Sevety-Third Year EDrrED AND MANAGED BY STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN _ UNDER AUTHORITY OF BOARD IN CONTROL OF STUDENT PUBLICATION. Where Opinions Are Pro* STUDENT PUBLICATIONS BLDG., ANN ARBOR, MICH., PHONE NO 2-3241 Truth will Prev'I n"x' Editorials printed in The Michigan Daily express the individual opinions of staff writers or the editors. This must be noted in all reprints. SIDELINE ON SGC: An Ominous Crossroads Y, OCTOBER 18, 1963 NIGHT EDITOR: MARILYN KORAL Conference on U' Group Needs Thorough Shakeup "ULMINATING a long series of blunders, 'the Conference on the University Steer- g Committee postponed the conference, t for next weekend, to next February. hile the conference is suspended to re- ver from multiple errors, it is time to organize the steering committee, start- g with its chairman, and get this all- iportant conference on the right track. The gathering is one of the most signifi- .nt events in the University year. It is 1e of those rare times when students, culty and administrators can sit down i calmly discuss the direction, goals and eds of the University. 'HE UTTER FAILURE of the steering committee to do its work well has both ndered this important concept and has wered respect for student responsibility. ie errors in planning, timing and pro- dures, call for a virtually new start in eparing the conference so that the thering itself will be successful and inions of student responsibility can be ised. The, major error was not using last ring and summer adequately. The steer- Wasteland 'HE REGENTS hold their public meeting at 2 p.m. today, and if it is anything ke last month's farce, people who have ogo might as well start bringing portable adios. These conclaves have never been noted or their amount or seriousness of debate. hey abound in trivia and totally vapid iscussion, where there is discussion. T IS A BAD SITUATION for both sides. The Regents feel silly going through the otions; the few members of the audience ecome very disillusioned with the quality f the people who govern the University. Something should be done as soon as ossible about this state of affairs. One 2medy would be a simple one: the Re- ents should announce in public all deci-, ons they have made in their private leeting the night before. Many= times, heir action have become known to the utside world several months later. N ADDITION, University President Har- lan Hatcher, who chairs the public ses-. on, spould summarize the, various con- derations which went into each decision. the Regents revise the Union-League ierger proposal or institute a specific rogram to further Negro education, the easons why should be given. Only through complete and meaningful iscussion instead of play-acting will Re- ents meetings become something more han a waste of 90 minutes for everybody. -GERALD STORCH City Editor ing committee did some preliminary plan- ning, drew up working paper outlines and obtained most student discussion group leaders by fall. But that was not enough. The summer should have been used to ob- tain a keynote speaker and to determine whom the faculty and administration par- ticipants should be. These efforts should have been under- taken last summer as steering committee chairman Diane Lebedeff was in summer school and faculty and administration members were in Ann Arbor. However, only feeble attempts were made to attract speakers, especially in calling them after they failed to respond to letters, and no work was done on delegate selection. Thus, by the start of the semester, eight weeks before the conference was to be- gin, the steering committee was without a keynote speaker or delegates. WORKING ON GETTING faculty and administration delegates began only this fall. By this time last week, the let- ters were mailed out to faculty and ad- ministrators but these crucial people had made other commitments. Most of the administrators had out-of-town duties that weekend and about 70 per cent of the faculty who replied rejected these short- notice invitations. The failure to attract faculty, and administrators caused the steering committee to suspend the confer- ence. UT OTHER ERRORS, traceable to the committee's apathy and the failures of Miss Lebedeff, had put the conference in serious difficulty. When the then Student Government Council Executive Vice-Pres- ident Edwin Sasaki asked Miss Lebedeff to plan the conference, she chose her ac- quaintances as student members rather than those committed to the conference concept or knowledgable about the Uni- versity. These people did little and she was forced to lean on the then Daily repre- sentative Richard Simon and on Stanley Levy of the literary college. Further, Miss Lebedeff tended to be disorganized, misunderstanding, for ex- ample, Richard Hofstadter's