TIM M 0 NDAY,, : . e iliti!JiTi2 ' - ..N OMM THE MICHIGAN DAILY The Public Speaks On Newsreels, Charity And Wild-Eyed Reformers U.S. Scientists A manifesto signed by 1,284 Amel i- can scientists summoning their col- leagues to participate actively in the It Seems To Me T By HEYWOOD BROUN .f 11- Edited and managed by students of the -University of Michigan under the authority of the Board in Control of Student Publications. Published every morning except Monday during the University year and Summer Session. Member of the Associated Press The Associated Press is exclusively entitled to the use for republication of all news dispatches credited to It or not otherwise credited in this newspaper. All rights of republicationrof all othertmatters herein also reserved. Entered at the Post Office at Ann Arbor, Michigan, as second class mail matter. Sub-zrptions during regular school year by carrier, $4.00; by moil, $4.50: REPRESENTED FOR NATIONAL ADVERTISING BY National Advertising Service, Inc. College Publishers Representative "420 MADisoN AVE. NEW YORK, N. Y. CHICAGO BOSTON - LOS ANGELES - SAN FRANC1SCO Member, Associated Collegiate Press, 1938-39 Managing Editor Editorial Director City Editor Associate Editor Associate Editor Associate Editor Associate Editor Associate Editor Associate Editor Book Editor Women's Editor Sports Editor . Board of Editors S . . . Ro + . . . Ho . . . Ro . . . D . . . .1: obert D. Mitchell. Albert P. Mayio race W. Gilmore bert I. Fitzhenry S. R. Kleiman Robert Perlman *Earl Oilman William Elvin Joseph Freedman . JosephGies orothea Staebler Bud Benjamin Business Department Business Manager Credit Manager., Advertising Manager- - Women's Business Manager Women's Service Manager Philip W. Buchen Leonard P. Siegelman . . William L. Newnah S. - Helen Jean Dean Marian A. Baxter NIGHT EDITOR: ROBERT I. FITZHENRY - A The editorials published in The Michigan Daily are written by members of the -Daily staff and represent the views of the writers only. Stealing The Lion's Food .. . TnHE ENGLISH commercial interests rns haverfinally realized that Germany presents a dangerous threat not only to racial minorities, to freedom and liberalism, and to the countries on the continent, but to England's trade. For Britain has felt German competition for European markets as was evidenced recent- ly when Robert Spear Hudson, Secretary of Trade, came out with the belated statement to Germany that "Unless you are prepared to put an end to this form of competition . . . then w, Will fight you and beat you at your own game." When Herr Hitler sent his Nazi troopers goose-stepping into Austria His Majesty's Gov- ernment remained silent. When the power-drunk dictator demanded Sudetenland, England played handmaiden to Germany's unwarranted de- mands and calmly helped to deal the death blow to Czechoslovakia at the Munich settlement Everyone expected to see England take a firm stand against the Nazis, but the last vestiges of British pride had, disappeared after the Ethiop- ian and Chinese fiascoes. The strong commercial* and landed classes from which Chamberlain draws his support saw in the Fascist liquidation of all democratic elements the checkmate to their fearful bogey, the "communistic threat." Whatever peace the English hoped to gain by these sacrifices on the Nazi altar has not been realized. Hitler and his strategists, encouraged and strengthened by British acquiescence, have used this artificial breathing spell, which Cham- beilain mistook for "Peace for our time," to scrap the last restraining elements in the party, cleanse the army and make ready to continue on their course of aggression. Instead of the threat of brute force, the Nazis are now trying guile. They have entered the market in Central and Southeastern Europe and have paid the producers in that region much more than world prices at the expense of the German people. Germany buys wheat there for $46.50 a ton while the world price is only $32.55, -and barley for $34.88 a ton with the world price at $24.65. In return for these commodities, Ger- many sells manufactured products at less than cost. As a result of this clever but costly proced- ure, the Nazis have practically cornered the Eastern European market and have almost gained an economic strangle-hold on Roumania, Hungary, Greece and the Balkan states. Much of the market that Hitler now controls was formerly in the hands of the English produc- er, and his attitude seems to be, "You can twealry the lion's tail so long as you don't steal his food." For a month after Munich, when Ger- many's trade with these countries began rapidly to cut down England's share, Prime Minister Chamberain assuaged his supporters' fears by stating that England