fJ 6 ^
NEWSPAPER OF THE STUDENTS' UNION, LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS AND POLITICAL SCIENCE (UNIVERSITY OF LONDON)
OCTOBER 21st, 1954.
THREEPENCE
MORE MONEY FOR UNION
Activities Curtailed by Tight Budget
"My Societv must have £100" ..." My newspaper needs at least £120 " . . . " My Committee can't exist on less than £30 "...
These are the cries that greet the Senior Treasurer as the Budget Meeting approaches. The Annual Budget is a good example of economics—the allocation of scarce resources among conflicting needs. It is not generally appreciated just how scarce are the resources available to the Senior Treasurer and how many the conflicting needs, i hope to throw some light on these two problems.
The main source of income of
HOME AND AWAY
U and the S.U.
by " Scipio"
Guard Thine Honour !
In the first issues of " Bcdjord News" and "Felix" (Imperial College) for this session, both papers print useful details about accommodation in the cheapest seats at London theatres. The Imperial lists seems the more useful, however, for Bedford College have unaccountably forgotten to list one theatre. There is no mention of the Windmill.
* * * *
Elegy
Under the above headline, " Pi ",
newspaper of University College,
records the passing of their barman,
now installed in the " Three Tuns,"
in the following words:
Charlie the Barman is gone then ?
Stand silent and shed a soft tearl
My throat's quite dry from grieving, dear.
IVe'll haz'e tu-o flaming big ciders from Tom, then\
Elsewhere the paper mentions that Mr. Sylvester has "disappeared behind the L.S.E. curtain They have replaced him by an ex-policeman. Insurance against next month
* * * *
Sayings of the Week
" Oh, no; you can't see ' Beaver ' Beaver's ' having her second confinement " {Rosemary Sands).
" The trouble with me is that I use my text-books as reference books " {Ken Pearviain).
" This toad-in-the-hole. Say, is it reallv toad.' " [A Canadian at Pass-field Hall).
We were really quite generous about the quorum: it should have been 29.i colleges " {Officer of U.L.U.). ~
" This tea tastes like the stuff they put in the tea in the Army "
{Lady Guest at Passficld).
SENIOR TREASURER
The resignation of Harvey Babiak as Senior Treasurer of the Students'
Union was announced last week.
The appointment of Martin O'Regan to fill the vacancy was approved by last week's Union meeting.
L. SIMMONDS
16 FLEET STREET E.C.4
(Opposite Chattcery Lane)
Now in Stock:
Glass, " Social Mobility in
Britain," 36/-Thomas, " Migration and Economic Growth," 42/-Boulding, "Economic Analysis," 25/-
Brogad, " Introd. to American Politics," 21/-
Book Tokens Welcomed
the Students' Union is the grant from the School. This is a per capita grant and is a part of the composition fees paid by students.
At present the grant is 12 - for undergraduates and occasional students, 8 - for post-graduates and 3 -for intcr-collegiate students. On a tojal of 3,423 registered students for last session the grant for the current session is £1,560.
We may note here that the Athletic U'nion, whose facilities are available only to those who become members of one of its Clubs, receives a similar grant.
If you are staggered that the U'nion receives such a large sum, consider the following items, as in last year's budget, that are paid out before the Union really does anything.
The annual subscription to the National Union of Students on a per capita basis is £130. The wages of a permanent secretary take £250; office stationery, telephone calls, stencils, etc., take no less than £150. Thus over £500 is gone and we haue do;-;o nothing more than set up a Union.
The next priority is the expenses of delegates to the N.U.S. Council which take £80. Hospitality for speakers and the many representatives that visit us from all over the world cost us £60 at present, and this is far from lavish. Periodicals and newspapers for the Common Room take £40, depreciation £30, Audit fee £10, Union Handbook £60, Christmas gifts to the Porters and Refectory Staff £50 . . .
The Other £700
Only £700 left, and last year this was how it was spent; —" Beaver " £60, " Clare Market Review" £150, Music Society £90, Dramatic Society £60, the other Cultural Societies £80, an exchange visit with two Bulgarian students £70, delegates to international conferences £60. The balance covered various items including a grant towards a Scholarship at the new African Inter-Racial University, donations to Student Charities, cost of the Freshers' Reception and Publicity.
Now compare these figures for University College for 1953. Dramatic Society received £225, Music Society £242, Film Society £227, Debates Society £85, N.U.S. delegates £285, Magazine £150, and newspaper £260!
Hard Done By
It is little wonder that the people at L.S.E. who put so much into student activities feel hard done by, and often we feel almost ashamed of the poor hospitality we offer to visitors, the makeshift scenery of our plays, and the infrequency of our newspaper.
The Union needs more money merely to maintain the position it holds at present without thinking of new activities. In the last year the very commendable tour of Germany of the Dramatic Society and the


Tonight at 7.30
To-night's Public Business session of the Union Meeting is in the nature of an experiment. In order to give new members of the Union a chance to become familiar with the background and mysteries of student politics before term is well advanced, an "Any Questions? " Forum has been arranged.
The team will include Mr. Fred Jarvis, President of the National Union of Students, and Miss Lesley Line, Vice-Chairman of U.L.U.
Questions, serious and humorous, are invited on any aspect of student life. That should leave plenty of scope!
Folecoiiics
This photograph was taken at night by Mr. E. Austin, until recently a member of the Maintenance staff of the School. It required an eight-second exposure at f/8. This photograph, with another of the Old Building by daylight, will be made into the form of calendars and sold next month, together with the L.S.E. Christmas Cards, which are now being ordered.
