Page Two
October 30,
Published every Friday of the College year
BY THE Student Body of Salem College
OFFICES-Lower Floor Main Hall — Downtown Office—414 Bank St., S.W.
Printed by the Sun Printing Company
Subscription Price—$3.50 a year
EDITOR Susan Foard
BUSINESS MANAGER Betsey Guerrant
Salemites React!
Within the next week, the Executive Board will appoint eight mem
bers of the junior and senior classes to serve as representatives on four
evaluation committees. These committees will meet weekly until early
next spring. They will then compile a report on Salem—its self-eval
uation. In April a six-member team of college personnel in the South
will come to Salem and make their own report to the Southern Associa
tion of Colleges.
Therefore, throughout the year of 1959-60, Salem will be under the
critical eye of her own students, faculty, and administration, as well as
visitors from other colleges.
What will they discover about the general attitude of SalemWhere
will the evaluation committees find changes necessary?
We know one thing about Salem which does not need changing.
Salemites, the great majority at least, are willing to listen. Salemites
heard Charlie Jones relate the problem of his own race to America’s
position in tlie world affairs, and we are not afraid t!o admit that his
speech impressed us. We reacted. We thought. We argued. These are
the verbs which should be applied to all college students. The process
of maturing consists of rising out of ourselves to view the rest of
humanity. The students who stated an opinion on this speech, whether
they supported its thesis or rejected it, were rising out of themselves.
As long as Salem can be stimulated, it may be considered a campus
ready for any evaluations.
By Vera Britt
The steel strike, longest in the industry’s history, began last July IS
after more than 2 months of deadlocked negotiations. In the 15 weeks
since, ti has stopped 87% of the nation’s steel production, cost labor
hundreds of millions in wages, and threatened a severe blow to a boom-
ing economy.
The strike has made it evident to the people and to capital officials
that the Taft-Hartley Act does not provide a sure-fire way of dealing
with'strikes, and that a substitute must be'found.
Since th.e beginning of negotiations, the United Steelworkers have
made insistent demands for more money in view of the industry’s record
profits. The answer has been a determined, “No”, because industry
did not want another wage-price spiral.
During the early months of the dispute. President Eisenhower refused
to .allow direct Government intervention. Collective bargaining, he said,
was on trial. There were no signs of a national emergency inasmuch
as major steel users had built up huge stock piles in anticipation of
the strike.
But as negotiations dragged on with no indication of a settlement in
sight, it became apparent that the Taft-Hartley Act would have to be
employed.
These are the procedures set up by the act: The President, by
executive order, creates a fact-finding board. After the board makes
a preliminary report on the existence of an emergency, the President
directs the Justice Department to seek an injunction halting the strike
for 80 days. If the Federal Court agrees an emergency exists, the order
is issued and the strikers go back to work. Sixty days later the board
reports to the President on the situation then, including management’s
most recent offer. Within 15 days the workers must vote on whether
to'accept the offer. If they reject it, the Government, in 5 days, asks
that the injunction be lifted and the workers can then resume the strike.
These procedures were—put into action, but the injunction was never
involked. The union asked for a stay, claiming (1) that there was no
national emergency, and (2) the Taft-Hartley is unconstitutional.
Last Monday night, Kaiser Steel Corporation signed a separate peace
with the United Steelworkers Union and union workers returned to work
almost immediately. It was expected that this could be the big break
in the strike. But our economy has already been greatly effected.
The total number of people idled by October 14 was 780,000 including
the 500,000 striking steel workers. The President estimated that the
figure would run to 3 million by December if this dispute was allowed
to continue.
Railroads have lost 2 million carloads of steel freight business since
July IS. By last week General Motors had laid off 60,000 autoworkers,
and the word was that GM—the world’s biggest manufacturer—would
have to shut down production of its 1960 models completely by next
month.
The Defense Department reported that two plans supplying com
ponents for the Polaris missile had been forced to stop production this
week for lack of alloy steel and that fur others had given notice they
would have to quit in a few days.
"Newsweek Magazine” made this list of losses :
(1) Steel wages—$1 billion, enough to buy the nation’s bread for
60 days
Steel sales—$2.9 billion, enough to build nearly 3 St. Lawrence
Seaways
Production—27.5 million tons, enough to build cars for 2 years
Taxes—$630 million, enough to buy 42, B-58 Bombers
The continuance of free economic bargaining is at stake in this issue
for an aroused public might prod the next session of Congress into
passing a compulsory-arbitration law far more drastic than the Taft-
Hartley Act.
