enat
ineligible, nconstitutional president
ditorial: Open your eyes
Once again the little man and woman at SC have come It on the short end of the count.
Attempting to pull the wool over the student body’s eyes, |d Cohrt railroaded through an inept student senate last idnesday the appointment of an ineligible man for the jhest student office. Once again so-called student leaders the senate sat by and violated their sacred trusts by |proving an unconstitutional appointment.
To begin with, the ASSC constitution does not give the ident senate the power to appoint anyone as president of le ASSC. The constitution says, “In the case of the in-Jility of the president to perform his duties, the vice-isident shall act as president until the qualification of a jcessor.”
No matter how much the powers-that-be protest that appointment is perfectly constitutional, no one would (ssibly construe that the senate is granted this right by tding the above quote from the constitution.
From a legal standpoint, Jean Working, the newly-jcted vice-president, shoud take over the president’s job. le point of whether or not it is a woman’s job, or whether not she is qualified to fill the position, is not the issue, [iss Working must have been cognizant of the fact that she [ight have been called upon to fill the president’s shoes the event of the elected president’s departure. This was ie of the points in her campaign platform.
But Ted Cohrt and the ASSC senate chose to take mat-|rs into their own hands.
Much of this trouble would never have arisen if the ASSC institution were not the muddled, contradictory document
it is today. In its present form, one can read the meaning into the antiquated constitution that best serves his purpose.
In this way, Ted Cohrt claims that the constitution gives him the power to appoint a student body president. But this is not so. NOWHERE in the constitution is the ASSC president given the SPECIFIC power to appoint another man to his seat.
The closest it comes is in the following quotation: “The president may appoint, or remove, with the consent of the senate, the chairman or members of any other committee assigned to special duty.” In this way, Cohrt could have appointed Stow as a special student chairman, thereby hoping to get around the 1.5 grade average requirement.
But this would be a bigger fraud on the student body than ever. It would herald the beginning of a complete dictatorship in which the ASSC president would have full power to ram through anything he desired. If the student head were momentarily blocked by a mere constitutional technicality, he could wave his magic wand and come up with his own interpretation.
Certainly Ted Cohrt must have known that his appointee did not have the required grade average to hold the position. This was well known by “those in the know” at the last student election. But still that did not stop him from going out ON HIS OWN and selecting HIS man for the job.
It is high time that students on the SC campus rise up and demand their rights in student government or else ex-
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SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
TROJAN
VoL XXXV
mrhi phone: si. 647* Los Angeles, Friday, February 18, 1944
—
No. 87
ROs to present final olor parade Saturday
MARILOU HORN . . . presents colors.
Pinal review of the winter term rill be performed by the NROTC Init tomorrow, starting at 10:45 t.m., Bovard field, and it will be [parked by the presentation of Iwards to members of the unit and
Capt. Reed M. Fawell, com-I mandant of the SC naval unit, stated yesterday all hands on campus and their families are | cordially invited by the command -| ant and staff of the NROTC ■nit to attend the honors ceremonies tomorrow, starting at 10:45 a.m., on Bovard field.
presentation of colors to the win-ling company.
For 84 men it will be the last Idrill before receiving commissions I as ensigns next week.
Feature event of the ceremonies Iwill see Marilou Horn, Delta Delta I Delta, present the colors, along with la kiss, to her fiance, Charles Dan-llels, commander of the second, and 'winning, company.
Millard Ewing, commander of
CHARLES DANIELS . . . leader delux.
the second platoon third company, will receive the President von KleinSmid cup, presented by Dr. Rufus B. von KleinSmid for the platoon winning the annual drill competition.
The winning platoon and company results were posted a week ago when V-12 officers judged the unit on infantry drill, manual of arms, and officer’s sword manual.
This is the first time in history of the SC NROTC unit that company other than the first has won the drill competition.
Bob Stevens, battalion commander, is to receive the University of Southern California award for outstanding qualities of military character and leadership. Stevens is a first classman, PiKA, and president of Blue Key .
Doug Turpen, first class and staff adjutant, will receive a leather brief case for greatest contribution to the organization and morale of the battalion, and a cup from the Fighting Top for winning the annual competition in the sword manual
Sigma Delta Chi takes member
Initiated last night into Sigma Delta Chi, men’s national journalism fraternity, was Earl Blount, marine trainee, journalism major, and military editor of the Trojan.
Following the initiation ceremony, the new member was honored at a dinner. Ernest Foster, bureau manager of the United Press in Los Angeles; John B. Long, general manager of the California Newspaper Publishers’ association; Major Roy L. French, director of the School of Journalism, and Marc N. Goodnow, School of Journalism faculty member, attended the dinner.
Dance honors ensigns-to-be
More than 120 NROTC men and their dates will dance to the music of Leon Mojica and his 11 piece orchestra from 9 to 1 tomorrow evening at -the West Side Tennis club in Cheviot Hills.
Sponsored by Fighting Top, social organization of NROTCx the dance is to honor graduating Seniors and men receiving commissions.
The affair will be strictly navy, according to Harry Masser, chairman. Decorations, under the direction of Ralph Gates, are to feature a nautical theme. “Navy crests and blue and gold coloring will make it a real navy ball,” he stated.
An added attraction will be the piano artistry of Elliott Carpenter, Negro pianist, who plays boogie-woogie, blues, and all popular piano styles.
