FOUR
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
THURSDAY, MAY 22, 1941
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Letters To The Editor
Shall Food Be Sent To Europe?
As Others
See It ... .
Letter Received by Prof. Parker from Committee On Food
For Small Democracies points out need for food shipments
to Nazi-dominated countries; answers 'Student Defenders.'
NUIU f 4Cm A 4ThOf SiI!,4Y ..JWCA.bcmJ
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Editorial Staff
Emile Gelb ..
Robert Speckhard
Albert P. Blaustein
David Lachenbruch
Bernard Dober
Alvin Dann
Hal Wilson
Arthur Hill
Janet Hiatt
Grace Miller
. .Managing Editor
Editorial Director
. . . . . City Editor
. . Associate Editor
. . Associate Editor
. . . Associate Editor
* . . .Sports Editor
Assistant Sports Editor
Women's Editor
. . Assistant Women's Editor
3usiness Staff
. . . Business Manager
. . Assistant Business Manager
. Women's Advertising Manager
- . Women's Business Manager
'3
Daniel H. Huyett
James B. Collins
Louise Carpenter
Evelyn Wright
Drama Review Criticized
To the Editor:
M AY I CONGRATULATE YOU on the review
of "The Male Animal" which reads with
such gay charm and savoir faire but says abso-
lutely nothing. Mr. McCormick has a talent
not to deride but like the political speaker who
sounds like Demosthenes yet in reality speaks
pish-posh, Mr. McCormick writes with the cer-
tainty of Colley Cibber only to give us the balo-
ney of Eddie Guest.
There is no nobler calling than that of a the-
atrical critic be he professional or amateur. But
there is a definite place for criticism when w
are given the pretentious hooey Mr. McCormick
concocts and serves us with our morning demi-
tasse. Let me point out a few choice bits of Mr.
McCormick's theatrical wisdom. He says: "Some-
thing was gumming up the works during Act I
and I couldn't for the life of me figure out what,
except that maybe there were too many people
on the stage part ofthe time and not enough
people the rest of the time, but when I read the
play I didn't think so, and I guess you know
what that makes Act I." Zounds! as Mr. Mc-
Cormick would write, what, pray, does that
mean? Is this pregnant criticism or mere fiddle-
faddle! And rather than using the male mem-
bers of the cast as a crutch as Mr. McCormick
implies, Miss Matteson played every one of her
"sides" to and with them. As for Miss Wilson
bogging a bit "although her part is sort of sub
rosa anyhow," I would suggest (a) a Latin gram-
mar and (b) a study on how a play "lifts" by
watching the bright light of Miss Wilson's grand
performance.
It is only a muddled juvenile of a critic who
points out a "dropped" line in a show. I have
spoken to a dozen-odd theatre-minded-and-
trained people who saw the performance who
never knew Mr. Nagel dropped a line. If Mr.
McCormick's purpose is to study minutiae he
should bring a stenographer to take down the
actor's spoken lines verbatim and then compare
his research with the original script.
IDO AGREE with Mr. McCormick that Mr.
Ames and Mr. Briggs gave splendid per-
formances and "Oh boy did they have it" which
may mean anything under the sun. (The "Oh
boy" lacks the exclamation point the pedantry
of Mr. McCormick requires.) Yet he utterly
neglects to mention the outstanding acting per-
formance of the evening: that of Ivan Simpson's
"Dean Frederick Damon." Here is the epitome
of honest characterization. Here is creation in
its purest form. Otto Brahm once said each role
has two essential parts: that which is clearly
stated in the script, "und das, was nicht drin
steht,"-and that, which isn't even mentioned.
A competent actor captures the former by speak-
ing the lines with proper pause, precision and
meaning. A genius, an actor with a soul, com-
bines both elements, and Mr. Simpson did that
very thing. His Dean was all warmth and com-
passion; and the academician was there too.
But his playing was from the heart. This may
be beyond Mr. MCormick's perception but it is
nonetheless xtrue. He didn't even write a "boo!"
