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(calegg obeli Controversy Sfje JBatlp ar ? leel : In its sixty-ninth year of editorial freedom, unhampered by restrictions from either the administration or the student body. II 1,1 . ' ' . p The Daily Tar. Heel is the official student publication of the Publications Board of the University of North Carolina. ; All editorials appearing in The Daily Tar Heel are the personal expressions of the editor, unless otherwise credited; they are. not necessarily representative of feeling on. the staff. . February 7, 1962 Tel. 942-2356 Vol. LXIX, No. So Honor Council Yesterday, this column carried a criticism of the Men's Honor Coun cil because of inconsistency in han dling infractions. The two cases cited as examples were not isolated instances. They are, we believe, representative of many cases in which the Council has given inequitable consideration to similar incidents. The inconsistency is due, in part, to one of the basic principles under which cases are decided. That is that each case is considered com pletely independently, Without re gard to codification of prior decis ions. This means that a student who was found innocent, or given a light penalty on one day, might be severely punished on another. It might mean, and as a matter of fact, has meant, that two students whose infractions are completely similar, can receive entirely differ ent penalties. Since prior decisions have no bearing on the cases currently con sidered, the Council not only admin isters the judiciary codes, it, in ef fect, writes them. Honor, or gen tlemanly conduct (a term which de fies interpretation) mean nothing more or less than what the Coun cil decides they mean. And since the make-up of the Council varies with each spring election, the attitudes, interpreta tions and dispositions vary. What is vile and reprehensible to one group of councilmen, might be only mildy distasteful to another. Added to this is another, and even more unpleasant fact: there is no way of insuring that the Coun cil will be staffed with experienced, capable students. Since Council members are popularly elected, al most any student with a pleasant personality, a glib tongue, and mother's picture in his wallet, can win a seat. After he is there, he is bound by little more than his own judgment, which can range from excellent to non-existent. Decisions can be made by as few as six coun cilmen, any one, or all of whom, can be far too inexperienced to pass judgment on another. If four out of that six decide to suspend a stu dent, he stands suspended, regard less of whether his infraction is serious enough to warrant such a penalty. Four students none of them bound by anything more concrete than their own judgment, which can easily be very poor- can su spend another student and perma nently injure his future by tagging him as dishonorable, "ungentleman ly", or even criminal. Somehow, this set-up doesn't sound particularly ap pealing. We do not mean to imply that all decisions reached by the Council are necessarily unfair. Most of them, we are convinced, are careful ly considered and justly decided. But it has been more a matter of good fortune than careful planning that they have been so. No judicial system, we realize, can be perfect. But ours can defi nitely be improved. A Nobel Prize? It looks as if there might be hope gret that we cannot reproduce the for Louisiana's State Sovereignty art work: Commission. Just when we were almost convinced that the Commis sion was a wasteful drain on Louisi- POP: (State's rights) are very important, Bub. There are some people who think even our state- ana's tax structure, we received a owned schools, and a lot of other lovely, eight-page comic-book. which things, all ought to be run out of will no doubt be hailed as one of America's great literary achieve ments. Entitled "We, the People . the delightful and informative little booklet depicts a dapper, handsome young father in conservative brown Washington. Some would even like to control private groups, like your . . , club. SON: Aw, Pop, y'mean they could make us put ol' girls in our club? NOT girls! POP: So far, son, you can pick dress explaining to his bright your own friends. But some federal young son the dangers of central judges have ordered races mixed government. It is printed and dis tributed by the LSSC to all Louisi ana high schools and other interest ed persons. Definitely a masterpiece in its field, it rivals Superman for sheer in school, whether either wanted it or not. SON: You mean like in Little Rock? But colored people have nice schools. Lots of them are better than ours. Wouldn't it be fair to excitement, Little Orphan Annie for have separate schools just so long warmth, and Pogo for political sa- as they were equal? tire. POP: That's exactly what a fed- Here are some excerpts; we re- eral court held, for many years. And we all got along just fine. SON: Is it just schools they're EDITORIAL STAFF i v I i I -: ? ''4 Wayne King.... Editor Margaret Ann Rhymes Associate Editor Lloyd Little Executive News Editor Bill Hobbs Managing Editor Jrvr Clotfelter. Bill Wuamett news Editors ?! Jim Wallace Photography Editor i Chuck Mooney. Feature Editor p Harry Lloyd...