The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 50, No. 6, Ed. 1, Friday, October 26, 1962 Page: 4 of 8
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THE OPTIMIST
OCTOBER 2. 1M2
X
EDITORIALS
Hey Waiter . . .
In past discussions of the Cuban situation we've often
called to mind the analysis of former Optimist editor and col-
umnist Harold Straughn who was once emboldened to assert
that he saw Castro "as a bug in your dessert. If you let him
go he'll make a mess. If you try to swat him you'll make a
jness."
Monday president John F. Kennedy picked up the swatter.
Some sources thought it was about time.
Others weren't quite so sure.
History if anyone is around to write it will decide the
questions.
At this writing it's a little early to tell.
One thing seems quite likely the foremost status symbols
in the Abilene Christian male community for some time to
come are going to be those magic numbers 2-S 4-D 4-F and
1-A.
Onward Christian Soldiers.
Which brings forth further discussion on an unpopular
but timely subject can military service be reconciled with
belief in the Christian ethic?
This is something every ACC male facing a showdown with
the Selective Service in the future is going to have to decide
for himself. It's a shame but no one else can do it for him.
What price patriotism?
For that matter what price hurrian life when centuries
of inhuman attitudes have made it all but worthless.
Oh well.
See you in Havana. (
LETTERS TO
Dear Editor:
You complained in your editor-
ial last week that "something
Is wrong." You viewed the span
of political thought among ACC
students pictured topographical-
ly as "a deep valley of apathy be-
tween two towering spindly
peaks of extremism." Would you
kindly translate this Into every-
day language so that those of the
"deep valley'' and of the "tower-
ing peak" might get your point
and see the errors of their ways?
Do I assume correctly that your
peaks of extremism refer to
ultra-conservatives and ultra-liberals
respectively? "If this is
your meaning then would you
kindly spell it out for us just
"what groups and organizations
you have In mind?
There are at least two organ-
izations on the campus that I
know of which call themselves
conservatives.
The Conservative Students As-
sociation of which John Ferguson
is president is in its second year
here at the Hill. Last spring it
sponsored a speech by A. G.
Hobbs who spoke on "Can Com-
munism Conquer America?"
Thursday night of last week the
organization sponsored a lecture
by Hans Senholz who spoke on
the "European Common Market."
Would you consider these
speakers extremist? Would you
consider the club president John
Ferguson an extremist? Or did
you have in mind the club spon-
sors professors Fred Barton
Rex Kyker and Ed Brown.
The other conservative organ-
ization on the campus is the
Young Rcpublicians. Is this an
extremist group? And if so In
what respect?
Who is this "weary ACC pro-
fessor" who charges the so-
called extremists with name
calling? Would he care to make
a public statement in the Interest
of modulating the extremists or
is he too weary?
It has been noteworthy that
your most bitter and most fre-
quents expressions of wrath have
been directed against those con
mwmmmmmmnMBami
THE EDITOR
servatives which you call ex-
tremist. Reaching back to the past
spring we can cite case after case
in which you blast the rightists
and make all kinds of unfounded
accusations.
This makes us wonder whether
your latest political lamentation
is not so much aimed at extrem-
ism per se but against the gen-
uine anti-Communist Constitution-loving
citizens who are try
ing to save the country from
enemies wunoui ana irom wun-
in. U you are really In earnest
about the ACC political situation
I would suggest that you dry
your tears put away your "Ole
Beer Bottle" and organize a
"Young Moderates" club or a
"Middle-of-the-Roaders" society.
Please accept my apology for
my small part in the development
of the "extremist peak" on the
right. I hope we haven't caused
you and your weary old professor
friend too much anguish.
t
Sincerely yours
Dale Dupree
Junior
Texarkana Texas
Dear Editor:
Are you tired inhaling columns
of suspended solid particles which
seem to be crowding out the good
clear air? Have you become weak
for lack of nature's life-giving
blessing; oxygen? Is the ever-
mounting soot aura to inundate
us before the century is out?
Have you become weary holding
your breath while human beings
take it upon themselves to con-
taminate the living space? Can
it be that we have inured our-
selves to this envelope of incom-
plete combustion? Do these loom-
ing and forbodlng black white
and gray clouds portend dire con-
sequences for this atmosphere
(the only one we have)7 Do you
really think we will be forced
someday to purchase clean air as
the Philosopher . Meditator is
forced to pay for coveted silence
Hardin -Simmons
Student Center
On Show Sunday
Hardin - Simmons University
will put its spacious now Student
Center on public display Sunday.
