ThF 1 7ril. i it:;N ifv_ I ~%~nt~v, MARf~ 2~. 1948 . ............ . ....................... ........ .................... ... i I'D RATHER BE RIGHT: Leaping Too Soon By SAMUEL GRAFTON HERE WAS MISSING in President Tru- man's speech any suggestion as to what would satisfy him, what would satisfy us, what measures on the part of Russia would end the crisis. The President in effect, pre- sented a plan for what he hoped would meet the crisis, but no plan for solving it. He gave us no alternatives. He did not even issue a request for a conference with Russia. So far as he is concerned there seems to be one road, with no forks in it, just the straight, simple and dangerous path of military and financial moves. We are left with the impression that the only develop- ment which could ease the situation would be for Russia to dry up and blow away. Is there any possible course of action by Russia that could end the crisis? If there is, the President should have stated it, outlined it, recommended it, proposed a conference to discuss it. The point is of bitter import- ance. For if no possible course of action by Russia can be acceptable, there can be no peace. For it was a bad speech to leave hope out of. It was a speech recommending peace- time conscription. That, of itself, is no nov- elty in this world-but a plea for peace- time conscription directed specifically against another nation, as this one was, is unusual; it is very nearly a plea for mobili- zation, or for a preliminary to mobilization. It is desperately dangerous to make a Editorials published in The Michigan Daily are written by members of The Daily stafff and represent the views of the writers only. NIGHT EDITOR: BEN ZWERLING plea for something on the order of mobili- zation, and to leave hope out. Nor can the President meet this criticism by pointing out that he carefully inserted some opti- mistic generalities near the close of his talk, and that he mentioned peace a number of times. The question is whether there really exists any alternative in the President'sq mind to the threatened or actual use of force. There is small indication in his speech that there does. His fears are, obviously, as real as his breakfasts; how real is his hope for an alternate way out? His speech drew away the curtain from apocalyptic vis- ions of dread ultimate struggle between the two halves of the world, of a planet burning bright at last with only the hard stars left to look on. Before we accept that vision as reality, we must work toward whatever hope there be, even if we have to go to it on bare feet, over sharp stones and broken glass. We must be sure we have not torn up the page and refused to solve the problem, merely because it was too hard, merely because there were five or six variables in it. One can leap toward the grim final- ities too readily; they have an attraction of their own, and a mock-heroic seduc- tiveness. The man with the really sharp sense of what finality truly means is, per- haps, one who would resist it longer, who would, at this hour, issue the most impres- sive demand for an instant emergency con- ference, who would speak to the whole wide world, and not merely to us, and would call upon the planet to marshall all of its forces against war, and not merely upon ourselves glumly to rally our own. (Copyright, 1.948, New York Post Corporation) Foolish Attacks r1_1IlL RECE'NT1 AT1''ACKS oi American War Crim es agenc ies operaing in Eu- rope represent a very dangerous attitude, jeopardizing the success of our whole occu- pation policy. Failure to finish the job of prosecuting war criminals would serve to alienate many Europeans from us, would decrease our prestige in German, and make wonderful Communist propoganda. Rumors that we are supporting big Nazi criminals while punishing the little Nazis have been used very effectively by some political groups. In an interview appearing in the "Chi- cago Tribune" on March 15, Col. Millard, former executive officer to the secretary- general of the military tribunals, is not content to call for the abolition of tribunals, but goes on to smear Americans connected with the trials. Millard is quoted as saying that many assistants at Nuernberg are incompetent Americans of recent vintagA "who came back to Germany for their own private interests and had a perfect carpet bagging mentality." Millard further charges that the people now making from $8,000 to $10,000 a year made only from $1,200 to $3,000 a year before coming to Europe. The fact is that the great majority of investigators, interpreters, monitors, translators working with OCC (Office of Chief of Counsel for War Crimes) in Nuernberg and the 7,708 War