ITHE MICHIGAN DAILY
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The Communist 'Menace
LITICAL WELFARE of a demo- and you realize that the newspaper business
nation is directly proportional to is just a useful sidelight. Useful to protect
gth of the voices of the minorities the publisher's other interests by preventing
'example hearing Communists can expression of philosophies and criticisms
e a tendency on our part to strive that might harm him- economically. Coin-
opment of a more perfect democ- munists point to these and other limitations
of free speech and want to know how we
've ever heard Communists argue can call this country a democracy.
ably know what I mean. Com- Imperfections of this sort have always
make little attempt to defend been in our system and American apathy
tyranny. Their successful argu- allows them generally to go unnoticed.
pends upon taking the offensive But Communists have to go out and dig
eking our system. And theii main up these defects in order to defend their
are the weaknesses in American philosophies. They may magnify them,
cy and justice. but our attention is called to every im-
perfection they can find.
L.
ART
TI
DAILY OFFICIAL, BULLETIN
Du may point to the constant Russian
es and denials of rights. And a Com-
ist comes right back and presents a
ire of the plight of the Negro in the
th. Where is the justice in the American
em, they ask?
own in Orlando, Florida in the Little
tsboro Case two Negroes have been sen-
ed to death, one to life imprisonment,
another killed by a lynch mob because
Ze unsupported claim of a neurotic white
.an who said that the four had attacked
The trial of the three who escaped
lynch mob was typified by the absence
uny evidence against them except the
sation of the woman. After the trial the
nse lawyers and several newspapermen
had reported the facts were run out of
by another infuriated lynch mob.
Trenton, New Jersey six Negroes have
t two years in jail as the result of a
ar trial in which the defendents were
icted of murder without evidence of any
equence. Their right to defense attor-
of their own choice in their appeal has
taken away by an act of a local judge
refused to allow them to bring in out-
ate lawyers.
'here are long lists of other miscarri-.
s of justice in the South and elsewhere
ch the average American would never
r of if the Communists weren't so dill-
t in digging up these instances and
ing attention to them.
e Communist makes no effort to defend
Soviet political setup. He asks if the
,tion is any better here. Can the Ameri-
people elect whomever they want to
presidency? How many states refused
)lace Henry Wallace on their ballot?
call attention to the situation in Mis-
)pi where a new primary law purports
rohibit the use of the word democracy
iy word derived from it, such as demo-
c, in the title of any other party except
States Rights Democrats.
y to defend democracy and majority
and the Communists point to the fal-
in the electoral college system which
mable a party having a minority of the
lar vote to win an election. And to the
stified poll tax as a qualification for
age.
int out that-unlike Russia we can make
, use of mass communications in ac-
>lishing any social change. And a Com-
ist asks how you can be so naive. He
proceeds to quote statistics on the cap-
tic interests of newspaper publishers
This leaves us with two alternatives: either
we can defend as democratic what the Com-
munists call undemocratic or we can correct
and modify the imperfections.
Obviously many of our institutions and
practices are purely undemocratic. But it
seems to me that now instead of trying to
correct the situations we are behaving as
an egotistical child might, and are trying to
restrain the Communists from pointing out
our faults.
Dictated by a false fear of American Com-
munists and not realizing the advantages to
a democracy which such people can present
we find legislation such as the Mundt Bill
in Congress which seeks to restrict the ac-
tivities of Communists.
Uundoubtedly the fear of the Commun-
ist doctrine that advocates the overthrow
of governments by force has caused these
attempts to restrict them.
Suppose that Communists would public-
ly advocate violent overthrow of the govern-
ment. Before anyone would subscribe to that
doctrine he would naturally ask himself
what there would be to be gained by such
action. Immediately the example of Russia
would pop into his mind. The result of simi-
lar action in Russia was the establishment
of one of the most absolute dictatorships in
history. It would seem that revolutions car-
ried on by minorities can only result in dic-
tatorships if they succeed at all. No sane
person could see any advantage in a gov-
ernment of the Russian type even over the
present U.S. government.
For that reason Communists have never
been able to attract more than an insigni-
ficant few as subscribers to their force
doctrine. And at present Communists in
this country represent no significant threat
at all to the stability of our government.
