BRITISH LIBRARY 1 1 APR 1984
-----mr a. i af^o
ON 3rd February at 9.20 am a decision was taken in the Staff Meeting of the Sociology Department that could prove of momentous importance to the nature of School-Union relations, when the academic staff agreed to direct student participation in running departmental affairs.
Until then the Sociology Department had operated a Staff-Student Consultative committee which made proposals to the staff departmental committee which could either be agreed upon, rejected or referred back.
The new situation ailows that stuaents can actively participate—not passively suggest and hope—in decisions directly related to their and the department's, academic welfare.
Although the degree arid the nature of representation is still a contentious issue for both students and staff, at least the decision means that a mutually- beneficial approach can be adopted by both parties, who. contrary to what some opinions would suggest, have many areas of common interest.
The "victory —as it may be termed from the student point of view since it was the students who provided the impetus and did most of the diplomatic politicking—came about after a series of protracted meetings, beginning on 17 November 1977 when it was put to the staff-student committee^ that "student representation in departmental affairs was extremely limited and increasingly damaging to the department as a whole".
The Staff-Student committee agreed to press for the proposal that "student representatives should be able to formally attend, with speaking-rights, at staff meetings". After a further series of meetings between staff and students a proposal was put to the February 3rd meeting and was accepted.
In fact this outcome is based on a much longer series of events, related to the complex issue of student participation on committees of all sorts within the LSE, which will be analysed in the next issue of Beaver.
_David Lowry
"STUDENTS have a thin time at LSE" ran a "Guardian" headline on Wednesday, February 1st.
Professor Macrae's revelation that dire poverty exists in LSE will have been no surprise to many students here, who will have welcomed the publicity this fact has now received at the hands of the press.
The Union block became the haunt for the next few days of eager-looking journalists, including even the illustrious Katherine White-horn, until the better-dressed students felt obliged to retreat to the Bar.
But wait, whilst these journalists were all falling over one another in their attempts to find suitably thin-looking students to interview and photograph, weren't the trees being missed for the.wood?
Students do not receive a generous grant and it is well known that its present value is in real terms below the 1962 level. But to suggest that the majority of students are on the breadline would be absurd.
So where is the real poverty ? NUS has stressed the problem of students who do not receive a full parental contribution until even the DES is prepared to admit that about 73 per cent of students are in this position. But in all fairness, many of these students will not suffer
severe hardship as they can go home during vacations.
The mature- student, however, especially the student who is also trying to support a family, will often find him/herself in a difficult position. The independent status this confers often renders meaningless the theoretical support from parents.
But the real problem must surely lie with those students who are fully self-financing, the majority of whom are post-graduates and/or overseas students.
As far as overseas students are concerned it is often the case that the visa granted to study in this country does not include a permit to work even in vacations. Even where such a permit exists the prospective employer is obliged to fill in endless forms explaining why he/she has the audacity to choose a foreign rather than a native worker. Coupled with the high and discriminatory fee level, this can spell chaos for the overseas student who has only modest means.
Yes, the situation is urgent. Now it must be realised, before the problem is swept under the carpet once more, that all is definitely not well. It must be realised that until the means-tested grant is replaced by grants for all and until the discriminatory- fee .levels are abolished, no amount of kindly concern will change the situation.
Carol Saunders
PRENTICE 'unconvincing'
Student representation
POVERTY AT LSE
DEVASTATION : Pizzaburger after SHAM '69
jections to Labour's policies: its attitude towards defence, devolution, Europe, Trade Unions and the power of the State.
. In a question, the Chairperson of the LSE- Labour Club, Mr Graham Wildridge, said that Mr Prentice showed a greater hypocrisy than any other Tory speaker he had heard at the LSE. Mr Prentice claimed to represent much of the Labour rank and file, yet, having proceeded almost directly from University to a full time post with the (then very right wing) TGWU and thence to Parliament, he had little experience of grass roots activism. He had joined the Labour Party solely to make a career in Parliament and, having been dropped as parliamentary candidate by his local Labour party, had now joined the Tories so as to continue his inglorious career. In 1961 he had signed a Commons motion demanding the resignation of an MP who had left the Labour Party, Mr Wildridge suggested that Mr Prentice now follow his own advice and resign.
Replying, Mr Prentice could only state that he "was wrong" to have signed the motion and that at the time he had been a "Party hack". At this someone remarked to him
"You are still a hack, only the Party's changed, to the considerable amusement of the audience,
Mr Prentice thus remains eminently unconvincing. With others, such as Woodrow Wyatt and Paul Johnson, he has forsaken the Crosslandite version of Social Democracy for Toryism, in the face of the evident collapse of his own ideology. For Prentice the main enemy at present is a Left wing Labour Party, for Johnson it is the "Enemies of Society". Unable to explain the declining credibility and influence of Social Democracy in terms of its own weaknesses they have presented it as defeated by "enemies", and have withdrawn to the Tory trenches to snipe at their imaginary foes. Yet in reality Social Democrats were "demoralised", just as the Labour Party was radicalised, by profound changes in the structure of capitalism itself, and no amount of ful-mination from the pulpit- will change this. The tattered applause and pronounced hissing that confronted Mr Prentice at the end of his performance at the LSE: were perhaps a fitting tribute to the bankruptcy of his political machinations.
Michael Levitsky
AT a meeting at the LSE on Feb 8th Mr Reg Prentice (MP for Newham North East) attempted to convince his audience that his resignation from the Labour Party and subsequent entry into the Tory Party had not been a purely opportunistic manoeuvre. Given both the nature of his arguments and the composition of his audience his attempt did not meet with great success.
Speaking at the invitation of the LSE Conservatives, Mr Prentice told a half full New Theatre that he had left the Labour Party because he considered that it had drifted dangerously to the Left. He suggested that since he joined the Party the nature of the Left had changed. Prom being a small group of misguided idealists, it had evolved into a "hard-core Marxist, intolerant" movement dedicated to "class war". At the same time Social Democrats in the Party had become demoralised, allowing Labour in 1976 to produce its most "extreme" programme ever.
Mr Prentice asserted that it was necessary for the centre of British politics to regroup, though he failed to specify the form this would take. He finished by reciting the usual litany of Conservative ob-
NEWSPAPER OF THE LSE	14th FEBRUARY 1978 ISSUE NO. 168
ENTERTAINMENTS
ENTS DIARY
Wed. 15th Feb.—Three Tuns, 8 pm : ViRUS —no, not the 'flu, but a fine young band full of ability and enthusiasm.
Thurs., 16th Feb.—Old Theatre, 7.30 pm. Major London appearance of Melody Maker's first lady of Folk JUNE TABOR. Still some tickets left at £1 advance from the Union Shop or £1.20 on the door.
Fri., 17th Feb.—Three Tuns, 8 pm : BLAST FURNACE AND THE HEATWAVES : returning from Stoke Newington to play this one-off at the LSE before flying to Islington for a major tour. Blues at its best— don't miss it!
Wed., 22nd Feb.—Three Tuns, 8 pm : LION-HEART—laidback J. J. Cale-type music. Played a really good demo tape and convinced the Ents Committee (no mean achievement). Watch out for the slide geetar.
Fri., 3rd March—Old Theatre, 7.30 : SON SEALS BLUES BAND from USA. One of the finest young blues bands in the world. After supporting B B King at Hammersmith Odeon last year and giving him a good run for his money, Son Seals returns to headline a major tour in his own right. Tickets £1.10 in advance or £1.25 on the night.
