NEWSPAPER OF THE LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS STUDENTS' UNION No. 196 JANUARY 20th, 198f Dyer consequences Departments to close at L.S.E.? COLLEGES are likely to close in a bid by the University of London to save twenty million pounds a year. This was confirmed to me by Sir Peter Swinnerton-Dyer, Chairman of the University's Committee on Academic Organisation, which has been set up to plan the cuts. He said that one of the colleges most likely to close is Queen Elizabeth's, a south London science college. It is thought that another college in danger of closure is Westfield, teaching a wide range of courses- in north west London. The London School of Economics is unlikely to close, although departments may be axed, and the already bad staff-student ratio is likely to worsen. The Committee has, however, ruled out a proposal of the merger between the L.S.E. and Kings College, which has been widely canvassed in recent years. In Sir Peter's view, there would be no point in such a merger as it "would save only the salary of one director and his secretary." Mergers are, however, likely for several other colleges. If Queen Elizabeth's does not close, it is likely to be merged with the nearby Imperial College and mergers between specialist colleges. and larger neighbouring institutions are also probable. Specialist colleges are unlikely to be closed, because they provide courses which cannot easily be taken elsewhere, even if ex- pensive in terms of administration and staff costs. The Committee has been set up to plan cuts of fifteen to twenty per cent of the University's income — sixteen to twenty million pounds at 1979-80 terms, and equivalent to about twice the cost of running an institution the size t>f L.S.E. Despite the large scale of the cuts being planned, the Committee is not examining the central bureaucracy at Senate House, an omission which has led to criticism from many colleges, including the L.S.E. Replying on behalf of the School to a questionnaire sent out by the Committee, Ralf Dahrendorf wrote that he con-sidereS it wrong for large changes to be planned in colleges, 'while Senate House expenditure remains untouched. Sir Peter argues that the Committee is not competent to consider such matters, as it does not include a management specialist, although such specialists are available at the London Business School. The Committee is, however, considering the fate of the central student services, including the University library and the Universty of London Union, although big changes in these are unlikely, as the Committee feels that it is often cheaper to provide services centrally. Feeling among college administrators is ambivalent, however, towards both the University Union and the Sports Ground at Motspur Park. They are largely favoured by medical schools, which rarely have such facilities themselves, but less so by other colleges, who may consider them a duplication of their own resources. Sir Peter refused to guarantee that there would be no redundancies among college staff, saying only, "I hope and on balance guess it may be possible to avoid redundancies." His attitude has brought an angry reaction from campus Trades Unions, with the Association of University Teachers threatening to take the University to Court to secure their members' jobs, and the administrative staffs' Union NALGO resolving to oppose any redundancies in the most effective way possible. Ralf Dahrendorf has already pledged himself against redund- Swinnerton Dyer ancies at the School, but might not be able to avoid them if the University were to insist. Even if job numbers are cut only through natural wastage, there may be severe problems, with gaps appearing at particular colleges and in particular subjects. In those cases, positions would be filled, but only at the expense of other services, which would be cut to provide the money. Sarah Lewthwaite Beaver: no change THE Union General Meeting on Thursday gave an overwhelming vote of confidence to the editors of Beaver, Simon Garfield and Keir Hopley. Following conflicting reports of various meetings which have taken place, there was a state of considerable confusion over who was the rightful editor. The motion of confidence was moved to the top of the agenda immediately following the completion of the budget meeting, and Toby Rose, in whose name it was tabled, waived speaking rights to Ed Jacob. The General Secretary had, it seems, been put under immense pressure not to speak by various members of the Labour Club, and ex-Secretary and ex-Union Chairman Mark Kirby was observed to spit at the General Secretary as he moved to the platform. Jacob and Hopley, who seconded, questioned the motives of those who were trying to remove the editors, and, despite opposition from Messrs Gallant, Rosenberg and Baynton, the vote cf confidence was carried by a large majority amidst scenes of total jubilation. II«TW SUNSHINE,IF I SKI NoBvtU/.Bcrf Cries \ No TACTICS. Loans in '82? THE present Student Grants system is likely to be abandoned in 1982. Rhodes Boyson, under-secretary at the Department of Education, will decide on a suitable alternative within the next few weeks. In two speeches made over the Christmas vacation Dr Boyson made it clear he thought the present system should go. He told Conservatives at Wembley that "higher education must take some responsibility for making the country prosperous again." And at a Federation of Conservative Students .meeting he said he could see no reason why 1982 should not be the year the system is changed. A Civil Service committee has been researching possible alternatives and is due to report in a few days. Already it has caused consternation by a suggestion that all students should receive full grants — this system to be funded by increasing income tax payments for all graduates, past and future. The Inland Revenue are known to oppose this as it would mean restructuring the whole tax system. The idea might also be seen to clash with Tory philosophy on income tax. The most likely change will be to a combination of grants and loans. Dr Boyson told the House of Commons last November that he favoured this idea rather than relying entirely on loans. However several Tory members are known to be unhappy with any change — the right winger Teddy Taylor suggested that any savings the Government was considering should come from the area of N.U.S. financing. But if Dr Boyson has his way it appears that a basic grant of £500 a year will go to all undergraduates, compared with the present minimum of £395. This would leave students the option (Continued on Page Three) Union backs Mandela IN the last week the L.S.E. Students' Union has taken an active role in promoting the candidacy of Nelson Mandela for the post' of Chancellor of the University of London. Following a re-allocation of funds in the Union budget meeting, money was made available for the Union Executive to place notices in the Guardian urging graduates to vote for Mandela, to bring about his release from prison in South Africa. The first notice appeared on January 13th. The Meeting also provided for the General Secretary to write to the other candidates, Princess Anne and Jack Jones, asking them to withdraw in Mandela's favour. These letters have been sent and have merited comment in the Observer (January 11th). The request to withdraw is based on the facts that Mandela might be released if he won, that he has been associated with the University of London and has been interested in education as part of his overall programme for the liberation of black Africans. It has been rumoured that the last candidate to put in his nomination, Jack Jones, did so on the understanding that Mandela's nomination was going to be rejected by the University. He is now felt to be in an uncomfortable position as ill-feeling has arisen due to a possible split in the Left and the anti-Princess Anne votes his candidacy will cause. The letter to him from the General Secretary may help him to withdraw with honour. Colin Bates (See also Page Seven) Contents Page 2: Letters Page 3: News Page 4: Raison — reply Page 5: Societies Page 6: Alumnus Page 7: Conference Page 8: Pantomime Review Page 9: Underground Press Page 10: London Arts Page 11: London Arts Page 12: RAG Week Page 13: ENTS Page 14: Athletic Union LETTERS Resignation recriminations Raison d'etre Dear Editor, AS a politically non-aligned member of the L.S.E,, J would like to voice my disgust at the behaviour of certain members of the Students' Union who wiped out any credibility that they had over free speech by breaking up the meeting at whieh Mr Timothy RaisOn was to speak on immigration policy last term- I was. not at the Union. Meeting but have been told that a decision was taken to adjourn for. half an hour to demonstrate at . the Meeting, This decision was a mistake as it gave the initiative to the non-democratic Left and implicated the leaders of the Union in the disgraceful events that followed. The Government Policy may be woefully inadequate on Race Relations and immigration, it is certainly misguided, but nothing is achieved by not letting a Minister put his case. Far more could be achieved by asking damaging questions. L.S.E., due to geography and history, is a college which can attract good speakers from the Commons and the Lords, but this will not continue to be the case if they find they are not allowed to speak. The demonstrators not only wasted their time and Timothy Raison's but, more importantly, the time of the individual students who through interest had gone to the Meeting. The L.S.E.'s reputation will not have been' enhanced by their behaviour and the losers will be the students who the Union claims to represent. Chris Ely Cui price BEAVER Newspaper of the L5E London School of Economics Students' Union East Building Houghton Street London WC2A 2AE 01-405 8594/5/6 EDITORS— ' Simon Garfield and Keir Hopley STAFF— Helen Fawcett Roddy Hallifax Alex Wynter ' Colin Bates Kowena. Whelan Bonnie Honig Simon James Stella Orakwue Jenny Beeston Becky Smithers Margaret Cameron-Waller Eden Riche • Toby Rose PHOTOS— Simon Grosset CARTOONS— i Magnus Spence OPEN MEETING— Tues, 27th Jan, 1 pm, E202. COPY DATE— Tuesday 3rd February. All articles & letters welcome. from NUS STARTING this month, students are able to enjoy half price travel (or, to be more precise, a return trip for the price of a single) on National Express Coaches. To take advantage of the offer, it will be necessary to produce a valid International Student Identity Card (I.S.I.C.), The offer is not valid on Fridays, Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays. The scheme will operate for a trial period of a year, though N.U.S. Marketing, which negotiated the deal, is trying to gain an extension, and to persuade National Express to-ease the restrictions, which will cause great difficulty for those wishing to spend a weekend at home. Colin Doyle, one of the senior officials of N.U.S. Marketing, said that he expected that students would use the new scheme for leisure travel and continue to use the Railcard for journeys between home and college. The I.S.I.C. validation stamp, available from London Student Travel on Euston Road, costs £1.50, and examples of the special fares are : London-Birmingham £2.00 London-Bristol £2.50 London-Leeds £4.00 London-Newcastle £5.50 PERSONAL INSURANCES? Use a genuine BROKER. Have his free advice, the choice of all the top Companies, and be able to switch on renewal : get an Independent Expert on your side if you have to claim. Maybe save money too. Sensible people go to Insurance Brokers. Details : HARRISONS FREEP03T, OXFORD OXS 63R (National Student Brokers since 1951) or ask your Bank. Dear Editor, AS I am sure there exists a stunning amount of apathy regarding my resignation I felt I should enlighten the masses as to why I took this action. There are two main reasons. First, the realisation that I am at L.S.E. primarily to get a degree and if possible to get a good grade. Second, the nature of student politics in general and at the L.S.E. I feel I should elaborate. Student Union politics is the preserve of a large number of quite unpleasant, petty-minded people who are either total careerists or only involved to bolster their own sense of importance. The specific case of the L.S.E. shows this trend. People on the Executive who are supposed to be believers in and part of our own system of democracy also condone the fascist disruption of a meeting' which Mr Raison was to address. Sktti^a'.iy, senior members of Of Florries former glory Dear Editor, WHAT has happened to this establishment? Where has the honesty of revolt gone ? Where are the non-conformists who don't travel the trodden path but seek new routes ? On re-entering this place I had the horrific experience of opening a door for a young lady who in no way said "thank-you". Florries was an immense shock. I went up to the counter and asked for Mrs Harris and the consequent revolutionary cujf of. tea (expecting one on the house). Not only did the staff not know of a certain "Mrs Harris", but asked me (con-founaedsauee) to go to the hack of. the queue like everybody else. On finding that reactionary student upstarts had in fact "removed" Mrs Harris, with its obvious connotation of Monday .Club tactics, I was moved to despair. The flowers may give weaker members a feeling of security and familiarity but not me. On a second visit — Florries now being relocated in the East Wing — shock was not the word. A carpet (how bourgeois), and-the only bastion remaining to fight academicism now being housed within the confines of what was once a Library. Surely death come ; L.S.E. has died. has Yours faithfully, Rob Hampson the Labour Club which now has not only a majority but a quorum on the Executive, totally destroyed the ballot box and ballot papers of an F.C.S. internal election late last term. One more incident that stands out clearly as a shining example of hypocrisy is the assault on. one member of the Exec, by another when it was -found that a difference of opinion existed. This I feel typifies the "democratic" nature of our Executive and all I can say is that I am glad I resigned. In closing I must wish the Executive luck in the future as I feel with ten Labour Club members and one S.W.P. member sitting on it, it needs as much luck as possible. If the "man on the shop floor" could'*2 see what the so called sup-> porters of the working class do, and hear their suggestions that they have the same interests at— heart, he would have no option • but to throw up. Paul Blacknell"* Rob Hampson puts his case. The British Council STUDENTS CENTRE 11 PORTLAND PLACE, LONDON W14 4EJ SPECIAL PROGRAMMES FOR OVERSEAS STUDENTS LIVE MUSIC AND THEATRE. DISCOS EVERY SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. LECTURES. ENGLISH CLASSES. DAY VISITS PROGRAMME. SNACK BAR AND BAR. GAMES ROOM. Feature Films every Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday. Spring Term Programme of 40 Films includes Alien, Henry V, Breaking Away, Yanks, The Europeans, Cuiloden, The Tempest, Sleuth. (Free admission to members). Centre open every evening, except Mondays during term. Events at weekends when many Student Unions are closed. Membership open to all full-time students. Membership and information desk open weekday afternoons. Call 635 6888 for programme and membership details. HARDSHIP Deadline for S.U. HARDSHIP FUND is 19th January 1981 However, late applications may be considered until 23rd January. Applications to E.294. PAGE 3 Grants issue divides F.C.S. FEDERATION of Conservative Students' Chairman Peter Young faced a major revolt at the F.C.S. caucus in Margate. Meeting for the first time since the National Committee had approved the replacement of grants with loans by five votes to four, Conservative student delegates voted against F.C.S. official policy by 110 votes to 10. The caucus has no constitutional status, however, and Young and his supporters are'refusing to change their .policy. F.C.S. National Conference meets only once a year, and between Conferences it is the responsibility of the National Committee to make policy. Moreover, there is no mechanism for