'
. e ir i gttn tt 1
Seventy-Third Year
EDITED AND MANAGED BY STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSrrY OF MICHIGAN
UNDER AUTHORITY OF BOARD IN CONTROL OF STUDENT PUBLICATIONS
Where Opifnions Ar . STUDENT PUBLICATIONS BLDG., ANN ARBOR, MICH., PHONE NO 2-3241
Truth Will Prevail":
ditorials printed in The Michigan Daily express the individual opinions of staff writers
or the editors. This muse b. noted in all reprints.
~440
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:
Honors Housing Unit
Would Set Precedent
MARCH 8, 1963
NIGHT EDITOR: RONALD WILTON
Machine Politics Harm
State Young Republicans
..
' IS TIME for a re-examination of the goals
and purposes of the Michigan College Fed-
tion of Young Republicans. Machine politics
ve too long been in power, as evidenced by
e recent College YR convention in Grand
pids, and their methods have corrupted the
ity and honesty of the organization.
Machine politics succeeded in duping over
D people and confusing any real issues that
ivention might have been able to consider.
Init rule voting was employed to the benefit
the machines, and those same machines
ivented effective action against unit rule.
e rules committee sent .to the floor of the
ivention a weak, watered-down resolution
icerning the unit rule because committee
mbers had somehow lost the courage to say
blicly what they had said privately the
ht before.
,orruption also manifested itself in more
icrete forms.
A CANDIDATE was told by a delegation
chairman, reportedly in league with one
of the "leaders," that if he (the candidate)
wanted to address his delegation, he could
"fork over" $50.
A drunk delegate was railroaded into sign-
ing _a damaging statement against the opposi-
tion by one of the most influential YRs at
the convention. Later his statement was re-
pudiated and it is still unclear what the
situation really was.
But the gravest ramification of machine
politicking was that it obscured any serious
evaluation of the chairman's role in the fed-
eration, a consideration long overdue.
IN THE PAST, College Young Republican
state chairmen have used the office for
purely political ends. Unfortunately, statewide
recognition has been their primary objective.
And as products of machine politics; they
place concern for perpetuating those machines
above working in the interests of the federation.
Campaign platforms must be oriented toward
strengthening the federation with definitive
programs calling for greater membership par-
ticipation in state GOP politics.
Areas that have not yet been touched afford
opportunities for federation growth. Closer
cooperation with the Legislature is one such
area. Many Young Republicans in Michigan are
not even aware of the most vital issues facing
legislative action this year.
IN ANOTHER AREA, more Young Republicans
could share in the experiences of working
actively for GOP candidates either through
actual participation in campaigns or through
an extensive educational program conducted by
those members who have worked with can-
didates.
Reform is an admirable goal, but Young
Republicans must realize that a prerequisite for
reform is removing any vestiges of corruption.
Before the federation can improve, political
machines must be broken.
-WILLIAM BENOIT
Ai
4
TUIA5REL RACE
Funny
t-
tice ,G, Sur Tiw.os
RICE UNIVERSITY in Houston, Texas was
founded in 1891 when William Marsh Rice
died, leaving in his will 'a large sum of money
to build an educational institution "formthe
instruction and the improvement of white in-
habitants."
Last week Rice's trustees asked a federal
court to authorize the removal of this racial
clause from the university's charter. Their
resolution states that such changes are neces-
sary to "the basic purposes for which this
university was founded."
The news comes at almost the same time as
the news from Laflore County, Mississippi re-
porting that a Student Nonviolent Coordinating
Committee field secretary has been shot in the
back by three white segregationists.
A funny place the South.
-J. TENANDER
VOICE CAMPAIGN PLATFORM:
Not Liberal Enough
Cram Session.
-IHREE WEEKS before every campus election on SGC. These civic-minded students who wish
room 3540 of the Student Activities Building to aid the campus in the upward struggle
attend meetings to learn exactly what the'
comes a sea for a number of campus lem- nature of the struggle is. They wish to obtain,
ngs. Student Government Council conducts a grasp of the issues currently before Council.
weekly oratorical exercises in this room Through these Wednesday night cram sessions
ery Wednesday night. During two periods of candidates can bone up on all the present
e school year, this room has a strange and student issues. Upon obtaining this necessary
most unnatural attraction. Before each elec- information they can declare their political
in, this room obtains a power which compels a views on the issues more clearly. With the in-
unber of students to sit through the four formation gathered from these three sessions
ur talkathons on Wednesday nights. of SGC, candidates can speak with assurance
Throughout the school year, relatively few and force, basing opinions on their vast
udents bother to attend these meetings. Stu- amounts of knowledge.
nts who do attend usually fall into one or The attendance of the candidates and their
o categories. One group represents organiza- desire to improve their knowledge on student
ins which are seeking recognition from Coun- issues is most commendable.
