Seventh-Seven Years of Editorial Freedom
EDITED AND MANAGED BY STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
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Editorials printed in The Michigan Daily express the individual opinions of staf writers
or the editors. This must be noted in all reprints.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1967
NJ GHT EDITOR: DANIEL OKRENT
South and West Quad Councils
Sell-Out To University
ONE OF MY ROOMMATES is taking a psychology
course in human factors engineering. Innocently
known as Man Machine Systems, the course may well be
one of the most potent classes currently offered at the
University,
Why? Take, for example, my roommate's experience
at the Detroit Post Office earlier this week. Along with
the other members of the Man Machine System class she
went to view the city's automated postal wonder and
saw instead a human atrocity. Visibly shaken, my room-
mate described the scene: "Hundreds of men and women,
mostly Negro, coding thousands of pieces of speeding mail
rushing through machines. People bitter and jeering,
themselves automated . . . it was horrible. A loud-speaker
system announced that a certain section of the operation
would be permitted one hour of overtime."
MY ROOMMATE is among the more sensitive and
brilliant people roaming the University campus, but she
is also among the more sheltered and idealistic. Having
spent most of her life in an upper middle class suburb,
hers, until recently, has been a world which knew nothing
of rats, fear and resentment.
Unlike a lot of myopic, self-involved students, my
roommate is open to the emotion and unrest which is
outside the University but not quite so far away as Viet-
nam. She is willing to see and feel, to empathize and
sympathize, and to act and react.
Most of the students in the Man Machine Systems
class visited the Detroit Post Office and saw the machines
they went to see. Few, if any, of them were aware enough
to see beyond the masses of metal and grease, to experi-
ence-physically and mentally-what my roommate did.
The limitations of "higher" education become obvious
after a while-the psychology of automation doesn't cut
much ice on an assembly line, elaborate economic theories
are fairly irrelevant to people on welfare, and vicarious
exposure to starvation and Negro hatred for whites is
like putting your hand in a fire while wearing an asbestos
glove.
THE UNIVERSITY has only two academic require-
ments which are mandatory for almost every student-
English 123 and physical education. I'd like to propose
a third. It's a course which can't really be taught -
kind of an independent stndy program to be completed
over a four year period. There's no reading list as such
although the following visual aids are required.
Frshman year: Attend a tea sponsored by the In-
ternational Center and have at least three Monday
lunches at Guild House. Also participate in the psycho-
logy department's program at Northville, a state mental
hospital. The really ambitious student will, of course,
attempt to talk to the peole at each of these places.
and if possible establish more than a passing relation-
ship with them.
Sophomore year: Work with the University's tutorial
project, attend a Regents meeting, go to church or
temple, and start taking afternoon walks through Ann
Arbor's ghetto - down past Jones School. Men should
try for a summer job on the assembly line of an auto-
mobile factory and women might look for a position as
a typist or file clerk.
Junior year: This is the year to get out of Ann Arbor
if you haven't already. Take a bus ride through Detroit's
ghettos in a neighborbood where you'll be the only white
person on the bus. Visit the Detroit Post Office, spend
a couple of hours in circuit court, talk to the people on
a picket line (better yet, participate in one), and get
to know a cop and a serviceman (particularly if you're
opposed to the war in Vietnam).
Senior year : Sign up to substitute teach one day a
week in one of the Detroitcity schools or a nearby
equilvalent (Sumpter, Wayne, etc.). Volunteer to work
in the emergency ward of a hospital, spend a night in
the Washington Hotel on Cass Ave. in Detroit (but don't
plan to sleep), and if it hasn't occurred to you already,
find out about the kid sitting next to you in class or
even the professor.
The final exam comes after you've graduated.
WITH THE WALKOUT of 250 dorm em-
ployes the University's labor difficul-
ties have been brought to involve stu-
dents personally and directly. Students
now have an opportunity to engage in a
significant issue at the University-one
which transcends college life and is a
major issue in contemporary American
society. In this situation certain stu-
dents have pitifully chosen to abdicate
their responsibility of acting in a way
befitting their role.
The statements made Tuesday by South
and West Quad councils betray a sorry
lack of social conscience on the part of
the student representatives, and an indif-
ference to the human aspect of the walk-
out. Their primary concern is their own
welfare; filling their collective stomach
three times a day is more important to
them than the issue of self-respect for
University employes.