MR. McCORMICK unfortunately seems to pos-
sess little understanding of the nature of
theatre and less of theatrical criticism. I have
nothing at all against style, per se, but if Mr.
McCormick would read more Aristotle and Haz-
litt and Shaw he might develop some of the
definiteness and point-of-view clarity that his
very merry, carefree Hemingwayesque-Steinian
approach so sadly lack and so sorely need.
- Arthur Klein, Grad.
NIGHT EDITOR: DAN BEHRMAN
The editorials published in The Michi-
gan Daily are written by members of The
Daily staff and represent the views of the
writers only.
Will United States
DefendU By Offense? ,'.'*
F IRE-EATING SENATOR CLAUDE
PEPPER of Florida and Senate col-
league Josh Lee of Oklahoma have thrown a
challenge to the people of the United States by
proposing that our armed forces seize the small
town of Dakar on the west coast of Africa. This
brings us face to face with a problem this coun-.
try has been dodging since the war began-in
the event of a direct threat to Hemisphere se-
curity is this nation willing to take offensive
action to meet the menace?
Dakar first leaped into the headlines last fall
when General Charles de Gaulle, commander of
the free French forces, led an unsuccessful at-
tack on the "African Gibraltar." Today Dakar
is back in the news because under the terms of
the pact the Vichy government has just con-
cluded with Nazi Germany, control of the town
will pass completely 'into Hitler's hands, and
with it the key to invasion of the Western Hemi-
sphere.
ONLY about 1500 miles separates Dakar from
the eastern Brazilian town of Recife-com-
paratively the distance from New York to Denver.
Before the war it was the regular stopping off
place for a French airline to South America, and
a German dirigible line used it as a base a few
years ago. Dakar, the nearest point on the
African mainland to South America, would be
one of the chief jumping-off places in an attack
on Latin America. It is ideally suited for this
purpose because in addition to its use as an
air base it is a fine harbor. There is sufficint
depth to allow the largest battleship to enter,
and it has been reported that a modern dock and
airplane facilities are being constructed under
German supervision.
The sea route around Africa has taken on new
significance with the Axis threat to cut the
British Suez lifeline. In this emergency the only
practical supply link with the Eastern Empite
would be via thle Cape of GQod Hope. Dakar is
a strategically located base for the operations
of submarines, destroyers and bombers preying
on South Atlantic shipping including American
supply vessels going to the Red Sea.
N THE HANDS OF AN ENEMY Dakar stands
as a threat to the future safety of the West-
ern Hemisphere and to immediate aid to Britain.
If we are to make aid to Britain effective, the
route to the Red Sea must be kept open. But
more important even than this is the security of
the Western Hemisphere itself. A powerful en-
emy in possession of Dakar automatically in-
validates America's first possible defense line.
This line runs roughly from Iceland southward
to include the Azores, the Canary Islands and
the. Cape Verde Islands; the second line is the
Greenland - Newfoundland - Bermuda - Bahamas
curve; and the last line is the coast of the conti-
nent itself.
The Cape Verde Islands lose their strategic
importance if Dakar is occupied by an enemy.
The time has not yet arrived when it is necessary
to seize these outposts of the first line, but it is
obvious that such action will become useless if
Dakar is allowed to fall completely into Nazi
hands. The question asked iswhether the United
States is prepared to act or will this nation pro-
crastinate in a situation where only quick de-
Prof. Slosson Replies
To the Editor:
AS Miss Ellen Bates' letter was, in a sense,
directed personally to me thru your columns
courtesy demands a reply. Moreover, I have
every sympathy with her bewilderment in a
world wherein, only twenty-one years apart,
youth has twice had to fight a desperate and
doubtful struggle over the greater part of the
earth under warring national flags. No wonder
many sign in despair "What is the use? It will
be the same in another score of years."