removing members of the National Committee, so there is deadlock until conference next meets in the spring. Leading members of the Federation, though, are not content to let the matter rest, and N.U.S. Executive members Chris Bones and Mark Wooding and Gregor McGregor of U.W.I.S.T. (a well-known figure at Conference) condemned this or any proposal to institute loans, arguing that a loans system would restrict access to higher education. They called upon all members of the F.C.S. to support actions against loans. Seven out of the eleven regions of F.C.S. have heeded the message of Bones and his colleagues and declared themselves against the replacement of grants with loans. A poster supporting the existing system and calling for improvements in it has been issued by the regions of Wales, North West, Yorkshire, West Midlands, East Anglia and Wessex, and London has since joined them in opposition. The lurking figure of Peter Young, seen skulking on the fringe of Conference, is, however, still on the scene. K.H. HEAVEN has a new representative at the L.S.E. this term in the Reverend Stephen Williams. Born and brought up in Liverpool as the son of a local postman, Stephen was wrenched from his working-class roots at the age of eleven when he gained a scholarship to the Merchant Taylors School. He remembers how this new environment revealed to him "the injustices of the class structure in society." It was this which later led him to join the Labour Party. Stephen also recalls an incident which occurred during his sixth form years : a report appeared in the local press of an old lady who had been found dead in her terraced house by the police. She had been dead for almost a year. The horror of this report moved Stephen to search for opportunities to help correct uncaring attitudes in society and so that summer found him working at a camp for maladjusted boys on the South Coast. The camp was organised by some Anglican Franciscan Friars who, unlike Stephen, were not wielding swords of social justice but acting out of love for God. The encounter had a profound effect and on returning to KARL MARX WALKS A 22-hour guided tour of the places where Marx worked, lived and is buried. Meet 10.30 a.m. on the steps of the British Museum, Gt. Russell Street, W.C.I. £1.00. The walk will be conducted on Saturday, 24th January and Saturday, 7th February. News in i>rief .1 school he decided to give up the place at Sandhurst for which he had been destined.. Instead he. b^gan a theology degree at Kings College' London, the fourth choice on his UCCA form. A year off in mid-course provided an opportunity for some practical experience. This took the form of the assistant chaplaincy at Eton College, but before the year was up he left. The remaining months he spent as a porter on a gynaecology ward and then returned to Kings. On completion of his degree he spent some time working in New York, where his experiences included dragging a suicidal woman from a twenty-eighth floor window and wrestling with her as she tried to slash her wrists with a razor blade. Since that time Stephen Williams has had five years of parish pastoral experience and now sets out as the L.S.E.'s Anglican chaplain. He sees his role as that of being available to both Christians and non-Christians in the School, to listen and help out where possible. He aims to lead students to a sense of purpose in God that politics alone cannot give. He sums up his objectives as being "to keep love alive at the L S E " KATE DA VIES IN SPITE of the admission of Greece to the E.E.C., effective from January 1st, 1981, the L.S.E. is not prepared to reduce its fee level from "Overseas" to "Home" for Greek students. While Professor Dahrendorf claims to be sympathetic with assurances of generous aid through various hardship funds, the Greeks are not pacified. They see their case as a matter of principle, rather than charity. The Greek students have got in touch with the NUS who are prepared to pay 75% of total legal costs, if L.S.E. is taken to court. There has also been the proposal of a fee strike by the 90 odd Greek students. While the N.U.S. legal department has warned that the students can be deported for this, other law contacts have suggested that they cannot as Greece is now part of the E.E.C. To clear up the confusion, the students and the L.S.E. Union will contact Professor John Griffiths, L.S.E. Professor of Public Law. Greek students have added further pressure on Dahrendorf through launching a mini-campaign in Greece, which has been picked up by some national newspapers in Greek. This campaign mainly against Bahrendorf is probably worrying him as Greece is an important source of funds for the L.S.E. The students have got U.L.U. support and the support of other Greek student associations, which are in a similar position. The University Challenge television show from which L.S.E. was once banned, is again of interest for L.S.E. has been invited to send a team. The team, recently selected after much competition is composed of five people. The honourable team members are Mitchell Sandler, Mark Nicholls, Angela Jones, Jon Kempsey and Mantis Cripps. The Students' Union is organising a social evening on Saturday 28th, in benefit of disabled people. This is hopefully the launch of a series of events for the "Year Of The Disabled". It will be in the Three Tuns, with a late night bar. There will be cabaret acts and a disco. A darts tournament is being organised and there will probably be a raffle as well. The target for the evening is £500, towards which all profits from the bar and all ticket returns will go. Tickets will be on sale at £1. | PortsraCHfth Street ;f '' . ; ":- '• ,-:xX ¦ < . . ¦ ¦ " T -1 . - <¦ 7 ~ ':Wk WW- v ' * :'y'yX Stephen Williams takes office. GRANTS (Continued from Page One) of borrowing £1,395 a year to bring themselves up to the present level of a full grant. Additionally the Government is likely to stipulate low interest rates, a flexible period for repayment, and exemption for those who graduate into low income jobs. Dr Boyson has had discussions with the high street banks and is keen to encourage their participation. This way he hopes to cut down administration from the present level of one local authority officer for every 600 students. But the banks will need to be assured that the Government will provide suitable subsidies to avoid loss from defaulters and to enable them to provide low interest rates. The banks are already involved in loan schemes for post-graduate students — particularly those studying law, accountancy and business subjects. Barclays, for instance, offer loans of £2,000 for business school students. The idea of loans for students was widely canvassed in 1963 during the deliberations of the Robbins Committee. This committee narrowly rejected loans but with the present system costing £690 million each year few were surprised by the reopening of the issue. Dr Boyson recently described himself as "a radical" and seems determined to overcome opposition from the Labour Party, the N.U.S., some parts of the F.C.S., and even Tory backbenchers to get his new scheme off the ground. The precise nature of that scheme will become apparent over the next few weeks. Justin Webb For all you boozers, there is good news. On Wednesdays ' cheap spirits will be available j in Three Tuns from 7.30-9.00 pm. j A double will cost only 50p. j The Haldane bar, which has long been promised by the j School to the Union, has not yet ' j been handed over. Et will probably now take place on 22nd April. Until then while events will be organised in the Haldane Room there will be no bar. This is because the School makes enormous profits out of the bar, which according to the Gen Sec should go to the Union. ALOK VAJPEYI BOOKSHOP ANTAGONIST SURFACES AT ARTS COUNCIL THE past manager of the Economist Bookshop was reeemtly appointed director of a comrse on "Bookselling in the Arts and for the Community" by the Arts Council. j Gerald Bartlett resigned in the summer of 1979 after the Directors had given in to strikers over the question of union recognition, which was totally against his own views. So strong were these views that he was prepared to fight, regardless of cost to the bookshop, in order to prevent the introduction of a union there. He was accused (by those working under him) of fiddling the accounts in order to show that the strike was not having an effect, and he made no attempt to play the traditional manager's role of sorting the dispute out. One of the staff of the Economist Bookshop, Helen Miller, described him as being "out of sympathy with community bookselling." She thinks he probably got the post through good references from frifends, and that he may well use the post as a platform to express his own views. During his time here, there were a lot of hidden disputes and conflicts which made life for many staff very uncomfortable; most of those who left the bookshop went because they could not work under a man of his strong political views. In his new job he will be teaching personnel, but as Helen Miller said, the one thing he cannot do is get on with staff. When I told the Arts Council that he had been the antagonist in a strike by staff of a bookshop of which he was manager, that he had cost that bookshop a lot of money through his immovable stand against unions, and that his extreme right wing views were totally incompatable with community bookselling, I -got the reply: "Gerald Bartlett is a bookseller of wide experience and is a past president of the Booksellers' Association. No further comment." The Arts Council's apparent concern for the efficient use of their funds seems to cease when they appoint new management. SIMON GROSSET PAGE RAISON- ANOTHER VIEW KELVIN BAYNTON replies to SIMON GARFIELD'S article in the last issue -1 1 C______ n TTrtVTT (^1 yv\K\ I Q y~\ V* I IT IS a frequent criticism of those on the left in student politics that we don t understand the "real world." What we need apparently is to leave the cosiness of the College to see what life is really about. Judging by Simon Garheld s article on the Timothy Raison incident, it seems about time that he got to hear about what is actually happening to Britain's coloured communities. ITEM • Last May the Metropolitan police with full Home Office suppoit went 'fishing' in West London, raiding nine supermarkets and arresting 47 Pakistanis. Although it was claimed that they were concerned with work Permits, two of those arrested were customers. In one case a man s wife waited patiently for 54 hours in Kilburn police station with his passport before they let him go without even bothering to look at it. ITEM ¦ A woman called Anwar Ditta (who was born and brought up in Rochdale) has been denied the right to have her children here with her in Britain, despite being given child benefit for them while they are in Pakistan. ITEM • The "sus" laws are clearly being used by the police in a discriminatory manner in certain parts of the country against ethnic minorities, especially young West Indians. Further to this pressure on coloured communities in Britain, the Tory government is now proposing to extend further the panoply of laws and restrictions relating to immigation with its Nationality White Paper (appropriately called). Briefly this will create several "categories" of citizen on the basis of "patriality," i.e.. whether someone's father (not mother, incidentally) was born in the U K This will deprive up to two million coloured and Chinese people of the right to move to Britain. For coloured people here it will adversely affect their current rights to adopt children from abroad or to marry non-U.K. citizens. This Bill, like its predecessors, works from a very simple premise-that almost any measures are justified if they serve to keep a single unnecessary coloured person out of Britain. This is a principle that has been reinforced by politicians (including to their shame, some Labour ones) and the Home Office. Let it not be said, though, that the press have not done their bit as well. With one or two exceptions their record ud race has been deplorable. Were one to only read the Sun, it would be easy to believe that every Indian in Britain is put up m a five-star hotel immediately on arrival. No doubt Mr. Garfield might regard that as poor journalism but in the real world it isn't just a matter of taste. This kind of sensationalism has contributed to the murder of Asians in East London and by making racialism respectable it has aided the growth of Nazi groups like the National Front and the British Movement. Mr Garfield's academic and aesthetic interest in "free speech" brings me back to the point at which I started. Putting the cosy world aside, we live in an increasingly violent and repressive country where many people are liable to be attacked or harassed because of the colour of their skins. Thankfully for the most part, explicit racialism isn t a feature of life at the LSE, functions as a reasonably happy and certainly multi-racial community. This Student Union made the decision last term that we didn't want racialism introduced as an acceptable philosophy at the LSE and were prepared to act in defence of that. Mr. Garfield may disagree, but perhaps he should sav so and not hide behind innuendo. KELVIN BAYNTON. BRIEFL Y Beaver victory AS this column has always maintained, Beaver is popular with students in the L.S.E. The Union General Meeting vote clearly showed that the Union has confidence in the editors of this august publication, and one hopes that the rather unpleasant personal attacks will cease. It was a great victory for your correspondent, but there was little victory for anyone in the disgraceful incident where Mark Kirby spat at Ed Jacob in the meeting. Please, whatever our political differences, dear reader, let us not descend to this level. Victory recoynised ? An interesting question is now circulating the Union. Since the government (the Executive) was brought down over the Beaver issue — and all the current members of the Executive except Ed Jacob voted to censure the editors of Beaver — will it follow the time honoured custom of resigning and testing its popularity by going to the country, i.e. an all-day ballot ? Victory unshared One familiar personage was not available to share the good news, though. Unfortunately, Martine Mann, the Union's Administrative Officer, was ill during the first two weeks of term and was away from work. We hope that she is now fully recovered. Victory no more One person who will not be here to share any more victories — or anything else — is the Welfare Assistant, Judy Colling-wood, who left us on Friday. Judy has been appointed to a research post at Birkbeck College, and this column, on behalf of everyone in the Union, sends its best wishes for the future. It is hoped that an announcement will be made in the near future concerning her successor. Unknown victory It is not yet known who will be victorious in the election for the Chancellorship of the University of London, and the campaign is covered in detail elsewhere in this issue by Colin Bates. Naturally, our national counterparts have picked up the story in depth, and readers may be interested to know that the General Secretary was quoted in the "Observer" on Sunday, 11th January in support of Nelson Mandela. Unwelcome victory Despite the fact that certain technical problems have yet to be resolved, plans for Rag Week 1981 are well underway. In accordance with tradition, therefore, being co-editor of Beaver (yes, still, though my term of office lasts for only another two issues), I hereby open nominations for the post of Most Boring Lecturer. Nominations, in duplicate and on the official form available from the Union Office, should be submitted to me by 1600 hours on the 24th day of January, 1981. Lecturers are asked to look out for the chance of winning this prestigious award. k.h. God squad— second coming Simon Garfield writes : As Mr Baynton is now well aware, it was the method and not the reason for the disruption that I objected to. I was fully conscious of the implications of Mr Raison's argument, and I detest fascism and racism as much as anyone in the Union. Mr Baynton