PAGE FOUR
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rMURSDAY, MARCH 1S, 1141
Michigan Royalty
E WANT TO BE THERE when some-
body makes a palace out of Yost Field
Douse.
We have been informed that petitions to
elect a king and queen for Michigras have
been circulated to all fraternities, sorori-
ties and dormitories on campus. The
Michigras committee has evidently succeed-
ed in convincing itself that the Michigan
campus is in dire need-of royalty.
Despite the refusal of the Student Af-
fairs Committee to permit campus elec-
tion of a king and queen, the Michigras
committee is still pressing the campaign
in an attempt to win approval from the
Student Legislature and another hearing
by the SAC. We have spent several days
in a futile effort to determine the source
of support and encouragement for the
plan.
The whole issue has been remarkably un-
derstated by one student who said it "seems
rather unimportant". Another student
Editorials published in The Michigan Daily
are written by members of The Daily staff
and represent the views of the writers only.
NIGHT EDITOR: EUNICE MINTZ
voiced opposition to the Michigras plan in
a Daily interview on the grounds that it
might lead to "buying votes and other
graft". Worse than that, we believe, is the
possibility that it might lead to more kings
and queens.
General reactions on campus seems to
range from puzzled dismay to what has been
termed by one observer "a furor of no com-
ment".
Other student comments range from
unenthusiastic reactions to less enthusias-
tic reactions. Typical of the favorable
comments, uncovered by a Daily reporter,
are "it would be rather nice" and "I can't
see how having a king and queen would
cause any harm."
A more radical approach to the question
was indicated by one of the students inter-
viewed who said "I think they ought to do
away with some of the institutions", and
asserted that the barrier to royalty is mere-
ly tradition.
All of which goes to prove that tradition
has its place.
We were a little disappointed, though,
that no one thought of holding a snowman-
building contest here this winter. The pos-
sibilities are tremendous. With spring com-
ing on, however, there are always goldfish.
-John Campbell
No Glamour
THE MICHIGAN COED seems forever
doomed to have no opportunity of pub-
licly disproving the old adage that "Four out
of five women are beautiful . . .
No campus beauty contest will ever
serve as a stepping stone to fame and for-
tune, for a glamorous University coed, as
long-standing policy forbids the exploita-
tion of loveliness and charm for publicity.
Most recent attempts to break with this
tradition have been the Michigras petition-
ing campaign and the censored bathing suit
pictures for a magazine's nationwide, coed
survey.
Greeted by a wave of apathy by every-
one except the Michigras committee which
*feels that "Michigan students want Michi-
gras to have a king and queen", the issue
seems predestined to failure in the Student
Legislature and Student Affairs Committee.
If the regal petition is approved, mere
beauty and good looks will be merely one
requirement for coronation. The more im-
portant angles will be how strong a block
of supporters the candidate can get by the
time-honored method of trading votes or
by inducing votes because "she lives in
my dormitory" or house.
At best a beauty contest's most valuable
function would be as publicity for the event
at hand.
The facts in back of the situation strong-
ly indicate that it should be dropped.
-Gay Larsen
Living Standards
INDUSTRIAL WORKERS throughout the
land are closing ranks in preparation for
a second major post-war battle to force their
living standard up to where it was two years
ago. At this hour, detailed and specific in-
formation concerning the process through
which these workers periodically find them-
selves demanding a new wage raise is signi-
ficant.
In January, Labor Research Association,
IT Sal
:HAPPENS
Ann Arbor Melts
Scene: Unchanged
A STUDENT in our political science class
asked the professor the other morning
what kind of a paper he expected from us.
After a lengthy explanation by the pro-
fessor on how he likes his exam papers writ-
ten, the student said he appreciated the ex-
planation but he meant the term paper.
After the whole class protested that no
paper had been assigned, the student said
meekly: "Oh, I'm sorry, I have three classes
in this room and I get mixed up."
Mix Well and .. .
KEEPING HER SEX eternally feminine.
even to discussing classes, we heard one
coed tell another that her chemistry ex-
periment would have been much more
successful if she had used "just a pinch
of hydrochloric acid" and then a "lot of
nitric acid."