request for a written invitation as an acceptance and announcing his acceptance as keynote speaker when he actually had turned the committee down. Other examples include the temporary loss of two working papers and the generally illogical working paper outlines. IF THE CONFERENCE is to succeed, more than the contemplated reorganization of the steering committee is needed. New, competent leadership is needed as well as willing workers. Miss Lebedeff has not provided this leadership and should step aside or be replaced. Thoroughgoing housecleaning, not a facelifting, is neces- sary. , -PHILIP SUTIN National Concerns Editor COMMENTARY: Two Old Gentlemen Take Political Leave By LOUISE LIND T HE ELECTION of Russell Ep-. ker to the presidency of Stu- dent Government Council coin- cides with the arrival of SGC at an ominous crossroads: one way lies dynamism and power; the oth- er, degeneracy and impending death. Unfortunately, unlike the pro- verbial crossroads of a morality play, the way is not clearly mark- ed. The SGC pilgrims will find no convenient signpost reading, "This Way Salvation" or "This Way Eternal Damnation." They must seek the way alone and must do so with the utmost expediency if SGC is to maintain a responsi- ble image on this campus and slay the fire-breathing dragon, student apathy. METAPHORS ASIDE, the arriv- al of SGC at the crossroads may be attributed to three very con- crete problems: creeping student apathy, lack of real bipartisan de- bate at the Council table, and indecisiveness on the part of some Council members about what is- sues should be taken up now that the major legislation on member- ship selection has been completed. The first of these problems, in- creased student apathy, was clear- ly, demonstrated at the last SGC election: Not only was there a dearth of qualified candidates and meaningful issues in the election, but also there was an equal lack of voters at the polls. Obviously, these two "lacks" are directly re- lated. Only a little over 4000 stu- dents, from a campus of 28,000, cast votes in the election. In addition, student apathy to- ward Council has been registered by the current circulating petition which calls for the total abolition of SGC. Only a few students have thus far signed the document, but it is significant that their apathy has leaped its bounds into hostile action. THE SECOND problem facing Council-lack of true bipartisan debate-is obvious to anyone visit- ing Council chambers for Wednes- day night meetings. Council no longer has two diametrically op- posed factions. Campus liberals, some of whom, incidentally, are circulating the petition to abolish SGC, have not provided one new Council member. The last stronghold of liberalism on Council is Daily Editor Ronald Wilton, and he sits alone. Council, as it now exists, is a mixture of conservatives and moderates. It may best be described as a moder- ate body. THE THIRD problem-indeci- siveness about future Council leg- islation-was underscored in the last SGC election. The candidates were remarkably nebulous about what issues they would, if elected, bring to the Council table. One proposed that Council begin to draw up a student bill of rights but was unable to list one item he thought such a bill might contain. Others made offhand remarks about seeking out areas of direct student concern. What these might be, most were unwilling or unable to specify. As a result, the elec- tion was useless, and voter partici- pation low. THE PROBLEM of indecisive- ness stems from the fact that Council has just recentlycomplet- ed all major legislation on a mo- tion to regulate membership selec- tion practices in student groups. The completion of this work mark- ed the end of a long fight to gain for students the power to regulate discrimination in student groups. Gaining this power from the Re- gents, SGC did its best to imple- ment its confirmed authority. It now finds itself looking around for other student causes to champion. THESE PROBLEMS have grown into a crossroads or crisis situa- tion because Council, still a young and incompletely developed stu- dent government, has not yet prov- ed itself on this campus. It has yet to show that students can take on even the meager responsi- bility given them and meet the challenge maturely and effective- ly. Many were hopeful that the Council motion "Membership Se- lection in Student Organizations" would prove the ability of students to govern themselves in the areas allotted by the SGC Plan. However, the motion has run into the mire of University bu- reaucracy and has not yet been de- clared valid by the administration. This will not occur until Vice- President for Student Affairs James A. wis approves the mo- tion: he may choose to veto it. Council may not yet reckon this legislation as