Sat., 4th March—ROY HARPER. Need I say more ! Tickets only £1.50.
June Tabor and Friends—Thursday, 16th February
f
Ex-Social Sec. tries to look inconspicuous at SHAM 69 gig
ENTS GUIDE TO HIPSPEAK
IT should be borne in mind that however well you have mastered the art of Hipspeak, no-one will ever believe that you are not a student if you do not dress properly—i.e. no Afghans, no college scarves or sweatshirts, no sandals, no beads, no greatcoats and definitely no flares. Clothes from iumble sales are OK. And for Gawd's sake get your hair cut. Try a pair of shades—be inscrutable.
Inscrutability is, in fact, what being hip—or cool—is all about which is why shades are a help. Be cynical but do not mumble. Nod rather than speak and try and keep things snappy.
As for what to say ?
Do not mention ''My tutor".
Do not talk shop—a heated discussion about the relative merits of Monetarist and
Keynesian theories rather give the game away.
Drop names casually but liberally. This can be tricky and can be embarrassing to discover that you are talking to the person whose name you are flinging around.
Talk about the problems of being on the dole and the trouble that you are having with your squat and the GLC.
Make rude remarks about students. This is very important and any old insults will do.
Try and sound as apolitical and amoral as possible : but do be positive. Neo-nihilism was last year's thing.
Say as little as possible.
Remember—look inscrutable at all times and you won't go far wrong.
The Princess of Cool

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Arthur sees the light:
A cautionary tale
ARTHUR TOMLINSON (BSc Econ) failed, thought to himself, "shall I go to the library or Florries". He inadvertently stepped off his chauffeur-driven 68 bus and fell flat on his face. As if from nowhere the hordes came and a few seconds later he was a convulsing heap on the floor. He remembered little of the attack except that the natives were dressed in heavy clogs and chains, they had a preference for very short hair and a peculiar contraption to hold up their loin cloths called braces. Oh, and there was another thing, they all wore badges saying Sham 69 . . .
Fame and fortune at last, he thought, when he read his name in "Sounds" last week; next stop Hammersmith Odeon, a big record contract and an appearance on Flop of the Slops. However he got this letter from the Registry . saying, why aren't you going to your classes ? He mused on a reply, pointing out the ineptitude of his class teachers, the terminal boredom of his lectures and the fact that the library does not stock Biggies books, but decided to apologise in as subservient manner as possible.
You may be saying to yourselves (or you may not be) why is he writing all this drivel; this previously charismatic writer is lacking in his usual sparkling wit, incisive sarcasm, and insatiable demand for the pleasures of the flesh ? You could even say he is just lacking !
It must be the legendary mid-term blues (not pills you fool, blues as in depression) or is it just another bad pint from the Beaver's retreat, on the other hand it could be a chewy burger from the Pizzabugger or a stale ham sandwich from the Brunch Bowl. All these questions and no answers : it makes you think about reading Hegel from cover to cover or watching Crossroads.
So our student, be he in possession of protruding bones, a deathly pallor, about the face or just plain piles, grabbed himself a bit of the action and came to S118 to find out the details.
He had heard about S118 before, the wild parties, the funny cigarettes and the strange language with which they talked to one another and was rather disappointed (because there was a man from the Lies of the World there) to find a freshly painted room and. a desk, comfy chairs and carpet on the floor. There were people busily scribbling away on posters,
numbering tickets and drawing leaflets but his attention was drawn to a man seated behind the desk who appeared to be trying to commit Hari-Kari with the telephone flex whilst balancing twro cups of cold coffee in one hand, a pen in the other and trying to light up a cigarette by rubbing his toenails together in order to produce a spark.
"Ah", thought our wily traveller. "Social Sec."
"With you in a minute'', said a voice, hidden behind clouds of smoke (the table was on fire —too much toenail friction). "Take a seat."
"Well quite honestly Peter I'm not really happy with the contract—okay you put in Dingwalls after LSE but the 100 Club three days before—it'll cream a lot of our trade oft. Well I can't help it if the tour is losing money. Yes, I know how high your overheads are* yes, I am aware of the record company back-up1, contract says . . . Our. legal department are jio't^ tin pot socialists ; okay I'll ring you tomorrow, 'bye."
"Need any help," asked our student, "I've not worked in Ents before but I'll give it a go."
The Social Secretary had a seizure and hati to 'be brought round with a bottle of Meg' Richardson aftershave.
"Don't worry folks, he'll be all right in a minute, it's just that we get so few people ki here these days that when someone walks in and actually asks for the Ents room it comes as rather a shock."
The Social Sec. rose to his feet and breathing in deeply exposed his protruding ribs and said :
"Yes, I am a genuine hardship case, but ori the other hand the real value of a student-grants-has gone down — oh,sorry, thought it was about student poverty again, blasted journalists, always distort the facts and get in the way. You want to help, well there is lots one can do in Ents from being Social Sec (long hours, no pay, no fun) to designing leaflets, posters, sticking things here and there, humping' gear, making sandwiches, leafletting around LSE and elsewhere, anything you reckon you can do is bound to come in useful. Look at me, I'm insane but that way everybody knows they are sane because none of them will come near me."
"Ho hum," said Arthur to himself as he carefully stuck an Ents badge on, "it is better than the Library."
Max Poore
t
PAGE
EDITOR .* SABBATICAL?
In defence of NAFF
MAY I, as an LSE student, comment cfl Ms Battesz's article on Fascism. The lleafleting and information campaigns of the Anti-Nazi League demand and fully deserve the applause and support of every humane being. We must at! expose the Front's pseudo-scientific claptrap, by propagating the true facts. To fully dispel the webs of ignorance and superstition there must be the fullest private and public debate, unhindered by flying bricks and bottles, which merely induce fear and repulsion, and thus stand in the way of rational persuasion.
To Ms Baltesz the NF's "apparently plausible solutions" must be shown up as racist. Racist—true ! Plausible—no, because they are in the mainstream of vulgar Marxism! The major policy statement, "Beyond Capitalism and Socialism" contains such gems as "the nature of modern finance-capitalism is such that it makes the finance capitalist nothing better than a huge parasite feeding on the body of the national economy". Out trot all the "Tribune" Group s favourites : end the investment strike ; abandon our European links; revert to the protectionism of the 1930s to save outdated jobs ; cripple the multinationals ; workers' participation with a real say ; nationalisation of the whole banking system; complete socialist
FOR far too long the Publications section of the Union has suffered. Our proportion of the budget has declined from 11 per cent to less than 3 per cent in a number of years and in real terms the product has declined. Today we are reduced to putting out eight-page issues (the minimum) with no spot colour and a limited number of blocks (that is artwork and photographs).
This will now change with the new budget submission . which will, it is hoped, put us back on our old footing. The past five years have seen the expansion (in money terms) of Welfare and Central Administration. It's now the turn of Publications.
Publications should be one of. the basic concerns of -the Union. Communications is a real problem for this college. Our lack of contact' destroys the Union at. every level, social 'and political.	7
Ents now have their Sabbatical and Publications need theirs, not just for the sake of Publications but for every activity in the college which is not totally insular.
A Sabbatical Editor can produce Beaver in the way that it should be produced, not in the way it is at present, slung together by tired volunteers just before midnight on Thursday.
A Sabbatical Editor means that he or she can go out and collect news. This
is vital in making Beaver a viable newspaper. News rarely comes to Beaver, it has to be dug up. Every sphere of activity in the Union from the Athletic. Union and Ents rights through to the Guy Fawkes Solidarity Committee would benefit from this.
