FOUR

THE MICHIGAN DAILY

THURSUlAX, MARCHU°7, 199

I


'U' Fire Hazards

A QUICK LOOK at some of the rooms on
Lhe lower floors of one University build-
ing last week was sufficient to convince us
that the University, more specifically de-
partmental officials, can do a lot right now
to clean up fire hazards in campus buildings.
At the same time it is true that many
of the changes, to be suggested and ordered
by the State fire marshal's office when the
reports on the current fire inspection have
been compiled, will be considered impossible
by the University because of insufficient
funds.
According to Walter Burns, fire inspectorI
for the State fire marshal, the maternity
hospital, long regarded as both a fire and
sanitation hazard, needs rewiring and new
staircases. He told the Daily, however, that
he would not insist on immediate repairs
because he appreciated the "need of the
University for more funds."
Many of the fire hazards discovered in
last week's inspection of the Natural Science
Building, however, are merely the result of
carelessness and misuse . of electrical cir-
cuits. The main fire hazard was not mis-
placed staircases, weak floors or walls, or
poor overall wiring of the building. ,i
Typical of the hazards found were over-
loaded light circuits, obviously connected by
Editorials published in The Michigan Daily
are written by members of The Daily staff
and represent the views of the writers only.
NIGHT EDITOR: STUART FINLAYSON

amateur electricians in several laboratories.
Another was an almost inaccessible room
packed with inflammable material and open
wiring.
One explanation of the "minor" hazards
is that they are not glaring hazards. But
although they are not so evident as a
warehouse full of gasoline drums, they can
be just as dangerous in the event of a
careless spark. It took a disaster to make
people realize that the Cocoanut Grove
in Boston was a "fire-trap".
Fire inspection officials said last week
that fires resulting from some of the haz-
ards in the Natural Science Building could
cause serious damage to the building despite
its excellent construction.
The conditions found in the Natural
Science Building are perhaps typical of
the "minor" fire hazards existing in other
University buildings. And it is important
to realize, that the Natural Science Build-
ing is comparatively one of the safer on
campus with respect to more serious fire
hazards. More than half the buildings on
campus proper have at one time or anoth-
er been described as "fire-traps" because
of obsolete construction.
A fire inspection, such as the one now un-
derway, serves no purpose if it is lost in a
maze of filed reports and admonitory let-
ters. It can serve a very definite purpose
if it jolts students and faculty alike into
an awareness of hazardous conditions.
Although funds for major changes are
not available, local inspections by the var-
ious departments would do much to give
the state inspection constructive effect.
-John Campbell

Palestine Question

THROUGH THE newspapers, the radio,
and even the movies for many months,
the Palestine controversy has moved like a
ball being tossed on an international bas-
ketball court. "Should the Jews be allowed
unlimited immigration into Palestine, limited
immigration, or should they be excluded en-
tirely?" are the way the questions run. Most
people express an opinion either pro or con,
and yet, whether they are for the proposi-
tion or against it, both sides seem to argue
with. the thought in mind that either the
Jews must be allowed to go to Palestine or
they will die in Europe. The difference in
their opinions comes only in the side which
they take: The Jews want to live and grow
as a people through this territorial expan-
sion, the Arabs think the world would be
just as well off without Jews, or at least
without Jews in territories where they en-
croach on the Arabs.
But looking at it from a different ap-
proach, it is strange to notice that while
the Palestine question is debated hotly,
th~ere is virtually no consideration of the
far more fundamental question: "Why
must the Jews emigrate from Europe at
all? What forces are at work in Europe
today which make for these supposedly
"intolerable" conditions about which the
Zionists talk so much? Perhaps if these
questions were answered, there would be
no need for civil war in Palestine; in-
deed, no need for Jewish immigration at
all.
Primarily, the question seems to be one
of jealous, fearful minorities. In Europe,
the Jews, as one of these minorities, have
just passed through perhaps the worst epi-
sode of anti-semitism in the long history of
Europe. Thus, their natural tendency is
to wish to emigrate to happier lands and,
with the emotional appeal to be gained from
a return to an historical homeland, they
have chosen Palestine as this new home.
But the Arabs, although at present in the
majority in Palestine, fear that increased
Jewish immigration will make of them a
minority, thus reversing the situation and
putting their people under a Jewish govern-
I'D RATHER BE RIGHT:

