TIlE MICHIGAN DAILY 'Froggy Botf SOME YEARS AGO a group of hardwork- ing students gouged a little hold in a hard crust of student apathy and planted the seed of the recently harvested Union Opera. It took a lot of imagination, planning and work, but the fruits of their efforts, most people say, were worth it. Most who saw the opera either labeled it "ter- rific" or called it the best amateur per- formance they'd ever seen. But some leered. Those leers among a thundering chorus of cheers were of course disheartening. For the most part, they belonged to old-timers who looked upon "Froggy Bottom" as a pitiful attempt to reincarnate something long dead -a vain effort to imitate the inimitable Operas of the good old days, wonderful mu- sicals which endowed the Michigan acmpus with such songs as "When Night Falls, Dear" "The Friars' Song," and "The Bum Army." Well, the disdain with which they greeted Editorials published in The Michigan Daily are written by members of The Daily staff nd represent the views of the writers only. NIGHT EDITOR: CRAIG H. WILSON tom' Onward the Opera's revival is understandable. In the "good old days" the operas may have been better than their modern offspring will prove to be, but then-in those days-the winters were colder, the snow deeper and the women more beautiful, or so they say. But the "good old days" were good be- cause they were the heydays of their lives, and not because students were better actors, singers or songwriters. So the antagonism of a very small mi- nority of alumni was not taken too seriously. Opera planners went right ahead with "Froggy Bottom," overcame tremendous dif- ficulties, and came through with a fine performance that received overwhelming campus approval. Now that a permanent committee has been set up, it looks like the Union's tradi- tional musical is here to stay. Though there may not be an opera every year, there will be a group to maintain the con- tinuity of the affair. For the planners, writers and cast of "Froggy Bottom" the new Union Opera Board is a hard earned reward. And for the thousands who will someday be students at the University, the establish- ment of a permanent Opera setup guar- antees a lasting laboratory for student pro- duced songs, scripts and acting. And, in- cidentally, a lot of fun. -George Walker. 91 Ir. CRR ENT MOVI Eos At the Michigan ... THE FIGHTING O'FLYNN, a title aptly describing any red-blooded present-day O'Flynn unfortunate enough to see the picture. IT REMAINS a mystery to me what Doug- las Fairbanks has against good solid earth. If there is an easy way to get from place to place, say by walking along, or some conventional way to enter a building, perhaps by opening a door, Mr. Fairbanks, laughing and sneering at such pedestrian affronts to his dignity, lithely scales a wall, leaps from tree to tree, or rolls himself into a hoon. as the occasion may suggest. If only for Mrs. Fairbanks' sake, I hope theirs is not iour-poster bed. That which distinguishes this picture from all the other Fairbanks pictures is that this was made in 1949, a very subtle refinement. Its only saving grace is that the studio elec- tricians considerately neglected to light the set, and consequently this is filmed in al- most total twilight, making it both difficult and unnecessary to make out what is hap- pening. There is, nevertheless, just enough light to see heroine Helena Carter run through the .most electrifying set of emotions you've ever witnessed, beginning and ending in the third reel when she raises her eyebrow. To- ward the end, when she realizes she has fallen madly, for her, in love with the young Sinbad, she gives herself to him with the plaintive cry, "I wish I had never met you." The same words passed through my mind, but for entirely different reasons. -Perry Logan. At the State . . 0 AN ACT OF MURDER, with Fredric March and Florence Eldridge. ONE OF THE great moral questions of our time-the issue of mercy killing-is posed in this picture with unheralded power and immediacy. Understandably, no effort is made to provide the answer; the picture as a whole gives a compelling view of the emotional impetus that may lead to euthenasia, but an equally forceful opposing argument is also stated. On the one side, there is the prospect of a human being in terrible, unrelieved agony; on the other, the coldly , rational view that an affliction incurable one day may have a remedy the next. The picture is of exceedingly high calibre. A question with vehement adherents on both sides is posed with honestly gripping dramatic force and realism. There is genuine pathos in the story of a man watching his wife fall and suffer with an utterly incurable brain ailment. Her pain eventually provokes in him a half- crazed condition of pity and despondency- which the audience cannot help but share momentarily-and then drives him to do "murder" in the name of mercy. Florence Eldridge, in the role of the stricken wife, gives one of the most touching performances in our memory-- The original theme, the production and fine acting, and the remarkable restraint and taste of combination have resulted in a truly