PAGE FOUR THE iICEIG N ILY ,,*. a .,. a I.... . . .. . . ........... . ..... THE MICHIGAN DAILY A WEEK'S REFLECTIONS '[raiin Camp? 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 newpaper. All rights of republication of all other matters herein also reserved. Entered at the Post Office at Ann Arbor, Michigan, as second class mal matter. Subscriptions during the regular school year by carrier $4.00; by mail, $4.50. AEPRESENTED FOR NATIONAL ADVERTISING BY National Advertising Service, Inc., College Publishers Repiresenitative 420 MADISON AVE. ' NEW YORK. N.Y. rHICAGO * BOSTON * LOS ANdELES * SAN FRANCISCO Member, Associated Collegiate Press, 1940-41 Editorial Staff Hervie Haufler Alvin Sarasohn Paul M. Chandler Karl Kessler Milton Orshefsky Howard A. Goldman Laurence Mascott Donald Wirtchafter Esther Osser Helen Corman Managing Editor Editorial Director City Editor Associate Editor Associate Editor Associate Editor Associate Editor . Sports Editor S . . . omen'sEditor . . . . Exchange Editor By HERVIE HAUFLER and ALVIN SARASOHN SO TODAY our names return to the masthead. We have had a week's vacation - enforced and without pay, and we return to work duly chastised and penitent for our well-publicized sins. We haven't been idle, even though we were off the payroll. A lot of things have happened, and no one can keep our brain cells from working, suspension or no suspension. Most important local event to think about was, of course, the disciplinary action against the American Stu- dent Union. NOW we want to make it clear from the first that we feel no more friendly toward the ASU than toward the Michigan Party. If any group on this campus has any clearer right to be sore at the ASU than we of The Daily have, we would like to know about it. With the ASU out of the way our job should be a comparative snap. No more will we have to wonder about how much of their voluminous, and very often cogent, letters we can run without leaving ourselves open to charges of discrimination. No longer will we have to try to foresee whom this charge will upset or that one enrage. Without the ASU there is a slim possibility that one day someone besides us will realize that The Daily is not a Red sheet. But despite these things we don't like to see the ASU go. We are apprehensive about some- thing we like to call The Great Oneness - the reduction of all viewpoints to one common de- nominator, the cancellation of checks and ob- stacles, the streamlining of all America into one pattern of unquestioning thought. We pull the big volume of 1917 Dailies out of the files and look at the yellowed pages, see how students were quieted, professors ejected. And we wonder. It is clear to us that there is a very sharp difference of attitude among the disciplinarians in this case. Some of the principles involved are apparently sincere in saying that they are not motivated by the ASU's radical policies. The only indictment they make is that the ASU has broken University regulations and must be chas- tised. They would put the Michigan Party on probation if it pulled the same type of shady tricks and if its finances were equally as shaky.l Others were manifestly out to get the American Student Union because it is radical. THE ONE VIEWPOINT we can condone, with reservations; the second we firmly and hotly oppose -not because we are radicals, not be- cause we are bedfellows of the ASU, but because we believe there can still be tolerance here and because we think this is a hell of a time to start knocking down opposition that may be just as right as you are. We don't think an organization ought to be excused or propped up simply because it expresses the opposite, checking side of the case. If the ASU is guilty of misconduct, all right. But if any part of the reason for the ASU's emasculation lies in the fact that af gang of reactionary Red-baiters saw in America's present fifth-column jitters a, chance to clean out the opposite camp and remove these "annoyances" and deterrents, then we are so opposed that we could gladly get hoarse arguing about it. We personally believe in America First in- stead of William Allen White. To the Stop- Hitler, DL .d - A ,- i, y - Aiding -the -Allies forces, we are already dangerous and annoying heretics. How long will it be before we are liquidated so that The Great Oneness can roll a little faster? What infractions are we guilty of, so that the zealots can (just supposing this is the process followed) thrust them before the disinterested but strict disciplinarians and say, "Do your duty"? We look at the files of 1917. They tell us a lot. * ** AS FOR our own personal case, we are intrigued with the idea that right now we could be the Messiahs for another "academic freedom" campaign if we had wanted it. We could be carrying on the torch of the Case of the Nine Students. If we had accepted the offers, we would probably be trying to find a Masonic Temple or a wind-swept baseball field where we could hold a protest meeting. What irks us about all this is that it had to happen at all. Right at present we have no de- sire to get our names into print except when we sign a Daily editorial according to the dictates of that little box under the masthead. We think it was unnecessary for this business to have been dragged outside the Publications Building and served up to fact-manglers who managed to work up all sorts of misstatements that didn't help us or the University. The Associated Press quotes Dean Bursley as saying this was a matter of "negligence