Page Two

SCARLET AND BLACK-

Friday, March V. I962

 

 

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GRINNELL COLLEGE
Gtinnell, lawn

newsvmher iiiiiilisiiiu ciai risiiiv oi the college
(‘il‘innL-ll Committee on sniuriu pin. '
liicwii. ( ii. kriiirceiuril [of “annual
- uiiii Mic iciim Serilte, m. Coll
V i-e liloti in Madison Ave, New \D\'
A scrmui r 55 cm i iii inc Post more at

~i-f oi Halal x, iris. SlleChplion inc 31.50 iici Sthnnl

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George Furl

 

The candidates

A complete committal on our part to any of tile CoIHP
presidential candidates at this stage, we admit, would be
cased only on personal preludlces.

Such factors are the only means by which ally person
can weigh the candidates honestly now because they have
done little (and ha I had little opportunity) to put thvi
job philosophy before Nolth campus. They’ll get their
chance to do it personally Sunday in Yolinkcr lounge at
6:30 pm.

But today they were given space in the Scarlet and
Black (page f ‘e) to have their say. Perhaps, if we can-
Roi. feel right iii supporting one candidate completely at
this time, we can anal} e the three platforms.

Steve Howell cites a change in the attitude of the
00pr ill tlle last two years. le says tlle Council mem-
bers are less ”imposel ” of policy now than ill the past;
that the trend is to\ ards assuming the task of ”providers"
of Well-rounded social programs for the halls and mainten»
ance of “freedom witllill the framework of academic and

il order."

This latter is achieved, he says, by proposal of legisla-
tion to the Senate which will insure such freedom; by pro-
xision of information to hall members about operating pro-
cedures of the Courts. Howell, we assume. would strive to
continue and improve this role of the Cot’HP as “providers."

Gar Smith's platform calls for complete compliance with
college and student rules, a point which defies argument.
However, his point that rules should be c ' lged merely be
cause they are inconsistent with one’s ability or llclillation
to adhere to them seems strained to us. Sunday 5 Youllker
session will dolibtlessly give Smith a chance to explain hinle
self on this point.

One additional thing stick. on olir craw, that being
lis request for a “positive orientation pl'og'l in.” Many a
ittel' word has been w ttell ill this paper by this editor
and past in argument ag inst what others have called a

"positive orientation program.” But perhaps we‘re not being

. Sunday will 1)‘ lde him with the opporiinity
to state his case more speei Cally.

Tom Frant7, presents a platform with more steel in
it than the other two, we think. His indicated determina-
tion to‘ see the drinking rule modified seems to be an hour
cst attempt to see a bad situation remedied. The present
rule is hypocritical and, we think. must be abolished.

Frantz asks for lllore autonomy ill the hall system.
This we are willing to see tried. It h been oiir experience
that when groups make their owll rules, they are infinite
ly more careful of their own responsibilities as well as their
rights. /

All three men would make capable leaders, we feel. They
all have indicated executive potential ill positions of lead-
ership on campus. We think the question which should now
decide our votes is what they would do with their abilities.
Perhaps this will be indicated more cleal y Sunday.

BY KEN SCHIFF

convolvulus

We waited patiently

For tra elel's with their messages

And were not disappointed when they calne
Begriined, halfrdead, with tales ol‘ near-escape:

"We’ve had to er wl through narlow passage“
To reach the lilld covered lands we sought
But they were lalge and strange beyond belief
And what we learned was worth the suffering:
Amazing! l was right alld you were right
And those with whom we fought so bitterlyi
They too were always right.
There was no need to try so hard
But even that was never really wrong.
We have been where things have different names.
We fed on lotus plants
‘And barely have returned, though oddly \\ 'se.
,What sights we saw, what things we learned!
We could invert old meanings and \‘iilidilies,
Could trade the le coil of lore,
YExhaustive chemistrles,
jAnd outworn alphabets of bitter wine.
For some outrageous lies.

t our most lucid times we recog‘
,I‘lle glistening liierarcl ‘, tier by tier
Of names and moments rising brightly high
Beyond our sight. too large to understand,
interstices and webs, complex connections
Slung ill patterns filling eyely foot of space.
Now, 1'evel‘»z'aclled and changed beyond repair,
We have come home to 1- st,
Where suns are not so bright.”