(2)
(3)
(4)
News Editor
Mary Lu Nuckols
Asst. Business Mgr.._
Sara Lou Richardson
Feature Editor
Harriet Herrinq
Advertising Manager
In Ann Wade
Circulation Manager
Becky Smith
Headline Editors
„ Alta Lu Townes
Joanne Doremus
Managing Editor
FliTabeth Lynch
Barbara Altmcm
Carole Kinq
Faculty Advisor
Miss Jess Byrd
Sandra Gilbert
Letters To The Editor
Students Defends
Square’s Purpose
Dear Editor,
Rather reluctantly, and simply
because I love a good argument
and can not resist the subtle ex
citement of a “Letter to the Editor,
I take up my pen in answer to the
letter appearing in the Oct. 23 issue
of The Salemite. (I am also afraid
that if someone doesn’t say some-
diing, there is the grave possibility
that a few Salemites will explode.)
It is, in short, a far far better
thing I do ... ah well.
There is a considerable section of
English literature whose purpose is
to: “hold up human vices, follies,
etc., to ridicule or scorn.” (Defini
tion: Webster’s New Collegiate
Dictionary) There are several ways
of doing this. One is to condemn
said follies outright. Another way
is to present vices and follies to
public inspection in such a way
that the writer’s extravagant en
dorsement of them leads to ridicule
and reform. This is known as
satire. I would like to suggest that
the article by H. H. (Around the
Square or is it “The Cube”) was a
satirical comment on the standard
of values which places fraternity
pins above all else, and that .H H.
was motivated by the same admir
able opinions which inspires Mrs.
O’Connor’s letter.
I feel that I must also defend
The Salemite against criticism of
“Around the Square.” We know
that the world is in rather a mess
right now. It seems that it has
always been so. We are indeed
vitally interested in national and
international events. But we also
intend to do our best to build a
better world—and centuries of tra
dition have defined a woman’s
sphere of influence as the home.
A woman’s job is not only to take
an alert interest in cultural and
social events: she must also raise
children, and pass on to them some
thing of her own philosophy of life.
Now a prerequisite to this is mar
riage, and a prerequisite to this—
frivolous as it may seem—is getting
pinned. We are naturally warmly
interested when any member of our
community takes this step. Part of
Salem’s charm lies in the fact that,
in “Around the Square” we may all
share in the (insignificant?) human
events of the week.
May I, as one who is herself a
“transfer” to Salem from a for
eign country, very respectfully re
commend to Mrs. O'Connor a closer
study of The Salemite, of Jonathan
Swift, and of the use of tact.
Felicity Craig
Sophmore Believes
In Good Criticism
college is not only a process of
stuffing facts into one’s head. Col
lege should prepare one
for life. ' If
a college only affords experience in
“book lamin’” it prepares one for
a one sided life. K a college trains
one well in the realm of intellect
and in getting along with people
and thus, in understanding the
world in which we live a little bet
ter and it affords also an oppor-
luUity for one to meet her liti.
companion, then it is a worthwhile
institution. What career is more
important than that of wife and
mother ?
As for the allusion that Salem
professors are not challenging, I
should like to state that I would
not trade them for the faculty of
any “small college in Virginia or
anywhere else. I do not feel that
I am being cheated too badly out
of an education. Neither my par
ents nor I feel that we are throw
ing money down the drain.
I am glad that all colleges are
not alike. Just as it would be a
dull world if all people were alike,
it would be an equally dull world if
colleges, which mold people’s char
acters, were alike. I am strongly
opposed to any movement to trans
form Salem, a .small college in
North Carolina, to Hollins, a small
college in Virginia, because in doing
so, Salem would be destroyed.
Whether I am in good taste or not,
I like Salem!
Julia Carr
articles which I consider
ful to a college community
leaning
ture women. Now don’t
®isuniiei
stand me. I do not expect a neivs
■tat)
Along with other Salemites I
have been appalled by this com
mittee of one who insists upon
making Hollins out of Salem Col
lege. Constructive criticism is good.
I am sure we have our faults at
Salem, but let’s not overdo it.
Salem also has a great tradition and
is in my opinion the finest of the
“small colleges” in North Carolina.