ment. The effect of the Zionist movement
is merely to create another controversy in
Palestine while only partially alleviating the
European minority problem. It is plain that,
the Palestine question is only part of the
larger question of suppressed minorities
which has plagued Europe for centuries.
Undeniably, both the Jews and the Arabs
each have many plausible points on their
side in the controversy over the possession
of the Holy Land. Undeniably also, the
Jews in Europe are having a hard time to-
day, as an aftermath to their even harder
life under the anti-semitism of Hitler. But
all people living in Europe today are exist-
ing on a bare subsistence level. Therefore,
we must ask ourselves the question: Are
the Jews in Europe being treated any worse
than the people of any other nationality?
If the answer to this question is "no," then
we should make a greater effort to help all
the displaced and suppressed peoples of Eu-
rope in their efforts to achieve a decent
standard of living, instead of focusing our
attention on just one group. If the answer
to the question is "yes," we should endeavor
to determine why serious anti-semitism still
persists after the fall of the Nazis and why
the European Jews are afraid to return to
their prewar homes, and then make an ef-
fort to root out the cause of the evil in Eu-
rope.
If the United States, as a nation continues
to support the policy of favoring a Jewish
National Home in Palestine-as we have
done until now-then we must also, by the
same logic, provide homes outside of Europe
for the displaced Poles, or Rumanians, or
Croatians, or any other peoples who no long-
er wish to return to their homelands because
of political or religious reasons, whether
those reasons be Communist domination or
anti-semitism. Since this is obviously im-
practicable, our only real alternative is to
attack the problem of all minorities in Eu-
rope as the single, unified problem it actual-
ly is, instead of making the situation even
more complex by bringing the territorial
rights and conflicting religion of the Arabs
into the controversy also.
-Russell B. Clanahan

reined
Pen p
ALUMNI ARE hungry for straight facts
about our present-day campus. A group
of us found this out last week when we had
a chance to exchange ideas with members of
Detroit's big alumni club. Old grads of 40
years ago heard current slants on our post-
war campus from representatives of seven
student organizations. They were attentive
when we were speaking, and afterwards
took us aside to get more information about
the current scene and to shape for us some
of their own ideas.
Speeches last week were spontaneous and
vivid. They had a freshness and a straight-
from-the-shoulder verity that the alumni
responded to.
Student-speakers liked the idea so well
they decided to work on the project of hav-
ing more alumni-student meetings. It could
be valuable, they feel, in clearing up a lot
of vague notions about current campus life
based on "slanted" newspaper reports and
rumor-twisted information, as well as in
providing students with a long-range view
of the campus, now difficult to obtain.
If the University were to approve sending
out teams of student-speakers to nearby
alumni clubs, we think there would be a
great improvement in understanding our
university, both for alumni who would get
facts they want to know, and students who
could benefit from seasoned views.
-Paul Harsha
IT SO
HAPPENS * * *
" Spring with Sleighbells
Supplementury Source
WE WERE half-listening to a discussion
of a Rumanian high court decision in
international law the other morning when
the subject changed to diplomatic immun-
ities and the professor jolted us to atten-
tion.
"Has anyone here a copy of this week's
New Yorker?" he asked without cracking a
smile. We produced ours timidly and he
proceeded to "cite" a recent case which, be-
lieve us, he extracted from the "Funny Coin-
cidences Department, Rings on the Piano
Division".
I'll use that as a footnote in my book, he
added. We felt (pardonably?) we'd made
our small contribution to the law of nations.
Missing Something?
MAINLY BECAUSE it sports a coat of
yellow paint (in sharp contrast with
its neighbors) an unassuming little wood-
en chair in the philosophy seminar room
attracted our attention recently.
The chair seemed out-of-place and we
squinted searchingly at it across the poor-
ly lighted room. It was stamped in black
ink: "Geography Department".
Inquisitive Gumshoes
IT MAY BE that our own proximity to the
honorary title alumnus is responsible, but
we feel it's our duty to remind any under-
classmen who resent those people who get
the best seats at football games that being
a Michigan alumnus is not all peaches and
cream.
The occasion for this reminder: Alumni
Catalog Officereports that experts say their
file is best of its kind in the country. What
experts, you ask? Answer: "FBI agents who