the incontestible- proof of students' ability to govern themselves. * * * NO ONE is more aware of the Council's crossroads position than Epker. In his acceptance speech at last Wednesday's Council meeting, Epker spoke of a "new role for Council." He explained that such a role entails training new leaders, achieving better communications with SGC committees and with the rest of the University community, following up legislation passed at the Council table and, most of all, "recognizing our own limitations." Certainly Epker has struck at the heart of the matter. It is pre- cisely a new role that Council needs. But the question arises, can Epker and the new officers provide Council with the guidance to move into a new role? To achieve a new end, one must either revamp the old means or devise new ones. THE NEW MEANS Epker has suggested are neither very new nor very inventive. He suggested that each Council member take indi- vidual initiative in the ensuing term. This approach is rather idealistic for a Council whose own executive vice-president, Thomas Smithson, admits he is "a little disillusioned." Epker said that he would be meeting personally with SGC com- mittees once a week in an attempt to gain better inner-communica- tions for Council ai to remind the committees that .they are "not autonomous groups but com- mittees of SGC." However, more committee meet- ings and bureaucratic red tape may, in the long run, do little to pull Council out of its current lethargy and place it on the road to a totally "new role." * * * IT SEEMS that the new Coun- cil president-and his fellow offi- cers-must think more seriously about which road of those at the crossroads Council will choose this term. They must re-direct student government on this campus before it flounders and is lost as an ef- fective means for partial govern- ment. Student government is a fragile vessel; once it is shattered it may never be re-assembled. Indeed, all the pieces may never be found again. Fry* Over Bubbles; Moir:Comic Gusto (EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the first of a series of commentaries on European affairs by Eric Keller. Keller, the son of Hans E. Keller, visiting professor in the romance languages department last year, has returned to Switzerland and will soon be in Holland.) By ERIC KELLER Daily Correspondent BASEL-Two nice old gentlemen are leaving the European poli- tical scene these days. Ominously, their public applause is now stron- ger than at any time in recent months. English newspapers started praising British Prime{ Minister Harold Macmillan as soon as he was hospitalized, and even the op- position papers joined in the sym- pathy move for Mac when he an- nounced his political retreat. Former West German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer received the honorary citizenship of the city of Berlin, and when he drove through that city, the public ap- plause which he received was over- whelming. SOMEHOW no one can overlook anymore what publicity barome- ters have been indicating through- out these last few months: Mac- millan and Adenauer received much more sympathy when out of office. It was too clear that both gentlemen started showing recog- nizable feeble spots in their other- wise spotless careers. Ironically, the crises of both gentlemen were started by scan- dals. In Germany the Der Spiegel affair provoked more and more pressure on Adenauer until he de- clared his intentions to leave of- fice. Macmillan, although not at- tacked directly because of the Profumo affair, was hard hit in his iron position as English pre- mier. In his case, the retreat is ]ess a personal favor as it is in Germany. It is more of a relief to his party which has been trying to get a yes or no answer from Macmillan about his intention to run as a Conservative candidate next year for quite some time. * * * THE EXIT of the two states- men may indicate the end of an era in European politics. During the last decade there have been virtually no major changes in the policies of the two countries. Ger- many has been trying to win world disfavor against -EasthGermany, has been promoting the Common Market and Great Britain's in- clusion. England has been concen- trating on her new duties as fi- nancial center for both the Com- monwealth and the European Free Trade Association countries. She has slowly prepared herself for the rapprochment with the Continent. But in the present political sit- uation, the socialist parties of both countries count on success relatively soon. If they do' suc- ceed bne can expect a rearrange- ment of positions on the Euro- pean scene. Germany may agree to a new "peaceful coexistence" with the "Socialist brethren to the East." Great Britain may de- velop away from the Continent as the Labor leaders and German Socialist leaders have quite dif- ferent views about Europe's eco- nomic integration. 