THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Union Amendment
THE PRtSMNT controversy over the An attempt made in1
)roposal to directly elect the Union presi- constitution failed when
t and secretary, a minor amendment to not be assembled for the
Union constitution carrying far-reaching
I long-lasting effects is likely to be over- posed amendments at a
ked. By raising the requi
This secondary issue deals with the pro- quorum, it will be virtu
sal to increase the number of signatures students to amend the
i aiending petitions and set the quorum proposal to change the
r general meetings at five percent of the percent of the total men
tal Union membership. quire 750 men to be pre
meeting, on the basis of
1948 to amend the
a a quox.pm could
final vote on pro-
general meeting.
red number for a
ally impossible for
constitution. The
e quorum to five
mbership would re-
esent at a general
15,000 members.
$I
Such an amendment, if passed, will act
ly to remove one of the few student con-
is of the Union. The present quorum of
D members has proven to be a high enough
nber to stop all but the most zealous at-
npts at amendment to the Union consti-
ion.
itorials published in The Michigan Daily
written by members of The Daily staff
d represent the views of the writers only.
GHT EDITOR: DOLORES LASCHEVER
A defeat of the main motion and passage
of this subordinate measure would elevate
the board of directors to a level where they
would be nearly inaccessible for action on
the part of the student membership of the
Union. Whether or not this is the intention
of the board is a moot point.
But if they are disturbed by the recent
petition and afraid of future modifications
in the Union organization, passage of the
proposed quorum rule would largely elimi-
nate the possibility of subsequent changes.
-Wally Eberhard
PFn ed
STUDENTS HAVE TO PROVE they can do
the job themselves.
That seems to be the attitude of college
administrators towards the whole question
of whether strong student self-government
is a possibility or not.
Faced with the responsibility to parents,
regents, legislators and the public for the
conduct of student activities, the college
administrator wants assurance that the job
will be done before he turns the function
over to the students.
Lack of continuity of officers is their
most prominent criticism. A new cabinet
is elected each semester and the officers
become only slightly acquainted with their
jobs before they are replaced.
There are strong arguments for a full
year term for the president and cabinet
members as a solution to the problem. Al-
though it would take a capable person in-
deed to stand the strain of the job and
still maintain a scholastic standing, the
benefits to the campus might be worth the.
effort.
One of the best builders of University
confidence is the development of an admini-
strative organ for student government. The
establishment ofthe SL secretariat was one
of the most notable achievements of present
SL President Quentin Nesbitt during his
term in office.
The secretariat, with office space, regu-
lar hours and volunteer workers to do
typing, filing and other day to day ad-
ministrative jobs has created a feeling
of permanence previously lacking in stu-
dent affairs. Although still hampered by
lack of space, it is a first step in the right
direction.
The Student Government Conference of
the NSA Michigan Region in spring, 1949,
recommended the idea of an organization
to handle administrative details as one of
the best ways to build the functions of SL.
Not only does it assure the University that
the job delegated to the students will get
done, it also leaves the legislators free from
hampering detail work for the consideration"
of policy.
-Don McNeil.
"How About If We Just Set The Bar On The Ground?"
sI
5/7
81 -
WILL grAtApOR
FAIL .ON$ PRO V(
LATTIM0 F-
- ..
4t
ete' 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.
OMAS L. STOKES-
Exit Shoeshine Parlor
ASHINGTON - Those alert reporters
for the McGraw-Hill flock of business
magazines who nose around in industry are
always coming up with something new
about life in America, and new ways of life
mechanically contrived.
They are refreshing, for they tell of a
vast, pulsing America where people are ac-
tually making things, instead of merely
making talk. Their findings are processed
in capsule form in handouts for newspapers.
Sometimes the progress they report is
discouraging - progress can be very dis-
couraging at times. For example a recent
Item headed:
Shoe-shine specialists may give way to
science." .
It explains: "Shoe-shine artists may be
facing a grim future, according to product
engineering. Science has developed a pro-
cess which combines leather and rubber to
produce a highly durable material. When
soaked overnight in a rubber solution and
then vulcanized, low-grade leather absorbs
only half as much water as untreated hides
and is twice as resistent to abrasion - badt
news for the shoeshine boys if footgear is
made from the new material."