believes, sensibly, in the influence and strength of organised students. Should this influence not be used to try and change things ? I do not suppose that deep, intellectual discussion with Mr Raison would have altered one word of the Nationality Bill (these crazies are a hard lot to talk to, to say the least. But it may have achieved something, and that would have been a triumph. As it was the L.S.E. was disgraced, Raison was disgraced momentarily, but the chap may well have gone home thinking: "I'll show these rowdy buggers—I'll make things worse!" Questions must be posed as to why he was asked here at all. HOW do you feel when you hear the name of Jesus — embarrassed ? Uncomfortable ? Hostile ? Apathetic ? Does it make you want to stop reading this article ? Have you ever considered what makes you react this way to the name of Jesus ? Have you ever considered who he really is ? For many of us the name Jesus provokes quite opposite feelings to those listed above. He challenged us to reassess the bases of our lives and that challenge demanded a response. During this term, the Christians at the L.S.E. will be investigating who you think Jesus is. This will take the form of questionnaires, discussions, talks and social events and naturally we invite you to participate in all these activities. This issue is too important to be ignored. If what we say is true, it has immeasurable consequences for everyone. So give Christianity the depth of consideration it deserves this term. Mark Withers, Kate Davies, for L.S.E. C.U. 7, 0 PAGE 5 SOCIETIES societies ^mafa; societies ^ SOCIETIES Siruslii s0t*ii*S *^/e /masta* societies SOCIETIES groups Tiers x to SPG at LSE AT last the Strand Pedallers' Group has agreed to open a branch at the L.S.E. under the chairper-sonship of Tim Bourne. The aim of the S.P.G. is to better the cyclist's lot and have a good time, although not necessarily in that order. In addition, we hope to organise some trips around Londons finest pubs. Prospective pedallers should contact Tim in the Beaver's at lunchtime or through pigeonholes. Bike it, baby! Actual jazz ACTUAL Music and L.S.E. Jazz Society present an evening of avant garde jazz on Friday, January 23rd at 7.30 in the Old Theatre. Two bands are billed — The Anthony Braxton Quartet and a trio composed of Leo Smith, Peter Ko-wald and Gunter Sommer. Tickets are available at the Union Shop at £2.50 and £3.50 on the night. GAY WEEK Monday 2nd— L.S.E. Gay Week of Action inaugural lunch followed by discussion on "coming out" — 1 pm, Room S75, St Clement's Building* London School of Economics and Political Science, Houghton Street, WC2. All welcome; food available. Evening — Political Cabaret, Old Theatre, 7.30 pm. Tuesday, 3rd February— Lunchtime — Maureen Colquhoun, 1 pm, S75. Wednesday, 4th February— Evening — film: "Army of Lovers/ Revolt of the Perverts," 7.30 pm, Old Theatre. Thursday, 5th February- Evening — "Gay Liberation Movement — Where are we now?" Two speakers review the past progress and current position of gay liberation. 7.30, S75. Friday, 6th February— Evening — three short films: "Come Together", "Comedy in Six Unnatural Acts", "Hoirie Movie". 7.30 pm, S7o. ALL ARE WELCOME TO THESE EVENTS: ADMISSION IS FREE OF CHARGE. Chile: torturers turn on the heat AMNESTY . International- has launched a national campaign to inform the public about the extent of human rights violations in Chile. The situation has been deteriorating for over a year, with the number of arbitrary arrests and cases of torture increasing. Fai from condemning this, the British Government's attitude to the junta has only become warmer: full diplomatic relations have been resumed, and arms are being sold to them. The campaign will consist of three main actions: A: Signatures will be collected for a petition on the subject of torture in Chile. It will be presented to the Chilean ambassador, Professor Miguel Schweitzer, at the end of February. B: Parliamentary action, probably an Early Day Motion to be signed by MPs that would ask Ministers to reveal publicly exactly what military and security equipment is being sold to Chile. C: Letters will be written to selected authorities in Chile expressing concern at the increase in human rights violations. The L.S.E. Amnesty International group will have an exhibition in the St Clement's building foyer between the 19th and 30th of January, on the subject. You'll be able to get information and to sign the petition there. I'm sure they'll be more than happy to give you addresses of various relevant authorities in Chile to write to, to express your opinion on the matter. The L.S.E. group are also hoping to get someone from the foreign office to come to a debate on government policy towards Chile. Between the time of the coup in 1973 and 1977 according to Amnesty International estimates, 1,500 people in Chile "disappeared", or to be more precise, were abducted by the security forces, for the most part were tortured, and were then shot, without any of this being acknowledged by the junta. Although people no longer "disappear" in the same way, the human rights posi- Legal help for students tion in Chile is as bad now as at any time before 1977. Cases of torture have been increasing: many, if not most of the 2,000 people Amnesty International estimates to have been arrested on political grounds since July 1980 have been tortured. From the reports received by Amnesty International a consistent picture emerges: of groups of people seized by agents of the C.N.I, and taken blindfolded on the floors of vans or cars to torture centres in barracks or secret locations. There, interrogation is accompanied by torture for days at a time; the parrilla, a metal grid to which the victim is tied while electric shocks are administered, recurs again and again in reports. Severe beatings, threats and humiliation are also reported. Some victims have told of being hung upside down by their feet for hours; others of being stripped naked and subjected to high-pressure jets of icy water in winter weather. Several victims have told of doctors standing by to suspend the punishment just short of death, and to say whether it can be resumed. We should not maintain silence in the face of such repression, and our responsibity is made all the more grave by our own Government's recent decision to resume arms sales to the Chilean security forces. In a conversation that she had with Amnesty two months, ago, Dr Sheila Cassidy (who was her- | self tortured by the Chilean security forces) stated this responsibility j in clear terms: "One of the saddest myths- that I ; meet in the course of my work is the belief that there is nothing that the British man in the street can do about human rights violations ; in Chile. When ordinary men and women care strongly enough about this situation and about our own Government's complicity through j the sale of the means of repression then we in Britain will fulfil our obligations to the oppressed in Chile." I HAVE recently carried out a brief survey of the type of problems with which people come to the L.S.E. Legal Services. This survey covered 92 reports on clients over the last two years, and is in no way exhaustive ; for instance, some reports cover more than one problem, some are in the hands of members of staff for further action and so could not be included, and sometimes, when somebody either receives advice on the spot or is immediately referred elsewhere, it seems that no report is made out at all. Even so, the survey yielded some interesting results. I divided the reports into different types of problem — some groupings being perhaps more concerned motor vehicles — a "blanket description" including driving and parking offences, car insurance, importation and so on. There were 12 reports here, closely followed by 11 on "financial matters" — a rather vague term covering queries on grants, social security, tax, rent and rate rebates, banking, and the like. In fact, this figure may be too. low, as in my own experience people often slip in financial questions when they come for something else, and these tend to get answered without being recorded. The big surprise of the survey was that immigration problems came only fourth — it seems that we handled a mere seven of these in two years. While it would make us all very happy to believe that hardly any students have immigration problems, is this really the case now, in 1981 ? If not. there is cause for concern that the service is specific legal problem from my categories does not mean that we have never handled one like it, nor that we are not prepared to try. In fact, the majority of problems can be solved either by on-the-spot advice or by advice given within about a week of the first contact. Quite often, we can sort things out for clients by making a phone call or writing a letter : indeed the cases that need much more than that are a very small part of the whole. However, we can also draft pleadings, advise on how to present a case in court or, if necessary, refer a client to an expert for either immediate or long-term advice — in which case we can also advise about Legal Aid. For anybody who has missed our various notices, sessions are held every Monday and Thursday between 1.00 and 2.00 pm in Room E294/295 — the Welfare justifiable than others —- .and counted the number of reports in each group : Landlord and tenant 36 Motor vehicles 12 Financial 11 Immigration 7 Criminal (excluding motor offences) 6 Matrimonial 4 Insurance (excluding car insurance) 3 House purchase/ ownership 3 Consumer 2 General 8 TOTAL 92 Not surprisingly, the biggest single category concerned landlord and tenant problems, with 36 reports. Of course, this is a large area where many things do go wrong, but fortunately it is also one where quite a lot of practical help can be given — often on-the-spot advice is all that is needed. The next most popular (if that is the right word) group not being used by some of the very people it was set up to help. If any students are thinking of contacting us on this type of problem — don't hesitate. Vv'e take such matters very seriously and do all we can to help. An extra word of warning: speed in these cases can be essential. If the Home Office makes an adverse decision, there is a liniited time in \yhich to appeal, and belated appeals are ignored. Next on the list were criminal offences other than motoring — six in all. Happily, none of these were very serious: although of course the people involved might not agree. The remaining 20 reports were a mixture of matrimonial matters (4), insurance problems (apart from car insurance) (3), house purchase or ownership queries (3) and consumer problems (2) — as well as 8 which defied categorisation. These last had enormous variety but unfortunately I can't go into details in case the people concerned might recognise themselves. However this survey should show that we are prepared to tackle all legal problems faced by students : not that we claim to be experts in all of them. Certainly, the absence of any Office at other times. There is always one member of staff from the Law Faculty on duty, together with at least two law students. In spite of this, it is possible you may have to wait a while — but we do see everybody eventually! And, of course, it is free — and confidential : the reports are only accessible to people in the Law Faculty directly involved with the service. So. if anybody has a legal (or even semi-legal) problem, come and have a word with us — preferably before it builds up into something insurmountable because, in law as in everything, else, prevention is much better than cure. One request: if you have any relevant letters or documents, bring them with you; otherwise you will almost certainly be asked to come back next week with your tenancy agreement, insurance policy or whatever. Finally, many thanks to all law students who are helping this year and I hope you are all enjoying doing it: that is assuming any law students have time to read Beaver, as we are of course far too overworked to read anything merely for pleasure ! Anne Ballard This week, ROGER CARROLL talks to SIMON GARFIELD. Carroll graduated from the L.S.E. in 1964 with a BSc(Econ) specialising in politics. Since then he has been lobby correspondent for "The Times", City correspondent for the "Sunday Times Business News" and a political writer for the "Sun". In the last General Election, he drafted Mr Callaghan's campaign speeches. He is now money editor of the "Sun". Political and financial journalist Roger Carroll. The "Sun" is subject to almost as many wild misconceptions as the L.S.E. For those who imagine no more than a huge, seedy, sprawling newsroom, with desks struggling under countless racing tips and strewn with ill-clad girls, the endless private offices branching from a maze of clean white corridors might come as a bit of a shock. Like the vast majority of newspapers, the "Sun" is very much a business concern. As such, it is the paper with the most readers and the fewest financial headaches in Fleet Street. In Jon Akass it has one of the most perceptive columnists in the Press. Its money pages, in avoiding the complications of M3 and backward - sloping demand curves, provide invaluable guidance to some 13 million broadly working-class readers. In what it does, the "Sun" is a huge success. Its editorial line may be Thatch-erite, but Roger Carroll, a confirmed socialist ever since his L.S.E. days, is proof that on most papers journalistic talent is a far more important criterion than political beliefs. While at the L.S.E., Carroll spent most of his spare time working on "Beaver" and, although involved in Labour Party politics outside the School, he failed to become involved in Union politics. Looking back over his shoulder, he still sees the L.S.E. as suffering from a distorted image: "I think the national newspapers seem to have as many wild ideas about the L.S.E. as they have about most aspects of life. In the City it's pretty well understood for what it is and very highly respected. But most people assume that everybody who goes there is semi-red. "This was the case well before '68 and is based on no real evidence; people know that Harold Laski was there, but for the duration of my stay the politics and lllllllllllllllillllllllllllinilMIIHIIIIMIIIIIIIIilllllllllllllffll In most of Fleet Street we have about four workers for every one job; people are paid not to work. / suspect that there are a few cases where dead people are actually being paid' iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiii economic departments tended to be fairly right-wing. Other departments leaned more to the left, but often students held different political views than academics in the same subject. On the whole, there was a fairly diverse political split, and in no way was it a Left-wing-institution." Carroll suggests that it was only in the late 'sixties that students became increasingly inward-looking and concerned with more parochial matters than had occupied them before: "Students were very much internationalist and interested in ideas—especially in the Algerian Civil War. They were also highly concerned with C.N.D., which was then having its first life, and also things like the movement for colonial freedom . ¦" 'Beaver' was a fairly integral part of this internationalist feeling in the Union and there were often articles on foreign affairs. There was probably more of a concensus among students on international matters than there is now on domestic affairs." Carroll cites an improvement in L.S.E. management and a better staff - student relationship as major reasons for the reduction in student militancy of the type seen in '68. There was a tendency to treat most undergraduates as a faceless mass; there to be taught, but never consulted.. "In my day and also during the disturbances, there was quite a gulf between the people who ran the L.S.E. and the School in general. Undergraduates' views were not really taken into account—it was really quite inconceivable that they would be asked what they thought about things. Things would be done and we had to accept them. "I think Half Dahrendorf has brought about considerable improvements since he took over the job. As far as I can see, students are now treated as adults, and that's why, to an outsider at any rate, relations at the L.S.E. seem to have become more civilised and sensible. CLUES Across 1 For the time of the French circle (6). 