"Well, Back to the Old Grind"
Seventy-First Year
EDITED AND MANAGED BY STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
"Where Opinions Are Free UNDER AUTHORITY OF BOARD IN CONTROL OF STUDENT PUBLICATIONS
Truth Wil Prevail" STUDENT PUBLICATIONS BLDG. * ANN ARBOR, MICH. * Phone NO 2-3241
Editorials printed in The Michigan Daily express the individual opinions of staff writers
or the editors. This must be noted in all reprints.
FRIDAY, MAY 12, 1961 NIGHT EDITOR: HARRY PERLSTADT
'N
;
SIDELINE ON SGC:
Decision on Daily:
Rational Approach
(AN
IFC Bias'Resolution
Dictated By Dilemma
AS INTERFRATERNITY COUNCIL considers
a statement of general policy toward bias
clauses, there are indications that IFC has at
once avoided one potential problem and is
caught in the midst of another.
The first possible plight, which IFC has luck-
ily avoided, is a blanket obstructionist atti-
tude. Potentially, when SGC passed the reso-
lution against bias clauses, the move could
have engendered such strong resentment that
no possible action could have ever taken place.
Instead, the IFC executive committee members
have faced the question rationally and have
moved in an appropriate manner. They have
realized the necessity of a public statement;
and although the present resolution, which
asks cooperation toward the eventuality of ra-
cial and religious prejudice, is largely repeti-
tious of a 1959 statement, it has taken new
meaning in the light of recent events.
Now individual fraternities may be in danger
of expulsion from the campus. The statement
of a body representative of these houses can-
not be taken simply as pious mouthings.
Propaganda
"COMMUNISM ON THE MAP," a sordid ex-
cuse for a documentary, shown at East
Quardangle Wednesday night, describes the
United States (except Hawaii), the Dominican
Republic, and Formosa as the last bastions
holding out against the deadly threat of Com-
munist infiltration.
Without minimizing any real danger, a per-
son with any degree of intellectual sophistica-
tion can laugh at such idiocies. But, what one
cannot pass off jokingly is the attitude of the
American Legion and of several students pres-
ent at the showing. Although admitting that
the film contains certain "exaggerations," they
seemed to feel that it is still a good thing for
popular consumption.
This attitude of minimizing the intelligence
and ability of the majority of the American
people is an idea contrary to the basis of
democracy. I is nothing more than an excuse
for feeding lies, half-truths, and outright prop-
aganda to the people. For, as was once said,
"you shall know the truth and the truth shall
make you free."
-D. M.
BUT, WHAT WILL, what can, the statement
mean to the individual fraternities and the
campus as a whole?
This question is indicative of the second
problem IFC now faces-the duality of its ob-
ligations. First, the group has a responsibility
for the good of the system as a whole. Second,
IFC has a responsibility to work for the good
of the individual houses and to try to help each
one in every possible way.
Thus the statement must be a generality. IFC
cannot say things which will put the individual
houses into awkward positions. But, this is also
a compelling reason for formulating a policy; if
there were none, the system as a whole would
suffer from the failure to combat adverse publi-
city which tends to reflect on fraternities in
general.
O ACCOMPLISH this dual aim, the state-
ment cannot and does not aim to comment
on any particular situation. It leaves ample
room for reinterpretation; and it is only in an
extremely vague and undefined way a call for
action on the part of anyone.
The resolution of this problem is the ma-
jor conflict which will face IFC. All considera-
tions taken into account, IFC will not long be
able to remain indecisive and still be an effec-
tive body. Though the difficulty of their ex-
tremely awkward middle-man position is not
yet apparent, the conflict will become clear.
To decide in favor of the system as opposed
to the individual chapters will cause upheaval
within the system itself. Some houses may
feel as though they have been sacrificed by
their compatriots. A decision for the individual
houses, on the other hand, will put IFC into
the public eye as reactionary and obstruction-
ist but will maintain the internal cohesion of
the system.
