sivty-Ninth Year
EDITED AND MANAGED BY STUDENTS OF TE UNIVERSITY OF MiICHIGAN
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ien Opinions Are Free
Truth Will Prevail"
Editorials printed in The Michigan Daily express the individual opinions of staff writers
or the editors. This must be noted in all reprints.
URDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1958
NIGHT EDITOR: ROBERT JUNKER
Hoffa's Latest Power Bid
Revives Question of Balane
4
A ITION is a fine American tradition but
an excess of it can endanger the very insti-
tutions which foster it. Men joining together to
protect their rights and improve their lot
through organization is another fine tradition.
But when the two are joined, the result can
be a combination of enormous power and poten-
tial for either good or evil. What's good for the
organization may not be necessarily good for
the country.
THE LATEST EXPRESSION of ambition
backed by powerful organization came this
week with Teamster Union President Jimmy
Hoffa's announcement that he is launching an
organizing drive aimed at unionizing "practi-
cally every policeman, fireman and municipal
employee in the country."
"Where there are laws against organizing
public employees we will go to the legislatures
and get the laws changed," declared the man
who has been under investigation by the Mc-
Clellan Rackets Committee.
This latest ambition of Hoffa's however is
not his only one. Earlier, he announced his
intention to organize "everything that moves,"
including transportation workers on airlines,
railroads and ships.
But although the drives may not succeed,
Hoffa's intentions raise a question that some
observers feel was buried in the November elec-
tion returns: Have unions grown too powerful
in comparison to other segments of society?
Apparent burial of the question came with
the defeat of right-to-work laws and the elec-
tion of union-supported candidates; Vice-Presi-
dent Nixon is reported to be advising Repub-
lican supporters that it's political suicide to
force the labor control fight.
HOWEVER, despite labor's apparent success
in shouting down the question, the position
of unions still deserves examination.
To be sure, most unions do not have and
do not deserve the taint of Hoffa's. And to be
sure, the history of unionism is solidly based
on economic need.
But upon reaching their primary goal of
helping members earn a decent living under
decent conditions, unions have been turning to
the goal of getting a bigger slice of the economic
pie. However, "the fair share," as they call it,
is sought despite the consequences to others,
especially those on fixed income. Yet, to justify
their very existence, union leaders are in a
position of having to promise and attain more,
and more, and more. Some Teamster members
have expressed the attitude that as long as they
keep getting pay raises, it doesn't matter what
the officials are doing.
THE RESULT IS A climate favorable to cor-
ruption and some very questionable prac-
tices. And even in the case of honestly run
unions, the continual demands for more money
every time a contract expires, whether or not
productivity has increased, lead to another
round of cost and price rises. As auto prices go
up, plumbers want more money to pay for their
new cars and then the auto workers need more
to pay for their more expensive homes and so
things go . .. higher and higher and higher.
Pay, apparently the highest form of reward
In American society, grows not on the basis of
an individual's contribution to society or how
long it took him to reach a contributing posi-
tion, as with a college professor, but on the
strength of his organization and its success in
winning increases.
When the power is allowed to accumulate in
the hands of ambitious men such as Hoffa, it
seems evident that the pendulum of union mili-
tarism has swung too far.
-MICHAEL KRAFT
Editorial Director
"I Think This Is Rather a Sad Sort of Thing .. ."7
c os P
c--o
Rr- _
COt~y.
Af BLO BX
I GERMAN DISPATCH:
Berliners Face Crisis
With Optimistic Outlook
(EDITOR'S NOTE: The following article on the German attitudes during
the current Berlin crisis was written by a former Daily staffer now stationed
with the United States Army in Europe. For this reason his name is withhld
by request.)
Special to The Daily
ERLIN-The consensus in Germany-among German citizens and
American soldiers alike-seems to be that the current Berlin situa-
tion is no true crisis.
People here are convinced that there will be neither a march on
Berlin nor a blockade if the West fails to go along with their plans
for a "free demilitarized city." There is no special fear or nervousness
in evidence.
The average German looks to the presence of Western troops to
prevent any actual attack. And they feel that the Russians realize the
foolishness of attempting another blockade after the utter failure of
the one in 1949. It would be an immense political defeat for them to
get beaten at the same game again.