4 Climbed up the side of the Fish (6). 10 Plunder from St Clare Avenue (5). 11 Could be a boring task for' socialist (9). 13 Propose to newspaper chief (9). 14 "Reset Reset" a guiding call (5). 15 Gem found in lone IPA glass (7). 17 Pain leaves port aboard ship (5). 20 Soft dude is outwitted (5). 22 E. Bennett no good on the course (4, 3). 24 Howe skirts around the edge of the law (5). 26 Still from porno movie (9). 28 Tempting fruit cometh from here (9). 29 Reg it seems reversed into the cat (5). 30 Royal Opera out for a spin at the gallery (6). 31 Well trodden to get the best out (6). Down 1 Mocking when I ride son is upsetting (8). 2 Sentry posted at tradesman's entrance (9). 3 Ethelin Nice with auntie (5). It certainly helps to have a Director who seems to be sympathetic and actively interested in improving relations with students — one who treats them as his equals and not just large school boys." It was L.S.E. politics lecturer, Kenneth Minogue, Carroll's tutor, who first encouraged him to take up journalism. Before becoming a lecturer, Minogue himself had spent several months working on "The People" and fired his enthusiasm for newspaper work into Carroll. After graduating, Carroll spent time as a copy-boy on the "New York Herald Tribune". He moved to Newcastle to work as a court reporter in Jarrow, and then into Fleet Street. A stint as the "Sun's" political editor was cut short when his left-wing views clashed too strongly with the paper's Thatcherite line. Editor Larry Lamb subsequently received a knighthood and Carroll switched to the financial desk. Speaking from the inside, he sees Fleet Street as the worst managed business in the country. "Despite the fact that Fleet Street always lectures other industries on how 5 A believer is food for the lions (9). 6 Free with nothing to lose (5). move pistol (6). 7 Spin Sid with forelimb and re- 8 Dress to become thick for the third person (6). 9 Live with sailor on the 13th (6). 16 Begins work with a tool (9). 18 Establishing the unwary in impossible position (7, 2). 19 Risks speculation in the market (8). 21 Not allowed in Dude Bar Saloon (6). 22 Played at top of Paris street (6). 23 Accent over the initial before girl is stuffed with cream (6). 25 Data sounds like a rise in cheap bus fare (5). 27 Right for the head of the family (5). SOLUTIONS iz -?ndui es MiBioa EE -sajnog zz 's.reqsa IE 'sain') -uoA 61 'dn Sumas 81 'fjuauiaiduii 91 'saptqv 6 'amoio 8 'UM-BSta I '3SOOT 9 'UBt^SIJOq I '909IM s •pxBn§.reaa z 'uoisuaa I—"UMoa •sadBJto IS -a^oH OS '.raSix 6E -aa^aiddv 8E ^uudanta 95 ¦auino fz -aa; (juag ZZ -padna 0Z ¦sires ii -aujredo SI uaais fl 'pa; -sa°3ng ei •snouoquT n -aABaa 01 -paieos f 'Surma 1—'ssoiov awfully managed they are and how they ought to improve, Fleet Street is in a pretty awful state itself. The so-called "new technology" is in some respects over eighty years old. It has taken several generations to get one or two newspapers to introduce some work practices that might be slightly unfamiliar to Caxton were he to return. 'We tend to have the most appalling labour-management relations; most problems are usually 60 per cent management fault and 40 per cent union fault. Both are deeply suspicious of each other. "In most of Fleet Street we have about four workers for every one job; people are paid not to work. I suspect that there are a few cases where dead people are actually being paid." Carroll suggests that if this sort of thing were happening at British Leyland, it might well merit front-page news. Because it happens in the newspaper industry, reports only follow strikes or a threat of closure. While confident that "The Times" will be saved, he sees problems for all newspapers when the fourth channel and TV-AM appear in two years' time: "Sales shouldn't be affected much, but it looks certain that there will be a considerable loss in revenue." One branch of the media thrives while another fights for survival. "Yet if we did bring in the new technology we could probably cut the cost of newspaper production quite successfully. This would enable a larger variety of newspapers to be on. sale—clearly a major advantage." The national newspapers in Britain today hardly reflect the opinions and mood of the country as much as they might, says Carroll. "To start up a newspaper or a magazine now you've got to be both rich and egomaniacal, which probably means that you'll be extremely Right-wing as well. One certainly doesn't get a very fair spread of opinion among the Fleet Street newspapers." Carroll's comments on newspaper proprietorship show a deep concern for the future of the Left-wing Press. It's hard to miss his point; "Now!" still enjoys the title of "the newest British news magazine"; many fear that The Times group of newspapers will be bought by an extreme Right-winger. Despite his own paper's editorials, Carroll sees himself moving further to the left. "The older I get, the more radical I get. I don't believe all this nonsense that people's views mellow as the years go by." PAGE 7 Convocation____ COLIN BATES looks at the Chancellorship THE election of the Chancellor of the University of London this year will be something of a change. Each of the previous nine chancellors was elected unopposed but the next will have to campaign for the post against varied opposition. The Convocation, the electing body of 85,000 graduates, has to choose between three candidates — Princess Anne, Jack Jones and Nelson Mandela. Many graduates and academics were not happy with the prospect of Anne as Chancellor, and hence the opposition. Princess Anne had been nominated for the post within a week of the retirement of the previous chancellor, the Queen Mother. While she is held in a good deal of admiration throughout the country, Anne has nothing like this public support. Arguably she is the least-liked of all the present royalty. More importantly, she has not shown any real interest in higher education. In remarks made while recording a BBC radio interview ten years ago, she went as far as saying that it was "a very over-rated pastime". Ex - L.S.E. student Bernard Levin makes a case in The Times for her election. However, even he is reduced to rejecting the other contenders on their faults (as he sees them) and advocating Anne merely because she is a member of the Royal Family. The post of Chancellor is a ceremonial one, he argues, and since this is also the role of royalty, Anne should get the job. Jack Jones aims to make the position a more "relevant" one. He is supported by Professor John Griffiths of L.S.E. and by Professor Tessa Blackstone of the Institute of Education. She sees him as making the University more accessible to those with fewer formal qualifications. At 68 one must ask whether the ex-Transport and General Workers' Union General Secretary will have time and energy enough to bring his ideas to fruition. At present he is an Associate Fellow at L.S.E. following 40 years of Union Service. The third contender for the post is South African nationalist figure Nelson Mandela. Though he is serving a life sentence in total isolation on the Robben Island prison, his lawyers have indicated his willingness to stand. Among those putting forward his nomination are Trevor Phillips (ex-N.U.S. president), Bob McDonald (U.L.U. Vice-president) and Professor Barbara Hardie of Birk-beck College. Born in 1918 in Transkei, Mandela was brought up by a tribal chief after the early death of his father. He took an Arts Degree by correspondence course and enrolled at the University of Witwatersrand to study law. On completion he was articled to a firm of white attorneys but he rejected the lifestyle and privileges this brought him as a luxury he couldn't afford. He set up his own offices in Johannesburg and soon gained a reputation as a brilliant cross-examiner. In 1961 when South Africa was preparing to become a republic he called for a multi-racial conference to draw up a new non-racial democratic constitution in a series of letters to the Prime Minister, Verwoed. If this call was not met then peaceful civil protest would be planned. In 1962 this put him in prison for incitement to strike, and also leaving the Republic without valid travel documents ('to visit Britain). In 1964 he was brought to trial again, this time for "conspiracy to overthrow the government by revolution and foreign troops". Conducting his own case, Mandela turned his trial into one of the Verwoed government and the whole Apartheid system. The passionate commitment in his epic final speech, reaffirming all he stood for, probably saved him from the death sentence but now at 62 he is rotting in a hellhole. Under the man's present circumstances it is clear that a vote for Nelson Mandela cannot really be taken as a vote for the Chancellorship. It is an expression of concern among our numbers for the treatment of this man, a plea for his release and an attempt to keep his case in the public spotlight. He must not suffer the same fate as Steve Biko. By making our feelings known we can bring pressure on the South African government to release him, and make known to them the outcry that would occur if anything happens to him in prison. According to Bernard Levin, Mandela's nomination will only tarnish his name. He views it merely as pinning another decoration on the man's chest and in doing so misses the point. The campaign is not to honour „ ' , .... . ::V';- !• ..... ¦MiwlliiM - J • election him but to get him released. The post is a ceremonial one so his capability to fulfil it at present is of no real concern (though his qualities as a "relevant" Chancellor are very appealing). The election presents an ideal opportunity for a campaign on these lines. With this variety of candidates the election will raise many issues in peoples' minds. Attitudes to royalty, the nature of the post and humanitarian protest must all be assessed and ordered by voting graduates. Just what their priorities are will be revealed when the result is announced on St Valentine's Day. Nelson Mandela .... conference From KEIR HOPLEY in Margate Dave Aaronovitch, president of NUS. A BRITISH seaside resort in the middle of winter is hardly the most inviting place in the world, with the amusement arcades run down, the ambling deck-chair hirers gone home and the sea breezes reaching gale force, but the ritual of N.U.S. Annual Conference demands attendance. So it was to Margate that your reporter was bound on the 5th December. N.U.S. Conference is an acquired taste; it is the ceremonial gathering of senior Union politicians; student newspaper editors; lovers of loopholes and craftsmen of constitution, students of standing orders and purveyors of procedure. The language is heavy with terms such as "composite", "card vote", "gullotine" and "Steering Committee." There is an atmosphere of intense political rivalry, yet one of co-operation which sometimes manages to cut across the factional barricades. For the National President, though, Conference can be a testing time, as David Aaronovitch certainly found out in Margate. As the Executive member responsible for the provision of entertainments, he was censured for the financially disastrous ENTS tour at the beginning of the session. Along with the rest of the Executive, he was censured for failure to provide adequate support for mobilisation for the November demonstrations against the government's proposals on students' union financing. Most important of all, the Executive Report sections on action to combat Government Economic Policy were referred back, censure of the President carried and responsibility for this area of work removed from Aaronovitch. Apart from the problems with, the Executive Report over G.E.P., the Executive had little trouble gaining agreement for its policies as the debates were, on the whole, somewhat predictable. Thus the replacement of grants with loans was condemned, as were the proposals on students' union financing, full cost fees for overseas students and G.E.P. Conference pledged itself to oppose the Sainsbury abortion Bill (designed to reduce the time limit for abortions) and demanded more safety measures for women following the Ripper attacks in Leeds and Bradford, though a demand for women to carry weapons was' rejected. . After several wrangles, I.T.N, cameras were allowed to televise the debate on women's safety, and a very brief report appeared on "News at Ten." Conference then made the expected policy decisions, and the level of debate ranged from the adequate to the abysmal. The debate on Ireland, though, was of exceptionally high standard and showed Conference at its very best. One must admit to approaching the debate with trepidation : the unruly scenes at April Conference as a collection was taken for the women in Armagh against both the wishes of a majority of Conference and the procedures of Conference and the wrangles over whether or not there should be a collection for them this time after the speech of Mrs Nugent, mother of one of the hunger strikers in Armagh, suggested that the debate could degenerate and possibly become violent. In the event, though, these fears were shown to be completely unnecessary. With the excellent Jeane Freeman in the Chair, the N.U.S. Regional Convenor of Northern Ireland moved the main motion, which supported the "peace, jobs and progress" campaign and called for general social, economic, political and penal reform. The main motion, however, rejected support for "political status" and "Charter 80." Amendment One called for political status and for the immediate withdrawal of British troops from Northern Ireland, and its mover, a student from Queen's University, Belfast, who did not wish to give his name for fear of reprisals, said that "British repression" provided no solution and that there was no British solution to the problems of Northern Ireland. Neil Stewart of the Scottish Executive was amongst the speakers opposing Amendment One, and he was against on the grounds that the main motion was a unifying motion, whereas violence merely divides the working class. On a card vote, Amendment One was defeated by 301,686 to 140,395 with 51,552 abstentions. Amendment Two supported "Charter 80" which, it claimed, "is a genuine broad-based body supported by many leading Trade Unionists and MPs." A speaker from Newcastle, however, opposed the amendment as "elitist" and called for penal reform for all prisoners, not just a particular group. David Aaronovitch took the final speech against and said that support for the amendment would put the Union in support of the paramilitaries and "completely destroy our ability to work within Northern Ireland". On a card vote, Amendment Two was defeated by 249,075 to 163,443 with 85,583 abstentions. The substantive (which was still the main motion when the guillotine came down) was then carried. The Ireland debate was undoubtedly the highlight of the Conference, but elsewhere there were items worthy of note. One such item was the conferring of honorary life membership on Hilary Scott, who has occupied the hot Chair of Steering Committee with great distinction. There were also procedural manoeuvres which brought new inspiration even to your reporter. You have been warned ! PAGE 8 In the wake of violence at Union meetings and wrangles over Beaver proprietorship, there follows a close took at the real LSE drama. From sleepy to happy in sixty FOR anybody with no prior experience of L.S.E. pantomime conventions, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs offered quite literally a rude awakening. Anyone expecting a nostalgic return to the innocence of Walt Disney's classic original would have found little comforting in the Old Theatre during that boisterous Thursday evening. Nothing was spared in the scriptwriters highly successful adaptation of Snow White for its unsavoury L.S.E. audience. The sweet sentimentality of the Seven Dwarfs was never seriously impaired by the presence ef a friendly psychopath