THE QUESTION of bias clauses is the ma-
jor problem facing fraternities. It has
thrown them into a bad light publicly and re-
vealed practices contrary to the trend of Amer-
ican society. If there is to be any effective solu-
tion, (and there will be-one way or another),
and if IFC hopes to keep the solution an in-
ternal one at the University, (which -it does),
a choice must be made between the greater
and lesser obligation.
-DAVID MARCUS
FACULTY REVIEWS:
Generation' Shows. Young Talent
By JUDITH OPPENHEIM
STUDENT Government Council's
decision to meet with the Sen-
ior and Junior staffs of The Daily
before paxsing any motion re-
garding alleged Daily irrespon-
sibility, shows a respect for the
rational approach to problem.
solving which should be a great
relief to everyone concerned.
The Daily is trying neither to
stall for time nor to stifle opposi-
tion by this meeting. It is my belief
that there is nothing sacro-sanct
about The Daily or anything ap-
pearing in its columns. If it can
be demonstrated conclusively that
The Daily has shown deliberate
irresponsibility, I believe The Daily
can and ought to be reprimanded.
* * *
I DON'T LIKE hypothetical
situations as a rule, but one seems
particularly apropo here. Suppose
an alleged criminal is brought in-
to court on charges of having
committed a robbery. He pleads
innocent. The prosecution refuses
to present any evidence to sup-
port its charges but says, merely,
"It is obvious that this man is
guilty. Everyone thinks he is
guilty. I ask the jury to return
a verdict of guilty."
A spokesman for the jury pro-
tests, "But we don't know the
facts."
The prosecution answers, "Who
are you to judge the facts? It is
obvious that this man is guilty,
Convict him."
A fair trial? Rhetorical question.
The metaphor in -itself seems
childishly naive. But If SGC had
passed the motion introduced
Wednesday night by James Yost,
'62, it would have been doing the
equivalent of sentencing the ac-
cused thief. It is frightening to
think that several Council mem-
bers, seemed quite prepared to do
so.
* * * -
THE AMBIGUITY of certain
terms in Yost's motion such as
"calm" and "intelligent" and the
dubiousness of anyone's right to
demand that an editorial be
"calm" are so obvious they need
no elaboration.
It is the repetition of the word
"apparent" which furnishes the
key to the gross injustice of this
motion as it stands. To "convict"
The Daily of "apparent irrespon-
sibility" is precisely the same as
convicting a man for "apparently
stealing" something, or with-
drawing recognition of a frater-
nity for "apparently discriminat-
ing". How can any intelligent
council member-and they are all
apparently intelligent - vote for
uch a measure without consciously
compromising the ethics of our
entire way of life?
* * *
THIS IS NOT a matter to be
taken lightly. The Daily does have
a responsibility to report the news
fairly and accurately. If it fails
to meet this responsibility it must
be reprimanded, not vindictively,
but in hopes that the reprimand
will serve as an incentive for re-
sponsibility in the future.
How can anyone expect a mo-
tion worded as Yost's is to serve
as a basis for any kind of con-
scientious self-improvement? To
improve you must know what is
wrong. Before you can begin to
solve a problem you must know
what you are given, what you
are to prove and what the words
formulating the problem mean.
How else can the outcome make
any sense?
* * *
HOPEFULLY, Yost's motion will
not be reintroduced in SGC.
Nevertheless, it is entirely pos-
sible that some Council members
may still believe The Daily has
acted irresponsibly and want fur-
ther discussion of Yost's motion.
If so, let them face up to the
burden of proof which is upon
them and cite specific instances of
irresponsibility presented by in-
dividual Council members with
full rationale.
If the Council does ,not con-
sider itself competent to judge
individual cases, it must have the
integrity to admit then that it is
even less competent to judge
glittering generalities. These are
always the coward's way out.