Halama reviews SGA's year

by Bill Halamn
(1961 SGA President)

The leaders of student gov-
crnmcnt have endeavored in the
past year to provide the unllyr
iug concept of “awareness" for
the work of thC\SGA It was
our wish that from this conccpl
individual issues would dcrivc
theu‘ meaning. Clearly, ii is the
responsibility of the Student
Government Association to pro~
ride a wholesome balance be
tween concern for campus issues
and an informed, intelligent
cuncern for national and inter-
national issues, and further, to
foster awareness in both areas,

Campus affairs

The primary task facing ihc
SGA officers last spring was the
aciualimtion of the new consti-
ttitlon and its satisfactory ini-
plelncntation In so doing, a sub
stantial amount of time was den
voted to the budget and to the
handbook.

An increased activity fee al—
lowed for more comprehensive
social programming and place
ed the total budget at over
344,000. Not only was the bird-
gel. unified for the first time,
but put on a program basis, it
allows us to think in terms
of its actual effects. To im-
prove liason and lo provide
for more efficient execution
should, in the future ,appoint
a ”comptroller."

Also. the three handbooks
were combined info one. Unfort-
uilately, an inordinate amount Di
verbiage made the handbook
longer and less coherent than
it should have been. Presently.
the constitution is being some-
what shortened and house rules
for both campuses are being re-
VlSEd and more compactly statr
ed in order ‘to make the hand-
book a more readable document

Judicial and social byrlaws
were enccled in order to state
more precisely the powers proh
cedures, and responsibilities or
the courts and of the Social
Planning Board.

To Iacllilate the \gork of the
Senate a special committee,
which concerns itself with bud-
gets, nominations and constitu-
tions, was established.

The admissions committee en-
larged the student ambassado
program, It is our hope that this
program will attract outstand-
ing high school students to arm.
hell.

The freshman orientation
commission has critically ama-
lyzed the entire orientation
and New student Days pro<
grams and has come forth
with several valuable recomr
mandations.

A building program commib
tee was established and is pres-
ently being rejuvenated. Tl s
commiuce works with faculty.
administration and trustees in
making known student opinion
on plans for construction of cani-
pus physical facilities,

A civil defense conimiltcc has
wolked With the laculty-admin-

istration committee in planning
for a falhout shcltcr on campus
and in voicing student Cl‘ltl»
cisms to the Viability and to the
worth of such a Civil defense
program.

An encampment was held
again this year at Pilgrim
Hcighls and an'oighteen-page
summary of findings and i‘ecom»
mendations concelning/ various
facets of campus life has been
printed. Most of these ought u;
be referred to the appropriatc
committee or body for action.

Still in embryonic stages arc
the curriculum committee anc
the summer employment com-
mittee and it is hoped that these
will be allowed to continue
their work.

The single issue which
cl'atcd the greatest amount oi
student Opinion was nuclear
testing, A resolution was passe
cd_voichig opposition to a re-
sumption of testing in the atmos-
phere and then an independent
group of students travelled in
Washington, It is my hope that
student government will con-
tinue to express its opinion on
these kinds of issues and that
the student body will continue
lo give its respect to these whc
are courageous enough io-dcm.
onstl‘ate their convictions peacer
fully. For this is a right inherent
in the structure of ii democratic
society.

Considerable attention was
given to the HouserUn-Amcl‘v
ican Activities Committee and
to the question of civil liber-
ties 'in general. Both “Opern-.
lion Abolition" and “Operation
Correction" were shown on
campus and in debate was held
between Fulton Lewis III and
Michael Harrington. All of
these were presented in con—
junction Wilh the Program in
Practical Political Education.
Such prngrums in conjunction
with other campus organiza-
tions ought to continue and to
be expanded if possible.

Grinnell reaffiliated with thc

National Student Association this
year and through the work of a
senate committee, we were ablc
to maintain close Contact with
the national office.

In addition, the IowarNebi‘as»
ka region of the National Stil-
dent Association is embarking
on a program designed to study
and to deal with Iowa‘s social
and economic problems. We will
work on the problem of migrant
laborers within the overall PI'OV
grain. However, due mainly to
poor leadership, the region is
still rather decadent. Since our
primary Contact with NSA is on
the regional level, Grinnell
might Well devote significant
ciforf to providing dynamic
leadership in the region and
hence to becoming a real force
within NSA.

International affairs

The Senate Committee on in-
ternational affairs has assumed
control of the campus fox"

gen-

student program and of cm
Forclgii Student Leadership
Project within NSA. The SGA
has donated full scholarship
for a foreign student this year,
has provided personal expense
money for two others, and h
provided lodging and employ—
meilt for them during vacation
periods. Also, the debt which
the SGA has inherited from past
foreign student programs will
be liquidated by the end of the
year.

