poor}htI
T HE WMItIGAN DILY~i:
TUESDAY, NOVFEM 15, 1040
4
_ - --
RFC Anti-Trust Action
A FEW WEEKS AGO when the Justice
Department filed suit against the At-
lantic and Pacific Company on charges of
violating anti-trust laws, one Washington
columnist termed it "the opening shot in
an all out government war on private mon-
opoly." In reality, however, this fight has
been going on quietly behind the scenes for
several months under the guise of a gov-
ernment program to give financial aid to
young or failing enterprises.
The whole issue suddenly sprang to light
last week, however, when a Senate sub-
committee ordered a full investigation of
the Reconstruction Finance Corporation's
$44,000,000 loan to the Kaiser-Frazer Corp.
to finance the building of a new line of
low-priced cars.
Since that time it has become apparent
that the RFC is becoming "banker-guardian"
to thousands of companies, large and small,
all over the country. For example, it has
loaned $37,500,000 to the Lustron Corpora-
tion (pre-fabricated houses) and its loans
to Kaiser-Frazer and its subsidiaries now
total more than 190 million.
The policy behind these loans seems to
be to finance private competition by grant-
ing loans to new enterprises entering al-
ready monopolistic fields and thus through.
competition break up market coercion.
In the Kaiser-Frazer case, for example,
the government probably hopes to break
the market control of the automotive "Big
Three," Ford, Chrysler and General Motors,
by backing a new company which can un-
dersell them.
On the surface this seems like a sound
method of breaking up market monopolies
Editorials published in The Michigan Daily
are written by members of The Daily staff
and represent the views of the writers only.
NIGHT EDITOR: DOLORES LASCHEVER
and industrial combines through the tradi-
tionally American method of private com-
petition. But hidden beneath the surface of
this plan, a channel is left open whereby
the government can gain control of private
industries and, in effect, destroy our system
of free enterprise by removing the risk-tak-
ing element of capital investment.
The RFC, just like any other banking or
credit institution sets certain steandard .
which its debtors must maintain and if
companies fail to live up to these terms,' the
government could step in and assume di-
rect control of them. It is reported that such
action is already being contemplated in the
case of Kaiser-Frazer and Lustron Houses
which are failing to meet the competitive
market.
Eventually, then, we would have a sys-
tem of government directed companies
which, with the tremendous resources of
the entire country behind them, would
soon obtain almost complete market dom-
ination. We would not have a completely
socialized state since there would still be
nominal private ownership, but the risk-
taking element of the profit motive would
be removed from the free enterprise sys-
tem.
There may be some justification for such
action if private holders of potential "risk
capital" fail to invest it in new enterprises
and thus stymie economic progress and help
to foster monopolies. And certainly the idea
must appeal to many businessmen who see
in it a chance to reap a personal profit at
the risk of public capital derived through
taxation.
The dangers involved in the plan, how-
ever, seem to outweigh these advantages.
For with the government taking direct con-
trol of many enterprises and giving them
overwhelming financial advantage, privtae
businesses would soon lose the incentive to
push for economic progress under the sti-
mulus of the profit motive.
-Jim Brown
Inter-Arts
Union
A LTHOUGH THE UNIVERSITY enjoys an
abundance of dramatic and artistic or-
ganizations, special attention should be paid
to the Inter-Arts Union, which is advancing
a new apprpach to art projects much need-
ed in schools all over the country.
Representing virtually all students in
creative arts, IAU is attempting to stim-
ulate and coordinate their activities.
Among other things, the organization pro-
vides an outlet for forms of artistic ex-
pression, such as the dance and creative
writing, which otherwise lack a medium
of presentation on campus.
IAU has attracted members ranging from
semi-professional artists to marketing ma-
jors. Enthusiasm in the group is exception-
ally high and ideas so plentiful that they
have to be weeded out.
This week IAU will present "Murder in
the Cathedral," T. S. Eliot's verse drama,
an undertaking heartily applauded by the
English and speech departments. Other
projects on IAU's program include a cos-
tume ball, an art magazine, a "Michigan
Movie," following the pattern of the re-
cently completed Harvard film, and a sec-
ond annual Student Arts Festival.