use our files continuously".
The Coning Thing
SIKE THE totalitarian state which pene-
trates to every level of national life, the
great coed university effects each of us who
attends it. Witness a recent Women's Ath-
letic Association announcement:
"Coeducational badminton" in Waterman
Gym.
Contributions to this column are by all mem-
hers of The Daily staff, and are the responsi-
bility of the editorial director. Items from sub- }
scribersare invited; address them to "it So
happens", The Michigan Daily.
A HOUSE COMMITTEE has voted to
change the name of Boulder Dam back
to Hoover Dam. For some reason, the big
plant on the Colorado is supposed to adjust
itself to the election returns.
THE HOUSE OF Representatives has voted
down Daylight-Saving Time for the Dis-
trict of Columbia because of the opposition
of the dairy farmers of Maryland and Vir-
ginia. Washingtonians want the extra hour
of daylight, but the man with the pail has
the veto power.
Howard Brubaker
--New Yorker

(Contcn ed from rage 3)
give an illustrated lecture on "So-
cial Aspects of Early Flemish Art,"
at 4:15 -p.m., Friday, March 28,
Rackham Amphitheatre. The pub-
lic is cordially invited. Auspices of
the Department of Fine Arts.
Mr. Ahmad Hussein, publisher,
founder and leader of the Young
Egypt Party, will speak on the
subject, "Anglo-Egyptian Rela-
tions," at 8 p.m., Mon., March 31,
Rackham Amphitheatre; auspices
of the Arab Club. The public is
cordially invited.
Mr. John S. Sammons, C.S., of
Chicago, Illinois, Member of the
Board of Lectureship of The
Mother Church, The First Church
of Christ, Scientist, in Boston,
Massachusetts, will lecture on the
subject, "Christian Science: A Re-
ligion of Works," at 3 p.m., Sun.,
March 30, Kellogg Auditorium,
New Dental Bldg.; auspices of
The Christian Science Organiza-
tion at the University of Michigan.
The public is cordially invited.
Academic Notices
History 50, Midsemester: Fri-
day, March 28. No. I, Sections
meeting on Tuesday and Wednes-
day, midsemester examination in
Rm. B, Haven Hall. II, Sections
meeting on Thursday and Satur-
day, mid-semester in Rm. 348, W.
Engineering.
History 12, Lecture Section II,
Midsemester examination, 3 p.m.,
Thurs., Mar. 27. McLarty, Slosson,
Stevens, Willcox in Room 25 An-
gell Hall; Heideman, Leslie, John-
ston, Young in Natural Science
Auditorium.
Final Examination: Hygiene
Lectures for Women. Section I-
Mon., March 31, 4:15 p.m. Ander-
son through Goebel-Rm. C, Hav-
en Hall. All others, Goldman
through Zwagerman-Natural Sci-
ence Auditorium.
Section II-Tues., April 1, at
4:15 p.m. Allbright through Kitch-
en-Rm. B, Haven Hall. All oth-
ers, Kimpton through Yaco-Nat-
ural Science Auditorium.
Industrial Sociology (Soc. 172)
Busses for Ford tip Thursday and
Friday will load at east entrance,
Hill Auditorium, instead of loca-
tion announced. Departure: 12:15
p.m.
Seminar in Mathematics of
Relativity: 3 p.m., Thurs., 3011
Angell Hall. Mr Park will dis-
cuss "Relatively of Rotations."
Algebra Seminar: 4:15 p.m., Fri.,
March 28, 3201 Angell Hall. Prof.
M. o. Reade will speak on
"Normed Rings."
University of Michigan Little
Symphony Concert: Waye Dun-
lap, conductor, will present a con-
cert in West Lodge, Willow Vil-
lage, at 8 p.m., Thurs., March 28,
at which residents of Willow Vil-
lage are invited. Program: com-
positions by Mozart, Honegger, De-
bussy, Peltz, Britten and Haydn's
Concerto for violin cello in D ma-
jor in which William Klenz will
appear as soloist.

