NEWSPAPER OF THE LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS STUDENTS' UNION No. 113 NOVEMBER 25th, 1971 MA THATCHER AND YOU Attack on Student Unions "yHE long-standing concern of the Conservative Government over the status of students has resulted in a consultative paper. Released on November 2nd, it brought immediate condemnation from all sections of the student community. The D.E.S. document rejected voluntai'y membership and the establishment of a Registrar of Students' Unions in favour of a new system of financing, which is, in effect, an unashamedly political proposal designed to smash any power which Unions as they now exist might possess. The D.E.S. sees several major defects in the present system of financing, in which each Union is given a capitation fee by the LEA, which awards a maintenance grant to the individual student. CONTROL The present arrangement is said to be deficient in that the level of subscription to each Union is not controlled by the Government, the LEA or the University Grants Committee, and also in that University authorities, as such, are unwilling to exercise much control over Student Union expenditure since it is not their money which is being spent. The DES has also strongly objected to SU donations to outside political causes, which it feels would be more appropriately made by individual voluntary subscriptions (the argument being the traditional Tory line of opposition to almost all forms of corporate action while retaining the so-called 'freedom' of the individual to act as he sees fit). UNCONVINCING These alleged defects of the existing system of financing are not entirely convincing—public control over Unions is already exercised through the university constitution, the UGMs, and the legal system (injunctions can be brought against individual union officers). Public control is 'also ensured by the requirement that SU accounts should be audited annually by a Chartered Accountant. Ultra vires payments by SUs last year amounted to less than £100 out of a total annual budget of almost £3 millions. The entire issue is something which has been built up by the press even though the problem is essentially non-existent — most political donations can be given under the guise of paying for a speaker (outright payment violates the legal status of SUs as educational charities). VICE-CHANCELLORS It is important to notice, then, that the proposals are designed not to enforce public control but political control over the SUs—even the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals have stated that the present position is entirely satisfactory and that they do not see any reason for change. Even they are suspicious of the obvious intention of the DES to bash Unions in order to make political capital out of a situation widely misunderstood by the public as a whole. The proposals which establish a new basis of financing are as follows : PROPOSALS 1.—A clause enabling students to opt out of Union membership on 'conscience' grounds (though they would still be able to make full use of all facilities)—this is clearly an attempt to undermine the obvious representative nature of SUs. 2.—No Union subscription would be included in the fees payable by LEAs and individuals. 3.—All money given to Unions to come from university general fund and to be set against other claims on the University's resources. 4.—Union societies to be financed by a voluntary subscription 'rather than by Union as a whole (maintenance grants to be raised by "a modest amount"). This would perhaps, inevitably mean that many small societies depending upon a subsidy at present will fold if the proposals are implemented. At present there is a collective fund from which each society is allocated money in accordance with its needs. This clause denies the principle that SUs are corporate bodies, which decide upon the needs of students in a collective manner—it destroys their role as communities. 5.—The Comptroller and the Auditor-General will have to be satisfied that both the Constitution and the expenditure are "proper," i.e. a greater degree of control will be exercised by authorities external to the given college or university. The proposals seen as a whole are a reasonably obvious attempt to destroy the role of Students' Unions as collective bodies fighting for the needs of their members, i.e. as political centres of student opinion. LSE The impact of the pi'oposals upon the LSE Union as constituted at present would be minimal in many respects since the School already controls us in all financial matters as part of their role as official Custodian Trustees. The School negotiates with the LEAs in order to establish the per capita grant for each student — there is much evidence that this amount is far less than that paid by LEAs to other universities. The School then pays only a fraction of this amount to Union, returning the rest in payment for all facilities used —» rent, porters, heating, lighting, etc. The Union has no real bargaining power in this situation, the amoimt is allocated per student and is determined by the School. Thus it would seem that no tighter control of Union finance is in any sense possible, as it is all cheques must be counter-signed by the School authorities before they are paid out (thus in fact preventing us making ps^yments to any outside body of which the School does not approve even when such a payment has been authorised by Union). BARSHAM This financial control is also translated into a great deal of control over the internal affairs of Union : last year Mr. Bar-sham (appointed Honorary Treasurer by the School) made a regulation which stipulated, contrary to Union policy, that people working in the Bar and 15,000 Students marched against the Tory proposals on Student Unions last Wednesday. They came from colleges all over London and there were strong contingents from some provincial Universities. The mood was militant, and it looks as if the students are ready for a confi'ontation. the Shop should have no say in their running. Clearly political independence is a meaningless slogan unless complete financial autonomy is also gained. It is difficult to know what tactics can be used to this end because the problem is essentially a legal one, the battle must be fought on a national level. As well as uniting to defeat the new Toi-y proposals, the NUS must call on students to fight for the complete financial and political autonomy of all Students' Unions to enable them to function as corporate bodies in a manner determined by their own membership. QTHER colleges are already preparing action against the Tory proposals. The N.U.S. have discussed it (at their Margate meeting last Saturday), and copies of the consultative document for your perusal are available from Soc. Soc. or Union Office. If you want a strong union, a union able to act against the Tory proposals, then you must participate yourself in building that union, contributing to the debates, and letting your feelings be known. ELECTIONS: WHAT DO THEY MEAN? THE recent elections resulted in a landslide victory for the Socialist Society slate of candidates and, for the