Crimes Group in Dachau have salaries ranging from $3,000 to $4,500 a year. $10,000 a year is top salary. Some employees ac- tually made more money in their old jobs than they do now. These assistants are not incompetent. Most of them are specialized personnel, dif- ficult to replace. At one time 13 civilians were specially sent over from the States; all of them were rejected because they did not have the necessary qualifications. Knowing the language is not enough. Vast amounts of background information are necessary. I doubt whether you, Col. Millard, could assemble a better staff with the per- sonnel available in the European Command. The big wave of redeployment decimated the number of qualified personnel. More and more Americans are becoming increas ingly dissatisfied with the way the German occupation is being handled, and are going home. But the people who are still left earn their keep rather well. Civilian employees of the Dept. of the Army do not have a "carpet bagging men- tality." There are by necessity a few indi- viduals who use their official position to further their private interests, or who are indifferent toward their responsibility. For the most part, the US civilians working for War Crimes are ex-GI's who were asked to stay overseas because of their knowledge of the German language and the German background. Many of those civilians stayed because they believe we have a job to do in Ger- many, weeding out the bad from the good, in order not to punish the just and reward the criminal opportunist. Those civilians were willing to work nights and weekends because they took their jobs seriously. Others stayed on because they had fiancees or families in Europe, who are not allowed to come to the United States. The rest of the civilians stayed-yes, Col. Millard ---because the pay is good. Many people like to take home a big pay check, and do do much better work in order to keep their job. Col. Millard, those "American citizens of recent vintage," those "men of ex- German nationality" came back to Ger- many because of a little war we had. Remember? We committed ourselves to prosecute war criminals. Let's finish the job. -John Neufeld. 10 ilE? 6Jito .. 11 Gotterdamerung? SCENE: The Palace of the Gods, Mt. Olympus, Greece. TIME: The present. A gloomy atmosphere prevails as the gods await the arrival of Mercury. Jupiter sitj wearily on his throne, his head bowed. In a corner near a blazing fire, Vulcan is hard at work forging two large masses of metal.. Terpsichore is in the midst of a weird, mor- bid dance. Suddenly, through a marble doorway comes Mercury on winged feet. He de- posits a scroll of dispatches in front of Jupiter and steps back, waiting expectantly. Jupiter reads the dispatches to the anxiou gods. - President of the United States asks for conscription-Russian press denounce.. American "imperialism"-Chasm between Russia and the United States widens- American press announces Communist plot to overthrow the government. Jupiter looks angrily at Minerva, who avoids his glance. "You have failed, failed miserably," he shouts, "So I have no choice in this matter." He leans forward and presses a button. The sound of heavy footsteps is heard. A giant, fierce-looking god tramps into the room. Vulcan hands him the products of his labor-a large sword and shield. He buckles the shield to his tunic and stands ready to obey Jupiter's instructions. "I must send you forth again, Mars, for the people of the earth have not yet learned the folly of their ways." So saying, Jupiter walks sadly from the room. Mars, god of war, laughs thunderously, flourishes his sword, and strides toward the marble archway. Suddenly Minerva, goddess of wisdom, leaps to her feet and races to- ward the same archway. Mars, fully confi- dent, makes no effort to head her off. The other gods smile sadly. The same course of events has taken place many times befomv, but Mars has always outraced Minerva. But hasn't Minerva improved this time? Must the result always be the same? -Leon Jaroff. EDITOR'S NOTE: Because The Daily prints every letter to the editor re- ceived (which is signed, 300 words or less in length, and in good taste) we remind our readers that the views expressed in letters 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. . * . Boycott t swe[r To the Editor: HAT'S WRONG with the un- ion barbershop? Mr. Riviere has asserted that a boycott of a discriminating bar- bershop is not feasible. He cannot prove his opinion and I doubt that he has any basis for that state- ment except his intuition. And in- tuitions even like magazine polls are sometimes wrong. However it is a virtual certainty that a boy- cott is not