But I must respectfully protest against the
inclusion of my name among those who ever
sneered at the slogan "the war to make the world
safe for democracy." I was a follower of Wilson,
not only during the proud moments when he
seemed the most powerful personality on earth
but during the "disillusioned"nineteen-twenties
when he was a defeated and dying man and his
creed seemed to be dying with him, even his own
party no longer championing the League of Na-
tions. , However, I may have erred in other
matters, not for one single moment have I placed
any trust in isolation as a road to peace; I have
been for peace by international cooperation at
every moment of every year since the First World
War. Certainly I "abhor war"; certainly I have
taught that "war always creates more problems{
than it solves" (tho I never indulged in the over-
statement that "war solves no problems"); but
I have seen only one road to peace at any time,
and that is the same path that has led to peace}
for the states of our own Union, the path of}
collective, cooperative security.
-Preston Slosson
±.~. 0 I'rh Such
An Idiot
By TOM THUMB
I'm awfully sorry. In yesterday's column I
mentioned the all-campus open meeting on co-
operatives, and I said it would be held on Thurs-
day. It's not today, however, but tomorrow. It
will be held at 4:15 p.m. tomorrow in Room 305
of the Union. Speakers will be Professor Eggert-
sen of the education school, Harold Guetzkow,
Grad, president of the Intercooperative Council,
and Joan Ferguson of the Katherine Pickerill'
Cooperative.
Awfully sorry again. It just happened because
I'm such an idiot.
Skimmings
by the edit director
WE'VE ALL seen our share of tag days on the
campus, but tomorrow will witness an un-
usual one for a very worthy cause. The local
Chinese Student Club is helping gather funds
for the forty million destitute in their homeland.
Tags will be chop-sticks. Instruction on how
to manipulate them is free.
* * * -
There's another drive going on today. The
subject is the reorganization plan of the
Publications Board which would give the
faculty lopsided domination. If you believe
in a measure of student control, you can
indicate that sentiment by adding your
name to petitions protesting the move being
circulated today.
* * *
Three years have passed since the passage of
the National Labor Relations Act and they are
finally counting the ballots today of a collective
bargaining election at Ford's. A lot of bitterness,
legal fees, and the last big strike might have
been avoided if the election had come off three
years ago.
* * *
AN EDITORIAL BY REQUEST-what is
the mentality of people who equip their
cars with so-called musical horns, which
cover the dis-harmonic scale every time they
are tooted? The question was raised by the
professor in our political theory class yes-
terday morning. He was busily engaged in
reading "The City of Man" to the class when
such a horn was sounded on nearby State
Street. His pained expression is the best
answer.
English Research
College freshmen know less and less about
the "King's English" with each successive year,
according to a diagnosis made by Theodore J.
Gates, head of the department of English com-
position at Pennsylvania State College.
Professor Gates bases his observations on a
study of results obtained from diagnostic tests
given each entering freshman at Penn State.
The tests cover spelling, vocabulary, punc-
tuation, grammatical usage and diction. Pro-
fessor Gates said only about 25 per cent of the
first-year students get 60 per cent of the an-
swers right, while 16 per cent are denied admis-
sion to college English and are required to take
a sub-freshman course.
"The scores are considerably lower than they
were four years ago," he said.
Much of the difficulty, he declared, results
from increased high school and college enroll-
mmt 'with its h~lack of attentfion to individuali in.-
A letter of Charles F. Horner, director of relief committee, to Prof. Dewitt H. Parker
Dear Professor, Parker:
I would like to present to you a few facts in answer to
the statements of the group signing themselves
"Student Defenders of Democracies." In their letter
to the paper, they state "Once again the forces of
isolation and appeasement on campus, the same group
that sponsored 'transmission belt' Senator Wheeler,
are attempting to 'sabotage' the aid-to-England move-
ment by presenting a 'Herbert Hoover' food plan pro-
ponent to the Student Body."7
The Herbert Hoover food plan was presented by the
former president, as honorary chairman of the Na-
tional chairman of the National Committee on Food
for the Small Democracies. The Committee was
formed for the purpose of finding a means +somehow,
some way, to save millions of men, women and chil-
dren facing hunger and pestilence in the countries
overrun by the German armies. It has a membership
of more than 841 men and women prominent in civic
life, representing every phase of constructive activity.
