THE MICHIGAN DAILY
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Letters To The Editor
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-a- --n MAff~tOf1AMWMxnww7Fu4Efrr N/IO ..s.. r e
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NIGHT EDITOR: ROBERT MANTHO
The editorials published in The Michigan
Daily are written by members of The Daily
staff and represent the views of the writers
only.
Mineapolis Trial
Raises Sedition Issue-
"
THE PEOPLE of the United States,
poised precariously over the brink
ofrtotal war to preserve democracy and freedom
throughout the world, were confronted recently
with a, startling incident which casts grave
doubt on the extent to which they themselves
possess these cherished gifts.
Of the 23 defendants in the Minneapolis "se-
dition" trial-the first peace-time federal prose-
cution of this nature in over a century-18 were
convicted !of "conspiracy to create insubordina-
tion in the armed forces of the government," al-
though all were acquitted of the charge of sedi-
tious conspiracy. The defendants were members
of the Teamsters' Union, Local544, CIO, many of
them also belonging to the Trotskyist Socialist
Workers Party. The indictments were based on
the recently passed Smith Act which makes it
criminal merely to express an "opinion" as to
the "propriety" of overthrowing the government
by force ahd violence, and on Section 6, Title 18
of the United States Criminal Code, the estab-
lished law against overt acts calculated to over-
throw the government by force.
Not since the regime of the Federalist John
Adams, when the Alien and Sedition Acts were
passed (only to be repealed at the outset of Jef-
ferson's administration), have Americans been
subjected to such an outrageous attempt at the
denial of freedom of expression. It is all the
more ironic when one considers that the United
States is at this moment marshalling all her
forces in the name of freedom and democracy.
IN EVALUATING the specific grounds which
the government had for their accusatiois,
we can consider the charge of "conspiracy to
create insubordination in the armed forces," on
which the 18 were convicted, together with the
charge of seditious conspiracy, because, firstly,
although the defendants were acquitted of this
latter charge it is sufficiently significant that
the charge was made at all, and, secondly, the
grounds-or lack of them-for both accusations
were the same.
In the first place, the only overt act of any
sort charged against the defendants was the
organization of the Union Defense Guard to pro-
tect themselves against threatened attacks not-
ably on the part of the fascistic Silver Shirts
and against the recurrence of actual vigilante
attacks peon unions in other parts of the coun-
try during the summer of 1938. The prosecu-
tion's accusation that the Defense Guard was
an instrument to be used to effect the violent
overthrow of the government is fantastic.
Secondly, the only other basis for any of the
prosecution's charges was merely the expressed
opinion of the Socialist Workers Party. This
condemnation of opinion in itself constitutes a
flagrant violation of the freedom of expression
guaranteed by the Bill pf Rights, and at least
one person engaged in the prosecution of the
case is willing to admit, "off the record," that
the Smith Act may be unconstitutional. But,
beyond this, these very claims as to the attitude
of the Trotskyists are fallacious, as they advo-
cate, not the violent overthrow of the govern-
ment, put the education of the majority of the
people to their economic and social views.
THE VERY CIRCUMSTANCES leading to the
indictments are of a very shady nature. To
escape the threatened .exercise of influence of
AFC Repudiated ...
"WlE can never develop a united action in peace
or war by accusations that develop hatred
and bitterness among the groups or races that
united together to make this nation a great de-
mocracy." With these words Edward L. Ryer-
son, board chairman of Inland Steel, resigned
from the AMERICA FIRST COMMITTEE just
one week after Charles A. Lindbergh's anti-.
semitic speech in Des Moines, September 11.
This is nt the only repudiation of the
AMERICA FIRST COMMITTEE. In St. Louis
several prominent members of the AFC have
announced their resignations. Dr. Charles Flei-
scher, former editor of the New York American'
quit the executive committee of the New York
chapter with the 'charge that the "sinister na-
ture" of the behind-the-scene forces influenc-
ing the national body "plainly menaces our
American democracy." In a letter to John T.
Flynn, chairman of the chapter, Fleischer
wrote," . . . specifically, I refer to the recent
un-American statements of Charles A. Lind-
bergh (which naturally outrages the feelings
of Americans of Jewish background and shocked
the sentiments of other countless millions of
Americans.) Also I refer to the threat toward
America involved in the numbers and in the
increasing influence of the followers of Cough-
lin and hate-breeding elements who represent a
growing power in the ranks and in the activities
of AMERICA FIRST."
