PENSION
PLAN
Llk
Latest Deadline in the State
i43Iaii4q
CUD Wy
CLOUDY, WARMER
See Page 4
VOL. LIX, No. 124 ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 1949
PRICE FIVE CENTS
I
Fifth Straight Drop
n Prices Reported
Inflation Still 'Serious Problem,'
According to University Economist
The cost of living has dropped for the fifth month in a row, and
virtually all of the increase that occurred in 1948 has now been wiped
out, government figures showed yesterday, The Associated Press re-
ported.
However, inflation stilt remains a serious problem despite the drop,
according to Harold M. Levinson of the economic department.
* * * *
"THERE ARE still plenty of inflationary possibilities such as an-
other round of wage increases or changes in the government tax pro-
gram," Levinson asserted.
Miners Halt
Costly Protest
Shutdown
Current Contract
To End June 30
PITTSBURGH - (A) - John L.
Lewis passed the word down 'to
the UMW yesterday-go back to
work Monday.
That was good news for indus-
try. It was also welcomed by the
463,000 idle hard and soft coal
miners east of the Mississippi.
THEY SAID at the start of the
two-week memorial-protest shut-
down March 14 their pocketbooks
would be sagging by the scheduled
end of the work stoppage 4on-
day. Some sources outside the
union had feared the work stop-
page might extend into a third
week.
A skimpy Easter is assured for
most miners' families as it is.
They are not receiving unemploy-
ment compensation during their
two-weeks of idleness and few
have been able to turn up extra
employment. Miners' loss of wages
has been put at $35,000,000..
LEWIS' WORD to return to the
pits as scheduled came in the form
of' an "executive communication."
It said:
"The present memorial period
will terminate Monday, March
Z8. Production may then be re-
sumed in all mines and all mem-
bers should make themselves
available for work on that date."
Describing this summer's forth-
coming contract negotiations as
"of crucial importance," Lewis de-
clared: "The lessening productiv-
ity of the nation has encouraged
powerful financial and mining in-
terests to believe that your union
and its wage structure and- your
living standards may be success-
fully attacked.
"Your welfare fund, which
means so much in the alleviation
of human agony in our industry,
will also be placed in jeopardy."
TI; CURRENT contract ex-
pires June 30, while the miners are
slated to be idle during an annual
ten-day paid vacation. That con-
tractual vacation starts June 25.
Some sources have speculated
on the possibility that Lewis
called his men out for two weeks
to reduce larger-than-usual
stocks of mined coal. That was
seen as a move to strengthen
the UMW's bargaining position.
The Lewis order came shortly
after the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road, an important coal carrier,
announced that 8,500 shop work-
ers now on furloughs would re-
turn to work April 4.
Similar word came from another
big coal carrier, the Chesapeake &
Ohio Railway Co.
'U' Foreign Study
Opened to Grads
The Bureau of Labor Statis-
tics reported that its consumers'
price index declined1 per cent
between Jan. 15 and Feb. 15.
This fifth consecutive drop
brought the index down to a
point where it was only 0.9 per
cent higher than a year ago.
The index figure on Feb. 15 was
169 per cent of the 1935-39 av-
erage. It was 27 per cent above
June 1946, when OPA controls
were abandoned, and 71 per cent
higher than the pre-war level of
August 1939.
* *.*
THE SUBSTANTIAL cuts in
food prices between January and
February sent the index on that
class of items down 2.5 per cent.
There were smaller declines
for clothing (0.7 per cent) and
house furnishings (0.5 per cent).
As a result, the- index, which
represents the retail prices of
goods and services bought by mod-
erate income families in large cit-
ies, took one of its deepest de-
scents for one month since the
war.
* * *
THE FOOD INDEX on Feb. 15
was 199.7 per cent of the 1935-39
average, 8 per cent below the July
1948 peak. It was 21/2 per cent
lower than a year ago and 37 per
cent above the June 1946 level.
Food prices dropped in all 56
cities surveyed. Some foods, like
eggs, fats and oils and dairy prod-
ucts, hit the lowest marks in a
year and a half or more.
Residential rents advanced 0.2
per cent from mid-January to
mid-February and 0.9 per cent for
the three months ending Feb. 15.
Fleming Trial
Postponement
AgainDenied
Attorney General Stephen Roth
repeated last night his request
that the grand jury investigation
of former county treasurer Clyde
D. Fleming's administration be
postponed until an audit of the
books is completed.
And Gov. Williams told The
Daily he would stand by his At-
torney General in every respect.
* * *
HOWEVER, CIRCUIT Judge
James R. Breakey, Jr., the one-
man grand jury, stood firm in his
decision to begin the hearings
Monday night.
