THE MICHIGAN DAIY
SATtMfDAY, -DECE MmvR-11, -1948
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Editor's Note is written by Managing Editor
Harriett Friedman.
IF YOU'RE NOT SURE yet that the Un-
American Activities Committee should
be given a quick death, read their latest
pamphlet, "100 Things You Should Know
About Communism and Education."
Th most eye-opening passage concerns
the state of text-books in American high
schools. On the back cover of the pamphlet
are these words quoted from William Z.
Foster, head of the Communist Party,
U.S.A.: "Our teachers must write new school
textbooks and revirite history from the
lVarxian viewpoint."
Fine, so we're against that. But the Un-
American Activities Committee goes on to
say that our text-books are already im-
pregnated with Marxist thought.
Their proof? Well the booklet says that
"the success of the United States of Amer-
ica is played down by too many of our
school books and its failures are played
up." The committee then quotes from
a report by a Dr. Ralph West Robey,
Assistant Professor of Banking at Co-
lumbia University, who says:
"The whole emphasis is placed on the
one-third of the population who are under-
fed, rather than on the two thirds who are
well fed. The textbooks emphasize the small
number of large corporations rather than
the large number of small ones. The authors
point out the few wealthy people of this
country rather than the fact that we have
the greatest distribution of wealh in the
world."
The Un-American Activities Committee
then goes on to say that textbooks lie by
giving students "the idea that our country
is hopelessly ridden with economic evils,"
when actually our country "sent arms and
food all over the world" in World War II
and still "kept up the highest standard
the world has ever known."
These criticisms of America show Com-
munist influence, says the Committee.
* * * '
BUT ALL IS NOT lost. We can keep the
Communists from turning our textbooks
into one-sided portrayals of Marxist ideol-
ogy. We simply rewrite our textbooks into
one-sided portrayals of the glories of Amer-
ican free enterprise.
For instance, the committee states that
the emphasis on economic faults of our sys-
tem should be removed. Instead the text-
books should point out that America "is
the light and hope of the world. Its citizens
are the envy of all the rest of makind.
People everywhere want to come here but
nobody is leaving here to go to Russia or
any other alleged 'land of promise.'"
And our students should also be told that
it's our concept of individuality and inde-
Pendeice that has made us the richest coun-
try in the world. Our national resources
have little to do with it, the pamphlet says,
for after all we don't have more of the
best natural resources than any other peo-
ple. Russia has more than we have.
'M AFRAID that I got rather the opposite
impression of my high school texts,
sometimes feeling that they sloughed off
many economic injustices. But even if our
textbooks do, as the committee claims,
carry an emphasis on the ills of our sys-
tem, I would call that rather healthy.
A country that encourages criticism
of its correctable ills will move forward.
The students who are aware that our
country has not yet provided equal eco-
nomic and social care for all will work
to create more perfect justice.
But a nation which allows its young to'
know only about its good features, which
fills school texts with boasts of its wealth
and power will inevitably stagnate by curb-
ing that individual initiative so heavily
praised by the Un-American Activities Com-
mittee.
"100 Things You Should Know About
Communism and Education" has just let me
know, again, that indiscriminate Commu-
nist investigations often turn into argu-
ments for fascism.
Editorials published in The Michigan Daily
are written by members of The Daily staff
and represent the views of the writers only.
NIGHT EDITOR: PHIL DAWSON
---
Whose Inalienable Rights?
"Never Git Us Down Offa This Here Hill"
THE UN-AMERICAN Activities Commit-
tee, the most un-American organization
in its tactics that has ever been attached
to our governmental system, is striking out
in its dying moments in an effort to create
a public opinion which will demand its con-
tinuance.
The Committee has been attacked from
every side for its dictatorial methods. It
has been condemned by our labor unions
in convention-the same conventions in
which the Communists were also taking
defeats. It has been chastised by the ex-
ecutive branch, and by members of the
House and Senate; and its investigating
methods are being questioned before the
Supreme Court.
Attorney General Clark expressed it well,
when he said, "unlike the committee, the
Department of Justice recognizes its respon-
sibility to proceed within the framework of
the Constitution." The committee has con-
sistently sought the headline rather than
the courts as a means of self-promotion at
the expense of its victims.
Two of the most well publicized cases
were those of Dr. Condon and the ten
Hollywood script writers, all of whom were
dragged through the mire of publicity
with little chance to defend themselves.
