Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Editoriall The Flame When Huey Long, the Louisiana Kingfish, came to Columbia, in 1934 to address a mpss meeting on his Share-the-Wealth plan, the Clariosophic Literary Society at the Uni versity of South Carolina invited him to speak in their hall. Senator Long accepted. Immediately a great hue and cry was raised in the Legislature. Was not this evil man the enemy of our great President? . Loud and insistent were the demands that President Leonard T. Baker discipline the students and rescind the invitation. On the morning of the day Senator Long was to speak, I visited President Baker, in my capacity as a reporter for the Columbia Record, to find out what he intended to <o about it. The situation was really delicate, since the appropriation bill was then under consideration and the University already had been cut to the bone and on through to the marrow. Professors were being paid salaries in many cases 50 per cent lower than before the depression. A moment after I entered the President's office, the telephone rang. It was the King fish, calling from his hotel. He spoke loudly and clearly, and I was quite able to hear both ends of the conversation. "President Baker," he announced, "This is Senator Long." "How do you do, Senator?" President Baker said. "Listen here, Doc," the Kingfish began without preliminaries; "I understand there has been lots of criticism about my planning to speak on the campus." "Indeed, Senator." "Yeah, and I just wanted to tell you that if my speaking there is going to embarrass you in any way, I won't do it." "Senator," Doctor Baker replied, "I can Honor? Truly an institution which was introduced for the joint advantage of two parties and is constantly violated by both is worthless. Such is the all holy honor system. That stu dents violate its many regulations has been loudly and longly proclaimed, but that the faculty is lax in obeying its provisions is a fact of which most of them and the stu dents are ignorant. Provisions are made for discipline of student violations, but I have yet to see any item relating to control of any infringement by the faculty. In the history department, it has been a common practice on examinations to arrange students so that they are not seated con secutively. Surely this is not done for stu dent convenience, for unfortunate members of the student body do sit side by side and take notes for hour after hour. A student's "honor' is not strengthe~ned by p)lacing him some few feet farther from his neighbor. Over in LeConte it is not uncommon for one-half of the class to be ordered to move into another room. What is the explanation for this? Also in this building one professor made it a policy to call the roll after "smok ing" intermission of a two-hour lab. This may have been due to an ignorance of such provisions and if so, is as excusable as is ignorance of law in the civil courts. The Honor Principle, however, specifically pro vides that students may leave a lab or ex amination period to smoke or for any short time without the instructor's supervision. Can we not be trusted to return to the lab, no matter how hated, boresome, or gruelling it may be? Another possible infringement by profes sors is the competitive system of gradling by which a certain percentage of the class makes A, B, etc. One of the advantages of To Canteen Critics Numerous criticisms have arisen from the members of the student body concerning the present canteen stock, its prices, and the quality of articles sold1 at the canteen. Mr. F. B. (Whitey) Rawi, manager of the Uni versity Cooperative Stores, is anxious to comply with the demands of the students, and is open to all criticisms and suggestions that any student or student group might wish to offer concerning the canteen. Mr. Rawl has pointed out that wholesale prices of articles sold at the canteen have advanced 25 % from the pre-war level. The margin of profit is much smaller than be fore the war. Most of the articles now sold at the canteen are items that sell at a popu lar price of five or ten cents. A tremendous turnover must be attained before any profit can be shown from these articles. Popular products are difficult to bbtain, but Mr. Rawl says that the wholesalers are now giving preference to the University Canteen over other Columbia cocins, 1 m ainly v Speaking not see how anything you might have to say could possibly embarrass me." "You know what I mean, Doc. I know that a lot of those fellows in the legislature have been shooting off their mouths about it. And I know about state institutions and legis latures. I don't want to hurt your school. Just say the word, and I'll call the whole thing off." President Baker was a gentle, scholarly man. His voice, soft and musical, with more than a hint of his native Charleston still present, was in marked contrast to the strident tones of the Kingfish. "Senator Long," he said, "This institution has been