feasible if it is not or- ganized and tried. Riviere indicated that only when by some unexplained miraculous process public opinion has changed laws will apparently au- tomatically tighten and barbers will automatically obey them. All without any trouble, friction, ill feeling or effort on anybody's part. All we presumably have to do is be patient and wait a sufficient (and indefinite) time. It sounds too easy! It is especially in a democracy that there is both the opportunity and the duty of any individual and group to organize and act on their beliefs in any legitimate manner without making nervously sure that everybody is exactly in step with them. How can the 'public' suffer a general change in heart if those of us who have suffered that change in heart do not act on our convictions? I agree with Mr. Riviere to the extent that it is of no avail to act against the complete opposition of bothtinstitutionstand public senti- ment. But in this case we are dealing with Ann Arbor, Michigan, where civil equality is inscribed into law and to a large extent car- ried into daily practice and where the student body voted overwhel- mingly in a secret ballot specifi- cally against discrimination in barber shops. The students who voted against discrimination are entitled to clear-cut choices: 1 To follow and support a con- sistent IRA program to combat discrimination. 2) To contact and work with IRA to help to change and im- prove our methods of action. 3) To reconsider and re-evaul- ate their expressed preference against discrimination. A boycott may not succeed. But there is a good chance that it may do so. At the very least it will dramatize the issue and put a clear choice to the individual conscience For myself I cannot see how any- one with a belief in equality can patronise discriminating barber- shops while our own Union will supply equivalent service to all. -Henry Shmer-IRA Clarifies Charge To the Editor: HAVE NEVER heard of the "League for Catholic Decency." Neither has any well informed person. Perhaps Mr. Tumin means the Legion of Decency. If he does, he should get the facts straight before writing to The Daily. Art in the movies has never suf- fered because of the existence of the Legion of Decency. The pur- pose of the Legion is to keep inde- cency and immorality out of the movies. Good art is not filthy or immoral. -T. F. Cartaino Charges Bias To the Editor: MR BEN ZWERLING's story in The Daily of March 16 on the campus-wide meeting on the Czech situation is one of the worst pieces of reporting I have ever seen. The facts are thorough- ly misrepresented. In commenting on what hap- pened to the participants in a stu- dent demonstration in Prague, Mr. Zwerling wrote "but none were arrested and beaten, accord- ing to MYDA." This statement just does not correspond to the facts. If Mr. Zwerling had taken the trouble to read the MYDA state- ment, which was given to him at the meeting, he would have found this sentence: "Also, as a result of the demon- stration, several students were ar- rested . ." I don't know how Mr. Zwerling can explain his error, especially since he had a written copy of the MYDA statement. Mr. Zwerling then went on to describe a report read to the meeting by the chairman of SLID. "It was," Zwerling wrote, 'a later report in which Jim Smith de- clared that he 'did not authorize the press release" that was ac- credit to him by MYDA. This statement also does not correspond to the facts. The chairman of SLID read a report from the New York Times of March 6 in which Mr. Smith de- nied signing a statement issued by the International Union of Stu- dents denouncing the student demonstrations as "against the people's democratic regime." Mr. Zwerling quoted earlier in the story what MYDA had said. Smith stated, according to the MYDA report, that, in the stu- dent demonstration protesting the Czech coup, "one person was hit by an automobile and another shot in the leg after a tussle with a policeman." Smith has not de- nied making this statement. -Ed Shaffe' Pairody fHit To the Editor: N REFERENCE to Mr. Honigs- baum's parody on Browning, it seems quite evident that he could not have misconstructed the au- thors purpose more completely. Obviously the aim of the oiginal poem "As I Ride," was to convey the feeling of movement; and it seems as if Mr. Honigsbaum could have selected a more suitable work for the expression of his political thoughts. May I suggest a basic English literature course to fur- ther acquaint Mr. Honigsbaum with the intricacies of English poet'y. --Gene Smith Praises Wriers To the .Editor: Cheers for The Daily's articles which took a definite stand on MYDA and labelled it for