nw i
PAOI .TWO
tHl DAILY TM HttW.
SUNDAY, DECnMnUR 6, 1757
About The
Chronicle
Comment From Hollis Edens
And Edit From Durham Sun
New Falangist Salulc
Davis B. Young
Editor, The Daily Tnr Heel
Abolue fretijm of tnt pres to d'cuss public
questions it a foundation stone cf American
liberty.
Herbert '. Irover
April 22, 19:?
The e'l loiial :,, of t 'a's Dtd T:ir Heel is
centered around the finr e:.a:. 1 by the printing
f a c lumn rn'i'Icd "A ChriMma- S'ory" in Inst
V. ednesdav's rdii;i n i' The I;ike ( "iv r i!c. the stu
dent paer of mir ;cr i:i!i n'i n i
column in mc-I 'i v, a wriU'Ti b
Steve Cohen fn'vv !v i'v !
ho r V
: DurVim. The
Duke student
d from the
lf; It iippr.'i-Ofl
: it Ai dp
f.irmorlv, (he was
n iiri',-icr e:.::mp'o of stu
i i-fi-ir I' ,e tr.vctv i f the
piprn. a men' ,- r
by actmn of K lito
also fired from his po-t t h: f iT Tie Chn.'irilo's
opi r.;', iocs.
The ( olumu !tc'r w .is
!cnt rxrrcs-'ion It made
Virgin I! rl!i. ivo k:t" ;im evi lit. which in the minds
of n-1 fi n v i beautiful Cohen's comments rambled
from line to line. !a kin:; the coberri-y desired
from a literary sta.uln i i . t when wri'irtu such fict'-"n.
That his a tic!-. is in m o- taste i- obvirus to the
rfalT. It would app :ar wcaV to 'lie pvnt that he
wa forced to depen I ue oi the u' ;ai i!ies written
thrrrin to hrdd the re.e' '-'s attrition..
For thre tea o.i. r"':te'- And -ews f riled in ie
the proper diMTr,;en in al'c.'. iivj the crlumn to he
printed. Ry Mofinito n an ed lor mint edit. This
he failed to do. Yet it nui t he said in his defense
that this rar's Duke Chr nude ha- heen 1h be!
in our memory. Aiv'r's m d .. i 'oMf t
while editor, to ileal w;!h sl'iifieant questions in a
hard hitting. ,iiirn.ilisti.a!y ethical manner. At the
time of his firing, he was puttim; out one of the
ben non-daily college papers in America, a paper
in whieh Duke !ndents cmild diolay justifiable
pride. The Du'e I'liivc r- ty Publications Unard will
have a hard j.h findini.' a eoni 'enlly better editor.
Cohen's column contained, amonj,' other things,
allusions to rape, homosexnalitj and prostitution.
It is certainly within the domains of the college
laper. or any similar publication, to discuss such
sujects. Yet. such d'sr-ussi n must be handled with
impeccable tate. 1'siiK' them to degrade a rich re
liifious experience is to ay the least. (uisti mahle.
Thus, we may cone'udo that The Duke Chronicle
won't miss Steve Cohen. Firiiv. lrm is defensible.
Finns Kditor Andrews will prove, in the lony run.
-U) have been a mistake. His successor will more than
likely sho.v a distinct lack of the superior intellect
and personal courage which ma h Andrews a irood
editor.
As fer the Mispeni n of pu1 luatior.. our only
cumment is: inxcuea'de. Sui'h pre-pu'dicat'ort eeti
sorship is an ahridcr.niei.t of the freedom to whieh
the paper should he ct.'it'ed. Although ii is. possible
that The Duke Chronicle did exceed the boundaries
of freedom, isnorinc its rosp msibilities. that is still
no valid reason to ccae puhlishins. The clestruttioa
of the Friday edition of The Chronicle after it hr1
been printed is n' thin.; more than suppression. Even
though we concede Cohen and Andrews were wrowj.
we must somehow wonder if the olject of stilling
their views won't result ;n a future fear by mcm
lx rs of the Duke student community to comment on
anything nv re than the ha-t rontii-verkial matter.