first time in LSE history, SocSoc fills the main posts of Union. The Socialist Union Council stood and were elected on a platform to support and further the new constitution and to resign en bloc in the first week of next term. EXPECTATION A radical enough platform, you would say, but some students are still expecting—and even hoping—that Union Council will behave in the time-honoured fashion of all past Union Councils—to attempt to control and manipulate Union. FUTURE People ask Council members what will happen next week, next month, next year, and expect to be given bluepi'ints. When they ai'e told "It depends on Union," they are either incredulous or impatient. SocSoc did not fight the elections so that they could control Union, however. They fought them so that you could control Union. INSIDE Page 2 Comment, Letters. Page 3 Food you eat. Page 4 Armageddon, Review Page 5 Women's Grants. Page 6 Passfield Again. Page 7 Calendar, A.U. Page 8 News. BEAR ER, Nov. 25th. 1971—Page Two UNION COUNCIL "I N the wake of the landslide elec-tion of SocSoc candidates, an Inevitable anti-climax has set in, particularly among those on the left. It has never been any part of left politics in L.S.E. to attempt to control Union through the ballot-box. It has always been felt that the offices of Union were bureaucratic and that socialists would become bureaucratic if they occupied them. It is quite difacult to maintain the purity of one's ideals amid the welter of pettifogging details calculated to delight only the aspiring careerist. Nevertheless, SocSoc won a great election victory on the solemn promise to further the new constitution in ofBice and to resign en bloc in the first week of the spring term. There is no doubt that they will keep their promise, the only doubt is as to whether they can stick it out long enough. The socialist Council is proving to itself every day the petty and annoying nature of these administrative offices. That they are necessary for the smooth running of Union business is not disputed. But why must administrative functions btf filled by politicos and political offices be filled by administrators? Under the now superseded constitution we, the electorate, are forced to choose between people we can trust to carry out the political decisions of Union and who in ail probability are appalling administrators, and those who we know will run an efficient office but who v/e wouldn't trust as far as we could throw them. This is the reason why the new constitution incorporates a division between political and administrative functions. Vfe can choose those whose politics we trust to occupy the former and those whose administrative abilities we favour to occupy the latter. This is not an ideal situation, but pending better suggestions it is the one that has been accepted. But this still leaves us with a political Council faced with administrative duties. There is no doubt that their presence there is niecessary to effect the changes desired, and we must bear with them for a few more weeks. THE FUTURE Patience is hard to counsel, particularly when so many people are expecting action and seemingly prepared to face it. Many of us feel that action at this stage would be premature and that events should be given time to catch up with us. Ail too often the left in L.S.E. have gone off half-cocked into an issue and have invited defeat. Only a well-considered and well-constructed HOW YOU CAN HELP YOUNG EDNAS Did you see/read about Edna ? Jeremy Sandford wrote the play at the request of Christian Action. Can you come to 59 Greek Street one evening a week? A new Christian Action Shelter for the Homeless is being launched this month to offer friendship, information, and other help via the medium of a coffee bar. No previous counselling experience is needed for this, but all helpers will be well briefed before we start. If you are interested, contact me (Simon Ediin) via pigeon-hole or phone Graham Dowell at 637 1975. S.E. campaign stands any chance of success. The issue of Student Union independence. however, is not confined to L.S.E. We are fighting to get independence for our Union, but all S.U.s will have to join the fight to maintain theirs. The D.E.S. proposals attempt to reduce all S.U.s to the servile position we presently occupy, and there is no doubt that the Tory Government are serious about adopting these proposals. So our struggle for independence must be waged not only against the School's administration, but also against the Tory Government. But we will not be alone in this struggle. Already links are being forged between local trades councils and Student Unions, Workei's and students realise that now, more than ever before, they have common enemies and that the only way to defeat them is together. M.W. FREEDOM FREEDOM is a much maligned word these days. The slightest involvement in the most insignificant form of political activity seems to give a person the right to bandy the word left, right and centre, and preferably straight into the well-conditioned ear, heart, brain and soul of the nearest voter. The more subtle sub-species of the political breed wdll never refer to freedom directly but make a show of takina it for granted as the obvious Keystone of the nation, the Principle of Principles, the sine-qua-non, nay, the Be-all and End-all of civilisation. And, incidentally, the fotmdation of his electoral platform. ¦¦•¦Vote for me, and I'll set you free!" Yet somehow the glaring contradiction expressed in this phrase is so obvious that nobody sees it. Not only does no-one see it but everybody has been so well conditioned by the billion and one half-truths our consciousness has been sculpted with since childhood that the brain can only churn turgidly, choke, and cough up. computer-like, the inevitable equation that i nevitably results from the data we have been exclusively fed with since birth. That old principle of cybernetics, "garbage in, garbage out", holds true for the human brain as well, until for us FREEDOM equals PEOPLE equals 'VOTE equals REPRESENTATION equals MP equals PARLIAMENT equals GOVERNMENT etc., etc., etc., ad nauseam. "Freedom'': Joseph Stalin. Joseph McCarthy. Mao Tse Tung, Richard Nixon. Ernesto Che Guevara, HRH King Hussein, The principle sounds valid from any one of these con-men. But where is your freedom Joseph Djougatchvili, and yours. Joe McCarthy? Is it economic or political? Or are you playing God that you can split, with one stroke of a razor-edged ideology a concept that, uncertain and hazy as it is. is also the only guarantee that you or anyone else, as more or less conscious animals, have of safeguarding the dignity this very consciotis-ness gives us. Take a look back on the foundations you built your "freedoms'' on. on the revolutions which made them possible, and see what kind of freedom those revolutions sprang from. Those revolutions were a liberation from an old tyranny, but they were not made possible by an intellectual split-hair, an ideological "freedom-but". They were made possible by a sum of conscious individuals who looked at the tyranny, saw it for what it was—(economic, political or social