BRmSH LIBRARY BEilVER NEWSPAPER OF THE STUDENTS' UNION, LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS AND POLITICAL SCIENCE (UNIVERSITY OF LONDON). DECEMBER, 1953 3d.—MONTHLY OUR ROLE IN THE RAG I Shocking Attitudes of Commissioner and Magistrate 'THE Guy Fawkes Rag was a protest * against the infringement of the liberty of the individual by the police. It was a demonstration for the i'reedom to celcbrate an historic occasion in a reasonable manner. The right was refused by the policc who denied us the .laturai privilege of holding a bonfire, and as a result, of the right to hold a procession, i he question that immediately springs to the mind is ','Why were we denied a bonfire The policc answers to this ciuestion were numerous. Many suggestions for sites were made to them by tue Fhoeni.v; Committee; but always an e.xcuse was found. For example the waste ground at the Castle was proposed, but here the reason was that the celebrations might upset the Irish population. This was said in spite of the fact that la.->t year the Scouts held a bonfire there. These poflice reasons sounded more like c.xcuses than e.xplanations. When told of the police action the Mayor of Southwark commented that he could not concei\-e the police giving such a statement. He was appalled by their conduct. THE COMMISSIONER Probablj' the true answer lies in the recent appointment of new Commissioner of Police, sixy-one year old Sir John Nott-Hower, who succeeded Sir ITarold Scott earlier in the year. Nott-Bower is a unique Commissioner in that he gained his position by steady promotion from the ranks. .At the age of nineteen he joined the Indian Policc Force. After twenty years of service he began his ascent to the top when in TC)33 he was appointed Chief Constable in the Metropolitan Policc. Sir Harold on the other hand reached the po.sition by a different route. He was a student at jesus College, Cambrigde, and was therefore sympathetic to student practices. He understood us unlike liis successor. Sir Harold who \\ as liked and l espect-ed by all, realized that it woiild be a (Corstinued on Page 3, Col. 1) Ceiling's Collapse Hastens Bar Opening "'DF.'WER" regrets to have to record that as a result of a fall ground floor conrmon room of the Students' Union Piuilding, o n e student. Miss- Beatrice Margurite Wat-kins, was slightly injured and the room had to be taken out of commission whilst repairs, which in\'olved the removal of the rest of the plaster, were being effected. It is hoped that the roon; will be reopened early in December. The prccise cause of the incident is not known. There had been no signs of a weakening of any part of the ceiling although the precaution had been taken some years previously of restricting the use of the Common room above in order to reduce any risk that there might be of a loosening of (Continued on Page 4, Col. 3} |3etition to J^arliament ^sisiemtileb at ISIesitmingtcr We, the loyal subjects of Her Gracious Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, do humbly petition her Majesty's servants in Parliament here assembled to enquire into the attitude of certain Constabulary Authorities in attempting to prevent a proposed demonstration of loyalty to Monarch and Parliament in commemorating the foiling of a dastardly plot against Crown and State in the year of grace Sixteen Hundred and Five on the Fifth day of the month Signed by the following citizens of London on the Fifth day of November in the year of grace 1953. of November. --L.S. Above is an authentic copy of the petition that was introduced into the Palace of Westminster' by an L.S.E. student on 5th November. The bearer was promptjy ejected. Attached to the petition, which was on white parchment in black, gold, red, and blue, were three typewritten sheets of signatures. Eye Witness Account of the "Insurrection'* By DAVID FARMER TF THl'^RE were many King's College ^ students who wondered why they are the butt of the o*:her colleges' jokes, theu the Guy Fawkcs' demonstration nmst have depleted the number of the v.ondering. It was apparent at Bow Street on the following Friday that King's College regarded the Rag as its offspring. Its students, were clianting tlieir achievements and proudly admiring the long list of their arrested couu'ades, whose names are now recorded on a towel within the sanctum sanctorum (jf the Chesham. The King's students' inability to escane the arm of the law and the ability of our colleagues have concealed file truth that we were largely responsible for the organisation of the more peaceful part of the Demonstration, which King's students tried to convert into a riot. Our college was the chief factor in co-ordinating the individual and otherwise inelfective actions of the other colleges. When tlve police announced on the i\Ionday--that all bonfires and, as a result, all demonstrations were banned, the L.S.E. leaders, who have no connection with the Union, telephoned the other colleges, arranged meetings and generally organized the Rag Night routine. L.S.E.'s PART W(^ were responsible for the cptiet and orderly march from St. Paul's Cathedral to the Aldwych, where the riotous spirit of King's College invaded the saner instincts of the head of the procession, which attacked the policc cordon. Here occurred tire most astute move of the evening, a move which saved (Continued on Page 3, Col. 3) TACITUS SOUNDS OFF AGAIN TTHli Presidential election comes but once a year; and—to paraphrase an old adage—when it come it brings with it speculation, gossip, and just a litle mutual recrimination