must accept extension of Germany's influence . in Eastern Euroie and confidently added, but "there is room both for Germany and ourselves in the trade." Although Hitler had doubtless promised that this should be the case when he was in Munich, he quickly changed his mind on returning to Berlin. Now the English producers, who were so deaf to the pleas of the Austrians and the Czechs, have become sensitive to the cries of the Balkan Newsreels Sin By Omission To the Editor: One may wonder at times whether we have a controlled press in the United States, but there can be little doubt that we have a controlled (in the sense of sterile) Hollywood Newsreel thatI is as revolting to anyone with an ounce of brains in his head as Hearst's "red" sheets are to the readers of The New Republic. I challenge any- one to cite for me a newsreel coming out of Hollywood in the past year that has considered either photographically or by dialogue any im- portant social question in any significant way whatsoever. It is not so much a question of what the Newsreels do as what they do not do. For ex- ample, at the time of the signing of the Munich "Peace" Pact what did Paramount and MGM newsreels emphasize? Everything from the Dog Show of New York's Social Set to a train wreck in Idaho (or somewhere) in which five women and three children were killed!-my data arej screwy, that's not the point. I am squawking about this in a letter to the Michigan Daily in the hope that students here at Michigan who read it may consider a little more seriously things of this sort, things which one might call America's "sins of omission." This see-nothing do-nothing say-nothing atti- tude is rampant everywhere, and is quite as rot- ten, dangerous and condemnable as the more positive actions of Hague or Girdler. -Richard Bennett These Young Editors To the Editor: It is amusing and amazing to see the facts that young editors use to prove their cases- facts that on analysis often prove the exact op- posite of the writer's contentions. The Tuesday' morning editorial, "The Case Against Fascism," 'is a case in point. It seemed possible to deduce that the editor was using the term fascism in the general sense of rule by the captalistic classes rather than the particular kind of fascism represented by the German government. With this distinctionj in mind, the writer states in his editorial, "fas- cism is of benefit to only one group in society,j namely the owners of large-scale industry." In the United States, for instance, there are offi- cially listed only four or five multimillionaires and about fifty millionaires. How can these men perpetuate the capitalistic system against the wishes of millions of people in a country where the ballot is still potent? The answer might be given by many middle class people. There is more employment, there are better wages, and people with industry and ability can progress with less uncertainty under the orderly regimen of business as represented by the capitalitic system than they can under the disorderly, grasping methods of mans rule as demonstrated in the world so far. Again, the writer says, "in Spain the people's government was in the midst of an immense work of social and economic reform wpen re- bellion broke out." Since there are but few wealthy families in Spain and since the Catholic Church is after all made up of te lowest econ- omic classes to a large extent, it seems queer that these people should rebel against reforms that were really bettering their condition. And lastly, the writer closes with "The changes effected by the so-called Roosevelt rebellion ... have been the answers a democratic government has been able to provide to a people's demands." Judging by the last election, the answers the Roosevelt rebellion have given have not served the demands of the people or else the people have found that the results were not satisfy- ing to their needs. That they have changed their point of view should be evident. In this editorial the writer is anxious to prove the desirability of his favorite forms of govern- ment, but the arguments he uses serve to em- phasize the fact that majorities everywhere to- day are preferring to return to orderly living, orderly employment, and orderly progression in both business and politics rather than to experiment further in the lack of stability and the uncertainties that arise when classes of tlie population get to pulling and hauling against each other. Call it capitalism, call it fascism, call it what you will, we, the people, want to1 know where we stand and, what we can expect of the future-we are tired of wild-eyed reform- ers and indefinite future Utopias. -M. W. Young Editor Replies Miss M. W. must have read a long