It's a place where Joe McCarthy and Dean
Acheson might have gotten together and,
If that had happened some time ago, we
might not be going through the silly, but
tragic, business that goes on here now.
Or even Harry Truman and Joe Stalin.
Sitting next to each other, with the
sh e-shine boys pas n; wisecracks, and
a spirit of kindliness abroad in the par-
lor, they might get to know each other,
there in the friendly atmosphere with
honest work going on, for shoe-shining is
honest work.
But, no, McGraw-Hill's smart reporters
know better. Science, which has brought us
so close together physically, seems to be
taking us farther apart as human beings.
Science has hypnotized us with bigger and
better bombs and bigger and better war
CINIEMA
At Architecture Aud ...
YOUTH OF MAXIM, Russian film with
English titles.
HE FIRST of a trilogy, "Youth of Maxim"
traces the development of Russian writer
Maxim Gorky from his early youth as a
carefree factory worker to his entrance into
manhood as an active Bolshevik. Maxim,
whose social conscience is practically nil at
the beginning of the film, accidentally be-
comes involved in the distribution of sub-
versive leafilets in the St. Petersburg factory
where he works.
His interest in the socialist cause is
aroused, and when his best friend, Andrei,
dies as a result of improperly inspected
machinery, Maxim is awakened to the
horror of the worker's situation.
A prison term and the influence of Poli-
vanov and Natasha, two ardent revolutionar-
ies, confirm Maxim in his revolt against the
established order.
Although the film centers around Maxim
and his early activity in the Bolshevik party,
he achieves no more reality than do the
other characters. All are symbols. Poliva-
nov and Natasha are prototypes of the early
revolutionaries; Maxim, of the relatively un-
schooled workers who later rose to intellec-
tual and political heights. One or two inci-
dents serve to represent the brutality of the
Russian police and the callousness of the
factory managers.
Despite lack of characterization, the al-
most legendary nature of the story carries
it successfully. The climactic scene in
which the workers make their first stand
for their rights sums up the atmosphere of
the film. White lacketed nolice on sleek
gadgets of all sorts, and we are all becoming
robots.
The shoe-shine "parlor," then, and the
grinning wayfarer shoeshiner who gathers
his own company about him along the
street are to go the way of the corner
saloon and those other institutions where
people could stop for a few minutes -
with an excuse - to pass the time of day.
Science can do anything for us. It can
shine our shoes for us before we even buy
them.
(Copyright, 1950,^ by United Feature Syndicate, Inc.)
Debate - Pro . .
creations out of
whole cloth
.
'Economy'
As Usual
CONGRESSMEN, those sturdy fellows
who
complain so about "administration spend-
ing," have just struck another of their usual
blows for economy. Without even standing
to be counted on a roll call, the House mem-
bers have voted a $279,000,000 expansion of
the veterans' hospital program. This is only
an authorization measure, not the appro-
priation of funds, but the appropriation can
be expected to follow.
.I
CURRENT MOVIES
I
To the Editor:
THERE are so many people de-
serving of thanks after the
Capitalism vs. Communism debate,
that one hardly knows where to
start.
I suppose, however, that a bou-
quet of thorns would be appro-
priate for the University Lecture
Committee whose refusal to al-
low the debate to be held on cam-
pus precipitated the lovely little
gathering of 2,000 assorted stu-,
dents in the middle of State St.
A bed of onions for the Ann Ar-
bor police. The decision to pro-
hibit the broadcast of the debate
over the loudspeaker was trtly
inspired. It did wonders to pre-
serve the peace and reflected a'
genuine concern for the privacy
and quiet for the occupants of
Lane Hall and the surrounding
shops. The fact that they were
all empty does not change the
situation a bit.
Thanks also to the band of
courageous anti-intellectuals who
supported the Lecture Committee's
stand. If there were only more
like you, we should never have
had the Renaissance, which is af-
ter all responsible for getting us
into the mess we are in.
Be proud of yourselves, all. You
have slain the Jabberwocky.
--Jake Hurwitz,
* * *
Representatives say, of course, they are
voting only to help the needy veterans.