on the part of the many; and much earnest talk, high endeavour, and self-righteous character assessment on the part of the few. ]>ut what of it? and indeed. Why not? A little constroversy serves to clear the air. However the election of the President is not taken all that seriously. No one really searches his heart, forsaking a close friend, to embrace the cause of a "better man". One may indeed spend hours ruminating on the intrinsic as well as the declared qualities of each candidate; but few do, and such is the way of the world—and elections! Pmt election time is an entertaining time and much amusement is derived by the irresponsible many at the e.xpense of the earnest few. This year, there was an air of general satisfaction at the remarkably high standard of most of the candidates. It was a case of "anyone's game" rather than the best of a bad lot. As interesting as ever were the methods adopted by the candidates in their campaigns—from the obviously earnest Mr. Mart.yn to the "I-am-cut-for-your-eye" Miss Wheeler; with Messrs. Hoskins and Watkins attitudes of "let the best man win. but I hope it's me." What a hearty English atmosphere prevailed of brotherly love and good cheer. This was made more manifest at the count where the candidates, sitting, together, vied with each other in offers NO CONFIDENCE MOTION FAILS MOTION of no confidence in the Union President, one of several similar motions relating to the other Union officers cattsed a heated debate at a recent Union meeting. It was described as "trivial", "mean" and "unnecessary", and was eventually defeated . Moving the motion, Mr. Bob Williams said the President Mr. (iideou Ben-Israel had heightened respect for the L.S.E. in other places to an amazing e.xtent during his year of office; but that his conduct of Union meetings was bad. He had made many mistakes because he did not know procedure. Mr. Williams alleged that the previous Thursday no discussion was allowed on a motion of urgency and tliat a point of order which he raised was ignored. Seconding the motion, Mr. Lu.stig said thai time and tiniu again the President had ignored the constitution. "TRIVIAL" Mr. Walters said he had never heard a motion moved in a more apologetic manner. The president had made a constitutional bhindcr; but he had the full support of the Union. Mr. Colin Sweet described the motion as "trivial". There are a number of people who don't know the consti-tition themselves, he said, and the time to complain was at the meeting not a week later. A member who said he was a fresher declared that he had been appalled at the activities of a group of 1 (Cocttinued on Page 2, Col. 4) IDESULTS of the Election for | Union President, General {. Secretary and Deputy President |; for 1954 were announced last i month, as follows: PRESIDENT—J. Martyn, 361 votes; B. Watkins, 308 votes; P. Hoskins, 98 votes; E. Wheeler, 85 votes. Mr. JOHN MARTYN elected. Ufci'UTY PRESIDENT — B. Watkins, 351 votes; J. Sheerin, 112 votes. Mr. BRIAN WATKINS elected. GENERAL SECRETARY—A. Peliing, 178 votes; B. van Arkadie, 112 votes; R. Chadwick, 105 votes. Mr. A. PELLING elected. of cigarettes, and patronising nods of encouragement to anxious supporters ; and, the result announced, much hearty shaking of hands and patting of shoulders. Election issues this time were seemingly in abeyance. No major issue, political or academic, predominated; no cries of injustice rent the air. There was general dissatisfaction with the way the Union is run. but then there always is, and the perennial criticism of small attendances palls somewhat when one considers that L.S.E. has one of the few Unions in the country that meets weekly. It was generally agreed that Mr. Watkins made the best impression at the Hu.stings —held before a packed audience, anxious as always for entertainment and higlx verbal explosives. Of the actual "Poster" attack, Mr. Martyn was the winner by a short head with Miss Wheeler's unusual and enterprising—though doubtless expensive—attempts a clo.se second. And so another election is over and another Presidential Year lies ahead. Such are the responsibilities and tribulations of office that the defeated candidates may take consolation in the fact that they can now sit back, casting a somewhat cynical eye on the Chair. To the occupant of the Chair go the very best wishes of members of the Union. TACITUS. 2 V E R BEAVER The Students' Union London School of Economics Houghton Street, London, W.C.2 Tel: HOL 4872 Editor ..................... Sander Rubin Assistant Editor ...... Roland Freeman Sports Editor ......... Robert Williams Reporters ............... David Farmer, C. I, Jackson, Roscmaiy Ellerbeck Sub-Editors ............ Myra Baun and Margaret Flint Circulation Manager.. .Glenda Griffiths Gowns A-billowing . . . 'i'o the Editor of "Beaver" Dear Sir, i'hc photograpli in the last edition ill Beaver, showing as it did half a dozen girls \vol)bliiig precariously on <'ycles while their gowns billow in the rear, was not calculated to help the cause of "gowns for L.S.E." If its purpose was to prejudice our own student's against gowns then it no tloubt had the desired effect—can anything look more ludicrous than young women clad in mortar boards and gowns, apart that is from their normal habit, struggling to preserve their dignity on bicycles? 