* * *
Scabs' in the Sky
AN IMPORTANT step toward bigger and
better strikes was taken recently by a
New England manufacturer who adopted
the novel scheme of flying raw materials in-
to his plant by helicopter over a picket line.
The next flight operation, according to
company spokesmen, will be flying finished
electrical products out of the factory. It
sounds like a lot of overhead to everyone in-
volved.
We don't know much about. strike tech-
nique, but we wouldn't be surprised if that
little town of New Bedford has a red-hot
dogfight on its hands one of these days.
,i * *
Get Your Scorecard
WE SEE by our Herald Tribune that the
House of Representatives down in
Washington is clapping its page boys into
uniforms.
Reason:people keep confusing the
pages with freshman senators.
Maybe It Isn't
TYE'RE PROBABLY beine as random as a
of New York released figures which includ-
ed indices of the relative position of the pro-
duction worker employed in manufacturing,*
tabulated from 1899, the first year for which
reliable figures are available, through Oc-
tober, 1946. With 1899 as the base year, in-
dex 100, we find that while total production
output rose to an index of 665, total pay-
rolls to an index of 1,373, and real wages per
worker to 168; at the same time, employ-
ment rose to an index of 259, output per
worker to 257, and consumer prices to 316.
As a result, the relative position of the
worker sank from an index of 100 to 65.
That is to say, the worker's share of his
own output in October, 1946, was 65% of
what his share was in 1899.
In 1946, the period most relevant to the
approaching wage conflict, the indices are
even more striking. In February, 1946,
bottom of the reconversion slump, the rel-
ative position of the worker stood at an
index of 70. It had risen to'73 by May,
but it dropped, month by month -- 71,
71, 66, 66 - to 65 in October. Even the
paradox of the 45-year period, in which
the absolute position of the worker rose
while his relative position fell, was ab-
sent in the months of 1946: while the
worker's relative position index dropped
from an index of 70 to 65, real wages per
worker sank from 170 to 169.
Few industrial workers, of course, are
aware of statistics concerning their pro-
duction and their decreasing share in that
production. Their awareness is based on a
more personal index - the quarts 6f milk
on their doorsteps per week, the shoes in
their closets, the suits in their wardrobes,
the meat on their tables. Being a more per-
sonal index, however, it is all the more sig-
nificant to them. These are the fattors
which foment their unified unrest.
* - Figures cover durable and nondurable, con-
sumer and further production, goods, and are
based on statistics drawn from: the Census of
Manufactures, 1899-1939; Federal Reserve Board
index of manufacturing output, 1939 to the
present; Bureau of Labor Statistics index of
production workers pay-rolls, 1939 to the present,
index of wholesale prices, 1899-1913, cost of liv-
ing index, 1913-1939, consumer price index, 1945
to the present.; and War Production Board real
price index, 1939-1944.
-Malcolm T. Wright
STUDENT'S organization has one of two
A fairly well-defined purposes. It exists
either to make the path of learning an eas-
ier one, or to promote a body of specific
political doctrine in which its members are
interested. The first type, of which the In-
ternational Student Service is a good ex-
ample, is necessarily unconcerned with doc-
trine. Its purpose is to provide relief, to
pool information, to arrange exchange of
visits. It pays no attention to the student's
nationality, religious creed, political outlook,
or economic views - with one exception.
That exception is its insistence upon condi-
tions which mnake for academic freedom. For
the more open the atmosphere in which stu-
dents live together and the wider the ex-
perience to which they are given access, the
MAN TO MAN:
Civil Service
By HAROLD L. ICKES
ON FEBRUARY 24, President Truman
signed an Executive Order to become
effective on May 1, which radically revises
the Government's Civil Service Regulations.
This new order clarifies and codifies as
many asw54 similar orders, some of them
dating back as far as 1904. -One of the best
things about it is that it will make unne-
cessary the issuance of any further execu-
tive orders.
