'AGE FO THE MICHIGAN DAILY
SAttWMXAY, MAY 7, 1949
SAC Proposal
SUSPICIONS that the Student Affairs
Committee is not representative of cam-
pus opinion were prevalent last week after
the 7-6 vote on the anti-discrimination rule.
These seem to be confirmed by the charges
by one of the SAC members that anti-dis-
crimination legislation is "gnawing at the
foundations of our American way of life."
A defense has been made of the student
representation on the committee, on the
grounds that being chosen from different
segments of the campus-the Union, League,
Men's and Women's Judiciary, The Mich-
igan Daily and the SL-this is a democratic
organization.
Scrutiny proves otherwise. Only two
have been chosen by the student body.
Not the president of the Union. He is
chosen by the executive council of the
Union, composed of faculty, administration,
and Union vice-presidents.
Not the president of the League, the
managing editor of The Daily, nor Men's.
and Women's Judiciary. Only indirectly and
vaguely, do the students have a say in
these organizations.
Certainly the SAC, being the most wide-
spread in its effects on the campus, should
be at least as representative as the Stu-
dent Legislature. That it is not, again, is
indicated by the way its members are
chosen and how some of them have
voted and spoken.
There are several groups more representa-
tive of the student body. A proper voice
would consist of an SAC composed of rep-
resentatives of AIM, Assembly, Pan-Hel, and
IFC, with three members coming from the
SL.
-Don McNeil.
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
ifitoab dote
(Editor's Note is written by Managing Editor
Harriett Friedman.)
I WAS HIGHLY AMUSED by Union Presi-
dent Bob Holland's recent attack on The
Daily, Student Legislature and NSA.
Of course I feel no need to defend The
Daily, as such an attack just proves that
this paper is doing a job: is alive and
kicking and some of its kicks are landing
in the right places.'
But Bob Holland is perfectly correct in
saying that The Daily believed in the Stu-
dent Legislature (despite SL complaints
that we're always attacking them). There-
fore I will devote this column to showing
the foolishness of Bob's cries against the
Student Legislature and its NSA sub-com-
mittee.
No ranting or arguing is needed to prove
the point; all I will do is list the accom-
plishments of the Student Legislature, and
then enumerate the Union's doings in
the last year.
The variety of material contained in each
list should readily indicate whether it's the
Student Legislators or the Union officers
who could vanish from campus without leav-
ing the slightest vacuum.
* * *
IN THE LAST YEAR, the Student Legis-
lature has:
1. Sponsored a book drive for the Univer-
sity of the Philippines.
2. Set up the Student Experts to counsel
in course selection.
3. Established a Better Business Bureau
to control campus salesmen and survey Ann
Arbor prices.
4. Fought to remove the Political Speak-
ers Ban, with eventual success.
5. Initiated the movement for faculty
grading by students.
6. Helped in and out-state voters to reg-
ister and prepare for the national election.
7. Established the Michigan Forum, to
sponsor debates between campus groups.
8. Worked for a Meet Your Regents event,
which failed but will undoubtedly lead
to some sort of student-regents meetings.
9. Passed the two motions on discrimina-
tion concerning filing group constitutions
and recognizing student organizations which
passed the SAC and caused Bob Holland's
speech.
10. Initiated and brought to campus vote
the school spirit frosh-soph week.
11. Planned an orientation program for
activities.
12. Conducted a survey on the placing of
pencil sharpeners in class buildings which
brought more utilitarian settings for these
vital (?) implements.
13. Initiated, with NSA, the Purchase Plan
system for getting discounts on store spend-
ing.
14. Sponsored jazz concerts.
15. Set up through NSA a foreign tour bu-
reau to aid students planning trips abroad.
16. Showed free football movies.
17. Established through NSA a foreign
correspondence program for exchanging
letters.
18. Started an activities booklet to sum-
marize the workings of campus groups.
19. Carried out through NSA, an art ex-
hibit of college work.
20. Conducted a regional leadership con-
ference through NSA.
21. Reduced rates on football programs.
22. Sent NSA delegates to a Human Rela-
tions clinic studying discrimination and
to a publications clinic.
23. Managed the annual Homecoming
events.