Dr. Condon has never received the chance
he constantly requested-to be allowed to
defend himself before an open meeting of
the Committee. Rather, his name has been
drawn back into the investigations from
time to time with just the right amount of
emphasis to continue the shadows on his
reputation.
And Louis B. Mayer, MGM head, tes-
tifying at a trial in Los Angeles, reveals
that the reason for suspending the film
writers from their jobs was due to the
"threat of federal censorship."
This does not sound like the work of a
Committee to ferret out "un-American ac-
tivities." The threat of censorship could
have come from only one source. Only the
House Committee was involved in the writ-
ers' case.
Even the present Chambers-pumpkin case
is as indicative as any of the older charges
against the Committee. Nothing brought
out in the last few sensational days of
Committee meetings is new. It has been
partially hashed over in old Committee
meetings and the rest of it has been sub-
mitted to a Federal Grand Jury in New
York. In fact, the statement of Whitaker
Chambers has been lifted directly from the
Grand Jury pre-trial testimony.
As usual, with complete disregard for
justice, the Committee scooped up the in-
formation it needed, while Hiss is required
to ask the judge for permission to release
the balance of 800 pages of testimony, which
would help present his side of the case.
To the charge that the Committee's ill-
advised publicity can seriously impair the
administration of justice, chairman Mundt
cries that the request is "an unreasonable
attack upon the prerogatives of the United
States Congress."
We submit that the Thomas-Mundt ac-
tivities are "an equally unreasonable attack
upon the prerogatives of the citizens of the
United States" and would remind Congress-
man Mundt that while the Congressional
prerogatives are delegated those of the
people are inalienable.
-Don McNeil.
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Letters to the Editor.
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On Ruhr Problem
EVER SINCE Louis XIV invaded the
Rhineland there has been constant an-
tagonism between the French and the Ger-
mans, which finds its present day outlet in
the Ruhr problem.
German civilian control of the indus-
trial Ruhr has been proposed by the Amer-
ican and British military governments
of Germany. France has consistently as-
serted that the Germans should not be
granted sole trusteeship of this highly in-
dustrialized region because they might
once again make it an instrument of war.
France has refused to take part in the
U.S. English board overseeing the conver-
sion of the Ruhr trusteeship to the Ger-
mans.
It appears, however, that the French are
overlooking some very major issues in the
Ruhr problem.
(1.) The Ruhr now lies in the British-
American zone of occupation. Under the su-
pervision of the occupation authorities pro-
duction is not hitting the peak that is ex-
pected of this powerful coal-coke-steel pro-
ducing region. A reason for this under pro-
duction may well be the reluctance of the
Germans to work for foreign entrepreneurs.
(2.) Full scale production from the Ruhr
is necessary to European Recovery. France
should realize this because she exports iron
ore to this region.
(3.) The London Agreement of May,
1948, flatly stated that regardless of who
had trusteeship of the Ruhr, a permanent
board would be set up to allocate ma-
terials produced there. France, England,
U.S., and the three Benelux countries
would hold seats on this advisory council.
And, if the German owners wanted to take
80 per cent of the production themselves,
and the advisory board felt that this per-
centage was too high, it would be in their
power to re-distribute the produce.
It is about time that the century old feud
between Germany and France is stopped.
France has an almost fanatical fear of a
strong Germany. But France must come to
realize that the conversion of Germany to a
country that can take its place among a
family of nations is necessary for the real-
ization of the "One World" dream. Revenge
should have no place in this conversion.
-Norma Jean Harelik.
MATTER OF FACT:
Pumpkin Seeds
News of the Week
INTERNATIONAL
Israel ....
Efforts to get the New Government of Israel recognized by the
United Nations hit another snag this week when the Security Coun-
cil cancelled a meeting to act on the membership bid. France and
Canada did not want to act on Israel's bid until the General Assembly
moved on the Palestine Conciliation Commission.
In the war zone, reports indicated that Israeli troops were about
to unlatch a trap which holds some 1,200 Egyptian troops in an effort
to negotiate an Arab-Jewish peace settlement.
China... .
Desparate fighting between the nationalist defenders of Suchow
and the Communist troops brought a tangle of reports this week. Late-
est indications were that Chiang's forces had lost 30,000 men in the
last ditch defense of the city.
Early in the week, the swift-moving Communist forces had
trapped the 250,000 man garrison of Suchow.