Bids are still on sale and may be obtained from members of the dance committee. Besides Masser and Gates, Eton Ferguson, Joe Wolf, Don Hardy, Hal Redd, and Mel Morrison are planning the dance and selling bids.
Cmdr. R. E. Kerr, and Lt. Cmdr. Vr. C. Russell, members of the SC navy staff, will chaperon the affair.
Knights fill quota with 24 new members
For the first time in three years the Trojan Knights has been filled to its capacity of 32 members, according to Bob Campbell, president of the senior honorary service organization, who announced names of the 24 new men accepted by the group.
“This increase in members which brings the organization to its capacity,” Campbell said, “is due to the large number of outstanding men now attending SC.”
New members are Jack Balzer, Phi Kappa Psi; Joe Holt, Sigma Phi Epsilon; Mel Morrison, Delta Sigma Phi; Harry Eoscoe, Sigma Phi Delta; Ted King and Fred Marshall, Sigma Chi; George Wilson and Bob Tapp, Phi Sigma Kappa; Ted Fields, Alpha Omega.
Harry Christiansen and Bill Hanson, Kappa Alpha; Bill Chapman and Ed Kelly, Pi Kappa Alpha; Bill Gray, Dick Allen, and Dick Alden, Sigma Alpha Epsilon; Buzz Forward, Theta Xi; Art Nelson, Theta Chi; Jim Harris and Bob Meyer, Delta Tau Delta; Sheldon Komhandler and Harlan Herz-berg, Zeta Beta Tau; and Edsel Curry and Phil Kirst, Kappa Sigma.
There will be a meeting today of new men and old members at 12:30 p.m., 218 Student Union, in regard to a Trojan Knights formal Feb. 25, according to Campbell.
Initiation for the 24 men is to take place at 1 p.m., Feb. 26, at the Phi Kappa Psi house.
Trojan Knights members are in charge of all SC rooting sections at athletic events, in addition to ushering at assemblies and all other university functions. They are the senior advising group to Squires, honorary sophomore service organization.
Norman Stow named to post
by Ed Diener In a move unprecedented in Trojan history the 16 newly installed members of the ASSC senate elected Norman Stow as acting president, by approving Ted Cohrt’s recommendation for the soon to be vacated ASSC post at the Wednesday evening senate meeting.
Last night Cohrt sent a letter to the Trojan, printed in full in this column, which indicated that Stow would not accept the appointment. Stow had no comment, declaring he was not present at the senate meeting and was unfamiliar with the legislative procedure.
—Statement from Cohrt—
I feel my responsibility to.the student body in regard to a situation which has been much discussed around campus during the past few days. Last Wednesday evening, your representatives, who compose the ASSC senate, unanimously confirmed my appointment of an acting student body president to alleviate our war time problem. I felt, as did your vice-president and senate, that a man should be at the helm of our student government. The ASSC constitution states that the president has the power of appointment—subject, of course, to the approval of the senate.
Since that time, however, several senate members have realized that this action, although it follows the constitution to the letter, does not follow it in principle. This problem will be dealt with at the next senate meeting in order to rectify this situation.
Furthermore, the man that I appointed to the position has not accepted the appointment.
In behalf of the senate and myself, I hope that this will clear up any erroneous situations which may arise.
Respectfully submitted.
Ted Cohrt, President, ASSC.
Stow, a Sigma Chi, has a cumulative grade point average of less than a 1.5, which thus makes him ineligible to hold the ASSC prexy job. The figures came from the office of the registrar by H. W; Patmore, associate registrar.
After quickly settling one or two matters of new business Ted Cohrt presented the unexpected. Explaining that his necessitated absence next term would leave the vice-president with “the triple job/7 the usual duties of the vice-president plus the added responsibilities of president, Cohrt suggested a man for acting president. He said Miss Working had expressed the same opinion.
The student body president said it would be impossible to hold another election at this time.
Bob Campbell, Knight president, and acting president of the Inter-fraternity council, sitting at the far end of the senate table, then asked if it would be constitutionally okeh to make such a move. After assuring the senate that it would conform, Cohrt asked if anyone disapproved. There was no response.
The newly elected president then stated that he wanted a man fully qualified—Norman Stow.
Cohrt said this appointment would have to be approved
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Student opinion
by Lois Stephenson
The Senate last night approved the appointment of Norman Stow, as acting president of the ASSC, upon recommendation by presidentelect Ted Cohrt, to go into effect Feb. 25. The power of appointment in this case has been regarded by many as unconstitutional, and the Trojan has undertaken a public opinion survey to determine the student viewpoint.
The following comments were made to the Trojan’s roving reporters regarding Stow’s appointment:
BROWNLEE HUBBLE, NROTC:
I	think they should have another election or Miss Working as president.
DOROTHY SMITH: sorority and senate member: I think the
student body president has the power to appoint a successor with the approval of the senate (the members representing all the organizations on campus; and in an emergency such as this, should have the power to vote for their groups. I believe this is the best woy of electing a new president as the students don’t have the time to conduct a new election now.
STAN AUTZ, NROTC; It’s unconstitutional Because the students elected Cohrt, they did not give him power to appoint any one else to his position.
JEAN WORKING, sorority and senate member: In the constitution there is nothing about re-(Continued on Page Seven)
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