Irate Student Government Forces Suspension Of 'Daily Pennsylvanian' After Bitter Feud

Two thousand copies of the CRIMSON will be distributed at the University of Pennsylvania today.

Publication of the Daily Pennsylvanian, the student newspaper at the University of Pennsylvania, has been suspended "until further notice" as a result of a bitter quarrel between the student government and the editors of the newspaper.

After an editorial attacking the Student Government Association appeared in the Friday Pennsylvanian, the Association decided in an emergency meeting Saturday to withdraw its recognition and financial support from the paper.

The Daily Pennsylvanian receives a subsidy of $17,000 a year, collected as part of each student's tuition.

Robert F. Longley, Dean of Men at the University of Pennsylvania, announced the suspension to the editors of the paper on Saturday, claiming that he was acting "merely in support on the student government." He said the suspension was within the Association's constitutional rights. In a statement to the CRIMSON Saturday night, Longley listed "irresponsible journalism" as the primary reason for the paper's suspension.

The charges made by the student government in the emergency resolution centered on "irresponsible use of University funds" and the publication of a parody described by the Association as "libelous and vulgar, and in general an insult to the intellect and morals of the University." The parody was of the Pennsylvania News, a women's activities weekly, Longley said the parody had "great sexual overtones."

An answering statement issued by the Pennsylvanian's editor-in-chief, Melvin Goldstein '62, noted that the president of the senior class had described the parody as "hilarious." Goldstein also cited a passage from the regular issue of the Pennsylvania News in which the News staff "thanked the Dally Pennsylvanian for its excellent issue of the Pennsylvania News yesterday."

He responded to the charge of financial irresponsibility by pointing out that the paper has an $1300 profit from its operations since September. The paper did, however, fall into the red during December. At this time the number of pages was reduced and the amount of advertising increased.

In the issue containing the editorial against the student government, the Pennsylvanian also reported the resignations of the vice-president of the Association and the chairmen of three committees. The reason for the resignations, as recorded in the Pennsylvanian editorial, was the "high handed and totally unconstitutional manner" in which the Association had made its appointments to these committees. The editorial claimed that the choices were "based on party patronage rather than any concept of ability."

Choose 'Party Hacks'

"In addition," the editorial continued, "lest any danger of democratic representation arise, an extra--constitutional 'policy committe,' dominated by party hacks, was created. It is these hacks who have thus far dictated the operations of the government."

Richard Pegnetter '63, the president of the Student Government Association, said last night that appointment by party loyalty was inevitable under the college's present party-system government. He described the appointees as "very capable," and added that the officers who resigned had planned their move before knowing anything about the appointments, and "had the disruption of the government in mind from the very moment they joined it."

Pegnetter also pointed out that a student report criticizing the Pennsylvanian--signed by the president and treasurer of the senior class, the president of the junior honor society the captain of the soccer team, and the head cheerleader--had been submitted to the president of the University, Gaylord P. Harnwell, earlier this winter. Harnwell subsequently called a meeting of student leaders and editors of the Pennsylvanian to discuss the criticism. The discussion produced no conclusions.

Administration Wants Compromise

Both Longley and David R. Goddard, provost of the University, emphasized yesterday that the administration wished to take no part in the quarrel, and hoped that the students could reach a compromise agreement by themselves. The Student Government Association has promised to lift the suspension as soon as new officers are installed on the paper. But Goldstein asserted last night that no change would be made until the traditional date, March 8. He said that staff members in both the junior and senior classes agreed on this.

Longley said that the parody of the Pennsylvania News had provoked the Association's suspension resolution, not the anti-Association editorial. Longley was present at the Saturday morning meeting of the Association, in an advisory capacity.

A special meeting late yesterday afternoon between President Harnwell, Goddard, the editors of the Pennsylvanian, and the leaders of the student government produced little hope of a compromise, Goddard said.