Chiang rushed reserves from other parts of China in an effort to
stem the Communist advance. By weeks end, three nationalist army
groups had moved into the Communist trap. The defenders of Suchow
were pinning all their hopes on the remaining air power of the na-
tionalists to pull them out of the trap.
Berlin ... .
Anti-Communist groups in Western Berlin elected their own
mayor after the Communists in the Soviet Zone had set up a rump
government. This was the latest move in the splitting of Berlin that
had been going on since last year.
UN....
No decisive action came out of the UN this week. Among the de-
velopments were:
1. Dulles attacked Communist action in Korea and the General
Assembly passed a resolution supporting the Republic of South Korea.
2. Eleanor Roosevelt told Soviet Deputy Foreign Minister Vishin-
sky that he should bow to the will of the majority.
NATIONAL
Spy story ....
Following the revelation by Whittaker Chambers that he had con-
fidential State Department documents from pre-war days given to him
by Alger Hiss, Congressmen Mundt and Nixon began an investigation
seeking three men who were alleged to have helped the Russians get
information as to U. S. codes which they may have passed on to the
Nazis.
At weeks end, Attorney General Tom Clark asked that the Con-
gressmen leave investigations to the Justice Department and asked
that the Un-American affairs commititee stop meddling with vital
witnesses and information that was needed for the Federal Grand
Jury. Mundt refused.
LOCAL
Year of Decision ...
Newly elected Student Legislators held their first session this week
and heard retiring Legislature president Blair Moody tell them that
the coming year "is one of decision for student government at the Uni-
versity."
Workers Education ....
The Workers Education program got the okay of state labor lead-
ers this week, following a meeting with University officials.
Although the support was qualified, Victor Routher said he
thought "Labor will support the program if the solution of final
details move in the direction started today."
Report Cards.. ..
Students were eagerly grading their instructors this week as the
Faculty Grading system cut into the class hours and gave them a
chance to comment on the teaching efficiency of the staff.
Dark Victory . . .
A Daily reporter took a quick check on the University lighting fa-
cilities with a foot-candle meter, found that many students were
gleening their knowledge under a gleam of light. Officials promptly
announced that more light was in the offing.
Study Abroad.. ..
A Foreign Summer Study Plan, intended to enable students to
study abroad next summer and get credits here for their work, was
announced last week, and committees were set up to arrange the
program.
Under NSA sponsorship, it would give qualified students a chance
to travel with at least part of their expenses paid.
* * * *
Sports ....
Shortly on the heels of a strong victory over Michigan State on
the basketball courts, came the word that Benny Oosterbaan had
been named the nation's Coach of the Year.
The Daily accords its readers the
privilege of submitting letters for
publication in this column. Subject
to space limitations, the general pol-
icy is to publish in the order in which
they are received all letters bearingi
the writer's signature and address.
Letters exceeding 300 words, repeti-
tious letters and letters of a defama-
tory character or such letters which
for any other reason are not in good
taste will not be published. The
editors reserve the privilege of con-
densing letters.
* * *
Free Spain Week
To the Editor:
THIS WEEK is Free Spain Week.
In all parts of the world peo-
ple act to aid the Spanish guer-
rillas who are fighting Franco's
dictatorship with ever increasing
strength and coordination. Out of
over 50 meetings in this country,
the Joint Anti-Fascist Refuge
Committee will send recommen-
dations to Paris where a delega-.
tion meets to urge the UN Gen-
eral Assembly to act decisively
against Hitler's ally.
This week, in New York the
Committee for a Democratic Far-
Eastern Policy meets to urge that
the State Department refuse as-
sistance to the admittedly corrupt
Chiang Kai-Shek government.
The people in both China and
Spain are suffering severely. They
fight for a better life in a cold-
war climate for which American
financial interests are mainly to
blame. Our official press labels
them agents of a world-wide Mos-
cow-led plot. Our State Depart-
ment sees the world through the
narrow slits of gun-sights aimed
at the Soviet Union and has no
other interest but sanitation of
the world to make it safe for our
DAILY
OFFICIAL
BULLETIN
(Continued from Page 2)
hour before the beginning of the
respective performances.
University String Quartet, as-
sisted by the Michigan Singers,
and Marian Owen and Helen
Titus, pianists, will be heard in
the second program of this semes-
ter at 8:30 p.m., Mon., Dec. 13,
Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre. The
program will be devoted to the
compositions of Rose Lee Finney,
Professor of Composition in the
School of Music, and will be open
to the general public without
charge.