There is a lot of boring work that has to be done on Beaver, such as advertising and finance which is at the moment incompetently handled.
A Sabbatical Editor could produce properly arid distribute well, a Beaver Daily News that actually came out every day.
Then there is the SPDS (Student Paper Distribution Scheme) which LSE has pioneered, yet which needs a lot of work.
A Student Handbook, Alternative Prospectus and Policy Handbook can only be produced when there is a Sabbatical Editor. We need one now !
A majority of the Finance Committee are committed to a Sabbatical Editor ; let them prove that these were not just political promises. We want a Sabbatical Editor to be included in their next budget submission.
Let's forget "economic necessities", "long-term strategies" they were talking about a real campaign in raising our per capita fee and the services which we can provide. Let's see it.
PEACOCK
planning, bureaucracy and regulation. Tyndall demands that all economic activity be "strictly circumscribed in operation by the national and social interest." It is thus clear that such totalitarianism cannot be' most effectively challenged by the similarly totalitarian Left, but rather only by those, such as true liberals or anarchists, who value each person as an individual, endowed with rfiutual freedoms.
This brings me to the damned lie and vicious libel perpetrated by Ms Baltesz upon the NAFF. It is against all discrimination. At its foundation it declared that "citizens enjoy the right to be governed by the laws and customs of this realm, duly enforced without fear or favour." In a policy statement published last August, the NAFF notes that "the gutter fascists of the National Front and British National Party seek to achieve political power by stirring up racial hatred. . . . The National Association for Freedom therefore calls on its members, supporters and friends to oppose these . . . evils with all the energy they can command. ... A British citizen is not to be judged by his race, colour or creed. . . . The role of the National Association for Freedom is to help unite all citizens irrespective of race, colour and creed in defence of freedom and against all forms of totalitarianism.'"
Whereas NAFF is a politically non-
partisan organisation, since the Monday Club is a subset of the Tory Party, it is perfectly permissible to rebut Ms Baltesz's charges by reference to the parent body. Less than three months ago, here at the LSE, Willie Whitelaw launched the "Conservatives Against Racialism" campaign. The party sees' racialism-as rooted in the crisis-exacerbated. socio-economic disadvantages of certain inner-city areas. Any discrimination beyond this general deprivation can be countered by the Race Relations Act 1976.
Considerable effort must go into promoting better English language training and inner urban renewal. Above all, the economy must be led again to take Off.
As Mr Whitelaw said : "For this reason the whole range of economic policies a government follows or an opposition advocates are as relevant to the development of race relations policy as are those policies we label specifically as "race relations" policies ... our party's greater commitment to the encouragement of economic enterprise, particularly in relation to small firms and our larger inner cities, holds out in the long term the most secure base for the evolution of long-term harmony between ethnic groups in Britain."
After three years of Beaver reading, first time in print.
GEORGE HORNBY
ALL REDGRAVE'S WRANGLES
MISS Vanessa Redgrave appeared before an assembled audience of students in the New Theatre wearing a very natty little number in tan corduroy. The subdued lighting played delightfully on her tawny chic styled hair and there was a definite resemblance to Octavia in "Antony and Cleopatra". The mood evoked nostalgia for the Empire of R?me with patrician Vanessa looking every inch a typical W.R.P. Empress.
Kiss'nger
Vanessa, maybe trying to get. ideas for her speech on "Euro-Communism", extolled the assembled multitude to tell her why they had come (risky!). The wits of L.S.E. rose to the occasion with customary aplomb: one said he was there because he knew nothing whatever about it (and he was
destined to learn nothing !; and another to find if there w:as any difference in Vanessa's views ta those of Henry Kissinger (shame)..
Theory
Miss Redgrave told us that the Euro-Communists were really part of that lickspittle. imperialist. lackey clique of Stalinists who had subverted the working, classes. Indeed, they w'ere prepared to prostrate themselves before the monopoly capitalist parties, like the Christian Democrats, so as not to alarm or frighten in any way those who were committed to democracy. What a heinous crime! No participation could be allowed, but a united, powerful, dynamic movement of the proles should seize power. All this dear readers, as you may imagine, was interspersed with lengthy comment on
the Tyneside non-shipbuilders and the F.B.U. struggle. Complete overthrow of capitalism and its institutions, at a stroke, was required. But, as a Maoist said, it was a bit unrealistic to expect the W.R.P. to overthrow N.A.T.O.! However, our cherished Maoist said the threat came from the superpowers so the struggle should be international. Of course, the P.R.C. could never be considered as anything other than a free and harmonious spontaneous grouping of peasants working for the reincarnation of Chairman Mao.
it must be worrying for those who dedicate their lives to the establishment of the dictatorship of the proles to see this end apparently thwarted by "pseudo-marxists." However, it seems these elements are preferred to the W.R.P.
BRUCE FELL

JAVELIN—Bradford University
IT seems that others have seen the T light—new editor-in-name Roland Ranee | has decided to allow the paper to func-| tion in a non-hierarchical way. The i paper will now be run on a co-opera-
-	tive basis with a rotating convener.
-	Power to the workers!
Eye-catching presidential candidate " for this year is one who describes him-" self as an "Anarcho-Syndicalist Revolu-1 tionary Moderate (short fuse party J"'.
Any relation to the "Urban and Socio-i logical Modality Re-Designers (Explo-
-	sives Division", I wonder . . . ?
| Bradford was the scene of an occu-
¦	pation earlier this year when student f Chris Roys, who received a fine of £50 | plus £20 costs, had this sentence changed | to 21 days in prison when he appealed. 1 Arrested? At Grunwick, of course.
McGAREL—Central London Poly
| Protests from the Union here have 1 forced Dr K. Hylson-Smith, Warden of I the Halls of Residence, to take back . his decision to have students who fail . to pay their rent suspended from their ; courses.
-	The sum of bad debts has been so
*	astronomical that the administration is " seeking legal advice.
LINKS—Thames Poly
Links reports that the Court of
-	Governors has decided to comply with
¦	the DES circular on the overseas stu-| dents quota.
; This is partly due to the way the [ ILEA responded to the Poly's failure . to implement its "recommendations" k last year. The Poly was threatened that I it would have to budget for its library
-	cut.
The Court proposes to cut the num-
¦	ber of overseas students taken on next [ year by 67 per cent compared with last
*	year's intake.
Links reports that at Greenwich . Magistrates' Court last month a man
¦	was fined £15 for throwing a hedgehog
¦	at a Number 53 bus. Asked why he . had done this he replied, "Well, it was 1 my dog's birthday". Work that one
¦	out!
LE NURB—Brunei University
Michael Goodman, newly co-opted . President of the SU at Brunei, may be . suing Mr Beattie, Accommodation Offi-
¦	cer, for trespass against property.
Returning to his Presidential suite, Michael found his belongings had been ; indiscriminately packed into plastic | bags.
The reason given was that a student and his wife desperately needed a place to stay. This was pure nastiness on Beattie's part, as Michael had already offered his suite when Beattie himself refused to help the couple.
THE LAST EDITION—Oxford Poly
We're not the only ones—Oxford Poly has just withdrawn from its area NUS on the grounds that the time and effort will be put to better use in approaching other colleges through its executive rather than through an outside body.
Other reasons for withdrawal include "general apathy" from other colleges in the area and in particular Oxford Uni- ' versity's failure to take up its share of the finances.
