The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 36, No. 8, Ed. 1 Wednesday, October 13, 1948 Page: 2 of 4
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Two
THE THRESHEF
what's a "P.E."?
The term "P. E." has become somewhat of
an approbrium around this campus for some rea-
son. It is unfortunate, and strange, that many stu-
dents and many faculty members look with disdain
upon .any who call themselves "P. E.'s"
It is probable that such a feeling arises from
misunderstanding the purposes of Physical Edudktion
majors, and of lack of knowledge of their jobs after
graduation. If all students were to understand fully
the correct position of Physical Education majors
in American society our campus would not be split
by such misunderstanding.
P. E.'s are the boys who are High School gym
instructors, who are the Intramural directors at
colleges. Some of them are coaches in colleges and
high schools. P. E.'s are the boys' camp directors,
the YMCA group leaders, the recreation center di-
rectors.
Much ofHhe time of a P. E. is spent in studying
methods and theories of education. . Upon gradua-
tion most of them will be teachers, most of them
will furnish leadership for American youth in a
few years.
Few will doubt the wonderful training that a
Y camp can give a boy, few will doubt the sports-
manship, honest appreciation of his fellows, and
health, that can be given a boy in his high school
class.
What's a P. E.? A P. E. is a man with an
important job, a fellow that can make it a little
better for tomorrow's childreri by teaching them
right living and honest thinking. Rice's physical
education courses are designed to build the sort of
leaders that such a job calls for. All should learn
to appreciate their specialty, all can learn a great
deal about living a fuller life from these boys.
0 «
today at noon
The Wednesday noon club will itold its first
meeting today in A. H. 105 at 12. The subject of
the first meeting will be "What are the differences
between the States' Rights Democrats and thfte
"Loyal" Democrats?"
The Thresher is sponsoring this new informal
club in an effort to create interest and discussion in
current controversial questions, and to stimulate
interest in the Forum programs to be presented by
the Rice Forum. An attempt will be made to
provide information that is pertinent to the sub-
ject as well as to stimulate discussion.
The programs will be of the "bull session"
type, with no specific speakers. The subject will
be announced each Wednesday morning in the
Thresher, and an article presenting one controversial
view-point will be printed on the editorial page.
All rice students interested in the specific question
to be discussed are invited to attend that particular
Wednesday noon session.
The meetings will begin at noon and will auto-
matically dissolve at 12:30. Students interested in
submitting signed stories to be used as a basis for
the discussions, such as the one on the editorial page
today, are invited to submit # the stories to the
Thresher.
States Righter Answers Time's
Attack on Republicans in Party
By Brady Tyson
Last week Time magazine's feature article was J. Strom Thurmond
of South Carolina and the States' Rights Democrats. Time came to the
conclusion that the issue was "black and white," and that States' Rights
is being used to "gloss over" the real issue.
Time further commented that the "main front" of the States' Rights
Democrats was a Southern upper ■
crust of millowners, oil men, tobac-
co growers, bankers, lawyers, who
might feel more comfortable voting
Republican.
Though it is not the usual thing
to take issue with Time it seems
possible that this time their Re-
publican point of view has painted
their glasses a rose colored hue, and
they're greatly over-emphasizing the
Republicanism to be found among
the States' Rights Democrats.
Time is an unusually sincere mag-
azine, in their own half-cynical, half-
sentimental Republican way; the
trouble is that they just don't know
the difference between a States'
Right Democrat and a good Repub-
lican.
Let it be admitted from the first
that the present States' Rights Dem-
ocratic party is nothing to be proud
of, no matter what your beliefs. It
is as un-homogeneous as most
American political parties have been
that have borne the title of "Demo-
cratic." A large portion of the
States' Righters are nothing lhore
or less than "nigger haters," though
the proportion is a good deal" less
than Time seems to imagine.
No political party has ever lasted
long, or has ever had much popular
appeal, that appealed strictly to
hate. The "nigger haters" among the
States' Righeters, it is true, do pro;
fess the doctrines of home rule and
local self-determination as a cover
for their own prejudices.