24. Operated a calendar of campus events
to prevent simultaneous scheduling of sev-
eral activities.M
25. Condensed the multiplying tag days
down to four a year.
26. Conducted all campus elections, in-
cluding those for Union vice-presidents.
27. Produced, in the last two years, better
seating for students at football games, and
conducted hearings on prices for athletic
events.
* * *
U NION ACTIVITIES in the last year are:
1. Weekly membership dances.
2. The Union Open House.
3. University Day, which provided state
high school students an opportunity to see
what the University has to offer.
4. Two theatre trips to Detroit.
5. Bridge contests.
6. Union-League Glee Club Talent Show.
7. Union Opera.
8. Ski trips.
9. Faculty coffee hours.
10. Keeping women from using the Front
Door. (Unfair sarcasm).
I don't want to deride any of the things
the Union has done, because they are all
very nice. But perhaps Bob warned his
colleagues to "fight usurpation of your pow-
ers by the Legislature" because he is aware
that the Union's activities could be taken
over by almost anyone with no harm done,
and that the Union represents very little
but the Union officers when it speaks on
so many committees.
I am sort of sorry that Bob, who is us-
ually quite calm and rational, rushed into
words which he cannot defend with facts.
But in a sense the whole controversy
is very healthy; it has provided the occa-
sion to explain what two campus groups
have done, and to let students draw their
own conclusions.
lb
"Good Lord, Silsby! You've GOTi
DAILY
OFFICIAL
BULLETIN
MATTER OF FACT:
By Guess, By God
By JOSEPH ALSOP,
WASHINGTON - It seems unpleasantly
like old times, but the fact had better
be faced, none the less. A plan for resuming
employment-making public works projects
on a spot basis, in the regions where un-
employment pools need to be sopped up-
has been evolved by the President's more
left-wing advisers.
One must hasten to add that this plan,
at present, is hardly more than a by-
product of the bitter internecine war over
economic policy that is raging within the
Truman administration. Secretary of
Commerce Charles Sawyer's opinion of
the Fair Deal is almost unprintable. Dr.
Edwin Nourse, chairman of the Pres-
ident's Economic Advisory Council, and
Secretary of the Treasury John Snyder
are distinctly pallid in their fervor.
All three are now jointly and severally cla-
moring for withdrawal of the measure em-
bodying the President's proposals for wage
and price inflation controls, and for govern-
ment-directed expansion of industrial plants.
The Snyder-Nourse -Sawyer attack is being
fought off by the two other members of
the Economic Advisory Council, Dr. Leon
Keyserling and John D. Clark, supported by
the President's close policy adviser, Clark
Clifford.
The fact that the price and wage cgn-
trol sections of the bill are not now urgently
necessary, will probably be conceded by the
Current Movies
At the Michigan .
THE DARK PAST, with William Holden
and Lee J. Cobb.
THIS IS AN OUTSTANDING film. Cer-
tainly, with the possible exceptions of
"Johnny Belinda" and "Snake Pit," it is the
finest picture the Michigan Theatre has
shown in many many months.
Most important, I think, is that this
picture is gripping entertainment. Like
"Snake Pit," it details the relationship of
an extraordinarily trustworthy psychiatrist
to one patient. But unlike the merely edu-
cational "Snake Pit," this picture gets its
message across in terms of a compelling
story.
Whether or not you discover any more
about psychoanalytic technique, whether or
not you agree with the movie's moral, you
cannot fail to be thoroughly engrossed in
the development of murderer Al Walker as.
he gropes to understand what is driving him
to kill.
It does not try to include so much as
"Snake Pit," and consequently by stick-
ing to one theme throughout and bring-
ing it to a structurally-satisfactory res-
olution, it has a beginning, middle, and
end in the best Aristotelian manner. I
should say this is one of the finest lit-
erary adaptations of psychoanalytic tech-
bill's defenders in view of the changed
economic outlook. But in compensation, the
President is entirely likely to be asked to
add the provision for spot public works ty
the bill.
What is implied, of course, is an ad-
mission that the present slight recession of
business is sufficiently serious to require
counter-action.
