- HE MICHIGAN DAILY TUETSlAY, .......... .......... . . . ....... . . ., Freedom of the Press T HE CHARGES against the press made in the recent report of the Commission on 'Feedom of the Press after a three year survey are hitting home. Col. Robert McCormick, of the Patterson- McCormick newspaper dynasty ,and enfantt terrible of the Chicago Tribune, has con'- demned the report as the work of a "bunch of- crackpots." Henry R. Luce, of Time, Life, and Fortune fame, who initiated and financed the survey, but did not control its findings, severely criticized the report in Fortune, The charge which probably annoyed these publication moguls was that "concentration cif power" in the press may become "so pow- erful that they are a threat to democracy." The commission then recommended that the government "maintain competition among large units through the anti-trust laws." This, the commission feels, is one way of expanding the "strictly limited" opportuni- ties for newcomers in the newspaper, radio, motion picture, magazine and book fields, which may have discomfited Col. McCor- press." If control of the press continues to remain in the hands of a few, the national govern- -nent may decide that it has no alternative but to step in, the commission said. The press, therefore, is risking a "long step" toward totalitarianism and curtailment of press freedom. Another charge levelled against the press which may have discomfitted Col. MicCor- ;mick and Mr. Luce consisted of the state- nmwent that "The news is twisted ... by the personal interest of owners, and by pressure Editorials published in The Michigan Daily are written by members of The Daily staff and represent the views of the wri/ers only. NIGHT EDITOR: MARY RUTH LEVY House Clean THE REPORT by the special commission, composed of educators and other groups, which has recently completed a three year study of freedom of the press in this country is not an encouraging one. It is especially disconcerting when we recall the action forced upon the government by a similar lack of self-control within the radio broadcasting industry. The increasing size of capital investments in the daily newspaper field and the devel- opment of the press as an instrument of mass coniunication are cited as reasons for the decrease in the proportion of the people who can express their opinions and ideas through the press. This is vividly illustrated by the list of cities of greater than 150,000 population which are at present in the grip of a local press monopoly. The total number of cities so shackled now stands at eighteen but the number' is increasing; narrowing, rather than widening, the range of opinions expsessed on national and international affairs. We would expect the press to realize the I'D RATHER BE RIGHT: groups." The commission recommended t I hat the press "be hospitable to ideas and atti- tudes" which are different from its own and present them to the public as meriting at- tention; that it finance new "literary, artis- tic or intellectual activities" for "serious minorities" and engage in "mutual self- criticism." Thus, the commission indicates that the owners' stranglehold on the press is resulting in a trend away from a free press. Men like Col. McCormick and Mr. Luce will try to block any efforts from the public, the government, or from within the profes- sion to alter the irresponsibility with which press owners can dictate opinions to the public. A Chicago Sun editorial has pointed out just how free these men want the press to be. Quoting from the Chicago Tribune's sup- posedly "objective" news story on the Com- mission's Report, the Sun listed such gems of objectivity as "The book apparently is a major effort in the campaign of a deter- mined group of totalitarian thinkers . ., and "The 'commission' is clothed with the same degree of public authority which covers any 13 patrons in a Madison Street saloon." This last was said of a group of prominent educators and scholars. There will be a tough fight if improve- ments in the press are to be made where they are needed. But the owners of the press will have to realize that if they do not find the solution, someone will find it for them. Prime Minister Attlee recently created a board to investigate the structure, operation and ownership of British newspapers. If the American press wants a similar government