He invited Roth to send a
representative to sit in on the
entire investigation.
Roth also described the inves-
tigation as a confusion of "local
political cross-winds," the Asso-
ciated Press reported.
Roth's political charge brought
no reply from the judge or Prose-
cutor Douglas K. Reading.
Michigan
ForunmPlan
Launched
Debating Awaits
CampusGroups
Michigan Forum-Americanized
version of the Oxford Union style
of debate-was officially launched
yesterday, Ralph Sosin, '50, chair-
man of the Student Legislature
Forum Committee, announced
yesterday.
"Debating of topics with an ed-
ucational value awaits campus
groups with vocal axes to grind
provided there is some other or-
ganization willing to oppose
them," Sosin explained.
THE FORUM provided a me-
dium for the free exchange of
views on controversial matters of
current campus interest.
The go-ahead signal followed
the recent "hearty approval" of
the Student Affairs Committee
and climaxed five months of
stduy by the Forum Committee,
which will operate the debate
program. The group was formed
last fall after the Legislature
heard Ralph M. Carson, '23L,
the only American to preside
over the Oxford Union, explain
how a debating institution could
be formed here.
Groups hoping to participate in
the Forum may pick up applica-
tions at the Office of Student Af-
fairs, beginning at 9 a.m., Mon-
day.
* * *
PROCEDURE CALLS for them
to be turned in to the Student Af-
fairs office and be considered by
the Forum committee.
Time will be given for other
campus groups to answer the
challenge if no opponent has
been arranged for by the peti-
tioning group.
The Student Legislature will
provide the hall, moderator, chairs
and publicity.
* * *
EACH GROUP WILL bring
along one student speaker and
one outside speaker. Each of the
four will speak for 10 minutes, fol-
lowed by a period of cross-ques-
tioning.
The student audience, which
will have been polled earlier on
the topic under discussion, will
then be given 50 minutes to
verbally kick the issue around
and point questions at the
speakers.
Students will be polled again
before the Forum is adjourned
and the shift in opinion publi-
cized.
* * *
FURTHER DETAILS of the Fo-
rum will be sent to the presidents
of all campus organizations, ac-
cording to Sosin.
Members of the Forum Commit-
tee are Jim Jans, '49, for SL; Pat
McKenna, '49, for the League;
Bob Holland, '49, for the Union;
William Reitzer, '51L, for Men's
Judiciary; Norman Jimerson, '49,
for the Student Religious Associa-
tion, and Sosin for the Legisla-
ture.
'U' Receives Grant
The University has been award-
ed grants of more than $18,000 to
finance laboratory and clinical re-
search in cancer, the Federal Se-
curity Administration reported
yesterday.
The grants include $10,195 to
the University Regents and $7,884
to the University proper.
One-Vote Margin
Ends Stiff Debate
Truman Praises Rejection of Bill;
Rankin Sees Defeat in 81st Session
WASHINGTON-0)-In a final jittery flip-flop ballot, the House
yesterday killed the Rankins Veterans' Pension Bill by a one vote mar-
gin.
Ironically, the death stroke was administered on the initiative of
a World War II veteran.
* * * *
PRESIDENT TRUMAN told his news conference later he was ex-
ceedingly happy over the outcome. He called it a forward-looking ac-
tion.
The sudden end to Rep. John E. Rankin's efforts to put
across his multi-billion dollar measure climaxed three days of
quarrelsome debate during which the House members changed
their votes five times before shelving the bill.
On the showdown the tally was 208 to 207 to send the riddled
legislation back to the Veterans Committee for "further study." That
group, headed by the fiery Mis-U
Daily-Ohllnger
DEMOCRATIC REGENTS CANDIDATES-Pictured above are a few of the many students who took
advantage of the opportunity to meet Joseph Arsulowicz and Mrs. Rose Falk, Democratic Regent
candidates, at a reception yesterday in the Unbn Terrace Room. Seated from left to right are
Don McNeil, '50; Rosalie Wedeen, Tom Walsh, '51L; Marilyn Shube, '50; Arsulowicz, Ed Lewinson,
'51; Lyn Marcus, '50; Mrs. Falk and Harry Albrecht, '49L; president of the Young Democrats.
825,000 TRAITORS!
House Group Says Nation
overrun with Red Spies
WASHINGTON - (A) - The
House Un-American Activities
Committee said yesterday that
"thousands of Russian agents"
and more thousands of Americans
are spying in the United States
right now.
It said some of the spies "may"
be attached to the Russian Em-
bassy or the United Nations.