Events Today
Flying Club, Ensian pictures will
be taken at Ann Arbor Airport at
2 p.m. Meet in Aero Service office.
American Youth Hostel: Last
Square Dance before the holidays.
8:15-11 p.m., Jones School, 401
N. Division St.
Saturday Luncheon Discussion
Group: 12 noon, Lane Hall.
Coating Events
Naval Research Reserve: Or-
ganization meeting to establish
the U. of M. Unit, 7:30 p.m., Mon.,
Dec. 13, 35 Angell Hall. All Naval
Reserve Officers interested in re-
search are invited to attend.
Michigan Society for Quality
Control: 7:30 p.m., Mon., Dec. 13,
Michigan Union. Program: An-
swers to questions by the "Board
of Experts" and a short talk by
Prof. C. C. Craig. All interested
in the Applications of Statistical
Methods to Quality Control are
invited.
Graduate Outing Club: Meet at
2:15 p.m., Dec. 12, Northwest en-
trance, Rackham Bldg., for hike.
Please sign supper list at Rack-
ham checkroom desk before noon
Saturday. All graduates welcome.
U. of M. Hot Record Society: A
meeting, to be announced, will be
presented Sunday at 8 p.m., Mich-
igan League Ballroom. Everyone
is invited.
U.W.F.: Informal discussion,
Sun., 7:30 p.m., Ann Arbor Room,
Michigan League. Everyone wel-
come.
United World Federalists: Ex-
ecutive Council Meeting, Mon.,
4:10 p.m., Michigan- Union. Every
person, officer and member,
working on a chapter project must
present a written report at this
meeting. Meeting is open to gen-
eral membership.
cold-war troops. Sanitation means
extermination of all "rebels" and
"trouble-makers." Does it matter
if the rebels are people who, on
Chinese plains and in Spanish
mountains, fight for the right to
eat bread and to till their own
land secure from robbery by gen-
erals and landlords?
Who is not sickened when
America promises safety only to
the demolishers of. freedom? But
how else can a cold-war be
fought? Allies must be sought
where found and are most plenti-
ful and loyal among Falangists
and Kuomintangers with long
anti-Communist records. Read Je-
tween the lines ! A picture of the
cold-war's results is in every pa-
per. A vision of the future is not
hard to form. For a different fu-
ture, every one of us must act to
make our foreign policy a peace
policy.
Listen to great men such as the
Dean of Canterbury, Albert Ein-
stein and Thomas Mann. Listen
to millions of Chinese people who
cry "anti-starvation, anti-atrocity,
anti-dictatorship"; to the Spanish
Resistance speaking in words of
Jose Gayso, a guerrilla leader shot
by the Falange: "may my death
be an inspiration to help, more
and more, the liberation of our
people." We need their faith.
-Jack A. Lucas.
*. * *
Phoenix Project
To the Editor:
WHAT HAPPENED to the Phoe-
nix Project?
Last May, The Daily came out
with an extra. "Atom Research to
be 'U' War Memorial," shouted
the Zeadline. "Phoenix Plan to
Benefit Man."
There was to be a memorial ro-
tunda right here on campus "to
draw together the great scholars
of the age." Then there was to
be a research laboratory "more
complete and better equipped for
these purposes than any peace-
time atomic laboratory now in ex-
istence." Finally there was to be
a classification of all atomic data
"to coordinate -on a world-wide
basis all successes or failures that
may even hint at progress toward
the solution of atomic problems."
Work on the Project was to have
begun July 1st.
I haven't heard a word about it.
Maybe the Phoenix Project has
been postponed or called off. If so,
just say so. Or, maybe the Proj-
ect is too secret even to mention.
But if it isn't, I sure would like
to know what's happened to what
The Daily called "a living, time-
less, creative force for peace."
-Robert M. Uchitelle.
(EDITOR'S NOTE: An office has
been established on campus for the
Phoenix Project, and a large scale
fund raising drive is being organized.
Announcement of more detailed
plans for the Project will be made
soon. The Phoenix Project is still
to be "a living, timeless, creative
force for peace."
By JOSEPH and STEWART ALSOP
WASHINGTON-It is high time for the
affair of Alger Hiss and Whittaker
Chambers to be placed in some sort of sen-
sible perspective. The State Department cer-
tainly has not helped much by nervously
asking the House Committee on Un-Amer-
ican Activities to lock up much of the con-
tents of Chambers' microfilm-stuffed pump-
kin. In fact, those who should know best
say that the full texts of the Chambers doc-
uments would bore most people to tears.