Great credit for this desirable develop-
ment is due Miss Frances Perkins, former
Secretary of Labor and now a member of
the Civil Service Commission. These rules
of the Commission itself have now been re-
duced from sixteen to six, in compact and
more easily understandable form. The Fed-
eral Civil Service system has taken its most
progressive step in years.
This accomplished, perhaps Miss Per-
kins will have time to advance her pro-
posal for competitive promotional exam-
inations. Those who have been acquaint-
ed with the Federal Civil Service System
have long been amazed at the number of
incompetents who have found it possible
to advance to positions of responsibility
by merely surviving physically. Men and
women who entered the Government's
service as machine operators and clerks
only a few years ago, now head sections,
and supervise others who are their super-
iors in every way.
Unfortunately, men and women who just
managed themselves to get their noses un-
der the classified service tent, have made
use of Civil Service rules to secure them-
selves in office and build up their private
tyranny. The system is rife with career
job-holders, who are in no sense the public
servants that they ought to be. This is
especially true of the Civil Service Com-
mission itself which, despite its many com-
petent employees, probably has more incom-
petents than any other agancy. The result
has been to discredit the Civil Service Com-
mission and to force upon other agencies in-
competent and unfit employees. The in-
stitution of a system of promotions by com-
petitive examinations should preclude the
rise of more of these "little men" who are
disposed to warp Civil Service Rules and
Regulations.
I confess that my years as a Cabinet
officer left me with a bad taste in my
mouth so far as Civil Service is concerned.
A Civil Service system is of no account
unless it is competently administered. Un-
qualified applicants were forever being
recommended by the Commission because
the examiners themselves were not up to
their jobs, nor conversant with the duties
for which they were certifying fellow in-
competents. The efficiency rating system
was unfair, and misused.
The Civil Service Commission might well
be accounted the most poorly administered
agency of the Federal Government. The
reason is not hard to find. It has no boss.
It is headed by a conflicting and overlapping
Commission of Three. The resulting divi-
sion of authority and buck-passing are
something that require the attention of a
psychiatrist.
P'ecently, the Commission has established
the position of Executive Director and del-
egated to him the administrative duties of
the commission, while reserving the quasi-
judicial and quasi-legislative functions. This
ignores the fact that a division of authority
at the top means the same thing down the
line. President Roosevelt was right when
he asked for the abolition of this three-man
Commission in 1936 and urged instead a
single administrator.
(Copyright 1947, New York Post Corporation)
I'D RATHER BE RIGHT:
Middle East
By SAMUEL GRAFTON
WE MUST FIND some way of beating a
return to the United Nations, before we
start on this dismal path. If Greece and
Turkey need help, let that help be given
through the United Nations, regardless of
who pays for it; if they consider thatt they
need military protection, let them at least
ask for United Nations protection; if there
are questions of fact to be answered, let
United Nations committees answer them. Let
us stick to that wretched little bit of pro-
gress that the world has made; let us hold
on to it with a grip like that of death itself,
because deaths have paid for it. Let us act
in such a way as to destroy the moral valid-
ity of any attempted veto of our actions.
But if we, unilaterally, begin now to place
guns in the Middle East, who will ever be
able to untangle the moral rights and
wrongs, or to answer the dark questions of
who started what first, and who threaten-
ed, and when?
I have been, as I say, in London; I have
crossed the ocean during the week when
these questions were debated. I have seen
a once great power reduced almost to bank-
ruptcy after a long experiment in empire.
Now it says to us, "You do it, just the way
we did," and it is with great astonishment
that one hears Americans tamely respond-
ing, "Why yes. Yes, of course."
(New York Post Syndicate, Copyright 1947)
BILL MAULDIN
(Cothinued from Page 2)
3 p.m., Fri., March 28. All lectures
will be held in Rm. 150, Hutchins
Hall. The public is cordially in-
vited.
Professor Al K. Snelgrove, De-
partment of Geology, Michigan
College of Mining and Technology
Houghton. Michigan, will speak on
"Geological Exploration in New-
foundland" at 11 a.m., March 15
Rm. 2054, Natural Science Bldg.