There is no reason why they should attract
more in the future. Unless the imperfections
in the American system increase to such a
degree as to challenge the Russians for the
dubious distinction of having less democracy.
And that will be the direction in which leg-
islation such as the Mundt bill will lead us.
Instead of allowing Communists a free hand
in finding what fallacies they may find in
our system so that we may correct those
that do exist, we are providing more imper-
fections to our democracy by limiting free-
dom of speech, freedom of association, and
freedom in its broadest sense.
-Paul Marx
PAINTING TOWARDS Architecture, the
art collection of the Miller Company, of
Meriden, Connecticut, on exhibit at the
University Museum in Alumni Memorial
Hall until May 14, represents a highly pro-
gressive attempt to integrate art and in-
dustry.
The Miller Company has been making
lighting equipment for more than 100 years;
with the development of the fluorescent
tube, they became convinced that the com-
plex problems of today's lighting could no
longer be treated as a mere decorative over-
lay but must grow naturally and harmon-
iously out of the architecture itself.
In considering the development of con-
temporary architecture, the company felt
that the principles developed in painting
and sculpture often influenced and usually
anticipated similar developments in ar-
chitecture.
For example, the attempt-by non-objec-
tive artists such as van Doesburg, Mondrian,
and le Corbusier-to express the abstract
relationships between the simplest shapes
stripped of everything save sheer design,
influenced International-style architects-
such as Gropius, Oud, and le Corbusier-
in their attempt to express geometric shapes
stripped of everything save their function.
In a similar way, the reaction from this
rigid purity to a more subjective, emotional
expression affected not only Klee and Marin,
but also Wright and Aalto, and even some
of the latest works by le Corbusier.
Taken apart from function or represen-
tational subject-matter, the principles of
good design are everywhere and always
valid, no matter what changes may occur in
the tastes of a particular era. When these
principles can be adapted or transferred
from one medium to another, without clash-
ing with the subject matter or function of
the new medium, as the Miller Company has
done in much of its advertising, our culture
is that much richer. (The clashing opposite
is also true.)
* * *
ALL THE OBJECTS in the famous Miller
Collection are well designed. But I
woulld like to touch on the highly controver-
sial question whether design alone can pro-
duce art that is enduring, profound, ad
deeply moving.
This is not the kind of question I would
ask of an exhibit of minor artists. A man
expressing his little talent is, to para-
phrase old Sam Johnson, like a dog that
walks on his two hind legs; he does not do
it very well, but you are surprised that
he can do it at all. In the Miller Collec-
tion this is not the case. Here most of the
great names of contemporary abstract art
are assembled. Pablo Picasso, Jacque Lip-
schitz, Hans and Jean Arp, Charles Sheel-
er, Wassily Kandinsky, le Corbusier, Piet
Mondrian, Theo van Doesburg, Stuart
Davis, Fernand Leger, Juan Gris, Alex-
ander Calder, Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, and
more. These men are the great landmarks
on the contemporary scene of abstract art.
And thus it is fair to expect of them the
finest and deepest that art can offer.
Take, for example, the huge "Victory
Boogie-Woogie," one of Mondrian's finest
works (the original being too frail to travel,
the one shown here is an identical copy.)
Twelve large and elaborately labelled charts
explain the painting in terms of physics
and experimental psychology. The painting
is composed of single squares of various
colors which, according to the explanatory
charts, move in endless patterns of stagger-
ing complexity.
This type of painting is obviously, and
in many cases admittedly, copying the
techniques of music. But in music the
time element differentiates one passage
from another, while on a two-dimensional
surface, the eye can see the whole at once,
or move in any direction it chooses. The -
result is that while simple themes and
their counterpoints can be distinguished
in painting, an elaborate nexus of themes
and semi-themes is incomprehensible even
to a majority of intelligent and art-con-
scious observers.
Very few people can gain more than a
brief sensation of light staccatto joyousness
from "Victory Boogie-Woogie." Mondrian
probably intended more. But the medium
breaks down. It is like that 18th century
invention, the small-piano, an instrument
whose keys, when struck, would uncork bot-
tles containing various odors. The idea was
intellectually sound, but of course all thel
odors blended into one big, undefferentiated
smell. To say that the audience was con-
servative, and prejudiced against smells,
does not clarify the matter.