1 should hke to emphasise that this is not the usual milieu in which gowns are worn, and personally 1 have never failed to be impressed by Oxford undergraduates wearing this academic insignia in the "High". It would certainly be a good tradition for L.S.E. to adopt, and if it is impracticable for everyone, then certain facultist, for example, Law and Arts geography, could recommend the custom to their own students. These, the t\\'o most select departments at L.S.E., could no doubt start the ball rolling, and the IxSc.'s (what-.soever) would then follow their lead. The expense difliculty is not insurmountable, and for a modest outlay a small, jacket length, "commoner" type gown could be purcha.sed. With this reduction in size would go a corresponding reduction in price, compared with larger variety and these ¦would also be less cumbersome in manoeuvring through L.S.E.'s narrow corridors. How can these reasonable suggestions be refuted. If they can't, why not go ahead? Yours etc., L. GRIFFITHS, B.A., Geog. 3rd year. Aldvvych. 23rd November, 1953. Appalling Manners . . . To the Editor of "Beaver" Dear Sir, As a mere fresher coming from a Convent where great stress is laid on good manners, may I say how appalled I was at BAD manners afforded Miss Elizabeth Wheeler bv the President, the three male candidates, and the gentlemen all sitting on the President's right at the Hustings on Thursday, November 12th. ]\'Iy points. Sir, arc these:— (i) Surely Miss Wheeler and her proposer should have made their presidential speeches first, not last. '(ii) The male candidates marched up the steps on to the stage in front of Miss Wheeler did not even turn and give her any assistance in climbing those .feteps, walked to their places and sat dwn without waiting for ]\Iiss Wheeler to be seated first. (iii) Neither the President nor the second gentleman rose when Miss Wheeler climbed on to the stage. (iv) When the same question was put to all four candidates, only twice did the President ask Miss Wheeler to answer first although from her actions it was obvius she often wished to do so. In all humilit}^ Yours etc., "AN OLD-FASHIONED GIRL." Aldwych. 13th November, 1953. ("Beaver" heartily endorses ail efforts to make L.S.E. males more chivalrous and L.S.E. females more maidenly.—The Editor.) Letters to the Editor Communism or Christianity . . To the Editor of "Beaver" Dear Sir, As University students, we surely had a right to expect a more objective and scietilic approach to the question of "Communism and Mankind" than Mr Gallacher gave us. In fact his lecture contained remarkably little to justify its title. He avoided any intellectual discussion of the principles underlying Communism and confined himself to an attack upon the evils of Capitalism. Granted, there are evils connected with Capitalism. Mr. Gal-lacher told us some of them which we could not deny, such as the exploitation of colonies. "Working men have been surrendered, isolated and helpless to the hard-heartedness of employers and the greed of unchecked competition ... .so that a small number of very rich men have been able to lay upon the teeming masses of the labouring poor a j-oke little better than slavery itself". It was not Karl Marx but l-'ope Leo XIII in iiis famous encj'clical "Rerum Novarum", who wrote these words even tiiough Mr. Gallacher tried in his brief reference to the clergy to identify them with Capitalism. The evils of Capitalism are evidence against Capitalism, not evidence for Communism. Indeed, F. j. Sliced in "Communism and i\Ian", tiiinks that thej' are "evidence against human nature ad we cannot dismiss the possibility that they might continue to show themsi^h-es in any new system made by men." "CURE FOR DANDRUFF" An emotional and loud-\'oiced de-calmation tliat Communism is the answer is hardly a tonvincing argument. Communism is an answer to Capitalism, but then, as F. j. Sheed said, "So is tile guillotine a cure for dandruff". Let us examine the Communist answer, ft is based on the theory of Dialectical IMaterialism, the practical interpretation of which means that the will of tlie State is morality. The will of tiie State is not the will of the majority . . . "The People stand precisely for the Party that does not know what it wills". Its will must be interpreted to it by "the great men" . . . the "world historical individuals" who carry out the great deeds required by the Idea. This kind of ideology entirely rules out individual freedom which Mr. Gallacher euphemistically terms "freedom not to have Capitalism." FRIGHTFUL COLLISIONS Mr. Gallaclicr attacked Britain's defence programme, implying that Russia only wants peace. If anyone believes that, let him consult Lenin. "We arc living," he said, "not merely in a state, but in a system of states, and the existence of the Soviet Republic side by side with imperialist states for a long time is unthinkable. One or the other must triumph in the end. And before that end super\'enes, a series of frightful collisions between the Soviet Republic and the bourgeois states will be inevitable." Then there is the Communist doctrine that "the end justifies the means". For this reason they are pro-pared tO' use hatred, falsehood and anything else that seems likely to serve their ends. They believe that class hatred is the cause of all progress and development. Hatred is certainly a dynamic thing—but it is not constructive. It is verj' useful for smashing all existing social orders, but it will never create a satisfactory one. "GROTESQUE SITUATION" Marxist theory on marriage and the famity, when put into practice in Russia, brought about "a simply grotesque situation"—according to an ex-Communist writer, so that "a great propaganda for stable marriages and large families was begun", and "for expediency's sake" Marxist