CAROL SAUNDERS
PAGE 4
; '• ' '
WOMEN SP
DISAPPEARING
NURSERIES
LSE Women's Group
BEFORE attending meetings, I felt, as many people do, that I would be confronted by butch, man-hating Mary Whitehouses. I was, however, pleasantly surprised : by the sisterly atmosphere; the lack of pressure combined with the feeling that everyone's opinion is regarded as important; and that everyone can contribute in their own way as much and as little as they want.
I find it much easier to relate towards women now as people. Having been encouraged in the past to compete with women for the attentions of men, I was often antagonistic towards them. But working together in a totally female environment changes this attitude to one of trust and co-operation.
All women have something to gain from LSE women's group.
It's more fun than you think !
LSE KIDS
HOW many parents at LSE would like to attend meetings, concerts, films, etc., but are prevented due to lack of babysitters? "Oh, bring the kids along," say childless students who have no comprehension of the difficulties involved.
I personally have had my baby disappear beneath the remains of a collapsed table whilst trying to change his nappy in the loo. Have watched dozy, self-centred louts knock him over because they don't appreciate that people exist who are less than three feet tall. Bar staff at U.L.U. have kicked us out presumably because they fear that my toddler will get pissed out of his mind and disrupt the place.
The general feeling here seems to be that having kids is freakish enough but dragging the dribbling individual around with you is downright obsene.
It's about time students realised that children necessarily have to exist. For them to exist in LSE they need somewhere to eat and be washed and most importantly somewhere to play without their lives being endangered. It's not enough to have a playgroup during the school's half term, there should be a permanent creche for kids of all ages to come any time of the day or night, so that student parents can stop hibernating at home and participate in college life.	P.P.
V j S? 8f3§fep;'ri;
!* if ;.jf m '
THERE is no doubt that women have been hardest hit by the economic crisis of the 'seventies. Cuts in government spending have led to drastic reductions in family planning clinics, availability of abortion and child-care facilities.
The right of women to be anything other than child-rearers has been attacked by a supposedly Labour government pledged to be fighting for the equality of women. A White Paper published in 1972 prepared to establish nursery care facilities for 50 per cent of three-year-olds and 90 per cent of four-year-olds by 1981. In 1976 another White - Paper abandoned the project completely as one of the "necessary" cuts in the public expenditure. What this means is that for the 4.500,000 under-fives only 26,000 places are available in local authority day-release nurseries.
This is why if women are to be allowed equal opportunity, nursery facilities must be provided at higher education level. At present out of 84 universities only 31 have any form of nurseries, and many of these are
either too expensive or only cater for over-twos. The University Grants Committee refuse to make funds available for nurseries and thus colleges have to finance any child-care facilities from their own resources or by fund-raising efforts. The NUS first launched its nursery campaign in 1970 (you can be forgiven if you have never heard anything about it—few people have) but, as^with most NUS campaigns, it seems to have fizzled out.
At LSE we are comparatively lucky. The School subsidises a nursery for 15 children (belonging to staff and students) but, due to lack of facilities and expense, it accepts children only over the age of two. The Students' Union subsidises eight places at a nursery run by the Centre for Environmental Studies which accepts children from the age of three months. Due to the low per-capita fee given to the Students' Union, and ever-increasing cuts, continuation of these subsidies are threatened.
These nursery facilities are totally inadequate. There are
already five children on the waiting-list for 1978-79 with only two places becoming vacant. This will certainly mean parents at LSE will have to give up their course. We have no idea how many thousands of women do not apply to university ;because they do not have, or cannot afford, child-care facilities. (The LSE devotes only one sentence to the existence of its nursery, it does not mention the CES nursery at all.)
When the big move to Strand House eventually takes place it will be possible to enlarge the nursery and extend it to take the under-twos.
It is important that the Students' Union should launch an immediate campaign to persuade the School of the necessity of such an expansion. The S.U. representatives on the
School committee the need for fu facilities at LSE ordinate their i attempt to achi meeting will be the end of this we a nursery action one interested is to attend, and Students' Union Students' Union i of the School cc be present.
The inactivity o Union on the nur: the past two yes be due to the k on the executive,; committees. This of society as a w cannot become i in society until a care facilities are
Contraception: a personal view
CONTRACEPTION is a tricky business, when you are on the receiving end of course. You go on the Pill (the safest method of all), you get headaches, depression, put on weight, are likely to get thrombosis and so on.
All these 'complaints' were normally dismissed by medical authorities as myths created by women. Two recent studies, one by the Royal College of General
Practitioners, have now officially confirmed our worst fears about the pill. Here is a small indication : the death rate from circulatory diseases in women who had ever used the pill was roughly five times that of 'controls,' i.e., women of similar age, etc., who had never used the pill. (Spare Rib, issue 57). The death rate increased with age, cigarette smoking, duration of usage, etc. . . .
Oh well, women don't have to go on the pill. There are so many other methods to be used. Safe and nice ones—no complications. Like for instance the condom—what, you don't like rubber to interfere with your love-making ? All right, how about the cap Nice little rubber (oops !) accompanied with jellies and creams to be inserted just before the action-enough to kill any spontaneous enjoyment.
OK, then so try the coil—a bit of copper and plastic inserted once every two years— if your body does not reject it, of course.
This may only cause cramps, heavy and irregular periods, and inflammation of the tubes. (Tiny irrelevancies, of course), and, sorry to forget, is not 100 per cent safe. But you can always get sterilised.
What, you might want children later ? But wait a minute —the miracle of miracles, the latest, the greatest, the cleverest
of all — contraceptive injection, called novesthistezone, to be injected every three months, 100 per cent safe. Plus, unlike the pill, there is no risk of blood clotting.
At last a well-researched, safe contraceptive. Did I hear you say well researched ? The injection is being tested now! Where ? By whom ? On ignorant (read non-informed) women —especially working class and black.
Women asked were not happy about the side effects: headaches, dizziness, putting on a lot of weight in a short time, scant and irregular periods . . . (They ring a bell, these symptoms, I wonder why ?).
So many women are used as guineapigs—what, in the centre of civilisation, England ? But no, these things only happen in the Third World, not here, it can't be here. (Or, oh dear, the
Guardian didn't about it). It is be< ent that there is for independent birth control met few drug compani notice or are even feedback from women taking I about side effects tions.
Doctors tend tc rather than inforr had the coil fitte asked the doctor worked ? Don't that, he said ! He three years old !).
Contraception : nothing to do \ needs, it is geare profit rather than happy.
One demand tha springs to my min
Science for the for profit!!
PAGE 5
OUT
The Myth of the Good/Bad woman
in the with ng va-¦ mean to give ive no rids of jniver7 ; have, :e faci-s only istence t men-all.) ¦ Strand ilace it ge the o take
ie Stu-lch an ) per-neces-n. The n the
School committees are aware of the need for further nursery facilities at LSE and should coordinate their efforts in an attempt to achieve this. A meeting will be held towards the end of this week to organise a nursery action group. Anyone interested is very welcome to attend, and hopefully the Students' Union executive, and Students' Union representatives of the School committees will be present.
The inactivity of the Students' Union on the nursery issue over the past two years could well be due to the lack of women on the executive, and the School committees. This is a reflection of society as a whole. Women cannot become fully involved in society until adequate child-care facilities are available.
J.C.B.
THE good woman—Virgin and Mother, the essence of spirituality—has been prayed to and revered since pre-Celtic times up to the present day.............