- Sports Editor Ed Dupree. Asst. bports Editor Garry Blanchard Contributing Editor BUSINESS STAFF Tim BuRNETT....BusiTJ.ess Manager Mike Mathers Advertising Manager JrM "Evxxs..Subscription Manager Jim Eskridge " Circulation Manager y Th Dailt Ta Hub. 1 publiahwl Aair except Monday, examination pertotf end vacations. It la entered aa aecond - clasa matter in the post office In Chap Kill, N. C-y- pursuant witn toe act of f. Uarch 5, law. suwcnpuoa w v-m-" per semester. $3 per year. ' Th Daily Tab Hrrt Is a subscriber to the United Press International and utilizes the services of toe News tu reauoi the University oi North Caro lina. Published by the Publications Board of the University ox Norta Carolina. Chanel Hill. N. C , - - doing thia to? , POP: No, son. Some of those same people in Washington want to tell people, for instance, that they can't pick their own em ployees. SON: Why do these people want to change things? POP: Tell you the truth, Bub, I don't know. Some of them are just, well, just not very practical. Some are just trying to get votes, to get more power. . . . Some, like the Communists, just want to stir up trouble, to weaken us. SON: Yeah ... old Communists. They're just jealous. We can beat them up, any old time .. . huh, Pop? The above are just a few ex amples of the kind of wonderful information that the Louisiana State Sovereignty Commission is bestowing . upon the state's young people. Isn't that wonderful? How can the kids help growing up to be stalwart defenders of truth, equal ity, freedom, justice, etc., just like JUUU jyiiixxki-MiJi)jv.jfl .. . "illicit. A; .' Where Was Scales? The January 17, 1962 edition of the DAILY TAR HEEL contained an editorial concerning the former head of the Communist Party in the Carolinas, Junius Scales. In his book, MASTERS OF DE CEIT, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoov er listed several methods by which the Communist Party drums up sympathy. One of those methods cited was for the party or. sym pathizers to influence other individ uals or groups of non-communists, usually educated, to protest the con viction of Communists or non-Communists. The Communist party recognizes that such protests can have a great psychological effect upon the pub lic, and can make the public more sympathetic toward Communism and Communists. It was with regret that we observ ed the editor of the TAR HEEL as seeming to have been thus influenc ed to protest in favor of an Ameri can communist. The editor seemed to base his argument on the premises that Scales has sworn off the Communist Party, that he should not be penaliz ed for his beliefs and that, in any event, he could not point out co workers in the Party because he would implicate persons not now dangerous. Scales is pictured as a man sick and disillusioned with Communism after the Hungarian revolt and Khrushchev's hypocritical denuncia tion of Stalin. Those are beautiful thoughts. But there seem to be gross inconsistenc ies. Air. Scales is a well-educated man. Some have described him as "bril liant." With his education, surely he knew of the Communist Party's his tory in Russia and the world before 195G. Why did it take the Hungarian revolt to suggest that perhaps there (MIGHT not be arch angels in the Kremlin? Where was Scales during the mass murders, of hundreds and thousands of the Russian peasants? Where was he when Tito executed Mike hailovich in Yugoslavia? Where was he when Russia swept millions of European people under its iron fist? Where was he when the Reds were killing 'Americans in Korea? Where was he when Russia flat tened the Polish revolt for freedom? And where was Mr. Scales when the Kremlin reneged on every agree ment they had ever made? Surely with his excellent educa tion he was not unaware of the Kremlin's history. (Mr. Scales was unjustified in re fusing to point out his former friends in the Party. After supporting such a murderous force as that which the About Letters 1 The Dally Tar Heel Invites p readers to use it for expres- stons of opinion on current topics regardless of viewpoint. Letters must be signed, con- l tain a verifiable address, and be free of libelous material. Brevity and legibility In- f crease the chance of pablica- Uon. Lengthy letters may be edited or omitted. Absolutely li none will be returned. 1 Kremlin represents, it would seem that he owed his country more than he gave it. Remember that Scales was not tried by the House Un-American Activities Committee. He was tried in Federal courts, and his last ap peal was to the United States Su preme Court, a court that has been very lenient toward Communists and Communist activities. It was the job of the Court, not Scales, to decide whether or not his cronies were dangerous to the country. (Many former Communists in this country have tried to repay America for the base injustice they did by belonging to the Communist Party. They have aided in interpreting Communism and in pointing out the Communist menace. It was the least they could do for their country. But Mr. Scales would not even do this much. MARTIN L. WILSON "ICan't Bear To Look k k k Defending Sobell Is Not Communism Editor's Note: Rev. Andrews is presently the center of controversy among church officials in Boone. He conducted a "pray-in" in front of the Capitol in Washington, on behalf of Morton Sobell. Various members of the church and student center have accused him of Communist