practice in Russia, "has been put into cold-storage for the moment." The only answer to Communism is the Christian answer. None have declaimed more stringentlj' against social injustice than the Popes in encyclicals of recent years. Moreo\'er, thej' have set forth a programme for a new Christian Social Order which is notable for its sound comnionsense, its .sanity and its reasonableness which avoids extremes "whilst conceding nothing either to those who would maintain the present social system as it is, with all its miser}', poverty, scjualor and frustration, nor to those. \v ho exploit these evils in order to achieve the destruction of the'very memory of God". Onl}- in Christianity can be found the answer to Communism. Yet Christians themselves do really appreciate this, for if they did, as Douglas Hyde says, "they would have to proclaim it from the house-tops! And the signs that they are doing so are still too few in number." Yours etc., R.G.S. Aldwych. 26th November, 1953. Politics in the Union . . . To the Editor of "Beaver" Dear Sir. I verv' much enjoyed reading j'our u'.ain article in the October edition of "Beaver" on politics in the Union. It is always amusing to see oneself as others purport to see us, but some of the statements therein aie simply not born out by any evidence—it is therefore not surprising that none is produced, indeed the .article would be most misleading to the uninformed. I therefore crave permission to write a few comments in reply. Few people seem aware of the origin of politics in the Union elections. Shortly after the end of the war the Union Council was so dominated by one extreme left-wing minority society that the Labour Society decided to nominate its own candidates as the only way likely to get representation of the rest of the student body on the Coucil. The attempt was successful, but the last strictly political elections, which were strongly deplored by many people of varied opinion, occurred in December 1950. The resultant Council was not a successful one as I and other "party" members of it would freely admit. It is of course to be expectcd that Council members are often budding political figures. Both Union work and politics require people to be compeleni public speakers, to be prepared to do a considerable amount of drudging donkey work and above all to have a sense 01 disinterested public service. It. is also hardly surprising that the largest proportion of Councillors are Labour Society members since, taking last year's figures, there were approximately three members of Labour Society to every one in Conservative Society and six for every member of the Liberal Society. But this has not produced a "closed shop" on behalf of the Lab. Soc. At the last general election for Vice-Presidents the gentleman at the top of the poll was n l^een Liberal. The current Chairman of the Cons. Soc. is an ex-Vice-President, whilst at the last Presidential election one of the three candidates to get over two hundred votes had no political affiliations. A past President, Mr, Keith Bolderson. was also non-political, whilst Mr. Ho.<;kins was elected Vice-President with an overwhelm, ing ma,iority as an Independent. ROLE OF ORGANISATIONS It should however be appreciated that unless societies are constantly on the loolcout for promising people and unless some organisation provides a medium for them to be proposed, seconded and made known to the Union at large, then the vacancies are not likely to be filled by good people and an apathetic Union is the re.sult. This is a function provided in the past by the political societies at L.S.E. but it could quite well be performed by other societies. It may be mentioned that in the case of the Lab. Soc.. they have always insisted that the members elected should put the interest of the Union before that of the Society, and I am prepared to believe that this is the case with most, if not all. other political societies. And with due deference to my political opponents, I think they have put forward candidates of eaually good quality and have often got them elected. It is also wrong to presume that the party caucus issues voting instructions to their members. I stated at a Lab. Soc. general meeting at this time last year that I considered it an insult to the intelligence of students to tell hem how to vote and the dispersion of members' votes at the last Presidential election would appear to have pretty well conformed to the total dispersion of votes amongst the candidates. Anyone who has stood in an election would readily admit that a political qualification is in many ways a disadvantage and that membership o£ cultural, religious and A.U. societies is much coveted for this purpose. (It also accounts for one or two Y.H.A. members who discovered that it has the smallest sub!) Above all. past service in a major or minor capacity of the Union undoubtedly carries more weight than anything else, which is wholly right and proper. However, membership of a pohtical society is a good guide to a person's outloolc on life in the same way that membership of Cath, Soc., S.C.M. or Ihe Arts Club is —so let's have as much information as possible about the candidates put up on the board, rather than whispering it about that X is a Communist. The more that is known the easier it is to pick the best. FATUOUS TACITUS How fatuous it is then for Tacitus to suggest that our liberty is in jeopardy! What docs he mean b.y petty intrigue? What is unnatural about rash speculation in an election? Surely idle gossip is the essence and Joy of an election