This notion of Virgin as "good" arises, it has been surmised by psychologists — from men's fear of sexual inadequacy in the face of women. The Virgin, therefore, provides no threat to their "masculinity" self-image, having experienced no man's sexual performance and demanding no such relations. The symbol of Virgin and ¦ Mother in turn joins this spiritual sexuality undemanding image with that of the mysteries of woman's reproductive capacity.
This function which was and is defined as THE FEMALE preserve, didn't suffer from men's attempts to understand it until recently, and it has been held in non-comprehending reverence for many thousands of years, contained in such images. But no matter what pretty explanations the psycho-analysts may give us, such are strictly male images of women, and serve only to mystify and alienate us from ourselves.
The Bad Woman—Lusting, Insatiable, Whore, wholely car-
nal. It has been surmised (again by imaginative psychological "theory") that men, playing the role of ''initiator" in the sex act, feel threatened by possible rejection or inadequacy, and thus denegrate the object of their sexual urges to a position such that, either our opinion doesn't, matter—i.e,. the contempt in which men hold for example the prostitute does not allow her opinion of their sexual performance to threaten them ; or what, we have no point of comparison —i.e., by confining our grandmother's sexual experience to one man who alone would lift her to the status of Mother within the monogamous marriage contract.
Psycho - analysts' imaginative "theories" as to the origin of the myth of the Good and the Bad Woman may or may not contain any truth; subsequent history has no doubt altered and reinforced such notions in changing social arrangements— but of one thing there can be no doubt : the definitions of 'good' and 'bad' revolve around male views of women's sexuality.
Nowhere were or are similar labels from women's perspective worshipped or condemned —the "bored, isolated, who-will-
1 view
action, be in-IS, 100 ie the blood
d,safe r you injec-n o w ! ignor-romen ;s and
happy head-i a lot scant (They ims, I
sed as
centre
oen m
ir. the
Guardian didn't say anything about it). It is becoming apparent that there is a great need for independent research on birth control methods, because few drug companies take much notice or are even interested in feedback from doctors, or women taking birth control, about side effects and complications.
Doctors tend to reassure us rather than inform us (when I had the coil fitted recently I asked the doctor how the coil worked ? Don't worry about that, he said ! He made me feel three years old ').
Contraception research has nothing to do with women's needs, it is geared to making profit rather than to making us happy.
One demand that immediately springs to my mind is :
Science for the people, not for profit!!	N.R.
Solution ?
THERE are two main types of contraception today: mechanical and chemical. Chemical contraception is receiving most research today : notably in the field of the male pill and injected contraceptives for women.
But chemical contraception has one major draw-back : it always has unpleasant side effects as it alters the hormone levels of the body.
Mechanical contraception has no physical side effects, but tends to be messy and can be painful to use. One form of mechanical contraception has none of these draw-backs : reversible male vasectomy. At present, vasectomies are not guaranteed reversible, although at least 50 per cent of them can be reversed. With a little more
research, all vasectomies can be made reversible.
The operation is very simple, and does not need any checkups after the first six months. (All contraceptive methods used by women at present require regular check-ups.) The only objections men can have to vasectomy are emotional ones : that it "threatens" their masculinity. There are no medical draw-backs as there are no side-effects. (Unlike the male pill which is currently being tested.)
Contraception should be a responsibility shared by both sexes. Reversible male vasectomy. which has no side-effects for the woman or the man, is the best solution.
Reversible male vasectomy on demand !	H K.
be-sold-in- marriage-to - further-her-father's - interests" woman ; or the "worn-out, starving, with-three-kids-to-feed" woman. The labels of 'good' and 'bad' depict the keen interest men have traditionally had in us : as lovers or mothers—values of our sexuality.
Today, the myth of the Good and the Bad Woman is perpetuated to serve the present holders of economic power. By making 'bad' women commodities to be bought and sold—whether as prostitution or pin-ups ; and by flattering the traditional 'macho' self-image, the capitalists are getting far.
By giving social status to the 'good' woman as mother and bolstering her role with "maternal deprivation theories" and psychological "theories" of woman's mentality being governed by her reproductive cycle —this role and status is maintained as her primary function. Thus any other role is secondary, leading to women being given employment so tedious that men refuse to tolerate it. and their own employment ex-v pectations being very low.
In turn themselves seeing their employment outside the home as secondary, women
. don't organise to demand higher wages : women are still getting up to half the wages of their male counterparts.
Ironically, it is only those women who are prepared to accept the label of 'bad' who can make a decent wage and afford to live independently of men I But there are no good and bad women. ALL women are subjected to hustling on the streets, the threat of rape, see their bodies everywhere selling and being sold : these are the images of MEN and of CAPITAL, and are images WE REJECT.
The myth of the good and bad woman serves to divide women into categories that .don't exist, and has therefore precluded female solidarity and organisation to overthrow such sexist images and those who benefit from their maintenance.
The first step therefore is for all women to understand the myth of the Good and Bad woman as a male myth ; by female solidarity to find our own values of ourselves and overthrow the tyranny of sexist definitions and their benefactors. Women are increasingly understanding that the rapist is arbitrary in his choice and that capitalist employers rape us all.
J H.
Activities
THIS week, Monday, February 13th to Friday, 17th, the L.S.E. Women's Group is organising a week of activities concerned with women and work. The week will begin with a general discussion on women's status in the workforce and whether "equal opportunities" and "equal pay" are realities or just legal fictions.
On Monday night the satirical feminist band "Clapperclaw" are appearing at a disco in the Concourse area. The group sing a lot of original political folk songs including "Good old Maggie Thatcher with her little woman's touch" and "I'm a class struggle widow"—come along and let your hair and hang-ups down.
Wednesday afternoon is devoted to the problems of unionising women, particularly in the low-paid, high-turnover industries like the hotel and cleaning trades. There'll be a speaker from the Metropo] Hotel strike committee and a general discussion followed at 3 p.m. by the highly-acclaimed film "Union Maids."
On Thursday, women working as strippers and prostitutes are going to soeak and explain the reasons why they do that kind of work and how they feel about the attitudes which the rest of the community has towards them. Come and hear their side of the sexual exploitation story.
Friday's forum is on the concept of Wages for Housework. A speaker from that organisation will outline their case and then there'll be a chance to discuss whether housework is "work" at all ; whether paying women to do it will give them greater freedom and self-respect or just perpetuate their isolation from the rest of the workforce by making sure their place is in the home.
All these events are free and open to all women and men, students and staff. Come and listen to the speakers and express your views on what you think of women's role as workers in our society.
Monday, 13th. 1 pm : S421. General discussion on Women in the Work;orce. Equal Opportunities and Equal Pay. 7.30 Concourse area: Disco and "Clapperclaw" (Sociaii. t / Feminist Band). -Tuesday, 14th. 6.30 pm : Old Theatre. Black Emmanuelle Picket.
Discussion in the Bar afterwards.
Wednesday. 15th. 1 pm : C018. Discus ion on Unionisation of Women. Speaker from Metropol Hotel Strikers.
3 pm : C018 : Film "Union Maids."
Thursday. 16th. 1 pm : S421. Strippers and prostitutes speak about
their work and their attitudes.
Friday, 17th. 1 pm : S421. Wages for Housework. Speaker and discussion.	'
PAGE 6
DISINVEST
AT the GPC meeting this term the Disinvestment Action Committee notified the council that at the next GPC meeting a motion would be submitted calling on LSE to withdraw its investments from companies which have interests in South Africa.
A leaflet on the argument for disinvestment was also submitted to the council. According to information received from the School. LSE has investments in ICI, BP, Court-aulds, British American Tobacco. Shell, and twelve others.