what it really is. For a long time students on this campus have wondered just what part MYDA plays in what is con- sidered the "liberal" element among students. Many students have been so disillusioned by such left wing groups in our midst that in despair they have come to the conclusion that there actually is no difference between the "liber- als" and the "communists." True liberalism should be fos- tered and students should take an active part in furthering its ideals, but there must be a clear cut dis- tinction between those who are genuinely liberal and those who are only using this label to drag innocent bystanders into the com- munists' ranks. The Daily writers have contributed greatly to a bet- ter understanding so that stu- dents won't be misled by com- munist propaganda disguised as liberal reform. -Don Nuechterlein MYDA Attacked To the Editor: MYDA'S Contention that it has always supported academic freedom everywhere in the world will hardly hold water. Professors and students have been driv- en from their posts, prose- cuted, imprisoned on political charges repeatedly in Rus- sia, Estonia, Latvia Lithl- ania, Poland, Rumania, Hun- gary, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Al- bania without one whisper of pro- test from MYDA. It is small won- der that the recent incidents in Czechoslovakia awaken no pro- test either. I venture to say that MYDA never has protested, does not now protest, and never will protest against any invasion of academic freedom arising from any Communist or Communist- approved government. The only wonder is that they bother to keep up so thin a veil of hypocriti- cal pretense, after everyone else has seen through it. The account given by Mr. Shaf- fer of events in Czechoslovakia is so transparently a shame-faced apology for the indefensible that it would be both cruel and needless to subject it to detailed analysis. So I will content myself with ask- ing a few plain questions with rather obvious answers: (1) Was there a Communist or a non-Com- munist prime minister at the time of the coup d'etat? (2) Was the immediate cause of the crisis a demand to eliminate all Commu- nists or all non-Communists from the police? (3) Was there a large Russian army or a large American Strange Difference radation that overcomes those who substitute the "party line" for individual thought and conscience. -Preston Slosson Different RPeusonn To the Editor: r'HURSDAY WHILE walking to my nine o'clock class a mimeo- graphed piece of paper was thrust at me by a zealous member of the Wallace Progressives of Ann Ar- bor. The paper was boldly head- lined Truman's War Scare. My wife and I have read the pa- per carefully and we believe that the accusations hurled so freely are based on incorrect premises. 1. The claim is made that the Truman Doctrine has brought a fear of war to us. We believe that the Truman Doctrine was a result of that fear. 2. Big businessmen and military men m inour government are sip- posed to be "fomenting feeling that war is inevitable." Rather, we think that that feeling is develop- ing because of Russia's expansion- ist policy. 3. Wallace is quoted as saying that our present foreign policy at- tempts to suppress all leftist groups in Europe by branding them as being Communistic. We believe that our foreign policy is aimed at helping people to gov- ern themselves rather than by edict from Moscow. 4. The statement is made that "there is absolutely no evidence that Russia is expanding into Cze- choslovakia." If this statement is true, then why did the Czech am- bassador to the United States re- sign his post and claim that the Russians are in complete control of Czechoslovakia. -William A. and Rosmary K. Rowen Enemy's Enemy To the Editor: fHIS MORNING I was handed a communique of the Wallace Progressives as I left the Union. It was entitled "Truman's War Scare." This bit of propaganda declared, amid many unbelieveable assertions, that "socialist and cap- italist nations must live together, for the alternative is not victory for one or the other but destruc- tion for the world." This is an ad- mirable statement, but I wonder if the Wallace Progressives have heardtthe statement that Com- rad Stalin made in his recent best seller Problems of Leninism? He said, "It is inconceivable that the Soviet Union should continue to live side by, side with imperialist state-ultimately one must con- quer."Here is a thought to re- member: our enemy's enemy is not necessarily our friend. -Frank Swartwout No lect(ed P aSe To the Editor: JN THE EXCITEMENT and alarm caused by recent devel- opments in Czechoslovakia, one phase of the story appears to be neglected: that, while it was