THE BASIC ELEMENTS of all the designs
that occur in non-objective art can oc-
cur in representational art as well. Nobody
says that El Greco or Michelangelo were just
photographers. But when the design and
the subject enhance each other, the pos-
sibilities for deep expression are far great-
er.
I am not opposed to non-objective art.
One painting in this category has hung on
my wall for the last three years. But I
think of it as a gay bit of decoration,
not as a form of deeply moving expression.
There is one piece in this show, however,
which, while it may or may not be profound
art, seems certainly to indicate possible
direcptio~n.from wuhichsh r*t niili efnlmfl
ett eP TO THE EDITOR
The Daily welcomes communications from its readers on matters of
general interest, and will publish all letters which are signed by the writer
and in good taste. Letters exceeding 300 words in length, defamatory or
libelous letters, and letters which for any reason are not in good taste will
be condensed, edited, or withheld from publication at the discretion of the
editors.
CURRENT MOV1 IES
Debate -Con .. ..
To the Editor:
IT HAS BEEN our understanding
that a debate is always held
upon a controversial issue. If the
issue is not controversial, why
have a debate? If one should sug-
gest that we hold a debate in Hill
Auditorium on the question of
whether or not the President of
the United States should be assas-
sinated and the University Lecture
Committee had decided that that
was not a proper subject, would
the Daily Editors say that a re-
striction has been placed upon
academic freedom, freedom of the
press, or any other of your assi-
nine freedoms that never has ex-
isted or ever can exist in any civil-
ized country?
If any student honestly desires
to know about the theories that
are advanced in behalf of com-
munism, all such cravings for
knowledge can be satisfied by re-
ferring to the Daily Worker and
Pravda, copies of which the Uni-
versity provides and makes avali-'
able for that very purpose in the
General Library. But please tell
me of any University or other
source within Russia where any-
one can learn anything about the
United States or the free enter-
prise system from publications is-
suing from this Country. There-
fore, until your homeland lets
down the iron curtain, please don't
start throwing bricks at us.
So, when you howl to high hea-
ven over the decision of the Uni-
versity Lecture Committee that a
debate on communism versus cap-
italism should not be held on the
campus, there is only one con-
clusion that can possibly be
drawn; namely, the editors of The
Michigan Daily mustfeel that it
is a debatable question as t
whether or not we should retain
our present form of government
which has developed the highest
standard of living that the world
has ever known, or whether we
should adopt the communistic
form such as they have in Russia.
In fact, one is led to wonder if
the name of The Michigan Daily
should not be changed to the
"Juinior Daily Worker."
If the editors of The Michigan
Daily, or anyone else on the cam-
pus feel that Communism is such
a wonderful form of government
and they would like to enjoy it,
then we are taking orders for one-
way tickets to Russia; transporta-
tion, meals and all expenses will
be provided, even including taxi
fares and tips-but please remem-
ber these are one-way tickets and
before you receive them, you will
forever renounce American citi-
zenship (but then, of course that
doesn't mean anything for this is
only a capitalistic country any-
way), and you will sign a pledge1
that you will never return. This
offer is not made light-heartedly.
It is made in good faith and the
tickets and expenses will be pro-
vided for all who apply and meet
the above requirements.
-C. 0. Wisler
* * *
Debate Pro .. .
To the Editor:
THE DECISION of the Lecture
Committee is indeed disap-
pointing. I recall a time when such
action would have stirred within
me a storm of protest, a time when
I should have openly condemned
the Committee to an everlasting
life with the lies it propagates, a
time when I should have denounc-
ed the Administration and the Re-
gents for what is apparently a fear
to have the truth of both sides ex-
posed. But not today. Several years
of University life have had a pro-
found effect upon me, and today,
I am simply-disappointed. And
so, with the other twenty thous-
and I am content merely to shrug
my shoulders, murniur "So what?"
and go on reading from my ever-
increasing supply of sex novels
and crime stories. My roommate
remarks, "Oh well, I probably
wouldn't have heard the debatel
anyway - I'm planning to see
Stromboli that evening. And re-
member, Rosselini's direction was
inspired!" Whereupon there is a
knowing wink and a couple of
jokes about Ingrid and Rita. Then
we go out together and cast stones
at a man on the street who is
saying something about 'decadent
America', something unkind, prob-
ably. Having successfully separat-
ed him from his audience of two
or three campus crusaders, we pro-
ceed to the P-Bell and boast to our
friends gathered there of our pa-
triotic exploit of the aftQrnoon.
