Jews Suppressed in Russia
Editorials printed in The Michigan Daily express the individual opinions of staff writers
or the editors. This must be noted in all reprints.-
MANY PEOPLE have raised criticisms
against Joint Judiciary Council on various
grounds, so it apparently could use improve-
ments. However, before suggesting specific im-
provements, it is necessary to determine just
what Joint Judic is.
It is certainly quite similar to a court in that
it judges whether or not students have broken
certain regulations, and if it finds them guilty,
it "suggests" a penalty to a faculty committee,
which nearly always approves the action.
This certainly seems like a court, but there
are certain differences in procedure between
Joint Judic and courts of law in this country.
FIRSTLY, its "trials" are often the second
trial a student has undergone for the same
action. Specificaly, he is often tried by both
the city and by Joint Judic for breaking drink-
ing or driving regulations.
Secondly, its sessions are closed, and the
public never hears any more than the mere fact
that a hearing has been held and a certain
action was taken against an anonymous per-
son.
Lastly, the "crimes" for which a student is
"tried" are not thoroughly defined. He may be
tried on the charge of "conduct unbecoming a
student."
AT THIS POINT it may be noticed that these
differences have the effect of denying what
is often considered a basic right of democratic
justice: the right to be tried in an open trial
on a specified charge. This seenis to be due to
the Council's position as a non-governmental
body, "trying" non-legal "crimes."
However, it would still seem that any
changes eliminating this denial of freedoms
would be for the better and should be made.
As regards "double jeopardy," it was recent-
ly justified by a member of Joint Judic by the
argument that the student owes responsibility
to both the University and the city.
j However, when extended, this argument
By NORMA SUE WOLFE
Daily Staff Writer
R ELIGION - the "opiate of the
masses" in atheist-oriented So-
viet Russia - is being dealt an-
other harsh blow.
Recently there have been wide-
spread reports of suppressing the
Jewish faith in the Soviet Union--
synagogues being closed, Jewish
cemeteries desecrated and arrests
made.
One statistic-packed article ap-
pearing in a Virginia newspaper
listed the following evidence:
1) "It was admitted that, from
1948 to 1953, 1,500 Yiddish schools,
20 Yiddish publications and a doz-
en Yiddish theatres were closed;
2) "That more than 500 Jewish
intellectuals were exiled or exe-
cuted for 'cosmopolitanism';
3) "Today, there is no Jewish
school in Soviet Russia; Hebrew
history and culture may not be
taught;
4) "Under the present quota
system, fewer Jewish students are
permitted to enter the universities
than during the days of the Tsars;
5) "in all of Russia, there is
only a single, 'one-page Yiddish
newspaper, published weekly in a
remote province, Birobidzhan, and
banned in Moscow;
6) "There are some three mil-
lion Jews in the Soviet Union, yet
only 0.2 per cent of both houses
of the Supreme Sovie are Jews;
7) "There is no Chief Rabbi, no
central organization, no communi-
cation among the dispersed con-
gregations. Only one synagogue
remains open in Moscow, a city
that numbers 500,000 Jews among
its population; and
8) "The Hebrew Bible has not
been printed since the 1917 revo-
lution."
THE EDITORIAL ends with an
answer to Soviet Deputy Premier
Mikoyan's assertion that "there is
no Jewish problem in the Soviet
Union."
"There is 'no Jewish problem,'
quite simply, because there are,
culturally speaking, noj Jews," the
editorial reads. "The 'problem' has
been solved, to the Kremlin's satis-
faction, by the ruthless use of
police state methods"
Action from other areas followed
soon after similar reports began
circulating. A report from the
United Nations in June described
a variety of discriminatory prac-
tices against Jews in the Soviet
Union.
The report listed the recent
closing of two synagogues, desecra-
tion of five Jewish cemeteries, and
several arrests as evidence. The
dismantling of Jewish cemeteries,
including the sale of gravestones
for non-religious purposes, was
reported to be one of the outstand-
ing discriminatory practices in the
current Anti-Semitic campaign.
, . *
ONE OLD CEMETERY has been
divided and a market-place is be-
ing erected on part of it. Refer-
ence to the Jews killed during the
Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union
also has been obliterated from sev-
eral memorials.
Apartments are being erected
on the former site of another Jew-
ish cemetery, while authorities
have announced one in Kiev will
be made into a municipal park.
A further report was published
by the Congress for Cultural Free-
dom (August, 1957). This "Soviet
Survey" describes economic and
diplomatic as well as out-and-out
religious discrimination.