AT THE CAMPUS:
Plannited
Chaos
A FINE but unofficial way to
juage a film is its after-effect;
coming out of the show you should
have trouble finding your mental
balance, you should have the
pleasure of heightened sensations,
lights should seem more vivid and
form sudden patterns and you will
want to look into passing faces
and imagine episodes around the
corner. With such a film as
"Breathless" it would seem a
valid way to begin; for if nothing
else this film could be described
as a chaotic notion defying of-
ficialdom.
The intensity of the after-effect
should indicate first of all the
degree to which the director ex-
ploited the technical means at
hand, all the Way up to cine-
mascope and stereophonic sound.
S* * *
"BREATHLESS" is Jean Luc
Goddard's first film, and he has
become a virtuoso without
practice on the screen, and
if there is primitiveness in -his
technique it is lost in the purpose-
ful chaos of the entire film. In
some scenes he is methodical and
straightforward to a painful de-
gree, in others he ties his camera
in knots and cuts visciously, barely
keeping scenic sense; the overall
effect being to lose all sense of
pace and time, and, while slowly
building his characters, to dis-
jointhe senses from the imagina-
tion. At this point he can suggest
things to the ear which the eye
cannot see but the imagination
will vividly verify. The imagina-
tion is terrifically envolved on
the most basic level, and like the
camera it is never allowed a rest.
This level of illusion is part of
the primitive quality of the film
that Goddard devotes most of his
talents to this level. Thus he works
into his characters physically;
through Belmondo's extravagant
gestures and clothes and through
Seberg's placidity, her mask-like,
heavily made up face. He cuts in
and out on characters while they
have scarcely moved, making them
a series of sketches.
* * s
THE INTENSE ILLUSION is, of
course, built around the hero,
Jean-Paul Belmondo and is ir-
revocably identified with him from
the first scenes when he takes us
for a ride in a stolen car, speaks
to us in the high-pitch yet in-
cisive French (thank the gods it
is not dubbed) which is his trade-
mark, and commits murder in the
admirably clean way that is to
make a mockery of every kind of
social order throughout the film,
which is in a sense one long chase.
Belmondo is I suppose, the
existentialist man, doomed to be
free. He has not compromised;
rather than grief he chooses no-
thing.
Suffice it to say that Belmondo
is good enough to carry all this
off. Jean Seberg whose lack of
talent has become legendary since
Preminger uncovered her, is barely
adequate.
-Robert Kraus
TODAY AND TOMORROW.
To Ourselves Be True.
By WALTER LIPPMANN
WE HAVE BEEN forced to ask ourselves re-
cently how a free and open society can
compete with a totalitarian state. This is a
crucial question. Can our Western society sur-
vive and flourish if it remains true to its own
faith and principles? Or must it abandon them
in order to fight fire with fire?
There are those who believe that in Cuba
the attempt to fight fire with fire would have
succeeded if only the President had been more
ruthless and had no scruples about using Ameri-
can forces. I think they are wrong. I think that
success for the Cuban adventure was impos-
sible. In a free society like ours a policy is
bound to fail' which deliberately violates our
pledges and our principles, our treaties and our
laws. It is not possible for a free and open so-
ciety to organize successfully a spectacular
conspiracy.
The United. States, like every other govern-
ment, must employ secret agents. But the
United States cannot successfully conduct large
secret conspiracles. It is impossible to keep
them secret. It is impossible for everybody con-
cerned, beginning with the President hitstlf,
to be sufficiently ruthless and unscrupulous.
The American conscience is a reality. It will
make.hesitant and ineffectual, even if it does
not prevent, an un-American policy. The ulti-
mate reason why the Cuban affair was incom-
petent is that it was out of character, like a
cow that tried to fly or a fish that tried to walk.
IT FOLLOWS that in the great struggle with
Comunism, we must find our strength by de-
TBUSY Day
HE Michigan Union-sponsored Creative Arts
Festival has a tour of The Daily scheduled
on its agenda of activities for 3:00 p.m. Tues-
day,
Student Government Council has a, meeting
with the senior and junior editorial staffs of
The Daily scheduled for 3:00 p.m. Tuesday.
