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University Daily Kanson Thursday, Dec. 13, 1951
Little Man On Campus
by Bibler
Kansan Editorials
Cyclone Opinion On Greek Discrimination
Editor's Note: The following article is the second in a series of condensations taken from the Iowa State Daily. This article presents Cyclone campus opinion on the subject of discrimination among fraternal groups. Wednesday's Daily Kansan carried the opinions of the Daily editor.
It is interesting to note that only a bare majority of readers who answered the original editorial were identified as fraternity men. All of them opposed the Daily's stand. Of the independent students who replied, most agreed with the Daily, to varying degrees, although some stood up for the Greeks.
The editor, after due elaboration, had suggested the following steps be taken at Iowa State: Within five years all organizations with "discriminatory clauses" must (1) remove any discriminatory clauses. (2) disaffiliate with the national organization, or (3) close the individual houses.
—A.G.M.
On the following day two letters were printed, both condemning the Daily's stand, and both written by fraternity members. They argued, among other things, that "the methods advocated by the anti-clause group in order to bring about the suggested reforms call for force. Is this a democratic procedure?"
"The reader can instantly recognize that practically every group which has ideals not in common with other ideals in their community set up restrictions for membership in order to maintain a homogeneity of spirit and action within the group . . ."
"However, in my opinion it is not the business of any 'outsider' to try and rewrite the constitutions of any groups they are not affiliated with . . .
Then, saying that "democracy" is hard to define, they queried, "Using the word in a legal sense as may be derived from the Constitution—do social organizations have a right to restrict whomever they please?"
A second writer agrees "that discriminatory clauses in fraternity constitutions are not a good thing.
"It seems quite silly to me to try and change the charter of one group of organizations and let the others alone. If you are so set against what a fraternity stands for, don't join one."
He argues that a fraternity "is a group of men who have their own ideas and ways of life—and if they decide, among themselves, not to include someone in their organization, then that is their business, and theirs alone."
But still another, describing himself as "a class A griper," called the editor a "crackpot" for sounding off before giving due thought to the problem. He pointed out that "every organization is discriminatory in some way or manner."
Another said he saw in the editorials only "a suggestion to remove a clause which has long marked such organizations as being narrow-minded and prejudiced.
"Individually, I find that fraternities and sororities are a normal, wonderful group of people," wrote another. "As a group, some of the rules (they) live by stink to high heaven."
The only constructive suggestion was given by "a visitor in Ames." He wrote, "I am a college
Daily Hansan
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man from another part of the U.S. and the fraternity problem is the same everywhere. I think societies are proper in college, but not secret societies. At Princeton they had secret societies at one time, but now they have changed it so that membership is open, and any student can choose the society he wishes to join. It works out very well."
And the controversy still rages, although the editors appear to want it quieted, if only the letters would cease. Only two editorials have appeared on the controversy, and both of those late in November.
Their uncertainty is explained, and even given a certain nobility, as symptoms of our times, or as indicative of the vast rootlessness and lack of purpose inherent in the intellectually delicate in this country. We offer no haven for the sensitive.
It is about that time in the school year when students are beginning to ponder on the value of higher learning. They wonder if it is all worth the effort they put into it, or, again, the effort they feel they put into it.
It will be interesting to see if the discussion is called to an involuntary halt, or if it will die of its own accord.
Much of the energy they would devote to pursuing that learning they expend in aimless speculation, twistings and turnings of the mind which are most often expressed in the sophisticated terminology of their favorite subjects.
Despite all of the free enterprise and rugged individualism propaganda broadcast by the American Legion and others of its ilk, we have developed only a WPA attitude towards living. We want everything easy. If it doesn't come that way, we have manufactured the finest set of rationalizations in the history of mankind.
A Rear View Mirror
The argument is presented that matters mental are deprecated to the advantage of the materialistic endeavors. We are so engrossed in picking up a buck that we have given it a stature which it doesn't deserve.
They are manufactured right here in our liberal arts courses, but they are manufactured inadvertently. Instead of taking what they give us as guides for living, we take them as excuses for not living. They give us high-sounding props for our failures.