The Survey quotes Prime Min-
DAILY
OFFICIAL
BULLETIN
The Daily Official Bulletin is an
official publication of The Univer-
sity of Michigan for which The
Michigan Daily assumes no edi-
torial responsibility. Notices should
be sent in TYPEWRITTEN form to
Room 3519 Administration Build-
ing, before 2 p.m. the day preceding
publication. Notices for Sunday
Daily due at 2:00 p.m. Friday.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1959
VOL. LXX, NO. 64
General Notices
Ushering: People wishing to usher
for "Epitaph for George Dillon, to be
presented Wed. through Sat. at the
Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre, are asked
to sign up on the Bulletin board out-
side Rm. 1502 Frieze Bldg. Ushers are
requiredtoarrive at 7:15 for the 8:00
o'clock performance.
New University of Michigan Graduate
Screening Examinations in French and
German. All graduate students desir-
ing to fulfill their foreign language re-
quirement by passing the written exam-
ination given by Prof. Lewis (formerly
given by Prof. Hootkins) must first pass
an objective screening examination.
The objective examinations will be giv-
en four times each semester (i.e., Sept.,
Oct., Nov., December, Feb., March, Ap-
ril, and May) and once during the
Summer Session, in July. Students who
fail the objective examination may re-
peat it but not at consecutive admin-
istrations of the test (e.g., Sept. and
Oct.) except when the two adminis9-
trations are separated by more than
35 days (e.g., Dec. and Feb.)
The next administration of the ob-
jective examinations in French and
German will be on Thurs., Dec. 17 in
Aud. C, Angell Hall at 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Within 24 hours after the examinations
the names of students who have passed
will be posted on the Bulletin Board
outside the office of Prof. Lewis, the
Examiner in Foreign Languages. Rnm.
ister Nikita Khrushchev in his
meeting with French Socialist
delegates on May 12, 1956: "Should
the Jews want to occupy the fore-
most positions in our republic now,
it would -- naturally - be taken
amiss by the indigenous jinhabit-
ants."
* * *
IT CONTINUES with claims
that the Jews are the only group
in the USSR not permitted to have
a central religious body. It is prob-
ably the only group whose writers
are not permitted to publish their
works in the original languages-
Yiddish and Hebrew.
The American Jewish Congress
went further than listing facts. It
displayed a series of pictures to
show the desecration of Jewish
cemeteries and synagogues in the
Soviet Union within the past year,
saying "pictorial evidence is an-
other indication that the. Soviet
Government has now apparently
undertaken to fragmentize those
meager remains of organized Jew-
ish religious life which have still
been permitted." .
ANOTHER REPORT says there
are currently only some 60 rabbis
(most of them old) in the Soviet
Union - "one rabbi for every 50,-
000 Jews -- most of them officiat-
ing in rented rooms which substi-
tute for synagogues."
In August the World Jewish
Congress appealed for "full oppor-
tunity for collective religious and
cultural self-expression" after a
10-day assembly held in Stock-
holm. It further appealed for "the
opportunity for those who desire
it to join their families and fellow
Jews in Israel."
It's time for an end to fact-
compilation and the beginning of
some action....
RARE BOOKS-In one of the few remaining synagogues in Soviet
Russia, a Jewish citizen reads from a rare Hebrew prayer book.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:
-a A
writer Calls Messiah
Review 'Appalling9'
displayed by only the very finest
musicians.
* . * .
-THE "CHACONNE" by Vitali
which opened the pr'ogram was a
spirited work and immediately
gave the performer a chance to
demonstrate his forcefulness. The
Franck Sonata in A major which
followed was one of the high points
of the concert.
Oistrakh gave a very sensitive,
understanding interpretation to
the work and brought out its dra-
matic qualities in the large ex-
pansive passages as well as in the
quiet beautifully moving melodic
lines. Vladimir Yampolsky, the
pianist, always seemed to be right
there to give support when needed,
and carry his solo passages with
strength.
The two performers were very
sensitive to one another and
achieved a good musical balance.
This was especially apparent in
the fourth movement where the
melodic line was treated in an
imitative manner, first by the
violin, then, the piano.
*. * *
"THE FIVE Melodies, Op. 35,"
by Prokofieff were, to this review-
er, perhaps the most beautiful part
of the concert. They are not
flashy, technically impressive
works, but are pure, intense mel-
odies, beautifully conceived.
The piano and violin work very
closely together for a clear excit-
ing sound. Yampolsky was very
sensitive to the violin part and
produced beautiful sounds which
intensified the performance of the
work.
Alfred Mendelsohn's "Prelude
and Fugue for Solo Violin on a
Theme by Bach" was programa-
tically a good contrast to the
quieter Prokofieff pieces. It is a
vigorous angular work which
rarely seemed to go below a forte
dynamic level. Oistrakh handled
the difficult passage work with
much facility and strength.
* * * .