The disinvestment campaign is not something that started in June 1976 or on. 19th October 1&77 with Kruger's banning o£_ all existing fegal organisation. For thcpait five years students in Britain have been campaigning for Colleges and Universities to disinvest from companies with subsidiaries in South Afr-ca. and where they have an account with Barclays to withdraw it. Surprisingly for student politics.at LSE all
factions supported the launching of such a campaign at a union meeting last term (except for a small element of the FCS).
The first success of the national disinvestment was in 1975 when Lancaster withdrew
ivttnznit
Put your money where your mouth is
holdings worth £5,000 from South African companies.
In 1976 the momentum built up. Bath University disinvested £80,000 immediately after the arrival of a new vice chancellor, Loughborough took out £20.000 and Woolfsten College
&CAT1QMAI visits ANPKOl
Oxford around £50,000. Hull are to decide very shortly after a referendum of all staff and students.
Last year students at Aberdeen organised a fortnight's occupation over the University's investment in sixteen different companies with South African interests and now the University is withdrawing £23,000 from three on the list.
At least twelve other University bursaries have faced criticism on committees or through pickets. LSE claims after the expose of the role of British companies in South Africa a few years back to have withdrawn a large majority of its shares.
The disinvestment Action Committee claims that due to LSE's reputation in the academic, political and economic fields that its continued investment in Apartheid in the face of other well known educational establishments' disinvestments adds credibility to the Apartheid regime.
We believe that it is vital
that LSE is seen to be taking a leading stand against Apartheid by withdrawing from South African companies and British companies with investment in South Africa, and by breaking all other links, academic and educational, with the racist Apartheid system.
Overseas investments maintain and bolster Apartheid and if we fail to realise this we go against calls by the Organisation of African Unity, the United Nations, the World Council of Churches, the Christian Institute of South Africa, the Labour Party, the Liberal Party, NUS, the Anti-Apartheid Movement and most important of all the people of- South Africa engaged in the day-today struggle for basic rights in the country of their birth—the student movements, SASO and SASM, the liberation movements — The African National Congress of South Africa, and the South African Congress of Trade Unions.
DISINVESTMENT ACTION
COMMITTEE
The London School of POLITICAL economics
THE criticism that we poor misunderstood economists are supportive of a particular political point of view is unjustified and unfair. So said Nick Barr at his weekly chatshow in Em.
He also went on to say there are three stages to the development of economic models and thought. They are 1 Observation. 2 Exploration. and 3 Prediction. Politics does not affect observation, which economists c nduct in a detached fashion, just as you observe the sun going round the earth. Exploration is provided solely By reference to the scientifically derived facts. The political element only comes in when we have to make predictions based upon the ideas put forward by the politicians (whether left-wine looney or sensible moderate policies that I believe to be right i.
As a result of the observations ¦we make, it may for example "be necessary to rectmnr nd policies, to encourage .!ab ur to move into area-s where it may be most useful . . . supply and demand is a useful way of ashieving this."
Many in E17-1 wondered why Nick was unable, to draw a distinction between "observation" of the sun gcJng rovnd and "hvimn behaviour as expressed in economic activity.'' Just how an ec nomist, if human, is able to achieve a supreme position of p. litical detachment Was
not explained. Neither did he attempt to produce an analytical concept which could theoretically (let alone practically) perform the feat of separating in the course of observation, the effects of:
(1)	The political perspectives of the observer.
(2)	The political context of the observed "fact".
(3)	The political context of the observation.
14) The apparent political context of the observed fact. In the-second half of the chat-show Nick demonstrated the foundations oi Macro-ecxncmic theory. We were told that in theory Y could be taken as the value of all goods and services produced within the economy. In practical terms Y was to be defined monetarily, there ore price became a yardstick of economic activity. Nick did not p int. out that money itself was a p.iitical concept in the sense that it gives power to the possessor to demand resources. Neither
I	i'! ..
pq < I ^ ' :
. I •

V :

So Nick, many of us remain unconvinced by your suggestion that economists are misunderstood and misinterpreted. Further, you do yourself an injustice by consigning your critics' arguments to the category of fringe looney belt. It seems more reasonable to ask do
was it mentioned that it was political in the sense that where money is used to command resources other exchange systems Biay be debarred from operating.
Consider the community comprising fifty million plus people, some of whom are in paid employment. Housewives, school children, retired people are all engaged in economic activity in the sense that they actively allocate, distribute, produce or consume scarce resources. Measuring economy by money devalues economic activity which is not reflected monetarily. Consider the activity of planting potatoes in an allotment and upon the farm; are not both activities equally economic? At this level can w:e net say that economics is more concerned' with monetarily determined activity (irrespective of its economic content) rather than with economic activity per se?
This argument only takes us so far. It neither reveals the scale of economic activity ignored by monetary measurement nor the extent of the p litical indoctrination implicit within the framework of economic "education" at LSE. Can anyone think of an activity that is not economic in some sense of the term? If under half of the population are only involved in monetarily determ.ned production for between 25 and 80 hours per week, just what proportion of economic activity c ncerns economists? In effect, at both theoretical and practical levels, economics teach-, ing can be seen as the reduction of economics to the study of activity affected by money, irrespective of economy Politically the economist in his theoretical structure and practical application subjects, for both explanation and prediction. an economy for fifty million to the rule of interest of a lesser proportion (unless of course one accepts the e^n' mists' view that what is good for the lesser is good for the whole, given the economist being one of the lesser category). In anv case the use of money as a yardstick makes economics political.
economists interpret and understand themselves, their value judgments and their political position honestly and realistically? Are economists economists or merely wage slaves recommending wage slavery and money worship? Do economists see merely wages or the
human activity prostituted by the politics of the money economics? Why is there no provision for analysis, within the system of observation, for exploring, the- relationship between the political and economic elements of the concept of wage work? Do the economists not see that the economic concept of wealth is in itself an acceptance by economists of a political philosophy in regard to power over land? Do economists not see that the exclusion of housework", school-work etc. etc. from the basic structure of economic models! 3s in itself demonstrative of politics, and is politically supportive of a chauvinistic political system Come on Nick, you can do better than this! Some of us want to study economics. not to suffer an indoctrination process into the political philosophy of money utilitarianism tinder the guise of pseudo-scientific teaching.
DAVID SOUTHWELL
GLORIOUS FOOD..
THE Union shop is fine with only one drawback. Shops art, not the only way of buying things. They require storage space arwfi they have no more than an actuarial idea of what they will sell and how much. They have to stay open for a long time, because customers drift in at any time with a sudden decision to buy that packet of razor bSades or tampax that they've forgotten about until now.
Another way to buy things is a buyers' co-operative, which avoids many of the disadvantages of a shop (any shop!). You can collect your list of subscribers and only then do you need to order the goods. Since everything bought has really already been spoken for, no storage space is needed.
And so—surprise, surprise—this is an article in favour of a buyers' co-operative for the L.S.E. Union. There is a motion proposing such before Union, and as sc.on as we have a quorate meeting, you can decide. This is too important to your welfare to stay away; it means money.
We realise the difficijlties and so we have proposed that the Senior Treasurer. Julian Ingram, and Junior Treasurer. Richard Shackleton. are mandated to help a committee (yet another, but this one is for you!) elected by you. to look at the problems in running a co-operative. It would be a one day a week affair, using the space in Florries extension, in much the same way as jeans are sold on Thursdays. Transport—any available car or van. Staff—the members of the co-operative.