Yet the facts of the situation argue
against them. As the Hoover Commission
pointed out, on June 30, 1948, there were
100,000 vacant beds in government hos-
pitals having a capacity of 255,000. Most
pitals having a capacity of 255,000. Most
just wasn't available to service them. That
lack has not been made up, and yet the
House would have the government go on
providing at high cost new beds that will
add to the number of vacant beds.
Veterans cannot be helped at all by such
a program. All the program can accomplish
is the speedier wrecking of the national
budget.
At base, of course, the error is one of po-
litical logrolling. Congressman A sees that
Congressman B is having a VA hospital
erected in his district, so Congressman A
insists on having one too. Congressman B
meanwhile notices that his hospital is only
a 500-bed one, and Congressman C is get-
ting a 1,000-bed facility; Congressman B
pressures to get a bigger institution.
Such pressures will stop only when con-
stituents flatly tell their congressmen they'd
prefer overall economy to a new hospital
in the district. And the constituents had
better begin the telling soon.
-St. Louis Star Times
At The Michigan ...
THE FALLEN IDOL, with Ralph Richard-
son, Michele Morgan and Bobby Henrey.,
Produced and directed by Carol Reed.
-jILM, DISTRIUTING unfortunately be-
ing what it is in this part of the coun-
try, we've had to wait a long time for this
picture, but it's worth the wait.
For this unusual suspense film, which
tells a rather routine triangle story in a
very different way, is a very good show. Its
uniqueness lies in the fact - as you've prob-
ably heard before - that it's told from the
viewpoint of a seven year old boy.
Honors for the film first of all go to
Master Henrey -- who carries off a long
part with a laudably small amount of cute-
ness - and to Sir Ralph Richardson, whose
hamminess is hardly apparent. He's really
rather good.
But most of the many orchids must go to
Producer-Director Carol Reed. He's been
quoted as saying he puts only what he per-
sonally likes in his films. It seems that he
expects to stand or fall, as his films stand
or fall, get the credit or take the blame.
After seeing first "The Third Man" and
now "The Fallen Idol," I don't think Reed's
even staggering, much less falling.
The Britisher seems to go for they slightly
off the beaten track suspense story, su-
perbly done. Judging from his last two
products, he should keep going.
-Allan Davis.-~.
h.
Debate - Con . ..
To the Editor:
DAILY REPORTS of the Phil-
lips-Slosson debate (sic) on
April 27, 1950 leave the impression
that Prof. Slosson proved the su-
periority of Capitalism over Com-
munism as a "way of life." Actu-
ally, Prof. Slosson condemned Cap-
italism in this so called debate.
Prof. Slosson contended that
"America at its worst is a thou-
sand times better than a commu-
nist nation" (Russia) "at its best."
In answer to a question from the
floor, Prof. Slosson admitted that,
other than the Stalinists whom he
had discredited as witnesses, he
had no authority that Communism
(Socialism) exists in Russia. Point-
isg to "collectivization" as one of
the characteristics of Communism,
he implied but did not prove that
Communism exists in Russia.
The existence of the wages sys-
tem and the expropriation of sur-
plus value from the workers by the
Russian bureaucrats is far strong-
er evidence that Russia is a Cap-
italist nation. Therefore, Prof.
Slosson's contention becomes, cor-
rectly, "American Capitalism at its
worst is a thousand (?) times bet-
ter than Russian Capitalism at its
best." Q.E.D.
As to the implication that Com-
munism and Capitalism are "ways
of life" resulting from. tfie appli-
cation of "Ideologies" to human
relationships, such interpretations
also stand convicted by the same
evidence. Russian society of to-
day is casting off the old feudal
order. In this process, Capitalism
had to be the order of the day
no matter how great the initial de-
sire to ariive at ;Socialism by the
early Bolsheviks. Events and cir-
cumstances in Russia prove this.
Social development occurs as his-
torical development rather than
through the application of "ideolo-I
gies." History and Prof. Slosson.
prove that new social orders are
born out of the travail and are
covered with the blood stains of
the dying social system.
The question of Communism
(Socialism) vs. Capitalism remains
to be debated.
-Ralph W. Muncy
Michigras .. .