Another large share of the States'
Righters may be truthfully said to
be nothing more than "Dixiecrats,"
they are the lunatic fringe, the pro-
fessional Southerners. They offer
the singing of Dixie, the waving of
the Stars and Bars; as a substitute
for political principles of any sort
except a very narrow Southern sec-
tionalism. Most of this sort are sin-
cere, they identify themselves with
the South, haye a martyr's complex,
and a deep emotional, completely il-
logical attachment to everything
dear to that body of myth they
call "Southern tradition." But they,
too, are not the States' Rights Dem-
ocrats.
And then there is the third sec-
tion of States' Righters, those who
cynically and purposefully seek to
keep the federal government weak
because they believ.e that they can
better control the state governments
than the national government. They
profess a belief in "little" govern-
ment, while at the same time doing
all in their power to assure that they
keep they their economic power over
their little domains of self-inteerest.
They say they stand for "rugged
individualism," and they do, if in-
dividualism means the moral right to
exploit ruthlessly the nations' re-
sources for their personal profit,
all the time claiming that they are
part of the system of free enter-
prise "that made America great."
And this section of the States'
Righters is the one that is most to
be feared, because they are now in
control, and are leading by the nose
many sincere people who fear big
government. In their own cynical
way they profess any doctrine that
will best suit them.
They are your Republicans, they
are the ones who are "Hamiltonians"
when it serves their purpose of stay-
ing free from government inter-
ference to pursue in their own im-
moral way their amoral program of
lust for power, and self-gratification
of a desire for the great American
bitch-god, "success." And yet, even
still, they are not the States' Rights
Democratic party.
The States' Rights Democratic
Party professes to believe in human
dignity, in local self-government,
and in freedom from government in-
terference to pursue your own hap-
piness, and to aid in hepling your
fellow man find his. The hypocrites
within the" party must be shown to
the public, and the party muslTbe
made to accept the premise thsjt it
is time for political compaigtfs to
stop being waged purely on sound
litiscal principles.
Political principles deal" only with
the best way to administrate the
affairs of government, they are the
means of government. The best po-
litical principles provide for the
best means. .
But only moral and ethical prin-
ciples should be consulted in decid-
ing the ends towards which govern-
ment is heading. The government's
realm should be limited, but the
individuals of America must step
forward to assume their moral re-
sponsibilities in a free society.
To be a free citizen, to have the
privilege of self government, of
home rule, is one of the most pre-
cious heritages that men may be
endowed with which men may be
endowed.
to* the CrdUtosi
WEDNESDAY EDITION
Managing Editor Kenny Reed
Assistant Pat List
THE K/CS gj mKlSHtt
Editor Brady Tyson
Assistant Robert Mcllhenny
Business Manager Nancy Hood
Assistant ; Tom Smith
Sports David Miller
Assistant Howard Martin
Intramurals Dewey Gonsoulin
Society Eleanor Sticelber
Published every Wednesday and every Saturday of th«
regular school year except during holiday and examination
periods by the students of the Rice Institute. Editorial and
advertising offices are in, Lorett Hall on the campus.
Entered as second class mailing matter, October 17, 1010,
at the Post Office, Houston, under the act of March, 8, 1879.
Subscription price by mail for one school year is two dollars
in advance.
Represented by National Advertising Service, Inc., 480
Madison Ave., New York City.
Dear Editor,
People around our campus seem
to rejoice in finding fault. Well, I'm
one of them.
I am going to try to express my
opinions in as polite ja way as I'm
able.
This morning, our football team,
one of the best in one of the major
conferences of the South, left to en-
gage a top-notch team from another
part of the nation. We should be
proud that the team from a small
school like ours is rated with the
giant universities of California.
To sae them off, a so-called meet-
ing was called. Not* a hundred stu-
dents showed ijp, and of course all
but about seven or eight were fresh-
men/%ho came either out of fear or
from the mistaken idea that it was
the thing to do. It was embarrassing
not only for the members of the
student body but to our football
team. o
I imagine since a greater percent
of the student body have at one time
or another engaged in sports, they
know the feeling of being backed
by their school, the excitement that
creeps up in them when real cheer-
ing ' and spirit sends them off to
engage another group of players.
Well, our football team, if they had
any feelings at all, was that of
embarrassment. Why should they
win when the school doesn't care a
tinker's damn?
I have a bohe to pick with the
Freshmen Guidance committee. They
are there to promote school spirit,
at least they give that impression.
Well, why weren't they there?
"Do ag we say, not as we do."
