Page Two

SCARLET AND BLACK

Friday, February I9, was

 

Scarlei' and Black

GRINNELL COLLEGE
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Locks for Women's Doors

Following last week’s quad break-ins and the revelation
that there had been 17 thefts in the first 12 days of February
in the quad, the 5&8 began searching for answers to why the
quad is so vulnerable to such incidents and what was going to
be done to relieve the problem.

We learned that in an effort to discourage entry along the
loggia roof, Buildings and Grounds is considering a temporary
proposal for lighting the loggia area more thoroughly. Ac-
cording to Evan Walden, director of the physical plant, “lights
are the first step to deter anyone fooling around over there.”

We had considerably less luck in finding out what
measures were being taken to protect the quad from internal
thievery.

We found that at one time all doors in the residence halls
had locks, but that they were removed in the 19405 with the
initiation of an “honors system.” It was later realized that
north campus was particularly vulnerable to outside break-ins
because of its open loggia, so locks were gradually installed in
the men’s halls about six years ago. Supposedly, no locks were
installed on south campus because of the protection of its
locked loggia.

The situation has remained the same until the present,
but ' cent incidents point out that the quad isn’t as safe from
stealing as had been thought. The question of locks for rooms
in the quad has again presented itself.

Vice President M ~ritt Ludwig, when interviewed this
week, knew of no specific reason for not having outside locks
on rooms in the women’s halls, but he did note that ‘the deci-
sion has never been made on the basis of cost." (Walden esti-
iinated that locks would cost from eight to ten dollars per

oor.)

Dean of Women Jean M. Slocum had no comment to make
about locks other than that she knew of no present policy for
not having locks.

When questioned about the situation on north campus,
Dean of Men S. Eugene Thompson said that there has not been
much Stealing in the men’s halls. Thompson also said that
about 250 men have checked out keys for their doors this year.

Acting President James H. Stauss said this week that he
was unaware of any great demand for locks, but he added,
“If the students, through student government agencies, wish
todmalée requests concerning locks, they will be promptly con»
51 ere ."

‘ The demand for locks has been voiced. The AWS Board
issued a statement urging the installation of outside locks on
all room doors in the quad. The Student Senate has unani-
mously passed a resolution asking the college to provide locks
on room doors in the women’s halls.

Although installing locks might be a negative and “dis-
honorable” method of approaching the problem of stealing, it
nonetheless seems to be the only method that can cure the
situation.

it was pointed out during our interviews that stealing is
a problem even in colleges where doors have locks; but with
locks on the doors, women at least would have an effective
means of protecting their property when a rash of burglaries
breaks out.

_ _ Nor sliouldrthe vague fear that locks will create an “arti-
ficial coldness.” iii the quad be used as an excuse for not pro-
viding proper protection.

The S&BAjoins the AWS Board and the Student Senate
in urging speedy installation of locks on room doors on south
:ampus.

 

Gerald Goddard
Preface lo the Coming War

For the fifth time in its history the United
States is going to war over a principle that
has no foundation in political reality, It is un<
derstandable and perhaps desirable in the Con—
text of the containment policy that the U.S.
should somewhere take a stand against the un-
ending Communist advance. But the point
where the line is drawn should coincide with
favorable geographical, political, and military
factors. South Vietnam, with its impenetrable
jungle and fragile government, fulfills none of
these basic conditions.

The U,S. should have learned from the
French experience that Vietnam is impossible
to defend. Nationalist guerrillas, striking from
the cover of the population, cannot be defeated
by conventional military strategy or superior
military force of numbers. Rather, the senti-
iments of the population that protects the guer-
rillas must be turned against them. In this,
democraticcapiialisi appeal has been remark-
ably unsuccessful.

The character of our response to the Com-
munist challenge has actually violated our own
purposes. By opposing liberal ideas With dicta-
torial, righcwing governments, like that of
Diem, we have enhanced the Communist ap-
peal. One wonders whether support of more
liberal governments might have been a more
effective strategy.

By going into Vietnam when the national
government broke down, U.S. policy further
damaged its ideological appeal by putting
us in a colonial role. At the present time
We control the foreign, military, and economic
policy of Vietnam, if not the government itself.
This has played right into the hands at the
carry—over antl-colonialist sentiment and die
Communist propaganda attack,

The nature of the Vietnam war further no
cents our hopeless position there. Finally rea~
lizing we could not defeat the Viet Cong guer-
rillas in ﬁle south. we have carried the war to
the north with repeated air Strikes. At first
glance this policy may seem reasonable since
our greatest strength is in the air power ofthe
seventh fleet rather than ground forces. How—
ever, we must realize that by expanding the
war in this way, we are inviting retaliation by
the Communists using their major strength in
land forces. This could be in the form of a mas-

sive invasion of South Vietnam by combined
North Vietnamese and Chinese troops.