More than 2176 volunteer committees throughout the
country are presenting the appeal. Resolutions have
been adopted by the governing boards of churches,
The American Legion, the National Grange, and local
organizations now numbering over 4000, supporting
the appeal. Newspapers with a circulation of upward
of 26 millions have approved of Mr. Hoover's effort.
At no time, and in no way, has the committee sup-
ported the forces of isolation and appeasement.
Again I quote from the article: "In the name of
humanity this group calls upon the American people
to support the sending of food supplies and so-called
non-war materials to the countries under German
domination." Nearly 300 million people in Europe are
on rations due to an acute food shortage. Of the 37
million people in Belgium, Holland, Norway, Central
Poland and Finland, great numbers are facing death
from famine and disease.
Belgium Blitzkrieg
IN THE EIGHTEEN DAYS that the "German Blitz-
krieg" swept through Belgium, it left 30,000 dead;
9832 houses razed; 140,860 damaged; 352 factories
destroyed and 839 heavily damaged. This does not
account for the damage to transportation, bridges
destroyed, or the 235 buildings and town halls.
Throughout it all, the Belgian people tried to hold up
their heads. At the present time, the majority of the
Belgian people are subsisting on less than 1000 calories
a day. Medical science holds that at least 2200 are
necessary to maintain health.
Camille Gutt, Minister of Finance and War in the
Belgian Government in exile in London, on his arrival
in this country .stated, that poverty was spreading;
children were unable to remain in school for lack of
food; numbers would die and destitution throughout
the country was increasing daily. The Belgian Gen-
eral Relief Committee and the Belgian Red Cross re-
cently telegraphed to the Committee: "Numerous
cases of oedema, caused by hunger, have been ob-
served in hospitals, expectant mothers, children and
adolescents are still worse off because of lack of milk."
There is no question that the Nazi aggression and
not the English was responsible for the original plight
of the European people. No one is questioning the
fact that the Germans have removed most of their
surplus supplies and while the Germans at the present
time have been supplying food in accordance with
the Hoover plan, if they 'felt it was to their disadvan-
tage they would discontinue the same.
Carl Brandt, a member of the Stanford University
Faculty, in his article, "Food Control the Newest Nazi
Weapon" says: "The Nazis will think twice before
spreading starvation and pestilence in Western Eur-
ope, so long as they can avoid it easily. But if their
plans went awry, if starvation did impend, they would
and could manage so that famine would proceed in
concentric rings from the extremist rim toward the
German center of the fortress. In this process they
would, without batting an eye, dispose of the lives of
150 million hostages they now hold."
Plight Of Poland
N 1939, after Poland was overrun by the invaders, an
appeal was made to Mr.-Hoover, who reorganized
the Polish Relief Committee. This committee has
been supplying food to inhabitants without any inter-
ference on the part of the Germans. In the plan pro-
posed for Belgium by former president Hoover, the
Germans have agreed to supply 25,000 tons of wheat
or rye per month; and the British havebeen requested
to allow 20,000 tons of soup material and special food
for children to pass through the blockade. The plan
calls for the distribution of the food, by a neutral
agency, through soup kitchens in Belgium, to two
niillion children and one million unemployed adults.
That during that period the Germans agree that no
native food or imported food should be absorbed by
the German army, or taken from Belgium to Germany.
In a statement on behalf of the executive commit-
tee, on May 10, Mr. Hoover says: "We wish no mis-
understanding of our sympathy with the British cause,
or that we have any doubt that the original plight of
the small democracies is due to the German invasion."
