Seventy-Third Yeor
EDITED AND MANAGED BY STUDENTS Op THE UNIVErSITY OF MICHiGAN
UNDER AUTHORrTY OF BOARD IN CONTROL OF STUDENT PUDLCATIONS
anions AteFrei STUDENT PU3LICATmONS BuG+, ANN AiBo, MICH., PHONE No 2-3241
NIII Preail'
is printed in The Michigan Daily express the individual opinions of staff writers
or the editors. This must be noted in all reprints.
VALUES AND COMITMENT:
Thne
Two Sides of College
AUGUST 27, 1963
NIGHT EDITOR: PHILIP SUTIN
The Daily's
Open, Openi Forum
IE DAILY'S editorial policy is calculated
anarchy.
here are no official views. No publisher
ates an editorial line to be towed by the
re staff. Each editorial is an expression of
vidual opinion and no editorial goes un-
lished because of the views it expresses. The
orial page is an open forum offering free-
. of expression with only a. minimum of
trary restriction.
IIS RESTRICTION comes in two forms.
'he first is the libel laws which all news-
ers are supposed to observe. The second is
Daily's Code ,of Ethics. This code overtly
ts writers in two areas. No editorial can
>rse a candidate for the office of Regent.
, no editorial cai advocate racial prejudice.
iird provision requires that editorials con-
ling the University's annual appropriation
ead to the chairman of The Board in Con-
of Student Publications before publication.
owever the code does not give the chairman
authority to forbid publication of such an
orial if he disapproves and Daily staff
ibers have freely exercised their right of
ment in this area recently.
JTSIDE OF these restrictions, the editorial,
>age's only dogma is The Daily's motto
h appears every day over the editorial
imns: Where opinions are free, truth; will
alL
mtroversy and dissent are positive values
he Daily. Editorial writers-and every staff
zber is encouraged to write editorials-.
.y contradict one another. Nobody's opin-.
are sacred because of position or seniority.
or editors are not unlikely to find their
ions picked apart by freshmen trainees.+
Daily often runs pro-con editorials with
sing views appearing side' by side. On
emely controversial issues such as student
onsibility or civil rights, many editorials
appear representing many shades of
ion.
)metimes The Daily will invite guest writers
'resent their opinions when they have a
icular expertise not found among staff
bers or a viewpoint which no staff member
s. Readers are invited to express their
ions through the Letters to the Editor
mns. Local editorial writing is supplement-
y the columns of Walter Lippmann and the
rial cartoons of Herblock and Mauldin.
every week, The Daily runs one of Jules
ferfs cartoon commentaries.
E CLOSEST The Daily ever comes to an
fficial position on any issue is The Senior
)rial. These editorials, which sometimes
ar on the front page, are written only on
mely important occasions and only when
is common ground for agreement among
ight senior editors. The editorial covers
that common ground. It is signed simply
Senior Editors.
rough this atmosphere of freedom, The
y makes a meaningful contribution to the
emic community. Its methods of free ex-
Mori to all staff members and complete
nt control are consistent with the highest
s of the University.
Et THE reader, The Daily's editorial page
id policy provide stimulation and contro-,
'. In the course of reading The Daily, most
le will find at least some opinions with
which they violently disagree. Some readers
take refuge by merely labeling these opinions
"irresponsible" or pass them off as The Daily's
"line" or the writer's insanity.
But controversy in a University community
is a healthy thing. If critics of The Daily are
at least forced to reconsider their own positions
then The Daily and the individual writers have
performed a vital service.
In certain areas, The Daily is the only possi-
ble source of public critical evaluations of the
University. Editorial freedom makes it possible
for Daily staff members to stand"outside the
system" and be critical of the institution. The
editorial page is not geared to a smiling glad-
handing approach to the University. Writers
are frank often to the embarrassment of Uni-
versity administrators.
The Daily itself is a target of criticism from
many quarters and for diverse reasons. Us-
ually, the critic is irritated about some par-
ticular editorial or article that irritated him.
It is surprising how often one incident will blot
out all other considerations in such a critic's
mind.
A SECOND type of criticism deserves more
serious consideration. There seems to be
an almost habitual antipathy between certain
segments of the campus and The Daily. Fra-
ternity members, for example, often claim that
The Daily has an institutionalized bias against
fraternities despite' the fact that The Daily
has run editorials both pro and con on fratern-
Ities The. Union and The Daily have often
been at odds with one another. Members of
these organizations have often charged that
The Daily follows an editorial line and that
opinion is not really free.
Partially, these criticisms are a result of a
communications problem among organizations.
Partially, it is because such critics have been
unwilling at times to eveluate themselves and
accept the outside criticism. But the major
defect'of such criticism is that few of the con-
stant critics really understand anything be-
yond the formal outlie of The Daily's editorial
policy.