IAU is gaining rapid notice from several
prominent national organizations. Dr. C. E.
Odegaard, chairman of the National Coun-
cil of Learned Societies, has been visiting
college and professional groups throughout
the country telling them about the new ex-
periment at Michigan and urging them to
form a similar group. National Student As-
sociation expressed a desire to turn the Uni-
versity Student Art Festival into a Big Ten
event. IAU decided to postpone this expan-
sion for a few years, however, until the Festi-
val is more firmly established.
IAU's forthcoming art magazine has
also attracted interest on other campuses.
Harvard and several of the Big Ten
schools have already made advance re-
quests for copies.
IAU represents a praiseworthy attempt of
students to experiment in new ideas. It's
success, however, depends not on the re-
cognition accorded it by outside groups-
although that will elevate its reputatior-
but on the attention and interest of this
campus in seeing that its projects are well-
received and appreciated.
-Nancy Bylan
Bikes v. Pedestrians
APPARENTLY the University's traffic
problem is not limited to the highways.
Careening bicycles on the diagonal and
campus walks have become as imminent a
proponent of higher insurance rates as the
Ann Arbor automobile drivers. Yesterday
a.m., I watched with considerable constern-
ation as a class-bound student on a new
bike scattered students, faculty, dogs, squir-
rels and small children in all directions in
his attempt to make a lecture on time.
Aside from the fact that no lecture 1i
worth the expendiure of so many calories, a
reach of etiquette is definitely indicated.
No end of bodily injury can come of such
irresponsible behavior. Also, if bicyclists
continue to abuse their privilege of riding
their wheels on campus, the privilege will
be removed.
As a bicycle rider myself, I enjoin my fel-
low peddlers to be more considerate. Besides
I hate walking.
-Rich Thomas
autograph?" And he held out a bit of paper.
Nimitz was willing. "Have you got a pen-
cil?" he asked.
The boy begged a pencil from a bystander,
and the onetime Commander-in-Chief of
the Pacific Fleet, using Mrs. Nimitz's hand-
bag to write on, produced his signature.
But as Nimitz started to move on, the boy
said, "Hey, Mister, who are you, anyway?"
The Admiral chuckled; Mrs. Nimitz
laughed. "There," she said, "There's one for
your ego!"
(copyright, 1949, by the Bell Syndicate, Inc.)
* 4i ' iC
'to ..
/777
"A .. . ... ._ ti f yeT NT'o PS i
a it THIN
by b. s, brown
HUMAN NATURE often expresses itself in a most unusual manner.
The professor was discussing child behavior the other day and
he was carefully explaining the negativistic stage which parents know
so well-and the stage during which the child "no's" so well.
At any rate, the prof claimed that it often required as much
as two years for the child to out-grow the negativistic stage. A
that point, a young man arose from his seat. He was wearing a
tan coat, a white shirt and a black eye.
In a voice that dripped with bitterness, he snapped, "Some girls
NEVER grow out of it."
EVEN BIZ MAJORS laugh. Or so I am told. A professor in the busi-
ness school asked each student in his class to bring a five-cent
chocolate bar with almonds to class last week.
It was in a statistics course and the object was to count the
number of almonds in each bar in order to determine the standard
deviation.
One husky individual rose mightily, looked squarely at the prof
and asked, "Can we get that on the G. I. Bill?"
* * * *
SERIOUS, for a moment. It's just about time everyone doffed his
chapeau to Bennie Oosterbaan and his really great football team.
After two successive losses, Bennie's boys bounced back to win
four straight. The pay-off comes this week when a battling Ohio State
squad comes to town with the Conference crown and a trip to the
Rose Bowl the immediate objectives.
The Buckeyes are always a rough lot when Michigan is the
opponent. It won't be an easy game, but you can bet that Bennie's
blue shirts will be giving all they have.
Any team that can rebound from two consecutive losses the way
the Wolverines have deserve every sort of plaudit. It would be a fitting
gesture to Bennie's battlers, and especially to the graduating seniors, if
the 20,000 students released a shower of verbal appreciation in the sea-
son final this Saturday.
* * * *
EMBARRASSMENT reigned supreme at the Pan-Hel Panic the other
J night. One extremely attractive young lady-she was wearing a
hoop skirt-made a strenuous attempt at tripping the light fantastic.
