THE DAILY TAR HEEL,
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1951
7
JPAGE TWO
'W$m MMlp Wax ?ieel
The official newspaper of the Publi
cations Board of the University of
N-orth Carolina at Chapel Hill where
lh is published daily at the Colonial
Fa'ess, Inc., except Monday's examina
tion and vacation periods and during
the official summer terms. Entered as
Editor
Glenn Harden
Bruce Melton
Managing Editor
Business Manager Oliver Watkins
Business Office Manager Jim Schenck.
Society Editor Mary Nell Boddie
Sports Editor Billy Peacock
News Staff- Thomas - McDonald, Barbara Sue Tut tie. ' Clinton Andrews,
June Pearson, Thomas Long. Virginia Hatcher, Betty Kirby , Jody Levey,
; Gay I Ruff in, Sandy KJostermever, David Rowe.Marion Benfield. Jim Oglesby,
Jo -JlafX, Emmett Nesbit. Betty Ahern, Wood Smethurst, Trueman Hon, Sue
i Burress. Bill Scarborough, Barty Dunlop, Jerry Reece. David Buckner, Varty
Buckalew, Punchy Grimes, Bob Wilson, Jim Nichols, Paul Barwick, Bob Pace.
Sports Staff Zane Bobbins, Ken Barton, Alva Stewart, Eddie Starnes, Buddy
Northart.-
Business Staff: Flossie Kerves. Wallace Pridgeh, Gerry Miller, Richard Adel
sheiR, 'Frank -White and Robert Drew. .
hteresfe
d?
The Student Legislature last night heard two new bills
introduced which will affect the basic structure of student
government if they are passed. The bills will probably come
'out of committee next vfreek for, action.
One; of the bills calls for an open court system in thestu--dent
judiciary.
The bill uses the arguments that "secrecy is fundamentally
- opposed to the principles of democratic thought;" that "the
courts are the object of widespread distrust and disrespect;"
that "it is better to prevent an off ense than to punish it;" and
that the secret courts are in violation of the official Student
Consitution through its "constitutional guarantees" clause,
Which refers to the constitutions of the United States and of
North Carolina.
The principle of open courts in this country is one of long
standing. It is a principle in opposition to the star courts
and police courts of totalitarian countries, where the courts
hide nefarious activity under a cloak of secrecy.
It is opposed also to occasional attempts by the courts of
this country to protect defendants from the wrath of public
opinion,
- The latter argument has been long denied, and needs no
further refuting. As for the courts sof totalitarian countries,
we may almost without question deny any attempts to bring
our legal procedures into such a line. f
Presumably, university students are not children. They
are, on the whole, too old to be tried in juvenile courts on
criminal charges. Then let us not defend them from them
selves. . .
And let the court not have the convenient (if necessary)
cloak of secrecy behind which to hide its errors.
The second bill calls for a constitutional amendment. If
, it is passed by the legislature, the student body will be called
upon to vote on the issue in Fall elections.
This bill calls for a curtailment of the powers of Publica
tions Board, as stated in the constitution. Specifically, the
act will provide for the deletion of the words, "control the
expenditures of all publications funds," and will eliminate the
parenthetical so-called "total funds" clause which allows the
board to shift funds from one publication to another.
These- matters concern your money and your civil rights..
Interested?
Enough to attend legislature? Enough to vote in the com
ing elections? x v
On
Reactions to the "Chicago
Maroon case have been varied
long-winded and emphatic.
The case referred to is the
ousting of the Chicago Maroon
editor, Alan D. Kimmel, by the
Dean of Students, acting for
the administration. The reason,
as given was Kimmel had at
tended the Communist Youth
Festival in Berlin last summer
and this showed a "lack of
qualification to edit a free and
independent newspaper."
Said the Daily Princetonian,
'A unsavory a drama as .has
ever graced the history of col
legiate journalism took place
last week at the University of
Chicago. Shall action be taken
against laa individual when he
is still abroadj unable to de
fend hina&elf orjiio present ex
planations for Ins actions . ,
With the resignation of Robert
Hutehins as ; chancellor, the
glory has Indeed departed from
the University" of Chicago.
Th Uz&xixd Crimson gave no
editorial space to the ; Kimmel
aflair, , but it said, somewhat
bland! .n a : sews story,
"Thouj . aroon ISditors wired
Vie Crimson asking support in
second class matter at the Post Office
of Chapel Hill, N. C, under the act of
March 3, 1873. Subscription rates:
mailed $4.00 per year, $1.50 per quar
ter; delivered $6.00 per year and $2.25
per quarter.