Then we settle down into a state
of semi-stupor, in which our ma-
ture minds are freed from the
backbreaking burden of trying to
decide who to invite to the prom
next month.
Yes, Mr. Editor, University life
here on the campus leaves won-
derful effects on its well disciplin-
ed graduates.
-Douglas Murray
* * ,*
Debate - Con .. .
To the Editor:
AT THIS WRITING, no student
organization has yet proposed
a Herbert J. Phillips Day on which
all could turn their eyes towards
Moscow for a moment. But with
hotheads and loudmouths souding
off from all quarters, such a thing
is not impossible. Perhaps the
Muscovites would even pop off a
few American plans during the
festivities to insure the right
amount of awe and reverence for
their powerful weapons to main-
tain peace.
The "mature students" behind
the Phillips marytdom proceed-
ings, and so far these include The
Daily, the Student Legislature, and
the American Veterans Commit-
tee, among others, have ranged
from misguided idealism to plain
puerility. "No freedom of speech!"
"We want to hear both sides!" "He
doesn't urge social change by
force!" That last one is nice. If the
Commies blew up everybody before
they movedin, it would take all
of the zip out of their purge trials
and confession extractions.
It's a great shame, a dishearten-
ing commentary on University stu-
dents, that they are too immature
to realize that freedom of speech
isn't synonymous with dissemin-
ation of anti-American propagan-
da, and that a Communist is a
Communist whether he hails from
Stalingrad or Staten Island. Nor
is it very satisfying to listen to a
bunch of sage, graying twenty-one
year olds who are too damned
proud to submit themselves to Un-
iversity authority regardless of the
issue.
(Continued from Page 2)
appointment will be permanent in
the Detroit office. Mechanical en-
gineers preferred; other engineers
are eligible. Requirements: good
grades, sales personality, and def-
inite interest in sales.
The Kroger Company will inter-
view men for their Executive
Training Program on Wed, and
Thurs., May 3 and 4. Emphasis
will be primarily on Merchandis-
ing; some positions in Account-
ing.
Office hours are 9-12 and 2-4.
Call at the Bureau of Appoint-
ments, 3528 Administration Build-
ing, for appointments and addi-
tional information.
Summer Positions: Representa-
tive of H. J. Heinz Company will
be at the Bureau of Appointments
this afternoon a n d Saturday
morning to interview men for po-
sitions in their Contract Crops De-
partment',Prefer men with farm
experieice or rural background,
good health and physical fitness.
For further information and ap-
pointmenit, call at Bureau of Ap-
pointments, 3528 Administration
Building.
Employment Interview: '
A representative of The Penn
Mutual Life Insurance Company
will be at the Bureau of Appoint-
ments on "Wed., May 3, to inter-
view candidates for sales positions
in Detroit, Flint, Monroe, Port
Huron and Pontiac. They are in-
terested in men who eventually
want a career in management.
For further information and ar-
Comrade Phillips isn't touring
the college circuit because he likes
to look at coeds. He realizes that
he has a better chance of con-
vincing bookish people and ivory-
tower intellectuals of the advant-
ages of the party line. The Lec-
ture Committee is to be commend-
ed for keeping Phillips away from
such a vulnerable spot despite the
inevitable yapping which has fol-
lowed its action.
-H. B. Maloney
* * * -
Debate - Pro .,..
To the Editor:
CONGRATULATIONS are in or-
der for the Romnace Lan-
guage faculty and their letter in
Wednesday's Daily. Only members
of the professorial body could ans-
wer Dr. Hobbs with propriety. The
linguists have done it well-and in
good taste.
We fear for one Dr. James
O'Neill, however. People with for-
eign names should watch their
steps. And my counrtyman should
realize that we Irish are known
to be ready to set a spark to any
rebellion or revolution, be it green,
pink, red, or any colour but
orange.