4* * FOR SUCH REASONS it will be hard for Mac and Konrad to keep completely out of future party politics. Clearly the younger gen- eration of politicians in both coun- tries wish they would. The public also would like to see them' as honorable, private citizens, rather than as behind-the-stage agita- tors. Both statesmen have had ample and great merit in their loni, careers. An honored exit will keep good memories awake throughout the world. CHRISTOPHER FRY'S "A Phoe- nix Too Frequent" was the first of a bill of two plays offered by the Association of Producing Ar- tists last evening. The play receiv- ed a very effective interpretation. It was unfortunate that the cham- pagne bubbles of Fry's verse should be released for the most part in a rather slow but steady stream. Whereas one felt that the ex- plosive quality of the poetry should be somewhat intoxicating, rarely was this true. Jan Farrand gave an able and at times exciting per- formance as Dynamene, but there was some trouble with the clear projection of the lines. It seemed on occasion as if Mr. Fry's verse controlled Miss Farrand rather than the converse. JOANNA ROOS' Doto was won- derfully comic. Her strength lay, in the timing of her lines and a good sense of inflection. Perhaps Miss Roos was trying too hard to be funny at times, or maybe even just expecting to" be, which can be equally as dangerous. Certainly her, stage, movements were some- times unconvincing and her hic- cups need more rehearsal. Paul Sparer gave an excellent interpretation of Tegeus. He had. full control over the poetry and his timing was commendable. There was a simple conviction to his acting combined with a pleas- ing mobility of face which allowed him to bring out the humor of his part., ** * STEPHEN PORTER'S direction deserves commendation; he pre- sented an interesting stage pic- ture in terms of movement and situation. He made his actors aware of the full value of the rise and fall of the emotional tlde of the play. He r tried too hard to make every "bubble" count. This was a mis- take. In his eagerness that we should miss not a single part of the sparkle, he was forgetting that we should have liked to have been a little more intoxicated by the verse and its control of the play. * * * MOLIERE'S "Scapin," the sec- ond play presented, is one of the most vital farces of its time. There are no pretensions to social criti- cisms or satire; this is full-blood- ed comedy in the tradition of the Commedia dell 'Arte. Mr. Porter's direction gave full rein to this con- ception and for most of the play we had the tremendous gusto in- dispensible to such playing. From the first agonized cry of George Pentecost as Octave until the last make-believe groans of Keene Curtis's Scapin, the play ran the full gamut of theatrical inventiveness. * * * IF ANYONE doubted the versa- tility of Mr. Rabb let them see his Geronte. He faltered in only a minimum of instances. His mas- tery of expression, timing, and above all the complete sense of be- lievability, are an object lesson of acting at its best. Mr. Pentecost's Octave delighted us for most of the time. His stage movement is excellent and he did much to set the play in atmosphere with his studied characterization of the effeminate Octave. He was a good counterpart to Clayton Cor- zatte's Leandre, who took the stage magnificently in one wildly mem- orable piece of stage business. Not so successful was the at- tempt to bring Barbara Knight's Hyacinthe and Kate Geer's Zer- binette into contrast. Whereas Miss Knight had a successful eve- ning and contributed much to the comic eccentricity of the play, Miss Geer seemed strangely out of place. KEENE CURTIS'S Scapin came off well. He did not begin con- vincingly and he needs to find an empathy in his acting (at least in such part as these) which will al- low his audience to identify them- selves with him. The costumes were wonderful. Nancy Potts deserves consideable credit. Not only were they stag- inatively designed and able to set the atmosphere of the play, but in most cases they contributed sig- nificantly to each actor's interpre- tation of his part. The bill is a must for any dis- criminatiig theatregoer. -Leslie Whittaker STATE: Bizarre Catalogue " HE DUTY of the chronicler is not to sweeten the truth, but to report it objectively." Thus, Gualtiero Jacopetti warns us to expect the shocking in his docu- mentary, "Mondo Cane," a cata- logue of bizarre customs from around the world. Jacopetti's error lies in his fail- ure to recognize that it is also the duty of the chronicler to give form and substance to his work. "Mondo Cane" has neither. Beyond the presentation of a number of things "never before photographed," it