On numerous other occasions he has advocatedhelp
to Britain, includin~g food. He has never, nor has the
committee, questioned the military value of the British
blockade. But when people of the high calibre of Gen-
eral John J. Pershing, who commanded the American
Expeditionary Forces, are willing to make this- state-
ment, I quote in part: "From my own war experience
and some knowledge of the problems involved, I have
every confidence that the salvation of these people
could be worked out along the lines proposed by M
Hoover without military loss or benefit to either side.
The interest of this committee in maintaining Ameri-
can ideals and the friendship of America of these na-
tions by saving these millions is worthy of every sup-
port." And Admiral William V. Pratt, who dealt with
the blockade in the last war and long commanded the
United States Fleet, also said: "I have no hesitation
insaying that this aid, can be given under Mr. Hoover's
proposal without any damage to Great Britain. Tak-
ing the long view of the future of constructive forces
in the world and America's relation to it, it is of vita
importance that Mr. Hoover's plan be carridd
through." Is the plan not worthy of consideration?
The Student Defenders of Democracy further state,
"We are confident that the subjugated peoples of
Europe prefer that America not even make the at-
tempt." Let me give you the facts:
Appeals From Europe
ON MAY 14, 1940, the Belgian Ambassador at Wash-
ington requested Herbert Hoover to revive the
Commission for Relief in Belgium. On May 17, the
Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxehbourg, added her
appeal for aid. On May 24, King Leopold of Belgium
appealed to President Roosevelt asking help by means
similar to the Commission For Relief in Belgium of
1914-1918. On May 30, the Belgian Minister of Public
Health requested Mr. Hoover to undertake Belgian
relief. Since then, there have been numerous appeals
and on January 28, the President of the Belgian Gen-
eral Relief Committee and the Belgian Red Cross,
cabled: "There is immediate dire need in Belgium ap-
proaching a deadline in the next five weeks. On March
14, another appeal was sent begging, "to at least
rescue our children." On March 29th, another appeal
from thq Belgian Red Cross, and the Belgian relief,
requesting "For the sake of humanity we beg for help."
Since April 19, 1940, numerous appeals have been
made on behalf of various officials for aid to Norway.
Since December 3rd, 1939, appeals, to which the com-
mittee has been able to give some assistance, have
been received from Finland.
The Student Defenders of Democracy also say,
"Every shipload helps Hitler perpetuate his dictatorial
control." The amount of food suggested as an experi-
ment would not mean one day's supply for Germany,
and consequently could not be of any military im-
portance; particularly as shipments would immedi-
ately cease at any attempt of the Germans to violate
their agreement.
FREEDOM OF THINKING and freedom of speech is
something that this country under the Constitu-
tion has a full right to express. I am in no way inter-
ested in any "New Order," quoted by the Student De-
fenders of Democracy, and approve of their call on
Michigan men and women to reason logically, but
in reasoning logically, let us think~ of the millions of
men, women and children; friends of America, who
defended at such terrible cost their independence,
who, through no fault of their own, are facing hunger
and pestilence in the small democracies overrun by
the German armies.
- Charles F. Horner
i
*I
Strategic Airlines
In South America
. .
W ORD that broad powers have been
requested from Congress permitting
the Reconstruction Finance Corporation to set
up an airline, owned and operated by the govern-
ment, "if deemed necessary to expedite the de-
-fense program," comes almost simultaneously
with renewed reports of the government's diplo-
matic efforts to induce South American nations
to "close out" Axis airlines.
Taken together, the two pieces of information
may be regarded as marking a new stepping up
of America's efforts to gain control of the im-
mensely strategic air transport lines on the con-
tinent to the south of us.
THE NEED for a real control of the airlines to
the south is shown by a few significant facts:
It has been reported, and there is every reason
to believe it true, that German planes have flown
over the Panama Canal and mapped it photo-
graphically, as well as mapping the Colombian
terrain.
Until a month ago German planes were being
operated in Colombia within 150 miles of the
Canal. That has been ended with the agreement
by Colombia-and also Peru-to discontinue
charters granted to Axis lines.