investigation, it need only continue on its present course. It has been given a friendly tap on the shoulder by the Commission on Freedom of the Press; if it waits too long, it may receive a harder blow. -Harriett Friedman ing Needed implications of this increasingly greater power which is being placed in their hands. Instead, the commission has found that this specific failure "is the greatest danger to the freedom of the press." Although the conmission in its conclu- sions seems confident that curtailment of the freedom of the press is not something which will occur overnight, we think that the situation is serious enough to warrant im- mediate remedial action. The coloring of news for the selfish interests of the publish- ers or other pressure groups must be eliminated. Failure to effectively clean house and cor- rect the glaring examples of corruptness in the press will inevitably lead to a concerted protest by the people and ultimate estab- lishment of a monitor of the printing press similar to the FCC. It is paradoxical that venality and sub- servience to political and economic pressure can continue to exist under the guise of maintaining "freedom of the press." -Walter Dean MATTER OF FACT: French Future By JOSEPH ALSOP' AFTER THE NEED for a clearer mutual understanding with Britain, the prob- lem of France is the next on the grim list which constitutes the agenda of American foreign policy. Anglo-American relations were materially damaged by a reckless ten- dency to take the British for granted, which has now been brusquely corrected by the Greek crisis. Franco-American relations are still being seriously endangered by an alarm- ist tendency to despair of the French future. This view is understood to have been strong- ly implanted at the White House by the half-forgotten but still animate Admiral Leahy. It may be summed up in the catch phrase, that the French Communists can "take over the government by telephone." Undoubtedly the intelligence reports from France are extremely disturbing, since the French Communisis retain control of the labor unions and other essential lev- ers of command in the French economy. If it is true that they can take over the government by telephone, however, why are the French Communists so passive? Why particularly do their masters in the Kremlin permit such happenings as the recent conference hetwen Generalissimo Stalin and French Foreign Minister Bi- dault? France's representative, Bidault, had an hour and a half's talk at the Kremlin with Stalin almost immediately upon arrival. The French Ambassador to Moscow, General Ca- troux, had requested a meeting with the Generalissimo a month previously. Upon reaching Moscow, Bidault left cards on Stal- in. The inviuation to the Kremlin followed promptly. This was, almost certainly, because the Kremlin hoped for French support throughout the Moscow conference. At the previous Foreign Ministers' meeting in New York, Soviet Foreign Minister V. All Molotov indicated as mush to M. Couve -e Murville, then acting for Bidault.Moo- tov in fact proposed a crude deal by which the French would have supported the Sov- iet reparations claims and the Soviets would have recognized the French claim to the Saar. The same desire for a Franco-Soviet deal was manifest in the talk between Stalin and Bidault. This time, the main topic was the character of the German government. More and more, the Soviets have emphasized their demand for a centralized organization of Germany. The reason is simple. A strong German central government under four- power control would give'the Soviets both a power of veto on any undesired develop- ment in western Germany, and a power to help the German Communists to infiltrate Westward. The French, on the other hand,- are the most extreme advocates of German decen- tralization, and the French Communist party is strongly committed to the policy. Bidault refused to alter the French position in any respect. (Copyright, 1947, New York Herald Tribune) C URRENT MOVIES_ At The Michigan . . . JOHNNY O'CLOCK (Columbia), Dick Powell, Lee J. Cobb, Evelyn Keyes HAVING HIT THE pre-war norm in the western field (California), Hollywood seems to be doing the same thing in the gentleman-gangster spic. It's all so normal that even the name is unchanged. The day I see Johnny Apollo, Johnny Eager, and Johnny O'Clock on the same