4r Atrmpgan Daiy Seventy-Seven Years of Editorial Freedom EDITED AND MANAGED BY STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN UNDER AUTHORITY OF BOARD IN CONTROL OF STUDENT PUBLICATIONS Where Opinions Are Free, 420 MAYNARD ST., ANN ARBOR, MICH. Truth Will Prevail NEWS PHONE: 764-0552 Editorials printed in The Michigan Daily express the individual opinions of staff writers or the editors. This must be noted in all reprints. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1968 NIGHT EDITOR: PAT O'DONOHUE f Wallace Message: Bigger thani Racism By STEVE ANZALONE GEORGE WALLACE understands that there is a difference between the University and Michigan State. He knows that State is the one "with the good football team." With the spate of publicity following Wallace's recent announce- ment that he's really running. for President this time, one is reminded that Alabama's de facto governor visited Michigan last summer. Wallace spoke at the annual convention of the Upper Peninsula American Legion in Escanaba last year. Wallace assured the citizens of Escabana that they would survive his visit. They did. THE ANNOUNCEMENT that Wallace would be the main speaker at the convention was met with a good deal of public opposition. Irate letters found their way into the Escabana newspaper. Local citizens even heard from an otherwise unknown liberal element in the com- munity, consisting of one college instructor and an SDS member from the University of Wisconsin. The protest and rumors of an invasion by Negro protesters and a motorcycle gang did not cause a change in plans. Even when some Legion delegates announced that they would boycott the convention, the Legion stood fast. George Wallace would come to Escabana. The former Alabama governor came accompanied by his advance man, who looked like something out of William Faulkner with a baggy tan suit and two-tone shoes. They were given a standing ovation when they entered the banquet where he was to speak. It was a great moment for the Legion. 'U' Membership in IDA: Loss of Academic Freedom THE UNIVERSITY has no business being a member of the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA). IDA describes itself as a "non-profit corporation to provide the Department of Defense with scientific studies in na- tional security." Formed in the "jittery" days of the mid-1950's, IDA was a reac- tion to the Soviet Union space advances and the rapid influx of federal research funds into universities across the country. Though fear and money may be strong incentives for compliance to govern- ment pressure, the 12 universities that form the government "brain-trust" have injured their positions as the educators and critics. IDA serves no educational function and its importance to national security is questionable. The University is neither legally, mor- ally or patriotically obligated to become part of the nation's defense effort. The government is amply supplied by tax monies to hire its own defense research- ers. By participating in such non-educa- tional projects, the University endangers its role as an independent institution df social criticism and analysis. RECENT STUDIES sponsored by IDA in- clude such topics as "Tactical Nuclear Weapons-Their Battlefield Utility," "In- terdictions of Trucks from the Air at Night" and "Chemical Control of Vegeta- tion in Relation to Military Needs." From the names of these research topics, it is clear that IDA is functioning largely as a convenient way for the government and military to use the university to discover new and better ways to maim the people and destroy the land of Vietnam. No uni- versity can in good faith be part of an organization dedicated to finding im- proved methods of inflicting death and destruction on an innocent people. The role of the university is to educate, not to kill. Due to security restricts, very few students can become involved in such projects and even if they could, it is dubious whether an institution dedicated to "art, knowledge, and truth" would want its students to undertake such work. IF THE GOVERNMENT feels that such research must be done, it could go to private research corporations such as RAND or the Hudson Institute, which have no compunctions about educational purpose. Now is an ideal time for the Univer- sity to make the break with IDA. The University of Chicago is expected to pull out of the consortium shortly. University President Emeritus Harlan Hatcher was a member of IDA's board of trustees, but President Robben W. Fleming has not yet assumed his seat. He need never do so. Fleming could easily inform the IDA executive board at its meeting today that he intends to request that the University withdraw from the institute. Having in- formed IDA executive board, Fleming then can propose withdrawal to the Re- gents at the earliest possible time. To be honest critic of government policy, the University cannot continue classified re- search. -STEVE WILDSTROM 4 "Shhh ! The Mahabobby is meditating.. . transpresidentially, that is!" Letters to the Editor Clarification of Detroit CNP Meeting ABOUT FOUR HUNDRED peo- ple turned out to the banquet to hear Wallace's address entitled "States' Rights." The boycotting delegations caused many tables to remain empty. But most notice- able was the absence of all of the Upper Peninsula legislators. Wallace was pleased with the reception. He later told the audi- ence that he was not accustomed to speaking to orderly audiences This was a reference to the rough heckling he had received at Dart- mouth and other campuses. The strategy that the former Governor uses is to show an audi- ence that he is bigger than segre- s gation. He wants them to discover that he "isn't as bad as you all hear." Wallace had no trouble convincing most of the Legion- naires at the convention. Wallace's first trick was to pre sent himself as George Wallace, veteran. Of course, the Legion- G naires went for that in a big way. Next he became George Wallace, gracious Southern bought that, too. From then on it was just routine. Closed Meetings Have No Purpose MIONDAY'S short-lived meeting of Fac- anything else. As one of the would ulty Assembly serves only to point up student representatives later explai the absurdityof the Assembly's traditional it, "Some of us brought a few frie closed meeting policy. along to hear us speak." It wasn't re Faculty sources indicate that every a sit-in, just students reporting on s dent opinion. year, when the question of whether or not to hold open meetings comes up for HE UNIVERSITY FACULTY is debate, a small group of faculty mem- bers insist up