way be- tween the lines in my editorial. I never dreamed of suggesting that the majority of people in America are opposed to the capitalist system; on the contrary I am convinced nearly all of them favor it. I quite agree with her implication that the Catholic Church has influenced a large part of the Spanish people of the lower classes to sup- port the rebellion. But those who do, I main- tain, are acting contrary to their own interests. As for the answers of the last election to "the Roosevelt, rebellion" (read "revolution") they have nothing to do with anything I said as far as I know. That the people have changed their point of view may or may not be evident, for 11 of me. All I was trying to point out was that the last six years of government were not the result of a gigantic coincidence wherebya President with certain views was accidentally sent to Wash- ington along with a number of senators and congressmen who happened to share them. I am sorry Miss M. W. is tired of wild-eyed reformers (I am rather near-sighted myself) and indefinite future Utopias, but if she really thinks that majorities everywhere or anywhere actually 'want to return (?) to the sort of order- ly living, orderly employment and orderly prog- gression in both business and politics represented by fascism I think she is definitely mistaken. I think, however, that there is a possibility of their being scared into acquiescence in fascism by skillful exploitation of mass stereotypes and the uncritical habit of thinkin of too many people. --J. G. Xmas Charity I Perspective To the Editor: Prompted by your capturing "Goodfellow" captions, I might say that sincere and kind feel- ing is due to the Daily for following the spirit of the Detroit News in sponsoring a sale of Good- fellow newspapers with the proceeds going to improvident unfortunates and their families. Many a child will receive a toy and some shoes and the family some food. The Goodfellow en- deavor is fine and dandy. It is a nice expression of the ragged individual- istic conception of charity. These people who lack the virtues of thrift, self-control, and tem- pered vice, should be taken care of. And of course they should be allowed to know who is contribut- ing, and act accordingly. Hence, during Christ- mas with its attendant era of good feeling, it is right for the prosperous and sober to inaugu- rate Community Goodfellow fund drives and chant the cant of homely charity to take care of those who don't know any better. This is an attitude that is tenacled deep in the minds of many Americans. In the same issue of newspapers tear-jerking contributions for the community funds there is a walloping yelp for the termination of direct relief and work relief, the W.P.A. The fundamental issue that private charity and private business are mercilessly in- capable of providing adequate charity and jobs is obfuscated in an ambush of allegations about politics in relief and about many people who haven't any business being on relief. Yet the per capita income in U.S. in 1937 was $480; and 54 per cent of the families re- ceived less than $1,200 per year. For any year in U.S. history the average income per family per weeks has fallen miserably below accepted health and decency standards. Prof. Haber in the Dec. 1938 "Survey Graphic" has shown that 43 per cent of 1,407,000 on W.P.A. are over 45 years of age and probably won't be hired by private industry and with a host of other figures definitely concludes that relief is not an emer- gency measure but inevitably permanent. This little missive, Mr. Editor, is merely to place your Goodfellow drive in the proper perspective; it is nice and charitable and inadequate-it shuts 'em up. For a while. -Harold Ossepow, '39 j All For N.Y.. Get-Together To the Editor: For one who would rather remember a place and associates even when she's supposedly away from them,-I think the idea of getting all the Michigan clan together while we're back home in New York over vacation time is grand, and I'm all for it. -Miriam Szold, '40 "In an article entitled 'The Prag- matic and Dogmatic Spirit in Phys- ics,' which appeared in the April 30th issue of 'Nature' (with strong edi- torial disapproval), wide publicity is given to the official Nazi position on science and scientific research. In. essence the article is an attack on all theoretical physics, and, by obvious implication, on scientific theory in general. It introduces the official rac- ialism of the Nazis to divide physic- ists into good, i.e., non-theoretical and 'Aryan', and bad, i.e., theoret- ical and Jewish. "Similar notions have appeared in many popular magazines and scien- - tific journals in Germany, in the ad- dresses and writings of the Minister