"Careful You Don't Set the Whole Dormitory on Fire"
Z'PrmtdiigallBatty
Seventy-First Year
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Editorials printed in The Michigan Daily express the individual opinions of staff writers
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TUESDAY, MAY 16, 1961 NIGHT EDITOR: CAROLINE DOW
INTERPRETING THE NEWS:
Summit Won't Stop
Red Expansionism
By J. M. BOBE RTS
Associated Press News Analyst
NIKITA KHRUSHCHEV is doing what he has to do in Asia and
nothing President Kennedy might say to him is likely to change the
Soviet Premier's concept of the forces to which he must react.
Against the bacground of a Laotian situation in which the United
States has been made to look something like a paper tiger, Kennedy is
reported to be considering private talks with Khrushchev.
The United States has started out at Geneva by compromising on
the makeup of the conference over Laos. She now faces a situation in
Toynbee' s Assimilation
Would Corrupt Judaism
ARNOLD TOYNBEE, the important and con-
troversial British historian, has again stir-
red up passions over what appears to be one
of his favorite topics-"the Jewish question."
Since Prof. Toynbee has spoken at the Uni-
versity and issued several statements which
have recently appeared in The New York Times,
it is particularly appropo that an attempt be
made to understand his position and the violent
reactions which it constantly seems to engender.
Toynbee has long been known for his strong
views on the "Jewish nation-he feels it
simply should not exist. His rationale is only
apparent after one knows the rudiments in-
volved in his systematic approach to history.
Toynbee holds that the historical process can
be explained by a rise and fall of civilization
(for better still by their response to particular
challenges) at first patterned after what he
thought was the path and fate of ancient Hel-
lenism. Afrter a certain point, a civilization
supposedly will decline and will eventually cease
to exist.
OST OF THE CASES that Toyngee chooses
to discuss appear to fit into his pre-conceiv-
ed pattern. One bothersome exception, however,
seemed to be the Jews. Although their national
homeland had been destroyed, in some peculiar
form they seemed still to be alive, they were
persecuted, hated or admired as merchants and
scholars, and continued to preserve their
strange and demanding religion. Furthermore
they carried through all the motions of "being
alive" for nearly 2,000 years. Very obviously,
somthing was amiss-either with Toynbee's in-
terpretation of history or with the Jews. Toyn-
bee chose the latter. The Jews, he pointed out,
were not really "alive" in the ordinary sense of
the term; no, quite to the contrary-they were
"fossils."
From the English historian's viewpoint, they
had no real "right"to perpetuate their sep-
arate existence. They should yield to assimili-
lation. When this "clannish," self-imposed shell
has disintegrated-then their religion could oc-
cupy its rightful place "as one of the great
spiritual possessions of the whole human race."
As he is recently reported to have said, Toyn-
flee, in the most "liberal tradition" is in per-
fect agreement with a type of Jewish inter-
marriage which would break down "the tradi-
tional caste barriers between Jews and non-
'ews."
QUITE NATURALLY, when Toynbee first said
things like this, a great cry arose from
certain segments of the Jewish "People." They
seemed to object violently to this version of
"Jewish assimilation." These people, like the
well known Anglo-Jewish critic, Maurice Swan-
son, and those "professional Jews" who com-
prised such "self interest groups" as the Or-
thodox Rabbinate, maintained that assimila-
tion would most certainly bring with it the an-
nihilation of a unique and desirable religious-
cultural tradition-which they felt was very
much worth preserving-even in the wake of
a renewed cry for a "world civilization." These
people were charged with having "closed
minds," "being medieval," and "clannish" and
"illiberal." Quite a few of their most outspoken
critics were themselves Jews.
AT THIS POINT it is worth noting that since
the appearance of his massive eleven-vol-
ume "Study of History," Arnold Toynbee has
retreated from many of his original positions.
At the strong insistence of a good number of
historians, Toynbee has himself admitted that
perhaps he had twisted facts a bit and been
ignorant of others which would have served
to threw serious doubt on his whole system.
He has, to a degree, shifted his position on
the Jews. They are no longer classified by that
strange geological appelation "fossil." And ac-
cording to Prof. Hans Kohn in the Literary
Supplement of the New York Times, Toynbee,
in his latest work-Volume XII entitled "Rec-
ommendations" has now become aware of the
"ambivalent character of Judaism which is
a national and universal regilion, and of the
tension between these two 'incompatible alter-
natives'."