triple feature bill will, be the ultimate in something or other. As you may 'have gathered there's nothing unusual in this story of a good tough guy, who knows all the angles and plays them smart. There is still the sug- gestion of an eerie feeling when one locks at Powell's dead pan and recalls the dimpled darling who crooned his way through screenland's Annapolis and West Point. There is also the feeling of deep apprecia- tion for actors like Lee Cobb. The action is slow'at times, but the average movie goer won't object to that. At The State, . . THE MIGHTY McGURK (MGM), Wal- lace Beery, Dean Stockwell, Edward Arnold THE TRADITION of Wally Beery being worshipped and reformed by small boys whom he reluctantly befriends, carries on. This time the small boy is curly-headed Dean Stockwell, whose carefully brushed-up locks, theatrical grime, and belabored Brit- ish accent do little to aid the situation. Beery has not changed, nor has the plot or dialogue. Edward Arnold as a saloon keeper is merely earning his daily susten- ance, and the rest of the cast consists chief- ly of a couple of kids who are obviously try- ing to get a screen start. -Joan Fiske UAL OFFICIAL BILL MAULDTN 1! 4 ,: --. l : 1 (Continued from Page 3) Friday Service, Interdenomina- tional Church. Keep Wednesdays open to at- tend the spring talks on homes and books. Book Collections for the Joseph Ralston Hayden Memorial Li- brary: The General Library and all divisional libraries will be glad to receive from members of the faculty books and other acceptable libarary materials destined for the Joseph Ralston Hayden Me- morial Library of the University of the Philippines during the week April 7-12. Those whose contributions are too large for them to bring in person are re- quested to teephone their names and addresses to the office of the Director of the University Library (University 750) indicating ap- proximately the number and char- acter of the materials they wish to contribute. It is urgently re- quested that all such messages should be left by April 5 so that house collections may made on April 7, 8 and 9. Seniors and Graduate Students who have received invitations to the Honors Convocation on April 25- are notified that orders for caps and gowns must be received by the Moe Sport Shop no later than April 15. Girls who would like to learn about cooperative housing for next fall are invited to visit any of the following women's cooperative houses: Stevens House, 816 S. Forest; Lester House, 1102 Oak- land; or Osterweil House, 338 E. Jefferson; or to telephone Freda Perez, 5974. Spigfield Collee, Sprinigheld., Massachusetts, the International YMCA College, announces Gradu- ate Assistantships for the aca- demic year 1947-48. Major areas of concentration are counseling and guidance, group work and community oganization. health' education, physical education, and teacher education. For further in- formation, call at the Bureau of Appointments, 201 Mason Hall. Dr. T. B. Magath, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, will be in the office today to interview wom- en for positions as laboratory technicians. To make appoint- ments, please call the Bureau of Appointments, 4121, extension 371, or stop at the office, 201 Mason Hall. Mr. Houghton, of Bethlehem Steel Company, will be at the Bur- eau of Appointments on Wednes- day and Thursday, April 2 and 3, to interview engineers (mechan- i c a 1, industrial, metallurgical, chemical, civil, electrical, naval, and marine), and also physicists. Anyone who has not yet filled out an application may get one today at the office and return it by Wednesday morning. Men who have, previously filled applications may make appointments by tele- phoning 4121, extension 371. Electric Auto-Lite has had to cancel interviews today due to a death on the staff. Mr. Robinson will be here on Friday, April 18. and new appointments will be made. Call the Bureau of Ap- pointments, 201 Mason Hall, ex- tension 371. Veterans' Tutorial Program: Chemistry (3)-Mon., 7-8 p.m., 122 Chem, S. Lewin; Wed.-Fri., 5-6 p.m., 122 Chem, S. Lewin; (4) -Mon. 7-8 p.m., 151 Chem, R. Keller; Wed.-Fri., 5-6 p.m., 151 Chem, R. Keller. (21)-Wed., 4-5 p.m., 122 Chem, R. Hahn. English (1)-Tu.-Th.-Fri., 5-6 p.m., 2203 A H, D. Martin. (2)- Tu.-Th.-Fri., 5-6 p.m., 3209 A H, D. Stocking. French-()- Mon. Thurs. 