Page Two

Scarlet and Black

Scarlet and black

Represented [or National Advertising by
National Advertising Service. Inc.

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A weekly newspaper published cinch Friday oi the Col-
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Editor . . .Kay Swartz
Business Manager Lionel Oberlin
Associate Editor . Jan Reinke
Assignment Editor . .Phyll Fleming
Copy Editors ey, Charmayne

Wilke

Phil Bennct. Mack Wright
ordon ranchei

ewis Whittemore

Sports Editors .
Art Editor
Circulation Manager

Where We Stand

We could. But we won’t.

The S and B has the privilege of sup-
porting a candidate for Student Council
President. In fact, it has been said that edi-
tors seem to be able to assume any priv-
ileges they care to take. This one We’re
leaving.

Why?

A campus newspaper with a set-up
such as this is in a peculiar position. A one-
newspaper town often finds itself with the
paper strongly supporting one candidate or
one slate of candidates in an election. Al-
though it is the only newspaper in town,
people who live there may or may not sub—
scribe to it as they see fit.

January 22 in the women's gyln, every,
one paid for his subscription to the college
paper when he paid his tuition fees. It
would be unfair for this paper to come out
strongly for one candidate when it is like-
ly that more than fifty per cent of the stu-
dents supporting this paper, favor another
of the possible ten.

Recent past years have seen editorial
policy veer from obvious, though unstated,
support of a candidate to strict impartiality
finches of space, even lines of type, award-
ed to each as exactly equivalent, We don’t
plan to count syllables. We only hope to
present the candidates, the issues, and their
platforms clearly and without bias with the
ultimate aim of achieving the most effec~
tive student government possible.

It’s not tradition, it’s not fear for loss-
ofsface we take our mugwumpish (mug on
one side of the fence . . . ) stand. It’s what
we think is the hard-headedly logical solu-
tion.

SCARLET AND BLACK

Friday, February I6, |95|

Knopf Gives Campaign Hints

(Seeing his second Student Co‘uucil campaign
at Grinnell, and his ﬁrst as advisor for that or—
ganizatlon, Mr, Knopf expresses his Views with
tongue-in-cheek.)

By Kenyon Knopf

A neophyte in political campaigning is
likely to find himself in dire straits vote-
wise unless he recognizes a few of the
facts of political life. As a possible aid to
candidates in the current student council
elections I shall set forth some helpful hints
drawn from a thorough culling of practices
on the national scene.

It is considered highly unethical to
categorize one’s opponents as proponents of
this or that. Do not accuse opponents of be-
ing spokesmen for Wall Street or the labor
bosses. “A” does not spend all his time at
the Three E’s nol‘ “B” with his nose in a
book. After all, they both eat. Leave some
middle ground. A whispering campaign that
one is a stooge of the administration and
another a spectator at basketball games
from the wrong side of the gym may prove
successful, but what is success if not ac-
hieved by fair and square means?

State your position on crucial issues
clearly and fearlessly. There are many ex-

ceptions to prove this rule on the national

. scene. A noted Semtor in answer to the sly

question, “If we pull out of the Far East as
you suggest, will not that leave the Philli-
pines open to further communist infiltra-
tion?” replied, “How about Alger Hiss?"
Such astuteness may be approached by con<
stant alertness. Yet one should really not
confuse the already bewildered voter by ig-
noring the rules of the game.

Nor should one succumb to pressure
groups. Do not promise the women formal
dances each Saturday unless you can be
sure that the administration will maintain
an even number of girls in the college.
Never promise the men free bowling Sat-
urday evenings without carefully explain-
ing that this will entail an increase in the
sem-fee tax.

Above all, when presenting your case
before the bar of public opinion, keep your
feet on the ground. Do not drag a red her-
ring across the trail of widespread use of
horrible metaphors and cliches. Roll up
your sleeves and come out fighting for you
cannot win without putting your shoulder
to the wheel.

Mid-Sam Students .. Have lhey a Rghl to Run?

(A senior and president of the men’s Honor
G, Clark Kingeiy has been active on the cams
initte: working to accomplish the aims he states
me.

By Clark Kingery

It seems unfair that mid-semester stu-
dents are denied the right to run for cams
pus elections. Rulings have been set that in
order to run for major campus elections, 3
student must have at least 76 academic
hours of credit. He must have a 72% aver-
age. Students who turn first semester jun»
iors at mid—semester can have only 64 hours
credit.

Why must the mid-semester student
be deprived of his right as a Grinnellian?
Is it his fault he graduated from high
school or got out of service at a time
causing him to enter Grinnell at mid
semester?

Is it fair for him to have to stay over
another semester, spend $685 more, so he
can run for a major campus election ‘?

Let’s look at the reasons for this re-
quirement. It can be said that a student, in
order to be capable of successfully filling a
major campus job, should be at Grinnell
long enough to know the schooli It could be

Prexy Race Retrospect-Last Year

(Duane Blough, the successful student coun-
cil president candidate last year, reviews for the
S&B his opinion of his year's experience as pres-
ident.)