sympathies. Because I tried, before Christmas, to get a man released from prison who may at one time have been a Communist, some people have gotten the mistaken idea that I am favorable to Communism. I am not. To show how the confusion arises, let me use a parable. There was once a lawyer who, in the line of duty, had to defend in court a citizen accused of murder. Someone said, "This means the lawyer favors murder." Others said, "No it means the lawyer believes everyone has a right to legal defense, no matter what the charge." And there was a doctor who, in line of duty, gave penicillin to a street walker who was diseased. Someone said, "This means the doctor favors prostitution." Others said, "No it means the doctor believes in medical treatment for everyone, regardless of their moral condition." Likewise, there was a minister who, as a duty of conscience, asked for release of a citizen accused of trying to be a spy, because many eminent lawyers and other informed people said the man did not have a fair trial. Someone said, "This means the minister favors spying, or Communism." Others said, "No it means the minister believes in justice for all citizens, as children of God, regardless of their political views." In December, when I knelt at the White House fence to seek President ial clemency for Morton Sobell, I did not do it because Sobell may once have been a Communist. I did it because he is a human being, an American citizen, and an object of God's love. I did it in spite of my disagreement with his politics. The truth is, I have never met or seen Morton Sobell; I don't know his politics. I became concerned about his case after reading a book about it written by a professor of law at one of our major universities. But even if Sobell were a John Bircher, or a snake-handler, or a man from Mars, he would still be entitled to justice. (If we do not believe that, we do not be lieve in the America we say we want to defend.) In our democracy, under the Bill of Rights of our Constitution, every citizen is supposed to be guaranteed a fair trial and a reasonable sentence. But in the Sobell case as happens at times in any judicial system there is massive evidence (if you study the record carefully) that the trial was un fair and the sentence extreme. People don't know it, but Sobell was not accused at the trial of any con nection with atomic espionage the trial judge himself made that clear and he was not said to have given or received any piece of classified ma terial. Nevertheless, because of the hysteria of the McCarthy era, Sobell was sentenced to 30 years in prison on the flimsy testimony of only one witness, a man who himself faced prosecution for previous perjury. But let me say, for the record, that I am not, nev.er have been and never will be, a Communist. My own economic philosophy is about as far removed from Communist totalitarianism as one could get. I have at no time in my life ever considered adopting Communism. I have never gotten around to studying Marx or Lenin or Adam Smith, for that matter even though informed people should try to keep up with such things. I have read some economics, and I am concerned about economic justice and civil lib erties as every citizen should be just as I am concerned about racial un derstanding and world peace. In my opinion, no country on earth including the U.S.A. and Russia has an ideal or nearly-perfect economic system. There are obvious advant ages and achievements, and major defects and injustices in all of them. It would suit the realities a lot better if both sides would stop shouting to the world about their superb systems and spend a little more time on honest ef forts to improve what they have. This does not mean that all systems are equally good; it does mean that there is no room for self-righteous arrogance on either side. My views on any social issue are rooted in an active concern for gen uine democracy and practical religion, and my views are good for frank and free discussion with anyone. It is high time that all of us reject the unAmerican slander and mis guided zeal which cries "Communism!" every time someone suggests a re form or tries to help right an injustice. Why compliment the Communists by talking as if only they can take a stand for justice? Let's give the Judeo Christian faith a little credit for vigorously advocating a better world! And let's stop playing into the hands of the Communists by trying to smear every active, honest liberal with red or purple paint thus revealing our disregard for American democracy, for God, and for the truth. If, through ignorance or greed or fear, people persist in the error of equating liberalism with Communism, until American democracy is destroy ed by those who profess their patriotism most proudly, may God have mercy jn our souls! Surely the resourceful spirit and pioneering genius of the American people can come forth with purposes and proposals more positive than that. If we cannot, we are doomed to die not so much by destruction from without as by default and decay from within. Therefore, while time remains, let us join in a determined effort to make bur democracy live, by working to fulfill the American Dream of justice and goodwill at home, and helping establish a just and durable peace for the world. DAVID ANDREWS Dir., Methodist