A cademic Notices
Seminar in Gas Dynamics us-
ually held on Friay afternoon at
4 p.m., will not meet on March 14.
Mathematics Seminar on Com-
plex Variables: Sat.. March 15,
10 a.m., Rm. 3011, Angell Hall.
Mr. Hansen will speak on the
Schwarz-Christoffel mappings.
Concerts
Faculty Recital: Hardin Van
Deursen, Assistant Professor of
Voice in the School of Music, has
planned a recital for Tuesday,
March 18, Lydia Mendelssohn
Theatre, 8:30 p.m. Program: com-
positions by Handel, Sarti, Caris-
simi, Schumann, Massenet, and
Easthope Martin. The general pub-
lic is invited.
Exhibitions
The Museum of Art presents an
exhibition of drawings and water
colors by George Grosz through
March 14. Alumni Memorial Hall,
weekdays, except Mondays, 10-12
and 2-4; Wednesday evenings, 7-9
and Sundays 2-5. The public is
cordially invited.
Paintings by Charles Farr and
Gerome Kamrowski of the faculty
of the College of Architecture and
Design, Rackham Galleries, cur-
rent through March 14. Gallery
will be open from 10-12 a.m., 2-5
p.m. and 7 to 10 p.m.
L CIu S loday
University Jiadio Program:
1:30 pm., Stat ion WPA, 100
Kc. Great Lakes Series "China in
Wisconsin."
3:30 p.m.. Station WPAG, 1050
Kc. World Masterpieces,
American Institute of Chemical
Engineers: 7:30 p.m.. Seminar
Room, E. Engineering Bldg. Ad-
dress, "Chemical Engineering You
Won't Learn in College," Mr. R. H.
Samis Plant Superintendent,
Sharples Che mnical Corporation.
A teeliicolor film, "Hlaniibal
Victory," will be presented at
Rac kham Amphitheatre, 2:15 p.m..
under the joint sponsorship of the
Department of Visual Education
and the Department of Military
Science and Tactics. This film de-
picts the task of the Army's new
Transportation Corps in getting
there "the firstest with the most-
est.'
The Regular Thursday Evening
Concert sponsored by the Gradu-
ate school will include Mozart's
"In times like zis a pessimist cuts off ze slack end of his belt, while
an optimist just punches anozzer hole."
DAILY OFFICIAL BULLETIN
Quartet No. 15 in D minor, Proko-
fiefl's 5th Symphony, and Beetho-
ven's Emperor Concerto. The con-
dcet is for graduate students only
and silence is requested.
West Quad Radio Club-W8ZS
Q-Meeting, 7 p.m., Court Floor
Study Hall, Adams House. Re-
ports from Finance Committee and
1 Room Committee. Constitutional
Amenement will be presented for
approval. Appointment of a 75
meter Antenna Radiation Com-
mittee.
The Journalism Society. First
organizational meeting, 3:30 p.m.,
Rm. E, Haven Hall. All Journal-
ism Concentrates are invited to at-
tend.
Hiawatha Club, social organiza-
tion for Upper Peninsula students,
8 p.m.. Union, instead of Wednes-
day night. All Upper Peninsula
students are invited. Room will be
posted. -
Alpha Phi Omega: 7:30 p.m.,
Union. Final arrangements for
the student elections will be made.
Sigma Gamma Epsilon. 12:15
p.m.
Alpha Phi Alpha, Epsilon Chap-
ter, 7 p.m., Union.
International Center: Weekly
informal Thursday Tea, 4:30-6
p.m., Thurs., Union. Prof. T. M.
Newcomb will speak on the topic
"Prejudice vs. Discrimination."
B'nai B'rith Hillel Foundation
afternoon tea-dance at the Foun-
dation. 3-5:30 p.m. All members
are invited to attend.
Michigan Dames Art Group will
meet at the home of Mrs. G. M.
Netzorg, 1034 Revere Ct., Willow
Village, at 8 p.m. Meet at the
home of Mrs. Alfred T. Schleips,
1511 Washtenaw, at 7 p.m., and
leave from there. Mrs. George Lu-
ther will speak on "The Interior
Decorator."
