dk% trojan
Volume XC, Number 51
University of Southern California Wednesday, April 29, 1981
DRAFT; GOVERNMENT ANALYZED
Liddy discusses Watergate
By James Grant
Managing Editor
G. Gordon Liddy, the mastermind of Watergate which remains a symbol of rampant political corruption, received a standing ovation from university students yesterday after speaking in Bovard auditorium.
In his lecture, Liddy stressed the need for superior military strength, supported the draft, analyzed the Reagan and Carter administrations and related his experiences in prison. (Liddy spoke as part of the University Speakers Committee.)
He also gave his side of the Watergate story. “The term 'Watergate' has become a catch phrase used to refer to every
political shenanigan done in the 1970's,” Liddy said.
Liddy, former head of the "plumbers” counterintelligence squad based in the Nixon White House, said that he was surprised to find that college students were not entirely familiar with the facts surround-
7 may have been General Grant to the younger generation ’
ing Watergate. “You weren't watching the (Sam) Ervin committee, you were watching Howdy-Doody,” Liddy said. “I may have been General Grant
G. GORDON LIDDY
From violence to politics to reputation — Liddy
By James S. Grant and Laura
F.	Nicholson
Managing Editor /City Editor
Though G. Gordon Liddy has been portrayed as a ruthless and frightening individual, he exudes a gentle intensity that may be felt even in his handshake.
In a recent interview, Liddy expressed his views on Watergate, the current Reagan administration and today’s society.
“I’ve always differentiated between character and reputation...your character means what you really are,” Liddy said.
In keeping with his reputation, Liddy spoke on the issue of violence, saying, “If anybody offers me violence I will offer sufficient violence in return to handle the problem. I believe that observation of the conduct of human beings
would lead one to the conclusion that from time to time man can be vn.y violent.”
Liddy, who is currently on a national tour to promote his autobiography, Wil. said he has encountered vicious auditnces. The concern he expressed provides insight into his character. While Liddy claimed not to care about what people think of him as an individual, he expressed concern for what was thought about the ideas he discussed.
Watergate
When asked if he would do anything differently in regards to Watergate, Liddy displayed resentment towards two of his co-conspiritors. “1 would certainly never associate myself in that or any other endeavor
(Continued on page 6)
to the younger generation.”
While Liddy readily admits to his mistakes in organizing the break-in of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate complex in 1971, he is quick to point out other blunders he believes have gone unnoticed by the general public.
Heading Liddy's list of mistakes is the conduct of Judge John J. Sirica, chief prosecutor of the Watergate hearings. Liddy said that Sirica “could not help that he was born stupid” and proceeded to accuse him of a major cover-up during the hearings.
According to Liddy, Sirica failed to question the prospective jurors as to possible prejudice towards the defendants as a result of pretrial publicity. Liddy pointed out that al though the jury was seques tered, a leak occured when one juror spoke to his wife by phone. During that conversation, the juror was told that 5 of the 7 defendants had already pleaded guilty, a fact which would make signficiant impact on the jury.
When questioned about the phone call, it became apparent that the juror could not speak English. In fact, it was necessary to bring in a Spanish speaking attorney to communicate with the juror. At that point, the juror admitted to being told of the 5 defendants who pleaded guilty.
Liddy claims that there was (Continued on page 5)
Charter revoked due to problems> hazing
By Sara R»eder
Staff Writer
Members of the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity received notification from their national chapter Monday night that their charter had been revoked for the duration of the school year.
The move comes in the wake of an investigation by the national chapter into questionable hazing practices and reports of escalating tension between fraternity members and the resident advisor assigned to the house.
"The national chapter felt that we as a frat were not doing the job that we should’ve done at the university,” said Ray Pritchett, pledge trainer at the house. "We’re distressed--it was a stab in the back, and we were not ready for it.”
Revoking house’s charter is the first step in “recolonizing” and reorganising the house, Pritchett said. “As of Monday night, the executive council officers are suspended. Members of National will be here on May 8th and 9th to screen all the actives, and will make a decision by June 15 as to who will stay. We expect there will be about 10 to 15 returnees next year.
"The house is in pretty bad repair, but it will be rebuilt over the summer,"Pritchett continued. “This is going to set the house back two or three years—it’ll take us that long to recover.”
Pritchett said the problems stemmed from friction between house members and Jack Eckley, a resident advisor assigned to the house by the national chapter in 1979. "In a small house, any problems will be magnified,” Pritchett said. "Eckley is a good organizer, but he got a lot of unneeded flack from the brothers this year, and gave up trying. The house split into factions over his presence, causing a lot of tension.
“Then we had a hazing incident last March that sparked a lot ot flack with the corporate board. That seemed to be the last straw.
lost of tht. fraternities on the row are going to ‘membership education programs’ instead of the traditional pledge structure, in an attempt to wipe out hazing. We don’t feel that this is appropriate for our house at this time. We go for traditional pledging-no pushups, or anything—but some of the things we did during spring didn’t sit too well with some of the guys.
“We played a little game with the pledges. We lined them up in front of a bucket of ice, and asked the first guy some questions from the pledge manual. When he answered one wrong, he had to stand in the bucket while we asked the rest of the pledges the same question. The idea was that they would all give the same wrong answer to defend their pledge brother and keep his feet from freezing.
“This isn't a university probation--it's more like a warning from the nation 1 chapter. °ritchett stressed.
Dr. James Appleton, vi. • president of student affairs, was unaware of the move . knew ti. *he national chapter was investigating the house. They ha'-e oeei> corresponding with my office for some time. But I didn't know that they had taken this action."
Bill proposes Row integration
Minorities may get next Greek house
Four student senators proposed a resolution Tuesday that the black and Asian fraternities an<l sororities be given primary consideration for the next available house on the Row.
Lau rence Rolon, student senator, sponsored Student Senate Resolution number Le cause "I have been reading the Daily /Vo jan. fhe jditorials from black and /\sian Greeks, and I have decided that a resolution of this sort is past due.”
Rolon met with co-sponsors Ralph Kam, Bill Baber and Rick Wacula to propose the resolution. Baber and Wacula are senators from the Row.
The Row, as used in the resolution, consists of 28th Street, which is located between Hoover and Figueroa Streets.
The resolution states that "part of the academic experience is to share in the rich cultural and ethnic diversity of our society.”
Since black and Asian groups are currently not residents of the Row, Greeks living on the Row have little opportunity to dxperience this diversity, the resolution states.
In addition, if the resolution passes, the black and Asian Greeks will have a chance to be part of the Row lifestyle.
When a house or n lot is available on 28th Street, e- ery recognized fraternity and sororit> at the university, including blacks and Asians,
wii, i>e informed hv re^iMm'ed mail of the opening, Koioi s*'i
The resolution pertains only to university-owned houses and lots. Fcvse. __________.ed oy Na-
tional chapters make 'heir own decisions whether or not to sel K«n. said
When an opening comes up. university administrators will give priority to those black or Asian fraternities which are able to build a house or purchase or lease a present one.
Other considerations for house priority are number of members, how many will live in the house and if the group can pay rent to the university, Kam said.
Currently, there are no houses or lots available on the Row. Vacai ies occur when a chapter folds or their charter is revoked by their National organization.
“In the last five years, a few chapters have come close to folding,” Kam said.
Until this happens, however, no new Greek groups, white or otherwise, will be able to move to the Row.
Kam explained that there is no rule that excludes blacks and Asians from the Row. The reason that the Row consists of only white fraternities and sororities is because white Greeks were the first people to express an interest to live in that area and there have been few vacancies during the years.