of Education, of university rectors and deans, of scientists and non- scientists. "Apartfrom racial theories, furth- ermore, science and art are subject to ruthless political censorship. These ideas have found concrete ex- pression in the dismissal and perse- cution of over 1600 teachers and scientists (by the fall of 1936) from German universities and research institutes (and now Austria and Italy too), and in the restriction of higher education to students having the 'proper' political and racial qualifica- tions. Demand Freedom "American scientists, trained in aj tradition of intellectual freedom, hold fast to their conviction, that in the words of the resolution adopted by the American Association for the Ad- vancement of Science, 'Science is wholly independent of national boun- daries and races and creeds and can flourish only when there is peace and intellectual freedom. "If science, to quote the AAAS reso-1 lution again, is to 'continue to ad- vance and spread more abundantly its benefits to all mankind-and} who can attack that goal-then the man of science has a moral obliga- tion to fulfill. He must educate the1 people against the acceptance of all false and unscientific doctrines which< appear before them in the guise of science, regardless of their origin., Only in that way can he insure those1 conditions of peace and freedom which are essential for him and for the progress of all mankind.' "It is in this light that we publicly condemn the Fascist position towardsz science. The racial theories which they advocate have been dnolishedt time and again. We need only point to the work of Heinrich Hertz int physics. Fritz Haber and RichardI Willstatter in chemistry, LudwigI Traube, Paul Ehrlich, and Augusti Wassermann in biology and medicine, all German Jews and all empirical scientists. Theory Upheldi "The charge that theory leads 'to a crippling of experimental research'2 is tantamount to a denial of ther whole history of modern physics. From Copernicus and Kepler on, all1 the great figures in Western Science; have insisted, in deed or in word, upon the futility of experimental re-. search divorced from theory.t "We firmly believe that in the res- might hire a horse for two weeks in Miami and run him every other day during my vacation. Long before we began to inquire as to the rental of sturdy steeds the plan collapsed because the syndicate fell out on some small details. My' three potential partners would not agree that our racing colors should be red with a hammer on the jockey's front and a sickle on his back. There was also some argument as to which one of us was to lift the rider into the saddle and give him his final in- structions, "Make every post a win- ning one." And we all quarreled with Quent, who insisted that if we won a Derby he was to have the floral horseshoe placed around his _neck, lead the horse from the paddock and make the radio address upon receiv- ing the gold cup. Close To Home But if church contributions are to be a matter of governmental survey by Mr. Dies, or anybody else, the thing defense of democracy as the sole means of preserving intellectual free- STAMFORD, Conn.-Nothing in dom and insuring scientific progress current journalism has frightened me was released recently by a committee more than the headlines I have seen of prominent men of science. which say, in effect, "Dies committee Prof. Franz Boas of Columbia Uni- finds that Jimmy gave nothing to the versity, dean of American anthropolo- church." Possi- gists and former president of the bly this is retri- American Association for the Ad- bution. W h e n vancement of Science acted as spokes- other committees man for the committee. "The pres- ' publicized t h e ent outrages in Germany," Profes- budgets of men sor Boas said, "have made it aal the who o w n e d more necessary for American scien- yachts and rac- tists to take a firm anti-Fascist stand.gs "We are Pure that a great majority of German scientists, and the Ger- sent their insur- man people as a whole, abhor Fas- ance payments to Bahama companies, cism. The thousands of teachers and I did not yell "Bloody murder!" or, scientists who have been exiled since protest against the invasion of priv- Hitler came to power bear testimony acy. No urge moved me to proclaim to the incompatibility of Fascism and that a man's income is his castle, science." No sacred principle was involved so The 1,284 signatures to the mani- far as I was conc6rned. festo represent 167 universities and Perhaps my motivation may have research institutes in all sections of :ome from the fact that no toe of the country. Below the text are print- my own was being stepped upon. Nev- ed the names of University of Michi- er have I shopped