tyranny')—and decided to change it. This was freedom because this was a number of conscious individuals deciding to run their own lives as they wanted. This was freedom because the power did not govern the people but the people governed the power. Of course, the people were too "dull" and "unconcerned" to want to, or even "be able to", govern themselves once they had shaken off the tyranny. So tyranny came back through the back door because it had been smart enough to first convince its victims that they were too "dull" and unconcerned to want to. or even "be able" to govern themselves once tyranny had gone. But people have learned siiice then, people are still learning no matter what the educational system, and maybe one day people will learn that, just as they themselves are the only source of their own happiness, they themselves are the only possible source of the power which controls their lives. With a Tory Government in Westminster, with Margaret Thatcher as Minister of Education and Science, with Walter Adams and Lord Rob-bins at LSE, all doing their best to appropriate what little freedom we, as students, have left, in an institution which exists almost exclusively by and for us, this is a concept well worth remembering. P.B. MISSION IMPOSSIBLE ¦A^OUR mission, Mr, X, should you , decide to accept it, w-ill be to write an essay on the retrogressive elasticity of the intra-coronary factors of organic supply and demand, and the first photograph you have is of the totally inaccessible book called "Retrogressive Elasticity" by Irving Williams. This is the main book on the subject. The second was taken by one of our best operatives, who disappeared mysteriously near the East building last April. " It is of a book called "Intra-Coronary Factors in the Modern World," by N. U. Terdson—it has been missing for a year. "Organic Supply and Demand," by Lord Bust-broke, has not been seen in the Main or Teaching libraries for a decade. "Elasticity in Organic Supply and Demand," by B, Bottle-fly was recorded in the 14th volume of libraiy acquisitions, 1938, as having been acquired by the library, and has not been seen since, if it was even seen then. The last, and perhaps most interesting, photograph is another posthumous publication by one of our secret agents, of an Unidentified Graduate Student and an Unidentified Faculty Member drinking sherry in the Senior Common Room. Notice the three-foot high stack of books they have put the Bristol Cream Bottle on. Notice the ambitious young undergraduate under the table trying to ease the bottom book out without spilling the Bristol Cream. We suspect these three men have absconded with the above-mentioned books and are holding them for their own private profit with the connivance of everybody who is in a position to redress an injustice which is seriously inconveniencing the undergraduate majority of this institution. Your Mission, Mr. X, should you decide to accept it, would be to haunt the Main and Teaching libraries between the hours of 9.30 and 18.15, with the sole pui-pose of finding these books and writing your essay. When you have finally realised that the books are not there and are unlikely to return this year, go and write your essay with whatever garbage you can fish out of your head. This should be more than enough to fill eight sides and will give you at least as good a result if no matter what you say, it is well structured. As usual, should you or any other member of your class be caught while trying to obtain one of these books, the Government Dept. will disavow any knowledge of your action. Good luck, sucker. This article will self-destruct in 15 seconds. G.F. LETTERS ¦y^EAR EDITORS,—At the end of my account of our meeting with Lord Robbins ("The Lion at Bay") you insert two paragraphs over my signature which were not in the original script. I take this up not to protect a literary master-pieced) and not just to assert an important principle—that subeditors should not add to nor subtract from signed articles without the author's permission. The real point is: if you are to present anything like full coverage of L.S.E, opinion and activities, your correspondents will need assurance that their contributions are not distorted, I know you do want to present a comprehensive picture, and that it's not your intention to go in for ideological censorship in the guise of "subbing." But I fear that unless the principle is maintained "Beaver'' will become duller and more predictable in its ideological stance. GRAHAM DOWELL. OoweH's case, it was a printer's error which led to the mistake, for which the editors duly apologise. However, allowances should be made, as an enormous effort is required to produce the paper at all. EOS. The job of a sub-editor is not, as we know it, to chop articles to pieces or misrepresent what contributors want to say. In Mr. 'T "J EAR EDITORS,—I was inter-ested to read the short report on Union's censure of the D.P. in your last issue (incidentally, though there was indeed a large vote of abstention, the majority in favour of the motion was much larger). However, I am rather mystified by your comment that "since Trevor Jones is only acting Deputy President he cannot be expected to resign," The current status of a Union officer surely is irrelevant when his resignation is demanded by Union, In any case, you may remember that Mr. Jones's primary campaign promise, repeated ad nauseam at hustmgs, was that he would immediately resign in the face of just such, a censure motion. In fact, he made rather a point of insisting on it, John Stathatos. ,T\EAR EDITORS,—Why is it tliat there is no reading room which makes the most important English and foreign newspapers available at the L.S.E. (e.g. "Le Monde," "Pravda," "New York Times," "Paris Match," to name but a few)? Many students would undoubtedly appreciate the opportunity to read foreign views on a wide number of topics which are covered in these publications. It seems strange, that in a university where a third of the students are foreigners, there is no such provision — particularly as such a provision is a commonly accepted facility at most universities. Peter Bohny, BEAVER POLICY IT was pointed out by several students that the last issue of "Beaver" contained some contradictory articles. For example, an article on Page Nine called for a more co-operative attitude to Lord Robbins, while an article on the back page urged students to disrupt his public appearances. It is the policy of the editors of "Beaver" to accept any provocative articles that are contributed, and this necessarily results in the publication of conflicting opinions. We feel that this helps to "balance" th^ paper and give it wider appeal. If readers disagree with this aim, or have other ideas about policy, they are urged to attend policy meetings at 1 p.m. every Tuesday in "Beaver" Office (S.I 16), where they can make their views heard. A students' newspaper like-"Beaver" is very reliant on its contributors, and the -Editors, have no intention of writing, everything themselves. So any contributions you may have, written or otherwise, will be gratefully received. Beaver