Page Two
THE SALEMITE
October 25. IQS7
Salem College
Proudly Presents
Farces
Co-starring
LACK OF PARLIAMENTARY
PROCEDURE
DISORDER PLAYING BRIDGE
Performances are given regularly at most
class, dorm, and organization meetings.
Letters to the Editor
Beyond The Square
Caesarism Threatens America
Dear Editor:
We are members of tlie Salem
student Iwdy . . . we are members
of our various classes . . . that is
where separation and the distinc
tion of Salem girls should stop..
With the junior class, there is a
disgusting situation however. There
are two cliques—Strong girls and
South girls.
Strong girls naturally feel “at
home” with their dorm, however,
with the reception some of us get
when we go into the “sacred halls”
of South, they seem to want us to
stay at home.
Working together on the little
sister party aided partially in get
ting the “campus cliques” together
but it must go further than that.
Certainly, we want to be close t(^
a few girls but, why can’t we be
friendly to all? A friendly “hello,
come on in” would even be appre
ciated by the Strong girls when
they visit South. That certainly
would be better than the cold stare
most of us get now.
Maybe South girls feel “un
wanted” when they visit Strong.
We certainly hope not and try to
make them as comfortable as pos
sible. If it’s South or if it’s Strong
being too cliquish, let’s compromise
and do .something for more har
mony in our class.
—Lucinda Oliver
When we pack our suitcases for
the weekend and visit friends at
other colleges, there is always
something that impresses us tha(
we don’t find on Salem’s campus.
Lentil 2 years ago the impression
most evident to me was the pre
sence of a Student Center on most
college campuses, and the absence
of one here. In the summer of
1956 the basement of Old Chapel
underwent a series of face lifting
operations, and in the fall Salem
opened her doors to a Student
Center. Those doors have re
mained open for 2 years, but each
day the number who pass through
the portals has dwindled until now
Salem might as well have built a
small snack bar near the Lily Pond
as that is the prime use of the
Union. On Saturday and Sunday
nights It is deserted—during the
week,—completely friendless.
As your 'Student Center Chair
man, I welcome any ideas to pro
mote a busy Union, Plans are
underway for curtains, coatracks,
and the transformation of the old
78 rpm type juke box to the mod
ern 45 rpm type. A subscription
to fashion magazines such as
Vogue, Mademoiselle, and Harpers’
Bazzar has been planned.
The Student Union is your Union.
I want }mur ideas and suggestions,
and also I want your patronage of
the Student Union.
—Lillian Holland
®tie ^alemite
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Editor-in-chief Martha Jarvis
Associate Editor Mary Ann Hagwood
Wews Editor Lucinda Oliver
Feature Editor . Jean Smitherman
Faculty Advisor Miss Jess Byrd
Business Manager Ellie Mitchell
Advertising Managers: Ann Brinson, Patsy
Gilmour.
Circulation Manager Mary Hook
Pictorial Editor Ann Fordham
Asst. Business Manager Peggy Ingram
Cartoonist Anis Ira
Headline Editor Mary Jo Wynne
Columnists: Margaret Mac Queen, Sue
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Re-write Editor Judy Golden
Is America heading toward Caesarism?
Amauny de Riencourt, a noted French
■scholar whose book was reviewed in the Oc
tober twenty-fifth issue of U. S. News and
■World Report, says that this country is head
ing toward this type of government. This
change will not come from revolution, but
from evolution, as is seen in the light of world
history, especially when compared to the rise
of the Caesars in Rome.
The key to this evolution, as seen by Mr.
Riencourt, is that as a society becomes' more
equalized along class, economic, political, and
other lines, it begins concentrating greater
powers in the hands of one person.
Because of the events of national history,
the President of the United States is the per
son who is gathering this new growth of power
and centralization.
During his term as President, Andrew Jack-
son began the trend toward more powerful
presidents. While in office, he vetoed more
bills than had been vetoed since the establish
ment of our nation.
The events leading to the Civil War and
the period of Reconstruction were the errors
of weak presidents who let Congress control
the government. Therefore, the necessity of
a strong leader Avas emphasized.
The growth of Big Business and the control
it had on politics between the time of Recon
struction and the New Deal was also attributed
with consolidating the managements of politics
in the hands of a few.
The French scholar cites the election of
Franklin Roosevelt in 1932, as the turning
point of American politics. For the first time
it was necessary for a president to be nation
ally, not partisan conscious. The economic
crisis of the period also necessitated quick
action by the president. In many eases this
action would be impaired by constitutional
law; therefore, the laws Avere overlooked. The
result Avas a greater concentration of power in
the president’s hands. Riencourt compares
this tactic of supplying the public’s desires
regardless of the method to the bread and
circus idea in the time of Roman Caesars.
Another Caesarian technique, intrigue, was
employed in Roosevelt’s fireside chats and
other mass appeals.
Along Avith the rise of presidential powers
in the New Deal came the rise to political
machines which were necessary to keep a man
in office and to get him elected.
