PAGE FOuII
TIE VICHIGAN DAILY
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1949
U
Oregon Genetics
QtONQ Ile te
Behold The Lord High Execulioner
THE WEST COAST is currently being
swept by a series of dismissals of pro-
fessors, seemingly for their political beliefs.
Six University of Washington faculty mem-
bers were-dragged on the carpet, three fired
and three put on probation. Now, Oregon
State University has sacked two of its fac-
ulty members.
Oregon's President A. L. Strand said
that Prof. Robert Spitzer was not fired
because he is a Progressive, but because,
in a letter to a professional magazine, he
supported the Marxist theory of genetics
-Lysenko Genetics. The Lysenko theory
is diametrically opposed to our accepted
idea of genetics.
Without going into the details of the two
theories, neither of which has been proved
to a scientific certainty, the question, "Can
a professor support an 'unacceptable' theory
and still maintain his right to teach?"
should be considered.
Spitzer did not teach genetics at Oregon.
He taught organic chemistry, which has no
Editorials published in The Michigan Daily
are written by members of The Daily staff
and represent the views of the writers only.
NIGHT EDITOR: GEORGE WALKER
political affiliations. Organic chemistry is
taught the same in the United States as in
Russia.
With this in mind, the question is not
whether this man should be allowed to
teach a Marxian theory, but should he be
allowed to teach at all if he. supports any
of the Communist ideology, in preference
to what his colleagues are teaching here
at home. Oregon said he should not teach
at all.
This sounds like the same thing that the
Communists are doing today in Russia-
clamping strict limits on the scientists right
of free investigation.
It is the business of the scientist to seek
truth in all fields, unhampered by any re-
strictions, whether governmental or ac-
ademic..
Spitzer was not charged with imposing
Marxist ideas on his students. lie was
dismissed simply because of his defense
of an unacceptable theory, outside of the
limits of the campus of the University of
Oregon.
This does not sound like freedom of in-
vestigation to us. It sounds like the greatest
violation of a man's right to seek truth that
has come up since the United States became
Communist conscious in 1945.
-Al Blumrosen,
' -Don McNeil.
Editor's Note is written by
Harriett Friedman.
Managing Editor
f /.
:., . - 1
Letters to the Editor-
Dignified Stand
iT'S STILL THE number one recreation in
Washington these days-trying to prove
that Henry Wallace is a menace.
And yet-standing befor'e the House For-
eign Affairs Committee this week-Wallace
not only appeared harmless, but also worthy
of far greater respect than his antagonists.
In a barrage of irrelevant, redundant
questioning, Wallace remained intellec-
tually unimpeachable, and far from polit-
ical bankruptcy.
The House committee, currently consid-
6ring a bill to continue the European Re-
covery Program called Wallace, purportedly
to get his views on the subject.
As might have been expected, however,
Wallace was in for an insulting interlude
of political persecution.
In characteristic style, the members
seemed more interested in proving that
he was a subversive influence than in as-
certaining his views.
" . ..my position has nothing to do with
the Communist attitude," Wallace said.
Rep. Lodge, still unconvinced that he was
not a Moscow puppet, wanted to know if
Wallace thought the U.S. was winning the
cold war. His answer was based on the
not unreasonable, and definitely valid, belief
that (1) nations preparing for war often
provoke it, and (2) there would be no winner
in an atomic war.
He said: "I think the whole world, includ-
ing the United States and Russia, is losing
it."
Lodge thought that Red Henry should be
a little more specific.
"I think (the U.S.) is losing it," Wallace
condescendingly deduced.
Did he think Russia "genuinely wants
peace?"
"I do," Wallace said.
Such a remark was definitely subversive,
the congressman figured, and the stage
was set for 'the showdown question: if
Russia should take aggressive action
against Turkey and the Dardanelles would
Wallace favor going to war against her?
The committee undoubtedly found his an-
swer a little surprising.
"I would find it very difficult for me to
oppose that kind of war," he said.
Once again Henry Wallace stood with
dignity among the Washington witch
hunters who have consistently attempted
to bring him down to their level. Whether
or not one agrees with his program of
peace through understanding and, faith, it
is difficult to deny his sincerity and un-
swerving devotion to a high purpose.
Henry Wallace may be wrong-but that is
a common fault.a
But it is not so common to find on to-
day's political scene men of similar intelli-
gence, conviction, and strength.
It will be the world's loss if the voices
of passing influence succeed in shouting
down this man of enduring integrity-one
of the few remaining statesmen who hon-
estly believes that peace is possible.
-Robert C. White.