amongst their number, played by ? ? ? ? ? ? bent on putting the poor girl out of her misery, nor the fact that the only place that they found dia- monds happened to be in a Bank Vault. Room was^ found in this versatile plot for Basil Fawlty, played by Mark Urban, and Inspector Closseau, played by Stuart Silver, who co-wrote and respectively produced and directed, making up for the incompetence of the characters they portrayed on stage with the wit of the script. This was certainly the opinion of the • audience ; the extent of their participation ensuring that theatrical finesse and etiquette were the evening's strong points. There were jokes of equal calibre on and off the • script and on and off the stage. One perceptive member of the audience mistook the wicked queen, played by Claire Kennard, for the School's Director. In reply to another rather less subtle contribution from another part of the theatre Basil Fawlty commented that he remembered the occasion of his first beer. Inspector Closseau seemed to remember an even noisier unruly mob from an incident in the toilets that morning. This theme was taken further by the delightfully innocent Snow White, played by Louise Davies, who advised one cheeky commentator in the back rows to ring an agency of some description. Little was left to the imagination in her following comment leaving the audience in no doubt as to the disposition of the cat-caller receiving the reprimand. All credit then to the efforts of all involved for giving the audience the opportunity to break out of the sobriety of teaching hours into a refreshing two hours of informality and uninhibited fun. Mike Gill What do you want to HERE is a short play: a very short play. Student: Well I don't know really. I mean, well . . . what can I do with a degree In the Social Consequences of a Psychological Disturbance at age three? Careers Officer: How about Accountancy? Student: isn't that boring? C.O.: Yes. Student: But I want to apply what I've learnt in the academic field. C.O.: (Can't speak at first, because he's laughing too much) . . . How about Accountancy? END There's an old saying in Yorkshire (it's quite old everywhere else actually, but not quite as old as in Yorkshire) which goes. "God only helps those who help themselves". Now apart from indicating a pretty inegalitarian God, it's also true. You may think, as you sit scribbling away at yet another essay, that it's all part of a big plan. You, as part of the privileged minority, are destined to sail into a totally satisfying and well paid job when your three years of book-learning The problems with a degree by Eden Riche are up. It's nonsense: what's more, it's dangerous nonsense. It lulls you into a false sense of security when, having obtained your B and two Cs, you plod off to the big city thinking it's all sewn up. The first shock comes when you realise there's only one more year of your course left. The second shock comes when you realise that it isn't even a year. From then on each new batch of increased unemployment figures acquires a greater poignancy and meaning, and your stained glass future begins to crack. Then, with a flash of inspiration, you think, "Careers Office!" and rush to the top floor of the Midland Bank building only to find the bugger's moved to the East building. So, you've arrived, and all you've 0 got to do now is read through the 158 leaflets on different jobs which all turn out to demand "very specialised qualities' (which in turn are universally the same qualities-Strength of character, Adaptability, Quick thinking, Initiative, 48 foreign languages etc). Quite honestly I'd never been so fed up as when I'd finished reading that rubbish, but salvation; I thought, was at hand. I'd have an interview with the Careers Adviser who'd really sort me out, point me in the right direction, tell me the right things to say, and generally explain all the rest of the stuff that most people "pooh-pooh" at as spoon feeding, but secretly desire themselves. And so I began the Great Paper Chase, with the special feature of "Fill the form in" time. It appears that to gain an em-pathetic understanding with the interviewee, the Careers Adviser must read the answers to such cosmic one-liners as, "What do you want out of your job?" and, "What is the most important thing that has ever happened to you?" Resisting the temptation to reply "Money" to the former and "Weeing in my Auntie Beryl's hand-bag when I was one" to the latter enquiry, I answered in such a way, I hoped, as to provide the Adviser with enough material to make a fairly perspicacious assessment of character and suitable vocation. It worried me thus, when with obvious scant i-egard for the carefully completed questionnaire, I was asked, "What would you like to do?" The ensuing conversation has already been covered. (See beginning of article.) To virtually every career I tentatively proposed, I was greeted with a great, whale-like implosion of air through the teeth, and the remark, "Very difficult to get into." I was even prepared to say, "A car with no doors," just, to see if he'd say the same thing. Assuming that there were going to be seme vacant jobs in 1981, I went through all the possibilities I'd ever felt a remote attachment to, hoping for paternal guidance or even an interest. But maybe I was unlucky that day: and the two occasions on which I returned. Undeterred. I decided the best approach was the individual one. "I'm going to do it on my own," I thought, and crawled purposefully to the filing cabinets full of yet more forms and job literature. Then the penny dropped. No-one cares a damn what you get out of university. In any case, most of your employers will bear a grudge because they didn't go at all. The secret is to treat these forms with about as much thought and attention as the people who are going to read them. Everyone, especially figures of authority, will resent any real attempt at initiative and change because it undermines their own vocational existence. If you can fill in the gaps without actually saying anything, you'll definitely get an interview. Remember, Karl Marx was unemployed throughout his life. when grow up? The photographer s lament OR One day my Prince will come THE L.S.E. Pantomime what thoughts were conjured up as I entered the Old Theatre balcony on the 4th December to watch Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, thoughts of tradition and of Tinkerbetl, rnind-fui of the inheritance ! was about to perceive. As the curtain rose, though, the thoughts of my two friends and I were brought back to the present. The story is one with which every child is familiar: a vain and dictatorial queen learns from her magic mirror that she is no longer the prettiest in the land and orders her attendant lord. Earl Grey, to employ direct action to rid her of Snow White, the challenge to her beauty prize. That peer of the realm engages the bumbling Inspector Clouseau to kill Snow White. Daunted by the task, he leaves her in the forest, where she is picked up by a bunch of incompetent dwarfs, a gang of robbers led by Chief Dwarf Reg. Needless to say, after various assassination attempts, Prince Charming comes along and all live happily ever after. Such was the plot, and indeed the audience was appreciative. The first act. especially, romped along in fine style, but technical problems marred the second. Many short scenes were needed, and the time taken to move the various props distracted and disturbed the flow. This was a pity, for the rest of the performance went well; with the exception of the beginning of the second act, where continual scenes in- volving the dwarfs became somew7hat tedious. Nevertheless, given the script, it was difficult to see how these technical problems could have been surmounted, and the cast did well under the circumstances. Certainly, there could be few complaints about the acting. Mark Urban as Earl Grey was his usual superb self, his John Cleese manner adding immeasurably to the sense of dynamism and flow. His wit in putting down the hecklers and his use of the mot juste have made him an indispensable part of the Drama Society's display. Similarly, we have become used to the excellence of Stuart Silver, whose portrayal of Clouseau captured expertly the officious incompetence Peter Sellers created. Elsewhere, there was an impressive debut as the wicked queen by Claire Kennard. Her expression of evil had the audience hissing in the time honoured fashion, and the confidence and poise she possesses suggest that she could be a most useful find for the Drama Society. The Dwarfs performed adequately, and Louise Davies was essentially competent as Snow White. As for Toby . . . well, he was Toby. It was more Prince Charming playing Toby than Toby playing Prince Charming, and that was surely what the audience wanted. Certainly, as we left the Old Theatre, my two friends and I had enjoyed the evening, and the rest of the audience, to judge by its enthusiastic applause, was of similar opinion. Coming soon from L.S.E. Drama . including "The Real Inspector Hound by Tom Stoppard START SAVING NOW! // PAGE THE Unicorn Bookshop, Brighton. Almost closing time on a cold January afternoon. A customer pays for a slim paperback, the shop assistant wraps it, and the customer departs. There are still several browsers. After two minutes, four uniformed policemen raid the shop and seize copies of the Underground magazine Oz. After a four day trial, bookshop owner Bill Butler is convicted of selling an obscene publication. That was 13 years ago. The trial was one of the first to trouble Oz, the most popular and controversial of all the products of the underground press. There were to be many, many, more; the one of mid '71 at the Old Bailey was not only the longest obscenity trial in legal history, but also, in retrospect, by far the most significant. Unlike the Lady Chatterley case some ten years earlier, the outcome of the trial would have considerably more bearing on society than merely the issue of press freedom; it was a Six-week ordeal which split two generations. The running battle against Britain's "Alternative Society" which began in the late 'sixties came to a head just over ten years ago. (The : "Alternative Society" was largely a Fleet Street term, yet had more definitions than there were news- ft V RUPERT BEAR'S A CIVIL SERVANT NOW papers.) It was a battle against the one tangible aspect of the Underground — the social alternative, always anti-establishment, which had fired C.N.D. and the student unrest of '68. Directly before the '71 trial, we had not only Oz, but also the International Times, ink, Frendz, Black Dwarf, Idiot International, Come Together and The Hustler among many others. Now we have only Private Eye (which has never bettered its handling of the Pro-fumo case), Time Out (which has perhaps become more radical but also more acceptable), Gay News, New Statesman and the more go-ahead columnists in the New Musical Express. When the Oz defendants stood in the dock, defending their own magazine was only part Of their ordeal; on trial also was the whole set of Underground values. Oz lost. Exactly ten years ago, Oz editors Jim Anderson, Richard Neville and Felix Dennis asked a group of teenagers to write what they thought about sex, drugs and the struggle against their elders. The result was Oz 28 — The Schoolklds Issue. On Its publication. Oz claimed to have a readership larger than that of New Statesman — an estimated 300,000. The police considered that it exerted a far greater influence on "young thinking" than it actually did, and decided to prosecute on the grounds that it would "debauch and corrupt the morals of children and young people . . . and arouse and implant in their minds lustful and perverted desires." Anderson, Neville and Dennis . were subsequently arrested and released on bail. Along with fairly racy, explicit cartoons (Rupert Bear was not a virgin and Oz showed you why), the issue carried articles on the "suffocation of the young voice." It was a non-violent expression of the joys of non-violent expression. Whether it was "obscene" depends on the definition which circulated the Old Bailey gallery at any given moment, but from day one it was unlikely whether obscenity or the corruption of morals were the key issues. The trial cost an estimated £100,000. The action against Oz was seen more as a deliberate attempt at further suffocation of the anti-establishment than any altruistic concern for the country's youth. It was they, after all, who had written and edited the magazine, seeking only advice and guidance from the defendants, and thus presumably knew the score pretty well already. Bernard Levin explains how, when he first read Schootkids Oz, far from being shocked, questioned whether some of the pages had not been removed: "I was unable to believe that what was in it could have led to the court proceedings being brought . . (it was) a harmless and admirable forum in which young people might shout aloud what they felt." Neville claimed on the first day of the trial that the special issue was only written and edited by and not necessarily for schoolkids. Distribution would only cover the normal Oz readership: "There has been a homosexual Oz, edited by homosexuals for the usual Oz readership, a woman's liberation Oz for the usual Oz readership and a Flying Saucer Oz . . perhaps when the trial is over we can ask you all to edit a Jurors Oz . . . " While such jokes lightened the Underground's concern outside the court, inside there was a distinct lack of humour. Neville's comments did not help his case, and he was ultimately sentenced to fifteen months' imprisonment and, as an Australian, recommended for deportation. Anderson got twelve months; Dennis nine. Cries of "Establishment revenge" and "the persecution" of Oz went up long before the outcome, predominantly from those who realised at once the threat and implications of the Oz charges, but even .right-wing publications cricized the ferocious sentences. The decision against the editors only worsened relations between young people and those in authority. There were violent clashes between demonstrators and police outside the court, obscene (!) abuse shouted, smoke bombs lit and an effigy of the presiding Judge Michael Argyle burnt. Sales of Oz soared. The stand-in editors promised a "bombshell" of a next issue: "This time they will need the sedition laws, not just the obscenity laws ..." On the surface it looked like martydom and the courageous image of "business as usual" — there were, after all, some ten more issues to appear after the trial. Below the surface, the damage was irreparable. The trial marked the decline of the true Underground Press. Neville claimed there would be immeasurable harm "for the already fading optimism of a generation." During the trial he warned that if Oz goes, "you'll be stuck with an eternity of colour supplements." Only a week later, the sentences were already having an * effect. Time Out, which began as a single broadsheet in 1968, planned an eight-page editorial devoted exclusively to the course and implications of the Oz trial. The last two pages, entitled "Meanwhile, on sale every day ..." were to be a mon- Exactly ten years ago, a group of schoolkids decided fro give Ruperfr Bear a good frime. His sexual adven-frures appeared in frhe underground magazine, 'Oz' and sparked off frhe longest1 obscenity trial in legal history. Its outcome signalled the death of Britain's flourishing Underground Press In the first of a two-part story, Beaver says goodbye to 'Idiot International' and hello to 'Now !' Others concentrated on matters of more general interest to young people, including Belfast, the Clyde, C.N.D. and relevant film and book reviews—in much the same way as the New Musical Express does today. Others still, among them the popular Styng, considered social and economic newsworthy topics in a radical manner. Oz and IT dominated the sexual liberation and drug field, with their predominant aims, in Neville's words, to be "ad-venturistic, escapist, dilettantish, narcissistic and juvenile". ¥ The Underground Press Syndicate was established at the peak of the boom, developing a paternal