* * * *
WEST BERLINERS are maintaining a nearly cheerful attitude,
They know full well how isolated they are in the Red sea, ringed on all
sides by Soviet steel. But they are confident that someday, even if it
takes years, Germany will be united under a Western-type government,
and Berlin will again be the jewel of the German crown.
For the time being they look to the West for sustenance and hope,
living their lives from day to day, and trying to be as carefree as possible
under the strain. The newspapers, of course, are making capital out of
it all-but here as everywhere, they love to sell papers.
One thing is sure-Berlin is far better prepared to face a blockade
today than it was in 1949. The city is stockpiled; they have their own
electric power; and they have their own bus system, although the street-
car system is still Communist-controlled.
While making no special preparations, the West is ready for any
contingency. The commander of the United States Army in Europe
declared recently, "We have plans for anything in Berlin except going
to the moon. Our garrison has orders to deal with any infringement of
West Berlin."
THE SYSTEM OF AIRLIFTING supplies is faster, more efficient and
more complete than it was nine years ago. The Air Force has hundreds
of cargo planes in Europe, most of them based in England. These can
be flown to Frankfurt in three hours, and into Berlin in another hour
and a half.
Closer in, C-123 cargo planes, currently the bell-wethers of the Air
Force cargo service, can be moved out almost immediately from the
Roein-Main Air Base in Frankfurt. and the base in Weisbaden. Both
of these are only an hour and a half flying time from Templehof Airfield
in Berlin, which would be their destination.
But there is little serious consideration of this now, for Berlin has
enough supplies at present to support it until planes can be flown in
from the United States, if need be.
s C *
BOTH GERMANS AND AMERICANS seem to consider this just
another Russian propoganda tactic, like Lebanon, Quemoy and the rest.
They see it as just an atttmpt to keep the world on edge, and to keep
abreast of their timetable for harrassment. But they are convinced
Russia will not do anything rash.
Certainly they outnumber the NATO, troops here 10 to 1, enough
to swallow up Berlin in a matter of hours. But the prospect of an actual
attack is almost out of the question, as far as those on the scene are
concerned, for the risk of a full-scale atomic war is far too great.
LIFE GOES ON in Germany. The intelligent people are concerned
and interested in the situation, but they certainly are neither afraid,
nervous nor pessimistic.
Among many Germans, the Hula Hoop is far more important than
the "Berlin crisis." It seems to be the biggest thing here since Hitler's
Black Shirts. And among the youth of Geimany, the wailing of Elvis
{ Presley and Bill Haley constitute their greatest concern. Haley's visit
here, in fact, was highlighted by a wild, brawling riot.
And so, in Germany 1958, optimism is the keynote.
To The Editor
t ft9S8 'T'$EF sbJrsMt,ACrnAI 'OKS'r1i~
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POLITICAL AND OTHERWISE
... By David Tarr
A Reassuring Rebellion
Assembly Change Worthwhile
REDUCING the membership of' Assembly
Dormitory Council from about 50, a nebu-
lous number that even its officers have difficulty
in estimating exactly, to 22 or 23 voting repre-
sentatives may definitely increase the power
and prestige of the group.
Under the proposed constitutional change,
each independent women's housing unit would
be equally represented - with one member
elected by her house who would also have voting'
power in her house council.
Being the sole representative of the women
in her residence unit, she would, besides having
a position of prestige, be under a greater obli-
gation to attend Council meetings and remain
well informed as to the effect Council decisions
would have on her group. Since the recom-
mendation also rules out the possibility of
house presidents serving as representatives, a
Council member would presumably have more
time to devote to keeping up on current de-
velopments, both as they affect her constituents
and the independent women as a whole.
DELETING the proportional representation
now in effect would not necessarily be
detrimental to houses now sending eight or
nine members to the Council, for provision has
also been made for calling referendums in
which every resident of an independent housing
unit could cast a vote on the issue. All that is
needed to pass a motion thus presented is a
simple majority of the votes cast; thus the deci-
sion Awould represent, not the wishes of a few
large houses who, with proportional representa-
tion, would control the vote, but those of the
women as individuals.