. In the other category are the students who However, the question still remains: Where
e in some way directly involved in upcoming were these interested students on all the other
,islation before Council. In fact, on occasion Wednesday nights during the year? Many of
uncil members do not ever bother to attend the candidates have long lists of qualifications
e meetings, as was the case with one member and participation in student activities. Perhaps
no recently resigned. they felt their other activities were more im-
portant than SGC. If Council meetings were
EFORE COUNCIL ELECTIONS each spring not important enough to attend during the
and fall, however, SGC meetings invariably semester, why are the candidates wasting their
aw a third class of students--the ones who time there now?
lieve themselves capable of holding a seat -ANDREW ORLIN
Rocky Road in New York
By ROBERT SELWA
HE VOICE platform as a whole
isa good one; it is compre-
hensive and penetrating, and the
five students running on it-
Howard Abrams, Mary Beth Nor-
ton, Henry Wallace, Kenneth Mil-
ler and Edwin Sasaki-have sub-
stantive framework for their cam-
paign philosophies. But even
though the platform is generally
thorough, it is too conservative in
the area of civil liberties.
The major failure in this area
involves the Michigan Union Re-
ports. The Union plans to run
signed editorials by its staff mem-
bers in its Reports. The Voice
platform condemns this "gross
violation of ethics for the Union
to use student monies to propo-
gate the political views of the
Union staff" in the Reports "since
the entire male student population
has no choice in whether or not
to support the Union"
* * *
VOICE IS devoted to increasing
the political dialogue both inside
and outside the University. The
platform condemns the House Un-
American Activities Committee be-
cause HUAC emphasizes "an at-
mosphere hostile to dissent and
controversy within our University."
The platform urges that the Uni-
versity become "a community ded-
icated to the encouragement of
free and creative inquiry and to
the maintenance of substantive
dialogue among the members of
the community."
Editorializing in the Union Re-
ports would encourage "free and
creative inquiry" and "substantive
dialogue" in the University com-
munity. If the editorials are really
good, they will cause "controversy
within our University," and at
least from the viewpoint of Voice
they will be "dissent."
For these' reasons Voice should
be encouraging the Union staff to
write editorials in the Reports-
and without the limitation to one-
quarter of all the space in a Reports
issue.
Voice should battle all limita-
tions on free and open discussion,
and this cannot exclude the views
with which Voice disagrees.
The propagation of one view will
inspire the propagation of con-
trary views, and the assertion of
opinion contrary to one's own will
cause one to think out his own
opinions more. As John Stuart
Mill pointed out, "the peculiar
evil of silencing the expression cf
and opinion is, that it is robbing
the human race; posterity as well
as the existing generation; those
who dissent from the opinion, still
more than those who hold it. If
the opinion is right, they are de-
prived of the opportunity of ex-
changing error for truth; if wrong,
they lose, what is almost as great
a benefit, the clearer perception
and livelier impression of truth,
produced by its collision with
error."~
It is for this stimulation of
thought that at least one Voice
candidate is advocating the for-
mation of a conservative political
party. And just as the polarity of
political parties would make for
a more vigorous clash of ideas,
editorializing the Union Reports
would result in what Mill cited as
"the clearer percetion and livelier
witnesses in their behalf, and to
have free choice of counsel. All
other student procedural due pro-
cess rights are left to the vague
statement that a student "should
have all other possible safe-
guards."
The danger in this vagueness
lies in permitting rights to be
unspecified. The Bill of Rights
of the United States Constitution
is careful to specify, and the fifth
and sixth amendments cite all the
following rights: a speedy and
public trial by an impartial jury
of peers, confrontation with wit-
nesses against, information about
the nature and cause of an ac-
cusation, compulsory process for
obtaining witnesses in favor, as-
sistance of counsel for the defense,
protection from double jeopardy,
and protection from being com-
pelled to be a witness against
oneself.
The Voice platform mentions
only one aspect of substantive due
process: the careful and clear co-
dification of all rules. There Is
Much more to procedural and
substantive due process than the
Voice platform mentions, and at
least one Voice candidate, Mary
\ Beth Norton, knows this.