In the middle of a jitter-bug .number, she lost her hoop! As if
that weren't bad enough, he; date picked up the hoop and began
whirling it over his head.
It was a beautiful job of advertising, but it didn't add to the
comfort of the hoop-less lass.
HOW TO BECOME popular in one easy lesson: The Alpha Xi's and
their respective fathers staged a "raid" on the Psi U house re-
cently.
One of the girl's padres had, in some way, secured a phony
sheriff's identification card and he walked in on the Psi U's to
conduct a "routine inspection."
After he had given the house a thorough examination, the phony
sheriff threw wide the portals and allowed the exuberant gang of
Alpha Xi's to join the festivities. It was rumored later that the Psi
U's had suffered a collective nervous break-down when the "sheriff"
entered the house; they were even more rattled when the horde of fem-
ininity crashed into the abode.
Is it Dale Carnegie who says, "Anything for a laugh."
That covers everything for today!
w
ma ine wv. .... ....-... .-..,
XetteA 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.
4
LOS ANGELES-John Kennedy, live-wire
publisher of the San Diego Journal, re-
cently took a man-in-the-street poll as to
who represented California in the U.S. Sen-
ate. After some hesitation most of those
polled were able to remember the name of
Republican William Knowland, who has
been in office less than a full term, but
almost none was able to remember the name
of California's senior senator, Sheridan
Downey, now rounding out his twelfth year
in the Senate.
The political object lesson to be derived
from Downey's anonymity is you can't be
on every side of every issue and still keep
the people's interest and respect.
In 1938 Sheridan Downey was elected as a
new and flaming liberal. The oldsters, the
labor leaders, the small farmers rallied be-
hind him. He promised them what they
wanted and they believed him.
BECOMES SENATE "MUTE"
ONCE ELECTED, Mr. Downey went to
Washington in a blaze of promises and
expectations and simply sat. He took no
vigorous stand on any issue. And it was only
after many years as a Senate "mute" that
the much-heralded gentleman from South-
ern California finally got active. Believe it
or not, his activity was then cast on the side
of those who originally tried to defeat him.
Sheridan, for strange reasons best known
to himself, came out on the side of the big
ranchers and the big utilities.
Some attributed this weird about-face
to his brother, an astute attorney who re-
presents some of the big boys. Others at-
tributed it to the idea that Sheridan knew
Truman was sure to fail of re-election in
1948, so he, Sheridan, planned to bow out
of the Senate and start practicing law for
some of the big boys himself.
At any rate, the Senator from California
became a more rabid spokesman for the big
land owners than anyone else in the Senate,
even publishing a luxurious book on recla-
mation which had little sale and which
could .not have been financed very easily
from a Senator's salary.
* * * *
THREATENED TO BLOCK
ADJOURNMENT
MOST PEOPLE didn't know it but, at the
wind-up of Congress last month, Down-
ey threatened to block adjournment with a
filibuster if the Senate voted salaries to his
twin enemies, Reclamation Commissioner
Mike Straus and Regional Deputy Richard
Boke.
For some time Downey has intimated
that Commissioner Straus should not en-
force the 160-acre limitation on land ir-
rigated by the federal government. Un.
able to get Congress to abandon the 160-
acre limitation, Downey didn't want the
law enforced. And when Straus and Boke
insisted on enforcement he succeeded in
sneaking a rider through the Republican-
controlled 80th Congress cutting off their
salaries.
Later, the Democratic 81st Congress put
back the salaries and even voted to restore
fiv ennths Wbck nav And it was that that
"has already held in the cases of Lovett,
Dodd and Watson, that these back salar-
ies are payable. We also have a legal op-
inion from Lindsay Warren, the Control-
ler General, telling us that Straus and
Boke have an even stronger case. I, for
one, refuse to be bluffed by Sheridan
Downey."
. Congressman Kirwan was right. The con-
ference cor mittee restored the back salar-
ies of Downey's mortal enemies, and the
Senator from California did not filibuster.