moving and worthwhile motion picture. -Bob White. Dangerous Apathy ONCE AGAIN a large majority of Univer- sity students have demonstrated their lack of interest in student governoment. The relatively small 6,995 vote in Wednesday's election seems to prove conclusively that a large portion of the campus just doesn't care what the Student Legislature does for them. Certainly there are no physical excuses for the small vote. The election was well publicized, there was extensive campaign- ing, the polls were conveniently placed and the weather was nearly perfect. Under such conditions election officials hopefully anticipated a vote of at least 8,500 but as in previous years, the campus re-asserted its apathy toward studnt gov- erning functions and placidly stood by and allowed a relatively few students to elect their representatives. No government can be any better than its constituency. Democracy demands the ac- tive participation of every citizen in the political functions of government-especially a strong support at the polls. And this is particularly true of our Stu- dent Legislature. At a time when students are sincerely attempting to obtain a stronger voice in the direction of affairs which affect them, it is essential that they have the support of the campus at large. Now, however, we have almost given the University a mandate to refuse stu- dent representation on such key organs as the Committee on Student Conduct and the Lecture Committee. For after all, how can the Legislature hope to obtain the power to help direct campus life when it can be claimed that they do not even represent the majority of the campus. Fortunately, we will have a chance to try again. We are not to be subjected to an autocratic rule by the University adminis- tration because they too have faith in demo- cratic government. But we would do well to remember our experiences in this elec- tion. We should lave learned that we cannot afford to stand idly by and hope that the other fellow will vote for us. -Jim Brown. VD RATHER BE RIGHT: Quiet Walk By SAMUEL GRAFTON AS A FORMER REPORTER, I was thrilled to see that five United States Senators have made a tour of Washington's slums. Led by Douglas, of Illinois, they walked through back alleys near the Capitol, and soberly took note of local squalor. They did what a newspaperman would call a quick survey. I hope they do more of them. I admit that this is not as exciting as catching a spy. But then, speaking again as a newspaperman, I'd like to point out that you can't fill a paper with spy stories. And for some time now I've had a feeling that a portion, at least, of Con- gress has been carrying on somewhat like the newspapers of thirty and more years ago. Sometimes, when some of the noisier committees have been going good, find- ing treachery under every bush just in time for the late Sports Final, I've had the feeling that these are the real in- heritors of the unrestrained city editors of a generation ago. A part of Congress has come to live by sensation, as the majority of editors and reporters once did. Of course we in the newspaper business have long since learned better. We've learned that just as important as the smash headline, perhaps even more important as part of the total of newspaper service, is the background story, the color story, the side story and the social sur- vey. And 'thu/ I hail the quiet walk through the Washington slums by Messrs. Douglas, Baldwin, Green, Ferguson and Morse. May it mark a trend! I can see a committee chair- man, a few years from now, handing out assignments to the hon. members, saying: "No treason plot today, fellows. We've had that four times in a row, and it's becoming a standing head. Let's do a roundup on outdoor plumbing, instead. Hell, outdoor plumbing is pretty un-American. It'll make a nice prestige story. After all, we want to get the attention of at least some people who don't move their lips when they read." I rather envy Congress, making this dis- covery of a whole new world. If Congress had only followed this approach a few years ago, I don't think it would have dared to kill price control, just as no sensible city editor would have run a story saying the people really wanted higher prices. Of course some of the editorial writers at that time thought the people wanted higher prices, but, then, maybe they don't get out enough. The level of Congressional oratory could not help but be improved under this new approach. One can easily imagine a young and active Congressman claiming the floor, and then, at a nod from the editor, excuse me, the Speaker, saying: "I've justj been out on Pennsylvania Avenue, where I interviewed ten people on the subject of compulsory health insurance. The first, a dear old lady of eighty, said she'd never been ill a day in her life, but she thought that anybody who needed help in obtain- ing medical care ought to get it . . MATTER OF FACT: The A ttempt, At Least The Shot Heard Round The Immediate Vicinity a U u - ~. - 4~'Ot~iW4I~9 -. .' ,; 4- ~- ... Oi4* Tht WnA NOJ o.