Show 1 F OPINION I O. O N I r r D. D C C. C Answered The recent unjustified and pr prejudicial pro pre judicial attack on fraternities am and sororities which appeared in thi this column demands that an answer b be made to its accusations if th the Greek letter organizations are t to retain their standing in the eyes eye of the collegiate world Before proceeding to the specific charges made let us understand the situation n itself The letter signed D C. C was not written a as s might first be supposed by a non non- fraternity man but by a member of the first national fraternity on this campus an organization which has been serving the University o of Utah for more than twenty years a 3 a group which includes on its membership roster some of the most outstanding and active men who have graduated from the University University Uni Uni- during that time And so at first sight the letter should bear some weight But the nig ger in the woodpile lies in the fa fact t that this man was recently suspended suspended suspended sus sus- from his chapter for infractions infractions infractions of its rules Now to proceed to the letter it it- it self Written in response to a clear statement of the benefits derived derived derived de de- de- de rived by the university from the Greeks Greeks Greeks-a a statement made by Miss 1 Lucy Van Cott dean of women a woman who for many years has had an opportunity to observe the workings of these organizations organizations- this mans man's communication declared that the effectiveness of the universities universities universities uni uni- in the onward march of civilization will be when all sororities sororities soror soror- iti s and fraternities are kicked out Strange is it not that the obvious obvious obvious ous rottenness of the situation situations s should escape the eyes of the dean of women a person trained in the ways of students and chosen because because because be be- cause of that training to supervise the lives of the women students here 1 Her blindness however he attributes to the fact that she clings too much to the ideals of of's s 's sorority ity and fraternity life Upon what may nay I inquire does the foun dation of any government any business any organization rest if not not- upon not upon ideals 1 True they are are pot not always fulfilled to that degree upon which they were founded butto but butto butto to err is human Far better is isit isit isit it not to have ideals even though they be not f fulfilled to the h highest extent than to exist with nothing more inspiring than the sordid struggles of a selfish world to urge one to deeds of manhood The writer then attacked the groups as lacking proper leader leader- ship Even assuming that he speaks with authority about the organization organization organization or or- of which he is a member member member mem mem- ber which I ser seriously doubt judging judging judging judg judg- ing by its achievements in tHe past just what does he know about the le leaders ders of other organizations organizations organizations Are the intricacies of politics politic within these groups so negligently negligently negligently neg neg- exposed to the world in general that one man knows with authority that being president of a sorority is like winning a bathing beauty contest and being a fraternity fraternity fraternity frater frater- president like being a charter charter charter char char- ter member of the Score club 1 Leaving the futile discussion of the groups within themselves let letus letus letus us now consider the charges that they exist to the detriment of the IIII I university it itself Politics Politics the writer writ writ- er charges result in throat cut cut- ting And why not pot or br better under what whit governmental system can he imagine that politics would not result thus Throat cutting is prevalent in every ever system of electing men to fo offices that exists today and md if fraternities and so sororities sororities so so- did no not take such action other groups or individuals would carry carryon on the worthy cause in their stead Surely it is no reason to disparage them because they are interested enough to take an active part in politics even though th they y may not be capable of rising above bove those thos unquestionably condemnable tactics in every-day every use by their seniors Finally turn to the bull sessions ses sessions sessions ses- ses of the fraternity I challenge D. D C C. to gather together anywhere under ordinary circumstances circumstances circumstances circum circum- stances an ordinary group of men menor menor menor or women and have the general themes under discussion vary greatly from those in a n bull ses ses- ses- ses sion Does the mere fact that a aman aman a. a man wears a fraternity pin piny so change him that his conversational topics also change 1 Men are men D. D C. C regardless of their As far as your charge goes I reply that I have listened to some hig highly ly elevating discussions in my fraternity house If you cannot honestly say the same accept my condolence Congratulations Dean Van Cott upon your conclusions with regard to letter Greek-letter organizations I agree with you and can speak with conviction with regard to one fraternity that the Greeks strive constantly to benefit society serve the he university to which they owe their heir existence and promote the welfare of their members both in individually individually in- in and collectively We Wc appreciate recognition by bya by one of your position and value it far higher than the unwarranted and quite possibly revengeful criticism of one who himself has failed to secure from his fraternity the ben ben- hidden behind the mysticism I of its its Greek symbols L. L E. E CRONE I |