and of student life. Will he please give, me an instance of a candidate standing down to prevent splitting the party vote? At the last election there were four Lab. Soc. members for thi'ee seats. Two were elected and both had many other merits. I know of only one instance where political considerations have influenced the appointment of a minor Union official. That was a case in the External Affairs Committee where a certain small political group has a particular axe to grind which the Union does not wholly endorse. I know of no other instance and I challenge Tacitus to provide evidence of his very serious allegations. And whilst I cannot speak for other societies than the Lab. Soc. I should be most interested to know which .societies are supposed to be losing their sense of proportion and be seeking to impress their political imprint on Union members and infringe their freedom. I can just imagine that discussion runs riot as to .whom the largest parly is supporting since they are usually supporting nobody in particular though their members may choose to help any candidate in this campaign. Finally it is obvious that Tacitus cannot remember the "clean, unbiased issues" at the last Presidential election such as the Union constitution, improving Public Business, the welfare of overseas students, the new degree, the Refectory, etc. I look forward therefore to more concrete evidence in further issues of "Beaver." but meanwhile I am forced to the conclusion that Tacitus' lack of knowledge and his worldly generalisations and platitudinous prognostications do him no credit. In the forthcoming elections 'the largest for two years) I would urge all Union members flo vote for the best people according to their own lights and if they should be Lab. Soc. types it is hardly surprising. They are a common species and the society is not ashamed of its past record of service to the Union. And when all is said and done, no Union Councillor has yet kept Clare Market Review solvent or prevented the refectory from giving us physical and mental dyspepsia. I am. Sir, vour obedient reader, STEVE R. McCOMBIE, Chairman of Labour Society, 19r)2-53, Member of Union Council 1950-51. (Continued from Page 1, Col. 3) people who treated the Union meeting as their private playground. "MEAN" Hr. Harold Cohen thought the motion was "mean" as the President had only two weeks of his period of office left and had done great things for the Union. Mr. Dolley expressed dissatisfaction with the w'ay meetings were mn. He alleged partisan handling of the business and complained that too much was crowded into the agendas. Mr. Rose said a small faction were abusing the procedure of the L^nion. They were deliberately placing the President in a ver\' difficult position. A member then rose on a point of order to ask the Deputy President, Mr. John Martyn (who was in the chair), what would be the result if the motion were carried. Mr, Martyn: The President would re,sign, A voice: What would happen then? Mr, Martyn: That would depend on what happens to the motion of no confidence in me! (Laughter.) The Union President, Mr. Ben-Israel (Continued on Page 3, Col. 1) BEAVER 3 Budget Meeting Crowds Agenda I Treasurer Fails to Balance JBooks In Flurry of Motions I^IVELII'^ST Union meeting of the nionth was, as might be expected, the Budget meeting. Over ^^1,500 had ¦to be allocated including nearly £300 in grants to societies. A hot war be-iwecn societies (juickly developed. The Chess club was assailed for de-¦inanding too much, C.M.R. success fully resisted a proposal to cut the number of issues, and while Jazz and Music societies clashed discordantly "Beaver" got off quietly with an e.xtra ten pounds. THE UNBALANCED BUDGET (Consternation broke out when Senior Treasurer, Arthur Driver, announced that the alterations proposed by Union members involved spending eight pounds ten shillings more than the total income! "This" said Mr. John Sparrow with unusual wisdom" "is ridiculous". Somebody suggested that consideration of the budget should be adjourned (applause)—and that the Treasurer should sort it out afterwards (prolonged applause). The Hustings for Deputy President and General Secretary also had to be postponed causing some dissatisfaction the last of which has not yet been heard. TIME, GENTLEMEN, PLEASE! It was unfortunate that so little time (just over an hour) was available for discusion on the Budget. As Deputy President John Martyn remarked: "This is the most important meeting of the year and we are just tearing through it". True. But the fault must lie partly with those who prepared so formidable an agenda; Returning Officer's Report, Questions to officers, Statements by ""officers. Motions on External Affairs, the Budget itself, and then Hustings for General Secretary and Deputy Pre.si-¦dcnt just for good measure! This gave the "hold up business at all costs" brigade a golden opportunity to raise the frivolous points of order and the usual motions to move the President out of the Chair in which they specialise. More lime appeared to be .spent arguing about procedure than on the real business of the meeting. The moral of which seems to be that the Budget should have a special evening to itself next year. Rushed meetings, especially on money matters, satisfy nobodj'. N.U.S. Council Cuts Book Shop^ Delays Grants Campaign 'jpHERL were two outstanding matters to be discussed at the National Union of Student Council meeting held in Bristol last month. First and foremost was linance, in particular in relation to this j'ear's loss on