If you want cheap food, come to the Union meeting and force it through. Too man; important motions have fallen recently for lack of a quorum. One fine day the Union shop will have expanded enough to do this job. Until then we can do it ourselves. We can still ivse the shop for what it does well: in the meantime support the members oi all political parties who are agreed on this motion and save the price of several pints on your food bill. Food, glorious focd!!
Will—S.VW.P.
Terry—Consoc.
Paul—Lib. Sec.
Ellen—Labour Club.
Caret— Anarchist.
dames Gaussen
PAGE 7
Blood & laughter
Judith watches Bluebeard's former wives appear. DOUBLE BILL Bluebeard and Schicci.
WAS Bluebeard wicked? The well-known fairy tale has him as being so, and his bride only narrowly misses a rather nasty death, saved by her brothers. Bartok's Bluebeard is a rather more sympathetic character.
Throughout themes of blood, tears and sorrow predominate. It is Bluebeard who has suffered, the blood is his, the tears his own. Judith's inquisitiveness is greater than her love for Bluebeard.
The previous wives, from the morning, noon and evening of Bluebeard's life all had failed him. In the night of his life Judith lets him down.
All is symbolic, nothing real. In the present ENO production this is emphasised by clever lighting on a reflecting structure depicting the scenes. The opera is one of the most powerful ever written, the music is continuous drama, exploring the soul of a tormented man. Kodaly summed it up as a "musical volcano erupting for sixty minutes of intense tragedy." At the London Coliseum, Gwynne Howell is Bluebeard, not over emotional, but capturing the terrible uneasiness working up to the opening of the seventh door, under the pressure of Elizabeth Connell's overpowering and merciless Judith.
Gianni Schicci is played the same night. It is a story of vultures : relations after the contents of a -dead man's. will who enlist a man of peasant stock, Gianni Schicci to forge a new will and who, in Figaro style, outwits them all, keeping the best part of the inheritance for himself. Thomas Hemsley is the perfect Schicci, shrewd but farcical, succeeding in creating an atmosphere of banality even when his daughter, Lauretta, sings of throwing herself off the Ponte Vecchio (and Joy Roberts sings this beautifully). The relatives show varying degrees of nastiness, for example, when displaying mock grief, a mask to hide their all-to-obvious greed. Gianni Schicci will send you away smiling. See it!
Jonathan Richmond,
'BLACK FIRE'
ACCOUNTS OF THE GUERILLA WAR IN RHODESIA by Michael Raeburn.
AN invitation to meet the author of a new book on Zimbabwe and some guerillas—it seemed to be something ¦ worth looking forward to. For once I hoped my combat I jacket would not be out of place—wrong as usual.	_
The crowd waiting for the author was mostly white, sporting the occasional bow-tie which seemed to go well ¦ with the social niceties of the conversation. The man serv- ¦ ing the wine and peanuts was black—bound to be a coincidence.
James Baldwin was the statutory famous name to help ¦ launch the book, mind you the speeches seem to have been ¦ regarded as a rude interruption by the social crowd. To ¦ him goes the award for the best remark of the afternoon. P Some idiot asked how we might rescue our common _
I
we
humanity to which he replied "by taking sides.'
The introduction to the book was written by A. R. Wilkinson, who describes himself as a white Zimbabwean, and is part of the I.R. Department at LSE. The introduction is an excellent analysis, but stepping back from the page you can get dazzled by all the initials : SAANC. ZAPU. ZANU, ZANLA. ZIPA. ZIPRA. etc. I blame the initial fetish on Trotsky.
The book itself consists of five stories, representing different stages of the struggle. None of them are masterpieces but they give a good impression of the people involved and their motivations. What comes out very clearly is the tension between the freedom fighters and their "leaders" outside Zimbabwe.
A small criticism would be the lack of detailed inform- fl ation on the tactics, strategy {political and military) and ¦ armaments of the struggle. The nearest we get to this ¦ is the statement that Russian arms are superior to Chinese. I
For three quid, this book is hardly a must, but for those interested in the Zimbabwean struggle and who 1 know little about it, it is a good buy.
PEACOCK. |
BERWICK-ON TWEED
Not much left in the way of shells ;
mostly barnacles,
bits of muscle holding on to snatch from the sea what's small enough and tasty.
The flock of swans, a bad-tempered hundred flow in and out with the tide,
even beyond the railway bridge Queen Victoria refused to cross—
cracked big enough for her to see.
M. R. Pilisbury (LSE Poetry Group)
The economics of aerial catering
ALL GA USSEN GAITERS
HACKADEMIC AWARDS
AS is usual at this time of year, this column is handing out awards to prominent people at LSE who have served a particular cause especially well. All winners will be sent a special "Valentine's Day Massacre" card complete with "real-style" blood smears.
Normally awards are handed out separately to hacks, bores and nonentities, but this year a combined Hack, Bore and Nonentity award has been given to LSE's entire Liberal Party for "its splendid efforts in boring the pants off LSE students and for managing t© get more hacks elected than anyone else."
The award for Careerist of the Year
goes to Liberal Paul Smith. "Only a year ago Smith was largely unknown at LSE. Now, after being elected fc» several posts and doing all sorts of wonderful things he is still largely unknown at LSE."
The award for Humorists of the Year
has gone to the people who write for the South London Workers Bulletin. "Such biting satire, constant wit and incisive language shows that this paper is produced by people whose minds are sharp as cushions."	•
The award for Boring Lecturer of the Year has, as usual, gone to Kurt Klap-pholz. "The immeasurable tedium of his lectures is such that several students have complained of jaw dislocation following the convulsive yawning his lectures almost invariably induce."
Finally, the award for Vanishing Trick of the Year has gone to the Broad Left who have become "as extinct as the dinosaur. Only a year ago they were as profuse as the dodo."
SABBATICAL HACK
Evidence that academic work at LSE is seriously interfering with certain union hacks' lives has led to demands that another Sabbatical post be created —that of Sabbatical Hack.
¦ Objectors to the idea have claimed that two such posts already exist, in
Sthe shape of Senior Treasurer and General Secretary of the Union. But as g one campaigner for the post has pointed ™ out, these existing sabbaticals have occasionally to perform duties in the interests of students A Sabbatical Hack would do no such thing.
© n,	ill®
What would s/he do, then ? Well, all | the things hacks do at present: attending every meeting in sight ; standing for
¦	every election for whatever post to whatever ludicrous "committee" which
¦	happens to be around ; "writing" incom-
¦	prehensible and illiterate leaflets with b which to shower Florries and every
¦	other place in sight; picketing every-• thing and everyone (one professional
hack recently tried picketing himself,
¦	on the grounds that he had been committing "green" neo-revisionism and
¦	colonialism in his sleep, but gave up
¦	after undergoing a severe identity
¦	crisis) ; and being a squalid, ineffectual
¦	and loud-mouthed nuisance in general.
Will the campaign for the post succeed? Hacks are a very strong pressure-| group at LSE, controlling all the organs of representation, so they may well get | their way. And if Beaver gets a sab-batical Editor—who, after all, only | produces a newspaper for LSE students —the pressure for a Sabbatical Hack I will increase still further.
PAGE 8
ATHLETIC UNION
POLITBURO SPEAKS OUT
TUESDAY, February 7th, saw the successful holding of the Athletic Union Executive elections. An enormous turnout of eight per cent saw an exciting and close battle for the posts of President and Assistant General Secretary. The other posts were elected unopposed. The following were declared duly elected to serve from April 1st, 1978 for 12 months :
President: Patrick Moon.