* * * *
- DESPERATE FOR RE-ELECTION -
TODAY, SENATOR DOWNEY has chang-
ed his mind again, has decided there's
life in the Democratic party yet, and is run-
ning for re-election. In fact, he's running
resperately. His opponent is one of the ablest
members of Congress, Mrs. Helen Gahagan
Douglas. And Sheridan knows that this time
he can't count on the oldsters, the small
farmers and labor.
He can count on thousands of dollars of
campaign contributions from the utilities
and the big ranchers. But that will be in
the Primary. For if Downey by some miracle
squeaks through the Primary, the big boys
will votetagainst him in the final election
and for a Republican. For they, like so many
others, in California, have no respect for
both-sides-of-the-fence Sheridan Downey.
- "WHO ARE YOU, ANYWAY?" -
A MANHATTAN URCHIN tugged at the
gold-braided sleeve of Fleet Admiral
Chester W. Nimitz, as he and Mrs. Nimitz
were emerging from a church service on
Fifth Avenue.
"Hey, Mister," said the kid, "give me your
Jefferson's Rules '. .
To the Editor:
WHEN I CAME upon some rules
on student conduct written
150 years ago by Thomas Jeffer-
son, I thought some o fthe pro-
visions obsolete, but the tragic
shooting incident at Ohio State
this weekend emphasizes Jeffer-
son's lasting wisdom.
Jefferson was laying down the
law for the University of Virginia
when he wrote: "No student shall
make any festive entertainment
within the precinctsofrthenUni-
versity, nor contribute or be pre-
sent at them, there or elsewhere,
but with the consent of each of
the professors whose schools he
attends, on pain of a minor pun-
ishment. No student shall admit
any disturbing noises in his room,
or make them anywhere within
the precincts of the University, or
FIRE A GUN OR PISTOL WITH-
IN THE SAME . . . "
-John Neufeld
Flats, Sharps . .
To the Editor:
YOUR thermometer dropped
some ill notes on page one
of Saturday's issue. Referring to
atmospheric changes as affecting
pitch of musical instruments your
writer flatted sharply on several
counts.
True, a clarinet goes flat (low-
er in pitch) as temperature lowers,
but not because the tube shrinks
in diameter. The length, not the
diameter, of the tube governs its
pitch. Now the sharp observer will
note that while shrinking in di-
ameter the clarinet will also
shrink in length, hence the pitch
should rise. This keyed-up obser-
vation is flattened though by a
morensignificant phenomenon oc-
curring at the same time. Sound
travels slower in cold air than in
warm, and the clarinet tube is,
in effect, lengthened while being
shortened, only more so, hence,
the flatting.
In an orchestra concert the
temperature of the hall usually
rises during the program, but
changes in the stringed instru-
ments from this cause are negli-
gible. The resultant sharping in
the winds is sufficient to make
the strings seem flat, except that
string players tend to play sharp
when keyed up, which leaves the
winds flat. It's the ill wind that
nobody blows good.
Millard M. Laing-
Errors . .
To the Editor:
REFERRING to your picture
"Swing your partner", pub-
lished in the Daily on November
3 in which two couples were do-
ing the "Raspa", I believe that
you were in an error stating that
the activity was "one of the many
activities of the English Language
Institute".
The undersigned were present
when the picture was taken. It
was not an activity of the English
Language Institute but of he La-
tin American fraternity Phi Iota
Alpha.
-Jose N. Salazar,
James Sabal
* * *
To the Editor:
THREE CHEERS for Dave Be-
lin, YR president, for being
the only campus political leader
to realize that political affiliation
is no criterion for election to the
Student Legislature.
But how can The Daily make
the ghastly error of quoting Be-
lin's statement and then calling
him the "YP chairman"?
-Laurence J. Meisner
Congratulations.. .
To the Editor:
CONGRATULATIONS to Wil-
liam D. Revelli and the 29
Michigan high school bands which
provided a magnificient, colorful,
and memorable halftime per-
formance at the Indiana game.
--Leonard A. Wilcox
4
I
DAILY OFFICIAL- BULLETIN
(Continued from Page 3)
Thurs., Nov. 17, 7:30 p.m. Polon-
ia Club.
Fri., Nov. 18, 8 p.m. Instruction
in Ballroom Dancing.