* ,r t DAILY OFFICIAL BULLETIN Letters to the Editor- (Continued from Page 2) Tuesday. The meeting is compul- sory in order to obtain an appoint- ment. Contact the Bur. of Appts. if you plan to attend the meeting. The Ansco Co. will have a repre- sentative here on Monday, April 25, to interview chemists (M.S. and Ph.D., and Ph.D. in organic chemistry), mechanical, chemical, and industrial engineers, Physi- cists with a B.S. or M.S., Biochem- ist with an M.S., and sales repre- sentatives either with an engineer- ing or business background. Dr. Paul Williams, interviewing for the General Fireproofing Co., Timken Roller Bearing, and Youngstown Sheet and Tube Co. will be here on Monday, April 25, to interview for sales and account- ing positions with these compan- ies. The Allegheny-Ludlum Steel Corp. will have a representative here Tuesday, April 26 to inter- view mechanical, chemical, metal- lurgical, and industrial engineers, accountants, and people interested in Business administration and personnel. The Grace Lines Co. will have a representative here on Wednes- day, April 27, to interview men in- terested in employment in their training programs. The Harris-Seybold Co. "will have a representative here on Wednesday, April 27, to interview industrial and sales engineers with a business administration and en- gineering background, business administration students, and me- chanical engineers. Positions will be in Cleveland. The Kimberley-Clark Corp will have a representative here on Wednesday, April 27, to interview chemical, mechanical, and electri- cal engineers, business adminis- tration students, and men inter- ested in sales. The Provident Mutual Life In- surance Co. will have a represen- tative here on Thursday and Fri- day, April 28 and 29, to interview men for sales. Although they are primarily interested in men for the state of Michigan, they will talk to people from any other state. For further information and ap- pointments, call Ext. 371, or stop in the office of the Bureau of Ap- pointments, 8528 Admin. Bldg. Bureau of Appointments Social chairmen of student or- ganizations are reminded that re- quests for approval for social events must be submitted to the Office of Student Affairs, 1020 Administration Building, not later than 12 o'clock noon on the Mon- day before the event is to take place. Approved student sponsored so- cial events for the coming week- end: April 22 Alpha Gamma Delta, Alpha Sig- ma Phi, Alpha Tau Omega, Alpha Xi Delta, Cantebury Clubp, Chi Omega, Collegiate Sorosis, Con- gregational-Disciples Guild, Delta Gamma, Helen Newberry, Kappa Nu, Lambda Chi Alpha, New Women's Residence, Pi Beta Phi, University of Mich. Wrestling Team, Zeta Tau Alpha April 23 Acacia, Adams House, West Quad, Allen Rumsey House, Alpha Chi Omega, Alpha Delta Phi, Al- nirrrMnrrr rrrn pha Omicron Pi, Alpha Tau' Omega, Beta Theta Pi, Chi Phi, Delta Chi, Delta Kappa Epsilon, Delta Sigma Pi, Delta Tau Delta, Delta Upsilon Chapter, Kappa Sig- ma° Lloyd House, Michigan House, Michigan Sailing Club, Phi Delta Epsilon, Phi Delta Phi, Phi Delta Theta, Phi Gamma Delta, Phi Kappa Sigma, Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity, Phi Sigma Delta, Phi Sigma Kappa, Sigma Alpha Ep- silon, Sigma Alpha Mu, Sigma Delta Tau, Sigma Nu Fraternity, Sigma Phi Epsilon, Theta Xi Fra- ternity, Triangle April 23 Trigon, Williams House, Young1 Progressives, Zeta Psi April -24 Alpha Delta Pi, Alpha Gamma Delta, Hayden House, Hiawatha Club, Mary Markley House, Mosh- er, Hall, Jordan Hall. Recreational Swimming-Wom- en Students: Union Pool every Saturday, 9 to 11. Counter sale of season tickets for the Ann Arbor Drama Season, Garden Room of the Michigan League, daily, ten to five. Lectures "Social and Emotional Rela- tions of Parents and Children," is the subject of a lecture by Dr. Ralph L. Patterson, Professor of Psychiatry, on Tuesday, April 26, at 8:00 p.m. in the Rackham Am- phitheatre. Open without charge to all students. Dr. Rudolph Wittkower, of New York University, will lecture on "Reason and Sensibility in Eigh- teenth Century Aesthetics" today, at 4:15 p.m. in the Rackham Am- phitheatre. The lecture is open to the public and is given under the auspices of the Department of Fine Arts. Academic Notices English 31, Section 14, will meet today as usual. History 93 Examination, today at 1:00 p.m. "A" through "L" West Gal, Alumni Memorial Hall; "M" through "Z", Room B, Haven Hall. Doctoral Examination for Ly- man Walton Orr, Electrical Engi- neering; thesis: "A Study of the High Frequency Structure of Spectral Light Intensity Produced by Spark Excitation Using Elec- tron Multiplier Phototubes," to- day, 2:15 p.m., East Council Room, Rackham Bldg. Doctoral Examination for Her- man Theodore Epstein, Physics; thesis: "The Arrangement of Molecules in Monolayers and Mul- tilayers of Organic Acids," Satur- day, April 23, West Council Room, Rackham Building, 4:00 p.m. Chairman, R. C. Williams. Doctoral Examination for Ivor Cornman, Zoology; thesis: "Cy- tological Phenomena Observed During Selective and Non-selective Injury to Malignant Cells in Tis- sue Culture with Penicillium Ex- tracts and with Nitrogen Mus- tards," Saturday, April 23, 3091 Natural Science Bldg., at 9:00 