-J. W. Ryan, 52L
* * *
Debate - Pro . .
To the Editor:
AS long as there is a Prof. Slos-
son to counteract a Prof.
Hobbs, there is still a chance that
our educational system won't end
up on the rocks.
p n-Joe Stone, '50
* * *
West Quad .. .
To the Editor:
A few days ago you ran an ar-
ticle entitled, "C r o w d in g
Brings Student Protest." Earlier in
the semester you also ran a ser-
ies of articles, comments, and let-
ters concerning West Quad food.
Thus, I have come to the con-
clusion that the West Quad's liv-
ing conditions are not up to par.
Par being the expectations and
needs of the residents. What is
wrong? To my knowledge no one
has been able to give a reasonable
answer. Yet it is obvious that
something is wrong. I say it is ob-
vious because the East Quad does
not encounter any of these prob-
lems. That is, they do not have
problems big enough to warrant
publicity. In fact, the East Quad
strives to meet the needs of its
residents. Just recently, a snack
bar was instituted to accommodate
hungry students.
The whole point is that the
West Quad does not receive the
same luxuries as the East Quad.
This difference could be accounted
for if each Quadrangle was under
a separate jurisdiction. However,
the Board of Governors of the
Residence Halls is in charge of
both quads. Therefore, I can not
see why the West Quad has more
unfavorable living conditions than
the East Quad, which apparently
suffers few difficulties, if any.
Again I ask, what is wrong? I
do not know. Who does? -
-H. G. Schmer
rangements for appointments call
the Bureau of Appointments, xt.
371.
Last chance to order Com-
mencement Announcements for all
schools except Law, Dentistry and
Medicine, this aftenoon in th'e
lobby of the Administration Build-
ing.
Women students have 1:30 a.n
late permission tonight.
Lectures
The Thomas M. Cooley Lectures,
auspices of the Law School and
the William W. Cook Endowment.
Fifth and final lecture "Democrat-
ic Control of Administrative Dis-
cretionary Power." 4:15 p.m. today,
Room 150, Hutchins Hall.
Illustrated Lecture: President
William S. Carlson, University of
Vermont, will present an illustrat-
ed lecture in the Natural Science
Auditorium, 4:15 p.m., to d a y.
Films and kodachromes show-
ing views of Greenland, the re-
gions along the Alcan Highway,
and the Aleutian Islands.
Academic Notices
Doctoral Examination for John
Controulis, Chemistry; t h es i s:
"The Diels-Alder Reaction of 1-
Vinyl - 6 - Methoxy - 3, 4-Dihylro-
naphthalene with Maleic Anhyd-
ride, Mesaconic Acid and Citra-
conic Aphydride. The Configura-
tion of the C/D Ring Juncture of
the Estrongenic Hormones", Sat-
urday, April 29, 2035 Chemistry
Bldg., at 10:00 a.m. Chairman, W.
E. Bachmann.
Astronomical Colloquium: To-
day, 4:15 p.m., Observatory.
Speaker: Kenneth Yoss. Subject:
The Structure of the Cloud of
Comets Surrounding the Solar
System.
Second Semester Sophomores in
College of L.S.&A., who are now
completing their second semester
of their sophomore year, should
report without delay to the Board
of Concentration Advisers, 1006
Angell Hall, to make appointments
with their prospective Concentra-
tion Advisers, in order to discuss
elections for their next semester's
work whether it be for summer
elections or next fall elections.
School of Education Testing
Programs results may be picked
up today between 9:30 a.m. and 12
noon in 1437 U.E.S.
Exhibitions
University . Museums: . Exhibits
and motion pictures on the Fri-
day Evening Program, "Processes
and functions in Human Develop-
ment." April 28. Exhibits are open
to the public, University Museums
building, 7 to 9 p.m. Motion pic-
tures, "Meiosis" and "Body De-
fenses against Disease." Kellogg
Auditorium, 7:30 p.m. Also exhibit
in Museums building Rotunda.
(continued on Page 5)
Mir anj 311
f
w
4.
14
The State...
THE BIG WHEEL with Mickey Rooney,
hiomas Mitchell, and others.