We cannot discount the vital interest of
China in the security of North Vietnam. To this
point they have given only indirect assistance
to the Viet Cong, but should U.S. attacks on
the north continue, we can expect them to play
an expanding role. The United States would
not tolerate Cuban attacks on Nicaragua even
though we have used that country as a base of
attack on Cuba. Similarly. we must not think
that China will stand by While we attack one of
its bordering countries.

The crucial factor that foretells the coming
war is the nature of the U,S. commitment. Dis~
regarding the fundamental strategy of always
leaving yourself and your enemy a face-saving
way out, we have essentially closed the door
behind us by staking our prestige on victory
in Vietnam.

Thoughts of a negotiated selﬂement at this
point are illusory. Our enemy will not go to the
conference table as long as he is winning in the
field and we will not negotiate from a position
of weakness. '

The Korean example bears out this point.
Negotiations were only possible when the mili-
tary situation was stalemated, But such a solu-
tion is not possible in Vietnam, because the
conflict is not taking place in the Same element.
While we attack the North from the air, our
enemy attacks the South on the ground.

A footnote to this situation is the possibility
that recent defense pledges by Soviet Prime
Minisienifusygin could mean material and tech
nical aid in air‘deiense to North Vietnam.

This might seriously limit our effectiveness
in the air in addition to injecting immediate So-
viet interest in 5.13. Asian developments.

A further implication of the Vietnam war is
its effect On the division in the Communist bloc.
Although We will know more clearly after the
all party congress in March, there is reason in
believe that U.S. escalation of the war has gin
en the Chinese and Russians the common
ground needed to soften, at least temporarily,
their basic ideological differences.

in short, going to war (in South Vietnam)
over South Vietnam is not worth the cost, It is
a war we cannot win. If we are going to stand
up to the Communist advance, we should do it
at n time and place Where there are reasonable
chances of success.

Paul Roberts

Roberts Rules Of Disorder

One morning, when if was very dark and very
cold, i received a cryptic little note in my mallv
box from my editor. He wished, it seemed, w
talk with me.

“Paul," he said when I arrived at his cluttered,
businesslike office. “Paul.” he said again, r9<
peating himself in a manner not uncommon in high-
ranking executives. “l’ve been reading your col<
umn.” I was flattered. “But Paul,” he said care-
fully, “I'm worried about yaur column."

“Well, that makes two of us," i told him flippant-
ly. “I’ve been worrying about this week’s column.
i thought I might do this little piece on dancing
and the way . . ."

He cut me off. “Paul, you just don’t seem to
grasp the purpose of a column. Now what do you
think a column is for?"

He‘s an awful pedanr, full of a lot or silly ques-
tions like that. “Entertainment?" 1 ventured.

“No,“ he said wearily.

"Information?"

“No."

“Filler?”

“You're gelling closer."

“All rlglil, i give up. What's a column for?”

“Paul," he condescended, “It's for attack. You
must never let anything get in the way of your
main purpose, attack! Now take ciu-l's last col»
umn. Did you read it?"

"Oh, yes. I read eVEI‘ylllmg in ilie 5&8!"-

“Now he attacked something. Did you take care-
ful note of the breadth of his generalizations, the
depth of his hatred? it had substance and point of
view and other good things a column should have.”

I was hesitant. “Well , . ."

"Or, for example, take Lighthourne's column of
a few Weeks ago. The one where he attacked the
director of the Forum, Did you take note of the
Vicious way he [Dre Into a defenseless woman who
obviously had nothing but malice in her heart u»
wards college students? Didn’t you think it was
awfully clever and mature of him the Way he ripped
her apart? The Work of a true intellectual. Right?”

“Well, as a matter of fact . r ."

“That's what I want from you, I want vicious-
ness, haired, bigotry. narrow-mindedness, and a:—
rogance like our other columnists. That's what I
expect from you. Now you go out and work on
fhat." And he went back to his more important
business.

Now as a genei‘alrtype rule I'm not Vicious, hate-
ful, bigoted, narrow~minded. or arrogant, but an
order from me Top is an order from the Top and
who am I, a lowly writer, to argue With the Top?

I spent some time looking for a topic that l
could approach wuh Viciousness, hatefulness, ef
alia. Well, like I said, normally I'm not lllal way
so I needed to select something that would make
my job easy.

i did.

1 think 1'” start writing about S.G.A.

 