SK ANY STUDENT what's the trouble
with the University, and he'll probably
reply: "The Administration," or maybe,
"The Regents," or perhaps he'll just com-
plain that the "higher ups" are always
treating him like a child, and a naughty one
at that.
Pinning all the blame on one group
or another is naturally unfair, but the
typical comments prove one thing, and
that is that there is a serious break be-
tween the "higher ups" and the students
when it comes to matters of policy.
Students are of course represented on
various University committees, such as Stu-
dent Affairs, but these are involved in carry-
ing out University policy, rather than dis-
cussing the policies themselves.
Noticing the results of abrupt stratifica
tion, "U" officials have tried to cure by
giving students more responsibility for ef-
fecting policies.
But there is no group or meeting in
which students can learn the why's and
wherefore's of policies by discussing them
with the "higher ups." And of course
this lack also prevents the administration
from understanding student viewpoint on
most issues.
IT IS THEREFORE very interesting to dis-
cover the happy results of the new "Pres-
ident's Council" at the University of Wis-
consin.
The council, composed of University, fac-
ulty and students, meets periodically to dis-
cuss policy questions of interest to all groups.
According to Gordon Klopf, counselor of
student activities, as quoted in the current
School and Society, the council is "based
on the belief that all members of the com-
munity-students, faculty and administra-
tive personnel-can work together in mature
cooperation with democratic principles for
the common good."
After five months of Council operation,
Klopf reports that "students from all
areas of the campus and the administra-
tive staff are working together for a
greater university and stronger demo-
cratic unity in the university community."
Wisconsin's President's Council was creat-
ed to fill the administration-faculty-student
communication gap, and it seems to be
doing the job.
Perhaps some such group is the answer
to our problem. Repeated misunderstandings
and uproars have proved that existing mech-
anisms are not sufficient. Why not try a
Michigan president's council?
MATTER OF FACT:
Curtain's Chinkh
By JOSEPH ALSOP
BERLIN-Berliners nowadays talk about
the airlift as people elsewhere talk about
the weather. On a fine morning they will
say, not "what a beautiful day," but, "there
will be many planes today. Yet this per-
petual consciousness of the roar of the big
C-54's overhead is actually the only abnor-
mal note in the life of the city. The world
still thinks of the Berlin situation as dan-
gerous and critical. In fact, it has become
an uneventful stalemate.
The Soviet policy makers may have
vaguely hoped they could use the Berlin
blockade as blackmail to disrupt the re-
construction of Western Germany and to
get their hands on the Ruhr. But their
practical, immediate aim was that dis-
closed in a remarkable speech by Karl
Maron, one of their chief political stooges
in Germainy.
"So long as the forces of reaction cal
maintain their established positions in Ber-
lin," said Maron, "they will be able to carry
out successfully their acts of sabotage. Thus
the reconstruction of the western zone will
be hampered from the outset."
What Maron meant is perfectly clear de-
spite the double talk. So long as Berlin
remains a huge chink in the Iron Curtain,
it will continue to be impossible to organize
the Soviet zone of Germany as a full-fledged
Kremlin satellite, and to incorporate this
new satellite in the Kremlin's new east Eu-
ropean empire. The failure of the Berlin
blockade has prevented the establishment
of an east German state on these lines.
All the preparations for such a state be-
gan to be made long before the blockade
itself was declared.
To be sure, the sovietization of east
Germany is already outwardly complete.
There are all the familiar phenomena
of one-party government and omnipresent
secret police. The whole region pays
tribute to Moscow, and the most impor-
tant industries are" actually Soviet-owned.
In the uranium mines of the Erzebirge,
the east zone even has its own gigantic,
hideous slave labor camps.
None the less. the reall ob Cannot be
(Continued from Page 3)
ARMY BR S l1NONF1Rep
CAGES
t" PRE I ;
-AIY OLI
DAIY FFIIA BULEI
Y
Social S
L ATE IN OCTOBER, 1929, a few hours'
financial transaction in the New York,
stock exchange indirectly threw cities of
men out of work for years to come.
In spite of early New Deal efforts, the
depression continued, although somewhat
less severe, as breadlines circled countless
blocks. Realizing that the economic evo-
lution of the country had reached the
point where an individual could be jolted
from his job through no fault of his own,
the administration assumed the respon-
sibility of providing security for its cit-
izens.
Thus the original social security act;- the
Wagner Act-of 1935 came to be. As amend-
ed four years iater, the program now con-
sists of two completely federal services and
eight which arc shared with the states.
The two federal programs are old age
and survivors insurance, and the unem-
ployment insurance. The other eight in-
clude such things as care for the needy
aged, needy blind, child health services,
vocational rehabilitation and public health
services.