It is obvious that th Dokr Cniver'ty Adminis
tration is woiTi.-d abi ut the public relations aspect
of this fiaco. The Co!' n ci Jumn has hurt that in li
lution's joml name. I'. it. by firing Cohen an I An
drews, and releasin: lb His K 'ens' ytatement to the
press. Jli? pn.'dem hi" 1n comp unded and hkwn
up out cf p-oj vtion IT ). k h adrs a"" in'i"' -d
in preserving 1'i-ir ictiirrity before the niblic's
cretinous eye. they will think twice in advance of
releasing suth 'alimenls In the future. As it now
stands. virtimMy 'ver- major college paper in the
country will co-vmijit on this, a; wdl a stall
paper, an ! pe:!)ty a i.a'ioial new outlet.
No self respr"' n-4 c li' r can s:t by and watch
any paoer bo killed in hr- manner of The Duke
Chronicle. We rliarep wi:h those who p-intcd the
column in the first place, hrd more so with those
reponihle for supi res.sion and the ceasiny of pub
lication. AM the kini'"? horses and all the kind's men
"can never make the D:ik" Clironi(le a reat pnpor
a'ain.
Merry Christmas
'Hie fellow in? is the text of a
statement by Dr. Hollis Edens,
President of Duke University,
lldi'.or.
"The ei'iimn ge-s tar beyond
the broad ireedo'm within which
The Clironlcle has traditionally
operate I. The story has the com
pound fault of mingling the acute
ly ch-ecne vi'.h the cl ens'vely
sacri'egious. It is the opinin of
the Administrative CunmitUe
that the eitorial decision to print
the column had the eflect ot turn
in,' I re; (loin into license."
According to the Durham Morn
ing Hciald. Kdens said that The
Chronicle h is long enjoyed a
bread h of Ireodcm traditionally
eoiium.n to all areas of the uni
versity and probably unrivaled by
many other college newspapers.
II? added that there has been no
restr tinL on the freedom to criti
cize, to recommend or to discuss.
llt.AiVer. tho column in Question
has received from the .--.ident
body and from the university 'com
munity at large the mo?t general
condemnation In his experience.
Ederu went on to add, "We re
gre'. that we had to take this dras
tic action. I wish to make it clear
that there is no disposition to
throttle The Chronicle in the fu
ture; there has been none in the
past. Wo do insist that intellec
tual activity cannot be separated
from individual morality. While
Rvpcnsibility seems often to stu
cien s to be the less attractive
partner of freedom, it is never
theless fundamental. Our student
writers and editors must govern
thc.nse'.vc ; by the same eh cks
upon lLense employed by scholars
and .'c'entists or any repu.able
newspaper."
From The Durham Sun
"Now that Duke University,
swillly. has it elf acted, the uni
versi.y commuu'y. and the area
within which the Wake Chrcn'c'.o
may he' seen, sh-u'd commend it.
The Chronic'e has been su? per.d; d.
The case was that rf crude and
revolting ru'pcurirg rf mrdice
and conscicus cr su'eonscious
rr.ge by a Jewish s jdent who
mocked and ridiculed the Chris
tian faith. Hi Aide a 'Christmas
Story"; a sniggering travesty on
the Yirgin P.ir'.h.