pres- sure i'om the Soviet Union which enabled the Communists to gain power, it was also the ungenerous unyielding policy of our own gov- ernment which made the Com- munist victory inevitable. The fol- lowing statements in the N.Y. Times on Fri., Mar. 12, strengthen this conclusion: " . .Czechoslovakia had to have help from somewhere, and Mr. Masaryk spent much of his time when he was in the United States last fall in an effort to get it from the United States . . . He said resignedly a few weeks before his death: 'The United States treats us as though we had al- I army in the neighborhood and in a position to intervene? (4 Was it a Russian high official or an American one whose a''rrival gave the signal for the coup? 5 Wase it before om' after ihe coup that the liberty of the press was suspend-' ed. a rigid censorship instituted. the frontier closed to immigration and emnig ration, the university purged of non-conformist profes- sors? As MYDA well knows I have given mere time. effort and atten- tion to fighting for the rights of the Communists on this campus than almost any other person. As a menimber of the Academic Free- dom Committee 1 shall continue to do so. But I swear I deserve a high seat in Heaven for fighting, day in and day out for the free- communism? How long can we continue to swallow these hysteri- cal pronouncements? In his short term, Mr. Truman has managed to completely dis- avow the late Pres. Roosevelt's policies on labor, civil rights and foreign affairs. His replacements for the progressives have been men whose sole duty in life seems to be the destruction of any hopes for peace. Both Hoover and Dulles were shouting for war with Rus- sia as far back as 1921, yet both have high official capacities to- day. James Foi'estal, W. A. Har- i'iman, Robt. Lovett, and W. H. Draper have all been connected with the investment, houses of Dillon, Reid, and Co. and Brown Bros., whose interests have al- ways run counter to those of la- bor. The overwhelnring amount of military men now occupying key positions is another indication of the trend of the present govern- ment. President Truman's ccntinual reiteration that America is not an aggressive nation implies the at- titudte that all who fail to share our thought on government are necessarily wrong. Let's get rid of this attitude that we can do no wrong, that the other fellow is always to blame. Let's. start thinking objectively and not emotionally. --Hy Bershad ENERAL of the Army Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Com- mander in Japan, is taken seri- ously as an aspirant for the GOP presidential nomination. The White House is not at all pleased that a general sould seek the Commander in Chief's job when he is supposed to be operating under orders. -U.S. News and World Report. Fifty-Eighth Year h ea ready been sold down the river, but we haven't-yet.' . . . With no help in sight from the United States. the Soviet Union osten- tatiously announced that it would provide 400,000 tons of wheat." -Wilfred Kaplan Thim k )b(jecu iely To the Editor: AT LAST Mr. Truman grasps the grimy paw of W. Randolph Hearst! Unable to successfully an- swer Wallace's attacks, he has re- plied by shrieking "Red." False ac- cusations are not to be treated lightly, whether they be from President Truman or any other citizen! - Why is the President afraid to dcm of those who deny freedom air and discuss the attacks against to all who are not of their own him and his scheming ministers? way of thinking! Mr. Shaffer's Does agreement wtih a warlike letter is a horrible example of the policy molded by cartel figure- mental confusion and moral deg- heads constitute embracement of ' I A K "WELL, HERE WE ARE AGAIN." Those words seem to be the general opinion, as our minds go back about eight years to the day F.D.R. announced the need for a peacetime selective service. But are we just "here" again, or is this present situation not a thousand times more complex and ten thousand times more vital to the fate of our elaborate, painstakingly erected civ- ilization?j With the exception of the Bund members, Americans, almost to a man, knew the score with Germany. Fascism was under- stood, and we knew we didn't want it to Haunting Tune SO CONGRESSMEN are going to be good little boys, and by putting aside all party politics, play the game fair and square in the nation's best interests. In spite of the generally pessimistic at- titude of President Truman's recent speech to Congress, he expressed the almost child- ish conviction that "the American people have the right to assume that political considerations will not affect our (Congress) working together." Perhaps in 1949, such