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Page 2 Thursday, December 2, 1965 y. X; Satlg (Uar j Opinion of the Daily Tar Heel are expressed in its : editorials. Letters and columns, covering a wide range : of views, reflect the personal opinions of their authors. : ERNIE McCRARY, EDITOR Good Riddance To An Era A political era is being swept out the door by the long-expected federal court order to reapportion both houses of the General Assembly and to equalize con gressional districts. Since colonial days the legislature has been con trolled by rural elements because, obviously enough, there were no cities. The first legislators were mostly well-to-do farmers, and that power structure has be come so entrenched, mainly through regulation of ap portionment, that urban regions have been unable to break the hold. e When one group is outnumbered, there is little it can change in its own favor. The federal court's ruling points out this situation in North Carolina: A majority of the House of Repre sentatives, is elected by 61 counties containing just 27.1 per cent of the state's population. A House mem ber from Wake County represents 82,059 people; the Tyrrell County member represents 4,520. Senate districts range in population from 65,722 to 148,418. The North Carolina Constitution says that the Gen eral Assembly must change the senatorial districts aft er every census so that each district is as nearly equal as possible in population. Legally, the Assembly has no choice. It must re apportion and redistrict before January 31 or be reap portioned and redistricted by the three-judge federal court. The job will be painful because some members will probably be shifting themselves right out of a ' job. But like it or not, power will slip from the under populated areas, notably in the East, to the population centers of the Piedmont. An era will end. And it is about time. A New Kind Of Kneel-In The principal of a San Antonio, Texas, high school seems to be spending most of his time these days shortening hair and lengthening dresses. Homer Smith, principal of John Marshall High School, outlawed long bangs last week. The students protested the haircut rule by boycotting the school cafeteria, but after two days they apparently got hun gry enough to start eating there again. Now a male teacher has complained that the girls' short skirts are classroom distractions. He did noi say if 'they distracted him'-ort his male students, but the principal issued this hem-length ultimatum : The girls are required to kneel. If the skirt does not reach the floor it is too short. Of course it is desirable for students and teach ers to keep their mind on their school work, but there seems to be an unanswered question here. Which is more distracting the short skirts or the spectacle of all those girls kneeling around the principal's office? Drugstore Education Is there any student, glassy-eyed from staring at the textbook before him, who has not at some time wished for "instant knowledge?" Why can't somebody invent a little pill which, when swallowed, will send facts flooding through the bloodstream toward a va cant brain? It sounds absurd of course, but so did the idea of television not so many years ago. Scientists at the University of California at Los t Angeles might be on the verge of becoming the sav iors of all harried college students because they have conducted experiments which indicate knowledge can be transferred from one animal to another by injec tion. They trained hamsters to do a particular thing, then injected a chemical from the hamsters' brains into the bodies of untrained rats. The rats were then able to carry out to some degree the actions taught only to the hamsters. The process is still highly experimental, but per haps the day is not far distant when needle marks on a young man's arm will not mean he is a dope addict or a coed's reference to "the pill" will have no con nection with contraceptives. ?::-:-:-x-:-:-:'X-x-::-:-x---'a-."a -. XT "--"-"'"-..".......v.XXX:X: ;; ! Uip latiy ar j 72 Years of Editorial Freedom x The Daily Tar Heel is the official news publication of jx : the University of North Carolina and is published by : students daily except Mondays, examination periods and vacations. S Ernie McCrary, editor; John Jennrich, associate editor; Barry Jacobs, managing editor; Fred Thomas, news ?-: x editor, Pat Stith, sports editor; Gene Rector, asst. sports x jx editor; Kerry Sipe, night editor; Ernest Robl, photograph- S er; Chip Barnard, editorial cartoonist; John Greenb?cker, $ political writer; Ed Freakley, Andy Myers, Lynne Harvel, S Lynne Sizemore, David Rothman, Ray Linville, staff : writers; Jack Harrington, bus. mgr.; Tom Clark, asst. bus. jx mgr.; Woody Sobol. ad. mgr. xj Second class postage paid at the post office in Chapei x : Hill, N. C. 27514. Subscription rates: $4.50 per semester; :x" $8 per year. Send change of address to The Daily Tar :$ x: Heel, Box 1080, Chapel Hill. N. C. 27514. Printed by the g Chapel Hill Publishing Co.. Inc. The Associated Press, is g : entitled exclusively to the use for republication of all X; local news printed in this newspaper as well as all ap news dispatches. x- "Which Red Light Are You Talking About?" Wo Letter To The Editor Otelia Breaks Rules Editor, The Daily Tar Heel: I intended to' write a letter of praise on Otelia Connor's last letter in the DTH. In. .that one she made pretty good sense about the dating places we should have here, up to the point about the churches. For once I could read one of her letters , and say, "Very good, Mrs. Connor,'', Note J - that I said for: once! . She, however," seems' to have this "thing" (to use a current local expression) about politeness and manners. So, perhaps she History Helps Editor, The