Monday President Truman, under his Fair
Deal program, presented to Congress a two-
fLookingtack
50 YEARS AGO:
After a year's break with the Western
Conference in track, Michigan, Chicago and
Illinois are still holding out on grounds of
"professionalism of certain Wisconsin track
stars." The Universities argued that in their
independent status they did not have to
compete with inferior athletes.
A local druggist promised 20 per cent re-
ductions to student purchases at his store.
20 YEARS AGO:
Dr. W. E. Forsythe of the Health Service
declared that preventatives for bali tosPs
ecurty
fold social security expansion program which
would extend the program's benefits to 20
million more people.
The program's two bills provide for: 1. A
liberalizing of benefits, extending of cover-
age and the including of disability insur-
ance in the present old age and survivors'
insurance, and 2. Passage of a public wel-
fare program which would give federal aid
to the states, particularly for relief pur-
poses.
The first bill would gather farmers, the
self-employed, such as farmers and profes-
sional men, domestic workersuand workers
in non-profit establishments under the so-
cial security program.
Minimum benefits and maximum benefit
levels are both raised under this bill, and
taxes will be doubled to pay for the cost
of the program.
Average pay for benefit purposes will
be computed on the years the worker
earned the most in, instead of his life-
time average. This will raise, substantially,
his old age pension payments.
The second, or public welfare, bill provides
direct federal aid to the states for the
unemployed as well as the aged, blind, de-
pendent children, and the others already
covered by the program.
The government in Washington would
share between 40 per cent and 75 per cent
of the program's cost.
While the program comes as no tre-
mendous surprise-it was one of Truman's
campaign promises-it comes as a poten-
tially welcome girder in the social security
structure. Nor is it a revolutionary move
-it is essentially a continuation of the
New Deal.
There will be those, of course, who cry
that this program is another smack at the
economy of free enterprise, a step towards
the "police state" or the bureaucratic state
(choose any two).
But the real danger to our economic struc-
ture lies not in a small amount of additional
fedeaal intervention but the fact that with-
Sigma, Lawyers Club, Pi Lambda
Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Sigma
Nu, Sigma Phi, Strauss House,
Tau Delta Phi, Texas Club, Theta
Xi, Zeta Beta Tau, Zeta Psi
Blue Cross Hospitalization Plan
will increase its rates. effective
April 5, 1949. The increased rate
will be reflected in the March pay
checks and will increase approxi-
mately one cent a day for single
subscribers and two cents a day
for two persons or families. Addi-
tional information on the Blue
Cioss rates will be available at the
Information Desk, Administration
Building.
NACA Interviews: Representa-
tives from the Cleveland Labora-
tory and Langley, Virginia Labora-
tory of the National Advisory
Committee for Aeronautics will be
in the office to interview students
Monday and Tuesday, February
28th and March 1st. They are in-
terested in engineers, physicists,
chemists, and mathematicians.
There is a greater demand for
graduate students than for sen-
iors, but both will be interviewed
for further information and ap-
pointments at the office, 3528 Ad
ministration Bldg.
Choral Union: Because of grad-
uation, several vacancies exist as
follows:
Tenbrs-3
Basses-2
Altos-2
Applicants will please make ar-
rangements for try-outs at the
offices of the University Musical
Society in Burton Memorial
Tower.
The Chorus will perform the
world premiere of Gomer's "Gloria
in Excelsis," Brahms' Requiem,
and Villa-Lobos' Chorus No. 10,
with the Philadelphia Orchestra,
at the May Festival, under the di-
rection of Thor Johnson.
Lecture
Mathematics Lecture: Profes-
sor K. Kuratowski, Visiting Lec-
turer of the American Mathemati-
cal Society for this year will lec-
ture today at 4 p.m., 3017 Angell
Hall. Topic: "Topology of General
Function Spaces."
Economics Lecture: Professor
Theodore W. Schultz, of the Uni-
versity of Chicago, will speak on
"Land and Food-the Long View"
on Tuesday afternoon, March 1,
at 4:15 in Rackham Amphithea-
tre under auspices of the Depart-
ment of Economics. The public
is invited. Professor Schultz is the
sixth visiting economists to ap-
pear in the special series of lec-
tures and discussions on economic
issues and public policy.
Academic Notices
Astronomical Colloquium: 4:15
p.m., Fri., Feb. 25, Observatory.
Speaker: Miss Carolyn Mooshy.
Subject: "Solar Ultraviolet Radia-
tion and the Upper Atmosphere of
the Earth."