AND IN A TIME of national
crisis, the committee said, "the
United States would have nearly
825,000 persons who are either
spies, traitors or saboteurs work-
ing against us from within."
Fire F iohti
Devices Under
Investioation
Survey Women's
HousingProtection
The Dean of Women's office has
begun an extensive survey of fire-
fighting equipment in all women's
residences, Associate Dean Mary
C. Bromage announced yesterday.
Mrs. Bromage said that fire pro-
tection apparatus in dormitories,
sororities and league houses is be-
ing inspected "as a precaution-
ary measure." j
THE INSPECTION has been
undertaken by the Dean's Office'
with the assistance of the plant
department, Health Service and
the business management of resi-
dence halls.
Houses lacking full fire pro-
tection will be asked to purchase
additional equipment, Mrs.
Bromage declared.
More frequent fire drills are also
being advocated, and house presi-
dents have been asked to stress
safety rules at their residences.
House directors are cooperating in
the survey, Mrs. Bromage added.
* * *
IN ADDITION to the special
survey, regular inspection of fire
equipment will be redoubled, ac-
cording to Mrs. Bromage. "All res-
idences are inspected at least once
a year."
Purpose of the current survey
is to make sure that fire-fighting
equipment in the women's hous-
ing units is entirely adequate,
she said.
"All women's residences must
meet both state and local require-
ments before they are approved
for University housing."
the statements were made ina
pamphlet titled "Spotlight on
spies."
The House Committee's esti-
mate that there are 825,000 po-
tential spies, traitors or sabo-
teurs in the United States was
based on some old figures of
FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover-
74,000 Communist Party mem-
bers and Communist claims that
for every member "there are 10
others ready, willing and able to
do the party work."
What the current crop of spies
wants most, the committee said,
are "production secrets of the
atom bomb." It said it knows some
of the secrets have been stolen, but
not how much of the bomb for-
mula.
The committee mentioned no
names of suspects in its pamphlet,
which is mainly in question and
answer form.
* * *
BECAUSE WE let our Rssuian
allies inspect this country and its
defense industries during the war,
the committee said, the Soviets
have been able to print "a thick
book which can easily be used as
a handbook for bombing and sabo-
tage against the United States."
The committee said it has "con-
fessions to prove" that treason-
able Americans are the actual
thieves for Red Spy networks in
this country. But it said Com-
munists trained in espionage ac-
tually direct the work.
Efast Hal
Will Stand!
Long suffering engineers are-
not to receive any immediate
emancipation from the dark cor-
ridors and treacherous stairways
of venerable old East Hall after
all.
Pesistent rumors had gladdened
the heart of many an engineer
yesterday, with the report that a
proposal for the destruction of the
sixty-five year old structure would
be presented at the Board of Re-
gents meeting here this weekend.
University officials, however, ex-
plain that although such a move is
contemplated - sometime 'in the
future-no action is being pressed
before the Regents at this time.
Ask Open
'U' Regent
Sessions
Regents meetings should defi-
nitely be open to the public, Mrs.
Rosa Falk and Joseph Arsulowicz,
Democratic candidates for the
Board of Regents told students
yesterday.
Mrs. Falk and Arsulowicz, along
with five other Democratic candi-
dates for state offices, made an
all day tour of Ann Arbor.
* * * *
STUDENTS HAD an opportun-
ity to question the Regent aspir-
ants at a reception sponsored by
the Young Democrats and the
Students for Democratic Action.
Arsulowicz said that even if
the Board of Regents votes to
continue the practice of closed
meetings, "there would be no
secrets as far as I'm concerned."
"The people of the state- and
the students-have a right to
know what goes on at those meet-
ings," he added.
S *
*
sissippi Democrat, possibly might
try to re-draft a veterans aid bill
for later consideration, but Ran-
kin, himself, indicated no such ef-
fort was in prospect.
"THAT KILLS this legislation
for this Congress," he said.
When Rank in confidently
brought his pension bill before
the House Tuesday it was draft-
ed to prove $90 a month for vet-
erans of both world wars when
theysreached the age of 65, re-
gardless of their financial needs.
But by the time the final rejec-
tion vote was tallied, the measure
was so weighted with amendments
that even its author could scare-
ly recognize it.
* * *
IT WAS a combat veteran, Rep.
Olin E. Teague, of College Station,
Texas who set off the legislative
machinery to halt the Rankin bill.
Teague moved to strike out
the measure's enacting clause-
that vital part of the bill which
would put it into effect if en-
acted.
That motion lost on a standing
vote, 169 to 158.
* * *
BUT TEAGUE demanded a tel-
ler vote, and when the members
had marched down the aisles, the
count was 171 to 168 in favor.