By Duane Blough

This story was to be either why I am
glad that I ran for Student Council Presi-
dent or why I am sorry that I ran, and it
certainly does not present a very difficult
decision. I have never regretted either my
running or my being elected. From the time
of the ”shedding of first blood” in last
year’s campaign, it has provided me with
one fine experience after another.

It’s true that the work involved is very
timevconsuming and I’ve found that it is no
trouble at all to become discouraged time
and time again. But there are so many
good things that offset the bad that the
discouragements seem to just fade away.

To begin with, it has been a tremen-
dous help in developing administrative
ability. Learning how to conduct meetings
of any kind, how to delegate responsibility
and work, and most of all just learning how
to work with other people are valuable
skills never to be lost.

Secondly there is no better way to learn
how Grinnell college operates, from the stu-
dent’s angle, from the faculty’s position, and
from the administration‘s point of view.
And to ‘see all three working together to
make Grinnell a better place for all of us
gives one a great feeling of satisfaction.

Thirdly, it gives one an opportunity to
see how other schools work and how.their
campus life compares with ours at Grinnell.
And finally it has provided me with the
chance to feel as if I have done something
for Grinnell college in return for all it has
done for me.

(Serving as president of the men’s council of
house presidents since last spring. Brett Taylor
looks back on his campaign with no rcszrcts,
thlo)ugh it didn't land him in the student Coun-
Cl

By Brett Taylor

The Student Council campaign of 1950
was undoubtedly the highlight of my four
years at Grinnell. When I decided to run,
it was with the understanding between my
campaign manager and myself that we were
going to trv our hardest to win, and have
fun doing it.

Those ten days of campaigning are still
quite vivid in my mind. Planning a platform,
writing and giving speeches. radio talks, and
trying to keep informed of what was hap-
pening occupied my time, while my cam-
pairm manager tackled the details, kept the
campaign moving. and managed to keep my
suit pressed, my hair combed and to get me
to all the right places at the right time

During the campaign the campus seem-
ed to suddenly come alive —— tension and
excitement ran high. I’ll alwavs remember
those who stayed up way into the night
who almost found themselves on probation
after spending too much time making pos-
tel-s.

Then there was the catwalk built in
back of ARH at four in the morning, Choc—
olate parading our banner in convocation,
and the south campus delegates and sup—
porters displaving their “I am a Taylor
Maid” tags at the convention.

In closing I would like to say to any
candidate who is planning to run. run for
a purpose, try hard to win, but above all,
keep vour sense of humor~have fun. If mu
feel there is anv danger of vour becoming
bitter after possibly losing the race for stu-
dent council president, then don’t runithe
harm to vourself would be greater than the
good derived.

said that this cannot be accomplished in a
shorter time. Why, then, are transfer stu-
dents, having their quals passed and back-
ed by the necessary credit hours, eligible?

Will we vote for a person who isn't
well-acquainted with the college? The man
or woman we elect for a major campus job
is representing us. Our difficulties are his
difficulties.

Why shouldn’t mid-semester students
run? They have an added advantage of
being present after their terms of office
to help a new man. They can go to sum-
mer school and make up required credits
if necessary.

From the mass student outlook, the
need for this kind of change is now espec-
ially pressing with the possibility of many
of the most desirable men candidates leav-
ing for service. Why limit a narrowing
field from which to choose good represen-
tatives? ‘

A change can be made. The fact that
a rule has stood in the past is no criterion
for its future performance.

Letters

0 the Editor of the Scarlet and Black:

From reading the recent S&B’s one
might come to the conclusion that the S&B
is attempting to bestir the latent political
consciousness of the Grinnell student body.

I believe that the S&B, along with cor-
respondent Blizzard, should realize that
there are reasons for the so~called political
apathy on campus.

One reason, rather obvious, is that
most men do not feel that they will be on
campus next year, and therefore care little
as to the choice of a Student Council Presi-
dent. And the women . . . If these over-
protected, un-concerned students called wo—
men feel it not degrading to their collective
feminine personality, they might choose
from among themselves a candidate for off-
ice and produce an effective campaign for
her. (And I hope such a candidate would not
judge “maturity” solely by interest in cam»
pus political affairs.)

The main reason, I believe, for inaction
on the part of the students is an easily jus-
tifiable lack of interest in campus politics.
Outside of the flurry of campaign speeches
in a three week period last spring, how
many times during the year has the Student
Council President appeared before the stu-
dent body? Oi' made the students aware of
his actions in office“? How many students
care whether the Student Council decides
to join the NSA or attend a conference‘.7
The answer to all of these questions is
“very few."

For these reasons, I feel the S&B
should stop berating the students for lack
of interest. If the S&B wants a political
campaign, and is so interested in the cam-
paign’s being “mature, intelligent and dem—
OCI‘ZIlZlC," it should start things off by nom—
inating its own candidate. .

Disinterestedly yours,
Merle Fischlowitz

 