around for yachts, gan professors who signed the docu- and the nearest approach to a racing ment. stable was a visionary syndicate which fell through. It was a notion The Manifesto soithat with three other fellows we But this doesn't begin to scratch" 'he surface. An active and generous resident of Connecticut could be kick- ng up his heels and making whoopee it some church jamboree practically every night of the year while the sea- son is on. It is also true that I gave $3 to the farmer who does the preaching in the .ion-denominational chapel on Hunt- ing Ridge. And that, again, was a gift, for though I buy fertilizer from him I have yet to hear him preach. But all these things were free-will offerings. Both the giver and the re- ceiver were sanctified by an entire absence of pressure., Does the Dies committee mean to break down the sales resistance of those who dislike oysters and do not particularly care for strawberries or evangelism? I shudder to think that religion in America could by any stretch of the imagination approach the status of being a racket. ,And so I deplore the day when it will be possible for a deacon to drive up to the door and say, "You take ten tickets for our Baptist raffle or I'll turn your name over to the proper authorities as subversive and a slack- r of the woods, and I want to register a protest. I'm sorry that James Roose- velt has seen fit to issue a denial and state that he did put money in the plate and'refrained from mentioning the matter in his tax return. "That's my own affair," would have been a better answer. I'll stick to that one. Any other course would. be fatal to a liouseholder in Connecticut. I live in the very center of the Church Supper Belt. If my generosity or penury becomes subject to a public recording I will be strawberry-festi- valed to death. It is my recollection that I did buy two tickets for a church affair at the Longridge Congregation- al Church, but I fooled them by show- ing up and eating two servings of pumpkin pie and got my money back. I also took one card of admission to the Methodist Oyster Carnival on Highbridge and remained away, which left the church with a clear profit of 50 cents and an oyster. ,* * * I i -New Approach To Problem Seen- Those who planned the monopoly second, because restrictions of pro- inquiry have done a good job in set- duction reduce profits themselves. ting the stage, during the first few Under perfect competition. btisiness days of their hearings, for the de- would theoretically not be able to tailed material that is to come later. pay too little or charge too much. With masses of- statistics, well* (r- But as business power competition in- ganized and explained, two of the creases, the ability to restrict mass most brilliant and sound of the purchasing power by these means in- younger economists in the country creases too. Are we therefore facing have told us the circumstances that a problem of -monopoly extortion? make an investigation of business Here Mr. Willard L. Thorp, now with practices pertinent, and have shown the Department of Commerce and why monopoly may be playing an lately with Dun and Bradstreet, con- important part. tributes enlightening information, Dr. Isador Lubin, Commissioner of Labor Statistics, after showing the well enough known to economists, but tremendous losses to the population needing restatement for this purpose. caused by the decline of production There are only one or two cormplete under 1929 levels, pointed out on a single-company monopolies -n im- large scale what must be done to portant industries in the United bring production and employment up States. To look for monopoly in the where they ought to be. We can no ordinary or crude sense would be to longer rely on growth of population, tilt at windmills. Nevertheless there for population increase is slowing is a high degree of business concen- down and in another twenty years tration- among a small number of may cease altogether. large concerns. Two, three or more Larger consumption per family is corporations control the bulk of the the only way to create the necessary business in important industries; demand for industrial and agricul- their wage and price policies govern tural products. At least half the in these industries. market for these products lies with How are these policies determined? the 54 per cent of the families hav- There is the most fruitful field for ing $1,250 a year or less. If each of investigation. Certain other indus- these families had $2 more a day to tries are composed of many units and spend than at present, and if prices are subject to a high degree of com- did not rise, we should now be pro- petition. In the economic struggle, ducing, on the