4-5 p.m., 106 R L, A. Favreau. (2)- Tu.-Thurs., 4-6 p.m., 205 R L, F. Gravit. (31) Mon.-Thurs., 4-5, p.m., 203 R L. J. O'Neill. (32)- Tu.-Thurs.. 4-5 p.m., 108 R L, A. Favreau. Spanish---(1)-Tu.-Thurs., 4-5 p.m., 203 R L, E. W. Thomas. (2)-, Mon.-Wed., 4-5 p.m., 207 R L , H. Hootkins. (2) -Tu.-Thurs., 4-5 p.m., 207 R L, H. Hootkins. (31)- Tu.-Thurs., 4-5 p.m., 210 R L, C. Staubach. German-Mon.-Wed., 7:30-8:30 p.m., 2016 A H, F. Reiss; Sat., 11- 12 a.m., 2016 A H, F. Reiss. Mathematics - (6 through 15) -Wed.-Fri., 5-6 p.m., 3010 A H, G. Costello; Sat., 11-12 a.m., 3010 A H, G. Costello. (52, 53, 54)--Wed.- Fri., 5-6 p.m., 3011 A H ,E. Span- ier; Sat., 11-12 a.m., 3011 A H, E. Spanier. Physics (25,45)-Mon.-Tu.-Th. 5-6p~.,202 W. Physics, R. Hart- man. (26, 46)-Mon.-Tu.-Th., 5- 6 p.m.-1036 Randall, D. Falkoff. L w I Co r. 1947 Unitad Feature Syndcate Inc TroReg.'. U, Pat.Off-AM ,rgkt, reserved " ° ~ .4., ii I I - P ~-I If a - --- etter4 TO THE EDITOR l -pteI Facts T) the Editor: ANY statements are being made these days pro or con communists. Analysis of most of these statements proves them has- t1 and without an appreciation of conuunisim and its features. There are s.C'Veral facts concern- in communisi that are basic and untiversallya ccepted as being true. To arrive at correct conclusions, anly discussion or statement con- cerning communism must be made on Ihe basis of these facts. 1)> The aim of communism is eventual overthrow of all gov- ernments in the world, and sub- siitution of a Communist govern- ment in their place. 2 Communists recognize Mos- cow alone as the source of their orders, and place loyalty to Com- niunism above loyalty to their own country. (3) Russia, the prime example of Communism in the world, is a totalitarian state, with a power- ful minority in rule of the coun- tr~y. I 4I 4-, t.t t "Hi ah, cannon fodder." A nti-Intellectualis Renzo Rutilli of the Johnson Fur- niture Company, Grand Rapids, will speak on problems of design in the furniture industry on Thursday, April 3, at 10 a.m. in the East Conference Room in the Rackham Building. All students in the Wood Tech- nology Program in the School of Forestry and Conservation are ex- pected to attend and any others interested are cordially invited. A cademtic Notices Seminar in l ngineering Me- chanies: The Engineering Me- chanics Department is sponsoring a series of discussions on the Plasticity of Engineering Mate- rials The discussion of this series will be at 7:30 p.m., today, Rm. 402, W. Engineering Bldg. Special Functions Seminar: will meet Wednesday, April 2, at 1 p.m. in Room 340, West Engi- neering. Mr. Dickinson will talk on Certain Sums Involving Bi- nominal Coefficients. once--s Student 1Recital: Nancy March, student of piano under Joseph Brinkman, will be heard in a program of compositions by Bach, Beethoven, Debussy, Chopin, and Sowerby, at 8:30 Tuesday, April 15, in the Lydia Mendelssohn Theater. Given in partial fulfill- ment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Music, the recital will be open to the pub- lic. Student Recital: Helene Jarvis, pianist, will present a recital in partial fulfillment of the require- ments for the degree of Bachelor of Music at 8:30 Monday eve- ning, April 14, inLydia Mendels- sohn Theater. A pupil of Joseph Brinkman, Miss Jarvis has plan-, ned a program to include compo- sitions by Beethoven Brahms, Griffes, and Rachminoff. It will be open to the general public. Lecture-Recital: Panorama of Secular Music before 1600-Popu- lar Music of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, prepared for per- formance by graduate students in Theory and Musicology, under the direction of Louise Cuyler; 8:30 p.m., Wed., April 2, Rackham Assembly Hall; open to students on campus. Symphony Orchestra Concert, Hill Auditorium, 8:30 p.m., Tues., April 1, under the direction of Wayne Dunlap; Earl Bates, clari- netist. Program: Cordnach, an Elegy for strings, brass, and tym- pani, written by Edmund Haines and dedicated to the memory of the late Palmer Christian; Sym- phony No. 1 in E minor by How- ard Hanson, Peleas and Meli- sande by Faure, Premier Rhap- sodie by Debussy, and Sdioees Musicales by Britton. Open to the general public without charge. Faculty Recital: Elizabeth Spelts, soprano, will present a re- cital at 8:30 p.m., Thurs., April 3, Lydi Mendelssohn Theatre. Program: compositions by Bach, Mozart, Brahms, von Weber, and two groups of French and English songs. The general public is in- vited. Exhibitions 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. Michigan Takes Shape--a dis- play of maps, Michigan Historical Collection. 