Africa that was called Operation Torch, the African campaign itself, the attempt to provide a modus vivendi with the Free French and with Vichy France, the invasion of Sicily and Italy, and then the invasion of Europe that was called Operation Overlord.
The stage and the actors are mighty — Eisenhower himself, Churchill, Montgomery, Marshall, Bradley and Patton.
Where "Crusade in Europe" has particular interest is in its depiction of the man Eisenhower. He was a man with a mission, as the title of this book reveals, and as his great Guilddhall speech shows us. One can see foreshadowings of the president, and of the latent conservatism that eventually proved dominant in his approach to the presidency.
From its brilliant opening when a helicopter swoops over the rooftops of Rome with the snow white figure of Christ to its chaotic ending when the now thoroughly corrupted Marcello stares drunkenly at the monstrous white fish brought ashore, this film is a relentless indictment of a civilization bent on its destruction. The prostitution is not confined to the women who sell themselves. Everyone is for sale, and everything has its price.
LA DOLCE VITA, by Frederico Fellini, Ballantine Books. 75 cents.
This paperback with the full screenplay and many stills from the film is no substitute for the motion picture. But for those fortunate to have seen the uncut version, this book is a fine thing to have around to examine when returning from the movie house after viewing the latest Hollywood concoction.-NR
This collection of short stories manages to run the gamut of emotions from A to B. Several stories printed from the New Yorker jostle uncomfortably against some sentimental pieces, but if you like your bedtime reading fare varied you can find everything here, from the soft-centered gooey pieces to the brittle confections of city love life.—NR
LOVE AND MARRIAGE, by Margaret Cousins, Doubleday & Co. Inc. $3.95.
LITTLE MAN ON CAMPUS by Dick Bibler
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"I SEE IVE LECTURED INTO YOUR'LUNCH HOUR'AGAIN."