(_ mingyE-vents
Graduate Outing Club, Hike, 2:30
p.m., Sun., March 16, Northwest
entrance, Rackham Bldg. Sign up
before noon on Saturday at the
check desk in the Rackham Bldg.
International Center: Due to
the Concert, the Sunday Evening
Supper will start at 6 p.m., instead
of 7 p.m. Tickets are available in
the International Center. The reg-
ular time will be resumed Sunday,
March 23.
Association Coffee elour. 4.:30-
6 p.m., Fri., Lane Hall Library.
Saturday Luncheon Discussion
Group. 12:15 p.m., Lane Hall. For
luncheon reservations call 4121 ext.
2148 before 10 a.m., Saturday
morning.
B'nai B'rith Hillel Foundation.
Tryouts for all those interested in
participating in a dramatic skit
will be held Friday, 4 p.m. If un-
able to attend call Charlotte Kauf-
man, Assistant Director at 2-6585.
EDITORS NOTE: Because The Daily
prints EvfRY letter to the editor
(which is signed, 300 words or less
in length, and in good taste) we re-
mind our readers that the views ex-
pressed in letters are those of the
writers only. Letters of more than
300 words are shortened, printed or
omitted t the discretion of the edi-
torial director.
Group Living
To the Editor:
!HE CITY EDITOR'S suggest-
ion in Friday's Scratch Pad
is a commendable one. It would
certainly be desirable to see the
principles embodied in Chi Phi
Lodge "experiment" more fully
implemented on this campus.
While endorsing his article in gen-
eral, however, I feel that one of
his statements misrepresent it
is hoped unintentionally) the
group living in the residence halls,
In it he refers to the quadrangles
as a "mountain of bricks, mortar,
and cell-blocks."
Those of us who live in Lloyd
House at the West Quadrangle
take objection to the inference
that we have nothing more than
a place of shelter. In fact, the
random group of fellows who fill
our roster cooperate successfully
in as many diversified activities
as any body on campus, and we
do so with an equally impressive
spirit of good comradeship.
In athletic competition during
the past two semesters, we have
participated in football, ping-pong,
track, handball, swimming, and
basketball, winning the intramural
championship in the first two.
Could this be done without group
loyalty and solidarity? Socially
we have had hay-rides, picnics.
house-parties, dances and bridge
tournaments. Only last week we
sponsored an alumni dance for the
former men of Lloyd. Undoubted-
ly there must be more to living in
the dorm than paying the monthly
bills. The formal discussion groups
(and informal "bull sessions), the
student government meetings, and
the concerts in the lounge - all
of these evidence our cultural en-
deavors.
This description of our activi-
ties is not meant to apotheosize
Lloyd, or to suggest that it is the
exception which proves Mr. Dick-
ey's generalizations. Rather, it
should indicate that a heterogen-
eous mixture of different religious
and racial groups, and of fra-
ternity men and independents who
live in the quadrangles, do experi-
ence camaraderie and do enjoy
community life comparable to
that attributed to Chi Phi Lodge.
-Harv Weisberg
.Irregardless'
To the Editor:
t SUGGEST that Walter Dean
and your other liberal thinkers
henceforth be less liberal in their
use of English words-reference is
directed to Dean's use of a word
out of L'il Abner Yokum's vocab-
ulary, "irregardless." Even a bad
idea deserves to be accurately and
gracefully expressed.
Albert R. Dilley, '49 1aw
Village Government
To the Editor:
ONE OF THE MOST realistic
ideas that I know of is "God
helps those who help themselves."
During the past months I have
written letters about living condi-
tions at Willow Village, taken part
in the efforts to organize a Willow
Run Village government, and talk-
ed to University and Willow Vil-
lage officials about living condi-
tions at the Village. All of these
efforts by myself and other people
have value. But it will probably
end up with most of the improve-
uments in the Village being done by
the residents themselves, or not
at all.
