The Northwest times. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1947-1955, 1951-10-27
. SOMEONE.

icCckitiJ qucctioleu Tile Wlbuom Oh
Nisei women students having an all
Nisei organization. the Valedas, on
the University of Washington cam
pus. Why don't they minele with
Caucasian women and accept bids
into various sororities? It Is dis
gushing how the Nisei women are
always sticking together, he said.
Well. let us calm him by citing an
incident which happened in the
Rocky Mountain district several
weeks ago. From the information,
he should be able to gather that the
blame Is not entirely the choice of
the Nisei women but rather a situ-
alton forced upon them.
On our desk Is a report from Po-
catello. Idaho, which noted that the
Idaho State chapter of Sigma Kap-
pa pledged Hawaiian girl In ee-
remonies at Utah State Agricultural
College In Logan (Utah). and that
the initiation caused q mild funipus.
1t seems the pledging Of the Hawai-
ian moved the national officers ST
Sigma Kappa into sending an 5ffi-
cial to visit the Idaho State mem
bers with instructions to have the
chapter "blackBall" all .'non-Cau-
casians" In the FUTURE.
The intervention of the national
bigwigs touched off the resignation
of the sorority's two advisers (Mrs.
w. E. Carrots and Mrs. Mel Schu-
berD and an editorial In the stu
dent newspaper at Idaho State Col
lege.
In its editorial, the Idaho State
College paper pointed out that when
the national fraternities and sorori-
ties were chartered at Idaho State,
one of the clauses was the schools
insistence on the elimination of
race restrictions in membership.
So, there the matter sits as of to-
day.
No further repercussions have oc-
CURED since. Sigma Kappa, as
much as we have learned, has not
rescinded its stand. and the two adj
visers of the Idaho State have re-
NAMED pat on their resignation.
We wondered about the Universe
ty of Washington chapter of Sigma
Kappa, since this fellow was so con-
cerned about the social welfare of
the Nisei women on the local CAM
pus. The U. w. sorority. from our
understanding, faithfully complies
with the same ruling. One has to
be white" at U. W., too.
A telephone call confirmed our
belief. Are nom Caucasians eligi-
BILE for membership in your organi-
zation?" moi"
No doubt, Sigma Kappa intends
to keep its membership exclusively
white. There are many promi-
nent American Caucasian women
college and university students who
belong to Sigma Kappa, social
sorority. without fully realizing that
they practice racial bias which they
talk Is cheap-abhor.
A Nisei university woman gradu- |
ate told us not long ago that In her !
days she knew girls who we're 'aw-
fully friendly" once they were ini-
tiated into sorority but GOODNESS
prevailed until their exciting mo-
ment". In other words, it amount-
ed to grave social error If they |
were seen associating with people
other than Caucasians before they
were pledged. Their chances of re-
ceiving bids would be extremely
slim. IS the general impression.
The well-meaning sociologists on
the campus-great ones for surveys
ought to probe the minds of these
persons who are in white" sorori-
Ties tand we might add fraterni-
ties) on our own home grounds,
What's behind this white" clause?
Do the members believe In the eau
casian only clause? If they don't,
Why don't they speak up and get
out? II they do. then we must re-
'ign ourselves to the knowledge that
college or university education
doesn't necessarily turn out broad
minded, understanding and think
ng people. Maybe. because the ma
'ional organization stated no chap
er must admit mon Caucasianss
he members are sheepishly and
'lindly following the white" clause
Is If 1t were Hitler command. ia?
u can it be that the local members
re afraid they may lose their char
er II the Caucasian clause is viola
ed, or can it be that the local mem
'ers can't think nor act for them
elves?