Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

MLMBIH "The Pacesetter of the Seventies" JOHNNY TURNER TYLER HAMMETT Editor Managing Editor CHUCK JACKSON. Assistant Editor DON NOTTINGHAM, Business Manager Executive Editors Gary Johnson, Tom Cauthorn, Bobby Phillips (Unsigned editouals are the opinion ot the Cluster and should not be confused with news stprres Srflni-d columns and cartoons ara the opinions of the authors and not the Cluster I I he Cluster welcomes Je ters from individuals, expressing their views and opinions on any sub jects I he letters t ] | must be 500 words or less, (2) must bo typed double space, (3) must be signed t’\ author, name can be withheld from publication upon consent of the editor, (4) once letters are received, they become Cluster property. The Cluster reserves the right to reedit or not to publish tins it :'er not in good journalistic form and style. Death on campus When Mercer students :tnd faculty gathered in I unit of the flagpole last I uesday in an attempt to speak out against the death of the four Kent State students, they did so instinctively. They sat quietly on the grass not realizing that they would be ridiculed by many fellow students, as well as photographed and editorialized. WMAZ’s cameras and the Macon Telegraph’s reporter did not enter their minds. They simply reacted to a violent and needless death of fellow stu dents. What the Ohio National Guard did on May 4 was wrong, and somehow they felt someone must say this so they sat out m the sun for two hours under a flag at hall mast to say it. Then Dean Trimble stood in front of them, and said in words what their pre sence in effect said. There must be some way to end this insanity of violence and war. protest and counter-protest, and threats, other than mere violence, more war. more protest, and more Counter protest, and more threats. There must be an alternative. How is it possible to make a valid pro test in our society when the act inevit able leads to an insane spiral of reaction, counter-reaction and violence; and finally, as in Ohio, corpses. President Nixon said in his C ambodia statement that when “dissent turns to violence, it invites tragedy.” But the President com pletely missed the real tragedy. The greatest cause for sadness is caused by the structure of our society dissent must turn to violence, dissent must be come “tragedy.” dissent must lead to be coming what you are trying to protest. And the question which those stu dents who sat under the flagpole, and those who stood around criticizing them, and those who went about their, business as if nothing happened, should ask (hem- selves is why why do we do nothing, until we have corpses lying in our streets? Dorm conditions cramped Any Mercer male who has attempted to move oil campus in the last year has continually been confronted with a time worn question “Are you 21?” If he happens to be under that absurd figure his only chance of changing his residence is a letter from a physiei in or pshychi- atlist stating that dormitory life is detri mental to his health, unless he is living with relatives in Macon. It does not matter if a student (and his parents)-feel that living off campus would be better for any number of rea sons. it the above conditions don't apply ins request will be turned down. The rea son continually given for this is financial, flic Housing Office must fill the dormi- t.oj ics to keep them open. ( lumitlv each student living on camp is pays SI 24 a quarter for his room (including health lees’). Since two people 'generally share a room this places the total cost at x24(i a quarter. For this they icccive one cramped room, use of a -communal bath, and a minimum ot fur niture and storage space. If'fortunate enough to be housed m Sherwood Hall they are'graced with a sink and at least space to walk around. Fringe benelits of the dormitory include lack of privacy, noise at any time of the day or night, and if you happen to be an upperclass man the sheer joy of possibly rooming next to a freshman. It seems ludicrous that for S10 to S25 more a quarter for each resident two per sons could rent an off-campus apart ment l or this extra expenditure they receive two rooms, wall to wall carpet, private hath, and a relative degree of privacy. I his also frees them from the mandatory meal ticket. Yet it is virtually impossible for a student under 21 to move off campus. It the university is going to persist in its policy changes should be made. Why not include some of the advantages ol apartment living in the dormitories. One place to,begin might be Shorter Hall. It could be made more comfortable by reducing every two rooms to one thus decreasing the cramped conditions. It the bousing fee has to be increased who will complain if a private bath and the right to privacy are in the offing. The Cluster Staff Advertising Manager Advertising Stall Bryant Durham New v ftditor News StalT Glcndu ( ope land I eature I ditor . . . l eaturc Stall . . Brian Murray. Lou Child.