AS the voice of the AFC, Lindbergh is work-
ing for a Hitler victory and calls upon the
many sincere American isolationists to support
him. By resorting to the Nazi method of anti-
semitism, he is creating the basis for internal
strife and racial hatred. Few members of the
Committee seem to know that their organiza-
tion has become the machinery of the Nazis,
Fascists, Bundists and Coughlinites. Joe Mc-
Williams, street hoodlum and follower of Father
Coughlin, who has openly called for pogroms in
America, recently said, "Lindbergh is on our
side. We must not hinder him." Originally
formed by American isolationists the AFC has
become the center for the pro-Axis elements.
Many organizations throughout the land have
called for a, Congressional investigation of the
AFC. It is my opinion that the students of the
University should join in the effort. The Student
Senate, as the representative body of our school,
should consider the possibility of a resolution
that would endorse the call for the investiga-
tion, and if passed, a copy should be sent to the
President and our legislator. Since the Senate
has undertaken several projects for the purpose
of building morale and unity in the present
emergency, a resolution of this kind would be a
continuation of its policy. - Harry Stutz, Grad.
~DRAMA
O ANYONE who eijoys the symbolism of
Maeterlinck, The Blue Bird offers every-
thing. To anyone who regards fantasy and all
its attendant hocus-pocus as "kid stuff," the
play offers nothing. Coming so soon after an-
other symbolic effort, your reviewer wonders
what spirit has seized the Play Production
staff this year. However, it must be realized that
Jim Dandy was a something out of the ordin-
ary, and that The Blue Bird is a play admirably
adapted for the Christmas season.' Al this
Joy Month propaganda has not fallen on dead
ears.
The play itself presents countless production
difficulties, the most outstanding of which is the -
handling of a huge cast. The costuming and
staging of the play is no easy job. The pageantry
of the production is important. Although the
play lapses frequently into a Children's Theatre
atmosphere, it presents an excellent example of
what Play Production can do with something
stupendous.
THE CASTING of the leading roles was ex-
cellent. Jim Bob Stephenson and Mildred
Jansch are Tyltyl and Mytyl, whose adventures
transport the audience into the land of make-
believe. They are competent, but the real laurels
go to the group of players in the comedy roles.'
Harry Altman gives the most outstanding per-
formance in the play as dough-faced Bread.
Dick Strain as Sugar does a remarkable bit of
pantomime work. Johnny Baker as Milk strikes
the audience between the eyes with her famous
line, "I think I'm going to turn." Donald Dia-
mond is sufficiently agile and mock-ferocious as
Tylo, the Dog. Betty Jane Schumann slinks
around and gives an insidious portrayal of the
Cat. Helen Rhodes is beautiful as Light, and
Herb London, excellent as Father Time. Mar-
garet and Sue Cotton are more than competent
as the fairy, Berylune, and Night.
WHEN. THE LAST word has been written on
The Blue Bird, however" it will never rank
as anything more than an interesting example
of Maeterlinck's symbolism. It is unfortunate
for the audience's sake that something a little
more substantial was not chosen to express the
Christmas spirit. -Bob Shedd
the Trotskyist-controlled local was the princi-
pal reason for the government's starting action
are the very words of Acting Attorney-General
Biddle, who said "The principal"basis for the
prosecution is found in the Declaration of Prin-
ciples adopted by the Socialist Workers Party . .
." and, most significantly, "If . . . the U.S.
Government enters a, new war, the Socialist
Workers Party will not, under any circum-
stances, support that wr but will, on the con-
New Deal Dictatorship?
To the Editor:
TUESDAY NIGHT Lewis Browne and Sinclair
Lewis gave a brilliant and penetrating analy-
sis of prospects for fascism in this country. They
enumerated the arguments on both sides. But
they did not penetrate far enough to see the real
danger. The real danger to our democracy lies
in a coming dictatorship under Roosevelt and
the New Deal after they succeed in pushing us
into this war. Ever since the New Deal has come
into office, it has created crisis after crisis, tak-
ing advantage of each to grab more power for
itself. It has nevernrelinquished any of its
power. It has constantly sought more, until it
made 'itself powerful enough to force America
into a war it did not want. Who would have
thought three years ago that the Administration,
even with the aid of the Anglophiles and the
Refugees, could compel the whole nation to say,
"What's the use?" Today we see our friends,
our acquaintances, strangers we meet on the
street, all joining in the chorus of resignation
and despair. But the realization has not yet
dawned on them that this one defiance of the
tiemocratic process is part of a trend. They
still consider it one isolated, but important, inci-
dent. When they come to place it in its true
perspective, then they will awake to the fact
. that it can happen here.