a.m. Chairman, A. F. Shull. The Daily accords its readers the privilege of submitting letters for publication In this column. Subject1 to space limitations, the general pol- icy is to publish in the order in which they are received all letters bearing1 the writer's signature and address. Letters exceeding 300 words, repeti-1 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. The1 editors reserve the privilege of con- densing letters. . . C On Discr m ination To the Editor: THERE HAS BEEN so much said praising the recent anti-dis- crimination resolution of the Stu- dent Legislature, that it seems to me that the opposition point of view should be presented, so I shall attempt the task. I should like to say at the start that I cislike groupism and dis-, criminattn, and I have friends in several racial and political groups. Nevertheless I believe that thoughtless anti - discrimination crusaders may do much damage, to individual freedom. These per- sons lose sight of one basic fact, namely that a person has the in- herent right to pick his friends, by whatever standards he pleases, and any group of congenial peo- ple has a right to set up an or- ganization and admit whoever it pleases to membership. There is a great difference between activ- ities of a private group and public discrimination. Some people just cannot seem to understand this. If the students from Florida, the red-headed seniors, the Hindus from India, or the Jews from New York want to form an organiza- tion, no power on earth, let alone the Student Legislature, has any moral right to say they cannot do so. On the other hand, if the public state supported University of Michigan bans Negro students, it is time to take action to pre- vent injustice. Let us set the score straight. There ai'e' two basic freedoms, not one. Thefirst is the right to basic equality before law and before public institutions for all persons whomsoever. The second is the basic right 'f all citizens to asso- ciate with whoever they please, work wherever they are wanted and wish to work, hire whoever they please if they are in business for themselves, and to form what- ever groups and organizations they may desire to accomplish any legal purpose. Only the man who sup- ports both types of freedoms can be called truly democratic. -Stanley F. Dole. To the Editor: THE SEVERAL recent articles and editorials calling for an end to discrimination, segregation and racism have done an excellent service to students on this cam- pus. However, there are forms of discrimination, other than quota systems and housing facilities. Recently, inrTrenton, New Jer- sey, six Negroes were condemned to die for a murders Testimony at Concerts MAY FESTIVAL: The fifty- sixth annual May Festival of six concerts will take place in Hill Auditorium as follows: Thursday, May 5, 8:30; Friday, May 6, 8:30; Saturday, May 7, 2:30 and 8:30; Sunday, May 8, at 2:30 and 8:30. aThe Philadelphia Orchestra will participate .in all concerts. The University Choral Union will take part in two concerts, and the Fes- tival Youth Chorus is one pro- gram. Conductors will be Eugene Or- mandy, Alexander Hilsberg, Thor Johnson, and Marguerite Hood. Soloists--will include Pia Tassi- nari and Shirley Russell, so- pranos;- Gladys Swarthout, mez- zo-soprano;. ann Williams, con- tralto; Set- Svanholm and Harold Haugh, tenors; Martial Singher, baritone; ;rica Morini, violinist; Gregor Pi'atigorsky, Violoncellist; and Benno Moiseiwitsch, pianist. Prospectus giving detailed pro- grams and tickets for individual concerts may be obtained at the offices of the University Musical Society it Burton MemorialTower. Student Recital: Wallace Behn- ke, Organist, will present a pro- gram of compositions by Bach, Samuel Wesley, Mendelssohn, Leach, James, and Vierne, in Hill Auditorium. Mr. Behnke is a pupil of Marilyn Mason, and presents the recital in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Music. The general public is invited. (Continued on Page 6) the trial invalidated the "confes- sions" that had been torn from these men. It is practically in- conceivable to us here on campus to learn how terroristic and brutal were the police. Each of the six men had definite proof that they were not at the scene of the crime when it was committed. Each of the three eye-witnesses admitted that the six on trial were not the murderers. The witnesses testified that the murderers were all light complected-the six were not. One of them was arrested in the follow- ing manner: A policeman knocked at the door of one of the six men. A woman answered and the officer asked if there were any males In the house. He then proceeded to arrest one of the defendants. The fact that Negroes were ex- cluded from the jury, the fact that no clear motive was estab- lished, the fact that contradictory evidence and collusion by the prosecutor and witnesses was es- tablished indicates that a mock trial was held. Let's fight this vicious form of discrimination. -Hy Bershad. Hail To the Editor: AIL HEALTH SERVICE! This letter is actually an open "thank you" note to those grand people at our U. of M. Health Service. Front the moment a