and bad judgement". To us that word "negligence" has a harsh ring that we don't believe we deserve. If we had never read the letter, did not know what was going into The Daily, we would gladly have admitted negligence. But we read it, com- pared it with that first letter from the conserva- tive Judiciary Council (which owes just as many apologies as we or the ASU, but which has not been forced, or even asked, to make them) and decided it was only fair to give the ASU as much freedom as possible. The earlier letter by the Judiciary Committee which assumed that the nine students were dismissed last summer be- cause of their political affiliations, had aroused no protest. However, we agree now that it was a mistake in tact to permit such unjustifiable attacks - of either group - to be printed in The Daily. We are continually being lulled into the idea that a letter box is a letter box and not an editorial column, and now we must realize that many people do not recognize the difference. EAN BURSLEY told us he believed the AP misquoted that line about "negligence". It it difficult, however, to right these mistakes. We say these things not out of resentment toward the Board. We know these men and respect them very much. Our only hope is that. if a similar case comes up, they will learn from their mistakes in handling this one. Maybe we can forget the whole business and get back to work. - 4 KID AD( JOHNITL )LF l Y I~l ". c a,.5 w, r.~~ ..,,, + "Y... a Business Staff Business Manager . Assistant Business Manager Women's Business Manager . Women's Advertising Manager Irving Guttman Robert Gilmour Helen Bohnsack Jane Krause NIGHT EDITOR: GERALD E. BURNS The editorials published in The Michi- gan Daily are written by members of The Daily staff and represent the views of the writers only. How Self-Sufficient Is America? .. IN YEARS OF INSECURITY, the American people have made much ado about the problem of American self-suffi- ciency. They have been taught to believe that, among the nations of the world, the United States is the only one able, in an extreme emei gency, to throw a non-intercourse wall around its shores and to provide for all its needs sans external aid or cooperation. But, when the facts are examined, such a belief is seen to be mere grasping at pro erred straws. Even admitting that the United States is a country peculiarly blest with an abundance of varied resources and is self-sustaining to a de- gree not approached by any other nation in the world, it cannot follow that the United States is a country completely self-sufficient; for the technology of modern industry has assumed an extrnely complex nature. So complex has tech- nology become today that it would be ludicrous for any modern nation even to attempt self- sufficiency measures. The demand created by industry for materials places on a single coun- try a burden too great to be borne without out- side help. The United States is no exception. MANY ARE THE STUDIES that have been made on the subject of American raw-materi- al deficiencies, all with a view toward upholding the self-sufficiency theory. Let us consider the methods suggested for getting at this problem of increasing our production in a time of crisis. First, there is the "stock pile" idea. This simply means storing up materials in times of peace with an outlook toward the future. But, since goods are known to be relatively perishable, it is doubtful whether we could stock pile for a very long period of time. Another plan that has been urged concerns itself with developing those deficiency resources within the United States and adapting tropical crops to the temperate ;zone environment of America. Yet minerals either ocu ord6''not occur within a country's bounds; and experience has already shown that crops do not just adapt themselves to a new climate. Recognizing this, , our analysts have come up with the "substitutes policy" proposal which is even now being prac- ticed somewhat. Develop substitutes to take the place of those products in which we are de- ficient, is the kernel of their argument. Such a policy, however, would take both time and a great deal of money. The chances are strong also that the substitute product would be inferior to the original. We are making syn- thetic rubber today with a considerable measure of success but we still are not sure that it can satisfy all the requirements for rubber use. Our experimentation has shown that we can produce synthetic rubber at a cost varying from thirty- two to forty-eight cents a pound. British Ma- laya, on the other hand, can produce the real rubber for six cents a pound. THE TIME OBJECTION to the "substitutes policy" comes into sharp focus when we dis- cover that our present annual synthetic rubber capacity can only keep us going for a period of three weeks. We have to build up that capaity - which is no mean trick. And, a last objection. If we were to build a aviat nw svnthetic rbhhr indstry we would _L. _ ____ ____ ... .. THE REPLY CHURLISH By TOUCHSTONE I QUOTE FIRST from a carbon copy of a letter sent to the editor of a literary magazine at another and smaller school by Dr. Frank E. Rob- bins in answer to an earlier letter from the editor asking to exchange copies with Michigan's literary publication. Dr. Robbins says he has referred the matter to the editor of Perspectives. "This," he goes on, "is the nearest thing we have at present to a student literary magazine at the University of Michigan. It appears four or five times a year as a supplement to