Were there none who saw democracy slipping
from us? Yes-but the minority which has been
fomenting war hatred for over two years has
managed to discredit those who have foreseer
the danger. They have split the forces opposed
to war into fragments. The press, movies, and
radio-logically for war-have so warped the
public conscience that the greatest lies meet
with little .more than resignation. That is the
key to the whole situation: America has resigned
herself to the forces of dictatorship. And the
New Deal is forging out of this resignation a
very real dictatorship.
THE EAGLE will be our emblem, red, white
and blue our colours, the Star Spangled Ban-
ner and God Bless America our hymns: but the
government will tell the people, the people won't
tell the government. Historians, viewing these
times with perspective, will say, "The thirties
prepared the way for dictatorship, the forties
consolidated and perpetuated it."
--Tom Johnson
The Reply Churlish
by TOUCHSTONE
N OW comes the season of the, evergreens and
sleigh bells and if our luck holds out, maybe
some snow too. As those of you who were
around last year may remember, I am a sucker
for Christmas. It makes me, and it makes al-
most everybody, feel pretty good, even if only
for a few days. How the world suddenly gets
feeling sort of decent and human again, with
even the bombers taking a rest, and with city
people smiling at one another for no good rea-
son, I can't explain, but that's the way it is. We
are all still pagans enough to want our fete
days, and certainly we are all still kids enough
to enjoy receiving gifts. But as I get older, and
I figure this goes for most of you, I find in-
creasingly .that I already have several sets of
shirt studs, plenty of handkerchiefs, a toy train
and soldiers-and so most of the kick I get out
of Christmas comes from giving, a phenomenon
I was never able to understand in my parents
until my beard began to want shaving every
other day or so.
All of which leads into something pretty nice
on the local Christmas planning front. The new
Christmas Bureau has come forward with a plan
for this Christmas and subsequent Christmases
or however you spell it, that sounds awfully good
to me.
THE WHOLE PLAN centers around a sort of
keep-open-charity-out-of-the-picture idea.
Which for my money is the best answer to the
question of what real charity is that I've ever
heard. What the Christmas Bureau people want
to do is let the parents of kids who might not
have much Christmas, do the giving themselves.
Kids not being quite the insensitive little urchins
they are shown as in the funny papers; it seems
a much nicer gesture to do away with getting
them all together at a party, impressing them
with the fact that they are unfortunates, and
then handing them out a stocking full of candy,
fruit and nuts. Not that I have ever objected to
the Christmas parties around here or anywhere
else. They come from a very real feeling that
every kid in the wor'ld is entitled to a good time
at least once a year.
BUT now/I think a better plan is here, and I'd
like to see it put into effect. Several campus
groups are already making plans for a kid party.
The only change which the Christmas Bureau
asks is that instead of inviting the kids to the
party, and so, however good your intentions
may be, putting a slight element of patronage
into the whole affair, you bring gifts, or better
still, some stray cash to the party, kick in, and
turn it all over to the Bureau. At the Bureau's
offices in the Chamber of Commerce is a com-
plete file of all the families in the county who
need some help. And, there are also records of
just exactly what it is the kids in these families
would like most of all to get for Christmas.
That's why the Bureau wants cash as well as
other gifts. If a kid wants a pair of roller skates
more than anything in the world, he'll get those
skates. And he'll !get them from his own folks.
Sure he'd be happy to receive a box of candy.
Drew Pearsoi
RobertS Ale
~GO$9
WASHINGTON-Senator Tom
Connally has not wanted to throw
any monkey wrenches into the
"peace" negotiations with Japan, so
has kept quiet the fact that his For-
eign Relations Committee has some
startling evidence on Japanese sub-
versive activities.
Submitted by Senator Guy Gillette
of Iowa, author of the bill for a
probe of these operations, the evi-
dence reveals that while Special En-
voy Kurusu has been talking amity,
agents of his government'have been
organizing a secret pro-Axis army in
the United States and Hawaii.
Gillette claims to have proof that
two organizations have a group of
7,200 adherents, chiefly in California
and Hawaii. They are pledged to
"die for apan." Also he has evidence
that all three organizations are carry-
ing on activities hostile to our na-
tional defense and have raised con-
siderable sums for the Japanese army
and navy.
A recent FBI raid on the headquar-
ters of two other Japanese organiza-
tions in Los Angeles produced records
showing that large amounts of money
had been sent to Tokyo for the mli-
tary forces.
Gillette also has evidence that Jap-
anese-Americans who refuse to join
the fifth column units are told that
bodily harm will be done to their
relatives in Japan. One method used
to get recruits for the secret army is
to "register" men of military age.
