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Has democracy practical applications?(Continued from Page 1) money into her treasury by the Dorian League. The govbutfutilely, to gather more adding several new nations to ernment, Gallagher explains,Professor Myron K. Sibley introduced Dr. Gallagher with the following: "Our society hasnot learned to identify the rare skill of a successful administrator. It means the skill of artisticlimitations, rather than the imposition of arbitrary barriers to the always diverse and often obverseelements of a modern university ... giving a voice but not a shout to the avant-gardeprofessor ... . giving the platform but not the house to the speaker with radical views . . .channeling the measureless energy of each student generation to creator rather than just creativeaction . .. Above all it means the holding of all elements of the college to the commitmentof keeping aglow that primary objective we cherish in the West, the granting of life, learningand freedom to every man.i"Buell G. Gallagher is presented to you sir, to be the recipient of Alfreds Doctor of HumaneLetters, and if it is not redundant, sir, why not summa cum laude.The Air Force doesn't want towaste you r Bachelor of ScienceDegree any more than you do.B. Sc. Those letters have an impressivesound.But they won't be so impressiveif you get shunted off into someobscure corner of industry afteryou leave college. A forgotten man.You want activity. You want toget In there and show your stuff.All right. How do you propose todoit?If you join the United States AirForce you'll become an expert fast./The Air Force is lite that. Theyhand you a lot of responsibility fast.Through Officer Training Schoolyou get a chance to specializewhere you want...in the forefrontof modern science and technology.Suppose, for example, youwanted to become a pilot and serveas aircraft commander on airplanecrews. You'd plan missions andinsure that the aircraft is pre-f lighted,inspected, loaded and equippedfor the assigned mission. You'llbe trained to fly exciting aircraft.Just examples. There are somany more.Wouldn't it be pretty nice to enjoyofficers' pay and privileges?And serve your country, as well?Also, you get retirement benefits,30 days' paid vacation, medicaland dental care.B. Sc. Very Impressive letters.Now, do something with them.manded tribute from these nationsjustifying their actionsby declaring, "You know aswell as we that right is inquestion ..."Her armies remained withinthe confines of the city wallsand never once ventured outto assist an ally against theSpartan military thrust. As areisult of this action, in respectto her allies, Athens becameknown as a betrayer of thosewho had put their trust in her.Athenian youth, who hadonce learned to think, be honestinquire, now resorted tolying, cheating, obeying withoutquestion, and fighting. Inaddition, her entire navy hadbeen virtually destroyed. Theinevitable finale occurredwhen the Spartans stood ontop of the Acropolis destroyingwhat they wished to destroywithout any after-thought.They had no desire to maintainor preserve the cultureAthens had cherished.Plato, upon witnessing this'debacle, Gallagher points out,went into exile where he wrotehis famed Republic. He earnestlydesired the restorationof Athens, but in his text, oneflinds more Spartan philosophythan Athenian. An example ofthis would be the philosophyof ThrasymaChos who belevesthat might makes right andthat "justice is the advantageof the stronger."What happened to the Athensthat paved the way for thisdestruction? The most basicanswer Gallagher asserts,seems to be that the Atheniartshad lost faith in their democracy.But this Should not besurprising when one considersthat it is difficult to maintainfaith in something not in practice;for democracy in Athenswas a "Democracy . . . limitedto the chosen few."Slaves and foreignersThis statement can be furtherclarified when consideringthe social status of slavesand 1 foreigners. Neither groupcould ever hope to becomecitizens of this empire boundby golden chains of gratitude.Even though the economiclife of Athens rested upon theshoulders of the slave, he wasdenied his place in the democraticprocess. The foreignerwas welcomed to Athens onlybecause of the profit of tradeand the intellectual stimulationbrought on by his newideas. But even the foreignercould not become a citizen orown a house. He, too, was deniedhis place in the democraticprocess. Whether unknowingly,or not, the Athenian"democratic" government wasslowly undergoing a philosophicaltransition into Spartanthought. And this transitionbrought about the downfall ofAthens.Sparta, which stressed dutyto country above all otherCOMPLETE LINE O.F HUNT-ING PANTS, COATS, BOOTS,INSULATED CLOTHES» GUNS,MMO, AND DEERDEER SEASONOCTOBER 21SLUGS.OPENSTHE OUTDOOR STORE50 South Main StreetWellsville, NtY;1-716-593-9882things, triumphed over Athenswhich placed emphasis on theindividual. From this can bedrawn the conclusion that acountry, whether good or bad,will eventually triumph overanother nation that has nogoal in its existence.Democratic idealsThe idea of democracy existedin Athens but it wasn'tput into practical application.In other words it was not fullydeveloped according to its potential.An extended analogyof this concept can be projectedto exemplify a serious conditionin our own society.How many Americans cantruly express what is meantby the idea of democracy? Justas the Athenians could not, itis doubtful whether manyAmericans would be capableof an accurate, workable definition.On the other side of thecoiin, how many Communistscould define a workable explanationof the Communistdoctrine? And again, just asthe Spartan civilization had adistinct goal and could exp!iainth'eir position accurately, theCommunist would also be capableof doing the very samething.Is democracy failing in theUnited States because it hasno practical u!se? Is there agoal which the American governmentwishes to achieve? Ifthe answers to these questionsare affirmative, then a repifiitionof the Athenian catastrophewill never become a reality.If, however, we have nogoal and there is no practicaluse for democracy, if all citizensare not guaranteed theirplace in the democratic process;if we are ever exposed asa betrayer to those who puttheir trust in us, then eitherwe remedy this situation immediatelyor allow the 20thCentury Spartans to stand onour Acropolis and destroy theculture we Cherish so verydearly.Powers announcesnewly formed planPaul F. Powers, dean of 'students,has announced the Universitypolicy statement ontemporary suspension. The pol"icy applies to emergency situationssuch as the last fewdays of a semester, when theStudent Conduct Board mightbe unable to meet.Situations have occurred,according to the dean, whenthere has been extreme deviantbehavior or flagrant violationsof proper conduct byUniversity Students. In emergencysituations of this nature,the power of immediatesuspension is vested in. thedean of students and his staff.Where this action is necessary,a committee composed ofthe academic dean Of the studentinvolved or the chairmanof the department in whichthie student is enrolled, thedean of students or the associatedean of students, and oneranking member of the studentbody, will convene to discussthe charges and review thepenalty.This committee will meetwithin 24 hours of the incident.The defendant shall appearbefore this committee.If the suspension is upheld,the President of the Universityshall be notified before separationof the student fromthe University is effected.FIAT LUX Alfred, N.Y.October 17, 1967 3