NO EDITORIAL is assured of publication un-
less it meets certain standards of writing
and unless the author is able to defend his
argument reasonably.
This means that the editorial director-who
manages the operation of the page-is entrust-
ed with the task of naking sure that within
the framework ofthe writer's basic assump-
tions, he has constructed a logical argument.
Whether the editorial director .agrees with
writer's viewpoint is irrelevant and, in prac-
tice, editorial directors have been most critical
of those editorials where the writer would seem
to be following a standard "line."
Of course this approach to editing editorials
has its drawbacks. It is sometimes not an ob-
jective question whether or not an argument
is well constructed. Editing editorials under
The Daily's open forum policies is not a com-
pletely black and white matter. Its success
always depends on the good will and flexioility
of the individuals involved.
A GOOD editorial page is the fruit of long
and criti al thought on the part of the
writers. An editorial, more so than any other
aspect of The Daily, is a part of the individual
who created it. For him, it is an opportunity
to allow his thought both wide scope and the
discipline necessary to express himself well.
For the reader, a good editorial is a source
of stimulation although not necessarily of
agreement For the University community, a
good editorial questions, probes and logically
makes a point of some significance.
Freedom is necessary to the production of a
first-rate editorial page; so is responsibility.
Shunting aside the obvious question of legal
responsibility, the only answer to the question
of responsibility comes in response to the
question of where does the writers have an
obligation?
Under the system established at The Daily,
a writer's main obligation is a selfish one; he
must be honest with himself. If the writer says
what he really thinks, if he says it clearly and
without malice, if he observes the law of the
press, then his editorial is responsible.
By RONALD WILTON
Editor
WHEN THE DAILY editor writes
for the freshman edition, he
usually concerns himself with the
relationship between The Daily
and the University. Misconceptions
about The Daily are fairly com-
mon. Past editors have acted on
the theory "that freshmen should
at least be fortified with some
knowledge of The Daily before his
arrival.
Yet from personal experience
and discussions, it seems that most
incoming freshmen are more con-
cerned with information about the
university experience they will
soon enter.
The educational theory of high-
er education has undergone some
changes in the past few years.
Theorists once believed that edu-
cation was the classroom the stu-
dent learned only at the foot of
the professor. In recent years, ed-
ucation sociologists have discover-
ed that the non-academic aspects
of college life-environment, per-
sonal contacts, organizations -
have an equal if not greater effect
on education than the classroom.
The total experience of a college
career is determined by the adap-
tation a freshman makes when he
enters a university and by the
amount of sensitivity he shows to
his envornment.
DURING THEIR high school
career, students are told that the
transition to college is a hard one.
The same rumors circulate through
junior high school about high
school. In many cases they are
found to be exaggerated.
You may have some apprehen-
sion about college and in some
cases you will be right. The rum-
ors should not be completely dis-
missed, for'the nature of the tran-
sition is different from your past
experience.
You may find yourself making
two transitions. The first is a
strong commitment to the rigors
and impartiality of scholarly
work. The second involves your
development into an adult and cit-
izen of the community, the nation
and the world. It ells for develop-
ing a set of values and commit-
ments which will enable you to
contribute to the political and
social as well as the economic life
of society.
* * *
FOR MOST, the academic tran-
sition is the easier of the two.
In many cases, particularly where
the freshman courses are concern-
ed, the work is merely an exten-
sion of high school. Papers will be
outlined and will be due on cer-
tain definite dates. You will be
told what to study for examina-
tions. Some may discover the rou-
tine of slacking off for various
periods and then spending an in-
tense two weeks of paper writing
and studying for exams. A small
minority will flunk out and a few
will be able to get high marks
without attending too many class-
es. The great majority however, as
members of the smartest freshman
class in the University's history,
will find that by studying for a
given period of time every day will
enable you to do well in your
classes.
But just as important as adjust-
ing to the routine of classwork is
the- value you place in it. If you
view your college experience as an
insurance policy on your economic
future you will only be getting
only a small portion of its value.
The value of college lies in the
realization that education for the
sake of learning is both important
and rewarding. Learning is not
-Robert B. E11ery
COMMITMENT: A student working for the integration of churches in Albany, Ga., accompanies a Negro minister as he attempts to enter a
white church. Many students have worked for integration in the South as members of Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee and other
groups. Students throughout the nation have expressed their concern and personal involvement with issues such as segregation, disarmament
and civil liberties through demonstrations and direct action.
just memorization; it is learning
to think, to put facts together, to
criticize ideas and institutions and
to sort out the true from the false..
One who does not learn to do this
is betraying one's potential, both
as a member of an elite (college
students) and as a' human being.
* * *
THIS INTELLECTUAL commit-
ment is not developed easily.