Assembly Dormitory Council will decide on
whether to adopt the constitutional changes at
its meeting Monday afternoon. The outcome, if
in support of the proposal, may well provide the
stimulus needed for the group to act as a more
tightly knit organization concerned with poli-
cies affecting all independent women on cam-
pus,
-KATHLEEN MOORE
IN THE GREAT mass of students
that flows peacefully along, the
person of Hilliard J. Goldman is a
rare and reassuring sight.
Goldman. doesn't hate society,
or Ann Arbor landlords or even
warm rooms and soft beds. But he
does have a complaint: what he
calls the "Big Mother" attitude
of the University.
And in protest against this at-
titude he has rejected the cozy
confines of well insulated Uni-
versity-controlled housing and
move4 into a war surplus pup tent
where he sleeps in temperatures
that have ranged down to near
zero.
"So far my protest has been
misunderstood and misrepresent-
ed," Goldman says. "The papers
have made this look like a gold-
fish-swallowing affair. But it's
not a 'publicity stunt; I'm very
seriously concerned about the Uni-
versity's policies," he insists.
* * *
JUST WHAT is the "Big Moth-
er" attitude Goldman is protest-
ing? He claims the University per-
mits students a curious kind of
freedom: freedom not to have to
make decisions, not to make mis-
takes, not to need to think and
do for themselves.
His criticisms, however, are di-
rected at the administration, not
the faculty. "Most of the faculty
will go half-way in helping you
develop your independence," he
says.
Two of Goldman's complaints
are the administration's attitude
toward women in apartments and
toward Student Government
Council.
He says women should be free
to decide where theylive after
their freshman year. Oan SGC, he
says the administration has given
it a little rope of authority but
pulls it in when the Council tries
to use it.
In short, he finds the atmos-
phere at the University intellec-
tually cramped.
The housing is only part of a
much greater protective attitude,
Goldman asserts. True, he dislikes
the careful watch the University
keepsrover the students in its
housing units.
"But this careful insulating in
housing is only symbolic of the
much greater intellectual insula-
tion here," he says.
. * *
IT WOULD be hard to call
Goldman a non-conformist; he
prefers the term "self-conform-
ing." It is a description, rather
vague, but probably as represen-
tative as any of his last year and
a half here.
Goldman, now a senior, says his
dress for the first two years here
was very neat and "proper." But
during his junior year he decided
to become as near self-sustaining
as possible.
Ho worked as a caretaker in an
apartment and took another job
besides. He bought a few grey
shirts and some khaki pants,
clothing he thought would be
economical, comfortable and in-
conspicuous.
Economical and comfortable
they were, he says. Inconspicuous
-no. The reaction to Goldman's
self-sustaining attempt was some-
thing even he didn't expect.
"I became stereotyped by my
clothing. People, associated me
with the army because I wore
army type clothes. I couldn't be
further from sympathy with, the
military.
"I was typed as a Bohemian,
whatever that is. But actually the
only thing about me that changed
was my clothes," he says.
WHAT came dramatically home
to Goldman was the realization
that people tend to judge others
on their outward appearance. He
sees this reaction to his effort at
self-sufficiency as representative
of all the prejudice in the world.
"My friends began to act dif-
ferently toward me. Those who
didn't know me very well, didn't
try to get to know me any better.
"Those that knew me moderate-
ly well tried subtle hints to get
me to dress as I had before. My
close friends were very outspoken
and frankly - and sincerely -
told me to change back."
"But they're still my friends,"
he added.
Goldman's first experience with
this sort of prejudice is somewhat
like getting dumped in a snow-
bank. It was a shock and, at first,
rather amazing.
Now, he says, he is a little more
aware and a little more critical
in his thinking.
TODAY AND TOMORROW:
What Can West Afford?
By WALTER LIPPMANN
HE STATEMENT of policy put out after
Slast weekend by the Democratic Party's
Advisory Council covers a lot of ground. But in
one long passage dealing with the growth of the
American economy it has raised the crucial
question on which everything else depends-.
defense, foreign policy, welfare measures, pub-
lic services, and the people's standard of living.
The statement raises the question. It remains
to be seen whether the Advisory Council has
found the answer, and that will require an
intense and thorough public debate.