the N.U.S. Travel Department. The whole matter was discussed seriously and soundlj' —there-was little of Ihe panic which some had feared. The main deci.sion taken was that the Executive and Finance Committees in consultation with the auditors, solicitors and trustees should investigate the possibilities of registering the Travel Department as limited company and that the decisions reached should be implemented by them. Our attempt to get these decisions discus.sed at the next Council, before they were implemented, was overidden. The bookshop is bcinfi wound up with a deficit of £1500. The Vacation Work Department, by making very commendable economies, has made a profit and on the basis of this in future the women's registration fee for canning factory work will be reduced from 12/6d, to 10/(id. This was the Budget meeting and no Budget ever goes through a student organ-i.sation unscathed, for where there is comparatively little income, expenditure must be carefully scrutinized. Various cuts were proposed and. chiefly due to the linited elTorts of the L.S.E. delegation and the Institution of Education, over £200 has been budgeted in the reserve fund. The second memorable decision of this Council was the acceptance of Associate Membership of the International Union of Students, with terms to be negotiatea along the lines suggested in a very sane and reasoned motion from Birbeck. The eventual vote was 70—19—6 ; a happy and decisive victory. The invitation of the Anti-Fascist Committee of the Soviet Youth to send a delegation to the Soviet Union has been acceptcd most probably for the Easter vacation and that delegaion will include one member of this Union. On this context I should like to report that the exchange with the Karl Marx Institute (Continued next Column) NEW UNION PRESIDENT IS A NAN OF PARTS J Escapes African Native Wedding of Economics in j T1 HAS bec;n said of John Martyn I that his fanatical devotion to duty is his sole asset. Certainly to those Bulgaria has acceplcd for next term. L.S.E.'s motions were not so successful. , The Executive argued that our motion i ^vho have known him only as Deputy asking that vacation allowance be paid as I President his sincerity and competence one with the total grant to students was -.r,, mo^t •inn-n-cnt P.nt already N.U.S. policy. We were not satis- | f ^ V , beneath the ficd that this was so on the proof given, i ^ tincl sciious-iiiindcdncss However, our motion was not put but the | lit-'s the personality which at Uni\ ersity E.xecutivc have given us an assurance j College earned him the name of Mad Minister | Martvm. Since his election to President of Education on this matter of agreed , i- ^.i: r'„; , 1 1 i 1 x policy." i "I the Lmon, he has revealed to us Our motion calling for a national grants | f^^^ts \\'hich previously he was obliged campaign was defeated 41—103—4, but it to conceal. It was known that he had produced the best debate on grants and been at University College before fees for many years. The arguments: • . ¦ e 1,- k,,(. r . 1 against us were mainly on the matter of I people IS no guilty (ContinuetJ from Page 1, Co!. 1) degradation of his position to act like a petty tyrant and so he permitted student celebrations. Neither Nott-Bovver's background nor his hobbies (shooting, fi.shing, and sailing) provide him with the necessary' qualities to understand the people whom he controls. He regards people not as individuals who are entitled'to some degree of self expression but rather as a mass which must be controlled and regulated in as many ways as possible. Nott-Bower, unlike Sir Harold, did not realize that it is dangerous to forbid absolutely the expression of student feelings. He somewhat resembles a Victorian father with the people as his family, who must be beaten when they attempt to act without his approval. But even the iron Nott-Bower must now be convinced that serious repercussions will follow if he pursues his policy of suppression. We .suggest that he takes a leaf from Sir Harold's book and acts in a more considerate manner in future. (Continued from Column 1) Sir Laurance Dunne, who doubt an honorable man, was of seveial indiscretions when he was trying student cases at Bow Street on the following PViday. These indiscretions reilected no credit on J3ritish Justice and were therefore not commendable. Almost all the students pleaded guilty but one bra\-e soul decided instead to fight for justice. He pleaded that the police were just going round making arrests at random. He alleged that he heard one police officer say to another "Let's ha\'e a big one now". That, he maintained, explained his pn:;sence in that court. The magistrate replied "1 realise that on such a night mistakes are made, but I intend to accept the police evidence." timing, with particular reference to the events of November 5th and the arguments from what has been described as the pacifist attitude that N.U.S. had been making steady progress in the field of grants and to make a public campaign now would not aid our position—we neea patience not tub-thumping. It is .said that our motion welcoming the Southern Rhodesian Scholarship fund was moved to lie on the table. The chief reason for this was the lack of any detailed proposals on the legal and academic aspects of the fund. Other delegates felt thai if they voted for this motion they would be committed to, vote money to it in their Unions and were not willing to do so in its present slightly nebulous form. However, there was a call from the Chair that Unions .should moneys to the