The only concerns of West Quad rep-
resentatives were the meagre inconven-
iences and increased costs. The inconven-
ienpes were not serious. For those who
mind the long lines, there is always the
alternatives of dining out.
As for the increased cost, that matter
is a rather callous consideration consid-
ering the workers who have dared to risk
their jobs for a better situation. Cer-
tainly, a school known as one for "rich,
white students" can afford to give those
who maintain its living quarters a chance
to share in the abundance.
FURTHERMORE, by ignoring to real-
ize the close tie between the Univer-
sity's attitude of loco-parentis toward
students, and the refusal to allow collec-
tive bargaining, the students overlook
the effects of the walkout on their own
position. While in the latter case the Uni-
versity has the added goal of keeping
down expenses, they nonetheless have
the same paternalistic attitude toward
their employes as they do toward stu-
dents. The effect on students and Work-
ers is similar; it limits self-confidence
and erodes self-esteem. The University,
of course, never considers these factors:
they are not measurable and will not be
detected by any agency. Finances, how-
ever, are measurable, and the University
prefers to fare well in that area.
THE STATEMENT issued by Inter-
House Assembly was so moderate, that
it's being challenged by these students, is
tantamount to a reaction against the
strike.
If IHA had advocated a walkout by all
student employes, as they should have,
and the impact were strong enough, the
administration would have had no choice
but to accept the workers' demands. All
difficulties resulting from the walkout
would have been ended that much sooner.
IHA did not even do that much. They
only asked students not to act as "strike-
breakers." They asked students not to
take advantage of the situation for their
own selfish aims, but did not ask stu-
dents for any real sacrifices.
Finally, like Ford Motor Company, the
University does not respect issues, it re-
spects power, and the only way the work-
ers could ever achieve their ends, PA 379
suit or not, would be to force the Uni-
versity to give in. By voting as they did,
the quad councils have hurt a just cause,
or at best failed miserably in a situation
wlhere they would have been able to give
immeasurable help.
They deserve only extreme condemna-
tion for their selfish, irresponsible ac-
tions.
-RON LANDSMAN
I
Growing Up Absurd: The Case for China
By PAUL WINSTON
SOME SUGGEST (or assert) (or
howl) that there's a screwball
about in the international politi-
cal realm (China, of course), and
that this fact would be tolerable
(or amusing) except for two con-
siderations - the first being that
her off-beatishness is dangerous
(to her neighbors) (to the world)
(to the universe) (to us), and the
second being that, because of her
size and population and inscruta-
bility, we can do nothing about
the first consideration.
It appears as if the first con-
sideration is questionable (though
it will be called essentially accu-
rate for purposes of discussion),
but that the second consideration
is nonsense (and in a way that is
destructive of the real possibilities
that exist for a resolution of this
particularly knotty feature of in-
ternational relations). That is: it
is mainly America's fault that
China is what she is (if, indeed,
she is so) .
FOR CHINA doesn't know how
to play the game; and even if she
did she isn't allowed to-which
creates a remarkable situation:
China can only learn the rules
(and there are rules, or "accepted
procedures," in the contemporary
version of the international sys-
tem) through participation. The
United States, meanwhile, has
done her best to exclude China
from such conventional partici-
pation, and expects her to behave
responsibly and "maturely" and
according to the book of approved
practices, and bellows obscenities
at her when she doesn't.
The vehicle by which China is
prevented from learning the
rules, and from behaving respon-
sibly, is refusal of diplomatic
recognition, principally by Ame-
rica-who has also demanded that
several of her dependents in
China's neighborhood not extend
recognition, and that China not
be allowed to send delegates, as
a member, to the United Nations.
The result of all of this is that
China has been deprived of the
traditional (a n d non - violent)
means of influencing the small
states that surround her (for ex-
ample, South Vietnam, Thailand,
and Indonesia do not "speak" to
China), and the leader of the rival
bloc, the United States, and any-
one at all in UN activities (in
which organization she has no
seat). These traditional means
generally include diplomacy and
trade, for the granting or with-
holding of utilitarian assets by a
large state can be extremely in-
fluential.