meetings are held weekly, Tuesdays at 1 p.m. in the Beaver office (t st floor St. Clements, next to Union offices). Everybody interested in helping out is welcome. Director I speaks I yHE recent elections received I fairly wide coverage in the I Press. The "Sunday Telegraph" ¦ even included the following I statement from Walter Adams, \ Bart. : "I don't mind what democra-I tic systems they adopt. That is ' up to them. But we are administering public funds and we must be accountable for those funds." We are very grateful to Sir-Walter for not minding our democratic aberrations. However, I would like to point out to him that he is not in fact administering public funds, or any funds, in our direction anyway. No doubt he and the Governors are far more au fait with public opinion than we are, and we completely agree with him that he must be accountable fo'' the funds. So why isn't he ? After having tried several times to elicit some comment from the Director concerning: the new constitution, and failing miserably, I was full of admiration for the "Sunday Tele' graph" reporter who seemed t* have no trouble at all. Of course, I don't really believe that Sir Walter is more ready to talk to "Telegraph" reporters than he is to talk tO" "Beaver" reporters, but, just in case, the next time I call, I will say I'm from "The Times." H.E. WE WORKED ON THIS ISSUE OF "BEAVER" Siielley Adams, G. Dowell, P. Duggan, George Foy, | M. Ganther, Rosie Hurst, Andy Jackson, Louise Jacob, » Rodwell Jones, Keith Jinks, Martin Kersh, Stuart Madden, John Mair, Bob Meilors, Mike Ellis, Ono Osakwe, Imogen , Pennell, Soc. Admin. Co-op, J. Sydnor, Maggie Wellings, • Robin Widdison, Doris Wilde, Jonathan Wilde. JOIN US! | BEAVER. Nov. 25th. 1971—Page Five IT'S A WOMAN'S LIFE IN THE UNIVERSITY Oh lucky Mrs. Jones, Your children have no clothes And your husband is calling for his dinner, The taxmai^y^^'' And you're law While getting thini thinner. ?RI^ women's grants ^.unlike those of other students, T not been increased since 1965, because this minority group is considered "privileged.'" There is a basic grant for all married women of £275. The majority of married women students ai'e "mature", i.e., over 25 and/or have worked for three years before starting the course. Many have been earning, say, £80 per month, and are reduced J:o an income of little over £90 jr term. [These women have to become lost entirely dependent on hir husbands and accept a amatic-drop in standard of =ng, or have had to use hard->ed savings in order to re-kin a reasonable standard. Many matui'e students have children to support, having to pay perhaps £1 per day for child care, but receive no contribution towards support of dependants as in the case of a male married students. ANOMALY If a woman marries during her course, her grant is immediately reduced to £275. However, if she was previously dependent on her father, he is still expected to pay the same parental contribution as before, and continues to be assessed as before. So presumably, in the case of a rich father paying the maxu-mum contribution of £380 (£430-50), the student would receive a maintenance grant of £275-£380, i.e.. a bill for £105. No reference whatsoever is made to the husband's income, except that in the case of the husband being a full-time student there is a possibility of receiving £380 or even £420. Do the grant authorities realise that they are encouraging students to live together without getting married, while on the other hand encouraging couples who are married to live apart ? If the wife lives not with her husband but with her parents, she receives £305, and if she lives "elsewhere" she is even eligible for a full grant. A small point, but one very relevant to students in London, is that there is no London allowance, which means that the effective value of the grant is cut by a further 6.1 per cent. A concrete example: one student, who has been married for almost two years, receives a maintenance grant of £39 per year, i.e.. less than one month's rent. If the grant authorities insist that she is still dependent on her father, why don't they just leave it at that ? As it is, they both have their cake and eat it by reducing her grant (because she now has a husband "to look after her") while still expecting conti'ibu-tions from her parents. A further, and for some the most cutting, indignity, is the fact that a male student can marry during his course or be married when he starts the course, without I'eceiving any cut in his grant. In fact he can claim more allowance for his dependants. The sooner this petty example of sexual discrimination is done away with, the better. WHITE SEXISM .-JN THE IVORY TOWER I ALTER ADAMS, well-known liberal racist and rmer principal of University .ollege Rhodesia, has indicated slight approval of the aims 46 Gay Liberation Front. r)e has suggested that the <4.F works quietly; contacting tlv "i^eht" people —such as broadmt^eH ^.:;«nle in th» Hom^-OTfice, or Sir John Wald-/^.-roTfTCommissioner of the Metropolitan Police. But what Adams says and what he does are two different things. FIGHT Last year LSE was the birthplace of the London Gay Liber-ation Front. GLF fights the oppression of homosexual women and men in all its foiTns and ho_p£s^^ achieve a self-liberation from feelings of guilt and shame. " At the first meeting there were 19 people, then, as word got around, numbers increased to 30. 60. 100, then to 300. when packed meetings were held every Wednesday night in the' New Theatre. Union showed its support with , a massive vote in a Union meeting where only three people and a nun voted against. A lesbian ran for President and got 167 out of 654 votes on the 12th count. CRUMBLING This was a fine thing : a liberation movement in a School founded by Fabian Socialism. Many people who are not members ot the LSE were drawn into the College. The Ivory Tower was crumbling a little and establishing ties with homosexual men and women within and without the School. But all this was too much for Adams who is moi'e concerned with having a quiet docile School than with the oppression of homo,sexual people. More concerned with sacking socialist iecturei's than with encouraging J- links between the college and the community. He struck during the Easter vacation when thei'e were few students around to make a fuss. Within 24 hours' notice the Bursar told the GLF that the bookings they had made for meet-"Cgc ¦^'¦acation were to be cancelled since the Director had not signed their constitution so they were not a recognised society. A compromise was worked out to overcome the problem of short notice, but within two weeks the sisters and brothers were out on their ears. The Director has absolute control over Union societies and the use of all rooms except the three Union rooms. We hear that Adams has considered raising the matter of the expulsion at the General Purposes Committee of the School. He did not in the event do this, but had he done so he would very likely have found himself outvoted by homosexual and/or liberal academics. Not that this would have made any difference since the Director at L.S.E. is vested with