Daily Tar Heel: I'm getting a bit nauseated. The letters to the editor seem to have taken on a tinge of idiocy, particularly when referring to our government's foreign policy. Para phrasing something I once read: 'The mark of a stupid man is his inability (or unwillingness) to learn from history." Perhaps our beloved brethren, the V.C. (Viet Cong or Vietnik Creeps; take your pick) would like to see the period 1965 1975 follow the pattern set in 1935-1945 and 1915-1925. Most of us learned from those periods that the only time decisions reached at a conference table are honored occurs when one of the conferees has ben smash ed. As to the recurring statement "Ameri cans don't know what war is: they've never had one on their own territory." Perhaps this is so because we've tried to keep them from spreading this far. If we pull out of South Viet Nam, it's quite probably we will soon thereafter pull out of South Korea, the Phillipines, Formosa, Guam, Hawaii, Alas ka, Washington, etc., ad nauseum. To Those Who Wonder A lot of us here are living in fear That you over there may think we don't care. Don't think that the tricks performed by peace-niks Express what we feel towards those who would deal A fixed deck of cards. So be on your guards And don't let us down. Help us keep our town, Our state and country the home of the free. We know you are brave, though some to your grave Will carry the flame that lights freedom's name. That torch that you bear, so far away there, It burns also here, this land you hold dear. Though all of us pray there will come a day The world will be free from hate, tyranny, And fear, we hope you, the men dressed in blue, In khaki or white, continue to fight And keep our land safe. So please do not chafe When some silly fool, who fathered a mule, Continues to shout that we must pull out. You men in the ranks deserve all our thanks For braving the worst of the enemy's thirst To dictate to all. Allow not to fall Into their cruel hands this cherished of lands. Peter M. Slagan 154 Bagley Dr. should take a good close look at herself and her own manners. I realize that most people tend to over look many things that the elder generation does, and chalk it up to eccentricity. But really, just how far are we supposed to bend backwards for her. r In her t letter published in the' November " 18 issue' of the DTH, she mentioned 'her surprise that the professor 'didn't knock 'em cold'. What is even more surprising to me, is that someone hasn't done that to her. I'm not sure that I would, but I do know some who wouldn't hesitate. Now, before she goes and gets all hot under the collar, don't think that I am con doning bad manners or impoliteness. In fact, just the reverse. So much so that I see her manners as some" of the worst dis played on this campus. As children, even, most of us are taught that one of the worst breaches of etiquette is to correct someone in public. Either she was never taught this, she has chosen to forget it, or she feels that she's so far above reproach that it is all right for her to violate these rules of etiquette. If she was never taught this, I apologize. If she has forgotten it, please take this as a kindly reminder. If she feels, however, that she is above practicing what she preaches, then she has my pity. I really do not see why the students of UNC should have to put up with this obloquy from a self-styled, self-important, egotisti cal, inclement person such as she presents herself to be. Since the opinions that I have expressed are not mine alone, but also those of many of the students I have known well in my four years here, I hope that she will heed them. By all means, let's try to promote polite ness and good manners. But if she feels this is her own personal discharge in life, then, for her own sake, at least if not for others, please use some finesse. I think she'll make more progress in the long run, if that is truly her aim. If it's not, then she deserves all of the ridicule and disrespect that she is now, and has been, getting. Ford Clark 108 Main St. STUPID 01' Y 1 PATCH THHS IS MOTftm!y r't I Free Press, Justice Conflict In America By ED FREAKLEY DTH Staff Writer Press relations with the law is becom ing an important question in America to day. The issue of fair trial vs. free press has been before the public in increasing quantity since the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in November of 1963. The bar charges that reporters infringe upon the rights of the accused by writing stories that present the defendant as either a big-time hoodlum or an innocent father of six children and a hard worker. Both of these presentations would influ ence a jury and that is wrong. . To print the news is to print fact and the truth behind the fact. The truth about the fact must be the truth-not an opinion about the truth. However more often than not there is a fine line between these two apparent ex tremes. The bar proposes that reporters not men tion the previous record of the accused,, a confession he may have made or opin ions of police officers and attorneys con cerning his guilt or innocence. What do these three proposals mean? Is it wrong to consider the past record of the accused? What this man has done in the past is a matter of record, a fact. Therefore, by the standards of journalism it belongs in the news. On the other hand, it is clearly written into American common law that each man shall be tried on the merits of the individual case. Suppose a man is on trial for murder and has a past conviction for armed rob bery, is this not an important piece of evidence? Does it influence a jury into thinking that if a man has served time for armed robbery he is probably guilty of murder? However, suppose this same man is on trial for