here for one hundred and thirty years. During all that time, I have never heard of any one being prevented from ex pressing his views on this campus unless those views were seditious or criminal. You are a member of the United States Senate. We will be honored to receive you." The Kingfish had nothing more to say. As I walked out of DeSaussure onto the old campus, the significance of what I had just heard began to appear. Principle and expediency had met in opposition, and prin ciple had won. President Baker had refused to permit desperately need political advan tage to force him even indirectly to oppose free discussion on the campus. For free dis cussion is the soul of truth, and truth the soul of the University. President Baker, in all humility, looked upon himself as the keeper of a precious flame which had burned brightly in the hearts of generation after generation of Carolinians; which no adversity, however terrible had been able completely to ex tinguish, and which some day still will light the way to a glorious future. Reprinted from "Keepers of the Flame" in "Caroliniana" a textbook for new students by Professor Frank Wardlaw. this, it has been explained, is to discourage students from helping one another to attain a high grade, in that this lessened each man's chances of being higher in average than the next. It is understood that this system is widely used in many colleges, but it is a matter of question as to whether it is in accord with principles of good scholar ship. Oh what a trusting stipulation this is!!! Step on your neighbor! Gouge his eyes out! Cut his throat! Anything to keep him from surpassing you!!! "Row one, set A, Row two, question 2, Row three, question one." How many times have you heard that? That is an example of your trustworthiness, of the confidence placed in you, of the expectation that you will live up to the pledge that you made on registra tion day. Query ! Does the faculty also sign such a pledge ? The answer is probably negative. In most cases such a thing would be ridicu lous, but it is something to ponder. While the next requirement to take an examination, will probably be possession of a pair of blinkers such as horses wear, it is only fair to say that these instances above presented are exceptions just as student vio lation is in exception. Most members of the faculty do attempt to uphold the standard and many of them even give students sec ond and third chances when one is all that is due them. Nevertheless, the honor sys tem was instituted jointly by the faculty and the student body and it is up to each group to meet the requirements. Otherwise, just as any other contract between two par ties, it may fall to the wayside and lie in disrepute, victim of laxness of both the atu dent and professor. The question stands: "Is the honor prin ciple to be maintained ?" The answer must be made by both parties.-C. G. because of the large number of veterans now on the campus. In answer to the various complaints from those who believe that the canteen is turn ing capitalistic, we are introduced to the fact that salaries of the white help in the canteen has increased 25 % ; colored help has soared-.from 150 to 200 percent . . . and still help is hard to get! (It was also learned that the manager of the canteen is being em ployed on a salary as is the faculty. The University book store also was re ported as having its share of difficulties this semester. Those who have been vo' >rously objecting to the higher prices of books will be interested to know that the publishers, and not the management, set all prices on books sent to universities. Some books are sold for only 10% gross profit, and from this margin, freight must be paid by the book store. Books bought by the book store and not sold to the students present a loss to the store. Some publishers offer a 20% refund on books not sold. This still leaves much to be desired in showing profit for the book store. P. 0. Problem OL~ C?';"Oa Sem The opinions which follow intend for this discussion to be detailed discussion of student I this subject. In these other c specifie items of controversy, question, sticking close to th form a sounder basis for judg It must be recognized that students and the President of tually powerless to defend him students. He has no ready m ments made against him. I il sented fairly. This is a time of understandable unrest on the campus. After a war-imposed period of somnambu lation, the University is in the throes of a great awakening. Some of the machinery that made the institution run has grown rusty with disuse. Some has worn out altogether. As the gears mesh slowly for the tough haul with the greatest pay load in our history, there is such a grinding and clash ing that one might reasonably con clude that the strain will prove too great. Most of the noise is normal for such circumstances. The influx of thousands of new students and the changed attitudes of many of the old ones