Tlic Social \'iec-l're.si(ieiit, Ken I'ear-iii.iiii, announces that there will be .Saturday Dance.s in tlic Kefectory on the 2;fr(l October and the (Uh Xovein-Ikm'. The latter has as its theme the 'IVniplc of -Mithras, .so unusual decor, as well as primitive orgies, are presumably to be expected.
The Dramatic Society announce that their next production will be " The Jlerchant of Venice", by William Shakespeare. The play will be pro-(.luced Ijy Francis McMahoii and pcr-forniaiices will be given on the 8th, i)th and 10th December, the latter date being Oration Day.
visit of our President to the I.U.S. Council were financed out of oin-reserves. Yet these should be normal items of expenditure: Dramatic Society should make a tour eziery year, L.S.E. should be represented at every international conference.
Fields for Expansion
Moreover, the fields for expansion are very large. It is desirable that we send to N.U.S. Council, besides our four delegates, our full number of four observers, instead of one at present. L.S.E). Debaters, Chess and Bridge players should be in a position to undertake visits not only to other London colleges but to other towns and even other countries. We should take full advantage of international exchange visits. Our newspaper should come out at least once a fortnight. Our Film Society should be allowed to set up a permanent Film Unit.
The Union acknowledges with gratitude the generosity of the School in making specific grants for such things as the Dramatic Society tour, but we feel that these gifts should not be necessary. The Union should be able to stand on its own feet and not have to beg for money just because it wants to undertake a new venture.
Half an Education
If the only way to give the Union more money is to raise the Schoo' fees we would urge this to be done. It is no argument to say that it is unfair to increase the burden of the local and central authorities that pay most of the fees. We would reply that it is little use giving a student half a university education. We believe that the value of a university education cannot be assessed solely on academic standards. A good citizen is not one who is just competent in his job, but one who devotes his surplus energy and talents to the good of the community.
U.L.U. General Meeting
Last Friday evening, well over a dozen students from L.S.E. hopefully attended the first General Meeting of U.L.U. ever called. They wasted their time, for the meeting was a hollow farce. It had been called for the presentation of the Retiring President's Report and the introduction of the ofhcers
of the Union. The meeting was due to begin at seven and to last for a whole half-hour, but those arriving for the meeting were locked out of the U.L.U. Hut till about five past.
inside there was no provision for the meeting, only for the Social that was to follow. Members of the Union were forced to "sit it out" around the edge of the dance floor, and many had to stand. At the door members were checked against their colleges and coerced into signing-in. It was apparent that the Officers did not expect a quorum.
To be quorate, the meeting had to include at least one member from each of twenty-nine colleges (two-thirds of the colleges and medical Schools of the University) and at least one hundred students.
New Officers
There were about one hundred and fifty students present when Miss Jennifer Copeman, the President, opened the meeting at 7.15, but only nineteen colleges were represented. Miss Copeman merely declared that as there was no quorum, the meeting could not take place. However, she did manage to introduce the new W'arden of the Union, Mr. David Wenden, who certainly appreciates the difficulties of office, as well as the elected officers. Only Miss Lesley Line was received with any enthusiasm—she had gained a third place for London in the Moscow athletics match on the previous Wednesday. With the introductions completed, Miss Copeman again explained that without a quorum the meeting could not take place. She also admitted that Presidents' Council had not yet drawn up any Standing Orders for General Meetings.
Another Meeting
In reply to questions by Mr. A. Pelling, our General Secretary, Miss Copeman eventually, and unwillingly, admitted that the elected Officers of the Union were in fact challenging the quorum. She claimed that the necessary seven days' notice had been given to constituent colleges. Mr. Pitt (L.S.E.) encouraged Miss Copeman to test the demand for another General Meeting. A mumbled " Yes " committed Miss Copeman to calling such a meeting: she did point out, however, that it would have to wait for an evening when the Union could obtain the use of its own Assembly Hall. She then hurriedly closed a meeting that had not even begun.
Seebohm Rowntree
B. Seebohm Rowntree, whose death was annoimced recently, was one of the last of the great Liberal-Nonconformist social reformers. His three great studies of poverty in York, " Poverty ", " Poverty and Progress", and "Poverty and the Welfare State", are the works for which he will be best remembered, but his interests included Housing, Unemployment, Agriculture and the Land Problem, Industrial Relations and Industrial Psychology (he was one of the founders of the National Institute of Industrial Psychology), and the problems of Gambling and Drunkenness. He was more than a passive student of social problems, but worked both in the Rowntree business and in various Government posts to which he was appointed for the reconciliation of Labour and Capital. We are all in his debt.	a. t.
2
BEAVER
October 21st, 1954 (
ii
NOT THAT KIND OF TRIP"
by (inevitably) Robin Fox
Many strange and grotesque things have, in the course of this island's history, crossed the channel for the purpose of educating the peoples of Europe who were unfortunate enough not to have been born British. None however can have caused more bewilderment to the continentals than the monstrous green pantechnicon crammed with scenery, baggage and twelve grimy L.S.E. students which lurched along the roads of France and Germany during this vacation.
The idea of the tour, so we were told, was to help cement Anglo-Franco-Cermanic student relations. Unfortunately there was some dispute about the constituents of the cement. Some insular types in the party imagined that the " stay sober, be polite and always dress for dinner" attitude would endear us to the French.
Two members of the party, however, in an effort to counter this influence, roused the little town of Trevent from its slumbers in the early hours with an erratic rendering of " The Foggy, Foggy Dew,'' much to the delight of a crowd of tipsy French peasants. Politeness went overboard at the customs inspection. One member, asked the whereabouts of his personal baggage replied, " It's not that kind of trip! " As for dressing for dinner, we had neither clean clothes nor regular food to worry us on that point.