Drawings of the human figure.
Current through March 27, Main
floor, Architecture Bldg. -
The Museum of Art presents
paintings by Ben-Zion through
April 3. Alumni Memorial Hall,
weekdays, except Mondays, 10-12
and 2-5. Wednesday evenings 7-9
and Sundays 2-5. The public is
cordially invited.
Conservation of Michigan Wild-
flowers, an exhibit of 46 colored
plates with emphasis on those pro-
tected by law. Rotunda Museum
Building. 8-5 Monday through Sat-
urday. 2-5 Sunday. Current
through March.
Willow Run Village Art Show:
University Community C e n t e r,
1045 Midway, Willow Run Village.
Crafts and paintings by Village
residents on exhibit at the Uni-
versity Center. Assembly Room,
through March 30. The public is
cordially invited.
Events Today
University Radio Program:
1:30 p.m., Station WPAG, 1050
Kc. Great Lakes Series, "Newberry
Trades on the Garlic River" (Now
Chicago River).
3:30 p.m., Station WPAG, 1050
Kc. World Masterpieces.
"Plan for Peace," the Army's
new film on Universal Military
Training will be shown at Rack-
ham Amphitheatre, 3:15 p.m.
sponsorship of the Department of
Visual Education and the ROTC.
U. of M. Journalism society:
3:15 p.m., Rm E, Haven Hall. Mr.
Ray Baker, science editor of the
Ann Arbor News, will deliver a
lecture immediately after the
meeting. All journalism concen-
trates are urged to attend.
West Quad Radio Club-W8ZSQ:
7 p.m., our new room off Tower
Study Hall. Reports from An-
tenna, Radio Servicing, and Paper
Drive Committees. The public is
invited.
Kappa Kappa Psi: Dinner meet-
ing 6:15 p.m., Union. Election of
new pledges. All members be
present for this selection.
Sigma Gamma Epsilon: Prof.
J. T. Wilson will speak on the
subject "The Origin of Earth-
quakes," at 12:15 p.m., Rm. 2054,
Naturay Science. All interested
persons are invited.
Alpha Phi Omega: 7-7:30 p.m.,
Union. All members must be
present.
Regular Thursday Evening Rec-
!ord Concert sponsored by the
Graduate School will include
Schumann's Symphony No. 2 in
C Major, Tschaikowsky's Violin
Concerto in D Major, and Debus-
sy's La Mer. The Concert is for
graduate students only and si-
lence is requested.
La P'tite Causette: 3:30 p.m.,
Grill Room, Michigan League.
MYDA: 7:30 p.m., Union. Open
(Continued on Page 6)

ti- " G~~oer. 1947 6y Uitad F ~ reSydiai Inc. - "
T-,,Re. U SPat. OH-Ail ights rs , .^'r""}
2' "' r 'I y
A - -*
'I.; - '
a c
SSU2R
r. M, 3 ,2
"Of course, you musn t misunderstand us--we all want a free press!
DAILY OFFICIAL BULLETIN