concern for alternative publications on both sides of the Atlantic. In its attempt to eradicate all sex discrimination and sexist material it stumbled into the path of Oz and IT—the former being not only blatantly sexist but apparently proud of the fact. The U.P.S. had suffered many casualties by the beginning of 1971. Some folded because they were aimed at too few people, others aimed at capturing too many, and others still were unsure in which direction they were heading at all. The editor of Sundance, an Ameri- can paper, put it well: "I didn't know what to do, nobody did, we just got on and did it." If the spirit was there, it was more than likely that sufficient financial backing, ordered administration or sound distribution were lacking. And what of the contributors? Many, not surprisingly, have moved on to less radical ventures, yet with their sense of mild anarchy firmly intact. Cyclops's Ray Lowry self-mockingly retains the 'sixties ideals in his weekly cartoons for New Musical Express. Also on N.M.E. is Charles Shaar Murray, formerly a regular Oz contributor. Oz editor Felix Dennis is now managing director of Bunch Books, producing specialist publications like Bicycle and Which Bike? At a time when I.P.C. were experiencing serious production problems, Dennis made a quick killing with the establishment of the independent New Music News. Another of Oz's regular contributors, Germaine Greer, writes frequently for the _ Sunday Times and is best known for The Female Eunuch. Despite its sexism, Polly Toynbee also wrote for Oz. Ironically, she now sounds out on The Guardian's women's page. Oz and the others were a product of their time. It would be as ghastly as it would be alien to see them on the bookstalls today. Individually they were almost worthless; collectively their statement was priceless. Oz, like Dada, poked fun, and that was fun in itself. All in all, they were taken too seriously. Expert Oz chronicler Tony Palmer tells the story of when Richard Neville was taken down to his cell, directly after sentence. According to Palmer, he met a fellow prisoner. "What did you get?" asked the man. "Fifteen months," said Neville. "That's terrible." said the man. "I got the same—and I tried to murder my wife." by Simon Garfield Next issue : The Underground of the 'Eighties. "Time Out", "Spare Rib", "The Leveller", new-wave fanzines and the music press. Thanks for research assistance to Steve Pinder at "Time Out". tage of photos — seemingly more obscene than the graphics in Oz — from magazines easily available in the West End. Ironically, in the wake of Oz, the printers refused to handle the photographs for fear of prosecution. Time Out duly appeared with two blank pages, bearing captions and credits but no illustrations. Long before the trial, the magazines and newspapers that had chronicled and encouraged the rise of hippies, drop - outs, drug - use and the "alternative culture" had begun to decline both in number and impetus. Compared to their halcyon days of '67, the early 'seventies seemed repressive and unconducive to change. Dwindling readership signalled not only a lack of funds but a lack of encouragement, and no matter how much a paper begged, borrowed or stole, none could survive without encouragement. In 1972 only Oz and International Times remained as an influential force—but even Oz, which was still surviving on the publicity of the trial, appeared only sporadically and with little of its early direction. It was the anti-Establishment ethic which typified the alternative media then, as it does now. At the outbreak of the French riots in May 1968 there were perhaps over thirty alternative publications on sale in central London. Some, like Cyclops and Nasty Tales, contained only comic material, and others such as Zigzag, concentrated on the new progressive music scene. (Zigzag is still going strong today, but its glossy production and sharp prose bear only a slim resemblance to its threatening stance in the late 'sixties.) oz vmm mw THE OLO BAILEY It and grow oSsS gracef ully Bounce your cheques and pom your possessions. We desperately need your help. PAGE 10 S I f | |. ; ••' • "> • • ¦; > s , ; <*' Cunning stunts A FUGITIVE on the run accidentally causes the death of a stunt-man whilst escaping from the police; he blunders on to the film location, and is hired by the Machiavellian director as a replacement for the dead action-man. This is the basis of the plot of Richard Rush's eleventh feature, -'The Stunt Man", and despite its apparent straightforwardness it took him six years to find financing, and a further two to find a distributor, such was the opposition he found in Hollywood. What disconcerted: the film industry bigwigs was, amongst other things, the difficulty they found in classifying the film, which implied to them that it would never find an audience. "The Stuntman" was a film about movie-making, a film about everyday paranoia, a film which gave away the "tricks" of a stuntman's trade and, especially in the mid-'seventies, it was a film about Vietnam. The film is based on a novel by Paul Brodeur which amongst other things discusses the possibility that the American soldiers in Vietnam were simply stand-ins or sluntmen for the macho fantasies of the nation at large. ENTERTAINING On another level "The Stuntman" is one of the most entertaining and enjoyable films that have emerged from the Americas in recent years, and precisely because of its many levels. Richard Rush continues the well-studied trend by which American directors work to appear more European (i.e., thoughtful) and vice-versa; indeed, it is in this area that the film could have stalled and plummeted under the weight of its metaphysical pretensions. But Rush pulls it oil with a flstir that could only have been learnt in his years directing B-series biker movies. Through a series of hair-raising and thought-provoking stunts Rush takes the audience for a joyride. Seeing everything through the eyes of the fugitive turned stuntman (Steve Railsback). we suffer the same delusions, uncertainties and reliefs he does at the. hands of the director, a crazed egomaniac, formidably played by Peter Q'Toole, who at last finds a role suited to his recent larger-than-life style. He descends from the skies, like a god, on his crane and submits the crew and the actors to his fancies, playing endless tricks on them, all towards achieving his divine mission—the creation of the definitive anti-war movie. As is typical in most films about movie-making, there are constant confusions between reality and illusion, tricks within trick within tricks, but the terrific pace at which Rush runs the actticn in Lawrence B. Marcus's inventive script doesn't get bogged down at these incidents and they stimulate the viewers' minds to race along at a similar pace searching for explanations and the road back to the "real world '. All in all a great film to see whether you like watching spectacular stunts, like to see the film everyone is talking abovit, like to have to work your way through the action with the character or if you simply want to restore your faith in American cinema (and in Peter O'Toole). A multi-level treat. INFERIOR It is the lack of this wide series of levels which makes "Stardust Memories" an inferior film to "Manhattan". Although it is on a higher intellectual level, Woody Allen serving ruthless attacks on everything in sight, it lacks a persistent emotional level and the audience's indentifica-tion is therefore reduced. However this dees not mean that it is not worth, seeing. Allen's humour is as mordant as ever and his view of the world is as interesting as ever. It is not surprising that it had a bad reception in USA given that in style it is a return to "Interiors" (very European) and in content it destroys every America myth including the critics ("What did the Rolls-Royce symbolise?" and the answer from an intellectual-looking critic. "I think it represented his car"— simple but effective) and the middle-class liberal mentality, especially in the key scene when, after complaining that he doesn't want to make funny films any more because of all the suffering in the world, he starts complaining to his accountants and secretaries that his life is really terrible and full of problems whilst in the background we see a massive blow-up of that famous photograph of a Vietcong prisoner getting shot in the head decorating his sitting-room wall. But, if you accept the fact that Woody Allen is just geting the ghosts out of his system and off his back, you're in for a mentally stimulating evening, and a heavy argument afterwards in the pub. or. at worst, just a sad walk home (especially if you preferred his early, funny films). Also look out for "Superman II" which is five million times better than the first one and a similar number of times more enjoyable; including the best trio of baddies I have ever encountered. Christophe Armero Steve Railsback in "The Stunt Man." WAR GAMES AS a great fan of Fredrick Forsyth's book "The Dogs of War," John Irvin's film must rate as the biggest disappointment to limp on to our screens in 1980. And limp it did, trying to capture the pre-Christ-mas taste for war films and failing miserably. On the surface the film appeared to promise an interesting evening, based on Forsyth's novel, directed by John Irvin, who did a superb job on "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy," and starring Christopher Walk en. Unfortunately the film did not live up to expectations. The script could have been based on any Hollywood war movie and. bears little resemblance to the original novel. Where the book fascinates and intrigues with its detail, ingenuity and observation, the film merely distances and alienates its audience. It gives no glimpse of the mercenary world, multi-national manoeuvring or Russian involvement, that forms the core of the book. The only scenes of the The only scenes of the book which purport to show the planning of the mercenary operation are dominated by Tom Berenger moaning about the quality of British pizzas. book which purport to show the planning of the mercenary operation are dominated by Tom SITTING DUCKS TWO middle-aged amateurs rip off the "Organisation" and head for the sun, Costa Rica via Miami Beach. On the way they pick up several fantasy-ridden characters and cruise through freeway America, all motels and gas-stations, talking mostly about sex and celebrating the American dream, albeit in a particularly limited form. "Sitting Ducks" is a zany, slightly wordy comedy, with a sinister undercurrent. The mob is out for revenge, and death is for real. The characters, all played by unfamiliar faces, are unconventional, and although unconventionality has been taken up, to a degree, by Hollywood, and there are strong strains of Alan Arkin in the two main male characters, the effect is of a genuinely unusual film. One player, Patrice Townsend (extravagantly praised by one critic in a comparison with Ingrid Bergman's performance in "Casablanca") is the weirdest of the lot. Apparently the epitome of healthy, young, American womanhood, her character plays very strange, manipulative, double games with her companions. The director is quoted as saying that "it's a film about sex, money and vitamins." It's probably lese-majesty to disagree with a director, but it's hard to say what the film is about. The characters talk a lot about sex — experiences, philosophy, techniques — some about money, and momentarily about vitamins, but without coming to any solid conclusions about any of these three vital topics. They just talk, funnily at times, and have a good time. Essentially this is a road-caper movie that doesn't always come off. There are several pretty funny monologues, one or two very funny lines, and it's generally charmingly made. Refreshingly, the comedy does not work through classic devices as slapstick or satire (well, sometimes) but centres on the characters and their quirks only. Time Out reports that the script rose out of the recorded conversations of the two male leads. This approach may be the root of the freshness of the film and, while it isn't great, it is pleasant entertainment, a break from the general run of recent American movies. Berenger moaning about the quality of British pizzas. Obviously one can't expect the detail of the book to be transferred to the screen intact but the sort of wholesale bastardisa-tion which occurs here cannot go unnoticed. Perhaps faced with such a script, John Irvin was powerless but even so he has managed to produce a singularly unimaginative, uninspiring and visually unattractive film. The only redeeming feature is the climactic operation which is shot "off the backs" of the mercenaries, the "fixed camera'* technique of action photography, creating a stunning impression and the only tension ol the entire film. Christopher Walken turns in the same glassy-eyed performance which, was mesmerizing for half an hour of The Deerhunter, but becomes somewhat tiresome over a feature-length film. It's a pitj that he is becoming stereotyped as a lunatic killer. As Bruce Dern in James Ivory's "Rose-land", he proved that he is talented over a much wider range. Again, perhaps he was hampered by the inadequacies of the script and the storyline. In the book, "Cat" Shannoa undertakes a redeeming "act of grace" in the purest HemmiHg-way mould, by installing his own choice as President of Zan-gara and assassinating the corrupt contender he was employed to elevate. In the film, Shannon's act is reduced to a fit of pique, the result of his employers overt disdain for him. Obviously such changes leave the Shannon character wallop ing in a morass. What this film has done is to reduce a plausible (Biafra, Angola and the Congo), fascinating, adaptable and infinitely commercial novel to the level .of the banal, the lowest possible common denominator. Following, the success of "The Sea Dogs," the great studios in the sky obviously decided it needed another ripping yarn, peopled not by stift'-lipped expatriate British, but by glassy-eyed Americans. Unfortunately, where "The Sea Dogs" managed to be tongue-in-cheek, "The Dogs of War" has to make do with Wal-ken's sunken cheeks . Deborah Gudgeori ^^PAGEIl interviewed for BERYL BAINBRIDGE SETS Jeremy Rosenblatt it had been a-job, she said. Brought up on socialism, she feels that she is becoming more reactionary; now that she is beginning to have money she feels angry that it is being continually taken away from her. One doesn't often come across Beryl Bainbridge in the media. She occasionally writes book reviews but is seldom seen on television unlike many other authors. "I don't know all that fuddy-duddy stuff," she said, referring to her lack of knowledge of some parts of English literature. She is an acclaimed novelist without a university degree and is probably an exception to the rule, but her career goes to show that a writer does not need to be qualified with degrees etc. Today she feels that there are fewer and fewer good writers, nor can she understand why there seem to be hardly any writers in their twenties any more. Her daughter, Rudi, made an appearance. " Rebelling," Ms Bainbridge turned to me and said, raising her eyebrows and proceeded to ask what advice I could give to quell a difficult teenager. There appeared to be a great down-to-earthness about Beryl Bainbridge, a person from whom one didn't stand back because of her fame or brilliance. She seemed to be a person who had suffered in the past but was now riding on success and a great air of affection emanated from her. Maybe there was a weirdness about her, whether it was the stuffed animals on her walls or the Victorian pram a la cuisine, I do not know. Admittedly I was somewhat ill at ease on beholding a male dumbly sitting in a chair by the fire in her living room, a thing I wasn't sure whether to acknowledge or ignore ; I ignored it. I was glad to get out of the home alive though, especially having squeezed past a life-size ox in the hall, but I had been delighted to meet such an interesting lady who left me refreshed and almost elated. (Beryl Bainbridge's latest book, published in October, "Winter Garden", Duckworth £5.95). BERYL