160 Rackham. Hours: 8-12, 1:30-4:30 Monday through Friday. 8-12 Saturday. Events rTod ay These are unbiased facts proven either by communist doctrine or by the world as it exists today. Communists are well-acquainted w ith these facts but the rest of us, Democrats, Republicans, So- cialists, liberals and conservatives oti I f'rget them. -Fred S.Honkala e Elections To the Editor: N THE ELECTIONS for the stu- dent Legislature last semester, I voted for as many people as there ;were offices to fill even though I A.s.C.E., The Student Chapter had neverHeard of many of the of the American Sotiety of civil people I voted for. This semester, Engineers: 7:30 p.m. today. acting on the advice of the elec- Prof. T. S. Lovering, Geology tion officials at the polls and of Department, will speak on the an election article which appear- Geologic Features of Construction ed in last Tuesday's Daily, I vot- of the Moffat Tunnel in Colorado. ed for only as many people as I + All interested are invited. I Science Research Club: 7:30 p.m., today, Rackham Amphithea- tre. Program: Developments in the Management of Sclerosis of ,the Peripheral Vessels, R. E. L. Berry, Department of Surgery. Experimental Aerodynamics, W. C. Nelson, Department of Aero- nautical Engineering. Botanical, Journal Club, Post- poned meeting from last week; today, Room 1139 N.S., 7:30 p.m. Participants, Betty Frankel, Cheng Tsui, Virginia Bryan, Harry Heig- es and Margaret Bedford. F. G. Gustafson, Chairman. La P'tite Causette, today at 3:30 p.m. in the Grill Room of the Michigan League. Quarterdeek will sponsor a dem- monstration of the Naval Tank at 7:30 p.m. today for members of the Naval Architecture and Mar- ine Engineering Dept. only. U of M Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild: Forum on LEGAL STATUS OF RACIAL AND RE- LIGIOUS MINORITIES Lynching, Franchise, Fair Employment Prac- tices, Restrictive Covenants, De- famation 4 p.m. today. Room 120, Hutchins Hall. All faculty and students of all schools are invited. personally knew - three to be exact. While reading about the election returns today, I came across the startling statement that over three hundred otherwise valid ballots ':ere rejected because of "insuf- ficient preference." This smacks of foul play to me. While deplor- ing the small number of students interested enough to vote, the elec- ion officials summarily discard- ed ten per cent of all the ballots that were cast. It behooves the election committee to issue a statement explaining exactly what constituted "insufficient prefer- ence" in this election. Just what kind of behind-the- scenes maneuvering is this, any- way? Will the election committee please explain. -Malcolm MacGregor "HE CITIZENS of Georgia have Go finally found out who their Governor is. He is Talmadge or Thompson, according to what courthouse you are in. -The New Yorker is welcome to attend. Call Vir- ginia Howe 2-4471 for reserva- tions. Slight charge for food will be made. 4 I By SAMUEL GRAFTON THE BUREAU of Labor Statistics is a use- ful little Washington agendy, whose busi- ness is to tell us a lot about ourselves; it compiles, among other things, a monthly consumers' price index, which is a kind of running serial story about whose hand is in whose pocket at any given moment. It costs a bit of money to run such an enter- prise, and the Republican-controlled House of RepresentatiVes has just cut the Bureau from a requested budget of $6,700,000 to a mere $2,373,000. One result is that we're not going to have the monthly consumers price index any more; we'll get it only four times' a year from now on. This iron curtain has been pulled down by the G.O.P. at a time when prices are our chief domestic issue, and when President Tri'man has begun a campaign to reduce them. Just when we need this information most, we are going to have less of it; a perverse accuracy has selected the worst possible mo- ment for the change. The budget saving will amount to about one percent of what we propose to spend in Greece and Turkey. I make the compari- son deliberately, because it seems to me that the issue of the