* C’i»-sportv h ditor* Greg Stimvon, C'baric ft difonalivtv Cal Gough. l^aiTy ft ml Marion Murray . Mary Deft-reese hlijoh Ughtfool .Charter Carter Marsha Mathews Judy Wright Swain. Wesley Smith. Gent Tom Robinson . Wagoner Ted KandJer tclsiein Columnist Andi Lrost Copy ft ditors Joe Parker I'd ft ishcr layout Consultant Lynn Mayes Photographers . r Joe Cook Bob Johnson Advisor ,x Mr. Michael Cass The Mercer Cluster is a weekly student publication published by tftre students of Mercer University The phone number is 743-151 1. extension 221. The address is Box 29. Mercer University. Office room 326 and 328 C SC Office hours are 9 0 0 5 00. Monday through I riday Subscriptions are S5.00 fHL MFRCLR C LUSTER • Mav 12. 1^70 • 2 Cambodia gamble Is costly strategy President Nixon has taken the paradoxical position that it is possible to end the Vietnam War by escalating the fighting into Cambodia. If such action had been taken by Pre sident John son a few lace years ago, it is doubtful that he would have received nearly as much criti cism as has been heaped upon Nixon, especially from Con gress, for the hawks have become more dovish. But times and emotions have changed, and many people have seen the disaster of a ground war in Southeast Asia becoming a quagmire for American troops to be drawn into. If we overlook the mother hood and apple pie phrases in Nixon’s “Cambodia State ment” of April 30 (and we must realize that these phrases are necessary to appeal to a large group of Americans — the Silent Majority, perhaps), we can see some logic in what the President has decided to do. From a military slandjvoint it is essential to ‘‘clean out major enemy sanctuaries on the Cambodia-Victnam border" in order to protect American forces as the withdrawal pro gram proceeds. For too long the enemy has been able to cache supplies of ammunition and food in places a short distance into Cambodia and know that these supplies were safe from American troops; no war can be fought successfully on terms like this. But there arc other con sideration with respect to this new development. In a guerilla war it is all but impossible to make a quick “surgical strike” effectively and then withdraw. Nixon was careful to explain: "Our purpose is not to occupy the area. Once enemy forces are driven out of their sanc tuaries and their military supplies destroyed, we will withdraw,” If this can be done in one or two months, this massive political (and military) gamble will have paid off for the President; but if, as Robert Goralski of NBC News pointed out, Nixon must come back to the American people In six weeks and announce that with only 10,000 more troops and ten more weeks the Com munists can be cleared out of Cambodia he will have signed his political death warrant (which is relatively unimpor tant vis a’ vis the deaths of the thousands of American troops who would be destined to die if the Hghting had to be ex panded again . . . and again . . . and again). Being in college, of draft age, and without a deferment for the coming year, it is dif ficult to be objective in this situation. The national unity of the United States has always been perhaps its greatest asset, but that unity has been severe ly harmed in recent years by the Vietnam War, and the Cambodia Statement has strained the situation to an almost unbearable limit. Every person is being forced to ask himself “What if this doesn’t work? How much longer will this war continue?” With ques tions like this it is rather mean- ingless that the President assumed personal responsibility for his derision. But the decision has been made. Troops have invaded Cambodia, and the right or wrong of the decision is aca demic at this point. The agony that President Nixon went through in arriving at his deci sion is equalled if not exceeded by millions of Americans who are now hoping desperately that this risk will pay off. Wait ing and waiting and waiting; it is all but unendurable. Let’s hope that the answer comes soon — very soon. SGA OK s I. D. Check In the SC. A meeting of April 29, the following chairmen of the standing committees were nominated and approved by the Senate Appropriations. Charles Bowen; Auxiliary Ser vices, Sally Fulcher, Elections, Packv Cable; Publicity. Gail Kline; Library, Patti Richey; Waverly, Ernie Robinson A special