In its essence, the question is whether the
United States can afford to do the things'
which it needs to do. Can it afford to run
successfully in the race of armaments? And can
it also afford a foreign policy which sustains
our alliances and helps to finance the unde-
veloped countries? And can it also pay for the
schools, hospitals, roads, airports, the recla-
mation and the conservation and the other
public services and facilities which our rapidly
expanding urbanized population requires? And
can it also make it possible for the people as
private individuals to raise their personal
standard of life?
THE OBVIOUS ANSWER at the present time
time is that the pie is not big enough to be
cut into such big slices. The issue, which is
posed by the Democratic statement, is whether
the pie can be made larger, more exactly
whether the average rate of economic growth,
which has been about 3 per cent a year during
this century, can be raised to 5 per cent a year,
If the rate of growth can be raised to five
per cent, then the country will be able to afford
what it needs to do. If the rate cannot be
examined sceptically. Without setting up as an
expert in this matter, it seems to me that while
Gthe statement puts the right question, the
answer it gives makes everything sound easier
than in fact it is. The raising of the rate of
economic growth from an average of three per
cent to an average of five per cent a year is a
very formidable undertaking.
Over a ten year period (taking 1957 as a
base for calculation) it would mean raising the
gross national product from 434 billions to 707
billions. It would raise the government pur-
chases of goods and services from 86 billions to
153 billions. It would raise gross private invest-
ment to support the growth of the economy
from 67 billions to 123 billions, and it would
raise what is left for private consumption from
281 to 431 billions.
THE FIGURES which I have just quoted are
taken from what is known as the "Rocke-
feller Report"-one of the series of reports
issued during the past year which has been
financed by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. The
question of increasing the rate of growth is not
a partisan question. It is the key question of
policy in these times, and it is receiving the
earnest study of serious students who cannot
by any stretch of the imagination be labeled
as "spenders" or "radicals." Besides the Rocke-
feller Report, there is, for example, one by the
highly respected Committee for Economic De-
velopment, which sets its sights a little lower
than the Rockefeller Report, and hopes for an
annual growth rate of four per cent.
The problem of increasing the rate of our
economic growth is difficult and complex. It
involves the budget and the tax structure and
credit policy and labor union practices and
SGC IN REVIEW:
Council Aids Development Group
By PHILIP MUNCK
Daily Staff Writer
ONE OF the quieter products
of the Student Government
Council meeting Wednesday night
was the establishment of the Stu-
dent Relations Board under the
jurisdiction of the Council.
The Board will function in the
manner of other semi-autonomous
SBC boards such as Cinema Guild
to promote the causes of the De-
velopment Council and promote
alumni interest.
THE DEVELOPMENT Council
is aimed at the alumni who are
now in a positionato aid the Uni-
versity. Their major project of
recent months has been to raise
more funds for research at the
Michigan-Memorial Phoenix Proj-
ect.
But where the Development
Council does not operate-among
the students who will be the alum-
ni of tomorrow - the Student
Relations Board will.
It is, of course, obvious that the
Board will probably have far-
reaching effects on the Univer-
sity. There has been an enormous
job done by the Development
Council already.
But just as important is the
g.vidpirop e. ilrl I-.l 1 a frLkin i n ~
if for no other reason than that
they are now enjoying the bene-'
fits of present alumni contribu-
tions.
* * *
THE PHOENIX Project, for ex-
ample, is one of the many facets
of the University that gives a
Michigan degree added value in
both academic and non-academic
circles. The project is the product
of private effort by students and
alumni.
Preparing students to carry on
their responsibility to the Uni-
versity after graduation is vitally
important and the Board takes up
this task as it should be done -
by students and student govern-
ment.
THE TENTATIVE report of the
committee working on a program
to bring ten state legislators to
campus did not bring out nearly
the interest it might have on the
part of the Council members.
This program - to spend two
days showing some key legisla-
tors what students at the Univer-
sity are and do - could be a hor-
rible mistake if not handled per-
fectly.
There seemed to be an impres-
sion on the part of the State Leg-
islature last year to under-rate
of their fellows to hear about the
history of English literature.