The coinciding of the two events might seem
to promise a busy day for the people who work
In the Student Publications Building. But a
similar tour arranged by CAF for yesterday
afternoon drew no one interested in inspecting
Daily operations.
The Daily will welcome any visitors who
rnm n' rna.rcv ..fs na hnr-- la -fhn
veloping and applying our own principles, not in
abandoning them. Before anyone tells me that
this is sissy, I should like to say why I believe
it, especially after listening carefully and at
some length to Mr. Khrushchev. I am very cer-
tain that we shall have the answer to Mr.
Khrushchev if, and only if, we stop being fasci-
nated by the cloak and dagger business and,
being true to ourselves, take our own princi-
ples seriously.
MJR. K. is a true believer that Communism is
destined to supplant capitalism as capital-
ism supplanted feudalism. For him this is an
absolute dogma, and he will tell you that while
he intends to do what he can to assist the
inevitable, knowing that we will do what we can
to oppose the inevitable, what he does and what
we do will not be decisive. Destiny will be real-
ized no matter what men do.
The dogma of inevitability not only gives him
the self-assurance of a man who has no doubts
but is a most powerful ingredient of the Com-
munist propaganda. What do we say to him,
we who believe in a certain freedom of the
human will and in the capacity of men to
affect the course of history by their discoveries,
their wisdom, and their courage?
WE CAN SAY that in Mr. K.'s dogma there
is an unexamined premise. It is that the
capitalist society is static, that it is and always
be what it was when Marx described it a hun-
dred years ago, that-to use Mr. K.'s own lingo
-there is no difference between Gov. Rockefel-
ler and his grandfather. Because a capitalist
society cannot change, in its dealings with the
under-developed countries it can only dominate
and exploit. It cannot emancipate and help.
If it could emancipate and help, the inevita-
bility of Communism would evaporate.
I venture to argue from this analysis that the
reason we are on the defensive in so many
places is that for some ten years we have been
doing exactly what Mr. K. expects us to do. We
have used money and arms in a long losing at-
tempt to stabilize native governments which, in
the name of anti-Communism, are opposed to
all important social change. This has been
exactly what Mr. K.'s dogma calls for-that
Communism should be the only alternative to
the status quo with its immemorial poverty and
privilege.
We cannot compete with Communism in Asia,
Africa, or Latin America if we go on doing what
Prose, Poetry..
THERE IS ONLY one essay for
review in the new issue of
Generation: Hugh Witemeyer's
complex "Science and the poetry
of William Empson." It is worth
the care that the author has taken
with it. The essay assumes the
split between the "two cultures"
(of the scientists and the' artists)
whose demonstration has brought
so much fame to C. P. Snow. It
proceeds to show the importance
of Empson as the one poet whose
work, by its learned use of images
drawn from contemporary science,
provides some sort of answer to
Snow's cry for a genuine inter-
change between scientist and poet.
Especially interesting are the
quotations and the interpretations
provided for them. Empson is a
craftsman whose writing pleases
initially by its adroit wizardry;
but from then on he is surely one
of the most brain-wracking poets
ever to be published, and explan-
ations are welcome. (I for one
would have thought, at a first try,
that "Too differential bend" had
to do with the back axle of a car,
whereas mathematics are in-
volved).
HOWEVER, I am dubious ebout
the theoretic basis of the essay.
Mr. Witemeyer uses Bronowski's
definition of science: that it is an
attempt to describe the natural
universe in an orderly language
uncontaminated by the emotions
of the observer, a neutral and
"objective" language. How far the
sophisticated scientists would go
with this definition, I don't know;
but a poet must hoot and get on
with his work. It is a definition
by a scientist for scientists-'.e-
sides, it is tendentious.
Science, the uncontaminated
word, means knowledge, and the
kind of knowledge depends upon
the particular technique of know-
ing being practised. The poet, in
everything he writes, instinctively
rejects the premise of the natural
scientists, that the human ooser-
ver is to be isolated from the
nature he observes. For him, the
observer is always there, inextric-
ably a part of the matter of his
observations in a subtle subject-
object relationship; and it is the
knowledge consequent upon this
relationship that he pursues.