HIS is a film about race car drivers. There
is the hero (Mickey Mugger Rooney, a
l born just the right size for a midget
) who is the son of a late but great big
ing car driver. His mother, whom he
s with and who, understandably enough,
ks with shivers every time he expresses
idea to race just like Dad did, has been
ed from afar by her late husband's best
nd. He gets Mickey started on his very
torials published in The Michigan Daily
written by members of The Daily staff
' represent the views of the writers only.
NIGHT EDITOR:, DAVE THOMAS
successful racing career. Finally, there is
the rich but down to earth daughter of a
racing mogul. She lives in her Levis', but
for all that, provides the love interest and
therefore waits patiently while Mickey, once
he has begun to win, does the night spots
asserting his right to be recognized as a ce-
lebrity and to dance with tall girls.
You can expect a third of the film to
be taken up with real racing films which
are exciting despite the grimaces of Roo-
ney in the closeups.
This you have gathered is a formula pic-
ture. The actions are as expected as the
characters we have sketched above. The fi-
nale takes place at Indianapolis. But for-
mula pictures have lots of physical action,
and when there is absolutely no pretention
at mental action, I for one, can get some
pleasure out of very rapid excitation of the
retinas.
-S. J. Winebaum
a
FarmProblem
WHATEVER may be said about the con-
troversial Brannan plan, one point
President Truman made in his latest plea
for it is beyond argument: The piecemeal
attack on the farm problem through such
measures as the recent jerry-built potatoes-
cotton-peanuts bill is totally inadequate.
There is a need for a comprehensive ap-
proach to the problem.
Part of what is called the farm problem,
for instance, is actually an employment,
problem and adwage problem. Those moun-
tains of blue-dyed potatoes that pile up,
those great caches of powdered eggs are
called surpluses. Yet there can be no real
surplus so long as millions of persons go
hungry in this nation - and millions are
going hungry right now. If the nation could
achieve full employment at adequate wages,
United States killed it by refusing to go
along. There were good reasons for the
refusal, for some of the details of the FAO
plan were most questionable. But this na-
tion has yet to offer an acceptable substitute
for the plan, and so the starving continue to
starve while the "surpluses" accumulate.
-St. Louis Star-Times.
Strong Man Peron is biting his finger-
nails these days. His Argentina has been in
economic hot water for some time.
During the war and for some time after,
he was rolling in prosperity because he
could hold up hard-pressed nations which
had little choice about paying him $5 for
wheat and even stiffer prices for beef.
For some time, however, the British, once
the Argentine's best customers, have been
refusing to be held up. And prosperity in
Peron's domain is almost as thin as a
memory.
%Z& +h a ,.fnfnr-,.,. lral tn h~.-1 1 iiefo
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
Leon! Jaroff.........Managing Editor
Al Blumrosen............City Editor
Philip Dawsor ... Editorial Director
Mary Stein ... .... Associate Editor
Jo Misner .....; ... Associate Editor
George Walker ...... Associate Editor
Don McNeil.......... Associate Editor
Wally Barth......Photography Editor
Pres Holmes ........ Sports Co-Editor
Merle Levin.........Sports Co-Editor
Roger Goeiz .. Associate Sports Editor
Lee Kaltenbach...... Women's Editor
Barbara Smith.. Associate Women's Ed.
Allan Clamage .........Librarian
Joyce Clarka......Assistant Librarian
Business Staff
Roger Wellington .. Business Manager
Dee Nelson Associate Business Manager
Jim Dangl....... Advertising Manager
Bernie Aidinoff ...... Finance Manager
Bob Daniels .... Circulation Manager
Telephone 23-24-1
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The Associated Press is eiclusively
entitled to the use for republication
of all news dispatches credited to it or
otherwise credited to this newspaper.
All rights of republication of °all other
matters herein are also reserved.
Entered at the Post Office at Ann
Arbor, Michigan, as second-claeamail
matter.
Subscription during regular school
year by carrier, $5.00, by mail, $6.00.
p ,
BARNABY
See! There's no imaginary Fairy Godfather here-
I'm sorry it was such a hectic evening.
Barnoby,I suddenly remembered