Student Center Boone, N. C. J Robinson's Rambliiigs U.S. Supports Demagogues During the recent snowstorm, a minister down in Lumberton was called upon to substitute for the regular minister, who failed to reach the church because of the inclement weather. The speaker be gan by explaining what a substitute is. "If you break a window," he said, "and then place a cardboard there instead, that is a substitute." After the sermon, a woman who had listened intently, shook his hand and said, "You were no substitute you were a real pane." Immediately after her husband had left on a business trip, Fate decided to be unkind to a particu larly notorious busybody. She start ed to tryout, almost overnight, a huge wart on the end of her nose. After being annoyed with it for three weeks, she finally had it re moved. However, the small bandage protecting the place of removal was still on when she went to the train to meet her husband. He took one look at the prominent patch and ex claimed irritably, "Good lord, Em ma, ' what i have you been sticking your nose into this time?" The lonely stranger entered a big city restaurant. "May I have your order?" the attractive waitress asked. "Yes," he replied, "two eggs and a kind word." The waitress brought the eggs and was moving away when the stranger stopped her. "What about the kind word?" he said. "Don't eat the eggs," she whis pered. Last semester one section of Hy giene 12W was composed mostly of married women and was taught by a spinster. The instructor and her class got on very well and at every session there was a great deal of conversation back and forth. At the end of the semester the spinster passed "out-mimeographed sheets for her students to evaluate the course. One of the questions asked:' "What did you Jearn in this course?" One of the students re plied "Nothing, but I sure-hope we taught you something." - " MIKE ROBINSON Fidel Castro's announcement that he is and always has been a Commu nist should surprise no one since it was a well-established, if not widely known, fact long before his revolu tion. However a large and influen tial section of what is known as Liberal opinion insisted all along that Castro was not really a Red, but a reformer trying to help his poor exploited people and driven into extremism by a mean, bungling Uncle Sam. Cuba did not go Communist be cause of Yankee imperialism, or Little Rock, or because the Eisen hower administration did not under stand the aspirations of Latin Ameri cans. It went Communist because a small, dedicated group of Reds were able to create a power vacuum and fill it while American public opin ion was paralyzed by an image of them as reformers. j The sad part is that Castro was not the only alternative to Batista in Cuba. Cuba was, by Latin Ameri can standards, a prosperous and lit erate country with a middle class and potential leaders of character and conscience. The mighty influ ence of America might easily have been applied at the right time to make sure that the Cuban revolu tion was directed into hopeful chan nels. It was the same disastrous story of 1949, when the country was sat urated from respectable sources with the idea that Mao Tse Tsung was an "agrarian reformer" only try ing to save the peasants from the vicious old warlord Chiang Kai Chek. Liberal opinion and consequently the American government has been exhibiting a dangerous tendency to support any demagogue in any un derdeveloped country who mouths anti-colonialism and reform slogans, no matter how well known his left ist and anti-American leanings, and to urge independence for half-baked nations whose governments at best are sure to be neutralist dictator ships. Liberals believed the known pro Communist Lumumba should be sup ported as legitimate ruler of the Congo. They hailed as democratic leaders the Africans who proceeded to establish anti-American dictator ships. They really believed that world opinion would punish Russia for bomb tests when it would hard ly remember Hungary. They believ ed, and still believe that the students rioted against Nixon in South Amer ica and Eisenhower in Japan, not be cause their simple minds were dup ed by Communist agitators, but be cause of just grievances. They remain unable to resist in fatuation with the labels they love. They are presently trying to per suade the country that the barbaric rampage in Angola is an anti-colonial revolt. All of which makes Liberal claims that anti-communists do not distin guish them sharply enough from Reds, that some decent Liberal citi zen is always being smeared by a witch-hunter's insinuations, seem rather silly. Judging from the num ber of Red sympathizers that Lib eral Opinion has mistaken for re formers recently, it is the Liberals who cannot always distinguish a pro Communist from a man after their own heart. "The believing mind," the great H. L. Mencken once wrote, "reaches its perihelion with the Liberals. They will believe, he said, in each and every crank who sets up his booth on the fairgrounds, including the Communists. The Communists have their talents too, but they always fall short of believing in the Lib erals." CLYDE WILSON
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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Feb. 7, 1962, edition 1
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