Obscenity debated
PROS
AND CONS
PANEL ON PORNOGRAPHY - SIGHTING IN ON SEX IN OUR LAND Panelists debate meaning of obscenity in courts, books, public's mind.
University of Southern California
VOL. LVHI
LOS ANGELES. CALIFORNIA. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17,1966
NO, 43
7 named to new student judiciary appellate body
By ELLIOT ZWIEBACH Editorial Director
Seven students have been selected to serve on the first ASSC Judicial Council, a new appellate body authorized under the ASSC Constitution passed last March.
The students are chairman Dan Montrenes. senior in law: Jeff Robinson. graduate in business: Michael Muench, senior in economics; John Wardlow, junior in philosophy: Melo* die McLennan, junior in philosophy: Roland Trope, sophomore in political
'66 USC-UCLA
big game week airs at 7 on 7
"The Big Game,” a color special Highlighting the events preceding the UCLA game, will be shown tonight at 7 on KABC (channel 7).
It will follow the action on both campuses and include pregame activities from this and last year.
Narrated by Dale Robertson, the program will show team practice ses-s'ons. house decorations and card stunt*.
There will also be a. section devoted to film ruts of Ipst year's shocker—the four minutes that will never he forgotten.
There was difficulty in obtaining much material from last year's game Eince rain marred many of the pregame activities. Jack Heiner. one of the show's producers, said.
science; and Glen Cass, sophomore in engineering.
Named as alternates were Neil Bardack, senior in international relations; and Tom Kristovich, sophomore in accounting. They will replace any members of the council who do not or cannot fulfill their obligation to the body.
NOT FOB DISCIPLINE
The new ASSC Judicial is not a disciplinary body, as are the men’s, women's. IFC and Panhellenic judicials.
The judiciary will hear cases concerning the constitutional validity of legislation passed by the Executive Council. It will also pass decisions on questions of office.
Among its other functions will he to serve as the board of inquiry in election disagreements.
All cases which the court hears will be by referral only.
SELECTION BOARD
The seven justices and two alternates were selected from approximately 20 applicants as prescribed in the new constitution.
The selection board consisted of Dean of Students Paul Bloland. representing President Topping. Student Activities Director Clive Grafton and ASSC President Taylor Hackford.
‘We hope the quality of these and future members of the ASSC Judicial Council will cause this body to become irreproachable in reputation and ac* tion." Hackford said.
The terms for the seniors will end on June 1, 1967. Other members will serve two-year terms. After the first year, three vacancies will be filled at the end of each academic year.
USC OFFICIALS GRADE T-SHIRTS F, BUTTONS A
Coliseum gates wil! open at 11:30 a.m, for students and at noon for the general public at the UCLA game Saturday.
Dress rules for the game have been established by the administration. No student will be admitted wearing either FUCLA or Phuquem T-shirts or ribbons, or any blue garment All buttons are permissible,
however.
Reserved seats are still available for the UCLA game. No reserved seats are available for the Notre Dame game, but approximately 300 date tickets, which cost S6 with activity books, are still unsold.
By MARY MILLER Feature Editor
“I must confess I haven’t the slightest idea what the Supreme Court meant when it defined obscenity and I wouldn’t be telling tales out of court if I said they don’t know what they mean either,” Fred Okrand. attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union, said yesterday.
“They say they know obscenity when they see it, but refuse to give a really sharp definition,” he said.
Speaking in a panel on ‘Pornography and the Law,” sponsored by the Student Bar Association. Okrand said there should be no standard definition for pornography because the concept is too fluid.
James Clancey, attorney for the Citizens for Decent Literature, said a definition of pornography is necessary because social values must be protected.
“Obscenity tends to debase society and slowly erode the moral fabric. Obscenity drags society down.” he said.
Pornography is totally without redeeming social value, he explained, and therefore should not be protected under the first amendment.
“If a person derives satisfaction and enjoyment from obscene books, and doesn't try to harm someone else, I don’t think society has the right to stop him from reading what he wants to,” Okrand said.
I don’t think it’s right for society to stop a man from curling up in front
of his fire with the most God-awful book you can imagine. It's really none of their (society's) business." he said.
Obscenity has no long-range effect on the personality of the average man. Dr. Phillip Kondratief. chief resident in psychology at Mt. Sinai Hospital, said.
"There are two results from reading an obscene book. The immediate effect is a definite sexual arousal, but the long-term effect is not a fostering of deviation."
There has been no scientific evidence yet to suggest reading sex literature in any way makes an average individual commit sexual crimes.
"Of course, the deviate will be affected and so will the child who has not yet developed his ego. but it's impossible for the mature individual to totally change his way of thinking just because he reads dirty books.”
“I’m the man you're shooting at.’ Louis Epstein, the owner of Pickwick Bookshops said. “I'm the bookseller you w’ant to arrest and I say reading is a private matter that shouldn't be controlled by society.”
In answer. Clancy 3aid the majority of society had the right to suppress obscenity, even though the minority wants it because community value must be preserved.
These books and pictures debase sex. Obscenity legislation would have an uplifting effect on society and would effectively regulate community standards, he said.
IFC puts Betas on
'limited suspension'
Innocents abroad; or Trojans visit England
Two Yanks from USC discovered this summer what it is like to live and learn with foreigners, and they enjoyed every minute of it.
Richard Gaskins and Cathie Buck, who described their experiences at yesterday's faculty luncheon, were among 18 USC students who attended a four-week vacation course at Britain's Cambridge University with other students from Europe, Russia and Red China.