There are German planes, fliers and mechanics
today in Ecuador, only a few hours' flight from
the Canal Zone, while in Brazil there are more
than a score of three-motored and four-motored
German ships.
A German aviator who recently escaped from
prison camp in Canada succeeded in getting to
a freighter on the Pacific which took him to
Chile. There he found a German passenger
airline, took a plane to Rio de Janeiro, and there
transferred to the Italian Linhas Aereas, which
quickly transported him on one of its regularly
scheduled hops to Germany via Natal, Cape
Verde Islands, Spain and Italy.
THIS TRANS-ATLANTIC AIRLINE is one par-
ticularly worrisome to our government.
American mail to Brazil is uncensored, nor does
Rra.il -Pncn it'cmnil "rh~rtzfrPif IIi., fP x'id
DAILY OFFICIAL
BULLETINt
(continued from Page 2)
Summer, Work--Sales: Mr. Robin-
son of the W. Elliott Judge Organiza-
tion will interview men forsales work,
Saturday. For information, please
get in touch with the Bureau of Ap-
pointments, 201 Mason Hall.
The University Bureau of Appoint-
ments and Occupational Information
has received notice of the. following
CivilrServicenExaminations. Last
date for filing application is noted
in each case:
MICHIGAN CIVIL SERVICE
Institution Porter D, salary $75,
June 4, 1941.
Food Service Helper D, salary $75,
,June 11, 1941.
Junior Custodial Officer, salary
$1,860, June 19, 1941.
Senior Inspector, Engineering Ma-
terials, salary $2,600, until further
notice.
Inspector, Engineering Materials,
$2,300, until further notice.
Associate Inspector, Engineering
Materials, $2,000, until further notice.
Assistant Inspector, Engineering
Materials, $1,800, until further notice.
Senior Inspector, Ship Construc-I
tion, salary $2,600, until further no-
tice.
Inspector, Ship Construction, $2,-
300, until further notice.
Associate Inspector, Ship Construc-
tion, $2,000, until further notice.
Junior Stenographer, salary $1,440,
Junior Typist, $1,260.
Complete announcements on file at
the Bureau, 201 Mason Hall. Office
hours: 9-12 and 2-4.
Academic Notices
Biological Chemistry Seminar will
meet Saturday, May 24, at 10:00 a.m.
in Room 319 West Medical Building.
Subject: "Phosphatases." All inter-
ested are invited.
candidates to attend the examination
and he may grant permission to those
who for sufficient reason might wish
to be present.
C. S. Yoakum
Concerts
Carillon Recital: John Challis,
Guest Carillonneur, will present a
carillon recital tonight, 7:15-8:00, in
the Burton Memorial Tower. He will
play compositions by Bull, Farnaby,
Bach, Couperin, Rameau, Handel,
and Price, and will play a duet with
Percival Price, University Carillon-
neur.
Exhibitions
Exhibition, College of Architecture
and Design: Mexican Handicraft, col-
lected and loaned by Miss Mina Win-
slow, is being shown in the ground
floor cases, Architecture Building,
through Friday, May 23. open daily,
9-5. The public is invited.
Lectures
Lecture: Mr. John S. Bugas, Agent
in charge of the Detroit office of
the Federal Bureau of Investigation,
will deliver a talk on Friday, May 23,
at 4:00 p.m., in Room 150 Hutchins
Hall, to the followingrclasses of stu-
dents in this University, who will
graduate in June or in September,
Laboratory Technician C, salary
$80, May 31, 1941.
Laboratory Technician B, salary
$105, May 31, 1941.
Laboratory Bacteriologist A, $130,
May 31, 1941.
Buyer IV, salary $325, May 31, 1941.
(Includes Food Buyer, Clothing
Buyer, Highway Materials and Equip-
ment Buyer, Paper, office Supplies
and Equipment Buyer, Hospital and
English 298: I shall be unable
meet this class today.
to
E. A. Walter
English 114: I shall be unable to
meet this class on Friday, May 23.