BAINBRIDGE writes books; books that seem to turn ordinary events into odd happenings, weird and oft«n terrifying ones. Her books are described as "fiction" but she says she only writes and can only write from her own past experience and this perhaps adds more terror to her readers since in actual fact she is writing about reality. Each action in her books is written in such a way that they begin to verge on the absurd so it was with curiosity and even apprehension that I went of! to behold for myself this "formidable talent", as she was once described by The Listener. She was brought up in middle-class Formby, near Liverpool, where she lived with her family. She was not driven to writing by frustration after a hard or deprived upbringing, she simply wanted a photograph of her lifetime at home but instead of using a camera for the purpose she wrote down exactly what had been, exactly what had taken place only for herself and not for anyone else. "The Dressmaker", an earlier novel, deals with* her life in her youth living at home; she could not write about her mother since at the time of writing she was still alive so the book is about her two aunts who lived with her. Past experience, past life are the basic ingredients of her books. "The Bottle Factory Outing" for which she won the Guardian fiction prize and which is one of her most highly acclaimed novels deals with a factory outing culminating in murder. She admitted that the murder had never actually taken place but the doteful, pathetic characters were as real as was the factory itself—"just down the road." If one wanted to find a literary term to describe her books one might come up with "tragi-comic"; funny and even hysterical on the surface, underneath there is always a great feeling of sadness. "Young Adolf", a more recent novel, was based largely on research ; when writing "Injury Time" she sat down and tried to imagine a room in which to set her novel and finally decided to use the very room she was in. This goes to show, as she said, that as a novelist she can only write down what she knows and sees and it is this factor and her obsession — as she called it — with her. past that goes to make up her writing. Beryl Bainbridge "at home." It is no wish of hers to comment on society through her writing, nor does she ever want to be seen as becoming a feminist writer dealing with women's problems. "Don't men have problems too ?" she asked. She isn't a woman who feels that as a woman she must necessarily assert herself in a man's world. She has been divorced for twenty years but a bad marriage did not result in a feeling of resentment towards men. Originally she had been an actress in a repertory in the North, however she left the stage behind in order to get married, nor had she any great hopes of becoming an actress; Passion pale IN a way it's rather daring to base a new play on a hackneyed plot and trust to imagination and sheer technique to carry it off. The danger is that if you fail, as Peter Nichols latest play clearly does, you are left stranded somewhere between boredom and incoherence. Briefly, then: it's adultery: middle-aged couple, twenty years blissfully married, children grown-up; unexpectedly husband is lured into an affair. How then to avoid duplicating the thousand and one plays already written around the same crisis. Nichols comes up with the idea of having each spouse played by two actors. Thus while James lies frantically, first to his lover, then to his wife, his alter ego stands at his elbow prompting, criticising, passing caustic comments on the relative merits of the two women. Later his wife suddenly has her own alter ego, and conversations are fractured into a series of four-way cross-talks. Adding to this is a split-level set enabling several separate scenes relating to the same subject to be played simultaneously, Nichols plays a series of complex puppet games with his actors, switching them about like pieces of a jigsaw that fit together a dozen different ways. This disjointed, yet highly integrated scheme is challengingly unpredictable and leads to some very funny if always slightly ironic moments. The first act explores the possibilities of this schizophrenic wrangling stretching across the framework of the most predictable of plots: wife uncovers affair, discloses dark secret from her past in revenge, affair ends in uneasy marital reconciliations and the happy couple are left clumsily making love half-way up a spiral staircase. Suddenly we've reached our moderately "Happy Ending"; and we're only at the end of the first act. The music is turned up and the lights are turned down, leaving us all wondering what these fascinating people and their alter egos are going to do for the rest of the evening. As it turns out, not much. The second act wanders hopelessly: there are recurring references to religion with which, both husband and wife, being atheists, are strangely obsessed. But these never lead anywhere. Abortive forays are attempted; lesbianism, group sex and psychiatric treatment; all peter out inconclusively. Nichols seemingly fascinated by the endless permutations of actors and characters, allows the play to run badly adrift. The affair is resurrected, starts and stops and then starts again, a process eventually dragging the play to a conclusion rather more grim than that of the first act. By now the technique of split characters is exhausting itself, their commentaries becoming gradually repetitive and distracting. The end of the play is held together by the quite undeniably excellent performances of the four central actors, sensitive and strong; this and this alone provides the dramatic impetus of the closing scenes. However a good half hour before the curtain falls, it is quite clear that Nichols has nothing further to say to his audience. It's all rather a waste : a fine cast, imaginative set and clever basic dramatic notion are thrown away when the play suddenly runs out of ideas. It makes "Passion Play" look like an over extended "one-acter" and its clever originality seems badly overstretched on the R.S.C. stage. Simon James PAGE 12 jJ »m 111»m LEUKAEMIA OR "Cancer of the blood" can attack people of all ages at any time and it carries with it the drawn out suffering of any cancer. Its cause is still unknown and an especially distressing factor is that it affects children as well as adults. Every year there are 4,000 new sufferers from every walk of life. That's why this year, in its 21st Birthday, L.S.E. Rag '81 are donating 80% of Rag Week's proceeds to the Leukaemia Research Fund. Bruce the MADE from Passfield sheets and mattresses by Film Soc Supremo Diane Waring, Bruce has had a short but eventful life. He was first kidnapped by Queen Mary College in 1978 after a daring raid and an ensuing pitched battle in the Ald-wych. Only last year he was returned, in exchange for a penguin, only to be kidnapped again a few days later. Since then nothing had been heard or seen of Bruce. Only this week, however, came the first sign that he might still be alive. Delivered to the door of the East Building in a brown cardboard box, was the freshly amputated arm of Bruce the Beaver together with a ransom note, assuring us he was being well treated ? ? ? ? ! Kings Rag have demanded £50 for his safe return. What will be amputated next ? Will L.S.E. Students come to the rescue ? Will Batman or Robin intervene ? These are questions that can only be answered in next week's edition of Beaver, or by you! SAVE BRUCE THE BEAVER — he is an endangered species. University Challenge WE are at present negotiating sponsorship of this event. Teams will be Academics, Undergraduates, Postgraduates and our sponsors. Money will be given per question answered correctly. Entrance will be free. Bamber Gascoigne is being approached to ask the questions in his own inimitable style. RAG WEEK 1981 1st — 7th March RAG '80 raised only £300 (excluding the Rag Ball). This year we have set ourselves a target of over £3,000. To achieve this needs the sort of involvement we have never managed in the past. Rag Week is not a case of squeezing as much money as possible out of impoverished students. It will be a case of helping people less well off than ourselves and at the same time having a lot of fun. So this year please give generously and please get involved. RAG MEETINGS ARE HELD EVERY TUESDAY AT 1.30 PM IN TV ROOM, OTHERWISE CONTACT E.206. In brief.,.. RAG 1981 DIARY SUNDAY, MARCH 1st— Sponsored Radio Passfield Sponsored three-legged walk/pub crawl MONDAY, MARCH 2nd— Tug of War/Welly Throwing in Houghton Street (Lunchtime) Hot Gossip (Evening) plus Disco and Celebrity DJs WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4th— Grand Marx March on the City (Morning) Oxford Street Stooges (Afternoon) Sponsored Disco Dancing in Houghton Street (Afternoon) THURSDAY, MARCH 5th— Grand Auction (12-1), Old Theatre Bar Games Championships (Evenings) FRIDAY, MARCH 6th— Mock University Challenge 1-2, Old Theatre Comedian Night SATURDAY, MARCH 7th— Rag Ball. They're coming to take you away ON the ground floor of a well known Oxford Street department store, Jane casually glanced at the range of new perfumes in the rack above her head. Barry Manilow's voice grated painfully in the background . . . suddenly a van screeched to a halt outside. Four men in white coats rushed into the store, their eyes searching furtively. "There she is," shouted one, and poor unsuspecting Jane was bundled into the back of the van. "Cor, it's just like the Sweeney," one middle-aged shopper remarked, "which one is Denis Waterman?" inquired another. "It's not the Sweeney," said a well-informed passer-by, "it's L.S.E. Rag '81." Interested? We need: 1. A van 2. Stooges 3. Men in white coats Money will be raised by shaking collecting cans. THE GRAND AUCTION AT long last Gary Glitter's Jacket squeezes out of Toby Rose's closet to make a surprise guest appearance at the Grand Auction '81. Lecturers and other well known L.S.E. personalities will be modelling items kindly donated by assorted celebrities. If anybody could get hold of something of this kind to Auction, please contact Becky Smithers or Ed Jacob. Timetable SUNDAY, MARCH 1st— Ease your way into Rag Week with the three-legged sponsored walk/pub crawl. This will involve myriads of pubs, a pleasant walk in Regents Park, and hopefully a free trip to London Zoo. Interested ? Details of the route and sponsor forms will be available from February 1st from Union Reception E.297, and from the Three Tuns Bar, Tuesday, March 3rd. MONDAY, MARCH 2nd— Lunchtime in Houghton Street. TUG O' WAR—Any team of eight can enter. We are looking for teams from all three Halls, Political Parties, Societies and miscellaneous groups. Special attractions will be LSE v. King's College. The Athletic Union will be providing the LSE team. Hopefully we will get a left wing journalist to make a guest appearance on the LSI team and a right-wing git for the King's team. Prizes : £2.40 entrance fee per team (30p per person). Applications to Nick Goddard, E.206. Also WELLY THROWING in Houghton Street after Tug o' War. Welly donations wellycome ? Applications to Nick Goddard, E.206. EVENING—in Haldane Room. HOT GOSSIP AT LSE! £2.50 on door. £2.00 in advance. Dance the night away with Hot Gossip and the LSE Interstellar Boogie Unit! Yes, the 10 person troupe of Lord Thames and Mary Whitehouse fame will be grooving around in the Haldane Room on the first night of Rag Week. NOT TO BE MISSED! TUESDAY, MARCH 3rd— DATING SERVICE: Are you happy, attractive, intelligent and interesting ? Well, here's your chance to ruin everything with the LSE Rag Computer Dating Service ! I I Application forms available from Nick Goddard, E.206. For the meagre price of 50 pence your name is put into the LSE hat. A week before the date you are drawn a random partner who you will meet in the Three Tuns bar at 7.30 p.m. Where you go and what you do is up to you! Heterosexual and Homosexual services available—Make new friends or enemies. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4th— The Centrepiece of LSE RAG '81, a whole host of stars including Karl Marx himself, Bruce the Beaver, and a mystery celebrity have been booked to march on the City in a festive Rag atmosphere. Here, they will pay homage to a pillar of Capitalism—the Stock Exchange (either kissing or spitting on the steps). All this, to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of Karl Marx's first sexual experience. Rag Mags, badges, etc., will be liberally distributed to Stockbrokers and Bankers in exchange for vast quantities of money. TV and press will be out in force, so smile nicely! The main problem has proved finding a large effigy of Karl Marx. So far ! 93! establishments and places of ill-repute have been tried without success. As a last despairing attempt a letter to the "Times" has been penned. If this fails we plan to construct a papier mache Karl Marx. Anyone with previous experience of constructing papier mache Karl Marxs please contact E.206. Seriously though, help would be appreciated. THURSDAY, MARCH 5th— LSE BAR GAMES CHAMPIONSHIPS Cheap Beer I LSE Darts Championship. Trophy and Prize. LSE Pool Championship. Trophy and Prize. LSE Yard of Ale Championship—1 Pint Championship 3 Pint Championship. Prizes. LSE Video Game Championship—Missile Command Score. Space Invaders Score x 10. LSE Pinball Championship—Joint score on both Paragon and Space Pintables. Entrance to all competitions only 50p—applications to Nick Goddard. SATURDAY, MARCH 7th— THE RAG BALL, 1981 Bands, Films, Cabaret, etc. Acts to be announced. RAG MAG—the infamous LSE publication you can't afford to miss. Besides needing people to buy it and read it, we also need people to help with compilation. Any budding cartoonists and comedians are welcome to submit cartoons and jokes (NOT sexist or racist please !) but we also welcome general help with production and distribution. If you're interested, please contact the Rag Mag Editors, c/o E.206. PAGE 13 The thoughts of A small> mobile, intelligent unit speaks — the Robert Fripp interview ?EI1T5* ON 29th November, Robert Fripp^s League of Gentlemen played a memorable gig to a packed audience in the Haldane Room. Instead of the normal review we decided to interview the man as he is one of the more intelligent, thoughtful and respected figures on the contemporary music scene. Robert Fripp formed King Crimson in 1969. King Crimson never reached the successful heights of bands like ELP or Yes, and even in 1972, Fripp was looking in alternative directions, working with Brian Eno, a self-confessed non - musician (imagine!). Fripp split up King Crimson in 1974 anticipating the emergence of "smaller mobile interacting units". He was also aware that music was in a state of stagnation needing a massive jolt to shake it out of its apathy. This of course had happened by 76 77 and this was also when Fripp came back from his self-imposed exile, working with bands like Blondie, Talking Heads, and of course David Bowie. A lot of the^ experimental music currently emerging on the music scene owes a lot to Robert Fripp and his attitude to performing and recording. He undertook a solo tour last year playing smaller gigs and using only his guitar and tape loops. For him it was a leap in the dark, an unconventional move, but it paid off well being an artistic and financial success. This is typical of Fripp's outlook, challenging the basic tenets of the system, and positively working towards new viable alternatives. He has no wisilt to return to the situation lie created for himself in King Crimson; that of being tied to a group permanently fixed in the public's awareness. Rather, he keeps things fluid, working on a project until it fulfils his aspirations then moving on. The League of Gentlemen is his latsit involvement. MB: When in fact did the League of Gentlemen come into i existence ? RiF: Towards the end of March 1980—we rehearsed for four weeks and then undertook a three month tour of Europe and America. We had an option to work together until July 22nd which expired and then we took up another option to work together until December 4th this year so that we're just doing these two weeks' work