Slaughter House
At our first stopping place we were overwhelmed by crowds of children who insisted on trying to dismantle our lorry. The situation was becoming almost dangerous when the friendly owner of the local slaughter house offered us asylum for the night. Although we were delighted by our rescue the hope was expressed that our future receptions would not be quite so bloody.
Travelling as we were with a minimum of equipment, we had wished to avoid breakdowns. But
after struggling gamely on in the teeth of a gale the lorry finally gave up the ghost at Soissons. Something, it seemed, was wrong with the sparking plugs and while the science of the thing was being discussed in unscientific French, someone attempted a meal on a primus stove, only to be told that "you can't have a naked flame in the lorry"—upon which we all chorused, " It's not that kind of trip!"
Ferocious Alsatian
After a delayed start from Rheims, and a long detour made necessary by low bridges, we found ourselves, late at night, lost in a particularly mountainous district of the Vosges. Having narrowly avoided falling into a lake we drove furiously up an almost vertical mountain, where we found an eerie dwelling, guarded by a ferocious Alsatian dog. This belonged to a nervous little man in pyjamas, who turned out to be " le pere auber-giste Here we had a primitive but welcome rest.
Plunging down from the mountains of Alsace we crossed the frontier into Germany and arrived to be welcomed by the students of Freiburg University, who were our hosts.
In their ultra-modern "Student-theater " they provided us with everything necessary for the performance, the success of which was due mainly to the intelligent appreciation of the audience.
So reluctant were we to leave Freiburg that our driver tried to take most of the potentially removable objects of the town with him: one garage roof; one traffic light; one shop sign and almost one policeman, got us off to a good start. The final account was rendered when a sturdy appletree refused to leave its native soil and
BEAVER
LONDON SCHOOL OF
ECONOMICS HOUGHTON STREET ALDWYCH - LONDON - W.C.2
3rd Series Vol. 3 No. 2
Editor:
C. IAN JACKSON
Kports Kditor:
Christine Merritt Associate: Marguerite Watkins
Business Jlanager;
Robin J. Hill Circulation ilanager;
Christine Merritt
Associate Kditor;
Graham Norton
Lament
Elsewhere in this issue there is an account of the General Meeting of the University of London Union. It might well be thought that the lamentable scene which that article describes is sufficient editorial in itself, but it is perhaps as well to consider the event in a wider context.
The present governing body of the University of London Union is Presidents' Council, on which from time to time and at their own whim sit the elected Presidents of each Union of every college in the University. University College, the largest, decided to protest against the system by withdrawing from Presidents' Council. They were at that time criticised, but they felt that further attendance was profitless. In view of last week's episode, other colleges must be reconsidering their attitude.
In this Brave New World of U.L.U., the Presidents do not sit as representatives of the colleges by which they were elected, but as alpha-double-plus experts. Thus ? the only way in which the individual stadent could express his opinion was in a General Meeting, such as that attempted last Friday. Not, of course, that this meeting was vested with any powers; what it actually was able to do is still very vague, but it could apparently make recommendations to Presidents' Council.
None of this, however, did occur. Yet it was fairly obvious that the elected Officers of the Union had no taste for such a meeting and chose the simplest way of disposing of it.
The blame, however, cannot rest entirely with the Officers. We have no doubt that Miss Jennifer Cope-man was entirely within her rights in applying the methods she did— it was hardly within the spirit but certainly within the letter of the Constitution. Much of the blame must inevitably be with the Presidents of the colleges who did not bother to attend. For this there can be no excuse. They were, presumably elected to represent their colleges in such matters and their absence shows they were not fulfilling their office. Even if they were themselves prevented from attending one might have expected at least one representative to be sent. Thus less than lialf the colleges of the university did not have a representative, and the Officers were able to close the meeting before it had even opened—which was no doubt much to their satisfaction.
We believe in large and small being treated alike. Nevertheless a governing body, a Presidents' Council, meeting three or four times a year, is most inadequate for a union of this size and complexity. Let provision be made for an executive to be elected by the ordinary members. Let it meet frequently and publish its decisions. This as a beginning. Otherwise we will continue to regard the university union as a moribund abstraction; a pet idea of somebody's to put the university on the map. Yes, Miss Copeman, we are looking forward to a general meeting.
IN
HEALTH LETTER
To the Editor of " Beaver".
Dear Mr. Jackson,
A member of your sports staff recently called on us to check some material he was writing on the recently formed L.S.E. Body-building and Weight-lifting Club.
We were naturally glad to hear about this club, and hope it will prosper in the future.
Weight-lifting and body-building were once looked down on as rather rough-neck activities definitely beneath the notice of our higher seats of learning. That attitude, though, is rapidly changing to a more enlightened view.
The change can be attributed largely to the recent successes of track athletes in the U.S.A. and Soviet Union, and also in this country, who train with weights for muscle tone and added strength.
Pete George, an American medical student, was weight-lifting champion of the world at his weight for several years.
Weight training for athletics, the use of light barbells to improve muscle tone, co-ordination and basic strength, has received the blessing of the A.A.A. and is taught by chief coach Geoff Dyson. Gordon Pirie uses weights, John Savidge uses weights—nearly all the top-line athletes are doing it. I am told that Miss Marilyn Monroe uses weights, presumably under the quaint illusion that she needs to improve her figure.
If we can help your sports staff on any other aspects of this weight-lifting business, please don't hesitate to call on us.
Sincerely,
joh.n Mendes, Deputy Editor. ' 'Health and Strength,"
October ISth.