All this is happening at a time when
even the less alarmist business men and
more optimistic economists are beginning
to admit that the present danger signals
portend at least a short spell of bad times.
The cooler heads indignantly reject the
talk of a serious depression.
In conjunction with these unpleasing facts
and prospects, it is also necessary to con-
sider the state of the Federal budget. Even
when President Truman sent his 1950 bud-
get to Congress, it contained an admitted
deficit of $900 million. He then asked for
about $4 billion of taxes to cover the deficit,
and for debt retirement. The situation has
deteriorated since then to a point where
the budget would hardly balance even if
Congress unexpectedly voted this heavy tax
rise.
It is acknowledged, moreover, that the
President will demand still greater govern-
ment spending, on a straight deficit basis,
if the expected slump deepens. Meanwhile
the Congress shows no sign of paying the
slightest attention to the President's eco-
nomic recommendations. Altogether, it be-
gins to be high time for this country to
evolve a national economic policy by hard
thought and serious discussion, instead of
following the present by-guess, by-God and
by-politics method.
(Copyright, 1949, New York Herald Tribune, Inc.)
CIINIEMA
At Architect. Auditori um
MURDERERS AMONG US
TECHNICAL mediocrity and uninspired di-
rection convert much of the good drama
in this picture into melodrama.
Throughout, the camera focuses for tedi-
ous moments on the inanimate relics of
postwar drabness in a ruined Germany, and
the net effect is that of a shadow play.
Darkness and semi-darkness prevail, com-
bining with an almost whispered dialogue
to fairly smother some buoyant acting.
As the guilt-plagued witness of a brutal
war crime, Dr. Hans Mertens returns to
devastated Berlin and encamps in a near
ruined flat, which he soon comes to share
with its rightful owner, Susanna.
Mertens' life upon his return is some-
thing like an elongated lost weekend,
with despair and guilt-consciousness as
his particular intoxication. He finds noth-
ing in the ineffective distractions of wom-
en and liquor-he is disdainful of Su-
sanna's middle class pride and endeavor to
(Continued rrom Page 2)
day in the Michigan League Ball-
room at 8 p.m. Complimentary ad-
mission.
Events Today
"The Westminster Guild of the
First Presbyterian Church will
have a picnic at the Island, on
Sat., May 7th, from 1:30 to 5:00
p.m., to which everyone is invited.
Meet at 1:30 p.m. at the church.
A.S.C.E.: The student section
will hold it's annual spring pic-
nic Saturday, May 7, at Professor
Housel's farm. Those who wish
transportation should meet at 1
p.m. on the parking lot at the
south end of the West Engineer-
ing Annex. Sign up on the board
outside of Rm. 307 West Engi-
neering Building.
Institute of the Aeronautical
Sciences: Topic: Annual I.A.S.
Faculty Baseball Picnic; Place:
Out Geddes Rd. past riding sta-
bles; Date: Saturday, May 7, 1949;
Time: 1:30 p.m.
All those wanting a ride, meet in
front of East Engineering Bldg. at
1:30 p.m. sharp. Refreshments will
be provided.
Michigan Christian Fellowship:
The discussion "Evolution and
Christianity" originally scheduled
for this evening, has been post-
poned until Friday, May 13th at
7:30 p.m.
Coming Events
Lawyers Guild and AVC will
present a discussion of President
Truman's proposals for a compul-
sory health insurance program on
Moiday, May 9 at 4:15 p.m. in
Room 3-L of the Michigan Union.
Speaker in favor of the proposal
will be Harry Becker, Director of
the United Automobile Workers
(CIO) Health Institute. Speaker
against it will be Dr. Wallace
Teed, Public Relations Director of
the Ann Arbor District of the
Michigan State Medical Society.
The public is cordially invited.
Russian Circle: One Act Play
and Program, Monday, May 9th,
at 8:00 at the Union, Room 2RS.
Sociedad Hispanica: Social
Hour, Monday, May 9, 4 to 6 p.m.,
International Center.
Graduating Outing Club meet
Sunday, May 8, at 2:15 p.m. at
northwest entrance to Rackham
building for outdoor activities
suited to the climate. All gradu-
ates welcome.