may be held to blame. But not all of the noise can be explained so easily. Part of it springs from what appears on the surface to be a fundamental dif ference between student leaders and officers of the administration on a pjoint of the greatest impor tance: Does the voice of the stu dents have an influence on Uni versity policy? If such a differ ence actually exists, it is a matter of the dleepest concern to all of us. The University has weathered storms in the past. It will, no dloub)t, weather this one. In times of great stress, times more urgent by far than those which now en.. compass us, there have been given to us leaders of great stature, leaders whose depth of under standing and clarity of vision have created first the hope and then the realization of greater things built on the solid foundations of the old. In such times the hand of the leader is all important. It must be closed as a fist to batter dlown the obstacles to prgress. It must be pointedl as an index and a guide to the future. It must be raised with a banner to signal for unity of purpose and concerted effort for success. It must be delicately sensitive to the vibrations of the present. The task of a leader in our sort of democracy is infinitely more complex than is the task of a leader with absolute power. A Hit Ier can point the way by saying "I will it so" and those whom he leads must follow in spite of their divergent opinions. But a leader THE GA CRtOWING FOI UNIVERSITY OF E Founded January 30, 1908, with Robert Ellic SoCK is published by and for thle students luambia semi-weekly. Tuesday and Saturday, euamainations. E.ditori and businsss offices are located In tising rates are 65 cents an inch, Deadlines p. m. Wednesday a news and sports, 3 p. m. Serial and society, 3 p. -. Friday; news and Opinions expressed by columnists and ietter-wr C ~k~iE f cSsion ~ ic%i $reean6, are offered without apology. I a basis for a further and mnore grievances in other columns on olumns I intend to deal with presenting both sides of each e available facts, in order to ement of the various issues. in cases of difference b,etween a University, the latter is vir self against the attacks of the aans for answering any state itend that both sides be pre 0 4 under our system must first say "I desire to go this way, if it meets with your approval," and then go that wvay if his followers permit it. He may be forced to go another ray entirely, because his will is not the will of those who have made him their leader. He may even have to step aside for an other leader chosen by the people whom ha led. That is our concep tion of leadership. That is our system of following. That system, if properly under stood and faithfully followed, gives rise to a wonderful understanding of the problems which must in evitably confront us. It makes it incumbent upon the leader to ex plain the reasons for his desire to go a certain way, and to attempt to convince his followers that it is the hest way. It makes it pos sible for the leader and his people to think objectively about a ques ion, and to decide the issue on its merits. It is the sure way to en gender that confidence in a policy which alone guarantees united ef fort for success. Not all problems can be decided in this way. The pressure of the moment forces a leader to make decisions of and by his own au thority in the interests of efficient (lay to day operation. The miriad administrative details which con stantly confront him must be dis posed of as they come to light. But wvhen the opposition of an important segment of the people to whom a leader owes responsi bility is expressed, then the leader must give patient ear and sober considleration to the views so ex pressed. In the administration of an in stitution such as this one, it must be recognized that the leader owes a responsibility to the people of his state and to others who are not members of the student body. I cannot believe, however, that he owes any responsibility in any direction greater than that which he owes to the men and women whose future is so largely in his hands. That responsibility is so great and so clear that the great est of men might take up the burden with awe. The future of those men and those women is the future of the University, of the State, and of the Nation. MECOCK t A GREATER OUTH CAROLINA it Consules a. the first editor, THlE GAME. at the University of South Caroline in Co. during the colleg, yeer except holids, end he east basement of Sims dormulsory. Adver. oer Saturday edition; edilorial and society. 3 rhursday. Deadline, for Tuesday edition; edt sports. 