With the Republican dominated
Congress in Washington bent on
a budget-slashing campaign, the
best we can do is to ask the Fed-
eral Government to raise living
conditions in the Village to a min-
imum level of health and decency.
This would mean repairing some
of the structural defects in the
dwellings, improving the drainage
system so residents do not have
to wade through mud and water to
get to their front door, and raising
walks which become water troughs
in wet weather. It would mean bet-
ter lighting, roads and walks. The
many pregnant women in the Vil-
lage find it very dangerous walking
on the ice which covers the entire
Village area in the winter time
Another need is for more adequate
police protection. All of these
things are matters of health anc
decency standards about which
any organized community is con-
cerned. I believe that the Univer-
sity and the citizens of Willow
Letters to the Editor,...
Village have a right to ask the
Federal Public Housing Authority
to provide the village with proper
lighting, drainage, roads, walks,
police protection, coal storage, and
facilities fr heating and cok-
ing.
However, the residents of the
Village can do much through their
newly-organized government to
help themselves. They can ask the
management to furnish them
with materials and do~ the work
themselves. They can pay fees to
the management or outside agen-
cies for improvements which the
government cannot afford to make.
In short, a high degree of coopera-
tion between the present manage-
ment of the Village and the, newly-
organized Village government on
the matter of making the Villagena,
better place to live may very well
be the most valuable way of sol-
ving the problems which face Wil-
low Run Village.
-Robert O. Smith
**,
Vet Subsistence
To the Editor:
IN THE articles concerning vet-
erans subsistence raise I noticed
one point that was completely ov-
erlooked. This point is whether
it is advisable to have govern-
mental aid to students on the bas-
is that in present and future eco-
nomics only those nations or peo-
ples who have big technological,
scientific and sociological training
can have high living standards.
Unfortunately during the last
few years and primarily during
the past six months, Congress has
shown no tendency to recogize
this fact. Numerous bills have
been introduced to aid scientific
research and students, only to die
in committee. The latest~ and
most universally approved bill is
one concerning a National Science
Foundation. This would cost from
two to three hundred millions a
year. Considering the importance
of science even as compared to
such Departments as War, Agri-
culture and Commerce this is a
very small sum, What action
will be taken? I can hardly irnag-
ine Representative Knudsen or
Senator Taft agreeing to increase
the budget for such an important
cause. Maybe tim wrong, what
do you think?
At present the majority of stu-
dents in colleges are veterans. Un-
til a National Science Foundation
can be set up, aid to veterans
helps achieve the same objective
in part.
Congress has shown much zeal
in increasing veterans expenses
along with those of everyone else.
Rent raises are practically cer-
tain. Labor, whether veteran or
not has resorted to higher pay de-
mands to balance their budgets.
Since Congress is backing every-
one eager for large profits why
not take advantage of public sen-
timent in favor of us poor veter-
ans to force them to accomplish
one good thing for this country.
I spent three years working ny
way thru college, before I entered
the service, at a considerable de-
triment to my grades. If it is
advisable for the Army and Navy
Officers not to work their way
thru school, how n.gh more im-
portant it is that people in cre-
ative fields get an equal break.
-. ,Wilkgson
Letters
To the Editor:
WHY DON'T your readers keep
their letters to the editor
short like this one!
-Seymor Zucker
1 .
Fifty-S eventh Year
Edited ald managed by students of
the University of Michigan under the
authorty of the Board In Control of
Student Publications .
Editorial Staff
Paul Harsha.........Managing Editor
Clayton Dickey...........City Editor
Milton Freudenheim..Editorial Director
Mary Brush...........Associate Editor
Ann Kutz ............ Associate Editor
Clyde Recht .......... Associate Editor
Jack Martin ............ Sports Editor
Archie Parsons. .Associate Sports Editor
Joan Wilk........... Women's Editor
Lois Kelso .. Associate Women's Editor
Business Staff
Robert E. Potter .... General Manager
Janet Cork.........Business Manager
Nancy Helmick ...Advertising Manager
Member of The Associated Press
BA RNABY