EDITOR'S NOTE: Because The Daily
prints EVERY 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 ltters are those of the
writers only. Letters of more than
300 words are shortened, printed or
omitted At the discretion of the edi-
torial director.
Balloting System
To the Editor:
THREE CHEERS for Robert
Carneiro for his letter con-
demning the Hare System of Pro-
portional Representation, which
is being used on the campus to
count ballots. I would like to sup-
plement Mr. Carneiro's letter by
stating my chief objections to our
present system.
1. The number of ballots ne-
cessary to elect a candidate is de-
termined by dividing the number
of votes cast by the number of
men to be elected. Because this
number is so small, (123 in the
case of the recent Student Legis-
lature election) any Tom, Dick or
Harry, whether or not his inten-
tions are serious and irregardless
of his qualifications, can get elect-
ed. For instance, I live at Willow
Village. The votes of the 150 men
in my dormitory alone would have
elected me on the first ballot. Had
I been elected in this manner I
would have been obligated to safe-
guard their interests, rather than
the interests of the student body
as a whole. This would necessi-
tate log-rolling with similarly
elected fraternity men, etc. This
"deal" system is wholly undemo-
cratic and should not be tolerated.
2. The Individual votes lose
their potentiality. In the past
election 48 out of the 3065 votes
cast were invalidated because of
improper marking. Over 300 more
were discarded beause the num-
ber of choices became exhausted.
This means that over 350 votes
cast at the polling places did not
count for anyone. Under the plur-
al preference system proposed by
Mr. Carneiro no properly marked
ballot would be discarded.
3. Chance plays a large part in
the outcome of the election. I
will demonstrate this my means of
a simple example. Suppose it takes
eight votes to elect a man and
two men are to be elected. If the
standings after the first are A-12
votes, B-6 votes, and C-4 votes,
A is elected and eight of his votes
are to be put away. The other 4
votes for A, under the Hare Sys-
tem, are transferred to the next
subsequent choices. If the four
ballots, selected by chance, have
C as next choice, C has a total of
8 an is elected, although B was
the first choice of more of the
voters. If, on the other hand,
the transfers are 2 for B, and 2
for C, B will be elected. If C gets
three of the transfers and B gets
1, a tie results and God only
knows what happens. In some
places a roll of the dice decides
the election in case of a tie. The
whole result of the election lies
in which ballots are selected by
CHANCE to be transferred to their
next choice,
My objections to the system, in-
cluding the fact that no so-called
liberal college should be associated
with the method of election under
which both Hitler and Mussolini
took power, would fill a book.
Rather than concern ourselves
with Red hunting, we should take
steps to do away with a fascist
system of election.
The New York Sun summed up
PR perfectly when it said, "It is
the pari-mutual of politics, a bon-
go of the ballots, a mania for the
minorities"
-M. Richard Fleischman
ileifer Drive
To the Editor:
This Tuesday and Wednesday
the University Famine Committee
is concerting its efforts in a div

to obtain group and individual
contributions for the purchase of
heifers to be sent overseas. Each
one of us we know is continually
being solicited for money or sim-
ilar aid for many causes and,
worthy though they may be, we
are apt to grumble about being
asked.
However, we must realize that
the need for meat and milk in the
impoverished European countries,
is rapidly becoming more acute.
It is hard to digest words of peace
oi plans of economic rehabilita-
tion on an empty stomach. -Con-
tributing to the Heifer Fund gives
us an opportunity to do some-
thing definite, something that will
directly benefit those who need
our help the most.
-Dorothy Fogel,
Famine Committee
World War III
To the Editor:
[ REMEMBER at the first meet-
ing of the famine committee
last Spring we were together try-