"THE SONATA in E-fiat'major,
Op. 11, No. 1" by Hindemith is a
work which combines many mu-
sical ideas and gave the perform-
ers a chance to display a wide
range of musical sounds. Again,
the two artists worked together to
demonstrate an understanding of
the music and give a sensitive per-.
formance.
The closing works, "Four Hun-
garian Dances" by Brahms, was a
lively close to the program. The
enthusiastic audience brought the
performers back for three encores
and gave them a standing ovation
mixed with cheers of bravo.
-Charlotte Davis
New Bdoks at Library
Conant, James Bryant - The
Child, the Parent and the State;
Cambridge, Harvard Univ. Press,
1959.
Enright, Elizabeth-The Riddle .
of the Fly and Other Stories; N.Y.,
Harvourt, Brace & Co., 1959.
Faulkner, William - The Man-
sion; N.Y., Random House, 1959.
Gard, Wayne-The Great Buf-
falo Hunt; N.Y., Alfred A. Knopf,
1959.
AT THE STATE:
'Country'
Barren
IN ITS OWN, groping way, "The
Wonderful Country" does aspire
to be something more than just
another "B" film, and to this
extent it deserves at least an "A"
for effort. Unfortunately, the road
to hell is paved with good inten-
tions, and what begins as an hon-
est effort bogs down in Hollywood
cliches.
To say that the action is dis-
jointed requires an explanation.
For a long time, there is no ac-
tion. Then, suddenly, and for
little reason, there is too much.
Because of this, the plot is rath-
er confusing, but if I have my
facts straight, "Country" is main-
ly concerned with Robert Mitch-
um's search for a home.
"HOLLOW CHEEKS" loosely
portrays a man without a coun-
try, or, to be more accurate, a man
with two countries. Born in Mis-
souri, a land he left at an early
age (and you can't really blame
him for that) he emmigrates to
Mexico, which is quite a switch.
He has been there so long, in fact,
that he speaks English with a
lazy, Mexican accent.
To the Americans he is thus
known as a dangerous pistolero
not without reason, for he has
been quite a drag on/their popu-
lation growth. In Mexico he is
welcomed with open, and loaded,
arms, and is content with this
professional-assassin status until
he bungles a gun-running' mission
and is laid , up in an American
town with a broken leg. In more
respects than one, therefore, his
leg is cast in a supporting role,
for his Mexican employers suspect
that he has taken advantage of
this accident to betray them.
Mitchum thus discovers that, cer-
tain of his old amigos have ac-
tually always regarded him as be-
ing nothing more than a feelthy
gringo.
m *
ARMED WITH this bit of
knowledge of human behavior, is
it little wonder that he felt so un-
comfortable in Ireland? Is it little
wonder that, iny:this picture, he
doesn't allow anyone to autograph'
his cast?
At any rate, after some soul-
searching he decides to lay down
his smokirig pistol, go back to
America, face the various trials-
it was, of course, all in self-de-
fense - and marry Miss Julie
London, whose husband (Gary
Merrill) was bumped off by
Apaches. The happy ending is
forcefully implied,, if not actually
shown, and the termination of the
film itself is not exactly a sad oc-
casion.
-J.L. FORSHT
&
t
WITH RESPECT to the argument that jus-
tice is denied by having all sessions closed,
and cases reported anonymously and without
any facts save the judgment itself, there is a
very good reason for it in most cases. The Uni-
versity apparently does not wish to hurt a stu-
dent's )'reputation more than is necessary or
to have Joint Judic hearings become public
spectacles of ignominy.
This is valid in the cases when the student
is willing to waive his right to have the public
watch his judges to see that they keep within
the bounds of propriety. But it is still a denial
of rights,' whatever, the reasons behind it.
PERHAPS the Council could hold open hear-
ings if the acused requests-it, so that some-
one will be "watching the watchers." Maybe
no one would request this, but what harm
could it do to allow for open sessions.
In regard to defining "conduct unbecoming
a student," it is admittedly not easy to define
this term, but it would seem only proper that
a reason for punishing a person should be
made explicit. Perhaps Joint Judic could de-
clare certain areas such as breaking state law,
to always fall under this category of offenses,
leaving room for the interpretation of other
actions as unbecoming conduct, but at least
further delineating the concept.
However exemplary Joint Judic is as a stu-
dent judicial organization, there is no reason
that these contradictions with America's free
and democratic traditions should not be elim-
inated.
--ROBERT FARRELL l
To the Editor:
THIS LETT'ER is in answer to
Robert Jobe's review of Han-
del's "Messiah," which appeared
in the December sixth issue of The
Daily. Mr. Jobe not only wrote
a journalistically incompetent re-
view, but also showed an apalling
lack of knowledge of the score and
technique of "Messiah."
Let me begin by asking Mr. Jobe
exactly what "interesting innova-
tions" he would suggest for next
year's performance? Perhaps the
use of sixty boy sopranos from St.