YOUR PLACE AT L.S.E.
Dear Sir,
Surelv Mr. Babiak has misplaced the emphasis in his article on "Your Place at L.S.E." in your fresher-aimed first issue? For I feel that if a student is interested in jazz or in socialism then he will join the appropriate society; and if he is not, he will not—and no amount of printed persuasion by Mr. Babiak, or by anyone else, will make him join.
Similarly, each year we get an eager nucleus of prospective Union officials who suffice to fill the posts that need filling. If they are keen, they apply anyway; and if they are not, they will probably not do the job well if pushed into it.
Indeed, instead of encouraging freshers to become Union officials, Mr. Babiak's reiterated exhortations to " think how many hours it takes . . . " and to " think of the effort involved" may well have achieved the opposite. He would have done better to point out that people who do Union work frequently get good degrees—perhaps even because of their student activity!
But, Sir, my chief bone of contention is Mr. Babiak's slighting reference to Union meetings — " largely a waste of time ", he calls them. However, not only are decisions taken there which affect us all and should be considered by us
^nigagement
We offer our congratulations to Miss Susan Spence and to Mr. Brian Wyatt, who have recently announced their engagement. Miss Spence is in her third year B.Sc.(Econ.), and Mr. Wyatt is an Arts graduate of Bristol University, now employed in a library in Clerkenwell.
took most of our roof as a souvenir of our passage. Hciwever, we had the apples! --
A whirlwind of hospitality whisked us round Stuttgart, leaving us breathless. Our performance was received enthusiastically by a capacity audience and this, with the kindness and generosity of the people probably did, in the words of the burgomeister, " more for the mutual understanding of our peoples than any Big-Four conference
Chapter of Accidents
It was at Heidneheim that the hand of friendship was most warmly extended. It was also there that things began to go wrong. One player failed to manoeuvre his 6ft. halberd through a precarious archway by a few inches. Seizing the arch, he made a 10-minute speech swaying backwards and forwards until the final curtain ended his misery. The same unfortunate tripped over a tent in another play and both fell in a heap on the floor. Luckily the Germans took it as part of the act and cheered as King Henry the Fifth leaped nimbly aside to avoid being impaled by a tent prop.
Mauve Pyjamas
Despite these things, our tour was brought to a successful conclusion. Only one thing still worries us. Why do the phrase-books never include such absolutely necessary items as " The ping-pong ball has fallen into a hole in the football game tables" or "Please turn off the water tap because my razor has fallen down the waste holeor even " I have left my mauve pyjamas and nylon petticoat on someone else's bed in the Youth Hostel at Freiburg ".
all; not only is it our duty to see that our student irresponsibility is not reflected, to our discredit, in action outside college; not only is it often the finest free entertainment in London; but it is also the seat of power in the Students' Union. It is an unfortunate tendency of those in high places to think of those from whom they derive their position as mere encumbrances, and of their only check on their officers as " largely a waste of time ".
The Union meeting is interesting, vital, and often amusing, and one would have expected a Union Councillor to be somewhat less discouraging about it. What, Sir, has happened to Harvey? Has Babiak become a bureaucrat?
Yours sincerely,
John Sparrow. London School of Economics, October 4th, 1954. {Mr. Sparrow, like Mr. Babiak, got an Upper Second B.Sc. Econ. (Accounting) and is now working as an articled clerk in the City.)
LU.S. & MOSCOW 1954
The Editor of " Beaver ".
Dear Sir,
I thought that Mr. Martyn's report well justified his trip to Moscow. May I take issue with him on one point.
The International Student Conference, attended by the countries supporting the Co - ordinating Secreteriat, is, in the view of Mr. Martyn, a more representative organisation than the LU.S. Now whether this be a true statement or not, Mr. Martyn has put his foot wrong in making it, because it leads
U.C LOSE TO L.S.E.
by Robin Hill
U.C. must still be bewailing the , loss of their barman, for, in the short time that he has been here, i Charlie has proved his worth in , efficiency and in geniality.	J
The recently opened " Three Tuns " bar has got away to an excellent start. At opening-time Charlie peers over a barricade of salad, ham and cheese rolls at the first of his many customers. When time " is called, the bar is cleared of food and the tables are strewn with empty "jugs"—undeniable ' (though circumstantial) evidence of > the " Three Tuns " popularity. , In the very near future, Charlie i is to add to his menu and popu- ( larity by producing his own special ( brand of " hot dog ". This will un- \ doubtedly cause even greater con- i gestion in Clare Market, and in- , crease Fremlin's revenue still more.
Union Profits
It is to be hoped that more soci- ^ eties will organise their activities ] in the " Three Tuns " building, so that their members can avail themselves of the excellent facilities and congenial surroundings offered by ' the new bar, from which the profit ' goes to the Students' Union and ' not to the School, as in the case of ' the third-floor bar. The facilities " offered by the Union are directly ' governed by the funds available; this is a pleasant way of improving those facilities.
The Jazz Club already know that the hours licensed for the sale of liquid refreshment are 12 noon until 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. until 9.30 p.m. weekdays, and 12 noon until 2 p.m. Saturdays. Others make i note!
COMMEM. BALL
The 1954 Commemoration Ball will be held on December 3rd-4th at the Royal Festival Hall, from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. The cost of tickets will be 22/-double.
him to adopt a position of com- ] paring the two organisations and i ^ posing the one against the other.' May I remind him that the N.U.S. [ only support COSEC in so far\ j as it does not attempt to " become I ^ a new international union ". Mr. Martyn's statement undoubtedly! ^ lends suspicion to the intentions of! ^ COSEC, and in the direction of ^ the American viewpoint, namely, that it should develop as a rival to ^ I.U.S.	! ^
Mr. Martyn went to Moscow understanding our Union's sincere desire I for membership of the I.U.S. and if ^ he uses his report to score points for ^ ^ COSEC does it mean that he is v quietly airing the anti-I.U.S. ideas of Copplestone and Jervis, or is he ^ just trying to survey the scene for J; his own satisfaction?