DIPLOMATIC contact seems to
be a more important source of
impact, because, through direct
discussions among ambassadors,
the specific and general intentions
and attitudes of states, regarding
specific and general situations,
can be made clear. This contact
is peaceful and among the inter-
national system's accepted prac-
tices. It is only possible among
states that talk to each other in
ways other than through news-
p a p e r headlines. Furthermore,
talks must be continuous, and of-
ten secret; they must be "diplo-
matic" and not intercontinental
screeching.
The value of diplomacy may be
seen in the result of its absence
during the Korean War. Had talks
"Sir, The Chinese Ammassador Is Here To
Present His Credentials"
do better than shout at us. No
compromise or subtle adjustment
of differences is possible without
diplomatic correspondence. O f
course "p o w e r speaks," and
among ,stubborn states it often
does so violently.
CHINA, THEN, is presented
with the curious problem of dis-
covering means of influencing
people who won't talk to her; and,
as far as she can judge, the only
answer is violent and fearsome
posturing. Violence, and scream-
ing or threatening, are the only
means of influence she has been
allowed. Consequently, as suggest-
ed earlier, not only is she ignorant
of the rules of the game, but she
is also kept from practicing them.
If China is a madman, and
if blame is to be allocated for this
circumstance, one might look to-
ward those who have isolated her,
and prevented her from obeying
tradition and "growing up," while
on the other hand demanding that
she must grow up as a precondi-
tion for membership in the UN
or the civilized world. This is most
fascinating logic.
A FINAL consideration must be
included: China wants to influ-
ence other states and feels she
has a right to so do. She is grow-
ing, and she is large, and her
actual power level is high--far
higher than her level of influence.
Whether or not it is proper or
"moral," big states will influence
rival powers, and the smaller
states around them.
We ought to decide what form
we'd like China's "influencing"
to take.
I4
Student Course Evaluation Booklet
A STUDENT COURSE evaluation booklet
is one facility that must receive top
priority among students and faculty
members who are concerned with obtain-
ing a curriculum with optimum educa-
tional quality. The cost will not be small,
and neither will the effort required to
make it a successful, meaningful ven-
ture, but despite these obstacles, every
effort should be made to turn the course
evaluation booklet into a reality.
The booklet will aid students in reg-
istering for classes by providing them
with much-needed information on the
ability of individual instructors to com-
municate ideas and material to the stu-
dent and give a more realistic picture of
what the course actually covers.
Given the inconsistent equality and
questionable objectivity of the present
course catalogue, and the generally poor
quality of the counseling service, every-
one involved in the consuming end of the
system has observed the near-totally in-
adequate level of guidance in choosing
one's course of studies, and agrees as to
the need for such a booklet.
Those faculty members who feel that
a system of student review should be set
up, but that the results of this review
should first be censored by faculty mem-
bers, or not published at all, underesti-
mate students' competence in decision
making, and do not understand the ma-
jor need for such a booklet. They claim
that the students' criticism on the one
hand is mature enough to be responsible
and valued, but on the other hand, they
feel that students are not quite mature
enough to interpret their conclusions.
Such thinking rings of an odious patern-
alism.
The Daily is a member of the Associated Press and
collegiate Press Service.
Fall and winter subscription rate : $4.50 per term by
carrier ($5 by mail); $8.00 for entire year ($9 by mail).
Daily except Monday during regular academic school
year.
Daily except Sunday and Monday during regular
summer session.
Second class postage paid at Ann Arbor. Michigan,
420 Maynard St., Ann Arbor. Michigan, 48104.
Editorial Staff
ROGER RAPOPORT. Editor
A WIDELY DISTRIBUTED booklet will
enhance student participation in the
decision-making process. If a course gets
panned in the booklet, and no remedial
action is taken by the faculty, then it
would follow that the demand for the
course would fall so low that the faculty
would be forced to drop it from the time
schedule.
The great majority of the faculty, as
well as the students, would benefit from
the general improvement of course qual-
ity that would result from such an open
and widely distributed booklet. It, there-
fore, is of paramount concern for all in-
volved that the student-faculty commit-
tee, under the chairmanship of Prof.
Donald Brown, proceed with all due speed
in the realization of a student course
evaluation booklet.
-RONALD KLEMPNER
Associate Editorial Director
No Comment
"THE U.S. has insisted that the West
Germans buy approximately $775
million in arms per year to offset the
cost of maintaining U.S. troops there .. .