How did these changes take place during
the time of the New Deal? Mr. Riencourt
ansAvers that they occurred through the elastic
character of the American political system.
Of course time of Avar ahvays raises the
national deader to a place of more prestige.
Congress is hidden behind the leadership of
the president. Add to this increase of power
the president’s leadership at war conferences
and it is seen that the president is in an al
most alarmingly poAverful position.
In addition to these historical events, the
limitations of Congress, the natural desire for
masculine leadership, and, most important, the
American tradition of hero worship complete
the picture of our movement toward a dic
tatorship.
Consider Mr. Riencourt’s opinion in the
light of the Little Rock situation, or the Yalta
Conference, and of the Congressional timidity
on the question of tidelands oil.
However, hoAV would the government man
age in time of national disaster if it had to
Avait for Congress to determine all procedures?
There is also the provision for re-election and
impeachment in our Constitution, plus the tAvo
party system Avhich guards against the possi-
bdity of one man’s gaining complete control.
Meanwhile Salemites are doing a little
thinking of their oAvn on the course of Avorld
events.
Considering the opinions of tAvo hundred
and tAventy-five Avho participated in a poll
Salem girls do not believe that Arkansas Gov
ernor Orval Faubus was motivated by purely
political reasons in his f ecent actions to pre
vent integration in the public schools of Little
Rock. However, there was little margin be-
tAveen those Avho believe that he Avas motivated
by Avhat he believed to be the best interests
of the people. But, most believed that the
federal intervention Avas, justified. This is an
interesting thought when considered m the
light of Riencourt’s vieAvs.
The campus was overwhelmingly in favor of
the United Nations and believed that it has
been beneficial in managing world problems.
However, there Avere a few dissentei's who be
lieved that the United Nations has had no
effect on the Avorld situation. Other interest
ing vieAvs Avere: It has been helpful in improv
ing AA'orld economic conditions and that it has
been ineffectual in the area of disarmament.
As for the iicav “bag” look from Paris, don’t
expect to see too much of it on campus.
The views on the significance of the satellite
varied cimsiderably. It was generally felt
that Russia was ahead of us in scientific ad
vancement and in the race for control of outer
space. Of course, this carried the connotation
that Americans should “wake up” and put
more emphasis on scientific research.
As for the purpose of the satellite, it was
felt that it was the beginning of space travel
but that it could also be developed into a
military Aveapon, especially if used to photo
graph militray moA^ements.
Regardless of Avhether it means the end of
the Avorld or that we’ll eat lunch on the moon
Salemites were thinking of national and inter
national events even though fcAv are regular
readers of “Beyond the Square.”
—Martha Jarvis
Behind The Ivy
Once upon a time in the ancient old town
called Old Salem Restoration, Inc., there lived
a group of girls — several hundred in fact.
Their names were either Susie or Sally, or
Mary Salem, and they Avere called college
students, because they lived at Salem College
•—a group of buildings covered by Virginia
Creeper and dormer windows and authentic
tile roofing.
There were other people in the college—
there Avas the administration. On the Avhole
these Avere kindly people who took tuition
money, made a few rules, and saAV that the
leaves were swept off the streets.
And there Avas a faculty made up of pro-,
fessors who taught classes, or, rather, lectured.
The Avomen on the faculty were hard working
and accident prone. They very often fell and
broke arms and legs on stairs and benches,
and basketball courts. The men on the faculty
had only minor accidents, for they didn’t go
in for anything really strenous—except Walky^
ing to Harry’s for coffee three times a day.
One or two of them did scald themselves Avith
hot coffee, though. But they philosophized
and said that all coffee drinkers led lives of
quiet desperation.
The faculty and students got along just fine
except in the classrooms. The relationship
was strained just a bit in the creaky-floored
hall of learning because the professors insited
on taking roll every day and expecting papers
and other assignments to be in on time. But
relations really got strained when one Susie
cut her Saturday class to go to Davidson, and
her professor gave an unannounced test. She
received an “F” on the test. (The committee
on class attendance giveth, and, the committee
taketh away.)
There were other things to do at Salem ex
cept go to classes. There Avere lectures and
concerts, but most girls thought these inconse
quential. But what the girls really enjoyed
Avas going away from Salem for a Aveekend,
so ey could come back and report a fabulous
time Avith a fabulous boy, at a fabulous dance
at tabulous Carolina — all this meaning her
niuch, forgot her at the dance,
and she had a splitting headache the whole
.Aveekend.
The most fabulous, fabulous thing that could
^^appen to SaRy or Susie Salem is for them to.
get pinned,” for then the other Sally’s and
iisie s sing to them in the dining hall; and,
course, getting pinned gives them some-
Uing substantial to daydream about during
Class.
Sally, Susie, and Mary Salem were all ro-
mantic and sentimental at heart. They all
■hAr.! Q fget married and have
nnUi Q 1 ^^eir purgatory, that is
until Sputnik fell on it.
—Tendrils