If it is only the latter, how does he decide on the representative characters of I.U.S. and COSEC anyway? By membership? The I.U.S. has over five million and has just enrolled Israel, South Africa,' and England, ^Vales and Northern^ Ireland—wc need say no more. By ; numbers of national unions? But then can the national union of, Costa Rica rank equal with that of China? Finally, when Mr. Martyn complains about minority organisations being at I.U.S. Council hej should remember that they are alsoj to be found at the COSEC conference.
Yours sincerely,
Colin Sweet. London School of Economics,
October 11th.
(Mr. Sweet, an Honorary Mpmi-| her of the Students' Union, is not: in his sixth year at the School, has been an officer of both the Com-^ munist and Socialist Societies, aiii', is the present N.U.S. Officer.) '
October 21st, 1954
BEAVER
3
Devastating Things
by Gabriel Newfield
"The most devastating thing that could have happened. . . I will go to the ends of the earth to fetch it back." Thus did the Dean of Westminstei- describe the successful attempt by a group of young Scots, on Christmas Eve, 1950, to remove the Coronation Stone from Westminster Abbey. Stolen from the Abbey of Scone by Edward I in 1296, it had lain ever since, in direct defiance of the 14th century Treaty of Northampton, wherein its return to Scotland was promised.
The organizer and leader of this "devastating thing" was a l:iw student at Glasgow University called Ian Hamilton. He is now a member of the Faculty of Advocates (the Scottish Bar) and an Organizing Secretary of the Scottish Covenant Association — the moderate wing of the devolution movement in Scotland, which in 1950 found over two million adult Scots in favour of the setting up of a subsidiary Scottish Parliament with limited powers to deal with primarily Scottish affairs.
On November 1st, only four days before the anniversary of another devastating event well-known to students, Ian Hamilton is to speak at L.S.E. at a Scottish Covenant Society meeting. What he says will undoubtedly be controversial. Students here will have an opportunity to iind out what is behind the present demands for devolution, why the recent report of the Royal Commission on Scottish Affairs has {iven rise to such almost universal disappointment in Scotland, and how it is that the manner in which Scotland is governed is a matter for concern as much for the English as for the Scottish citizens of the United Kingdom.
Courfesy "The Scotsinan''
1-
POST - MORTEM
by John Martyn
In retrospect we may regard the reception arrangements for new students as a success—they were a very great improvement on last year's. The idea of setting aside a few days before the beginning of term to introduce newcomers to the devious aspects of extra curricula jlife at L.S.E. is an excellent one, for mdeed the school is so crowded these days that there is a very real danger that the fresher may be overwhelmed and lost before he has found his feet. Doubtless, however, the experiment can be im-' proved on and we will learn from and profit by this year's mistakes.
Our sincere thanks are due (and offered) to all those in the School who worked so hard and well and who gave so freely of their time and energy. Thanks especially to our General Secretary — well done, Tony!
Rosemary Sands
At a recent Union Council Meeting, it was decided that Miss Rosemary Sands be asked to take over the duties of Deputy President until that post was filled by election. The President of the Union here welcomes Miss Sands back to the fold.
Well, Rosemary, you're Acting Deputy President. Well! Well!
1 remember you first as a very nervous young lady on the eve of your first appearance for Dram. Soc. What haven't you done in the School since then? There were the Execs, of Dram. Soc., Lab. Soc., and Law Soc. in which you sat and where you impressed all by j'our level-headedness. Then you sat a year with me on Union Council and I noted your first thoughts were often sounder than my second ones. We got on famously at times.
To be honest. 1 didn't expect to see you again on the Council scene. Anyway, our thanks for helping us out; and, incidentally, Union, you're lucky if you know Rosemary.
john martyn.
"HARVEy
Harvey started off his career at L.S.P2. as a distinct menace. Recently he has become rather more distinctive. When he wasn't busy cooking somebody's goose, he was busy with the books. He seemed to love his work; sometimes he seemed to have a kindred regard for ours. Things have gone to a pretty pass when a Union officer knows more about your work than you do, and after all the trouble you took not to do those things—and you thought you would get away with it!
Yes, Harvey was a bundle of energy and enthusiasm. We didn't, couldn't always agree with him, but he has been recognised as a most useful and valued member of
First Impressions
by Patricia Green
Well, we are now inside the great L.S.E., and, thanks to the few days in which we had the place to ourselves, are mostly feeling that we are part of that institution (although our seniors may possibly not agree). However, I'm sorry to hear that a few freshers missed the two Saturday dances (did some really miss the free one?) and so here, in a few words, is a fresher's impression of them.
The "Freshers' Dance" began with a queue of girls being let into the seemingly immense Refectory, all wondering if any males were going to arrive. Apparently they were all hiding round the corner (or perhaps one adventurous individual had discovered that the door next to a religious society's notice-board was open?), for by the time the music had begun we found ourselves lost in a maze of blazers and suits, and the Refectory had shrunk noticeably. Students continued to press through the door, and as the hall became warmer, things became increasingly difficult for the jivers. A few stalwarts continued war-
Wine, Women . . .