To sum it up, how can we enter
into school activities with joy when
the majority of upperclassmen don't
seem to care about anything except
themselves ?
Slime Dick Wilson
are Riceites alcoholics, or
my dear, have you heard?"
by Emmett McGeever
"I know my daughter doesn't drink on dates,
she's always so thirsty in the morning."
"My dear, are you letting your daughter at-
tend those Rice dances? Haven't you HEARD!!"
Everywhere one hears comment on the dip-
somaniacal attitude of the coming generation, and
particularly of that part which attends the Institute.
Very few slanderous remarks are made of the Uni-
versity of Houston, St. Thomas University and
Massey Business College. Nor is this local. Pupils
at our great state university, and its earthly affiliate
A & M, although prideful of the shady reputations
of their respective institutions, are whispering, "But
have you ever been to a Rice dance?"
Why do these rumors arise? Are they well
grounded? The issue is clouded by emotion and
traditional inhibitions, and the W. C. T. U. It seems
to the (pardon) naked eye that in an age of "ism's"
and indeed, college students have always been fond
of "ism's" that, instead of going communistic,
atheistic, socialistic, buddhistic, states' rightsistic,
matricidistic, Rice Institute (the students) are whole
heartedly alcoholisticr To an outsider, it would
appear that any affair, except those sponsored by
the E. B. L. S., quickly degenerates into a drunken
brawl.
To an insider it looks the same way.
Only one who has made a thorough study of
Ricites, their appetites, habits, and psychological
makeup, one can penetrate the grimy surface to ex-
pose the spotless hearts and pure souls which are
constantly enshrouded in a 96.8 proof aroma.
Students of our institution of higher learning
are under a terrific mental and psychological strain
six days a week. They are nervous, keyed-up to the
maximum receptive pitch, unable to relax until Sat-
urday night. The formost non-narcotic relaxitive
agent known to man is alcohol in its various patable
forms. Nothing is more natural than that these
harassed students should imbibe.
But, it can be proved; to the satisfaction of
even the most critical social worker, that they do
not over-indulge. A small amount of whiskey (one
or two fifths) is necessary and sufficient to release
these naturally ebullient spirits (in the metaphysical
sense) from their week long imprisonment. Once re-
leased, "the men and women feel human again.
The cause of gossip is only the fact that Ricites have
more condensed humanity than any other compar-
able group on earth, excepting perhaps Figi Is-
landers. With the aid of a "wee drop," this "op-
pressed humanity" becomes "struggling humanity."
Loud are the songs, fast the dances, quick the re-
partee, and a seeming Bedlam arises.
Some, whose emotional structure requires a
slow' drizzling release, instead of this majestic cloud-
burst, have temporary attacks of coronary throm-
bosis and, in comas gently slide beneath the tables
in an oft misinterpreted gesture. Others whom the
sudden out-flow of emotions has weakened are likely
to walk with a halting step, stumbling, and lean-
ing up,on tables fbr support occasionally upsetting
the table with its contents.
Do not, however, mistake, as so many do, this
purely physical weakness for that state of mental
and reflexial laxity known as inebriation. On the
contrary, minds are clear, wits sharp, and the
simplicity of life and the beauty of argument be-
comes more obvious as the evening progresses.
0
/
bewarel - - dime pt'sl
The following News Item is for the Informa-j
tion of one Carl Victor Little, a columnist in a down-
town newspaper, who has courageously and almost
single-handedly carried on. a'Campaign against dime
pt's. (Pay Toilets, that is).
In the Men's room of the Rice Hotel lobby there
are five (count 'em) pt's. This is not unusual.
But three of these pt's are nickel ones, and two are
dime ones. There is absolutely no difference in the
facilities of the two different cost-ranges of pt's.
There's just the nickel difference. *■
It's easy to follow the psychology of the Rice
Hotel management in making this rather subtle di-j
stinction available for its patrons. What an uplift
it must give some Houstonians to spend a dime
rather than a nickel!
After all, the management of the hotel must
not be condemned. They have to cater to their
public. And who can imagine a rich Houstonian
spending a nickel when men of distinction can spend
a dime.
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The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 36, No. 8, Ed. 1 Wednesday, October 13, 1948, newspaper, October 13, 1948; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth230763/m1/2/: accessed May 4, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.