a statement would be somewhat feasible, but this is 1948. As Congressional Records can prove, an election year has never witnessed the pass- age of any extreme measures, crisis or not. The average Congressman is much too afraid of his public and party policy to lose an election by sticking his neck out, either to the right or the left. The possible war with Russia will hardly change political sentiments. With a split in the Democratic party, the Republicans have their best chance, this year, to elect a president, and neither party will take any great risk that would turn the tide of events against them. Already the newspapers have been filled with the doubts expressed by Congressmen regarding the passage of UMT and the draft bill. ERP seems to be the only measure proposed in Truman's speech that will get reasonable backing. In the uncertainty of an election year, Congress could hardly happen here. The Germans were not secre- tive, but arrogant and proud in their ag- gression. The issue was crystal-clear, and with a capable pilot to guide us through the difficulties, we rallied together and swallowed whole the "Dream . of a Better World" pill. It didn't take long, however, for the in- digestion to start. Now we find ourselves whirling around in a really "vicious" circle: We are against Russian ideology; she is against ours. We say "hands off" Europe and put our own hands on. Russia becomes belligerent, puts more hands on. We are angry, start raising armies. The logical next step is for Russia to raise bigger armies, and you can take it from there easily enough. The American people have a right to be confused. Floundering in the complicated political and economic mire, they have no capable pilot to turn to this time. They do, however, still have the thing that raises them above animals-their minds. Last time we could answer a call to arms without qualms. This time the only too recent lesson, even without the invention of a certain little instrument, should compel us to think out this crisis, rather than eagerly rush to shoot it out. -Gloria Goodstein. Selling job THE RUSSIANS may not be terrifically able in the public relations field, but they turn out propaganda which is prob- ably the envy of many an adman. It would be fascinating to watch their tactics if the results weren't so alarming. They've been telling the Italians for some time now that Americans will be stupid enough to send ERP aid to even a com- munist Italian state. We wonder what they will make out of Truman's speech to Con- gress. The Russians will probably say that Tru- man is a warmonger, seeking only to line the pockets of Wall Street brokers. ERP will be a bribe to get the Italians to suc- cumb to some treacherous capitalist plot. Loo king Back From the pages of The Daily 20 YEARS AGO TODAY: The Daily prepared to conduct an ex- perimental Presidential poll on March 21, in which printed ballots were to be used. All departments of the University were cooperating in an attempt to bring out a record vote. Sen. Reed of Missouri demanded the resignation of Secretary of the Treasury Mellon and condemned the silence of Pres- ident Coolidge as more facts about the Teapot Dome oil scandal were revealed. 10 YEARS AGO TODAY: Lithuania bowed to a Polish ultimatum which demanded that all claims to Wilno be relinquished and that diplomatic rela- tions between the two countries be reestab- lished. . Spanish insurgents declared that the bombings of Barcelona, in which 640 civil- ians were killed, were justified by the "discovery of military objectives in that city. 5 YEARS AGO TODAY: A Daily headline read, "MacArthur's Pilots Sink Jap Submarine." American troops captured El Guetar and continued eastward, further threatening the Nazi position in Tunisia. SOME OF THE GOP leaders look with a jaundiced eye on the proposal that Sen- ator Vandenberg be chosen to make the key- note speech before the Republican conven- Edited and managed by students of the University of Michigan under the authority of the Board in Control of Student Publications. Editorial Staff John Campbell......Managing Editor Dick Maloy...............City Editor Harriett Friedman .. Editorial Director Lida Dailes...........Associate Editor Joan Katz...........Associate Editor Fred Schott......... Associate Editor Dick Kraus ..............Sports Editor Bob Lent ......Associate Sports Editor Joyce Johnson.......Women's Editor Jean Whitney Associate Women's Editor Bess Hayes ................. Librarian Business Staff Nancy Helmick .......General Manaere Jeanne Swendeman.......Ad. Manager Edwin Schneider .. Finance Manager Dick Hait....... 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