Subscription Manager.
Associate Editors
...Chase Ambler
Al Perry,
Beverly Baylor
Feature Editor Walt Dear
Advertising Manager Marie Costello
News Editor......... David Buckner
Campus
their battle, none has been
given.
The Daily Calif ornian came
up with "One - thought about
the whole situation keepss com
ing to mind, this is a far cry
from the days Robert Hutehins,
who may have been called the
'bright boy of American educa
tion but who had sense enough
to know that coercion doesn't
work." , -r., .
The Daily Northwestern took
what was probably the most con
servative stand in collegiate
journalism on the matter, say
ing, in a front page editorial,
It is a damnable situation when
the staff of a student - news
paper has the complete say
about its editor and its member
ship not even subject, to an
indirect check by student gov
ernment. We . deplore that the
Chicago administration was
forced to deny the Maroon pub
lication, but we feel that cir
cumstances required that some
one step in." They continued
with a general ' indictment of
the Maroon and its editor.
; The Daily Tar: Heel was most
quoted in collegiate press circles
ot the editorial statements,
by Bill Brown
Tar On
AAy Heels
"Precendent to protect the
persons before the Honor Coun
cil has kept the Council secret,"
was the only reason for keeping
the Council closed, according to
one of the members of the Hon
or Council.
"The Council has - nothing to
lose by being open," "he contin
ued, and it would even, at
times, have welcomed those who
have criticized its secrecy."
If only precedent to protect
the persons charged has kept
the courts classed,. I can see no
reason to continue the secrecy
which surrounds both the Honor
and Student Council. That - is,
unless the person being charged
expressly requests a s c r e t
..hearing. . w
The secrecy, in fact, protects
very few. In the smaller cases,
the friends of the charged prob
ably find out. No one else would
be interested. In larger cases,
the decision is printed in The
Daily Tar Heel.
Nevertheless, our Councils
cohtine to function under
a cloak of secrecy that . cannot
be fully trusted by the student
body. It would be much better
to open the courts and throw off
the cloak.
It has been argued, and with
good reason, that with the
courts open, potential violators,
would think twice before com
mitting a violation against the
Honor Code. If anyone has the
thought of being tried before an
open court, he would think .
more of it than if he had the
thought of facing only a few
Council members.
This point is invalidated,
however, if there is to be the
stipulation that an accused per
son would have the right to re
quest a closed trial, ven so, this
is the only way open court
would be fair to all concerned.
If opening our courts would
mean that every case, or any '
case would be played up the
way the Bowers-Nei 11-White
case was publicized, then the
cloak of secrecy is preferable.
This would be true not only
for those who are proven inno
cent for they have little to
fear but more so for those who
wish to apply for re-admision.
Some question has been rais
ed as to whether the Councils
are performing their duties hon
estly. Knowing Allan Milledge,
Honor Council Chairman, and
several of the Councilors, ban
ishes such mistrust from my
mind. This applies to the Stu
dent Councilors also. .
There are those who do mis
trust the Councils, though. This
is another reason to open the
"In a university long thought
to be the stronghold of academic
freedom, freedom is apparently
perishing . .'. . . This action is
being seen by many as new and
startling evidence of the fear
under which educators and stu
dents alike are operating in the
McCarthy Epoch of the Atomic
Era. We note sadly that it is
another incident of academic
suppression on the grounds of
suspicion and ideology.
With the exceptions noted
above, the collegiate press leaped
to defend editor Kimmel and
indict Dean of students Strozier,
mostly noting generally that
such an event should happen at
the previously liberal Univer-
ity of Chicago.,! i
Over The Hill
JToday is November 9. Add a
week and four days and you
have November 20, the election
date for Legislative and other
student government seats. t ' .
Which means politics in its
most extrovertive way, will as
sume a big place in the day's
campus news column starting
next Monday. v .
What might be passed off for
,just another election can't be
so, student "" political observers
say. The University Party is
anxious to keep its bare margin
in the Legislature while the
Student Party wants to win this
one, perhaps more than ever.