The general public is being in-
vited to an open house obser-
vance in the $1 million Center
from 3-5 p.m. Sunday George L.
Graham H-SU executive vice
president has announced.
H-SU officials and student
leaders will be on hand to receive
visitors and to show them through
the facilities of the new building.
A large turnout of guests from
throughout west central Texas is
expected Graham said.
Numerous student representa-
tives from other universities and
colleges and from area high
schools also are expected.
Guests will have an opportun-
ity to Inspect the entire building
which includes a variety of recre-
ational facilities: lounges club
rooms hobby rooms and large
banquet halls for student and uni-
verslty functions; a paved roof
terrace; offices for the Alumni
Association of H-SU; music and
record listening rooms; a faculty
lounge; a snack bar; university
cafeteria and unversity bookstore.
Editorial Against
Pidcock Says Tell
in the midst ol juke-box and dis
cord? Has it been 'long since you
moved your head or body to
avoid the unwanted eye-watering
nose-irritating dirt exuding
from one of those little while
cylinders or perhaps one of those
fetid tapered mule-colored leaf
rolls? Could the human mind be
much more clever if he were to
deliberately calculate a more
deleterious way to smother our
generation'
If these questions have caused
you concern but you have felt
along with millions of others
little could be said or done I ask
you to unite In a single voice with
me. We have certainly been bar-
raged and harangued about the
uses of tobacco via the major
media. But it is not true that non-
smokers though unorganized
possess at the very least the same
calibre rationale as does the to-
bacco traffic Interests? Non-
smokers are a timid lot but isn't
it about time to speak up and
make our position more promin-
ently known?
In a certain sense we may say
that our position needs no voicing.
We should think or hope to think
PTIMIST
THE
Publlthad waakly axcapt during vacation
and anamination by itudonti of Abilano Owl
tlan Collaga. Subacrlptlonai $1 par yaar. Cntar
d tacond clui mattar Juna 29 1929 at
rha poit ofdea of Abllana Taiar under (ft
Act of Auguit 24. 1912. Addrati all communl.
catlona to tha Optlmlit. Box 397 Station ACC
Abllana Taxai. Talaphona OR 2-S44I Ext.
344.
Opinion axpratiad In tha Optlmlit ar
thoia of tha wrltar and not naoauarlly tftoa
of tha administration.
EDITOR
Charlla Smith
BUSINESS MANAGERS
lynda Ball
Mary Jackton
Sporti Editor David Spradlln
Photographar ............... David Watton
Circulation Managar ..... Janalla Campball
COLUMNISTS. Bob Colaman John Nrguton
John Van Zandt.
REPORTERS llnda Haarron. Urry MuuW-
whllt Carol Staphanion Barbara Daulion.
Donna Phillip.
COPY EDITORS! Frank Sllvay Janalla Camp
ball Carolyn Cunningham.
CARTOONIST! Dow Hmblln.
ADVISOR
Dr. Raglnald C Wntmoraland
JOHN FERGUSON SAYS
Total War Not Likely
Result of Crisis Now
With the advent of President
Kennedy's order to quarantine
Communist Cuba there has
arisen in the minds of many a
most disturbing qucstons: Will
George Bailey
Forum Speaker
George Bailey minister of the
College Church of Christ will
speak Thursday to Evangelistic
Forum on "the topic "Weddings
and Funerals."
Evangelistic forum meets at 6
p.m. Thursdays in Roberson
Chapel.
Other programs scheduled are
Nov. 8 Dwain Evans of Fort
Worth on the organization of the
Exodus Bay Shore plan; Nov. 15
an open forum for questions and
answers; and Nov. 29 L. N. Mayo
of Gainesville on "The Preacher
and Communism."
Meeting wllj not be held Nov.
22 because of Thanksgiving.
Anti-Communists?
Smokers W
that such patent principles as con-
sideration for others and- doing
unto others as you would have
them to do unto you should not
have to be resounded in its appli-
cation here. It seems almost pue-
rile to remind people that fumes
smoke carbon soot and contam-
inated air are not in the range
of those things that one seeks for
as desirable in lift.