Poetry is also a science, and a
difficult one-a humane science,
perhaps, to use humane in its
strictest sense, without any sug-
gestion of sentimentality.
* * *
SURELY this is Empson's way
with science. Realizing that modi-
fications of theory in the natural
sciences also modify humanity's
image of its relationship with the
rest of nature, he proceeds, a poet
at his old magpie business, to
rifle whatever he understands of
the new theories to work out the
new relationship in poet's lan-
guage.
Whether the new theory is per-
manently "true" or not, doesn't
concern him, as Mr. Wit~reyer
admits. The truth of the poem is
wat. rn- .,,nf. a, 1.n a nncrf.a',, 4--.
(EDITOR'S NOTE: Tomorrow,
Professor Oliver Edel of the music
school will review the three pieces
or original composition n the new
issue of "Generation.")
truly (and perhaps restrictingly)
contemporary than most.
Also, for this reason, he is a
living refutation of C. P. Snow.
But then are we to take Snow's
thesis that seriously? In England,
much of the scientist/artist wran-
gling is a by-product of quarrel-
ling for new university chairs and
for an equal share of public funds.
It belongs i the academic gar-
dens. Far more frightening than
the mutual distrust of scientist
and artist is the general ignorance
of the premises of either.
* * *
TURNING to the poetry, of
which there is plenty in this is-
sue, I am not so much upset by
the lack of "science" as by the
lack of poetic science. There is
probably a thesis for someone in
the effect of the typewriter on
the decay of a sense of form in
poetry. I can't percieve the formal
principles of some of these poems
-at least not as long as they are
put on the page, diverting though
some of the typographical patterns
may be. However, many of the
poets seem to have a strong sense
of form, particularly Nancy Wil-
lard, Jay Hamburg, Stanley Rad-
huber, Nathan Lyons and Trim
Bissell.
Among the good things, Louis
Simpson's "The Cradle Trap"
though slight, is a well made poem
whose last stanza is an apt com-
ment on the first part of this re-
view. Then there is Heath-Stubbs'
poem; the lines carry the sound
of that slow erudite voice.
(The only trouble with such pro-
fesional contributions to Genera-
tion, is that for all their graceful-
ness, they are not going to be
the poets' best work).
The Keith-Kennedy translation
from Queneau is very cunning, al-
though reading the original be-
comes rather like trying to read in
a bumping bus. Konstantinos Lar-.
das' translation from Kavafis is
outstanding.
* * *
THE NECESSITIES of a review
limit these comments to impres-
sions and taste, but the collection
seems a very good one. Also, the
poems are quite a comment on the
essay preceding them. For when
all the theorists and lecturers have
gone to bed, the poets carry on
writing, and remind one that in-
structions and prognostications for
the future of poetry are in bad
taste.
One reviewer hopes that these
poets go on writing, "true to their
own strange kind." He also hopes
that the magazine will oe widely
read on campus, because its editors
assume a very flattering standard
of liveliness and intelligence in
its audience.
-F. W. Brownlow
Department of English
Gallic
Drama « « .
CARL OGLESBY has written a
curious play. At first, one feels
that it is just another melodrama;
its gradual exposure of sexual
violence repeats the patterns
which Tennessee Williams has ex-
plored again and again. Then, too,
this theme is set against political
schemes, which appear merely to
echo the other evils.
But Mr. Oglesby's aims are not
quite so simply theatrical. He is
also expounding a philosophy. He
calls his play "The Hero;" the
title is used both ironically and
satirically. But the play aims for
even larger significance, for it
touches upon the condition of man
("nor can a man do aught but
go into his bed each and every
night, no matter what . . . with
optimism . . . obedience . . . and
faith forevermore!") And' in the
climactic scene of Act II, the
father explains "the needs of pity."