* * *
MISS NORTON was a co-author
of what was probably the most
significant piece of legislation at
this past summer's National Stu-
dent Congress: the Basic Policy
Declaration on procedural and
substantive due process. Part I
of this BPD provides almost all
of the rights in the fifth and
sixth amendments. Part II pro-
vides that no contractual agree-
ment with a university should
abrogate a student's right to due
process and its stresses that the
substance of university law should
not infringe on the freedom to
participate in groups on or off
campus, the freedom of expression
and criticism and the freedom to
pursue knowledge through free and
open inquiry. Especially since the
co-author of these BPD provisions
participated in the drawing up of
the Voice platform, the platform
should have been more complete.
On speaker policy, the Voice
platform simply states opposition,
to "any and all University regula-
tions which limit freedom of ex-
pression beyond the 'limits im-
posed by state and national laws."
This ignores the point that the
University as the home of the
search for knowledge should be
the most free institution in society.
The university should be as free'
as Congress, which has absolute
freedom of speech. If there is to
be hope any where for the libera-
tion of the minds of men, it is in
the university. For these reasons
a university should have no speak-
er policy, or at most a speaker
policy that says that the Univer-
sity shall impose no limitation
on the freedom of expression.
Unfortunately this is not what
the Voice platform provides; the
platform opposes only limitations
beyond state and national laws. If
a law abridges freedom of speech,
a good place to test its justice
would be at a university. Voice
should encourage the testing and,
challenging of all laws and regula-
tions that limit free expression.
The Voice platform should include
resistance to the present speaker
policy of the University, a speaker
policy that bans the advocacy of
violent overthrow and civil dis-
obedience.
The failures of the Voice plat-
form can be made up by the Voice
candidates who when elected can
work for Council action to better,
insure civil liberties on this cam-
pus. The Voice platform should be,
not a limit, but a starting point,
for Abrams, Wallace, Miller, Sasaki'
and Miss Norton. It is a good
starting point, but it is only a
starting point.
To the Editor:
AVID MARCUS' recent editor-
ial is a fairly objective discus-
sion on the proposal concerning
the housing of honors students
together next year. He says that
"the basic discontent motivating
the planning for an honors hous-
ing unit cannot be ignored." Fine
and good. He also says that honors
housing is undemocratic which is
also true. It seems, though, that
there are certain relevant points
which he does not raise and that
others which he discusses do not
seem to ring true.
The academic atmosphere in the
residence halls needs improvement,
to say the least, and It is true that
the entire system needs reorgani-
zation. However, because the sys-
tem may not be reorganized im-
mediately (though it is not im-
possible that it could be done
quite soon) there seems to be no
reason why an effort should not
be made, if it has chances of quick
realization, to fulfill the needs of
a portion of the student body.
Mr. Marcus says that housing
'honors students together "is an
unpleasant and to some extent a
false concept." It is true in that
it would apparently mean an ar-
tificial separation of the better
students-at least as measured by
grades (imperfect judges as they
may be)-from the greater part
of the undergraduate student
body. * * *
MR. MARCUS thinks that hon-
ors students should be diffused
among the rest of the student
body. It is a democratic idea, but
even democracy has its limits and
can be pushed too far.
He says that the proposed
honors housing would create a
"rarified academic atmosphere"
for honors students. It seems like
a large exaggeration 'and surely
honors students. are not plants as
"rarified" might well imply. They
can think and certainly seem to
do so more than most fraternity
and sorority people. Honors stu-
dents come from different reli-
gious, cultural, and racial back-
grounds and it seems doubtful
that honors housing would result
in the shaping of a group of
people who would resemble each
other so closely, that one could
not tell them apart from each.
other, except for differences in
their outward physical appearance.
Although they might segregate
themselves from the rest of the
campus, it is doubtful as to wheth-
er they would wither and die for
lack of fresh air.
* * *r
IF, AS Mr. Marcus says, the
honors students are the most "in-
tellectually aware" students on
campus it seems they may need
special housing more than others.
It seems that the dormitories,
which theoretically are a good
experience for honors students, in
that they associate with all varie-
ties of people, are a rather un-
pleasant place for them to live
in practice. They are scarcely re-
spected for their intellectualism,
and in place of having it rub off
on some of their dormitory mates
they are often looked upon with
indifference or contempt.