As reliably described, the papers fall
into five categories: First, full texts of
cables from the Paris and other embassies;
second, sets of typewritten sheets contain-
ing brief summaries of cables; third, three
such summaries in what is alleged to be
the handwriting of Alger Hiss; fourth,
certain notes on Naval Intelligence re-
ports in the handwriting of another offi-
cial whose name has not yet been dis-
closed; and, fifth and finally, original
copies of completely unimportant Navy
technical orders on such fascinating topics
as light switches.
Besides reams of such stuff, there are ap-
parently one or two documents of slightly
more recent significance. A long intelligence
report from China, for instance, shows that
Colonel, later General Joseph W. Stilwell
sympathized with the Chinese Communists
even in 1938. Add up the whole, however,
and the best judges assert there is not a
line, a fact or an incident which should
cause a tremor in any foreign office in the
world today, unless foreign officers 'are
wise enough to tremble to see what fools
eminent statesmen could be in those tragic
years before the second World War.
If the documents disclose anything at
all, in short, they prove that the security
of the American government was then
virtually non-existent. But everyone who
is reasonably well-informed has always
known that this was the case. The chances
are that most of these very documents,
we have acquired an elaborate security sys-
tem, widely admired and envied abroad.
What the present proceeding thus boils
down to is simply an attempt to prove
whether the individuals accused by Cham-
bers, such as Hiss and the late Harry White,
are or are not guilty as charged. The trial
of individuals is surely a matter for the
courts, and not for committees of Con-
gress.'
(Copyright, 1948, New York Herald Tribune, Inc.)
fCIINIEMA]
Al theOr pheum , ,
PORTRAIT OF A WOMAN, with Fran-
coise Rosay and Henry Guisol.
A SWISS-MADE French film, adapted
from the novel by Jacques Feyder, this
exceeds the high standards we have come
to expect of foreign imports.
An unidentified woman leaps to her death
in a Swiss lake. Francoise Rosay, by means
of flashbacks plays each of four missing
women who might have been a suicide.
She displays her exceptional versatility
by playing in turn, a great actress, a
peasant nurse, a sentimental school mis-
tress and a life-loving barge-keeper's wife.
Her sensitive, convincing portrayal of each
enables her to carry off top acting honors,
though she is hard-pressed by an unus-
ually able supporting cast.
Slapstick comedy combines with subtle
humor to provide many laughs, ranging
from mere titillations to aide-splitting *guf-
faws. Along with the comedy, though, there
is enough pathos to lend substance to the
presentation. The def tness with which the
muses are interwoven bespeaks the - fine
direction the film received.
Ti r
Fifty-Ninth Year
i
Edited and managed by students of
the University of Michigan under the
authority of the Board in Control of
Student Publications.
Editorial Staff
Harriett Friedman ...Managing Editor
Dick Maloy ............... City Editor
Naomi Stern..........Editorial Director
Allegra Pasqualetti ....Associate Editor
Arthur Higbee.......Associate :Editor
Murray Grant..........Sports Editor
Bud Weidenthal ..Associate Sports Ed.
Bev Bussey ......Sports Feature Writer
Audrey Buttery........Women's Editor
Bess Hayes ..................Librarian
Business Staf
BuiesSafRichard Halt......Business Manager
Jean Leonard .... Advertising Manager
William Culman .....Finance Manager
Cole Christian ....Circulation Manager
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Looking Back
50 YEARS AGO TODAY:
The total number of women enrolled at
the University was 673. They were distrib-
uted in the several departments as follows:
literary 589, engineering, 1, Medical 59, Law
5, Pharmic 3, homeopathic 8, dental 8. Out
of 451 colleges in the United States, 41 were
closed to women.
30 YEARS AGO TODAY: ..
Farewell suppers were in order as the
A.S.A.T.C. units around campus were dis-
banded.
The chairman of the Spanish department
predicted that in a couple of decades Span-
iv, ena ~ l h .._e f f n.,,1ar na rt,,
13ARNABLII
Mr. Merrie's disappearance is a reel
mystery, Ellen. The police grilled
the phonv Swami and his nal but-
Yes. Your imaginary Pixie is gone. And
that Ghost you were so concerned about
won't have in lanve hishunted house now.
Gus!... What My house is unbearable
are you doing now, little boy. It's full
;n our oumm o it t : i.,:a:- nrams.a r