Recently the Japanese Consul Gen-
eral inH olulu sent a notice to men
of Japanese descent ordering them to
register "for deferment" under the
Japanese draft law.
The order warned that anyone fail-
ing to register would be punished as
a "violator of the (Imperial) con-
scription law"
Note: Prominent Japnese-Ameri-
cns, 100 percent loyal to the United
States, are fiercely 'opposing these
subsersive activities. Shuji Fui, edi-
tor of a Pacific Coast Japanese news-
paper, urges "immediate action by
the United States government to rout
out organizations and propagandists
seeking to promote the pro-Nazi ele-
ments among us, such as the Jap-
anese Military SeIvicemen's League."
John L. Lewis'
Ald The Devil
One of John L. Lewis' greatest
passions is dramatics. He loves to
quote Shakespeare, Milton, other:
famous masters.
Declaiming before the United Mine
Workers' Policy Committee during
the captive mine negotiations, Lewis
interlarded a blast at Eugene Grace
of Bethlehem Steel with this excerpt
from Milton's immortal "Paradise
Lost"-
"Whence and what art thou, ex-
ecrable shape, that darest, though
grim and terrible, advance -thy1
miscreated front athwart my way'
to yonder gates? Through them Ij
mean to pass, that be assured,
without leave askt of thee."
The quotation is from Book 2, line
681, and thereafter. What Lewis
didn't tell his listeners was that thei
"shape" is Death; the "gates" are
those of Hell; and the speaker so
enthusiastically quoted by John L.1
is - Satan.
Defense Hits Congress
Congress has had a first-hand dose
of the brand of defense priority medi-J
eine which has gagged so many busi-
ness firms. Also it has had a close-up
of defense bungling.
Last summer, Congress voted a new'
restaurant for the House Office
Building. It was to open by Novem-
ber 1. However, due to an amazing3
blunder by the OPM Priorities Divi-1
*sion, the lunchroom won't be ready
until about January 1, two months
behind time. 1
In September a New York contrac-
tor, hired to install sandwich grills,
steam tables and other facilities in
the new restaurant, applied to the
OPM for a priority rating on the
iron and steel needed for the job.
Getting no reply for several weeks,
he wtote again.
Finally, on October 20, he received
a letter which caused him to blink.
It stated in effect: "We regret to
inform you that your application has
been denied. We feel that the res-
taurant in the New York House of
Representatives will be able to get
along with its present equipment."
The stunned contractor rushed
down to Washington and took the
matter up with David Lynn, archi-
tect of the Capitol. Lynn promptly
contacted Priorities Chief Donald
Nelson, who'apologetically issued the
needed priority order.
lot of groups have already lined up
with the Bureau. Those of you who
want to help, and help in the way that
gives the most satisfaction to the
crazy but wonderful dreams of a kid,
C*414
k; -
"I should think Junior would have a little time for us on first
furlough instead of rushing off to see that silly blonde!"
/III Y k
GRIN AND BEAR IT ByLichty
. *
DAILY OFFICIAL BULLETIN
.
_,
(Continued from Page 2)
4:15 p.m. in the Kellogg Auditorium.
The public is cordially invited.
University Lecture: Professor R. C.1
Bald of Cornell University will lec-
ture on the subject, "The Poet and his'
Reading: John Donne," under the
auspices of the English Language and]
Literature, on Monday, Dec. 8, at
4:15 p.m. in the Rackham Amphi-
theatre. The public is cordially in-,
vited.
Lecture: Father D'Arcy, Jesuit
scholar, lecturer in Thomistic phil-
osophy at the University of Oxford,
and Master of Campion Hall, Oxford,
will be the second speaker in the se-,
ries of lectures on "The Failure of
Skepticism" in the Rackham Lecturej
Hall on Friday, December 5, ;at 8:15
p.m. The series is sponsored jointly
by the Newman Club, Hillel Founda-1
tion, and Inter-Guild and is open to]
the public.
Events Today
Social Service Seminar: A panel
consisting of Mr. Alex Linn Trout,1
Executive Secretary of the Citizens'
Housing and Planning Colncil of
Detroit and consultant for the State
Planning Committee and the National
Resources Planning Board, Irs. Finer
of the Ypsilanti Council of Socialg
Agencies, and Mr. Moore of the Ann1
Arbor Council of Social Agencies,1
will answer specific questions con
cerning the social problems arising
from the building of the Ypsilanti
bomber plant at the ieeting of the
Social Service Seminar today at '7:30,
'p.m. in Lane Hall. The meeting thisl
week will be open to any interested
students, faculty, and townspeople.1
The Society of Automotive Engi-
neers will present a Babcock & Wil-
cox Lecture, "Modern Boiler Manu-
facturing," today at 7:30 p.m. in the]
\Rackham Amphitheatre. A represen-
tative of the B&W Company will be;
present. Members of the AmericanR
Society of Mechanical Engineers will
be the guests of the S.A.E. All engi-
neers are invited.-
A Board of Naval Medical Examin-
ers for the physical examination of
candidates for appointment in the]
United States Naval Reserve (En-
gineering Specialist Branch) will
meet at the Naval ROTC Headquar-;
ters, North Hall, between 9:00 a.m.