The assertion is also made that
the "University goes to great
lengths to provide special oppor-
CAMPUS:
Long Run,
Good Show
ANYONE going the distance
alone must be prepared for the
long, lonely grind. He must be
certain that his inner resources
will last, or else he'll be defeated
even more surely than those who
decide to go along with the crowd.-
"The Loneliness of the Long
Distance Runner" tells the story
of a young, lower class English
tough who is faced with that de-
cision. He can play along with the
reform school warden and get out
early, and perhaps even progress
to athletic fame. Or he can stick
to his guns and class and tell the
world that he despises to go to
Hell.
Despite the social class implica-
tions involved in his decision-he
refused to be a common laborer
but hates the higher classes-the
decision is a matter of personal
integrity. His fellow inmates re-
sent his "success" in the reform
school, but at the same time, want
him to gain the school athletic
fame.
Home is no help. His mother is
shabby. His father dies a dismal
death after leading a dismal work-
ing class life. His girl, while she's
entirely on his side, would have
him begin a life similar to his
father's.
SO THERE'S NO ONE to turn
to for help. His decision must
come from within, even though he
only dimly understands his pre-
dicament. And not being especial-
ly intelligent, his only inner re-
source is his ability to detect what
is phony and what is genuine.
Tony Richardson has discovered
another ugly duckling. Tom Cour-
tenay, who's face is homely and
tunities for honors students." It
depends by what is meant by great
lengths. The honors students are
privileged to have certain depart-
ments' top people teaching some
of their introductory courses. They
are fortunate in having that much.
"It should not be forgotten" that
in many good schools-because of
size and research projects, it seems
impossible here-all courses are
taught by professors, and teaching
fellows do not even exist. The as-
sertion that the honors students
are greatly privileged seems ques-
tionable, more specifically, on
closer examination. Many of the
honors courses consist of more
work than other courses, often on
a relatively higher level than the
regular courses. However, the hon-
ors program often seems to work
on the idea that "you're a better
student so you get better teachers
and more work." It seems ques-
tionable as to whether they really
do creative work in and derive as
much benefit from honors courses,
as they might get from tutorials or
independent work.
* * *
THE HONOR students are lucky
enough to have some attention
paid to their needs and that
honors housing is being suggested
may perhaps point to how much
more could be done for them. It
is no secret, as Judith Oppenheim
mentioned in her recent editorial,
that many brilliant and creative
people drop out of the honors pro-
gram, or do not or cannot even
enter it, because of its relative
constrictiveness.
The idea of honors housing, may
be undemocratic, but state uni-
versity or no, honors students
should still have the right to de-
cide as to whether they wish to
live with each other. They will
choose to do so on a voluntary
basis certainly andnot a compul-
sory one. Honors housing may well
remove the better students from
the dormitorie's, but it also seems
feasible that creative people not
in honors may have the oppor-
tunity to live with people they
would prefer living with. It seems
doubtful that people would express
a desire to live with honors stu-
dents unless they had a genuine
wish to do so and it is question-
able as to whether the honors
housing would be completely filled
by honor students.
* * *
IN ANY CASE, it seems that
most of the best students on cam-
pus in the literary college are
honors students. It may be that
honors housing would very well
exclude some of the more intel-
lectually aware people on campus,
but at least a large proportion of
the better students would have a
chance to improve ' their living
situations. The dress regulations
in the dormitories smack of the
Victorian Age and the system of
resident advisers and staff coun-
selors reminds one of- a camp
situation with the counselorcon-
stantly on hand to make sure his
campers don't get too far away.
The idea of having Junior faculty
members living in with the honors
students, if effected, would cer-
tainly be an improvement over the
present faculty adviser system.
The present system seems so su-
perficial, that for all it is worth,
it almost need not exist. It seems
the exception if the residence hall
faculty adviser (usually one for a
house of a hundred or more stu-
dents) is at the hall for more than
several meals during a semester,
much less his even being onthe
premises otherwise.
Any change that can be effect-
ed to improve the living situation
in the residence halls seems to be
in great demand and need and
long overdue. If honors housing
does go into effect, it will certainly
set a precedent that it is hoped
will be quickly followed by the
entire residence hall system. At
least, something concrete will have
been done and will perhaps serve
to accelerate a reorganization of
the entire housing system. The
slowness of actually doing any-
thing constructive and c.oncrete
about the residence hall system; no
matter how long it may have been
in the process of discussion, is
certainly notorious.