the Sunday Michigan Daily, and is the present-day progeny of a long line of ancestors which in years past have died from various causes, mostly natural." The second sentence is a sad but all too true story. But, Dr. Robbins, how should I construe that "nearest thing which we have at present?" Because I have gone through stacks of beauti- fully printed, handsomely bound literary maga- zines, quite obviously aided financially by the small schools where they are published, and the quality of writing in these typographically praiseworthy efforts is far below that which :seems to be more or less taken for granted in Perspectives. The Hopwood awards have drawn to this campus many writers with far more talent than is common among student theme writers or the devotees of the personal essay commonly called "writers" by their fond professors and their easily impressed classmates. I think Per- spectives, "the nearest thing which we have to a student literary magazine" here is also probably the best student literary magazine in the country. Hypothetically let's put it this way. A large state university, called by some "the Harvard of the Middle West", but with a cultural indi- viduality of its own, offering to the growing literary movement of this region prizes amount- ing to ten thousand dollars a year for creative writing, publishes five times a year on cheap pulp news stock paper, in seven-point type, the type used for regular news columns, a literary magazine, distributed free as a supplement to the college newspaper, just as the college news- paper also distributes free supplements on fash- ions and travel. The staff of the magazine is not paid, there is no room for advertising in the twelve pages which are expected to contain a fair selection of short stories, essays, poetry and reviews of important books done by a cam- pus which is probably the most writing-con- scious in America, perhaps with the exception of Columbia University and the University of prone to despise anything that's free. On the{ other hand, past flops of Michigan literary maga- zines, "ancestors which in years past have died from various causes, mostly natural," would indicate that there is always needed financial aid for a serious publication. But when you say "nearest thing we have," smile, Dr. Robbins, for the failure lies not with Perspectives nor with standards of writing here at the University. Always hypothetically. AS ALWAYS, too much to say, and not enough room to say, it, so I'll finish off with the columnist's last resort, rambling notes. The Daily has adopted for the time being a small puppy, of indiscriminate ancestrage, known td the dot- ing journalists, their hardened faces lighting up with a strange sentiment, as "Typo." All regular functions of the fast-paced newspaper staff have been throw into disorder by the less regular func- tions of this latest addition or edition to or of the paper as the case may be . . . . In today's paper, the sports staff is putting out the women's page, and the women's staff is putting out the sports page, and if you love me like I love you, and isn't life just too cute when you have bore- dom thrust upon you. Insanity indeed; we are merely tired . . . . Special note to G. H. Smith, ghost writer, 130 Morningside Drive, New York, N. Y. Dear Mr. Smith, if I may call you such. Received your postcard in re did I want you to write anything for me. Hell no, Mr. Smith. Will not "Save!" nor "File!" your communication. Warning to all who are blearily considering do- ing business with Mr. Smith. One trusting stu- dent at an Eastern college handed in a sociology paper, written in the inimitable style of ghost writer Smith. Result, student nearly thrown out on his ear, student asked ungently to take course again, tears, mental distress for student. Cause, four other duplicates of paper handed in by members of same class. . . Mike Dann received a package in the mail recently. In it, a severed and well preserved animal tail. *The note with it said "For your information this is the only kind of a tail (tale) a rat should carry. Sirs- cerely." Note unsigned. For information of person who sent tail, tail is that of a muskrat. Mike is tracing down sender through zoology department. Watch out. So long until soon. Froslh Grow Shorter This Year DRAMA From the smirking oriental-harem opening chorus to the vegetable bou- quets presented at the final curtain, this year's Union Opera "Take A Number" kept its first night audience in an acceptable quota of stitches- and the laughs, after all, are the measure of its success. Handicapped first of all by an ex- tremely short rehearsal period which was evidenced last night in the Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre by an unpro- fessional production, "Take A Num- ber" gained pace as it proceeded and succeeded in giving the campus something different in entertainment. When football players went sexy with suggestive slithers and startling songs, the University's male contingent en- joyed howling at their peculiar bro- ther counterparts, and coeds sheep- ishly acknowledged the feminine an- tics with applause. It is apparently a fact that all a union opera needs is an all-male cast to go over. This year's production bettered last ,eason's "Four Out of Five" for the most part in the music. Two of the .ongs in particular rate Hit Parade selection, "Your Page In My Mem'- rie's Is"Blue" and "A Dream And IL" Chan Pinney, the male lead, put them over with engaging histrionics, aid- ed in the