average, at full capac- are these industries exploited by the ity. more highly concentrated ones? Or It might be asked what all this do monopolistic practices exist, by has to do with monopoly. Why is it agreement or understanding, even in not merely an argument for more industries with many small units? government spending on relief, o rfor It is significant, we believe, that Douglas consumer credit, or for some the inquiry is not simply an expres- other ingenious scheme to put more sion of the old ethical opposition to money into the hands of low-income bigness, but an apparently well reas- groups? It is true that a large variety oned attempt to find out how our of expedients might be advocated to economy works, and why it works so increase mass purchasing power. But, badly. S/ Anna Christie' Wastes Acting By HARVEY SWADOS Without the cast of "Anna Christie," (Film Series IV of the Art League) made in 1930, it would be easy t say that it all depends on whether or not you like Eugene O'Neill. The movie is pretty much the O'Neill play, all about the prostitute who comes home to daddy and to a young man, both of whom revere her (since they are tough gents) as a nice home girl. The payoff comes when she tells all-the two men go off and get drunk, but return to forgive her and all ends happily. There are also some fine O'Neill lines: "I can't go on like tlhis any longer." "I can't stand it any more." "It's no use, it's no use." And Daddy Christafson, the old sea dog, says twenty seven times (by actual count), "Dat ole devvil sea, dat ole devvil sea . . ." not unlike Eddie Cantor blacked up to do a Negro spiritual. But make no mistake about this; the cast is so very good that it makes "Anna Christie" a pic- ture well worth a reshowing. Charles Marion is mirror practicing hearty laughter and that this one is just another practice shot. Yet her facial expressions and her amazingly moving delivery of the most banal dialogue mark her quite be- yond doubt as, a great actress. The direction of Clarence Brown was not only in the spirit of 1930 but in the spirit of the '20's. He never got very far beyond merely photo- graphing the scenes of the play and threading them together with written titles. As I hinted above, his material was nothing to brag about. It's a tough job to make a good movie out of a stage play, particularly when the stage play refuses to stand by itself. But Mr. Brown was smart enough to focus his camera on Marie Dressler and Charles Marion amid Greta Garbo and let them do their fine work. The result was a long and draggy picture containing some of the best wasted acting ever filmed in Hollywood. "Anna Christie" was the third in this season's revivals by the Art Cinema League; the next one, on Jan. 8, will be The Four Horsemen Of ent historical epoch democracy alone if our system is ever to operate with- can preserve intellectual freedom. Any out external stimulants,, our people attack upon freedom of thought in must be able to earn for their work one sphere, even as non-political a in industry and agriculture enough to sphere as theoretical physics, is in buy the products of one another at effect an attack on democracy it- full productive capacity. self. -What is it that prevents them from "When men like James Franck, Al- so doing? Here is where business bert Einstein, or Thomas Mann may practices may come in. If business no longer continue their work, wheth- concerns pay too little for raw ma- er the reason is race, creed, or be- terials and labor on the one hand,j lief, all mankind suffers the loss. and charge too much for their pro- They must be defended in their right ducts on the other, they diminish the to speak the truth as they under- power of farmers and workers to stand it. buy, and thus curtail mass purchasing "If we American scientists wish power, with disastrous effects on to avoid a similar fate, if we wish to production and employment. see. the world continue to progress It is no answer to say that those and prosper, we must bend our ef- who receive the profits can buy the forts to that end now." surplus, first because, as Mr. Lubin University of Michigan signers: u ths becu..as Mrn L in r a {i >j311 t i --The New Republic Free Admittance Is Bowling Prize One hour's free bowling will be awarded each week as a prize to the man and the woman who make the highest' score in bowling at the Wo- men's Athletic Building alleys, Jean- nette Stickels, '39, bowling manager, announced recently. The alleys are open from 3:15 p.m. to 4 p.m. and from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. daily. The fee for women students is five cents a line in the afternoon and 10 cents in the evening. Men stu- dents may use the alleys, if accom- I,