almost dictatorial powers and is obliged to take the advice of almost no one. Having thrown out the harlots and pimps from the temple courtyards, and on the understanding that they wouldn^ return. Adams promised to sign the constitution. He agreed that Union societies were allowed to -have occasional meetings open to the public. In May the G.L.F. decide to hold a "think-in" where gay people would get together in small groups and think about the organisation of G.L.P. and its political campaign. A convenient and comfortable place to hold small discussions would be L.S.E. But the booking was held up. Once again they were told they were not a recognised society. Adams was cornered in the Connaught House lift and agreed that the meeting came within the terms of what he said he would allow. He let it go ahead and again said that he would sign the constitution. It was not until this September Justice miscarried ^ Thursday, October 28th, two giiis sat on the roof of H.M. Prison, Holloway, as a protest against conditions within | the Prison Hospital. The main complaint of one of them, Glaswegian Susan McGowan, aged 20. on remand on a charge of theft, was that the Prison Medical Service had been responsible for her losing a 2.1-month pregnancy. As a price for ending her protest she demanded civilian hos-pt"l\«gtion. A promise to this effect Wfcia-^ bv the prison governoi', Mrs. D. M. WfuB. Monday, November 1st she was duly hospitalised in a civilian hospital. Henderson Hospital, at Sutton, a MENTAL INSTITUTION. "Beaver" attempted to find out the reason for mental hospitalisation for a medical complaint. The Home Office said that they would "Look into the matter and ring you back." They said this at 1 p.m.. 1.30 | p.m.. 2 p.m.. 3.30 p.m. and 4 | p.m. At the time of writing the Home Office have not even admitted that the girl is in Henderson. Fortunately, the Administration Director at Henderson was a little more forthcoming, and admitted the admission of Susan McGowan to the hospital. CARTER, that he said for tlie third time that he would sign the constitution, but with one amendment. The amendment would make it clear that the the Gay Liberation Front as a Union society would be concerned only with the interests of homosexuals students at L.S.E. G.L.F. had no choice but to give in. His female lackey noted down the agreement in impeccable shorthand. This is a salutary lesson in how a sexist, racist, "liberal" protector of academic conservatism plays his game. It shows the power the Director has over the activities of the Union, and the importance the authorities place on keeping universities isolated from nearly all the people. Doris & Jonathon Wilde It s delicious. J This is a prime example of women used as sex-objects capitalism. Of course, the original advertisement was not qui as crude, but the intention was clear. *See back page—Womer Lib.). TOTAL AMORALIT J^VEN in this so-called "permissive" society we still seem to be having the same old boring discussions about morality. Nobody seems to be quite sure what morality is, but from time to time large numbers of people seem to get very excited about it, recent examples are the Festival of Lig,^^^ charade and the "Oz" trial. Out of those interminable discussions morality comes out as a rather vague and woolly concept ; it is very difficult to give an example of moral behaviour ; conversely there are endless examples of immoral behaviour ; it is immoral to kill, to steal, to lie, to be selfish, to sleep around. Does this indicate that the notion of morality is basically negative ? But "what would we do without morality ?" scream the reactionaries, the Jesus Freaks, and the millions who aspire to attain material and emotional security. Isn't a lack of morality what makes people lazy, destructive, mixed-up and unhappy ? Don't we need to control the desires of the individual by giving him an infallible "conscience," which can place a religious or moral restriction on his actions, because his natural inclinations lead only to the destruction of himself and others ? And what about all those young people who work hard, pass their exams and settle down into secure jobs and quiet domesticity, aren't they happier when they are adjusted to conventional society and morality than those who refuse to conform, and are either punished or pitied by the majority ? ATTACK This point of view can be attacked from two different directions. One is that in practice, it is very difficult to persuade a large number of people to accept a ^jgg^Kioral code for any length of time, under system deviants will arise, threaten the established order, and whom we designate criminals, heretics, lunatics, or revolutionaries, requiring rehabilitation. Another objection to educating people in some s.ystem or code of morality is thatul tends to destrcvvLMriMff^" 5eTiume creativity Initiative : it blocks natural curiosity because it says it is wrong to do or even think about certain things ; when faced with this block the mind can either revolt against the moral sj^gtem which constrains it, sink ifii , apathy, or blame and destroy itself. ALTERNATIVE The fact that we are slowly gaining more and more knowledge about the world and about ourselves also makes us question the need for moral restrictions —should we do what we like and what makes us happy, and take the consequences of oui' actions, or should we be constrained by some precept based on God or some vague metaphysical entity which, conveniently, it is impossible to understand or prove the existence of ? Is it better to rely on blind faith or past experience ; have we. really any basis to believe that people's natural desires and needs are so destructive that they must be rigidly controlled, and has anyone or anything the right to impose restrictions on man's behaviour for his own good Perhaps there is no solution to the problem of insecurit.y in seeking some infallible set of principles which can tell us what to do, to pass judgement on us and reassure us, the way to cope with life' assume that what we are what we want is good proved otherwise by oii perience. nn 1 n EAVER, Nov. 25th, 19;i—Page SL\ Carr-Saunders Hall of Residence Fluroy Street London W1 Telephone 01-580-633819 THE LONE>ON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS AND POLITICAL SCIENCE Your reference: Our reference: Date: 22 StiptcKber 19^7 The Housing Officer, The London School of Econooice, Students * Union« Houghton Street, Aldwych, London W.C.2* Dear Miller, When we net towarda the end of last term I promised to let you know should any vacancies occurr in the Hall shortly before the beginning of the Michaelmas Term* It turns out that we now h&re two va.cancieB in doable rooms and I would be grateful if you would refer to me students in need of accommodation. I would prefer First-Tear students. There is one further proTiso: as you may know, the anonymous pnor stipulated a quota for non-'British students, and this quota is ^w full. I therefore have no alternative but to ask you to refer to only British students. I am sorry to have to write in these terms |it you will understand that I have no option in this