apart from the summer tour and the album which I'll mix in January. We have no commitment to work together beyond December 4th. IVI8 : You see yourself as diametrically opposed to the Record Industry ? RiF; The Record Industry is one way in an imperfect world of imperfectly distributing re- FRlPr cords; I think that by changing the structure of the industry one can improve its function but until the value-system which the system is built on is changed then very little in a real way is possible and in order to change the value-system of the industry I think one has to participate and get involved ; to work from the inside. A lot of the people in the industry reinforce really objectionable views — they are actually quite nice people who have not been exposed to different arguments or different possibilities or else thought it was not possible to embrace them. What I do is get stuck in, in a critical positive way, expressing good will, saying "Here I am working in the Record Industry; I disagree with some of its basic tendencies — these are what they are — these are my arguments for them — this is what I consider to be an alternative — look at how I'm working; I'm showing that it can work." MS: So you're only personally involved with playing smaller gigs ? RF: It's an overt demonstration of a number of different ways of working. My aphorism on this is that one can work from necessity or one can work from intelligence. A band like Yes trill have to work the way I'm working now in about two years' time — the intelligent move would be to do it now. MS : You have been far more adaptable than a band like Yes, haven't you ? RF: Yes, because I'm a human being and want to survive. My self-interest is that I survive; my social interest is that everyone else survives — the two are inseperable. MS: A couple of years ago you said that there would be a major social shift; do you still see this as a possibility ? RF: Yes, I can even give you the timetable — anyone who wishes to establish, for example, a smallholding or a small anything, a small firm if you like, which is working within the market place but not governed by the market place has until the end of next year with the increasing economic difficulties —very little will be made possible after them. After next year there will be a period of three years in which it will be possible to consolidate — so until the end of next year we have establishment, then consolidation, then integration whereby the dominant social and economic forms change over from the large way of working to a network of smaller interacting units. By 1990 small mobile intelligent units will either be in charge or else we won't be here — it's as simple as that; we have ten years, no more. MS: You've mentioned a period spent in America: do you in fact prefer living and working there ? RF: Yes, one can work in America; one can't work in England and it's as simple as that. Musicians who go to America and stay there — it's not a question of them earning a fortune; it's because people are enthusiastic about their work and support it. Take the English music press; there's no reporter I've spoken to in America that understands the English music press. They have a respect for some of the "serious" articles which the American press doesn't really handle. They can't understand how, in England, if you're unsuccessful you're attacked and insulted and if you're successful you're treated the same way. In America if you're successful you're lauded. It's a commercial culture and the social mores are different. MS: Is not the American press sycophantic ? RF: That's a negative view but I agree with it. MS : Would you say there was an inverted snobbery in the English press in that a person like yourself is criticised for being cerebral (a small mobile intelligent unit) ? RF; I discovered that my life in England was built around defending myself from attack — that was the bottom line. So I return here to find that my work is still being attacked.; the review in Record Mirror this week of my new single says something like "Fripp puts head up a hole and discovers its his own arsehole" — that is the review of the record. I welcome sceptical criticism which works towards achieving impartiality but I wish nothing for cynicism — it's totally destructive. Some of the young writers in the English music press are simply acting as very cheap human beings — it's not even a question of saying that they're irresponsible. I mean I rather like the NME — it's easy to get ideas above one's station in my position so I welcome a levelling action that's positive but not destructive. Most of the writers I take to are genuine people who are fairly thoughtful and critical but not quite as thoughtful as me and not quite as analytical and don't even earn their living as a musician. MS: How did the American Industry react to the New Wave explosion over here in 1977 ? RF: I left the industry in 1974 to train in, if you like, how the human being can be a minimal unit; I returned in 1977 and. went to live in New York where the "new-wave" was then developing and it was a remarkably exciting year. But it took on a different form to England — in England the movement was far more violent and explicitly political; in America it was more of an artistic movement and therefore implicit politically. The industry only really allowed it to happen as a fashion just over a year ago— the industry over here didn't like it but because England is a smaller system it tends to be more malleable — it had greater cohesion. In America it had remarkable' vitality in the club scene but not in the record industry — the record industry had a life of its own quite apart from the people who actually enjoyed the music; because of the large oligarchic structure of the American industry it managed to ignore what was going on for a long time. MS : What do you think of the contemporary music scene ? RF: Generally it's reached an awkward point; say in 1977 you had an awful lot of enthusiasm and innocence; a lot of the bands weren't professional then but nevertheless had a remarkable amount of energy. Now, three years later, you've become a professional— you've used up your initial reserves ; now you have to be craftworthy — how do you do i it? How do you have access to the same kind of enthusiasm when you're losing your innocence ? A good analogy is with the act of coitus — when one loses one's virginity that is quite enough to make the act memorable — you don't have to be talented at the art as well. If after a year you're still not practised you're not innocent either—in other words you're just a lousy lay. The next stage is to go through the Kama Sutra until you've mastered all the techniques and can still be enthusiastic. This is in a sense mastery — one has access to all one's enthusiasm and innocence but can still do the job consistently — that's a good professional ! There's so much involved in being reliable. Whether or not the young bands wish to put the work into that kind of discipline remains to be seen. MS : Do you think it's necessary to be musically talented to make good music ? RF : No, all you need is commitment, then anything is possible. Most don't have that sort of commitment and I can say that from my own personal experience. MS : So you're not generally optimistic about the attitudes of the young bands you come into contact with ? RF: I wouldn't say optimistic or pessimistic and I wouldn't confine it to "young musicians". There are a lot of very skilful, professional musicians with whom I won't work. There are two approaches; you either work with someone who doesn't know what they are doing, and guide their energy, which is why I enjoy working with young musicians, or you work with someone who does but try to break down their knowledge, of music to unleash newfound energies. MS : Did you enjoy working with David Bowie ? RF: Yes, Scary Monsters was recorded very quickly. The difference between Scary Monsters. and Lodger is quite marked — the latter failed as an overall album — it had one or two interesting ideas but David didn't put the work into it that he put into Scary Monsters. MS : Will you be working with David in the future? RF: I've no idea, we have an open-ended contract. He came to see the League of Gentlemen in New York, and I am hoping to see him in The Elephant Man on Broadway. After Scary Monsters he also asked if I was interested in writing with him in the future. MS: Is it true that working with David brought you back to the musical arena ? RF: It was actually working with Blondie who were doing a benefit at CBGB's. I went along and rehearsed five or six tunes with them—it was lots of fun. That gig really got me back into playing. At the time I was producing Peter Gabriel; it was a significant pull back into performing. I am only committed to playing live up until September 1981 and after that I'll decide what to do. MAX SLEDGE PAGE 14 ATHLETIC Goals without Coles 7 Rugby Club reports. • • THE L.S.E. Rugby club, coming off an excellent 1980 season, opens up its 1981 campaign at home on January 14th, with the first XV squaring off against the Chelsea Police while the second XV take on the Dingle-berry Douchebags. The good standard of rugby at the L.S.E. has once again received a shot in the arm from our allies across the Atlantic. Most notable is that behemoth from the University of Pennsylvania, "Matt the American", or "the Blitz" as he has come to be called by his buddies. His domination of the lineout play in the first term was a big factor in the second XV quest for the Cup. ROY COLES has scored 56 goals in the year and one term he has been at the L.S.E. The A.U. pays tribute. . . . The soccer world was rocked to its foundations, as Private Eye would say, by the news that the Second team's Scottish terrier, Roy Coles, is leaving the L.S.E. Pining for a simpler life he is returning to his homeland to work in a bakery. Roy has been a truly prolific centre-forward in both league and cup matches in his time here. His play has been characterised by pace and balance, sharpness in turning and in seeing opportunities on goal, bravery and sometimes spectacular finishing. Several of his goals, many headed home despite his diminutive stature, would merit inclusion in any "Goal of the Month" competition. He has also been active in after-match celebrations and enjoys a "wee dram" now and again. It is sincerely hoped that he will recover from his pastoral aberrations and return to this decadent metropolis next year. Coles' departure is perhaps symptomatic of a disease spreading throughout the club. Other losses include Steve Sherrington, Nigel Whittaker and Jay Metcalfe. The latter's unorthodox brand of brutality (nut 'em in the balls) will be sorely missed. Matt Taylor, A.U. sec-* retary, is also reluctant to turn out, while Liam O'Donoghue, balletic play-maker of the third team and Paul Cummins, captain of the fourth, are both making noises about confining their involvement to one day a week. Is the collapse of the club imminent ? Draconian measures such as the selection of Jill Harris and Cerri Davis have even been suggested. Last Saturday, however, all seemed well as the three teams with fixtures overcame their opposition. This means that they can all look forward to an assault on their respective division titles. The Football Team— R. Rotes at far right. The first team showed no signs of having over-indulged during the- Christmas break, winning 5-0. This was despite the fact that the rock on which the team is built, Paul (the hunter) Davidson was slightly chipped following an incident with his kitchen table the night before. Somehow the bespectacled Geordie almost transformed the innocuous-looking table into a vehicle for suicide. Diving from it he descended vertically — straight back on to it! It is this kamikaze contempt for physical pain which makes him such a formidable defender and popular subject for psychology experiments. The Thirds were not quite so watertight, winning 7-5 in a game in which the ball was given away so much that one might have wondered if it contained an incendiary device. No doubt Andy Smith will try to steer his team clear of such playground football in future. Finally the Fourths won 2-0, with that irresistable inebriate Stan Walters scoring in his 1000th L.S.E. appearance. Behind the good results lie man^ weaknesses, which must be eradicated. The writing is on the wall but can the soccer club read ? Tompkins Likewise, the man from Williams, Lee Allison, in spite of his suspected addiction to cor-nettos which could seriously hurt his play this year, will nonetheless be called upon to produce those fine, jarring tackles and Mack-truck style running which has earned him the nickname "Mad Dog" Allison. Et is a pleasure to witness such enthusiasm in the club once more. It brings to mind those memorable days when such masters as Steve "the Moose" Glasgow and Crazy Ron "the G" Gutfleish graced the playing fields of New Maiden. Once again, our American friends have proven themselves in the face of adversity, have demonstrated that when the going gets tough, the tough get going and furthermore have displayed those qualities of strength and leadership which make America the greatest nation in the world. God Bless America! power AS a new year dawned a new regime imposed itself by means of a denous coup d'etat by Mark Tompkins. Mr Tompkins, who has only played once for the 2nd team, seized power over the Christmas vacation. Neil Confrey, the deposed captain, is not available for comment—he is believed to be in a secret hideout somewhere south of the river. At the close of the Michaelmas term, speculation was rife as to who would fill this venerated position. Many of the leading contenders have mysteriously defected to the Football Club, and as an indication of the seriousness of the matter one unfortunate individual has defected to the Hockey Club (whether he will get a game is a matter of conjecture). Mr Tompkins further amazed the troops of the Club by slotting into the 2nd XV at the glamorous glory showered position of stand-off. Will the Rugby Club survive as we know it ? Will Tompkins succeed in his bid? Will Paul Hendry get a job ? HOCKEEY THE end of last term saw a valiant five turn out against Bedford College who only had nine representatives on their behalf—it's obviously as welel a patronised sport there as here. We went on to play a seven-aside match and for almost the first time this season, we scored. This, however, did not mean that we won. In the first couple of weeks of this term there has been no hockey played. There is a match, however, this week on the 21st January which I hope might be well patronised by team members, most of whom have asked when the next match will be, which is most encouraging; or am I taking this tremor in their voices the wrong way ? Is it excitement at the prospect of another game or fear that there will be another opportunity to be the coldest they have been in one hours ? New Maiden bar opens The Bar that our sporting fraternity came to know and "love" last term was officially opened on January 9th, by the Director, Mr R. Dahrendorf. The Athletic Union would like to thank Mr Brian Whitworth and Mr and Mrs Poole for all their help in making it a most enjoyable evening. BEAVER ELECTIONS Barring any further developments at Union meetings, the next Beaver editors will be .elected on Tuesday, 10th February at the Publications Collective meeting. All nominations to the present editors by t pm on Monday, 9th February. COMING SOON Exclusive London appeorance of JOHN OTWAY pi"' WILD WILLY BARRETT and FRIENDS SATURDAY, 7th FEBRUARY * Two-hour Special Show* Tickets £2 advance with Student Card from Union Shop. TICKETS AVAILABLE SOON DEBATE between NLP Women's Group and the Spartacist Society Which way forward for women's liberation ? Autonomous women's movement versus Communist women's movement. 27th January (Tuesday), 7.30 p.m.—TV Room. North London Polytechnic, Kentish Town Site, Prince of Wales Road, London NW5. Creche provided. Printed by Ripley Printers Ltd., Ripley, Derby. Published by London School of Economics and Political Science, Students' Union, East Buildin?