University Community Center
Willow VVillage
May 8, Interdenominational
church program: 10:45 a.m.,
Church service and nursery. 6 p.m.,
Family pot-luck supper. Make
reservations with Rev. Edwards.
May 10, 8 p.m. Choir rehearsal.
Bridge Party. Everybody invited.
May 11, 8 p.m. Wives' Club
STYLE SHOW at WEST LODGE
on Peabody Road. Proceeds to go
to Village playgrounds. Open to
the public.
May 12, 8 p.m. Studio Work-
shop Open House. Art exhibit and
tea. The public is invited.
-Daily-Bill Hampton
to stop invoking the Sun God!"
Xettep4
TO THE EDITOR
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.
Holland in Dutch .. .
(EDITOR'S NOTE: The writers of
the following three unsolicited letters
are the student members of the
Board in Control of Student Pub-
lications.)
To the Editor:
I READ IN MY favorite news-
paper that The Daily editors
have been accused by Mr. Robert
Holland, retiring Union president,
of "sensational journalism of the
most vicious kind." And, indirect-
ly, Mr. Holland infers that The
Daily editors are "gnawing at the
foundations of the American way
of life."
I know that M'4r. Holland is still
smarting from an unexpected de-
feat on the question of discrimin-
atory clauses. As a leader of the
"Turtles," the "let's-take-it-nice-
-and-slow-on-this-discrimination-
stuff" group on campus, he has a
right to be just a little bitter.
However, I have been associated
with The Daily in one way or an-
other since 1945, and, during this
period, I have never known that
group to act in bad faith. I have
not always agreed with their deci-
sions, but I have always felt that
they were the result of sincere
democratic convictions.
I am nationalistic enough to be-
lieve that the "American way of
life" is supported by an extremely
broad foundation. If irrational
discrimination is the plank that
is being "gnawed," I think we are
fortunate in getting rid of rotten
wood before we build too much
on top of it.
I do not believe that Mr. Hol-
land speaks for the majority of
students on campus. Ostensibly,
he speaks as Union President;
actually he speaks as Head Turtle
for the fraternities, in this case, a
definite minority group.
It is about time that Mr. Hol-
land and others realize that the
democratic tradition at the Uni-
versity of Michigan allows no room
for privileged groups.
If I did not know Mr. Holland
to be a sincere individual, I would
feel justified in accusing him of
acting in bad faith in his Union
position. As it is, I believe his
statements are unintelligent.
-John Campbell, 49E.
To the Editor:
AN OPEN LETTER to Bob Hol-
land :
As president of a small but sub-
stantial campus organization, you
have occupied a position which
commands a certain amount of
respect on the campus.
Consequently, your farewell
speech as Union president, in
which you negatively attacked
several otherncampus organiza-
tions, came as somewhat of a
surprise and I tend to consider
it as bordering on poor taste.
Since you have accused others
of publicity seeking, I can only
conclude that your objective was
MUSIC
A LARGE CROWD listened to some beau-
tiful music well performed last night.
The first half of the program was devoted
to a performance of the Brahms "German'
Requiem." This music, for chorus, orchestra,
and two soloists, is one of the most deeply
moving works I know of, and it was given a
truly magnificent performance. Thor John-
son, the conductor, had the immense mu-
sical forces required under perfect control,
and the balance between the chorus and or-
chestra was generally quite good.
One could have wished for considerably
more volume and ease from the tenors. But
this was a relatively minor fault when one
considers the general excellence which per-
vaded. Shirley Russell, the soprano soloist,
sang the music allotted to her quite well,
but, from where I sat, she lacked volume
and her voice often had a pretty noticeable
tremolo. Martial Singher, the baritone solo-
ist, sang with what can only be described as
tremendous fervor. In connection with Mr.
Singher, I have one complaint: Two whole
sections, one with a wonderful baritone solo,
were left out. These sections, the third and
the seventh, contain some of the most won-
derful music in the whole piece. -
The rest of the program was devoted to a
performance of the "Third Piano Concerto
in C Minor" by Beethoven, with Benno
Moiseiwitsch as soloist. In the first move-
ment, one got the impression that both the
soloist and the conductor were being very
BARNABY
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