So, we can't study, we can't go away alone and think. I doubt whether we ever wanted to do either, but here is the answer. Just select a clause or phrase from the jargon of some study and you have your excuse—and it even sounds romantic.
Or we can blame it all on the youth of the country or on its size or on the small salaries paid mental workers. But we don't blame it on ourselves. We are here ostensibly to get some knowledge and a degree which will enable us to get some place where we can use that knowledge. The plant is here, the rest is up to us.
Instead of picking out all the fatalistic notions offered in courses, we ought to pick up some of the indications that show us how to avoid the situations that bring about the fatalism. And we ought to lay off ourselves and give the books or the instructors or whatever it is we are concerned with a break.
And instead of constantly saying that our problems are greater now than they ever were, and then using antidotes concocted years ago to solve them, we ought to devise a few modern solutions.
For nothing does more to lower the morale than a continuous dissertation on the depths to which it has plunged. We can talk ourselves into defeat.
But, there probably is no answer. We are what we are and we must make the best of it. Just don't blame someone else for it.
Just quit looking at life through a rear view mirror.-The Pitt News, University of Pittsburgh.
Speaking on integration for Negroes, Duke Ellington recently stated, "We ain't ready yet." The Duke's a fine musician.
Freshman comment on the first two issues of the Sour Owl. "What an appropriate name!"
"Have you been waiting long, sir?"
A Test Of McCarthy Support
Another test of Republican support of Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy will come up soon. The occasion will be the replacement of the late Senator Wherry (R.-Neb.) on the Senate appropriations committee.
Having served on an appropriations subcommittee briefly this year, McCarthy will appeal to the GOP big brass to place him or this powerful legislative body. In such a spot, he could wield a mighty lever over his favorite victims, the administration and State department.
There has to date been no clear cut disavowal of McCarny's dirty work by the Republicans. In fact, the Taft wing has given definite indication of approval.
On Jan. 30, McCarthy was selected by the Republican committee on committees to the Senate appropriations subcommittee on the budget of the State department. When Senator Blair Moody (D-Mich.) replaced the late Senator Vandenberg (R.-Mich.) however the Democrats were given another representative to this committee and McCarthy was dropped. He hopes to regain this advantage as Wherry's replacement.
To console McCarthy after his loss, Taft and Senator Wherry offered him a position on the GOP policy committee. When n member offered to resign, Wherry moved to increase the size of the committee by one.
But this coincided with McCarthy's punch below the belt. A General Marshall, scoring off support of the more progressive Republicans, and Taft and Wherry had to fall back.
The Old Guard again rushed to McCarthy's aid at the time Senator Benton's (D.-Conn.) move to censure McCarthy's participation in the Maryland election fraud against former Senator Tydings (D.-Md.) in 1950. Referring to the composite picture which showed Tydings "meeting with" a leading Communist, Senator Welker (R.-Idaho) said he thought it "very clever." Senator Knowland (R.-Calif.) took the Senate floor in defense of McCarthy Senator Hickenlooper (R.-Iowa) felt that use of the picture was not such a "heinous crime."
Taft seemed truer to form a few days later in Sioux Falls, S.D. when he said, "I think Senator McCarthy has done a great service by calling attention to the extent of Communists in government."
Although Taft has remained behind scenes and let his lieutenant speak out in Congress, he has had difficulty evading the issue in public. Pinned down by newsmen in Des Moines recently, Taf said coyly that McCarthy "overstates his own case," but that "they are certain points" on which I can agree with him.
One columnist hit at the core of the issue when she called McCarthy a puppet. The Taft faction of the Republican party is pulls the strings.
The Ohian and his group cannot expect to court American favor with a clean slate as long as the facts reveal their willingness to support McCarthy. Although more liberal Republicans have indicated opposition, speaking out in the manner of the signers of the "Declaration of Conscience" would end all doubts of their interest.
In any case, the extent of support of McCarthy by all Republics will again be tested in the coming appointment to the ap propriations committee. —Ben Holloway
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