WHAT MR. OGLESBY has tried
here is indeed worth our atten-
tion. He has set out to do a kind
of classical tragedy (with echoes
of both the Bible and Greek
drama) but in the modern, exis-
tentialist manner and attitude;
Beckett, in particular, whom he
quotes, is looking over his shoul-
der. This, I believe, is all to the
good. A young writer must go to
models; and one must choose what
to imitate with discrimination. Mr.
Oglesby has a sense of theatre; his
play has vigor; it has been con-
ceived both with imagination and
compassion, two prime qualities
of all art.
My only reservation is about the
language. It is not sufficiently
distinctive. It serves rather than
creates; it does not achieve the
poetic dimensions its author wants,
Yet it has a kind of suppleness.
One hopes that Mr. Oglesby will
experiment further, perhaps one
should say practice more. "The
Hero" is undoubtedly the work of
a talented writer.
-Prof. Marvin Felheim
Department of English
LETTERS
to the
EDITOR
Monkeys ...
To the Editor:
Since either instruments or
monkeys (Steven Shaw, May 7,
and H. Molotch, May 6) would
have done a better job than Com-
mander Shepard, it might be a
good idea to extend the use of
computers and chimpanzees.
As science students we have ab-
solute faith in computers, and we
respectfully submit that, in the
interest of better newspapers, the
Daily staff be replaced by a com-
puter, which, incidentally, may
be able to distinguish between
"navy"' and marine.g
If funds are lacking for the
DAILY OFFICIAL BULLETIN
The Daily Official Bulletin is an
official publication of The Univer-
sity of Michigan for which The
Michigan Daily assumes no editorial
responsibility. Notices should be
sent in TYPEWRITTEN form to
Room 3519 Administration Building,
before 2 p.m., two days preceding
publication.
FRIDAY, MAY 12
General Notices
Undergraduate Honors Convocation:
The annual Convocation recognizing
undergraduate honor students will be
held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, May 12, in
Hill Auditorium. Dr. Arnold Toynbee,
British historian, will speak on "The
Outlook for the West Today."
Honor students will be excused from
attending their 10 o'clock classes. All
classes, with the exception of clinics
and graduate seminars, will be dis-
missed at 10:45 for the Convocation.
However, seniors may be excused from
clinics and seminars.
The honor students will not wear
caps and gowns. Main floor seats will
be reserved for them and for members
of their families, and will be held until
10:451 Doors of the Auditorium will
open at 10:30. The public is invited.
Chemistry 222: There will be a lecture
on Friday as usual.
Phi, Gomberg House, S.Q., Kappa Al-
pha Theta, Lloyd House, W.Q., Phi Al-
pha Kappa, Phi Delta Phi, Phi Rho
Sigma, Psi Upsilon, Sigma Alpha Mu,
Sigma Kappa, Tau Epsilon Phi, Theta
Chi, Trigon, Williams House, W.Q.,
Zeta Psi.
SUN., MAY 14-
Betsy Barbour, Geddes House, Helen
Newberry, Mary Markley Hall Mosher
Hall, Graduate School of Socil Work.
Summary of Actin Taken by student
Government Council at Its Meeting of
May10, 1961
Approved: The minutes of the pre-
vious meeting.
Approved: That Student Government
Council favorably review the appoint-
ments from the Interviewing Board to
Joint Judiciary Council. Student Gov-
ernment Council, however, notes that
certain irregularities in pre-interview-
ing procedures occurred. For such pro-
cedures to have been proper, they would
have had to have been approved as
constitutional amendments to the Joint
Judiciary Council constitution. How-
ever, not wishing to obstruct the process
of Joint Judiciary, the Council accepts
the nominations in good faith.
The appoints (for one-year terms)
are: Robert M. Berger, Jane S. Glick,
Robert A. Greenes, Julie T. Pearce,
Larry A. Stinson.
Approved: The following appoint-
mnents:
Human Relations Board - Brereton
Bisell Jrnd a- iu. mi 'nh