The cost is rising . . . while West Ger-
many's ... ability to absorb such equip-
ment is rapidly declining .. . West Ger-
many is (selling) surplus military equip-
ment of American origin . . . Total U.S.
sales have now reached something over
the $2 billion per year level-not includ-
ing grant aid. The problem of the dis-
posal of surplus military equipment is
certain to grow with this increase in
sales. The surplus arms of industrial na-
tions may provide the ingredients of an
arms raceain the underdeveloped world.
It should also be noted that some of the
arms used by Latin American guerrillas
today were exported from the U.S.-
for quite different reasons-yesterday."
"LET ME TAKE NOTE in passing of the
recurring argument that if we do not
provide arms to a country it will get
them from the Soviets or possibly China.
This is another example of that curious
obtuseness which excessive preoccupa-
+^ w7+- lin ar c,,4.nfpam mnaiwAc in
been occurring steadily, between
America and China, from the be-
ginning of the war, we might
have been aware of the point of
advance beyond which the allies
would not have been allowed to go
by China. We passed that point
and China entered the war.
We've another war today, and,
changes we cannot do better than
guess her views, and she cannot
again, we're in need of determin-
ing China's position. To under-
stand what will provoke her en-
trance we must conduct continu-
ous and intense (and probably,
p r i v a t e) diplomatic exchanges
with her. Without these ex-
I
Letters: Dorm Leaders Support the Union Cause
I
To the Editor:
WE WERE QUITE dismayed
when South Quad Council
failed to support IHA's resolu-
tion, which asked students not to
break the sympathy walkout
against the University residence
halls. We believe that the Council
has only harmed itself by not tak-
ing a stand on this issue.
We again want to express our
support of IHA's resolution, in
spite of the Council's inaction.
--The Executive Board of
South Quad Council
--Connie Cleaton '69
President
-Paul Milgrom '70
Men's Vice President
-Ellen Bellet '70
Treasurer
-Sue Butch '70
Secretary
Oppose Strike
To the Editor:
WE, THE UNDERSIGNED, ap-
plaud those University em-
ployes and students who have not
taken part in the illegal walkout
and are brave enough in the face
of intimidation to fulfill their ob-
ligations to the University, the
students, and the taxpayers of
Michigan. If as one picket prom-
ised ". . . as soon as we get the
authority from the union officials,
we'll use any force necessary to
prevent them (referring to the
responsible employes) from going
to work . . .," we promise to help
and protect, in any way we can,
the physical well-being of the
afore-mentioned non-strikers.
-Michael Modelski '71
-Mark Bendure '71
Recommended
To the Editor:
WITH RESPECT to your story
on Wednesday, Sept. 7, con-
cerning the appointment of Prof.
Russell A. Fraser, we wish to point
out that this appointment has
been recommended to the Regents
for their approval at their next
meeting, but that it is not official
until the Regents have taken ac-,
tion. In this respect, the story in"
the Daily was premature.
Furthermore, we are extremely
All letters must be typed,
double-spaced and should be no
longer than 300 words. All let-
ters are subject to editing;
those over 300 words will gen-
erally be shortened. No unsign-
ed letters will be printed.
pleased that Prof. Fraser has
agreed to accept this appointment
after it is approved. However, we
feel that the story appeared to
slight the many services and ac-
complishments of the present
Chairman, Prof. Warner G. Rice,
not least of which was his Direc-
torship of the University Libraries
in the period 1941-1953. Prof. Rice
has devoted many years of un-
selfish service to the Department
of English, the College of Litera-
ture, Science, and the Arts, and to
the University at large. Through-
out that time he has been one of
the most vigorous allies of the stu-
dent and a leading advocate of
good teaching as a primary re-
sponsibility of this University. We
are sure that the many members
of the faculty who have been Prof.
Rice's colleagues will agree that
no chairman has been more anmz-
tive to the needs and expectations
of our students. We shall miss him
when he retires.
-William L. Hays
Associate Dean of the
College of Literature,
Science, and the Arts
-James Robertson
Associate Dean and
Director of the
Residential College
OPINION
The Daily has begun accept-
ing articles from faculty, ad-
ministration, and students on
subjects of their choice. They
are to be 600-900 words in
length and should be submitted
to, the Editorial Director.
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