But now a major event is announced: the interval, and with it the initiation of a few neophytes {Pardonl—Editor) into the gentle arts of beer-drinking and choral singing (L.S.E.'s " Wine, Women ..." is guaranteed to crack any ceiling), in the Third Floor Bar.
However, on returning to the dance hall, one might have found that a few people were taking L.S.E. seriously, and had decidcd to explore the building, no doubt in order to arrive promptly at lectures! Next year's freshers are advised to take torches if they have the same creditable idea, since the Dramatic Society are apparently apt to leave dummies about on the back stairs some evenings.
Odd Ceremonies
P"or the non-explorers, dancing continued, interspersed with odd ceremonies and " spontaneous" decoration of the hall, and it is with surprise and regret that one hears • the last dance announced. On the bus or train (or taxi?) home perhaps one wonders why such a hot, crowded dance should have been so enjoyable, but all freshers will agree that the reputation of the L.S.E. Saturday Dances is justified.
[And will Entertainments Committee help themselves to a m.edal from the box on the way out ?)
(continued from previous column)
Union, and Harvey didn't ask for even that. It was sufficient that he knew he was doing a worthwhile job.
EMPIRE
LEICESTER SQUARE

¥ *
-K
¥ -K ¥ ¥
?????

ANNBLYTH EDMUND PURDOM
and THE SINGING VOICE of
MARIO LANZA
with JOHN ERICSON LOUIS CALHERN

MAGNIFICENT IN COLOUR and GREATER in ^
CinemaScoPE
Enriched by PERSPECTA Stereophonic Sound
Continuous daily from 10 a.m.	Sundays from 4.30 p.m.


Courtesy " The British Weekly
This Week's Suggestion
Once more a matter of domestic administration. Could not someone take steps to prevent enthusiastic members of societies from filling the pigeon-holes with cyclostyled notes addressed (in our case) to " all B students", advertising some meeting to be held in the near future? The societies are provided with notice-boards for that purpose; there is always the Daily Events Board, and it is usual for similar notes to be scattered round the tables of the Refectory — a practice which we now notice has spread to the " Three Tuns " Bar. Surely these methods are sufficient, without misusing the pigeon-holes: nobody reads the notes anyhow!
*Our Star of Merit goes this week to the Common Rooms Officer. By a brilliant piece of foresight he provided directories in the "Three Tuns" before our suggestion was made. Congratulations, Mr. Lustig! Honourable mention also to Union Council, who are negotiating for the suggested
stamp machines.
* * + *
The Editor of " Beaver ".
Dear Sir,
I am deeply touched by the faith you appear to liave in my powers of providing—especially as I have no LJnion funds at my disposal. None the less, the directories you asked for in your last issue were provided last term (i.e., 3 months ago), and are still in their rightful place.
With regard to the stamp machine which you request for the Common Room on the third floor, the problem is rather more complex. I would remind you that it is a common room and not a G.P.O. and should, if possible, look like a common room. (It looks like a very common room—Editor^ Furthermore, I have as yet no evidence that a stamp machine is really wanted in that room, and until such evidence is forthcoming, I do not feel justified in taking any action on the matter.
Yours, etc., R. Lustig (Common Rooms Officer).
MISSION '54
Brave is the society which books the Old Theatre for a meeting. Unless the L.S.E.'s largest lecture hall is adequately filled, the place can become like a mausoleum and cause a damp squib of many a meeting. S.C.M. plumped gallantly for it last Friday lunch-hour, however, and were well rewarded when over 400 people made time in the crowded mid-day break to hear Pastor Martin Niemol-ler speak.
Pastor Niemoller, t!ie man who stood up to Hitler, and suffered seven years in concentration camps as a result, was on his way home from the World Council of Churches meeting held in America this summer. Introduced by the Director, he talked very simply about the theme of that meeting, which was " Christ, the hope of the world
Audience Respects
He is, of course, an accomplished speaker, but he excelled himself in presenting the Christian answer to the world's problems in a clear, forthright, and pungent way. It was refreshing to hear a speaker who did not clothe all his arguments in academic phraseology and jargon, and who did not attempt to lay sugar on top of the Christian Gospel. Pastor Niemoller did not hesitate to put his points straight from the shoulder, and his audience respected him for it. He spoke for over 45 minutes, using not a single note, and, it must be remembered, in a language that is not his native tongue. Throughout that time, he commanded his audience's attention closely, and told them that the Christian hope was not of man's efforts, but of the redemption of man from his present sinful state through Jesus Christ's death upon the cross. Pastor Niemoller talked of the world situation—of the fear that existed, and of the enemies that men made of each other. " Man was not meant for that", he said, " armistice is better than enmity— and friendship is better than armistice."
Pure and Effective
An obvious comparison was generally being made after the meeting. " What was he like compared with Billy Graham?" Most people were similarly impressed with Niemoller as they had been with the American evangelist, and there was general appreciation of the fact that Niemoller did not attempt to clothe his arguments, but presented the Christian Gospel in its pure and its most effective form.
(continued from previous column)
London School of Economics, October 9th.
(Editor's Note.—Ah well, we were just trying to he helpful. Anyhow, Mr. Lustig makes his appearance this week in Tactless's column and we hope this is more to his liking)
Could YOU advertise THE OBSERVER?
FIRST PRIZE j SECOND PRIZE j THIRD PRIZE
£100 ' £50 ! £25
and 5 prizes of £5
If you have often thought you would make a good copywriter, apply to the Editor of this publication for details of THE OBSERVER'S advertising competition.