Out of context this statement does not appear
to alter matters to any significant degree. Yet
Toynbee seems quite aware of his now admitted
ignorance of Jewish history and of his error in
talking about it is an authority in his former
works. Now a bit more enlightened, he is said to
attach a greater degree of importance to the
almost previously overlooked 2,000 years of
Jewish Diaspora culture, where he admits
some quite significant Jewish contributions to
Editorial Staff
THOMAS IAYDEN, Editor
NAN MARKEL JEAN SPENCER
City Editor Editorial Director
Business Staff
JUDITH NICHOLSON, Business Manager
MARJORIF BLUESTEIN...Associate Business Manager
STEVE AUGUSTYN..............Finance Manager
BETSY UNDERWOOD...,...........Accounts Manager
KENNETH McELDOWNEY......Associate City Editor
JUDITI ADNER... ............personnel Director
THOAMAS KAB~AKCER..................-Maazine Eitr
civilizatio nwere made. He still seems to main-
tain however, that the Jews should cease to
be a group to themselves. They ought to, "in
the best sense," assimilate with their neigh-
bors.,.
RECENTLY, certain remarks by Toynbee were
brought to the attention of the University
community. In effect, Toynbee reaffirmed
his belief in the necessity for Jewish assimila-
tion. Several orthodox rabbis replied that
without a traditional prohibition in intermar-
riage, Judaism would disappear. This was not
to be desired, they implied, since Judaism, the
peculiar religion, was perpetuated "for the-
benefit of all mankind."
It appears that Toynbee and those who in-
tepreted his position do not take issue with this
last point. It is assumed that there is some-
thing intrinsically-valuable in the ethical, moral
or religious teachings of Judaism. Rather, ar-
gued Toynbee, the Jews, by keeping their reli-
gion to themselves-by defusing intermarriage
-are actually placing limits on the scope of
their culture and certainly were not, as the rab-
bis arrester, really preserving it. The point is
made that a strong religion need not tremble
when confronted with assimilation-for if this
faith were as strong as it purported to be, it
could withstand the so called "dangerous ef-
fects" of out-marriage.
BESIDES an obvious ignorance of Jewish his-
tory, philosophy and general sociological
theory, this view contains at least two blatant
and very dangerous logical mistakes. How can
a culture that considers itself unique and
significant maintain its values or expect others
to carry them on if it "assimilates" into a mass
culture which, is not a more ideal or ethical
civilization? If a more satisfying "culture" is
found that the Jews might assimilate into,
the proposal warrants very serious considera-
tion. But this humanistic "world culture" does
not yet exist in any realistic form. And until
it does (call it the "Messianic age if you like")
-I will argue for the existence of a particular
Jewish religion-not the suburban country club
type phenonemon but a monotheistic-and high-
ly ethical faith, with a strong contemporary
re-emphasis on the prophetic teachings of the
importance of the individual and of the com-
munity. In the same vein, I would argue too,
for the particular faiths, among others, of the
Catholic personalist, Dorothy Day, the Prot-
estant theologian, Paul Tillich and the ex-
dstentialist atheist, Albert Camus.
YET WHAT IS EVEN MORE shocking than
these assimilationist views, is a popular
comparison of the Jewish concept of unique
existence with Adolf Hitler's doctrine of "the
pure race."
Traditional rabbinic opinion on this point is
quite clear. Anyone, (except for a few ancient
Cannanite tribes enumerated in the second book
of the Bible), provided he is of serious intent,
may become a convert to Judaism. Once he be-
comes a Jew, there is no distinction made be-
tween the convert and the person who is born a
Jew. Need it be emphasized that no one who
was not an Aryan to the nth generation could
ever become a member of the "pure race?" And
to call the Jews a race is obviously erroneous
if we mean it in any acceptable way, A strange
race it is which includes the long nosed East
European, the blue-eyed Swede, the swarthy
Yemenite, and the black Ethiopian Jew who
now resides in Harlem.
Among other things, this editorial has point-
ed out the difficulties and misconceptions in
Toynbee's approach to Jewish history and the
trouble that the "living fossil" has given him. It
has been shown, I hope, that there are two
serious errors in a recent interpretation of
the British "meta-historian's" view of the Jews.