Memorizing is easy; thinking is
hard. Most high schools are de-
voted to the inculcation of facts.
The next four years will probably
be your first and last opportunity
to develop the creative and crit-
ical faculties that will enrich your
whole future life.
The freshman's adjustment to
the non-academic sphere is prob-'
ably harder than the academic
adjustment because the former is
easier to duck, It involves a com-
mitment to a type of life for which
many high schools and parents
do not prepare you.
At the University, many of you
will be exposed for the first time'
to new ideas about the commun-
ity, the nation and the world, and
their relevancy to yourself and
others. In our society today teen-
agers are not encouraged to form
independent opinions about the
world and their place in it. Many
adopt the ideological and spiritual
stands of their parents. Rebels
are often thwarted in their at-
tempts to investigate alternative
systems by parental and commun-
ity censure and a lack of facili-
ties. It is much easier to go along
with your parents and friends in
this area than to strike out on
your own.
BY DISCOURAGING independ-
ent thought, parents not only fail
to make their children into re-
sponsible citizens, but even pre-
vent them from developing a sense
of responsibility for their own per-
sonal lives. The evidence for this
is contained in a paradox. Parents
like to boast about how mature
and responsible their children are,
and how they are able to take care
of themselves. Yet when they send
these mature children off to col-
lege they want the University to
act as a substitute parent, setting
rules that limit their children's
experiences. The University forces
all freshmen to live in University
dormitories, insists that all women
below the senior level live in
dormitories or sororities and
makes these same women sign out
when they go out at night and
then return by a certain hour. The
University, not the students, sets
the rules governing student life.
This may seem so ordinary that
you wonder what is wrong with it.
If college is the place where the
individual makes the transition to
responsible membership in adult
society, then it is clear that Uni-
versity paternalism is a hinder-
ance to him. It puts obstacles in
the path of value and commitment
formation.
THESE VALUES and commit-
ments involve an attachment to
the democratic way of life and the
relationship of the individual to
it and to his fellows. If the aca-
demic transition prepares one for
a slot in life then the non-aca-
demic transition should develop
a desire and commitment to inter-
act with other individuals in other
slots.
The opportunity to develop this
commitment to interaction will be
present at the University, al-
though it will be hampered some-
what by University rules. You will
be bombarded on all sides by
groups anxious to have you spport
their activities. Liberals will ask
you to work on such issues as
abolishing the House Committee
on Un-Aemircan Activities, inte-
gration and electing candidates for
Student Government Council who
believe in taking stands on off-
campus issues. Conservatives will
solicit your help in supporting
Goldwater, lessening American re-
liance on the United Nations and
electing candidates to SGC who
are not so anxious to take stands
on off-campus issues. Similar ap-
peals will come from the moderates
who are somewhere inbetween.
* * *
IF THE NEW student approach-
es these issues with an open mind
he may find the first few months
bewildering. Yet'he will soon find
himself standing up to them, sort-
ing them out and assimilating
them in his own individual way.
Eventually he will evolve values
and commitments to them which
will enable him to take his place;
as a responsible citizen in our so-
ciety. It is only through interest
a n d participation in society,
whether that society be the Uni-
versity, the nation or the world,
that we fulfill the conditions of
citizenship and social living as well
as democracy.
The difficult aspect of this non-
academic transition is that the
student may find the whole pro-
cess too bewildering and too much
trouble. He will be sorely tempted
to retreat into an ivory tower
existence of just being concerned
with his area of academic in-
terest, or he may choose. the
happy-go-lucky existence of par-,
ties and dates. Yet this alterna-
tive, as easy as it is, also involves
throwing away potential, the po-
tential of everyone to become a
productive, responsible citizen.
* * *
THE DAILY will be one of the
vehicles bombarding you with the
plethora of new ideas you will en-
counter here. We do it out of the
' belief of many staff members in
the "total experience" theory of
education. In addition to being ex-
posed to new ideas, those of you
who join our staff will almost in-
evitably find yourselves develop-
ing traits of responsibility and
self-reliance. The Daily is found-
ed on the principle that students
can run a great newspaper, and
in fact The Daily is generally re-
garded as the best college news-
paper in the country.
Coming to the University will
open a whole new world for you,
and each of you will react to it
in your own individual way. The
University seems a huge, imper-
sonal place to many freshmen and
the first few months raise a lot
of questions.
Your answers will not only aid
your own development, but will
add to the quality of t h e
University.
TODAY AND TOMORROW:
Sluggish Congress
Ineffective''- ,
"Faster! ... Here It Takes All The Running You
Can Do To Keep In The Same Place"
Earthy
ERSITY administrators are often be-
d for their lack of attention toward the
will-student or faculty-but last sum-
e administration demonstrated that it
eye to the ground.