"Someone must have treated
him rVmirabty. sometime, pf
haps because he is a Jew. In strik
ing back, however, his coarse
ness and scurrility have !create i
his purpose and more deeply
maiked him. He is an Ishmael;
one of th" obnoxious, who bring
upon their people the ,srt of ex
clusion which so often has come
to be their fate."
let block is mray dug to Ulnett
"A Christmas Story'
C yrlefct lf$. Th PuHtrer Putn$hlne Ca
tt Louis p'w; Uisoa'cr
Col
umn aussn
Du
Papers
Steve Cohen
The Duke Chronicle
From The Editor
To The Student Body:
In this space today I had planned to print the
column which caused the banning of The Duke
Chronicle. Last night at 7 p.m., I decided against
it. My foremost consideration in reaching this de
cision was the welfare and good name of this
University. I remain convinced that the readers
of this paper should be allowed to read "A Christ
mas Story" and decide for themselves whether it
is or is not in good taste. However, I feel that the
publication of such an article on the pagts of
this paper would have reflected unjustly upon the
students, faculty and administration of this Uni
versity. Pressure was brought to bear upon me from
both si4s. I know that I am damned as much
for not running it as I would have been if I had.
However, this pressure was brought from stu
dents alone. No member of the administration
made any overture towards censorship. So in a
large matter th battle has been won. I could have
printed the column. And for. this, I think this
University and its attitudes are something, per
haps beyond worf;, and must be preserved as
a stronghold of free expression.
But, The Daily Tar Heel is not my paper. It
is our paper, belonging equally to each and
every subscriber. Last night as I sat in my office
writing this statement I received more phone
calls than I have ever known. Friends from every
corner of the campus came forth to offer their
support. And the members of the staff, although
divided pro and con, showed through their un
divided loyalty to the paper and its traditions,
a greater bondage than I have ever dreamed
possible. And maybe through this wonderful
friendship I have learned more about the true
meaning of Christmas, rather than printing what
I had intended.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank
both sides. The concern displayed yesterday has
given me a renewed faith. If by not printing the
column in question I have in any way re-paid
even a fraction of what the students at this Uni
versity have given to me, I thnk God for the
decision I made.
Davis B. Young, Editor
The Daily Tar Heel
An Inquisition
At Duke Univ.
Frank Crow: her
Associate Editor, The DTH
Elsewhere on tt day's editorial pa.u,e you may
read for yourself the controversial column which
precipitated last week's suspension of "The Duke
Chronicle."
Since we expect that diverse criticism will un
doubtedly be directed at our paper for this pub
lication, several remarks of introduction are in or
der. Oar ed'orial s'aff has been investigating and
discussing "Faff air Cohen" throughout the past
weekend. On Sunday afternoon, we decided to pub
lish the colu!in in today's edition. We do so not
to flout any authority, nrt to asperse ridicule upon
cur sister institution, and not to prance like a pea
cock in displaying cur cwn traJ tional and rarely
challenged freedom. We hasten to add that our en
forced demise by any powers that be was not a
serious consideration in our decision to reprint the
Cohen column.
Since I. personally, have been associated with
this paper, we have passed through two recall ..
elections o?ie successful, the other not. During
this time we have also been embroiled in counties?
c'l-pute with individuals and groups, with the
administration and. as is typical of students every
where, with the general state of the world in which
we live. Throughout these years cf turmoil, we are
first and proud to point out. our administration
has never r-yc.-:ticncd the paper's implicit right, as
I have ' i many a student editor assert, '"to
print vh ' tr.-er we damned well please."
Agrn. I will be the first to admit that there
were ihv.es '.-hen a more restrictive administration
mie'it have l.e-n tempted to chide us. It seems,
hf. wr (-. tha;: 'heir "hands off" policy has succeed
ed rnd we of th? "Tar Heel" are wildly proud of
':i'. tradition.
Tl ? recent events at Duke University put one
a In::? ' at a lcs for wordis and a starting point.
C -hen's column may well have been in poor
taslc. at first sight shocking to the timid (or in
temperate) soul, of questionable intent and badly
writ'im. All of us must admit at the outset that
have not seen the other four installments. I.
f r one. would like to read them.
Hut all of these allusions to a discussion of
prostitution, homosexuality, rape and sadism as
1 in "acutely obscene and offensively sacrilegious."
r; Dr. Edens pui it, especially when the tone Overt
ly infringes upon the "inviolate" domain of me
Church, organized (oi'ten fanatically) religion, and
this strange word, "morality," all of these things
strike a discordant note for me. When we scrape
off the specious gloss of this pontifical and audati:
ous morality, only the most naive is surprised to
discover the root embedded in the most prevalent
of evils hypocrisy.