murder and has a spotless record. He has been an outstanding leader in his community. If this is brought out in a trial, which the defense would most assuredly do, wouldn't it also prejudice a jury? So we see a conflict in our system. If the past record is bad it cannot be brought out, unless the defendant takes the witness stand But if the record is good, it will be presented to the jury for consideration. Confessions are a bit harder to handle. They cannot be introduced in court if they are forced or taken under duress. Here the reporter must be very careful. He must know the police and its credit ability. This also applies to statements by attorneys and others involved in a case. Our constitution guarantees a free press. With this right, which belongs not to the press, but to all the people, goes a respon sibility. This responsibility includes uphold ing the rights of a defendant. What it comes down to is the discretion of the reporter and his ability to be fair. What happens in the future depends on public opinion. An example of what happened in Eng. land is a good illustration. The British Press Council has set strict and severe limitations on the press in this area. In all cases of an arrest and trial the press may only say that police have picked up so and so to talk with him. They cannot say why a man was arrested or in what connection. Following the arrest no mention of the case can be made until the trial. And then the only thing that can be reported is what occurs during the actual court pro ceedings. Ten people saw John Doe shoot a woman in the head six times. They all watched as he cut her into little pieces. Four police officers arrested Doe in this act of murder. The following day there is this news paper report: Police officers last night arrested a 36-year-old man in connection with a serious matter. John Doe of 109 Wellington St., is being held until his trial comes up in a fort night. The bar has some legitimate complaints about the press. Reporters do at times in fringe on the rights of a person on trial. Something needs to be done about this sit uation. Trial by newspaper is wrong, no ex ceptions withstanding. But journalism by judges is by no means the answers. John Greenbacks r Discipline Committee Suggests Reforms,, But Nothing Drastic "You are requested not to wear shorts and slacks in dormitory parlors, on the cam pus and in the downtown area and in res taurants in Chapel Hill. "Shorts and slacks are to be worn for active sports only, unless in route to ac tivities which warrant such apparel. 'The penalty for any violation of this rule will be left up to the discretion of the House Council." Sounds pretty harsh, doesn't it? How about this: "Woman students will also receive call downs for soft drink bottles found in the rooms, unmade beds, and food not stored in tins." And this: , "The president may assign telephone du ty to each student in the dormitory. The penalty for not taking phone duty is a Fri day night's campus." And this: "Attendance at all house meetings will be compulsory. The penalty for an unex cused absence is a Friday night's campus." And this: "Freshmen must observe closed study Monday through Thursday from 8 p.m. until 10:30 p.m." And this: "There shall be no talking out of dormi tory windows. A violation of this is a call down." About once every year at the Universi ty some embattled coed will get up at a public meeting and speak her mind about the current status of women's rules, but the public little notes nor long remembers what she had to say. The great discrepancy between the rules of conduct for male students and female ones will be apparent to anyone who reads the 1965-66 edition of "Regulations for Women Students" published by the Uni versity. The University administration usually writes these concessions to Victorianism off as a good means of pacifying parents who fear for the purity of their daughters when away from home. A small ray of hope was cast into this black picture a few weeks ago when the Student Government Ad-hoc Committee on the Judiciary submitted 30 pages of judicial reform to the Faculty Committee on Stu dent Discipline. Even though the report proposes a mas sive plan for the reorganization of the stu dent courts and takes steps towards end ing the "double standard" of penalties when women's closing hours are violated, no re commendations for the elimination or al teration of the above statutes were made. The committee's recommendations are very moderate and do leave some things to be desired, but committee members know that even these few alterations will meet with opposition from some University ad ministrators. The report does point out that the com mittee felt it had to be "realistic" in its proposals for change. Admittedly girls are not supposed to be as unmindful of their behavior as boys, but the current rules are just a bit ridiculous. One can only hope that more complete revisions by the faculty and Student Gov ernment committeess are forthcoming- Though the student committee did recog nize the impossibility of making all rules equal for both male and female students, it also reached the conclusion that "a wo man student should be viewed as an Indi vidual capable of establishing her own code of conduct." There are a few administrators who ought to consider this point more care fully. BUT I HAVE TO TEST 00 for Amblyopia ex Anopsia.. 22Z OOPCV DOOPSV EX FOOPSIA? V A N B Y C A P P GROUND'S LIKE A ROCK, MISTER CAPP an paqvom thfm tati pq -rev USIN' YR 'EAO FOR. A CHANGE mm m - e llW,TWUllntl-ll. W. MMMMAt "" it-X -g ScMJf- l i i (OHQ
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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Dec. 2, 1965, edition 1
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