3 p. em. Sunday. te a n narl these of THE CAME etaoin sh There are two things tha (These don't include being sar.) One is learn to -play to learn to fly. As a youngster I went t learning music. Not only piano, but at the same tin all came to an abrupt end o at the keyboard running sca and ruining the scales wil telephone rang. One of the neighbors wa. spoke to mother in no unce "Look, we don't mind th9 play the piano, but for quartet to shut up!" I gave up music. After I took freshman n passing it, the' U. S. Marine make a good navigator. After going through nav I was ready, so they said, The usual routine is to gi small plane-they don't coQ on a cross country hop. N< ready room with my assij down the line for my ship. The only thing that was B-24. I didn't even know thing, much less navigate it mission about 200 miles do fornia, over water that is. Everything went well, parallel to the coast, heade< we received a report that coming in off the Pacific. We were running broad si even to what I thought was I agreed that we should tu thing. We turned and made like that tail wind. All I could where I thought we had be( An hour later, we had c circling over what I thought Arizona. When we came at radio operator and said, over." The guy got busy with jiggled the key again, li: grabbed his typewriter and When he finished, he ti paper. "FIELD HELL! YOU ARE WE OVER. WE A: ERTAD, SONORO, MEXI( THE GULF OF CALIFORN LONG. 112 DEG. 45 MIN." I'd missed it only 250 mil The following week I wa. North Carolina. Fully convinced that beinui I'm beginning my lessonE Field, with the DIXIE Avia (You'd better start thini in case!) Dear Editor Dear Editor: I shall call myself the spokes man upon this occasion, and I represent a majority of the stu dents feelings at the Univer sity. These United States are a perfect example of a democracy and within that word, "de mocracy," which Webster de fines as "Government by the people; government in which the supreme power is retained by the people arnd exercised by representation, as in a repub) lic," derives the one scintillat ing word "freedom." Freedom of Speech, Freedom of the Press, Freedom of Worship. The University of South Car olina represents a true democ racy. We want it to remain that way. To you we owe many thanks for printing the topics on which we wish to know. You have upheld the tradition of the U.S.C. in, the best of your ability by giving us this information as quickly as pos sible and in a manner so de serving of the "well done" ci tation. Sincerely, BERT MOORE. Dear Gamecock: After stumbling about for one (1) hour, and getting thrown out of every room in Sims dor miltory, I am still unable to find that CENSORED Game cock office . . . I give up!! Where is it? ? Never-the-less, due to the above circumstances, I will, in the future, allow the mailman to carry all messages to y.... %7=0KMwr 40 AW rdlu t I've always wanted to do. a window washer at Vas the piano, and the other is hrough the usual ordeal of did they try to .teach me ie- I took voice lessong. It ae day. While I was sitting les with my right forefinger h my vagarious voice, the i calling up to protest. He rtain tones: t brat of yours learning to gosh sakes tell that damn tath for two years without Corps thought that I would igation school in 14 weeks to take my own ship out. ve the green navigators a t as much, and send them >t me! I walked out of the rnment and looked up and left was a newly converted how to get into the damn . My first hop was a patrol wn off Baja, (Lower) Cali intil we started back up I home. As we flew along, a whopping big storm was de to it by the time we got San Diego, so the pilot and en due east and outrun the we were jet propelled with do was track . . . find out kn. utrun the storm and were was the far eastern part of ross a field I turned to the Find out what field we're his bug, stopped to listen, ftened, looked at me, and started typing. irned and handed me the MEAN WHAT COUNTRY IE NOW CIRCLING LIB 30, ON THE COAST OF [A, LAT. 29 DEG. 58 MIN., es. sent to the University of a pilot is the easiest part, this afternoon at Owens Lion Company-suh, y'all. :ing up a new editor-just office (and let him get thrown out of the Sims rooms.) The reason for this little note is to have the following an nouncement inserted in a con spicuous -place in your under ground sheet (in big type!): "CAROLINA HAS A NEW FIGHT SONG!!" a Thank you very much for my trouble. ALBERT R. MUNN. P.S. After reading some of the stories published in The Gamecock tho' I don't blame the staff from hiding; HEHI HEHl! EDITOR'S NOTE: Readers will remember that a Peeping Tom captured at Sims last week told police that he was "fixing the plumbing." HEHl! HEHI We would appreciate mucho letter-writer M'unn using the mailman or one of our reporters to tell us who, What, When, why, and How about the announcement. The best we can do about it, until we know more Is: "Carolina has a new fight song!!" Dear Editor: In a recent issue of The G;amecock I read a feature con cerning the length of skirts as the latest fashions predict. I was thus inspired to write a poem to express my views. Here 'tis: Co-ed henmlinos Are now dlipping. Resounding, the moans - V Of males they're gypping. Listen, you females It's you I'm tipping; Now, longer skirts, And you'll be tripping! Dn B.