On the other hand the scrambl-
ing for representation by John
Gerber, '59, and Mary Tower, '59,
on behalf of their groups for af-
filiated representation on the itin-
erary seems somewhat out of
place.
* * *
IT'S THE OLD STORY of how
to get good public relations and
still keep the PR men under strict
control. SGC's PR committee has
been rather unsupervised and this
week David Kessel moved that
the executive vice-president over-
see the activities of the commit-
tee.
The particular case in point is
the SGC Newsletter which should
be coming out today. Unofficially,
what happened is that the Admin-
istrative Vice-President (Jo Har-
dee) read the letter over and then
called the printer and halted
printing for 24 hours.
The essence of Kessel's point
was that this type of mix-up
comes from unclear delegation of
responsibility. The motion lost.
* C *
THE MOST enlightening com-
mittee report of the evening came
v. hen Carol Holland presented the
Inaccuracy *. .
To the Editor:
R ALPH LANGER is inaccurate
when he says the right to print
"uncomplimentary statements"
about public personalities is not
guaranteed constitutionally. While
the freedoms of speech and press
are not absolute, the Constitution
would scarcely be followed if a
person were subjected to criminal
punishment or civil damages after
he merely made such uncompli-
mentary statements. Limitations
on these rights come into play
only after other serious legal ele-
ments come into the picture.
-Fred S. Steingold, '60L
Education . .
To the Editor:
THE TWO pages on liberal edu-
cation in last Sunday's Daily
testify to the confusion of thought
on this subject. According to one
article, it should "create a man
who can handle the problems of
the world today," Colleges set
about this, as one can see, by in-
troducing him to what various in-
tellectuals have produced: litera-
tures, sciences, philosophy, etc. To
pander to the vocational orienta-
tion of many students, attempts
are constantly being made to con-
vince them that these things are
immediately useful in the outside
world.
But there is no industry which
Is carried on with the aid of an-
thropology; to make Detroit auto-
mobiles you do not need modern
,mathematics. Employers will not
care how you feel about literature.
Altogether, that claim is unten-
able; yet with general accord
hordes of students are studying
these subjects.
It seems doubtful whether the
person who learns nothing of what
he is taught is really muchnworse
off than he who learns nothing
beyond what he is taught. For all
subjects are rather trivial in
themselves, but have wide con-
nections. (Here professors quote
the 'modernists' with their statis-
tics, who treat education as a dis-
more than do answers in terms of
drilled-in subject matter.
From the faculty opinions ex-
pressed in those two pages, it
seems that the University, while
bullying and pushing its herds of
undergraduates, has no coherent
and accurate idea of the ends and
means to liberal education. You
don't need all these subjects, but
-it's nice. (Where is the distinc.
tion between necessary and nice?)
If one asks rationally why this
program exists, whether it gives
anything except the means of pe-
dantic exhibitionism, or (a wider
question) what the BA tells about
its possessor with any degree of
certainty except that his rear has
rested on various classroo m
benches for circa 120x16 hours -
then the fog seems to be intense,
-.C. Wasiutynseki, '60LSA
BAIL
OFFICIAL
BULLETIN
The Daily Official Bulletin is an
official publication of The Univer-
city of Michigan for which The
Michigan Daily assumes no edi-
torial responsibility. Notices should
be sent In TYPEWRITTEN form t
Room 3,519 Administration Build-
ing, before 2 p.m. the day preceding
publication. Notices for Sunday
Daily due at 2:00 p.m. Friday.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1938
VOL. LXIX, NO. 72
General Notices
The student automobile regulations
will be lifted for Christmas vacation
from 5 p.n. Fri., Dec. 19, to 8 a.m. Mon,,
Jan. 5, 1959.
Graduation Exercises for students
who complete their degree requirements
at the end of the first semester of the
1958-59 school year will be held Sat.,
Jan. 24, 1959, at 2:00 pm. m.Hil Aud.
Extended Hours: Women students
who attended the Speech Department
play "The Matchnuaker" on Thurs., Dec.
11, had extended hours until 11:25 p.m.
Academic Notices
Doctoral Examinatfon for Phillip Ed-
ward Bedient, Math.; thesis: "Polyno-