Events Today
German Coffee Hour: 3-4:30
g.m., Michigan League. All stu-
dents and faculty members are in-
vited.
Geological - Mineralogical Jour-
nal Club: Meeting, 12 noon, 3054
N.S. Bldg. Prof. Kirk Bryan of
the Dept. of Geology, Harvard
University, will lecture on "Poly-
genetic Soils and Climatic
Changes." Open meeting.
Association Coffee Hour, Lane
Hall, 4:30 p.m.
Hawaii Club: Meeting at 7:15
p.m., Rm. 03-A, Michigan Union.
Westminster Guild of the First
Presbyterian Church: "Hoe Down"
party, 8 p.m., social hall, church
building. Round and square danc-
ing. Wear jeans and plaid shirts.
Refreshments. Small fee will be
charged.
Roger Williams Guild: Hayride
with Wesleyan Guild. Meet at
Guild House. 8:30 p.m.
Coming Events
All Campus Talent Acts inter-
ested in appearing in the League,
Union, and Glee Club talent show,
com to the Union Ballroom Sat.,
Feb. 26, between 1 and 5 p.m. for
tryouts. Appointments can be
made at the Union Student Of-
fices.
Play: Scenes from Goethe's
Faust fthe tragedy of Gretchen),
presented by the Department of
Germanic Languages 'and Litera-
tures and the Deutscher Verein, in
commemoration of the 200th an-
niversary of the birth of Goethe,
8 p.m., Sat., Feb. 26, Lydia Men-
delssohn Theatre. Tickets on sale
Feb. 24, 2-5 p.m., at Lydia Men-
delssohn Theatre box office, and
2-8 p.m.. Feb. 26.
Graduating Outing Club: Meet
Sun., Feb. 27, at 2:30 p.m., north-
west entrance to Rackham Bldg.
for ice skating or mud sloshing,
All graduates welcome.
The Inter-Guild Council will
meet at 2:30 p.m., Sun., Feb. 27,
at Lane Hall. Agenda: formula-
tion of plans for Religion in Life
Week.
The Armenian Students' Associ-
ation will meet Mon., Feb. 28, 7:30
p.m., at the Michigan Union, Rm.
3 N. Mr. Chiapetta will be our
guest speaker.
The Water Safety Instructor's
Course will be conducted by the
Red Cross between April 18 and
29 at the Intramural Pool. First
meeting, 7:30 p.m., Mon., April
18; subsequent meetings will be
announced then. The course is
open to both men and women.
Anyone interested should sign up
in Office 15, Barbour Gymnasium.
Economics Club: Professor The-
odore W. Schultz, of the Univer-
sity of Chicago, will speak on
"Pricing Farm Products" Monday
evening, Feb. 28, at 7:45 in Rack-
ham Amphitheatre. The public is
invited.
Free Public Lecture: "Christian
Science: The Revelation of Man's
Unity with God," by Charles V.
Winn, C.B.S., of Pasadena, Cali-
fornia; auspices of the Christian
Science Organization. 8 p.m., Mon.,
Feb. 28, Rackham Auditorium.
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 bearing
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.
* * *.
Vet Pensons
To the Editor:
CONGRESSMAN John Rankin,
at the apparent behest of the
American Legion and the Veter-
ans of Foreign Wars, has suc-
ceeded in pushing through the
House Veteran's Committee a new
Veteran's Pension Bill. This bill
would provide for a $90 a month
pension to every veteran when he
reaches the age of sixty-five, and
in addition it would give to dis-
abled veterans a $120 a month
pension. regardless of age.
The chances for the passage of
this bill may be calculated prim-
arily by the degree to which Con-
gressmen feel that it represents
the will of a potent voting group
-the veterans of both World
Wars. Apparently the major vet-
eran's organizations will exert
their full resources to create such
an impression. If this illusion is
to be overcome it is up to the in-
dividual veteran, who opposes
this bill, tonmake his feelings
known to Congress.
Why should emotionally and
physically healthy veterans con-
sider themselves a unique group
entitled to such privilege to the
very possible disadvantage of
needy economic groups? There
can be no honest justification for
it, but certainly disabledveterans
should be cared for as a public,
moral responsibility.
We as World War II veterans
protest against this blanket pen-
sion to veterans, and suggest that
other veterans with similar views
make their views known.
-Donald R. Kiley, Vincent E.
Bozzer, Philip B. Kelly, Art
Manel and six others.
* * *
Nazi Immigration
To the Editor:
BURIED AWAY in the depths
of a recent Detroit News was
an article which made my hair
stand on end. The opening sent-
ence speaks for itself "The State
Department has quietly instructed
U.S. consular officials in Germ-
any that membership in the Nazi
Party should not necessarily bar
Germans from emigrating to the
U.S. under quota arrangements."