background by 'girly leg lines,' which even though they did lack "Four Out Of Five's" origina dance routines, made up for it with more precision and grace. A great improvement in the whole show would have been the injection of more enthusiasm in the cast itself, for more than one scene lacked life and more than one line failed to click thanks to "dead-pan" expressions. It is to be hoped that this failing was merely an all-round' attack of first night jitters. It is also to be hoped that something can be done for future performances about a corny pit or- chestra., The only actual touches of musical comedy polish, which usually dis- tinguishes Harvard's Hasty Pudding Show and Penn's Mask And Wig pro- ductions, were added by the Varsity Men's Glee Club, a well-trained, smoothly performing outfit, and by Bob Lewis, a Groucho Marx-like com- edian who seemed to have stepped out of the old vaudeville days with his professional leers and Jerry Colona singing antics. However, even more than adequate costumes and scenery could not tem- per the opera's worst fault-and that was its unforgivable length. And to praise where praise is due "Take A Number" presented a goo musical comedy plot embellished wit well-directed continuity and excel- lently cast actors. It is a show worth2 seeing. More than that, if the Mimes production committees can rectif3 its mistakes in show of undue lengt (which characterized last year's opera also), inadequate preparation anc amateurish assembling, the Unior nn~o wll l-, Pwrihnrneservin From the opening pulse of the Leo- nore overture, the audience at Hill seemed to sense that it was in for an unusually inspired performance. Koussevitzky swept the orchestra up to a pitch which it never left through- out the concert. He demonstrated finger-tip control over precision and dynamics, and that control hardly wavered ali night. Suffice to say that it was performed beautifully. Beethoven's Fourth Symphony, which followed was given a superb interpretation. Movement followed movement in perfect cohesion, the stirring first giving way to the warm, lovely melody of the second, that melting into the stronger allegro vi- vace, the whole nicely summed up in the last. Then came a truly monumental work, one so much so, that we felt the adjective had been wrongly be- stowed on the majority of symphonic works that have found their ways in- to the concert hall. Shostakovitch's Fifth symphony is a very different work, and, for all it is not the conventional type of thing, was exceedingly well received. Its unusual, heavy orchestration, (shades of Hector Berlioz) and light- ning changes of rhythm, dynamics, and color, must have produced on some ears the sensation of wild dis- order. That is not the case at all. We found it very coherent, very musi- cal, and well balanced. It is a piece of tremendous im- pulse, teeming with strong life. It demanded, and Veceived, the entire attention of the audience. It was marvelous music, splendidly interpre- ted and performed by a group of the finest musicians in the country. -K.K. . MUSIC DAILY OFFICIAL BULLETIN (Continued from Page 2) Those men who have not turned in1 their eligibility cards will be droppedt from the roll, as will those men who have had three or more unexcused absences. Al-Thaqafa Society will presentI Mrs. Howell Taylor, formerly resident in the Near East, speaking on "Sec- ond World War from the Dardanelles to the Suez," tonight at 8:00 in the Rackham Amphitheatre. The meet- ing is open to the public. Michigan Sailing Club: First meet- ing Winter Lecture Series. Subject: "Basic Definitions and Principles of Sailing." All sailors welcome. Michi- gan Union, 7:30 tonight. Ann Arbor Independents will meet today at 4:45 p.m. in the League. All members please attend. Very important. Phi Kappa Phi semi-annual dinner and initiation of candidates will be in the Ethel Fountain Hussey Room of the Michigan League tonight at 6:15. Professor Mischa Titiev of the Department of Anthology will talk on "The Hopi-A Peaceful People." Reservations still available. The Young People's Socialist League will meet today at 4:30 p.m. in Room 302 of the Michigan Union. Everybody is welcome: Seminar in the Bible meets today at 4:30 p.m. in Lane Hall. J.G.P. Central Committee will meet todav at 5 o'clock in the Council Hillel Institute of Jewish Studies: The class in Marriage and the Family will be held tonight at 8:00 p.m. at the Hillel Foundation., The regular Thursday afternoon "P.M." will be held at the Hillel Foun- dation this afternoon from 4:00 to 6:00. All Hillel members and friends are cordially invited to attend. Garden Section, Faculty Women's Club will meet at 2:30 p.m. today in the Michigan League Garden Room. Mrs. E. B. Mains will give a talk and demonstration of making Christmas decorations. The Interior Decorating Group of the Faculty Women's Club will meet today at 3:00 p.m. at the League. Mr. Perrine of Nielsen's will give a demonstration lecture on Christmas decorations. Coming Events, The Research Club will meet Wed- nesday, Dec. 18, at 8:00 p.m. in the Amphitheatre of the Rackham Build- ing. The following papers will be read: "Plant Hormones," by Prof. Felix G. Gustafson. "The Origins of a National Net- work of Railroads in France from 1833 to 1852," by Prof. Arthur L. Dunham. Coffee Hour will be held Friday, 4:00-5:30 p.m., at Lane Hall. All students are welcome. Art Cinema League: Tickets for the new series are on sale at the Union, League, Wahr's and Ulrich's. The first feature in this eie is