funds. meeting, money has continued to be voted by other Unions for the fund, although not so much as we might otherwise have expected. We will take definite proposals to next Council in April and I have no doubt that the fund will then receive near unanimous support. In closing I think I can say that this Council has again furthered the position of this Union in the N.U.S. toward.'; our aim of being accepted and respected for realised that he had had the good sense to be sent down after one year, spent in improving his already expert knowledge, of the art of entertaing the opposite sex. He rented a £6 6s. od. Hat. The next six months he spent in the ]iorters canteen at Euston, where the Station Master brought him his "Times" every daj' (except Sundays when lie brought the "Observer"), 'firing of this .strenuous activt\', John j)ut himself on a train for Liverpool, where he got a job with the Electricity Board as a complaints clerk. This continue to vote ' ^ -'^p^ rience .should prove useful in try-Since the Council ing to justify his policies. It was in the army before ever he came to University that John developed a partiality for nuts. I3eing of good linglish stock, he was posted to the Welsh Guards. When he had failed to instil in his Commanding Officers any Socialist principles he placed himself on the transfer list. We make no comment on the fact that he was our value in the way other more con- ^ accepted by the Intelligence Corns ventional colleges are and yet holding "> 1"^-•iniuiif,ence corps our own u.suall.v progressive and some- i^'^d posted overseas. Inteispersed w ith (Continued from Page 2, Col. 4) was invited to speak; but simply rose and said "I am content to leave the matter in the hands of my Union." The motion was put to the vote and heavily defeated amid loud applause. The motions of no confidence in other officers were not proceeded with owing to the late hour. UNBALANCED SCALES We have always been told that the defendant receives the benefit of a doubtful case, and that, in practice, the scales of justice are weighted in favour of the defendant. But it appears from the magistrate's statement that the whim of a man dressed as a protector of the peace can more than balance a vast weight of truth uttered by a poor unfortunate who has run foul of the caprice of the police. One lady who was not a student, was arrested on a charge of loitering. On being epnvicted she asked Sir Laurance if she_ could appeal. To this the magistrate replied "I would not advise you to do so becausc it will cost you a lot of money." INSULT AND TRAGEDY How meaingless is the supposed fairness of our legal system if such an attitude is adopted by those \\ ho ad-minster its justice. It is an insult to the people; an insult that should be eradicated. It is a tragedy that an honourable man like Sir Laurance . should soil his hitherto unblemished | record with such irresponsible state- i A ments, which reflect upon the fairness I of the student trials. ' times recalcitrant views with sincerity and steadfastness. DEBORAH JONES. Vice-President External Affairs. November, 1953. (Continued from Page 1, Col. 2) the Demonstration from degenerating into a fiasco similar to the King's Pjeer Race of the early afternoon. The leaders (]uickly spread the word for everyone to disperse and to re-a.s.semble at Westminster at 8.30. This move baffled the police, who were surprised at the apparently tame ending of the affair. y\t Westminster we were joined by v.he group, which under the admirable direction of University College, had raised the banner of student freedom, at I'iccadilly Circus. Here L.S.E.'s chief function was to protect the petition, and to try to take it into Parliament. Both these objects were achieved, but no results emanated Irom tlie latter, except that the bearer was ejected. BRUTALITY OF POLICE Ma 113.' incidents occurred of policemen attacking .students and students attacking policemen. But the brutality of the police was almost inconceivable. For example, one student was attacked and badly beaten by seven burly p(jliccmen, one of whom had apparently lost his helmet. But it is difficult to find adequate praise for the police. The way they herded students together and then rode horses into both sides of the group was admirable. Eventually, however, by using charts, diagrams, horses, fists,- and \ile language, the police drove everyone out of Parliament Square and into Trafalgar Square. After a while, the Demonstration gradually broke up after involving the Strand Corner House and the Underground Station. We broke up hoping that the Commissioner would now be convinced that even he could not infringe our rights without serious repercussions. his horseriding in India and ski-ing : in .