4
BEAVER
October 21st, 195'
Please
IT seems customary between races,
in the interval whilst the men
are being instructed in their corners, that someone should appear before the " mike " and pass comments. We are fulfilling the same capacity with L.S.E. sport, hoping to insert a good deal of interest if nothing else into the reports of the A.U. clubs. In other words, we have here the IJarrington Dalbys and George Duckworths intent on telHng you about sport instead of taking the field, t'onning the gloves or lapping the man from U.C. You, on the other hand, are interested in your sport as you play it, not as we see it. This page attempts to give you it your way.
It is claimed that this paper is bought for its Sports Page. We would disagree. However, one thing is certain: that unless the A.U. clubs co-operate with " Beaver " sport must be neglected. There are limits to the amount the editorial staff of this newspaper can achieve. We cannot visit every match, game and race in order to record the day's play because of limited finances and staff. Therefore we are largely dependent upon contributions from various clubs. If your club never has a word on Sports Page the thing to do is not to see your club officer, but to write something (obviously anything is printed).
The A.U. pays for this page, admittedly a small amount, which has not been increased in this year's budget. The A.U. Standing Committee intends to see that this section of the paper is used as they wish, but imless clubs give the A.U. full support in this respect, payment for this page must be wasted. How many clubs contribute regularly to this page at present.' The Boat Clubs, the Y.H.A. and much-maligned Sailing Club. For the rest of you, we are now in " Beaver " office waiting for your contributions to come in, pile upon the desk and fill this page.
All that we have said so far, of course, depends upon whether the A.U. revise their budget and make a reasonable contribution to the cost. We await the result of the open Budget Meeting to be held on Tuesday, October 26th.
SpoY'ts Results
Matches played October I6th.
Soccer.
1st XI 4, B.B.C. 1 (H).
2nd XI 1, Sir John Cass 2 (A).
Rugby.
1st XV match cancelled.
"A" XV 9 points, P.L.A. 8 points.
Itx. "A" XV 3 points, Westminster Medical School 15 points.
CUT AND SLASH
The purpose of the A.U. Executive meeting held on October 12th was mainly to discuss, or slash, whichever term you prefer, budgets which the A.U. clubs had submitted to the Standing Committee. The first business, therefore, occupied little time.
__Brian Robertson was appointed
TRAVELS, BUT
NO DONKEY
by Robin Chadwick
During the last vacat'on no less than three tours were successfully completed. Six members and friends from other co'leges, under the experienced leadership of past president. Bob Potter, spent three weeks walking in Norway. All returned safely after many adventures, including one where a member of the party was missing for several hours, having decided to desert the rest at 4,000ft. in thick mist.
A slightly less energetic party joined a Ramblers' Association tour of Denmark. They spent some time sight-seeing and took an active part in the night life of Copenhagen. Even so, they walked many miles, although, of course, they did no climbing.
A third group spent the last fortnight of the vacation in Scotland. U'nfortunately the late summer holiday turned out to be an early winter one! Not daunted, however, three stout-hearted veterans reached the top of Ben Nevis in the first winter snows and a mist which came down as low as 1,000ft. The last night of the tour was spent at Loch Ossian hostel, which had to be approached by railway. Here the ground was snow-covered and it was bitterly cold. In spite of the weather, these Sassenachs apparently all enjoyed themselves in some of the gradient scenery in Britain.
Most Active
The L.S.E. club continues to feature prominetly in the U.L.U. group. It is the most active of all college clubs and is organising about half the trips in the coordinated programme of the university. Members of the School Y.H.A. may take advantage of this scheme, which has provided some event for every week-end in the term. The U.L.Y.H.A. General Meeting for the term is being held at L.S.E. on Monday, the 18th of October.
So far, at the time of writing, the only activity this term has been the Freshers' Tea. The attendance at this was about 40, an encouraging figure under the circumstances. A meet is to be lield at Holmbury St. Mary this week-end, 22nd-24th October. Other activities include a meeting to discuss vacation tours, past and future, on Tuesday, and a university ramble to Rickmans-worth on November 7th. Anyone interested in the activities of the club can obtain more information from the secretary, Margaret Brackenbury.
THE WORLD'S GREATEST BOOKSHOP
119
B O O K. S
All new Books available on day of publication. Second-hand and rare Books on every subject. Stocks of over 3 million volumes.
Subscriptions taken for British, American and Continental magazines.
Foyies have Departments for Music, Records, Stationery, Handicraft Materials and Tools.
125 CHARING CROSS ROAD LONDON
Gernird 56(50 (16 lines -jc Open 9-6 (inc. Sat.)
Two minutes from Tottenham Court Road Station
WC2
Equipment Officer of the A.U. His duties are to consist of the supervision of equipment at Maiden, where apparently a good deal of equipment is lost or damaged because there is no proper supervision. John Rotheroe was appointed Publicity Ofncer of A.U.
The President announced that there would be no A.U. Ball this year. Those who were at L.S.E. last year will remember that the ball was cancelled last year just before it was due to take place. The year before the Ball incurred very heavy losses. Union Council was approached recently by the A.U President with the suggestion that a joint ball be held this year between the Students' Union and the Athletic Union. This was turned down and so the A.U. President was forced to decide that their Ball could not be held this session. The A.U. Standing Committee seem to be seriously considering holding their Ball in the Michaelmas Term next session, thus, as it were, " getting in first This would not be entirely unfair, as the A.U. Ball used to be held in this term formerly.
Cut in Budgets
The meeting passed on to the discussion of the budget. As could be expected, the amounts demanded by the clubs were in excess of the total that the A.U. had reserved for club payments. A good deal of the sum was reduced by cutting down the postage amounts which the clubs were allowed, after consideration of the normal number of fixtures which the clubs could be expected to make and confirm. Considerable sums were also wiped out by cutting down expensive trips of clubs such as the Women's Boat Club to Leeds and the Basketball to Cardiff.