External Vice-President: Andrew Tebb.
Internal Vice-President: Jill Arnold.
General Secretary : Derek Philpott.
Assistant Gen. Secretary : Mike Johnston.
The new committee will be convening shortly for its first task, to appoint a new Treasurer.
Hot favourite is Rudolph the Rabbit Valentine. Their second task will be to open a competition to decide new methods of spelling Mike Johnston's name!
Anyway, that's your committee for next year. Don't say we didn't warn you !
In case the membership began to feel that their A.U. was not going to be changed by the new indifferent A.U. leadership, let me hasten to point out the revolutionary nature of the new President: Comrade Moon is none other than the founder of the notorious MOONY sect in southern California. Chased across the globe by the CIA, he has re-emerged as head of the AU in the attempt to pervert strong, virile men agghh.
a;<
. ' ' \ <
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STURDY A.U. OUT IN ALL WEATHERS.
Attack on the AU continues
DESPITE intensive security measures, the secret attacks on the A.U. page continue. We at Beaver have done our utmost fo find out who has been tampering with the material. The photo in last issue was definitely not taken at the A.U. Ball (the A.U. have no balls—ed.).
In this issue we have included an action-replay of the last rugby match. The situation is becoming so grave, that even Messrs Roger Galloway and James Gee are concerned that the A.U. is no longer a truly revolutionary union and that reaction and apathy seem to have taken over thanks to Tory Union wreckers and their 5th columnist backers (the editors don't normally like puns, tout on the A.U. page anything goes). Hopefully our A.U. vigilante group will have prevented any 'Funnies' getting on the page.
GUY ELLIOTT
2nd XV v. EALING TECH.
A SEVERELY depleted 2nd XV which fielded nearly half the 1st XI soccer won in style against a powerful Ealing Poly team. Man of the match was three Ivy John Darnell who opened the scoring after 10 minutes (right hook).
This was followed by a short period of concerted pressure (physical violence) by the Poly during' which they made
WEEK OF LATIN-AMERICAN FILMS
27 Feb • 2 March
L.S.E. Chile Solidarity Committee and the Latin American Society are holding a 1 week of films from: Argen-' tina, Chile, Cuba, Colombia, Brazil, Uraguay and the re- 1 cent film made by the "This ! Week" team in Chile.
FILMS WILL BE SHOWN IN THE OLD THEATRE AT LUNCHTIME AND THE NEW THEATRE ON TUES/ > THURS EVENINGS — IN THE OLD THEATRE ON MON WED/FRI EVENINGS. WATCH BOARDS MORE DETAILS.
L.S.E. C.S.C.
their only scoring contribution (all others being vocal), a dubious try from a quickly taken penalty. LSE came back before half time, however, with another Darnell try which was converted by hooker Ronnie Patterson. Patterson went on to kick 3 out of 4 attempts.
In the second half, the LSE pack began to take control of the scrums (hands in your pockets chaps) and rucks, though line-outs were loose. However, the back row, in which Richard Mooney was outstanding spoilt Ealing's possession well. The backs meanwhile began to spin the ball down the line and Ealing reeled backwards under concerted attacks, and determined running, despite the advantage of the wind up their backs.
Linacre and Oakey contributed tries, the latter after a brilliant running move. He took the ball the length of the field. The final score of 26-4 in no way reflected the superiority of the LSE.
Team : Costello, Linacre, Hea-ley, Darnell, Finnegan, Rowley, Thomas, Oakey, Patterson, Abercrombie, Mooney, MacKen-zie, Mason, Schiff, Newton.
BASKETBALL
DURING the weekend of the 28th and 29th January, the basketball team returned to the University of Essex for the finals of the UAU tournament, having qualified from the South-East Division at the same place in December.
The finals were to be run on a pool basis, with the winner of the pool playing the runner-up of the other pool in the semi-final. LSE was drawn in the pool containing, Aberystwyth, Durham and Loughborough with Bristol, Leeds, Lancaster and Salford in the other.
Having reached the semi-finals of last year's competition, the team felt relatively confident of winning through again. This was, however, no certainty, as only two of last year's team were still present.
LSE started slowly against Durham. (It was. after all, only 9.30 on Saturday morning), but were eventually easy winners. The same was true in the afternoon against Aberystwyth. The scores were 86-60 and 82-65 respectively.
It was felt that the real test would come in the evening against Loughborough, last year's champions. If Loughborough were to win, of course, LSE would still play in the semi-finals as runners-up in their pool, but to beat them would be a psychological victory.
There was an obvious determination to achieve this and the result of an old battle between David Van Zandt, last year's captain of. LSE and Andy Brown, Loughborough's captain, would, it seemed, decide the fate of the two teams. David edged out his opposing number by scoring 25 points to his 22, but meanwhile Dave Clinton notched up 28 points to ensure victory, the final score being 90-61. LSE1 retired to their hotel weary but very content.
Fortunately for LSE, they gained the easier semi-final and beat Leeds 87-55, whereas Loughborough held Salford to within five points for most of the game, but eventually, lost' 82-67.
The scene was set. LSE would play Salford in the 1978 final of the UAU Basketball competition. Salford had two real danger men. but the experience of LSE's two main shooters showed through and the irrepressible Dave Clinton and Dave Van Zandt scored 55 points between them and the big Italian Albert (where's my money ?) Taryartes literally took all the defensive rebounds. LSE scored 88 to Salford's 66 and thus became the first sporting team from the School to win a UAU tournament.
'SPORTS PERSON'S DRINKING GUIDE'
WELL, despite an exhausting weekend celebrating "our divine right to beat the English" (Victor), here we are again back and as fit as can be expected after several consecutive two unit days. Needless to say, with all this excitement, we have not been out discovering any new pubs for your delectation. Consequently, this column could be slightly jaded this issue.
One pub I should like to recommend to all the sportspersons amongst you of a gay frame of mind is the Black Cap on Camden High Street. This discreet little pub is most notable for its dim lighting and shadowy seating arrangements. The bar staff are exceptionally friendly and helpful and their charming manner is accentuated by their flamboyant clothing and gesticulations. We have never seen a pink gin poured with such a flourish ' (Outside the A.U. office, that is!).
For those of you who prefer your gins, etc., straight, we think the George on George Street, off the south end of Baker Street, will be more to your liking. This is not a cheap pub but its scenario is sumptuous and salubrious. Its most notable contribution to the London scene, however, is that it is one of the very few London outlets of the superb Guinness Triple X. a super-strong barley wine that lives up well to the Guinness reputation for outstanding quality. But be warned, this stuff was withdrawn shortly after its initial arrival on the London scene because the excise paid on it had not been sufficient!
Much nearer home', there has been some discussion over the apparently controversial decision of your own friendly Three Tuns Bar manager to withdraw Young's Special and sell their ordinary bitter instead. Arthur is particularly upset since this precludes him from drinking his favourite R.R. & S. If you feel the same way then why not go and petition your bar manager, since, after all, it is your welfare and well-being that Ted is interested in. Victor is, in fact, aware of good technical reasons why this change has taken place, but the point we really want to make is that we are sure that Ted will listen to any fairly intelligent and sensible suggestion about the bar.
Finally, getting back to our original theme, we suggest the Alexander in Wimbledon (come out the station and turn right) of a Sunday evening which seems to be some sort of gay evening. The rest of us can enjoy their excellent Youngs during the rest of the week. Nice to see a pub trying to please a wide-ranging clientele.
May the Fullers be with you.
VICTOR AND ARTHUR.
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