ing to organize drives of all kinds
to send things to Europe. The
decision was to have a Tag day
and to send the money collected to
UNRRA. But what I remembe'
most clearly is the main objection
of those present: "How can one be
sure that all that is sent won't be
used for the black market" was
the question frequently asked.
My reaction to this objective
was of' course, indignation. Not
that I agree with the idea of black
market but because I knew that
it was an excuse not to do any-
thing at all. I must confess, how-
ever, that I myself engaged in the
black market when I was at home
in France. And yet I feel no guilt,
for there are two groups of people
who deal in the black market.
First there are those people who
can afford to live comfortably but
whose only means of obtaining the
necessities of life is through the
black market.
On the other hand there are
those who engage in black mar-
keteering to make a profit. Here
are the people who are respon-
sible for the black market and
the conditions which now exist.
For this condition of black mar-
ket which was started by the pro-
fiteers has now reached the peo-
ple. And I will give you an ex-
ample: Even a person who can-
not afford the high prices of the
black market will use it to get
the necessities, paying short. He
then sells this purchase at a pro-
fit which enables him to cover his
original debt and have a small
amount left over.
This is not a normal condition
and it is to be wished that it will
soon come to an end. One means
for it is certainly the success of
such organizations as the Fam-
ine Committee. Good luck be with
it.
-Madeleine Calingaert
Better Journalism
To the Editor:
MR. TUMIN'S book review in
Sunday's Daily was a pleasani
departure from the dry and sterile
style of journalism which is the'
usual fare on the editorial page.
Mr. Tumin reviewed the book and
clearly stated his opinions. Why
can't the Daily find more rooy
for this type of writing instead
of the many insipid and preten-
tious blurbs which pass for edi-
torials?
-Emile Hurtik
Daily Filler
To the Editor:
YORK IMPERIAL apples ar
ideal for cooking and general
use. Their color is light or purp-
lish red over yellow ground, indis-
tinctly striped with carmine."
The enclosed "space-filler" is
torn from the March 9 edition
of the BILLINGS GAZETTE, Bil.
lings, Montana.
Perhaps the next time you have
a short column, you could use
this rather than the one about
hanging Christmas bells tied with
red ribbons on your door for a
holiday touch.
My suggestion is offered in the
interest of your readers who
should surely profit by the in-
formation.
-Jean Bindet
Marx Society
To the Editor:
IS THERE any truth in the ru-
mor going around about the
originators of the Karl Marx So-
ciety planning to retailiate by
packing the Bus. Ad. School with
Marxists?
-Harold P. Conroy

BILL MAULDIN

Letters to the Editor...

Comimutist Scare

By SAMUEL GILAFTON
ONE OF THE STARTLING THINGS about
the current red scare in our country is
its lack of dignity. We are so frightened.
Are we really going to save ourselves from
nameless horrors by combing and recombing
the list of government employes for signs of
disloyalty, and by flirting with plans to
outlaw the Communist party? If so, one
wonders why these nameless horrors have
not shown up before. These are awfully
dilatory nameless horrors; they are name-
less horrors that must have stopped to shoot
a game of pool somewhere.
For during this last year, without control
measures; the' bigge'st political phenomenon
in the country has been an election victory
for the' Conservative Republican Party.
There has been no march to the left in our
country; there has' been, if anything, a
march to the right, which makes it all the
harder to understand the defensive squeak-
ings of those now toying with various de-
vices for thought control. These are the
winners, the clear and indisputable political
winners, who are making these noises to in-
dicate that they are being raped by the
left. That one fact alone should be enough
to show that the present operation is not
: - ---;....

I don't mind having my life saved; I
rather like it, if it's really in peril, but I
would like to know what it's been saved from.
It is on this critical point that those who are
falling in line with it, are peculiarly inar-
ticulate. What did the school board of
Glendale, California, save us from when it
banned a textbook described as "friendly" to
Russia? - a book which not even those who
batned it claim is subversive, merely ami-
able. What is Representative Cox, of
Georgia, saving us from when he welcomes
the President's plan for firing "subversive"
public officials, and then announces he is go-
ing to carry the move one step further, by
trying to get the House to withold funds for
paying the salary of David E. Lilienthal,
prospective head of the Atomic Energy Com-
mission?
It is to fall into something like a trap,
then, merely to discuss the legality of
pending thought control measures. There
is an anterior question which needs an-
swering, and that is, why have them at
all, in a country almost bare of leftist
manifestations? Doubtless our complicat-
ed and difficult relations with Russia are
one motivation. But one has the feeling
that this problem is being brought back
within the country. so to speak, and used

Fifty-Seventh Year
Edited and managed by students of
the Univecrsity of Michigan uxnder the
authority of the Board In Control of
Student Publications.
Editorial Staff
Paul Harsha..........Managitg Edttor
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
Joan De Carvajal ..Research Assistant
Business Staff
Robert E. Potter .... General Manager
Janet Cork ......... Busines,3 Manager
Nancy Helmick ... Advertising Manager
Mombr of The 4 ocate dPress

BARNABY


r - -=T]

____r