-Vustria, John gained a sympathetic j understanding of the problems con-' fronting the turbulent sub-continent demanding freedom and an exhau.sted Europe crying for peace. JFe left the ' army with a taste for travel, and set , off at once for South Africa in search of gold. In Swaziland he found it and ¦ a chief who nearly robbed us of the privilege of having John as our President. The chief lined up his live daughters and, prodding them and pinching them to show them off to the best advantage invited John to choose one as his wife. Thereupon John decided that goldmining was too luizardous an occupation for a man of his sensibilities, and went south. Pen-• niless, he developed his fine muscles ste\-edoring in Cape Town w-hile awaiting for a boat back to England. On his return, he felt the need for security and a steady income, so he I went to University on a grant, and here he is todav. ROSEMARY SANDS. AFTERMATH CROWD of about five-hundred students congregated outside Bow (Continued '- way SOCCER TEAM TRIM& MERTON BY ONE GOAL 2nd Round Surrey Senior A.F.A. Cup ^HIS Soccer game was almost a replica, of last year's, when L.S.E. won by the odd goal. For the first 15 mins. Merton did mst of the attacking, but then L.S.E.'s inside forwards White and Stephens gradually brought their wings into the game. Half-way through the first half Young, after receieving the ball from Boultbee, centred to the far post where Weddop headed home a neat goal. Play swung to the other end as the result of a Gardiner clearance, where Young dispossessed the home goalkeeper and scored. Half-time: L.S.E. 2; Merton 1 ^'Uthough L.S.E. attacked, Merton. were the next to score with a well-taken shot from the left-wing. Merton gradually dominated the game and scored again through their centre-forward. The L.S.E. defence of Gillam, Finnic, Bartlett, and (iardiner was being sorely tested, until Davies sent Ik'ockhouse away. Young equalising from the resulting centre. With 15 mins. to go both teams fought hard. White tastened on to an L.S.E. clearance, passed to Young who drew his man and then slipped the ball to Widdup who steered the winning goal home. Young was the pick of the forwards, Garchner was outstanding in defence. Result: L.S.E. 4; Merton 3. Pain and Pleasure Among Hockeyites jy\ liMlM'lRS of the first team were not among those w ho deplored the loss of the English Soccer record in never having lost at home. Not having won a game this season, indeed, they think the breaking of records to be a desirable object, although that same fact makes them sympathetic to all losers. l!nt if they ha\e not won a game,, they have, and this is perhaps more important, enjoyed eveiy game and given of humble best (and very much so say uncharitable critics). Comparison with the Rugger Club—noted elsewhere in this paper—is (juite unfavourable. But then the Rugger Club' train in the bar after each match and take it far more seriously. Why the Hockey Club should have and gathered everyone else who was interested. Not least among our worries was the explanation of the title. A new geneiation of students had come into tile School and it was surprising how many people did not know that "Usikugoma" was Swahili for "night , this rather surprising record is not easy of festivities"! Once the e.xplanation 1 to nlace. Two of their members have sank in, the tickets began to sell out— ' played for the University while the but that was not before the Friday I Captain, Allan Warren, is an out-afternoon. In the evening the Rcfec- | standing player surely destined for toiy- packed itself out with a p{)lyglot ; representative honours next year. Fate audience of some 400. Although the | is, like all women, an unpredictable dancing had perforce to be limited— j mistress, and who knows what the the language barriers went down and | future may bring. Did not I3urnley, the song and dance of five continents ^ after having lost eight on ten succes-pro\'ed as acceptable to all as their i sive games go into a winning run that own. ¦ 1 lasted two seasons? We hope the I parallel holtls. ¦----1 SIVREJ TI^EP.OR. (Continued from Page 1, Col. 1) i The Women's Hockey Club has the plaster. In view oi the age of the 1 pleasure in recording the following building and the fact that it has been ; niatch results: converted to a purpose for which it i \st Nl: University College 2nd XI, (such mimics are born, not made). Sheila Barnes and Jimmy Green were a Cockney barber, a female sound effects technician who puts her all into her work (one of his Ix'st). He does what he likes, likes what he does (its obvious), and takes his audience right with him. If it were possible to name a star in a type show which depends as much on the man who pulls the curtain (and it was liarry Ziff) as it does on its lead comic—then I ony Edwards would be that star. Those l^aurie girls, Mar\' and Jennifer, d(;serve a wry special word. Everybody around us said they were showttoppers, and that's just what they were. It's hard to believe that the old' chestnut of every amateur skit night—the mimed grarnaphone record —could be so good. The Lauries are a perfect team: Jennifer a straight to Mary's comic. An inspired mugger, this Mary. She must have studied a (Continued next Column) especially smooth. Faces we saw-over and over: Joyce (^.lompus, Valerie Chaney, I'ob Williams, They all worked hard. "I'^a:hings", Rosemary Sands' solo, liatl its points. Clever Ivrics, of which the show ha, lost. 2nd XI: Westfield College, i—o, won; Shirley Ladies' Hockey Club, 4—2, won; P>cxlcy Hospital, 7—8, won. New members will be welcomed, and any prospective goalkeepers will be given every encouragement. Egl{li;il|||i|iini"iinii'ii|||||||!|ilini>|||||inii|i|iiniiii"iit!l||l|||iiinmn'iili!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii|!i!|||||||||||||||{|iL' m THE WORLD'S GREATEST ¦ M BOOKSHOP S ^ I'oi; HOOK'S m = All new Books available on day of m M publication. Second-hand and rare g m Books on every subject. J m Subscription.s taken for Briti.sh and g H oversea.s magazines; and we have a m I first-class Postal Library. | g Depts. for Music. Stationery. Records, g p Handicraft Materials. M i 119-125 CHARING CROSS ROAD, § i LONDON, W.C.2. 1 a Gcrrard 5G60 (16 lines) " Open 9-6 p I (incl. Sats.) g g Two mins. from Tottenham Court Rd. g ( Station. = ^!!ll!iai!llllll!ll!l!!!llii!lllllllll!lll!ll!lllllllllll!llllllill