matter. Tours sincerely, R. Klappholz Warden. "his was unearthed from Union office files when the r>ewly-elected got to work. They are sure that they wilt turn up other "specimens" for your delight. kISTER FACING >TH WAYS' >ntinued from Page Four) Icient detail, i.e. the South African arms deal question. The boy who made good from Huddersfield is "righV on nearly ¦everything except on a few trivial incidents. His ability to hedge on nearly everything remains unequalled. .jjga^ald^^WiUon backs horses, I bet it is each way. As a politician Wilson is best~^» handling details, and one suspects that it was things like the "Torrey Canyon" affair that he most enjoyed, with its melodrama and lack of doctrinal overtones. As a Prime Minister, Wilson was too lenient; deadwood and incwn-petence remained far too long. How did Arthur Bottomley and George Brown ever remain so long in the Cabinet? Perhaps the reason that the Labour Party lost in 1970 was the popular feeling that if they wanted a conservative government, the Conservatives would do it mt"'-ginally better. ' " * OUrtN KIRKALDY SOFTLY. SOFTLY (Continued from Page Four) banging through me and he's still smiling and my foot's in his mouth and there's red over his nice white teeth. ..." Despite the froth about sex, drugs, and the generation gap, the important themes of the book are class jealousy (not hatred), the dominance of the male, and self-rele«:',' through violence. Richard does not c ' moder^"'^'^') --- wants to a lot of people because his own vacant life bothers him. ANDREW ADAMS Classified Ads RENT Would anyone like to rent my attic bedroom during the Xmas vacation ? £4 p.w. all inclusive. House is shared by four other girls. 20 minutes from L.S.E.— Contact S. Bruley—U.G. pigeonholes. MINI MINI COOPER 1275CC., 1966, Brown smoked windows, radio, airhorns, fat wheels, lowered suspension, oil cooler, rebuilt < gearbox; £410 or try offer, but limited sense of humour in these matters.—Ring 722 1795— Chris Keen. Also flatmate's MINI COUNTRYMAN, 1964, 1i owners, undersealed from new, £200. ROCK _^ jrBjEEBEflrRO,'T!s.E.'s very own iazz-rock band', are looking tor bookings. We would like to hear from anybody (via S.118) with any contacts for work— and if you would like to hear from us, we play at University College Bar on Fridays (free). TAPE FOR SALE—PHILLIPS CASSETTE TAPE RECORDER, plus sensitive microphone MOST . NEW: THOR )UGHLY SERVICED IN ^^FCBER. Brand new £24.50, price £14.50 o.n.o,—Taff PASSFIELD pOLLOWING Thursday's meet-ing, which passed the motion to make the house assembly of workers, staff and students the sole decision-making body, the whole issue passed upstairs to the ((unreformed) Hall Committee. The school is worried to the point that Wally himself and Pike (Financial secretary) made it their business to attend (Wally departed after the lunch party for senior staff and selected house-trained students). DEMOCRACY The _fommittee's task was to simultaneously reassure moderate students that liberal democracy really works, whilst defusing the immediate situation by passing off the main demands on to the bureaucratic grinding machine, known as the school authorities. Further reaction on the main demands cannot, therefore be expected until at least December 16th, when the standing committee of the court of governors next meets. This means that returning students are unlikely to be informed of the position until the first House Meeting. If all students withhold their hall fees, at tpa»t iintU the situa- La Lutte continue tion becomes clear, it might prove useful. Ultimately students have the economic power. Whether or not they have the will to use it is something else. A minor demand, the abolition of staff's high table privilege, was neatly skipped. Tacitly acknowledging the success of the spontaneous direct action by students occupying the table at meal times, the committee conceded its use at peak times. They still regard the privilege as existing, and therefore justified, but it won't be as blatant. Not to be outdone by the committee, on which the warden repeatedly had to shut him up, the sub-warden. Bridge, did a neat somersault and denied his intention of expelling some students. It was, of course, a filthy rumour and not even within his power to do. But then has that fact often stopped him before ? Finally, a comment from Miss Baron, devoted housekeeper, and famed for her ready good humour : "I'll not eat with those pigs," she wisecracked after Friday's hall meeting. -^Predictably, the only objection to including workers came from a member of the National Labour Party. DEPARTMENT NEWS Social Admin. Dept. THE Soc. Admin. Department selection procedure appears saved the friendly Fabians of the tlon with radical thought. Or has it ? Down in the social work courses something stirred ; Bert, a champion of the oppressed, arrived, and was very quickly forced to leave again. The staff, steeped in Freudian casework theory, believe social work should help poor people become content with the shitty system they live in—^Bert thought they should control the system, but as the social work lecturers controlled the system Bert lived in, he just had to go . . . Social work is basically a societal control mechanism ; but social work is a sub-system in itself with its own admission regulatory procedures to ensure conformity. The Soc. Admin. Dept. perpetuates this conformity, firstly by employing as staff only those social workers whose ideas have shown no detectable change since the day Freud died and, secondly, by seeing people as "clients" and "cases" (i.e. objects) rather than fellow products of the capitalist system. Note : social work is the fastest growing profession — whatever happened to the trade union movement ? The size of the Soc. Admin. Department is a function to capitalism's growing need for seems quiet again this year. The to have done its job well and east building from any c®nfronta- social controllers. Controllers-, have to be Passed ; the Social Work diplom^jj courses supply the ay-opiiate social workers (thos^^^ Bert), the Branch III Oology degree^^ supplies the adn^jg^^-ators the self-perpetuaVg g(.od#ftemics, while the two a yevc^ji^. Admin, diploma ("No it^pnal entry qualifications required") provides the liberal facade. Most of the staff are employed directly in research to make the state machine operate more smoothly, for instance—Professor Abel Smith, one time social service adviser to the Labour Government, is now a member of the Tory-appointed Fish'^r committee to investigate social security 1: Dr. Tessa Blackf rently employed Weekend Televisicta reaction to "Sesame, sub-titled "The cKiTSl; guide competition, achievement-orien^ tation and door-opening.'' Professor of social atfnninistra-tion and founding father of the Welfare State, Richard Titmuss started life as a bus eccvductor in Worthing—Bert was a bus conductor, too, when do you think he wilt be appoDCfted professor ? The Soc. Artftiiiin, Co-op Mise of Geography Department A RECENT survey undertaken by the British Board of Boredom Research, showed a marked concentration on the fourth and fifth floors of the St. Clement's Building, reaching a maximum in the vicinity of the Rodwell Jones Room. ____Aji^dgn^ of eariy-term d^< tlonnave now i5eeIr-,/liI;efb^;t::^-^' following a series of lectures on topics of unparalleled mediocrity. The Research Board dis- covered in the course of its analysis the following CEv.res : L Unnecessary duplication ol topics within courses. 