-Martin Rivlin, '67
-Bil Walker, 166
Cataclysm
IT IS STARTLING to think how
destructive in a civilization like
ours wouldsbe such fierce conflicts
as fill the history of the past. The
wars of highly ivilized countries,
since the opening of the era of
steam and machinery, have been
duels of armies rather than con-
flicts of peoples and classes. Our
only glimpse of what might hap-
pen, were passion fully aroused,
was in the struggle of the Paris
Commune. And, since 1870, to
knowledge of petroleum has been
added that of even more des-
tructive agents.
The explosion of a little nitro-
glycerin under a few water mains
would make a great city unin-
habitable; the blowing up of a
few railroad bridges and tunnels
would bring famine quicker than
the wall of circumvallation that
Titus drew around Jerusalem; the
A
"
E V YORK'S esteemed governor Nelson A.
Rockefeller is finding himself in a great
eal of difficulty these days. It seems he has
aused loud squeals of discontent to issue forth
rom the already-parched throats of the Empire
htate's citizens.
The Republican-dominated state legislature
s rebelling against the governor's proposal to
.ike liquor and automobile registration "fees."
)ne might question the significance of such a
roposed raise. Taxes are going up every day.
[ow important could a single increase be?
VERY IMPORTANT indeed, if your name is
Rockefeller. One of the major planks in
he governor's re-election platform last Novem-
er was that he promised not to raise taxes.
'he people of New York went for it, but not
uite hook, line and sinker as Albany Repub-
cans expected. The people of the state, and
specially New York City, were not greatly im-
ressed with the Rockefeller administration
f 1958-1962. But the boy got in with his
romises of no tax increase.
Now, with the announcement of the proposed
ax hike, the people of New York State are
i the greatest uproar since the exposure of
oss Tweed. Syracuse motorists are displaying
Don't Tread on Me" bumper stickers and
Rusnes'qaff
restaurants and bars all over the state have
added a new drink to the menu: "Rockefeller
cocktail-same old ingredients, just add 15
per cent to the price." Rockefeller lieutenants
have become doubtful of the governor's ability
to carry his own state in a 1964 presidential
election. "Right now, I doubt he could be re-
elected governor," one GOP spokesman lament-
ed.
Add this new development to the governor's
divorce problem, plus a grand jury investigation
of the State Liquor Authority, and the road to
the Presidency seems a' bit rocky.
-ROBERT GRODY
Personal
ONE DAY THIS WEEK the residents of
Stockwell Hall were offered a single entree
consisting of fried ham sandwiches.
The dormitories explicitly state that they
cannot fulfill the requirements of individual
diets, yet there has been a tacit agreement to
comply with religious observances. For example,
meatless menus are provided every Friday and
on days of abstenence for Catholic girls; spe-
cial foods are available during Passover and
pork derivatives are not served at sit down
meals in deference to those of the Jewish
faith.
HIS WEEK'S INCIDENT then, would seem
RACE RELATIONS IN DC:
Sensitive Situation
By ELLEN SILVERMAN
ALTHOUGH the physical vio-
lence of last Thanksgiving's
race riots in the nation's capital
have died down, the race tension
is merely smoldering.
Last November, riots broke out
in D. C. Stadium when the city
high school football champion-
ship game was being played. Ne-
groes and whites mattled each
other viciously in an attack that
rivaled the rough and tumble on
the field.
Since then,1 the city has been
very sensitive about the race re-
lations. Many of the schools have
begun "citizenship" programs,
several of them sponsored by the,
Daughters of the American Revo-
lution.
* * *
BUT THE RACE relations in
Washington are far from perfect.
On the streets it is rare that one
can see a Negro and white walk-
ing together in the downtown
area. The schools are almost to-
tally segregated as the whites
move out to the Maryland or
Virginia areas.
he was driving near the D. C.
city limits.
"Sure it's crowded. Them niggers
got their welfare checks tonight
and have to spend them on booze.
Washington is a welfare town,
didn't you know that? We run
on welfare," he said.
OTHER EVIDENCES of the ten-
sions between races could be seen
on the buses, the only means of
public transportation through the
city and from the city to the
suburban areas. On one bus, whites
were standing and no one offered
them a seat. When a Negro wo-
man entered the bus, however, a
Negro man stood up to give her
his seat.
Things are not all bad in the
city. At a United States National
Student Association conference
held there last week, whites and
Negroes mingled easily. The news-
papers often carry pictures of
members of both races acting to-.
gether, working toward a common
goal.
But Washington has not quickly
forgotten the incidents of last