committee is headed by Dick Jacobs and Mike Moore- head to study our intramural program. At this meeting the new cafeteria II) checking system was endorsed after much de bate — by a majority of SGA senators. I personally see the value of the new system as a means of cutting down costs of our food preparation, since stu dents without meal tickets won’t be signing for and eating food that other students ulti mately pay for. It’s important to note that quality of food will never increase unless cost of preparation goes down or until we are willing to pay more for our meals, which cost about $2.05 per day. Dean Hendricks spoke to us on the Waverly Conference which is held at the end of each academic year. Gathered there are the SGA, a number of faculty members, administra tors, and representatives of just about any aspect of the Mercer campus that SGA deals with Problems are discussed and solutions are aimed at Dean Hendricks talked to us about the increasing amount of student control at Mercer, which he doesn’t seem to lament. But he cautioned that when we, the students, are in control, we are also respon sible. I am very much aware of the responsibility we must ac cept in problem areas on cam pus. such as drugs and the large number of transfers. It’s In creasinglv difficult to scape goat the administration when we have control In the May 4 meeting the SGA unanimously endorsed the proposed Standing Board of Publications. I favored the report, seeing it as a protective measure for editors of student publications, since all grie vances by readers are to be directed to the Board and not the editor himself. In general I see the Board as a reminder of ethics in writing. An interesting minority re port was included by Ralph A. Phelps, Jr., Vice President for Development. He objected to the idea of editors of student publications being members of the Board, with the right to vote. He quite pointedly stated that this is letting the accused be a member of the jury. But as the SGA understands it the SGA Judiciary Committee — not the board — will be the jury. He makes a second point that “The makeup of the com mittee, which gives students a majority, makes the entire idea of university control of publi cations a farce.” As a student I’d much rather see control of student publications in the hands of the students, as the majority report advocates. Per haps he favors a majority of The Cauldron needs the help of the student body. In order to expand the coverage of intramurals and campus activities, the staff has increased the size of the yearbook and has planned such innovations as color pictures and sf>ecial effects. Naturally, this has increased the price, but the amount of the increase has been more than anticipated. Due to the rise in printing costs. There fore, the Cauldron must either have an additional $1890 to pay for the yearbook or cut out the expanded coverage. If each stu dent could contribute $1.00, this deficit would be cleared, the student would be listed as a student patron, and Mercer would have a very fine Cauldron How about it gang? Senator Janet Hogue faculty members on the Board rather than students in hopes that statements issued by the Board would then be better re ceived by the Macon com munity or alumni. But I don’t think many outside people would bother to even ascertain what the Publications Board is; let alone who serves on it! It is hoped that SGA en dorsement of the majority re port will aid its being adopted by President Harris. The Bookstore policy on periodical subscription is being looked into due to the very sporadic appearance of the Great Speckled Bird. Students have asked repeatedly to have it offered in the bookstore. If you’d like to see more periodi cals offered, see Patti Richey about it. We received some NSA pam phlets that could save a lot of money for anyone planning to be in Europe this summer. Stop by the SGA office for the info. Betsy Jones reported on the Spring Cleaning action. Mercer was offered a pool table or two in exchange for workers. We had workers but seems the pool table is now in question. In my opinion the whole Spring Cleaning idea should be in question! I’d like to see the C&S Bank money go into better housing or schools. I think we need a lot of things more than we need American flags and publicity for C&S Bank! NOTES: ALL students are eligible for the Standing Committees mentioned earlier. Applications are at the switchboard. ALL SGA meetings are open to ALL students. Monday 6 pm. Suggestions on cafeteria procedure are welcomed by Mr. Krakow and Sally Fulcher. When you gripe about apathetic students, yet do no thing, you are an apathetic stu dent.