To assert that a "strong faith" need not fear
intermarriage-assuming that a good portion
of those intermarriages remain outside the
fold-is absurd. Study the history of the Jews
in Hellenistic Greece, Golden Age Spain before
the Inquisition, and post enlightenment pre-
war Germany. To compare the much misused
Jewish "racial"label with the Arayan theories
of Hitler is plainly erroneous.
YET MANY WHO HAVE READ this far prob-
ably see this position as unrealistic and
dangerous. Perhaps this viewpoint has even
confirme their ideas of the "clannish" and
"anti-social, anti-democratic" nature of the
Jewish religion. All one can say to this is to ad-
vise a bit more reading into the original sources
of the Hebrew religion, study its social, eco-
nomic and intellectual phases, and then we
shall be better able to intelligently discuss my
boldest and perhaps most shaky assertion-
that at the present moment, the Jewish reli-
gion should be preserved at all costs.
Finally, one can be fairly certain that the
most vociferous critics of this view may come
from amongst the Jews. I think that most
people will agree that Jews are easily and quite
passionately brought into any intellectual dis-
cussion that touches on the subject of their
Jewishness. Even if they are only "marginal
Jews" and usually care little about their reli-
gion, they often feel qualified to speak with
remarkable forcefulness and authority on some-
thing which so obviously seems to concern
them. Let me simply note that sometimes
BIRCH SOCIETY:
Battle Against Democracy
(EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the
final article in a two-part analysis
of the aims, values and methods of
The John Birch Society.)
By HARRY PERLSTADT
Daily Staff Writer
ROBERT WELCH. founder of
the John Birch Society, de-
fends the Society's use of ques-
tionable means by saying that he
is promoting Americanism and is
not making any sacrifices to mor-
ality.
This is important for Welch;
both he and Capt. John M. Birch
were raised as fundamentalist
Baptists who believe that religion
is an essential part of life. Welch
wants people to be religious Pro-
testants, Catholics, or Jews. He
does not aprove of the hollow re-
ligion he thinks is prevalant in
the United States today.
A member of the American
Jewish Committee in Detroit said
that there is no evidence at pres-
ent that the Society is anti-
Semitic. However there are Birch-
ers who hold anti-Semitic views,
he says, although there is nothing
in the ideals or doctrines of the
Society that would suggest ant -
Semitism.
* * *
IF WELCH does not come into
conflict with the American way of
life on the religious question, his
views of government certainly
challenge current U.S. institutions.
The essence of Welch's view is
"less government and more (in-
dividual) responsibility" on all
levels, but primarily federal. Welch
is for the abolition of federal in-
come tax, less federal welfare
spending and more economic re-
sponsibility for big business.
The fear of financial power con-
centrated in Washington through
tax power is of great concern to
John Birchers. Dr. Vernon P.
Johnson of Detroit, a member of
the Society's Committee of En-
dorsors, says that "all the money
is going to Washington and being
doled out. There is too much
power concentrated in Washington
and no funds are left for local
government."
But the Society is lead by big
businessmen and has their inter-
ests at heart. Welch views the
government as a giant business
concern doing rather poorly: "It
is basically a non-productive ex-
pense, an overhead cost supported
by the productive economy." These
big businessmen are the first to
feel the pinch of new taxes, "wel-
fare legislation," or any "New
Dealism.
* * *
THE SOCIETY and Welch have
a real contempt for federal gov-
ernment. "I am convinced America
would be better off with a govern-
ment of three hundred thousand
officials and agents, every single
one of them a thief, than a gov-
ernment of three million agents
with every single one of them an
honest, honorable, public servant
. . . The increasing quantity of
government, in all nations, has
constituted the greatest tragedy of
the Twentieth Century," Welch
writes in The Bluebook.
The Society believes in "the rule
of law, not men." One motto of
the group is "This is a republic-
not a democracy-Let's kemio It
that way."
Republic, for Welch, means rule
according to established law-tra-
dition and precedent. A republic
may be in the form of a monarchy
or oligarchy as well as a represen-
tative democracy. But unlike the
democracy, where mob psychology
supports disdain for the restric-
tions of law, the republic's law
cannot be changed except by due
and deliberate process according to
established precedent.
* ,
WELCH'S AIMS would in effect
establish an oligarchy of big busi-
nessmen to run the governmen'.