democratic way of life is involved. The same Congress which is about to vote our money and our guns into Greece and Turkey "to protect the demo- cratic way of life" is voting us into ignor- ance on facts we vitally need to shape home policy. A far more fateful drama is being pre- pared for the American people in the strong- ly united, aggressive and persistent effort of all elements of the armed services to retain and consolidate the position they won dur- ing the war as the dominant directing force in national policy, both national and foreign. That is the real issue. The unification bill is only one phase of this effort. Already, the tentacles and influence of the military are potently fastened to key branches of gov- It may be, of course, that the Republi- cans are concerned about the semi-inflation which has been brought on by their last year's attack against price controls; since they are now clearly unable to stop that inflation, they are doing the next best thing, which is at least partially to conceal the figures on it, something like sweeping dirt under a rug. But I cannot help feeling there is something deeper involved, a kind of an- ti-intellectualism, an actual hostility toward data and research and toward the plain and simple business of knowing where we are going. The attack on the Bureau of La- bor statistics fits into the major G.O.P. line of "clearing the college profesors out of Washington." This attack on knowledge itself seems to me in the highest degree anti-democratic. It comes at a time when we are deep in ser- ious debate over what is democratic, and what isn't. It comes, also, at a time when a kind of panicky putsch is under way to force a sort of political orthodoxy on the country, to discourage, even to punish, dis- sent; to elevate conformity into an ideal, so that not only must both parties think alike on major matters of world policy, but all government empoyees, too, and as many more persons as can be reached. 8 Ignorance and conformity! Could there be less democratic political ideals than these? And as one watches these two trends manifesting themselves, a trend against in- quiry into our problems, and a trend against variety in thinking about them, one be- comes solemnly aware that there are deeper and subtler dangers to democracy at work in the tangled currents of our time than merely those which manage to get into the banner headlines. For it still remains true that the way to save the democratic way of life is to live it, and in nervously hiding the facts of our own economic life, and in pestering people about their orthodoxy, instead of Polonia Club. Center, 7:30 p.m., Party. International April Fool's The University of Michigan Chapter of the Intercollegiate Zionist Federation. Plans for Pal- Zionist Federation. Plans for "Pal- estine Night" will be made to- night, 8 o'clock, Hillel Founda- tion. Members are asked to be present. Flying Club: Special board meeting, 7:15 p.m. today, 1300 E.# Engineering Bldg. A new name for the club will be selected. Mem- bers may make suggestions and vote on this issue. Christian Science Organization : 3:00 p.m. Upper Room, Lane Hall. Coning Events A.I.M.E. A plant visit to the Central Specialties foundry in' Ypsilanti is planned for thisl Thursday, April 3. Meet in front .of the East En- ! gineering Building at 12:30 p.m.; bus will be available. There will be a fee of 75c. The trip wil not be lengthy and the close proximity should as- sure 100% attendance. Others interested are invited. "Los Intereses Creados", Span- ish play, will be presented Tues. and Wed., April 1 and 2, at 8:30 p.m. in Lydia Mendelssohn Thea- ter. Tickets may be purchased at (Continued on Page 5) Fifty-Seventh Year Edited and managed by students of the University of Michigan under the authority of the Board in Control of Student Publications. Editorial Staff Paul Harsha......... Managing Editor Clayton Jiekey ........... 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 Luis Kelso .. Associate Women's Editor an D c Carvaju. .Research Assistant Business Staff Robert E. Potter .... General Manager Janet Cork......... Business Manager Nancy Helmick ...Advertising Manager Cookout sponsored byi Counsellors' Club, April p.m., WAB. Any one the Camp 2 at 5:30 interested BARNABY Member of The Associated Press _ ,._,.....,,..., .,,..,._.__ ___ .. i i i i I