The Texan then asked the
House to send the bill back to the
committee.
On The Associated Press score
sheet two switches changed the
unofficial total from 209 to 206
against to 208 to 207 in favor of
the Teague motion.
CED To Hold
MeetingTodayV
The Committee to End Discrim-
ination will hold a meeting at 4
p.m. today at the League.
The Young Republicans are the
latest group to join the organi-
zation which now includes 14 cam-
pus groups among its members.
On the agenda for discussion by
the group is the bill to end dis-
crimination in education at pres-
ent under consideration by a Sen-
ate committee in Lansing. Reports
of the reactions of various civic
and religious groups in Michigan
to the bill will be considered.
The Committee is at present
functioning as a sub-committee
of the Inter-Racial Association
pending recognition by the Stu-
dent Affairs Committee.
Any other organizations and
dormitories interested in joining
the fight against discrimination
are urged to attend today's meet-
ing, Leon Rechtman, chairman of
the group, said.
"THE REGENTS are elected as
individuals, and must be account-
able to the voters as individuals,"
Mrs. Falk declared.
Students should have closer
contact not only withthe Re-
gents, but with all administra-
tive boards, Arsulowicz said.
"More student representation on
administrative boards will mean a
better University and better stu-
dents," he declared.
BOTH MRS. FALK and Arsulo-
wicz favored full reinstatement of
the Workers Extension Service.
"A tax-supporting institution
cannot afford to ignore the
working people in the state,"
Mrs. Falk stated.
In answer to questions on per-
mitting Communists to teach, Mrs.
Falk said that if a member of the
faculty is proven to be a party
member, he should be dismissed.
Ship Strikes Mine
CANTON-(:')-Authorities es-
timated more than 100 persons
were killed or injured seriously to-
day when the motor ship Miss
Orient struck a mine between
here and Hong Kong.
The ship was en route to thl,
British crown colony.
jury Hears
Stalin Quotes
In CP Trial
Charge Party
Plans Violence
NEW YORK-(P1)-Writings of
Joseph Stalin were read to the
jury at the Communist conspiracy
trial yesterday in the govern-
ment's efforts to prove the party
plans to use violence in seizing
'control of the United States.
U.S. Attorney John F. X. Mc-
Gohey read several excerpts from
"Foundations of Leninism" written
by the Russian premier.
THIS PUBLICATION was one
of several identified by Louis Bu-
denz, one-time high Communist
official but now an arch-foe of
the party. Budenz is the first gov-
ernment witness.
McGohey quoted Stalin as de-
claring that the proletarian rev-
olution in the United States "is
impossible without the violent
destruction of the machinery of
the bourgeoise state and its re-
placement by the machinery of
the proletariat state."
Another book read by the prose-
cutor, "Why Communism," sug-
gested that Communist revolu-
tionists were justified in using
poison gases "to fight the bosses."
A THIRD publication admitted
into evidence, a "manual of or-
ganization of the Communist
Party," asserted the final objec-
tive of the American Communist
Party is to establish a "Soviet
socialist republic in the United
States."
Budenz, former member of
the American Party's "polit-
buro" who renounced Commu-
nism in 1945, said all these pub-
lications were given to him by
Jacob Stachel, one of the 11
party leaders who are defend-
ants in the trial.
He testified he used the books
and manual constantly through
his decade of a party service. His
duties included editorship of the
Daily Worker, Communist New
York newspaper.
THE DEFENDANTS are
charged with conspiring to advo-
cate the forcible overthrow of the
U.S. Government.
Other excerpts read to the
jury included:
From "Foundations of Lenin-
ism" by Stalin:
A dictatorship of the proletariat
is "untrammeled by law and vio-
lence" and "cannot be complete
democracy, democracy for all, for
rich and poor alike," but "must
be a state that is democratic in a
new way."
Civil Rights Group
Protests N.J. Trial
World News At A Glance
By The Associated Press
HOLLYWOOD-"Hamlet" won the Oscar for the best picture of
1948.
Jane Wyman won the best acress award for her deaf-mute part
in "Johnny Belinda," and Laurence Olivier won the best male acting
award for his role of Hamlet.
Walter Huston won the Oscar for the best male supporting role
in "Treasure of the Sierra Madre" and Claire Trevor won the best
supporting actress award for her part in "Key Largo."
i, * ,a * * *
IT WON'T BE LAWN NOW!
jazzy Signs Protect Infant Seedlings
By DON McNEIL
"Danger, Grass Shoots!"
trodding down the spring seed-
ing.
old to play in the mud," and "Give
us young blades a chance."