To the Editor:
IV YOU VISITED this year's
Michigras at Yost Field House
last week end, you must have seen
the "Opium Den" booth, with both
the English and Chinese signs on
it, represented by Chi Omega and
Kappa Sigma. Under the sign,
there was a gentleman wearing an
embroidered robe of Ching Dynas-
ty. "Come in and see the Chinese
Atmosphere inside!" he was howl-
ing and waving his long "pig tail"
on his back.
I believe in this liberal Univer-
sity, students can present any fan-
ciful ideas as they pleased but I
think if possible there should be an
exercise and some discretion in
the choice of program whether or
not it is in good taste and decen-
cy.
Since' the founding of the Re-
public of China, by law, opium
smoker must be shot. Speaking of
"pig tail," that is also an old story,
at least, I never saw a' Chinese
dressed up like the gentleman did
in my life, not even in my father's
life. Remember, everything is be-
ing changed day by day every-
where in this world, we should try
to look forward and present some
new and better taste. I can not
see why our dear schoolmates like
this out of date, immoral, silly
idea which connotes a kind of in-
sult to all of the 200 Chinese stu-
dents on this campus. In my opin-
ion, it is not advisable to make fun
at the expense of the reputation
of the other country. It might be-
come a dangerous poison to kill
the friendship between the peo-
ples of the two countries.
Not long ago, in Hollywood, some
movie actor and actress were ar-
rested because of, their smoking
marijuana.
There is a Chinese proverb:
"The one who wishes to be res-
pected by others must respect
other first." It is quite the same
to two countries. I wish, at least,
that will never happen again.
-Hsin-wen Chen
Elections . . .
To the Editor:
I would like to thank the campus
organizations which helped the
Citizenship Committee of the Stu-
dent Legislature carry out last
week's election successfully. We
used over 1,000 man hours to man
the 18 voting booths which were
located all over campus.
ALPHA PHI OMEGA, national
service fraternity, gave us the
most help by volunteering about
200 man hours. Other honoraries
which helped us were the M Club,
Druids, Phi Eta Sigma, Tau Beta
Pi, Pi Tau Sigma, Vulcans, Tri-
angles, Eta Kappa Nu, Sphinx,
+
MUSIC
+
',I
MUSICAL HISTORY was made in Ann
Arbor last night. Ljuba Welitch, the
sensational Bulgarian soprano who made
her American debut last year, appeared for
the first time in this city to open the 1950
May Festival, and sang so gloriously that
no one who sat in Hill Auditorium will ever
forget it.
For most of us this was the first Welitch
concert, but expectancy ran high, for the
stir created by the singer's Metropolitan
debut last season was an impressive one,
and her broadcasts and recordings have
reached a large audience within the inter-
vening year. But the expectancy was as
nothing compared to the reality, and the
tumultuous ovation which greeted her final
notes was a tribute such as few artists re-
ceive or deserve. There will be many high-
lights in the course of this week-end, but
nothing will equal the rare quality of last
night's experience, either this year or for
many years to come.
As to the voice itself. it is essentially
The Tchaikovsky "Letter Scene" (I per-
sonally should have preferred the originally
scheduled Mozart) was an ideal introduction
to the artist's voice, interpretive insight and
musicianship. It is quite charming music,
lyric and dramatic by turn, and requires a
considerably wide emotional range. Its var-
iety of mood, pace and vocal quality. are
demanding, and Miss Welitch met those
demands in a masterful way.
But the closing scene from Salome told
the tale. Miss Welitch chose a role of un-
relieved difficulty, tension and dramatic
requirements. The score itself is stupen-
dous, and the effect of this final scene,
orchestrally and vocally, is almost without
parallel. The soloist's vocalism was flaw-
less, her dramatic instinct unwavering, and
the result overwhelming.
No small part of the credit for this mag-
nificent performance goes to Mr. Ormandy
and his men for an inspired reading of the
score. It remains but to say that the orches -
tra.l nortiono f the nrnmrm was as always.
BARNABY
Take a good look, m'boy.
You see your old Fairy
rL,.-,.. s Aar nrlna ,hre
And seeing is believing,
isn't if? Of course t
erist And vet I wan't