Finally, this committee is de-
veloping a summer program for
American students travelling
abroad.

Personal observations: ,

The position of SGA president
is both a challenging and a re-
warding aiic. At times it be
comes difficuh on an active
campus such as both to film
persons Willing to assist in the
implementation of worthwhile
programs and projects.

Nevertheless, the president
must have a realistic grip on
every situa’ ii and must at-
tempt, sometimes ngiiirisf great
odds, to implement programs
which are potentially mean<
iiigful. At all times, one must
keep his goals in mind and
must pursue them with a re—
lentless passion.

In order to lighten the burden
on major campus officers, more
office help is necessary. A part-
time non-student secretary is
sorely needed, as is a full—time
(and preferably trained) extra‘
curricular activities: counsellor
This person should be made
available to all persons in stile
dent government, to. club-presi»
dents, etc.

Unresolved isslies

There are a multitude of these
and 1 could not begin to article
late all of them in a brief sum»
mary of this nature. Particular-
ly outstanding however, is the
matter of achieving proper co-
ordination among the various
branches of government .

The lack of such coordina»
tion can burden officers un-
necessarily and can make lead-
ership positions unpalatable to
potential office-seekers. We
must constantly remember
that student government gov~
eriis not .1 nation but 1100
students and it is these 1100
students whom we serve.

As mentioned above, our re
lationship with NSA on the reg-
ionol levcl must be improved
and the leadership position them
strengthened. Finally. a soluv
tion to the book stealing pron
blem in the library must he
found.

1 would like to take this Opr
portunity to wish the in-coming
officers or the SGA, and parlic
ulal-ly Al Boston, best wishes.
for a successful year. i urge all
of you to give him your Sup-
port. For without this, the SGA
president cannot effect a mean»
ingful year of aetivitiy iii ihe
Student Government Associar
lion.

Horwaii asks creation of arm; studies division

by Mike IIDrwott

“Peace! Peace! Peace! What
the Hell, cveryaiie wants peace "
Tll‘dt was [he Caption on a Cl“-
toon by Paul CDui‘ll‘lglll. All
right Mr, Courtl'lghi. \iliat are
you, what are we going in do n7
bout it? To want peace is one
thing To work for H is incur
er.

Is there ii workable alterna-
tivc to our present policy of
deterrence. of niaininining What
Pl‘eSident Kennedy calls “The
Balance of Terror?"

Equally inipuriunl is the cues
tion oi irlicihei- 0! mil our n.-
sumpllon ihni -.i balance of t5
rbi- decreases lhc chances of war
is a coirect one.

Answers in those questions
will not be found nlel‘ely by
taking trips to Washington,
Nor will they be found by
drawing uncoilstruclivo car
tool-ls like Mr. Courtwright‘s
nor by plating blind faith in

 

the government; nor through
taking such ri narrow approach
as “better dead than fell," 01'
«her such meaningless slur
gulls.

A more constructive approach
to the problem is through study.

Contrary to the opinion of c.
Wright Mills, matters of defense
siraieuy arc not dec ded by Wall

succi Research by responsible
srhbluis iiiclicaies that govern
ineiu policy-plakers rely for
more heavily on the advice cl
research organizations like the
Rand Cci-poiuuon than [he pics.
sures of [he anus indiist v.

in 1958, Herman Kuliii an
economist and member of the
Rand Corpor ion. w ole a book
ciiuubd: “On Tlierinoiiucleur
War." It is largely on lhe basis
of lls propositions am the Rand
Corporation recommends approp-

riale strategzcs IO national pol-
icy-make .

Considerable evidence points
to the ficf that institutions
like amid mid approaches like
Kalul's are the greatest single
influence in the formulation of
defense strategy. However. it
should not be assumed nine
Rand and Kuhn are exclusive
elements in influencing smi-
tegic decision makers.

We ought to e nllnc the rub
idity of Kahn's book in light
of olller relevant social scientific
data. By subnllliing Gul‘ flndr
lugs to ihc appropriule decismn-
makers. we can make ii valu-
able coiiiribiuicii to society and
m the same time ciirich our
knowledge

Pci-hups ue ought to work for
the creation of u disarmament
siudics division This could cx»
isl as a subsldlor of the present
international siudi division or
as a separate entity.
GREY MATTER
(Contd. p. 3, col. 5.)

 