Must we editorialize advertise
and harangue homo sapiens to
use' their bony boxes about some-
thing so manifest? The Volks-
wagen people assume everyone
knows that fumes are not desir-
able. Thy tell us in their advertis-
ing that in building their station
wagon they placed the fresh air
vents at the roof level to avoid
the (undesirable) fumes from the
cars ahead. Los Angeles Is suf-
fering from the smog problem of
which its discomforts are non-
controversial. However because of an utter
lack of reminders (which is not
devoid in the calculated "persua-
sions" of the merchants of he-
donism i.e. Madison Avenue) we
feel that our appeal In a high re-
sounding convincing and ubiqui-
tous way should bring our case to
the fore. Many non-profit organ-
izations appear for this reason or
for that. Is our plea without
merit? A Non-Smoking League
could remind our neighbors that
we endure discomfort and queasl.
ness in the presence of the weed
while it is in use.
With th necessary vigorous
leadership let us rally to the
cause of our League. We may not
have as many millions of dollars
to embolden our ranks and re-
mind people of our legitimate
complaint as would the tobacco
interests with unlimited funds on
tap would have to perennially re-
mind dupes to "light up" but
there is a cry even now for a long
past-due proclamation of our
unequivocal discomfort.
We can start here at the grass
roots. Tlie next time someone is
"polite" enough to ask "May I
smoke?" simply say "No."
Barry D. Pidcock
the President's action precipitate
a nuclear holocaust?
Although the possibility of total
war is always with us the prob-
ability of such a catastrophe re-
sulting from the present crisis Is
not very' great.
THIS CONCLUSION will be
better understood after an exam-
ination of the Communist doc-
trine of "protracted conflict."
Since 1017 Khrushchev and his
predecessors have implemented
'this strategy repeatedly with un- .
believable results. From 40000
revolutionists in 1017 the Com-
munists have built a slave em-
pire of over 070 million people.
What are the components of this
strategy of world conquest?
The Communists are convinced
that history is on their side and
that the forces of the Free World
must inevitably succumb to the
thrusts of revolutionary Com-
munism. With this assurance the
Communists have devised a de- .
bilitating stratagem to accommo-
date the eventual triumph of
Communism.'
THE ESSENCE of this doctrine
has been distilled by Mao Tsc-
tung the Chinese CommUnlst
leader In 17 words:
The enemy advances we
retreat; enemy halts we
harass; enemy tires we at-
tack; enemy retreats we pur-
sue. This strategy of "protracted
conflict" seeks to avoid direct
decisive encounters with the
enemy unless overwhelming mili-
tary superiority sufficient to in-
sure the enemy's complete de-'
struction and his alone has
been acquired.
UNTIL SUPERIORITY is as-
sured fullest possible reliance
must be placed on Indirect un-
conventional strategies. These are
the same tactics that must be
employed by the inferior military
force on the field of battle. So
long as the free world possesses
superiority decisive military en-
counters must be avoided even
at the cost of temporary setbacks.
The Communist posture in
Cuba is strategically weak. Not
only are the Communists militar-
ily inferior but they realize that
an attack on the United States
would result in an equivalent
attack on Uie Soviet Union and
her satellites. Therefore rather
than run the risk of a decisive
confrontation with the United
States the Communists will prob-
ably settle for a temporary set-
back in the Cuban situation.
PRESIDENT KENNEDY is to
be admired and supported for his
decision to encircle Cuba with a
military blockade. If similar ac-
tions had been taken in the past
perhaps the United States would
not have suffered defeat after de-
feat at the hands of-the Commun-
ists.
Let us always remember this:
In our protracted conflict with
the Communists we must choose-
between two courses of action.
One course the road of appease-
ment runs the j-isk of war and
leads in any case to probable de-
feat. The other the road of de-
termined resistance runs the risk
of war and holds forth the
promise of victory.
For Americans who cherish
their freedom more the choice
cannot be difficult.
Through August of this year
90356 persons had been Injured
in traffic accidents in Texas.
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The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 50, No. 6, Ed. 1, Friday, October 26, 1962, newspaper, October 26, 1962; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth99299/m1/4/?q=%22%22~1: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Abilene Christian University Library.