cer- tain fractured ankle was gently placed into a pan of hot water (by a beautiful redhead) to the time it was handed a supporting plaster cast on leaving, it knew that if it had to happen this was the way to spend the aftermath. During the four days and nights said ankle was "immobilized," the assorted 180 lbs. of tissue and bone connected to it was gen- erously taken care of by an as- sortment of doctors, nurses, and helpers each one more patient, considerate, and pleasant. A snapshot picture of one's im- pressions received during those four days of confinement might perhaps reflect on-Fritz's philo- sophical backrub-Betty's fresh charm-Mr. Ackor's helpfulness- Burke's radiating smile-Chris's story of her boy friend (no, I wasn't sleeping, Chris!) - Mrs. Wagner's soft voice-Miss Nash's gentleness-Ithaca's manageabil- ity-and that cheerful sunrise nurse who caressingly wakes you up each morning by holding your hand and gently placing to your parted lips-a Fahrenheit scale. Ah yes, guys, take it from a well casted specimen, if ever it behooves you to get plastered, re- member-Health Service is a place of distinction. -Irving Gallatin. By JOSEPH ALSOP- WASHINGTON-If the experience of the 1930's means anything, nothing could be more dangerous than to respond to the challenge of Soviet rearmament by adopting a policy of collective military weakness, as some are now proposing. On the other hand, it is equally obvious that when the world situation must severely strain American re- sources in any case, nothing could be more CIINIEMA At Lydia Mendelssohn . . THE BAKERS WIFE, with Raimu and Charpin. SEX IS GOOD, but kindness is better seems to be the theme of the latest Rairnu comedy-classic to come to Ann Arbor. "The Baker's Wife" contains all the usual qualities of a Marcel Pagnol production; fine-etched characterizations, dry French humor, and that rare blend of comedy and pathos which is achieved in this country only by Charlie Chaplin. Raimu excels in the type of role which has made him fa- mous, that of a man who is able to forgive all sins and understand everyone's idiosyn- cracies. He is cast as a baker with a beautiful but unresponsive young wife, unresponsive that is, until she meets a dashing shep- herd. The greater part of the film con- cerns itself with the effects of her affair upon her patient and loving husband. In one superlative drunk scene Raimu foolish than to do the defense job in hand in a wasteful way. These twin truisms are relevant at the moment, because developments at the Pentagon at last hold out some hope for rational, which means economical Amer- ican defense planning. After nearly four years of ill-concealed failure to agree on a unified strategic concept, the Joint Chiefs of Staff have at last got down to business. Perhaps they may fail in their task, which is essentially to slice away the unnecessary excrescences put out by each service in order to compete with the others. But at any rate they are trying. The knowledge of the gross inadequacy of the combat strength provided in the present budget had the sobering effect on the services that Forrestal had been hoping for. Early in December, the Joint Chiefs of Staff began meeting twice a week instead of once, in order to get to real grips with their problem. Shortly thereafter, on Forrestal's motion, General of the Army Dwight D. Eisenhower was brought to Washington to serve as an impartial arbiter. And the pro- cess was speeded up further, until it reached the present tempo of almost continuous hard work. But there is also another kind of econ- omy which the services might investigate, that differs from the economy derived from true-unification. The Army, for in- stance, has ten combat divisions out of a total of 692,000 troops and 370,000 civil- ians in its employ. The soldiers are the most expensive in the world. The civilians are even more costly than the soldiers. And there is no defending the ratio be- tween the total of this expensive man- power and the small percentage in fully organized combat units. In this the other 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 Harriett 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 Editoi Mary Ann Harris Asso. Women's Editor Bess Hayes .................LIbrarlan Business Staff Richard Hait......Business Managet Jean Leonard ....Advertising Manager William Culmnan ... .Finance Manager Cole Christian ...Crculation Managst Telephone 23-24-1 Member of The Associated Press The Associated Press is exclusivAJ entitled to the use for republioation of all news dispatches credited to it or otherwise credited to this newspaper. All rights of republication of all otha matters herein are also reserved. Entered at the Post Office at Ann Arbor, Michigan, as second-class mail matter. Subscription luring the regular school year by carrier, $.00, by matt. X6.00. BARNABY What title were you planning to use for this biography you're writing?_ "O'Malley As I Knew Him. By Barnaby Baxter, as told to.- ." Too informal r ,nn .. *i,;.-L- $pnr whnf. ke v..A. Miss Dixon wants to write a short article for the Child Psychology Gazepttpeabot t arnobv, dear. II