The Legislature is an impor
tant political body. Since it
overrides vetoes, sponsors
amendments to the Constution,
and, of course, makes laws for
almost anything concerning stu
dents, it has power. T"he party
that has the most seats holds the
power. '
, The record up to date of the
Legislature is poor. Other than
passage of a resolution opposing
the administration's poJicy on
segregation in Kenan Stadium,
the legisaltors have passed
one bill which was declared un
constitutional, and pass, amend,
and repass another bill. The lat
ter, an election law, set election
dates for Nov. 20 and 29. It was
amended, however, switching
the dates to Nov. 15 and 20. Af
ter the bill was vetoed by Bow
ers, 4he solons reconsidered and
Riff . . . by Joe
Once or twice a century there
is a sinking of a Spanish Ar
mada, the decline of a civiliza
tion, or the blatant curses of a
reporter breaking the silence of
peaceful amity. .
It all began some three weeks
ago when Iwas in a psychotic
state I was studying. The nigh
was quiet and f just was formu
lating ideas about how to avoid
the books when all of a sudden
there came a rapping at my
chamber door! Greately agitated
over this interruption (for I was
almost in my pre-bedtime
slumber), I admitted the in
truder to my forth floor abode
little suspecting that he and fate
would be the object of my loud
denounciations several weeks"
later. . , '
I was. a freshman and natur
ally I was approached by every
type salesman listed in Car
negie's latest book. This partic
ular peddler of campus neces
sities had under his arm a
voluminous bundle of stationary
which he immediately opened
and began placing sample
sheets all over my floor and
walls. By the time-he had com
pleted this episode my room was
looking like a Rio De Janeiro
sidewalk or a microscopic, view
of a fly's eye.
Finally when my arm had no
courts.
Especially is true in matters
concerning policy. There is no
reason why the meetings should
not be open when policy is be
ing decided.
If there is any hope ' that
opening the courts would dis
courage potential, violators of
the Honor Code, and since, as
one, of the Honor Councilors
said, "The Council has nothing
to hide, I can see no reason , to
continue the Council's closed
meetings."
by Wolf Deai
passed their original bill.
Two things the law makers
. did do was to take a firm stand
against fellow members who
didn't come to meetings and also
'give the Carolina Quarterly a
lift, financially.
"The SP thinks it can give stu
dents the kind of government
wants while the UP maintains it
spends most of its time rehash
ing he poor work of the SP,
What is needed, and the men
who are in control know it, is a
strong legislature, one that ex
ercises its powers wisely.
A bill which will probably be
introduced tonight asking for a
redisricting in town districts
will probably "be pigeonholed
next week as it has- been during
the last several sessions of the
Legislature. According to some
sources, there are 1200 men liv
ing outside of fraternities and
dormitories. President Robin
Gilmore of the Town Men's As
sociation wants to organize
these men politically and social-
ly.
He feels that a districting set
up whereby these men would be
represented as those in fraterni
ties might give the townmen a
voice in student government
that the bill would not hurt any
organizations for legislative
elections. He wants to know how
other people feel about it, and if
they like the idea, he hopes the
bill will be passed . in time for
next spring's elections.
Raff
more elasticity left in it, I con
sented to make a purchase. Not
only was the salesman dissatis
fied with what I had bought,,
but he even frowned when he
persuaded me to buy a six year
supply of the stuff.
In the following weeks while
I was waiting for my genuine
imported Belgium bond to ar
rive, I cleared out my closet
and bureau of all wearing ap
parel. I needed room for the
stationary and the clothes had
to go.
Last night there came another
rapping at my chamber door
and this time it was the truck
men with the loot. I squeezed
my hands with joy and pre
pared to accepted the two ton
parcel. All went well that first
night, although my room-mate
complained somewhat over
having to donate his mattress
to the cause.
The stationary was beautiful
. . . . It was perf ect-my name
spelled correctly, my address
was right 416 A Dorm. I even
noticed with how much care
the "A" in A Dorm had been
engraved on the paper. I was
truly pleased with my purchase
'even though it meant a full six
years of - letter writing.
The next morning when the
sun was rising and I was heading
for my first class what should I
see as I turned to take a fare
well glance at my dorm, but a
bright new sign in the plaee
where "A Dormitory" once hung.
I was now - living in Winstoa
Dormitory. Those who were i
B Dorm are now in Conner, and
those who were in C, are now in
Joyner.
Would any other purchaser
like to spend next week v?ith
me in a seven day session
uninterrupted cursing? If so
please write to me at 416 Win
ston Dorm.