He sees the Reutherite mobs run-
ning the government into collec-
tivization and ruining free enter-
prise. If the federal government
existed as a mere skeleton crew,
there would be less taxes for big
business to pay, less anti-trust leg-
islation and big business could ef-
fectively control all other forms
of local government. This un-
doubtedly is one of the ideals of
the Society.
Welch states that the Founding
Fathers nowhere mentioned a
democratic form of federal gov-
ernment in the American Consti-
tution. He charges that the demo-
cratic system provides no protec-
tion for minority rights, and the
whim of the majority can change
the political and economic struc-
ture of the United States so that
"it can be comfortably merged
with Soviet Russia."
To be sure, many liberal and
democratic thinkers from John
Stuart Mill onward have been con-
cerned with the great problem of
protection of minority interests.
Welch is true to the tradition of
the eighteenth century liberal who
believed in "laissez-faire". But in
today's world, such thinking is a
reactionary mask to cover fears
of "welfare" legislation and gov-
ernment regulation of business.
THERE are approximately 20
Birch Society Chapters in Michi-
gan of which 18 are located in
metropolitan Detroit. The Society
'itself does not take an active :n-
terest in local politics although
members of the Society can be
found in various local political
organizations. Naturally, when
they do enter local politics it is
to support right wing candidates.
Because of high dues, most
Birch members are adults. There
are, however, independent stu-
dents who sympathize with the
Society but for one reason or
another have not joined.
Over a year ago at the Univer-
sity of Detroit an approach was
made to a group holding a seminar
on Communism to form a Chapter.
The people who approached the
leader of the seminar said they
would be willing to subsidize the
dues, but no Chapter was formed.
The society apparently has had
difficulty attracting students to
the cause of Birchism. This lack
of support clashes with the al-
leged "conservative surge" among
the nation's youth and seems to
indicate that it is more than
money that keeps students out of
the John Birch Society.
Hack,?
THE INTERNATIONAL social-
1 ists... took a meretricious
hack named Arnold J. Toynbee,
who just by the intrinsic evidence
of 'his own pages is one of the
worst charlatans that ever lived;
they had Toynbee interpret and
rewrite history in such fashion as
specifically to supplant Spengler's
cyclic theory of cultures with
Toynbee's half-baked nonsense.
-Robert Welch
which the Communist position of
tecting Western interests. Like-
wise, the Geneva discussions of
an atom test ban are floundering.
THE WESTERN objective, then,
would seem to be to prevent the
situation from deteriorating to the
point where the only pieces left
for play on the international board
are force and the threat of force.
Such a situation would be danger-
ous with the Berlin issue coming
to a head.
Under the circumstances, Ken-
nedy may feel like backing away
from his original concept that any
summitry on his part would have
to be based on an improved Ameri-
can position of strength and care-
ful diplomatic preparations at
lower levels. Neither has happened.
Summitry, however, must be
weighed against its chances of
success, just as military interven-
tion in Laos was considered
against the chance of success.
THE FORCES AT WORK on
Khrushchev do not contribute to
American chances of such success,
no matter how much he wishes to
reassure the Soviet people that his
program for international Com-
munist' conquest will not involve
them in war.
In the Korean War the Chinese
Reds found they could stand up
and fight the Europeans who had
dominated Asia for so many gen -
erations, and the Americans who
stood as the chief bar to tradi-
tional Chinese (not merely Com-
munist) expansionism.
* * *
NOW THEY ARE OUT to extend
their sway beyong their southern
perimeter. They were prepared to
take over Laos, and now they are
preparin gto move in South Viet
Nam and Thailand, toward all of
the Southeast Asian peninsula and
Sumatra.
Moscow had to anticipate Pei-
ping with arms in Laos, and join
the general Communist political
pressure on Asia, or else see the
Chinese Reds expanding without
Soviet aid or influence.
The Kremlin's uneasy leadership
of the Sino - Soviet expansionist
movement hashbecome more im-
portant to Khrushchev for the
moment than his campaign for co-
existence.
LETTERS
to the
EDITORR
Semitism . ..