is pointless. CONSIDER a random sampling of the sequences: New York so- cialites partake of a meal of in- sects; Malayan patriots perform a calf-beheading rite; a painter uses naked women covered with paint as brushes; Japanese men take the cure at a hang-over salon; dogs urinate; a New Guinean woman suckles a pig; more dogs urinate; and so on .. There is absolutely no purpose to this random collection. Conse- quently, it is recommended only to those who take delight in contem- plating the bizarre. These people, however, will be disappointed along with the serious-minded, for many of the episodes are boring and the film is ultimately a rather soporific sde-show. Occasionaly the film borders on the voyeuristic. There is an obses- sion with female breasts, legs and fannies. The ruling cinemato- graphic principle is that the cam- era can never zoom in too close. * * * ONE PARTICULARLY criminal aspect of the film is its handling of religious practices. Pious Ital- ian Christians slash their bodies in an act of martyrdom foraGood Friday pilgrimage, but the episode is rudely spliced between two in- ane sequences and the simple yet movimg expression of faith be- comes just one more "unusual" custom. The dimension of faith which transforms the act is alto- gether crushed by this- thoughtless juxtaposition. In two episodes the film rises above the banal and actually has something to say. The gradual de- struction of animal life on Bikini THE LIAISON: Invitation to Hatcher A eq, a YY V lot Gail Evans, Associate City Editor WOULD LIKE to extend an invitation to University President Harlan Hitcher o discuss his concept of the aims of the rniversity. As sort of a self-appointed committee f one,-I think that it would be very stim- lating for the campus to have the chief xecutive of the University give his per- anal views on where the University hould be going in terms of specific proj- cts and long range goals. Certainly, strong leadership from the 'resident is imperative in the face of the resent educational crisis. The proposed 11-campus talk would be a meaningful tep in defining the direction of the Uni- ersity. UCH A PROSPECTUS would not simply parallel the State of the University aessage, delivered annually to the Uni- ersity Senate, but would complement it. 'he "State of the University" report im- lies that this is a picture of the Univer- ity as it stands, not as it should be. It resents the "is," not the "ought." The State of the University message rust capsulize progress made by the vari- us administrative offices, schools, faculty ommittees and institutes, thereby mini- aazing the chances for the President to valuate the significance of each and to laborate on his own ideas for new hori- ons. AM NOT SUGGESTING that the Presi- dent dictate University objectives. I al- o recognize the difficulty of divorcing rivate oninion from official nolicy. How- ment, the Regents, educational associa- tions and the faculty to define goals and enumerate objectives, but he rarely at- tempts to articulate the problems of the University to the student body. Monthly teas and occasional talks to groups such as the International Student Association are not enough. The proposed annual re- port on the status of the University and a statement of President Hatcher's personal aspirations for the University would fill the void.. IN ADDITION to the prospectus, many students would- probably like to know why President Hatcher f$vors the tri- mester program, the proposed central campus plan and the proposed residential college. Students would like to know more about what he means by developing the "Uni- versity as an instrument of public serv- ice" and the University's role in the "de- velopment of responsible citizens and leaders"--state aims of the University's Sesquicentennial celebration. People want to know why it is neces- sary for the University to exert special interest in attracting Negro faculty and students; that is, why Negroes haven't al- ready flocked to the University as a su- perior educational institution. STUDENTS ARE CONCERNED with the type of education they are getting and with the prospects of education in the fu- ture. Yet they have little opportunity to learn the rationale behind most academic a n -a a e~n4 mio. gvy, rai mAn i ri ' 1 LETTERS to the EDITOR I iff . r . 7 1 a 4IM r- A To the Editor: WHILE SITTING in section 25 during the University-Michi- gan State game, I was disgusted with the childish conduct dis- played during the half time show. As the visiting band took the field and faced the Michigan side, University fans became engrossed with hoisting a man up to the top-not one but four men in total. This project made it impos- sible to hear the State band, be- sides endangering bystanders. When the University band march- f