and 5:00 p.m. today. In order to avoid
congestion and delay, telephone Ext.;
396 for an appointment.1
La Sociedad Hispanica will present
a movie in colors on Guatemala to-
day at 8:00 p.m. in the League. All
students and faculty are cordially in
vited. See Bulletin in League for
Room Number.
Graduate Tea Dance: An informal
tea dance and social hour will be held
today, 4:00-6:00 p.m.; in the Assembly
Hall of the Rackham Building. Re-
freshments. All graduates and faculty
invited. Dates optional. No charge.
Zoological Movies will be shown in
the Natural Science Auditorium today
at 4:0 p.m. Open to all interested.
"The Blue Bird" by Maurice Mae-
terlinck will be presented tonight
through Saturday night at 8:30 as
the Christmas offering of Play Pro-
duction of the Department of Speech.
The box-office of the Mendelssohn
Theatre will be oen from 10:00 a.m.
to 8:30 p.i. this week. For reserva-
tions, call 6300.P
Play Production Season Ticket
viewed by the Judiciary Committee in
the, Undergraduate Office of the
Michigan League this afternoon be-
tween 3:00 and 5:30. Seniors must
bring their eligibility cards.
Jewish-Gentile Relations Seminar:
The Jewish-Gentile Relations Semi-
nar will meet this evening at 7:30 in
Lane Hall.
JGP Dance Committee tryouts to-
day, Alcorn-Levy, from four to six in
the League. Tomorrow, Mahlman-
Young.
Rendezvous Reunion: Freshmen
and counselors at the Student Relig-
ious Association's Freshman Rendez-
vous this fall are invited to a reunion
tea in the Library at Lane Hall today
from 4:00 to 6:00.
JGP Publicity Committee meeting
today in the League. All girls who
have signed up and any others that
may be interested come promptly at
4:30. Room will be posted.
Michigan Dames Child Study Group
will meet today at 8:00 p.m. at the
University Elementary School.
Bridge Tournament: The seventh
in the regular series of Duplicate
Bridge tournaments will be held to-
night in the concourse of the League
from 7:15 until 11:00. Prizes are of-
fered. Students, faculty and towns-
people are invited.
Coming Events
All R.O.T.C. Seniors, Juniors and
Sophomores of the Provisional Com-
pany. The first field problem will be
held Saturday, December 6. The com-
pany will fall in at 2 p.m. in front of
the West Engineering Annex.
Actuarial students, and other in-
terested mathematics students: The
Maccabees Fraternal Life Insurance
Organization has invited Michigan
students to make a tour of their head
office in Detroit. A trip has been
arranged for the afternoon of Friday,
December 5, and several cars will
be available to take students. These
cars will leave from in front of Angell
Hall at 1:30 p.m. Students may make
reservations for taking this trip by
leaving their name and phone number
with Miss Schwan, 3012 Angell Hall.
There will be a small nominal charge
for expenses. ,
Phi Kappa Phi: The fall initiation
and dinner for new members will be
held Thursday, December 11, at 6:00
p.m. in the Ethel Fountain Hussey
Room of the Michigan League. Prof.
Ivan C. .Crawford, Dean of the Col-
lege of Engineering will give the ad-
dres. All members of Phi Kappa Phi
are invited to attend. Tickets will be
$1.00 plus tax. Reservations may be
made by notifying the Secretary,
Mary C. Van Tuyl,' or by calling Uni-
versity extension 594.
French Round Table: The French
Round Table will meet tomorrow eve-
ning at 8:00 o'clock in Room 23 of the
International Center. -Mrs. Ruth L.
Wendt will speak on "Mon Voyage de
Hongkong a Italie." This will be the
last meeting of the year.
Assembly Scouting Committee: Pe-
titions for chairman must be in by
Friday this week. Interviews will take
place Monday and Tuesday of next
week from 3:30-5:00.
Women's Bowling Tournament: The
schedule of matches in the women's
individual bowling tournament is
posted in the Women's Athletic Build-
ing. The first match must be played
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