Th7omas' might prove "interest-
ing?"
Robert Jobe's lack of familiarity
with "Messiah" becomes evident
when he makes the statement that
Mr. McCoy does not use different
portions of the work in succeeding
years. This, as the review said "is
not the case in any degree." I
hope that Mr. Jobe attended the
last four performances of the
"Messiah" before making this
statement; if he did I can only
point out that different sections of
the work were used and all one
had to do was listen to percieve
this.
LET US NOW evaluate the "mu-
sicology" employed by Jobe in his
review. He says the massive chorus
should not "recourse to the use
of aspirate H's' in florid lines,"~
and if they must they"shouldn't
sing florid lines." Well! It might
be said that obviously Mr. Jobe
has never sung in a large chorus
or he would know that aspirate
"H's" are the only way to produce
clear articulation and phrasing in
rapid eigth and sixteenth note
passages. Without the use of this
choral technique the result is an
intermittently interrupted glissan-
do.
"The huge chorus so often em-
ployed in this work is a mistake
from the beginning." Mr. Jobe's
sentence was "a mistake from the
very beginning." May Mr. Jobe
be reminded of the fact that he
is two hundred years behind the
times? The "Huddersfield Society"
of England, the "New York Ora-
torio Society" and the "Handel-
Haydn Society" of Boston, which
are probably the finest in their
fields, have used the same comple-
ment as does the Choral Union
for as far back as one can re-
member.
May I also say that as Handel
originally wrote for a' smaller
chorus so did he score for a small-
er orchestra. In modern perform-
ances the chorus and the orches-
tra are kept proportionate, keep-
ing Handel's wishes in mind. The
use of larger orchestras and
choruses has become accepted in
the performances of Baroque
compositions in modern times.
THE REASON that the audience
was used in the "Hallelujah Cho-
rus" was not to disguise "shouts"
AT HILL AUDITORIUM:
David Oistrakh Violin
Magical Performance
DAVID OISTRAKH'S concert last night in Hill Auditorium was one
that will probably be remembered by Ann Arbor concert-goers for
a long time to come. It was a wonderful, exciting, musical experience,
Oistrakh is the first Russian artist to appear in Ann Arbor for
many years. His playing shows magnificent control, strength and sensi-
tivity. The melodic lines were clear and beautifully phrased and he
displayed unusual intensity of tone in all dynamic levels.
Probably the most remarkable aspects of his playing were power
and phrasing. The musical lines had a sweep and intensity which is
buy a score of "Messiah," study it
fully, learn something about Eng-
lish composition and henceforth
be sent to review silent movies.
Felix A. Pappalardi, Jr., SM
Joint Judie ..
To the Editor:
AF'ER HAVING recent contact
with the Joint Judiciary Coun-
cil myself, The Daily coverage of
the student affairs conference was
particularly interesting to me. Mr.
Lewis' words of praise for the Judic
sounded lofty, but on what grounds
are they based?
It appears that the terms "fin-
est" and "most responsible" are
applicable becausethis organiza-
tion, with unfailing regularity, and
inflexible decisions, manages to
drain an attractive sum of excess
cash from students' pockets.
* * * -
IN ANSWER to Steve Marcus'
comment that because we are re-
sponsible to both the University
and the city, we should be judged
twice, I ask this question. Since I
am responsible to the University,
the city, the state, the nation, the
world, and God, should I be judged
six times for the same violation?
-William Heuser, Grad.
I.
Al.
New Fangalist Salute
i
INTERPRETING THE NEWS:
Ike's Health Important
By J. M. ROBERTS
Associated Press News Analyst
PRESIDENT EISENHOWER is confident that
his health is adequate to meet the rigors
of his good will trip, but no matter how you
slice it he is taking a grave personal risk in
order to promote greater unity in the non-
Communist world.
Just the thought of making 30 speeches and
attending a diplomatic conference all in 19
days is exhausting. The President will do it
while traveling 23,000 miles.
MOST OF THE MEN to whom he will talk
know something of the strain of such an
undertaking. This knowledge itself will do much
to convince them of his. earnestness when the
President tells them of America's search for
him, and the provision of every possible com-
fort, the mere feeling of a rat race which ac-
companies such a schedule has a terrific impact
on a man, and especially a 'man of the Presi-
dent's age, and with his background of illnesses.
His entire future depends upon how well he
stands the pace.
Against this background, the magnitude of
American world leadership in his mind becomes
plain.
SOME PEOPLE still question American sin-
cerity, he said.
"I want to prove that we are not aggressive;
that we seek nobody else's territories or posses-
sions; we do not seek to violate anybody else's
rights. We are simply trying to be a good part-
ner in this business of searching out for
_ ._
-
., :. .