2. The insistence thfct a regio-^ nal topic must be endured. 3. The inclusion in leciure? trivial details. A method to of i De IJ ir.stiiue more problems — i-rJenlated courses, with more time devux^d to discussion . . . ... we are open to 'mteas ! Rodwtiir Jones. I Passfield administrators century? BEAVER. \ov. 25th, 1971—Page Seyen THE ATHLETIC UNION PAGE FEELING THE P!NCH Attiiatic Union grant ha$ now been increased to £4,750. We hope that this will be available some time next term after the Director has seen ttie accounts for last session. in an executive meeting on November 11th, a motion calling for decreased subsidisation by the Athletis Union for membership fees, entrance fees, and insurance was rejected. If this had been passed it would have meant that clubs with high initial costs for insurance etc., would have had to make some contribution themselves, leading to a saving of about £204 to the Union. The implication of the rejection is that all clubs which now contribute something, namely the Gliding Club, must in future have a 199 per cent subsidy from the Union. This increases our deficit iby £100 and as a result we mu^t reduce all club budgets by about 10 per cent. Necrophilia at and bestiality Oxford iJATURDAY, November 6th will live long in the annals of the Soccer Club. A motley crew of 11 hardy lads and one lass took on the might of Oxford's soccer best. We won by seven magnificent thunder-bolted goals to one blatantly offside goal. Czech political escapee Pete Chobididous broke the net twice, and our Norwegian goalkeeper, Marius Hange, kept goal so bravely that he must have assured himself of a place in Valhala. VICTORS The poor lads of Ruskin College hardly knew what hit them but had sufficiently recovered to provide the victors with the spoils of the conquest, a gallon of beer. Despite the lack of support for the trip, the few who went consumed enough beer for a party twice Its size. Like last year the "boys of the L.S.E." treated the patrons of a rural pub to a tine display of beer supping, obscene ditties and balancing. The star performer was again the undaunt-ab]e Norseman, Marius Hange, who astounded the locals {and us) with a chair balancing act. Mention must also be made of Phil Vale, who sang continuously from a prone position some of the vilest songs ever heard. On the domestic scene most of the team have had mixed fortunes. The first XI still fail to play to potential, while the seconds played badly against Imperial College. They still re-fnain unbeaten in League games. The thirds have picked up their momentum again, while the fourths continue to do quite well. The fifth team, now captained by Dave Millar, lost heavily to Camberwell Art College, but seem to be enjoying themselves. OLIGARCHIC However, the Dynamos continue to do pretty well on the field but the principles upon which it was born seem to have been discarded (i.e. drinking, playing for fun) and some of its oligarchic leaders seem bent upon a vitriolic campaign against the venerable and representative leaders of the Soccer Club, The real problems of the Soccer Club still remain. The first and second teams badly need training. One can still ask sensibly—Is John Aspinall a cardboard replica ? Is John Kopij entering for the "On the Ball" penalty prize ? The necrophilia and bestiality? Well, everyone was so pissed at Oxford that the missing four hours in everyone's consciousness must have some explanation—this was the most likely one we could think of. COMING EVENTS U C H Hockey Club challenge LSE Rugby Club to a booze-up in the Tuns — date to be arranged. This is » direct result of the Exec's forage into their territory oin Tuesday. H E C (Paris) Soccer Clufe will be coming over at t^e end of term. Dynamos their recent run of success the LSE Dynamos have firmly established themselves as a major force in the London soccer world. Despite immense jealousy, vicious backbiting" and virulent character assassination from the lackeys of the soccer club establishment clique, the Dynamos have blossomed into a team of infinite taient. SAVAGERY Their player-manager, a suave sophisticated 3.Tidlander and their captain cum leading goal-scorer. an irrepressible Geordie, have instilled in the team a spirit envied by most brandy Used textbooks bought for the highest prices Second-hand (marvellous range) and Stationery (everything for the student) Department. The Economists' Bookshop, King s Chambers, Portugal Street, London. W.C.2. For a quotation ask to see Brian Simmons SIMMONDS UNIVERSITY aOOKSELLERS Our shop is not the biggest in London, but it is among the best. And it's a place where you will obtain individual attention. 16 FLEET STREET LONDON, E.C.4 (opp. Chancery Lane) 353 3907 Beaver Needs help for pro-d u c t i on, reporting, taking copy to station, distribution, getting paid ads., etc. Come to Beaver Office, Room S116, St. Clement's Building. drinkers. With a subtle blend of footballing skill and pure, unashamed savagery the team has contemptuously dismissed all opposition. CONVIVIALITY The international flavour of the first team so.uad has given rise to a convivial atmosphere, which is the envy of Didcot United Fourth Team Reserves. When asked to explain their undaunted record of victories a first team player was heard to comment; "Well, Brian. I hit it first time and there it was in the back of the net." MOTTO However, after an unaccountable minor setback of a five-goal deficit in their allegiance to the team motto "We're only here for the beer". EOOIE WARING. The Bar—BEWARE. Ski Club "y^^riTHIN the last few weeks a ski club has been formed, which has at the moment a membership of about 40. However, at the beginning of term approximately 80 people showed interest in forming this club, and we hope that these people will be able to come along to the A.U. to become members. The programme for the coming year includes social activities, films and a trip to Europe (probably Austria) this Easter. Realising the importance of fitness, we have also planned an extensive training programme. As a group we will benefit by price reductions, whilst amongst our members we have a number of experienced ski-ers, some of them being qualified ski instructors. The grant that we have been allocated by the Athletic Union, we hope will be supplemented as our membership and activities grow. Part of our budget will be used for the purchase of training equipment and also to subsidise training at the Crystal and Alexandria Palace dry ski slopes. Could any person who is interested in our activities or who has any useful information please contact the club secretary, Naomi Lester, either through the Undergraduate or Athletic Union pigeon holes. Paul Cooper. Mountaineering Club are going to Scotland over Christmas. Another coming event Iwan Morgan. Bryan Smith continues ta baffle everybody as treasurer. Come home LSE Sam — Your chopes are still in the drawer. Cricket '¦^""'HIS term we are having a ^ series of NET PRACTICES, and if there is anyone who-wants to get in training for this season then he can come with us. We go to Alf Cover's Cricket School in Clapham on Monday nights and meet in the Concourse Area of St. Clement's at about 5 p.m. Please check the noticeboard of the Cricket Club for details. You only pay your fare there and back, and 5p to join the COVER CRICKET SCHOOL, For this 5p you get 10 per cent or more reductions on cricket gear you buy there. KEVIN CARROLL. CHLERMR Thursday, Nov. 25— Blood Donors, 9,15-5.30, gym. Ents. Meeting, 1.0-2.0. S.I18. Friday, Nov. 26— Politics of Psychology Conf. Debate Soc.. "Rhodesia'', 7.0-9.0, S.401. Saturday, Nov. 27— Stone the Crows. Freedom. D.J.: Andy Dunkley. Bar and Disco, 7.45. Politics of Psychology Conf. Monday, Nov. 29— Soc. Soc.. Ian Ciegg. 