In addition, Soccer had to agree to cut down on expensive lunches at the Tobv Jug for its visiting teams and Fencing had to do without a fencing bag.
The main items of the meeting, however, were discussions of various major decisions which might establish precedents. The Men's Boat Club had budgeted for £20— the cost of a launch to enable successful coaching. It was pointed out that the difficulties attached to coaching by bicycle from the tow-path were great, as well as risking danger to life and limb. However, it was pointed out by the President, it was not possible for the A.U. to provide the money to coach various clubs. If one club was granted coaching allowances then all would be similarly entitled.
Visiting Teams
The Sailing Club, too, raised the question of a precedent when they wished the A.U. to pay overnight accommodation expenses for a visiting team from Exeter. The S.C. claimed that it was good manners, a fact that couldn't influence the A.U., who were struggling to balance a tight budget, and more sensible that if they pay accommodation for a visiting club here they receive the same when they travel away.
The Monroe Doctrine
"Beaver's" freshman reporter, scanning the list of clubs and societies which list themselves in the Union Handbook, decided to nose out the facts about the newly formed Body-Building and Weight-lifting Club, which has been the subject of discussion—and
worse—in the "Three Tuns" and elsewhere. Where better to go for information than to Mr, Colin Radford, founder-membet of the Club?
At first cautious, he submitted to an interview when told thai "Beaver" was, as always, only iti' terested in printing the truth anc hastening the spread of misconcep' tion?.
Morons
He told our reporter that there is a definite need at L.S.E. for the tvjie of club he has formed; body building, as far as he is concerned is a pleasurable sport, as well as i convenient and quick form oi exercise. The latter is a valuable' point to bear in mind, with Maiden nearly fifteen miles away frorri L.S.E. itself. He explained, witt the light of a man with a missionj burning in his eyes, that there werel many misconceptions about bodybuilders and weight-lifters iii; general.
The first, vje quote, was that they were morons, cement from the neck up. Mr. Radford had no wish to boast—but he was a 1953 Leverhulme scholar. Again, many people coti' fused modern body culture with the antics of the old-time strongman, with his leopard-skin shorts and gladiator boots.
Body building to-day is a serious,, scientific business, into which has; gone a considerable amount of research, in the matter of suitability of certain exercises for various physiques, fietary requirements and so on. Many body-builders have quite detailed knowledge of the body's bone and muscle structure.
Body-builders, according to Mr. Radford, are holding high the old classical conception of a healthy' mind in a healthy body, and surely, he asked, there was an asthetic
Courtesy " Health and Strength "
Ladies, does YOUR body need building ? . . .
Tide Turns
For L.S.E.
If the success of the Boat Club in the ensuing year equals the success of their recruiting campaign then L.S.E. rowing is very likely to make a name for itself in the very near future.
The 1953-54 season ended in almost a blaze of glory, when victory was snatched from us by a margin of three feet. Taking into consideration the greater experience of the Thames R.C. this result is very creditable.
This year we find our strength astounding. We have twenty experienced oarsmen and we have recruited from the ranks of the freshers thirty men—ranging from 8 J-stone coxes to 17-stone prospective oarsmen.
Ten Mile Outings
Training and coaching are planned and rigorous. An average outing exceeds ten miles. Two eights are now in training and it is hoped that at least four eights will be entering for the Tideway Head of the River. " This has never before been known in the history of L.S.E. rowing."
The type and quality of pre-event training is as important, if not more so, than the actual performance. Without rigorous and concentrated routine, all efforts are of no avail. This year's aim is for L.S.E. to become famed not for how much was the distance by which they lost, liut by how much they won.
the third man.

CLIMBING IN EUROPE
The Mountaineering Club held their summer meet in the Swiss Alps at Zinal and Saas Fee. The club was represented by Don Aldridge, Mike Holton, Chris Jarrett, Jackie Needham, Valerie Tonge, and Jimmy Young.
Nothing spectacular was achieved, this being the worst season in the Alps for fifty years. Acquaintance with the Matterhorn was renewed, from a viewpoint a mile away. Ascents were made of Mont Blanc de Moming, the Trifthorn,
Le Besso, the Pointe de Zinal and Mont Durand. However, worsen-
infT weather prevented ascents of the higher peaks in the Zinal area.
Three members of the club who moved round to the Saas Fee did manage to take full advantage of one reasonable day to ascend the north ridge of the Weissmiess. As usual, mist and cloud came down later in the day and we saw nothing
. . . Men, are you
a weightlifter
pleasure to be derived from possessing a well developed body? We' observed that we were siu'e that this was so, especially at a mixed club, such as that planned for L.S.E.
Finally, he said that as a self-confessed peerer into mirrors, that] anyone who is not satisfied witli| their appearance will be very wel-i come at the Club, which he wasi sure would make a very real contribution to the life of the School,i It was hoped that Mr. Oscarj Heidenstam, "Health and Strength"' body-building adviser, would visit the Club shortly to lecture and demonstrate.
Asked how many of the famous) weight-lifted, Mr. Radford mentioned Mr. Gordon Pirie and Misij Marilyn Monroe. Perhaps thej latter could also be persuaded to| lecture and demonstrate . . . excusej me while I book a front seat in the| Old Theatre.
(cont. from foot of previous column)|
from the summit. We were inj doubt as to whether -we were, inj fact, standing on the summit or not,| but this was confirmed later.
Published by the Students' Union of the London School of Economics, and printed by Sales (Wright) Ltd., 3 Rectory Grove, London, S.W.4.