The article goes on to say that this
ruling applies to passive, or non-
active Nazis and the status of the
Nazis in question will be determ-
ined by the local consul. Just how
this will be done is not stated.
Presumably the local consul is
equipped with a divining rod
which he holds over the head of
the person in question. Perhaps
passive Nazis have one leg short-
er than the other, or eleven toes.
This would certainly make the de-
cisions easier, and it seems to me
that any decision based on other
evidence is rather arbitrary.
Anyone who has been in Germany
knows that no one but the village
idiot would even admit to being
sympathetic to Hitler, much less
membership in the Nazi Party,
passive or otherwise. No doubt in
a few weeks the local consuls will
find that apparently the only ac-
tive members of the Nazi Party
were Hitler and Goering.
Not only is this ruling a traves-
ty on justice, but in my opinion it
smells of something or other. Just
what, I am not in a position to
say, but it certainly does smell.
What about all the displaced per-
sons who are barred from entry'
due to a fantastic number of qual-
ifications to be met? What about
all the people in Germany who
chose concentration camps rather
than membership in the Nazi
Party? Why not eliminate some
of these restrictions, or raise the
quota on these people, instead of
permitting Nazis to enter? This
of course is the rational thing to
do, but of course one should not
expect rationality in this heyday
of forgiveness.
The article closes by saying that
this ruling will not apply to Com-
munists, since it is considered not
possible to be a passive commun-
ist. Apparently Nazis are more
beneficial to the country than are
Communists. This should give Joe
Stalin a good laugh. What is this
country coming to, anyway?
-Louis B. Allen
Cutting and Drinking
To the Editor:
'M certainly glad that at last
they're going to do something
about cutting classes. It's been a
subject of great interest to me
and I might add some little dis-
comfort for some time. Several
years ago when I first came up
here I too cut a class and I've
been sorry ever since. I've often
thought as that's why I got a D.
I missed a quiz that day.
And not only that, but also I do
wish they'd clear up this liquor-
drinking thing. Liquor-drinking is
just about as nasty a thing as
anything I can think of and I
surely do hope, they really do stop
coddling the students and show
them that even though they are
away from home nonetheless the
standards of ordinary decent ac-
ceptable behavior can and regard-
less of their whining will be made
to be observed even if their fath-
ers and mothers aren't around the
University is certainly able and
capable to at least try to carry
forth the banner of the same ord-
inary decent ideals. There are lots
of things that they should cer-
tainly see to it that are looked in-
to but these two, clas-cutting and
this drinking thing I think are
the most important if we are ever
to be able to say that we went to
a college where we are not only
exposed to the narrow academic
point of view but also that they
made them learn to act like any
decent acceptable people.
-Harld T. Walsh
British Socialism
To the Editor:
WE HAVE read the advertise-
ment in the Ann Arbor Nes
containing a speech by Mr. Crav-
en-Ellis, a prominent English
contractor, member of the Con-
servative Party, and former Mem-
ber of Parliament.
In order to be fair on the ques-
tion of what the British Socialist
Government hasdone in the past
few years, we ask that your board
present-using an equal amount of
space-a report by a member of
the Labour Party. Not necessar-
ily a contractor, because such a
person might well be biased in
dealing with a matter so close to
his heart.
Surely, under a continuing So-
cialist Government which was
elected in the first place by a
democratic process, there must be
someone who feels he is benefitted
by the system rather than "shac-
kled with controls and regula-
tions." We would like to know
what he thinks about the question.
Alice C. Scheips
Jaul J. Scheips
Dorothy P. Lyons
Fifty-Ninth Year
Edited and managed by students of
the University of Michigan under the
authority of the Board in Control of
Student Publications.
Editorial Staff
Iarriett Friedman ....Managing Editor
Dick Maloy..............City Editor
Naomi Stern ........Editorial Director
Allegra Pasqualetti ...Associate Editor
Al Blumrosen........Associate Editor
Leon Jaroff.........Associate Editor
Robert C. White ......Associate Editor
B. S. Brown ............ Sports Editor
Bud Weidenthal ..Associate Sports Ed.
Bev Bussey .....Sports Feature Writer
Audrey Buttery.......Women's Editor
Mary Ann Harris Asso. Women's Editor
Bess Hayes ..................Librarian
Business Staff
Richard Hait .......Business Manager
Jean Leonard ....Advertising Manager
William Culman ....Finance Manager
Cole Christian ... Circulation Manager
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