1-2. S.421. Tuesday, Nov. 30— Beaver Meeting. 1-2, S.116. Con. Soc.. Mrs. L. Townsend (GLC), 1-2, OT. WONDERWALL. Film Soc. Wednesday, Dec. 1— Council, 1 - ?. S.lOla. Thursday, Dec. 2— Ents. Meeting. 1 2, S.118. Extra film : 'W^omen in Love" plus cartoons. 7 p.m. O.T. Friday, Dec. 3— Watch notice-boards. Monday, Dec. 6— Gay Lib., 1-2. S.067. Tuesday, Dec. 7— ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT, Film Soc. Wednesday, Dec. 8— Watch noticeboards. Saturday, Dec. 11— London Wainright III, Egg.i Over Easy, Bar and Disco, 7.45. JEWELLERY AND WATCHES 20% - 25% DISCOUNT to all NU5 membars and Unhersity stall DIAMOND ENQAQEMENT RINQS. Gold—Wedding and Signet Rings. Gold and SIW9T—Cigaratta Cases, Powder Boxes, Bracelets, Necklaces, Charms, Brooches, Harelips, Links. Silver and E.P.N.S. Tea-sets. etc. 10% - 20% DISCOUNT to all NUS mombsrs and University stall on 3!: Branded Goods—All Swiss Watches, Clocks, Cutlery, Pens, Lighters, etc., and on all Second-hand Jewellery. Remodelling and repairs to all (ewellary and repairs to watches (lEORGES & CO. of Hatton Garden (Entrance In Grevllle Street only) SS/80 HATTON GARDEN, E.C.I. Showroom Open Weekdays 9-8, Saturday 9-12 Sjacia: attention to orders by post or 'phone: 01-405 0700/6431 BEAVER. Nov. 251h. 1971—Page Eight REMEMBER RHODESIA s^m ALEC DOUGLAS-HOME. For Ign Secretary, has been spending time in Rhodesia, in the company of men who. for the large part, make Governor Wallace of Alabama look like a liberal. There have been so many protestations about Sir Alec's "Honour" during the last weeks in Britain, so many affirmations that a man of his integrity will not sell out to Mr. Smith and his friends, that it is difficult not to feel a little uneasy. Whatever the words any settlement may be cloaked in, it will nevertheless be a disaster for the majority of Rhodesians. So far the British negotiating teams that have visited Salisbury have not included any Africans in their talks, apart from the occasional individual. And even if the negotiators had been available, Africans would have been too frightened to go and see them. You don't have to live in Rhodesia to be aware that the Smith regime is based on the use of police and army and that the actions of the police are based on the constant flow of reports from police informers. But it is "perhaps necessai-y to have lived in Rhodesia to appreciate how afraid people are—afraid that their own relatives or friends may be taking note of what they are saying or doing: afraid of a summons by the local chief, of the sound of a police jeep chugging up your road. The five principles on which any settlement is meant to be based are masterpieces of ambiguity. It is quite possible to interpret the' first principle—that there must be unimpeded progress to majority rule—in terms of centuries. This is what the ruling white Rhodesian Fi-ont will be doing in their hearts if not with their tongues. The second principle lays down guarantees against retrogressive amendments to any new constitution. But since the 1965 unilateral declaration of independence destroyed the Rhodesian constitution of 1961 Mr. Smith has had tw'o new constitutions, each of them progressively retrogressive. And it is common knowledge in Rhodesia (and in British Government circles) that any settlement is likely to be torn up as soon as sanctions are lifted and the whites are legally granted their independence. Neither the Labour Party nor the Conservative Party has been able, while in office, to protect even one Rhodesian or in any way to exert Its legal responsibility for Rhodesia. So it is quite ludicrous for the Government to believe that the .second principle is of value whatsoever. The third principle stated that there must be immediate improvement in the political status of the African population. But in the eyes of the Rhodesian Fi'ont the African population has no political status of any relevance. Any grudging concessions Sir Alec may be able to extract from the Rhodesian Front will be minimal and will last just as long as the whites are agreeable to their existence. So we may all rest assured that any movement towards majority rule will be effectively and violently halted by Rhodesia's white rulers. The fourth principle asks for progress towards ending racial discrimination. Racial discrimination is the foundation stone of the Rhodesian Fi'ont and will remain so whatever facades are erected. And now the last and final principle; "The British Government must be satisfied that any basis proposed for independence was acceptable to the people of Rhodesia as a whole." The British Government have made it perfectly clear that they do not have to be satisfied. They have already, undoubtedly in collusion with Smith, ruled out any hope of a democratic referendum of Rhodesian adults. They show a complete lack of concern for the absence of organised political activity amongst Rhodesian Africans since 1964, Instead they will set up some kind of Commission to estimate what the people feel—and, in the words of one of those concerned in the negotiations, the Commission will see what is best for the African. It will not insist on free and informed discussion throughout the counti-y. it will allow only six weeks for an assessment of public opinion. So it will be quite impossible for the hundreds of Africans who have left Rhodesia to return to their country in time to participate. And even if the African leaders were let out of detention and imprisonment, it would be quite impossible for them to re-form political structures through which to reach and advise their intimidated followers. So the African people will have no political alternatives to choose from. The forthcoming "honoiu'able settlement with Rhodesia" will be one of the most dishonourable events in British colonial history. It will be a declaration of peace between Her Majesty's Government and the Rhodesian Front—nothing more, and nothing less. JUDITH TODD. Judith Todd is the daughter of Garfield Todd, former Prime Minister of S. Rhodesia. She has been a consistent critic of Ian Smith's moves toward an Apar-theid system.—(NUS Press Service). tiO TO^tvre you uNOeRsrANDjA-t-.rrL^ TR^r^rti^tiV 0({ 'V>e.