The Trojans were the only Eng-lish-speaking students at the program. which was devoted to a study of modern Britain. Gaskins is a senior in philosophy, economics and political science; Miss Buck is a junior in English literature.
“Our sole obligation was to attend the lectures of most benefit to us." Gaskins said. ‘‘Interesting as they were, however, we had an especially
delightful time living with the foreign students.4* ~
Miss Buck was particularly impressed with the hospitality of the British people. “The townspeople were amused by the great disdain with which we looked upon American tourists. because we felt so much at home.”
Gaskins said the best friend he made at Cambridge was an Italian professor of international law who was also a member of the Italian Communist Party.
“From what we read in the British papers and from talking to other students, we found out that the bombing of Hanoi and Haiphong was quite a terrible thing,” Gaskins said.
“Afterwards. wre read Time and found out that it wasn't quite so bad at all.”
By ANDY MILLER
The Beta Theta Pi fraternity has been placed on limited suspension by the IFC judicial for failing to meet standards set by themselves.
The six-page decision was released last night by the five-man Inter-Fraternity Council Judicial. The limited suspension was put in effect when the decision was released.
It will be in effect until the fraternity can again show why it should be a part of the fraternity system at USC, the report stated.
All chapter operations, including socials and athletics, will be suspended with the exception of the physical facility. All non-initiates are disaffiliated from the chapter, and any member now’ pledging the fraternity is eligible to either pledge another or repledge the Betas.
The limited suspension came after the fraternity had been on pro. ba.tion, general probation and disciplinary probation within the last two years. After warnings from the IFC and the administration, the fraternity outlined plans to reform itself.
The decision is thus not specifically related to an incident on Oct. 29 where the fraternity demolished a
house, but is because the house has not heeded previous probations.
“The irresponsibility which caused this incident would be difficult to understand. However, when reviewing the chapter's performance in the last two years, it is not remarkable that such an incident should happen." the decision stated.
In reviewing the chapter s record, eight specific cases were pointed out, dating from February 12, 1964 to October 5, 1965.
“These conditions indicate to us an environment which is not conducive to the development of good citizenship and therefore cannot be ignored."the report continued.
In order to remove itself from probation, administered Feb. 2. 1965. the chapter was required to present satisfactory evidence to the IFC that the conditions of probation were met and effectively incorporated into a reform program.
“After failing to meet the high standards they set for themselves, the role of the IFC Judicial in this case is to encourage, on the local chapter level, the maintenance of the standard of the national fraternity." Dick Burt, chief justice, said.
SPOTTY, ERRATIC PRODUCTION
Trolios presentation hits mediocre note
Five trustees selected as Reagan counselors
By MARY MILLER Feature Editor
The Thanksgiving turkey came a little early this year compliments of Bob Moloney and the Trolios cast.
“Out to Lynch" started out strong enough with a skit about “Operation
Match” that promised great things, but the show deteriorated in quality until the audience had to amuse itself by sailing paper airplanes out of the balcony.
Actually, the- first few skits were
good, especially the “Tir re lee lo dadim” folk song of Nancy Hickey, who did an excellent job of spoofing the modern Joan Baez image. She w'as accompanied by Mary Burkin.
Unfortunately, the first act was
By BILL DICKE Assistant City Editor
Five members of the Board of Trustees and one USC associate have been named by Gov.-elect Ronald Reagan to a Los Angeles advisory committee.
Reagan also named Dirk C. Eld-redge. a USC graduate, as a special assistant until the inauguration in January.
"The purpose of the committee is to seek and obtain the best qualified people in the state to fill the appointive posts," Committee Chairman William F. Smith said.
Board members selected are Asa Call, Leonard Firestone, John McCone. Harold Quinton and Henry Salvatori. Holmes Tuttle is the associate.
Call graduated from the School of Law in 1914 and has been a trustee for more than a quarter of a century. He received the USC Achievement Award in 1965.
ee since 1957. He donated $250,000 I
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agriculture, labor and various ethnic "OH BABBLING BROOK," SHE ASKED, "WHY DID MY TRUE LOVE LEAVE ME." ANSWERED THE BROOK, "LOOK." groups, Smith said.	One of the funniest songs in Trolios, sung by Nancy Hickey, left, and accompanied by Mary Burkin, spoofed sex
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marred by two solos that were incongruous in the first place. They didn't lynch anyone and could have offered a change of pace had they not been drowned out by the or-chestra.
The Marijuana meatloaf skit wasn't funny, nor was the “quickie' commercial about bad breath. These mediocre numbers almost equated the grand finale of the first act. “Thirty Second Street Market." which only pretended to be incisive.
The second act picked up again with a skit on T.V. programs planned for a Negro audience. It whetted the interest of the audience until things degenerated into an obscure number about obscenity trials.
A number called “The Sexual Revolution" was so gross in parts that no one even laughed. Likewise, the skit on Doris Day totally lost its effectiveness because all of the words were either drowned out by the orchestra or lost in the acoustic great-nss that is Bovard.
The show cannot be called bad. But it should be characterized as sporadic.
Nancy Hickey was the cast standout. She was hilarious in all her roles, as were Karen Smith and Trish Soodik.
The cast generally did a good job with the material the waiters gave them and it is unfortunate many of their musical numbers were obscured by either the orchestra, the acoustics or the meaning.
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