To the Editor:
IT IS SAD to see that The Michi-
gan Daily continues on its path
of irresponsible journalism. The
derrogatory treatment of Com-
mander Shepard's flight was very
disappointing. Very disappointing,
and at the same time uninformed
and irresponsible, was also the
name-calling in Sunday's editorial
by Gerald Storch on "problems of
free speech." Here Storch accuses
an Arab consulate official of
"markedly anti-Semitic" state
ments. In this same editorial
Storch claims that the official
presented the United Arab Re-
public view of the Israeli-Egyptian
problem. How irresponsible can
you get? Since both Arabs and
Jews are Semitic people, it is in-
correct to call someone anti-
Semitic, unless he also is anti-
Arabian, and the Arabian official
certainly was not the latter.
It is high time to realizce that
the Arabian antipathies are direct-
ed against the Israeli nation, and
not because the Israelis happen
to be fellow Semites, but because
they are.a people who invaded the
Arab lands.,
-Uldis R. Golts, '61
strength leaves small hope of pro-
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.
TUESDAY, MAY 16 16
General Notices
President and Mrs. Hatcher will hold
open house for students at their home
Wed., May 17 from 4 to 6 p.m.
A Special Meeting of the University
senate will be hld on Tues, May 16,
at 4:15 p.m. in the Rackham Lecture
Hall.
Engineering Freshmen: "Program Ad-
viser's Day," for all second semester
freshmen in Engineering will take place
all day on Wed., May 17, to help fresh-
men select their degree programs. Ad-
visers and other faculty counselors
will be available in their offices for
individual consultation with freshmen
who wish to obtain information con-
cerning their programs. All student
concerned are encouraged to take feull
advantage of this opportunity.
Phyical Therpy Meetling: Students
planning to concentrate In Physical
Therapy orinterestteid in knowing about
Physical Therapy. Wed., May 17 aa 7:15
p.m., Room 1603, first floor, Main
Bldg., University Hospital. Movie fol-
lowed by disussion and demonstra-
tions in the Physical Therapy Clinic.
Graduate Student Council will elect
officers at a meeting to be held at 7:00
p.m., Mon., May 29, in the West Con-
ference Room, Rackham Bldg. All Coun-
cial representatives are uged to at-
tend,
Seniors: Caps and gowns should be
ordered immediately from Moe's Sport
Shop, 711 N. University, Mon. thru Sat.,
8:30-5:30.
Seminars: Pick up your announce-
ments from SAB first floor booth on
Wed., Thurs., and Fri., May 17, 18, 19,
from 1 to 5 p.m.
Approval for the following student-
sponsored activities becames effective
24 hours after the publication o (this
notice. All publicity for these events
must be withheld until the approval
has became effective.
May 18 Voice Political Party, speaker
Wayne Smith. "The Government's Posi-
tion on Cuba," Union Ballroom, 8:00
p.m.
Agenda Student Governmeit Council
May 17, 7:30 Council Room
Constients' Time 9:00
Minutes of previous meeting.
Officer Reports: President, Let-
ters; Exec. Vic President, Appoint-
ments to U.S.N.S.A. Congress; Admin.
vice-President, Appointments - Cine-
ma Guild Board; Treasurer.
Standing Committees: Calendaring
Committee, Recognitions Committee,
Iraqi Student Club-extension of tem-
porary recognition, Final Report.
Ad Hoc Committees and Related
Boards: SGOC Cinema Guild Board, SOC
Student Activities Building Adminis-
trative Board, Committee on Member-
ship in Student Organizations.
Special Business.
Old Business: Peace Corps, Confiden-
tial Reports in Residence Halls, Michi-
gan "Daily.
New Business.
Constiuents and Members' Time.
Annuncements.
Ad journmnent.
Foreign Visitors
Following are the foreign visitors
who will be on the campus this week
Son the dates indicated. Program ar-
rangementseare being made by the
International Center: Mrs. Henry J.
CMeyer.
Warwick A. Ruffle, Supervisor, Sci-
ence Teaching, Middlesex County
Schools, England, May 18-19.
Program arrangements for the follow-
ing visitors are being made by the
School of Education: Claude Eggert-
sen.
Dr. Julio Larerra, Professor of Peda-
gogy, Faculty of Philisophy, National
Univj of Tucuman, Argentina, May 14-
16.
Mrs. Elva Larrea (accompanying her
husband, Dr. Larea), field of educa-
tion, Argentina, May 14-16.
Clarence T. Ford, University of Can-
terbury, New Zealand, May 15-16.
(Continued on Page 8)
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