Salem has for almost two hundred
years graduated women excelling in
all walks of life. As for the com
ment that girls getting pinned is
not important, what could be more
important than meeting the person
with whom one intends to spend
the rest of her life. I feel that
‘’Salemite” Satisfies
Wilson And Moore
Letter to the Editor:
As we were reading through the
Salemite on Friday night, we found
the second in what seems to be a
series of columns under the heading
of Letters to the Editor.
In the October 16 issue of the
Salemite, page 2, column 2, we
found many well expressed ideas.
These ideas stimulated some good
thoughts and discussion on campus.
In the face of this, we were rather
surprised at the triviality of the
second letter, featured in the Octo
ber 23 issue. The author is right
fully concerned with world affairs,
but it seems that she has lost sight
of the fact that the Salemite repre
sents student opinion and interests.
Really, Mrs. O’Connor, has it been
that long since you exchanged a
-Aue sjaqj SI ‘Aug ,;3uu n joj uid
thing you do like about Salem?
Two satisfied Salemites,
Chip Wilson and Ann Moore
paper to contain articles of lite,.
merit such as would be contaimj
in the proposed magazine. But
do expect the newspaper of a cj|
lege community which merits
literary magazine as an outlet |
the creative abilities of its scholai
to be used as a means of exchauj
of opinion on current issues wheth,
on campus or concerning the worll
and a true picture of the type
college it represents. “Students
must want to exchange ideas; tliej
must have something to say.” Hot
well put, editor, but how also wliti
applied to Salem girls as judged bj
their newspaper. In the Oct}
1959 edition of the Salemite, Nat
Butler wrote an excellent article
the Cuban revolt. What could
more meaningful in this day ail
time to the United States and
citizens. Here was an. excellent
portunity for Nancy to communi.
cate to Salem, Cuba’s feelings aiil
problems. Did Salem show any ii
terest, any understanding or
over this ? Only H. H., who in tk
“square” article from which 11
not fully recovered, volunteered
distressing information that
students were grumbling over
use of too much international news'
and “Nancy Butler’s article u
long but the editors thought, it ws
well written.” A student’s desire
communicate, her desire to er
change ideas was not received
the Salem community. In my o]
ion, it would be a waste of monej,
inion, it would be a waste of monej
time and effort to publish a literst)'
magazine for a community who will
not even support their newspjpei.
The Salem students hardly evii
write to the editor except to cot
municate with the Betas. Wliit
would be in the literary magazine!
More exciting news about tli
square, pranks, love, and boys'
Until the students overload i
nevYspaper 'with intelligent, meai-
ingful articles and maybe even i
literary article, to let us know
there are women on this campt
with creative talent, I see no neil
for an additional folder of pages
If there are such women on campus
they have done a magnificant joboi
hiding their talents. Why not let
the Salemite be a testing gronil
and let the community see a sample
of literary achievement^ Then ail
only then will discussion concernii!
an editorial board and money 1*
valuable and worthwhile.
Anne O’Coiini'
Am
ne Challenges
Magazine Existence
Dear Editor,
Can Salem have a literary maga
zine? I would like to objectively
analyze the three requirements
which you listed for such a maga
zine.
“The first requirement for such
an undertaking is, of course, writ
ers. That is logical. “A magazine
would give students the opportunity
to discover if they can communi
cate, not first with one professor
but with the whole college com
munity.” Did you say all oppor
tunity to discover if they can com-
Butler Thanks
School For Support
Dear Editor,
As of Thursday morning Salt*
College students have willWl
given $67.61 as well as many wart
clothes, (skirts, sweaters, blots®
coats). It is with a great deal®
pride that I thank each of you
behalf of the people of Nag#
Japan. The drive will contit®
until Monday , so as to give any®”
who might go home an opportunt
to bring clothes from home,
any of you have any small
etc. you- have grown tired of,
children would love to receive tnc®
as the donations will probably p*
arrive in Japan until around Ch#
'mas.
We will give you a further rep®
-- UUIU- a-- - j ,,
municate? Salem girls have ^11 '
1 hank you again for your unsei •
excellent opportunity to discover if
they can communicate with a much
larger group than this college com
munity: the Salemite. But, do
they use it? In five issues of the
Salemite I have seen but a few
and generous contributions to
people of Nagoya. This is o”®
the many things that strength
the bond between our nation
others.
Thank you,
Eva Joe Butler