And what might Dr. Edens possibly mean by
asserting, "We oo insist that intellectual activity
cannct be separated from individual morality"? Does
he mean that before we dare act intellectually we
must check these actions against the moral temper
of the times? Who--e morality, his? Or one of the
many eanonisiic decrees? Or. possibly, Hemingway's
(something is moral that jou feel good after)?
I would rather lean toward Pascal's conception
that the principle of morality is the endeavor to
think well. In this cae. Dr. Edens appears to be
as guilty as Mr. Cohen. The Tatter we may excuse.
Totalitarianism begins by ever increasing the re
strictions on human conduct. -If allowed to fester, it
may seen attempt tc control the domain of man's
frerdem to thir.k lor him-elf. History is pregnant
with examples, but the Span'sli Inquisition was prob '
ably the mcol despicable an unpardonable instance
of fanaticism which, in Santayana's words, consists
of redoubling your efforts when you have forgotten
your aim. The Spaniards burned human beings; the
Duke Administration has merely terrorized two boys
(one cf whv:m was being considered Tor a Rhodes
Scholar.-diip) and burned ideas which it arbitrarily
called obrcenc and offensive.
1. The nation is at wr.
,2. The nation is lovng the war. baiiy.
3. The nation must eit a vtlv trUr ftort
fcVyr ' mm J
The orr.iial stu.Vnt puM. cation of the Publication
ld of 'he L'niersiiy of North Carolina wheie it
U published diily
. i - i
examination periods
nd summer terms.
Entered a second
clays mai'er in the
post office in Chapel
Hill, N. C. under
the ac of March 3,
1870. Subscription
rates: $4 00 per se
mester, $" 00 per
rear.
The Daily Tar
Heel is printed hy
th Newi Inc., Carrboro, N. C.
y v "(
.tl (it A .
Vjwrf Mi door-.
Editor
DAVIS Ii. YOUN'C.
Associate Kditor ...
fcdilorial Asst. ..
FRANK CROWTHEK
M LOU RKDDEV
VIRGINIA AMMGi:
llanajin; Lditon
Bufiaess Manager
. CHUCK ROSS
LARRY SMITH
-!-
Assistant Editor
WALKER BLANTtN
RON SHUMATE
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Compounding the felcny, '-The Durham Sun'
printed a blatantly nescient and destructive editorial
(repiintcd c:i this page) vituperating young Cohen.
Resides he ng paorly writU'n. the editorial was ex
cruciatingly cruel and conceived in distressing ig
norance. In accusing Cohen of being anti-Christian
the eclitoiial itself was harshly anti-Semitic. And we
might all do well to remember that Jesus Christ was
a Jew, net a Christian: thus Cohen was also cutting
into the foundations of his own religion, even though
Judiasm does not consider Christ as the saviour
if I remember my theology correctly.
I have no cursing words of eternal wrath for any
of the parties concerned, although I am capable" of
great anger. I hope that I am not possessed of an
inhuman haired for the rest of the world. There can
be no recornpence to any man for such. Rather. I am
once again disappointed by the actions of my fellow
men. Their lack of tolerance saddens me. Their cal
lousness is disheartening.
Those of us yet young are often unhappv and
sometimes misguided by our bursting energy. Th?
world of man which we are to inherit seems to be
filled with antipathy, antagonism and alienation. We
are learning not to believe the lies we are taught,
of necessity, in youth. We have seen not onlv cor
ruption of State but of Church as well. The promises
of our elders have frequently been made in deceit,
and we now hesitate to trust them.
Possibly, as wc read, man is by affliction school
ed. But this afihcc.on tomes not only from us. t.h
young, but fro;a these elders who seem to hae lost
their abiiiiy to have patience with us and lead u
with unders.anuing.
Get! is net dead -love is.