Plant Department installed 58,000 sq. ft.
sidewalk around the Central Campus,
ig new paths in front of Angell and
Memorial Halls and on the Diag. The
ing thing about these new paths is that
enerally follow worn patches of dirt
by student and faculty feet out of Uni-
lawn.
ADMINISTRATION ought to
tulated for this concrete demor
ntiveness to public opinion.'
Editorial Staff
RONALD WILTON, Editor
d MARCUS GERALD S
al Director City Ed
ZA LAZARUS ............Personne
SUTIN .........National Concex
VANS ...............Associate C
KIE BRAHMS ...... Associate Editoria
1 BOWLES ................Magaz
A BERRY ...............Contributi
10.1.D....... .'. . .Spo
LOER ..............Associate Spo
VINCK ........... Contributing Spo
'-.-C, ft
be con- THE CODE of Ethics is a denial of this
nstration responsibility. The Daily has been run by
students who have determined policy through
-P.S. the years in almost every area. They have made
The Daily into a first rate newspaper. Surely
these students are qualified to decide what is
L* fit to print.
y Hopefully, the Code of Ethics will be abolish-
ed someday. Its restrictions are especially pain-
ful in the area of Regental elections. Daily
staff members are among the very few who
5TORCH carefully inform themselves about these candi-
itor dates. The restriction removes their ability to
q Director comment in an area where they are particular-
rns Editor ly competent.
ity Editor
% Director
ine Editor HOSE WHO do not like what they read in
.ng Editor The Daily often claim that it does not serve
rts Editor the interests of the University community.
rts Editor The critics, of course, consider themselves as
rts Editor arbiters of what the University's interests are.
T nersonallv think that the TTniversity has a
-r_
-#1~4
By WALTER LIPPMANN
THIS CONGRESS was already in
a jam before the Negro demon-
strations caused the administra-
tion to propose the new civil rights
bill. Without any filibuster on the
floor of the Senate, there has been
so much delay and obstruction in
the committees that after six
months no important measure has
been acted upon, and many of the
critical measures, such as tax re-
duction, are bogged down - it
would seem deliberately -in the
committees.
What kind of legislative body is
it that will not or cannot legis-
late?
This would be a serious question
at any time. But it is a critical
question at this time. A new gen-
eration of Negroes has emerged,
one which has lost the fear of
being arrested and jailed, and has.
steeled itself to use the weapon of
the weak, which is to be prepared
to suffer more pain than the op-
pressor will dare to inflict. When
an aggrieved people reach this
point, they have acquired a force
which governments must reckon
with and people must respect.
* * *
IT IS TRUE, quite evidently,
that in their swelling discontent
the Negro people might be incited,
even exploited, to permit acts of
violence which would recoil upon
the Negro minority itself. But how
is wisdom to be made to prevail as
against reckless folly? There is
only one way. By an unmistakable
showing that the Negroes live un-
der a strong government, one
which is not only strong enough
to suppress mobs, but is also strong
enough to redress grievances and
raise the standard of public right-
eousness.
If, after the President has pro-
posed legal remedies for a -unde-
niable evil, ,the Congress of the
United States then smothers and
obstructs the enactment of laws,
on what ground can a rational
appeal be made to the Negro peo-
ple and their leaders? As one who
has always opposed cloture except
tinues, if we linger on a dead-
lock in which the President pro-
poses and Congress will not even
dispose, there are very difficult
days ahead for the republic.
AS SESSION drags on into the
autumn with little accomplished
amidst many angry words, some-
thing will have 'to be done about it.
Next to, defense and the enlighten-
ed conduct of the cold war, the
question of highest priority will be
how to overcome the paralysis of
Congress.
Myown view is that the most
important and most needed re-
form would be a rule that meas-
ures proposed by the President, if
he labels them urgent, must be
reported out of committees .within
a certain time and brought to a
vote within a certain time. The
administration should have the
'right to have its proposals voted
up or down within a reasonably
short time. It cannot be the gen
uine right of a legislature to
smother and strangle the pro-
posals of the executive. For that
would leave us with just about the
worst of all forms of popular gov-
ernment - government by large
assemblies or, as we call it in this
country, congressional government.
I find myself thinking how
rarelyhfree governments have been
overthrown -qby foreign tyrants,
except temporarily in time of war,
but how often free governments
have fallen because of their own
weakness and incapacity. To one
thinking such thoughts, there is
nothing reassuring about the pres-
ent Congress.
(c) 1963, The washington Post Co.
AN UNDERSTANDING between
the United States and the
Soviets makes sense and it is com-
ing. There was never any reason
for a military showdown except
ideology and the reluctance of
a great status quo power to yield
some of its dominance to a great
emem..na nmlv.
I
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