Academic Notices
Bacteriology Seminar, Tuesday,
Nov. 15, 10:30 a.m., Rm. 1520 East
Medical Bldg. Speaker: Dr. Walter
J. Nungester. Subject: Some Tech-
niques for Studying Resistance to
Bacterial Infections.
Botany Seminar: 4 p.m., Wed.,
Nov. 16, 1139 Natural Science
Bldg. Prof. Win. Randolph Taylor
will speak on: Characters of the
Vegetation of Bermuda.
Engineering l3echanics ;Send-
nar: 4 p.m., Wed., Nov. 16, 101 W.
Engineering Bldg. Speaker: Mr.
James L. Edman. "Techniques in
Experimental Mechanics." Visitors
welcome.
Mathematics Colloquium: 4 p.m.,
Tues., Nov. 15, 5011 Angell Hall.
Dr. Jane Rothe will speak on
SOLUTIONS OF SOME INTE-
GRAL EQUATIONS BY TOPO-
LOGICAL METHODS.
Concerts
Stanley Quartet: The second
program in the current series of
concerts by the Stanley Quartet
will be presented at 8:30 p.m.,
Tues., Nov. 15, in the Rackham
Assembly Hall. Among the com-
positions to be played by the Quar-
tet is one by Walter Piston, en-
titled "Quintet" for piano, two
violins, viola, and cello, which was
commissioned by the University
of Michigan, dedicated to the
Stanley Quartet and Joseph Brink-
man, and first performed by them
in Ann Arbor on August 2 of this
year. Mr. Brinkman will again ap-
pear with the group in this pre-
sentation.
The general public is invited.
Events Today
Women's Rifle Club: There will
be no Women's Rifle Club prac-
tice at the .Women's Athletic
Building tonight. Watch for new
schedule of practices to be posted
soon.
Canterbury Club: 7:30-9:30 p.m.,
Chaplain's Seminar, conducted by
Rev. Burt, on the basic doctrines
of the Christian faith.
Christian Science Organization:
Testimonial meeting, 7:30 p.m.,
Upper Room, Lane Hall. All are
welcome.
Wolverine Club: 7:30 p.m., Un-
ion.
Quarterdeck Society: Regular
meeting, 7 p.m., 445 W. Engineer-
ing._ Picture for the Ensian to be
taken.
SL Cabinet Meeting: 4 p.m.,
Rm. 3G, Union. Past SL presidents
invited.
Sigma Gamma Epsilon: Meet-
ing, 7:30 p.m., Rackham Amphi-
theater.- Dr. John Clark will pre-
sent a short talk on his adven-
tures in the Far East. Slides and
color movie. The public is invited.
I.Z.F.A. Meeting, 8 p.m., Union.
Two discussion groups. Everyone
welcome.
Premedical Society: Joint meet-
ing with the Medical Roundtable,
8 p.m., 1200 (formerly Rm. 151)
old Chan Bldg. Speaker: Dr. E. H.
Payne, Parke Davis & Co. Movies:
The .first cases treated with Chlo-
romycetin; The life of Louis Pas-
teure; and Koch's discovery of the
tubercle bacillus.
UWF: Forum and discussion.
Union, 7:30 p.m. Topic: "England
and World Federalism."
Sigma Rho Tau, Engineering
Speech Society: Meeting, 7 p.m., E.
Engineering Bldg.
Special at this meeting-De-
bate with D. I. T. at 8 p.m.
S ociedad Hispanica: Movie:
"Doude Mueren las Palaoras"
(Spanish dialogue with English ti-
tles), 8 p.m., Lydia Mendelssohn
Theatre. Members will be admit-
ted on payment of only the tax on
presentation of their membership
cards at the box office. All seats
reserved.
Square Dance Group: 7-10 p.m.,
Lane Hall.
Russian Circle: Meeting, 8 p.m.,
International Center. Visitors in-
vited.
Coming Events
Michigan Arts Chorale: Re-
hearsal, 6:50 p.m., Wed., Nov. 16,
Rm. B, Haven Hall. All members
should be present. Concert will be
Nov. 29.
Women of the University Fac-
(Continued on Page 5)
t
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4
I. ...Et
CURRN 7
i'O'/I E
..,,. -
At the Michigan ...
TASK FORCE, with Gary Cooper, Jane
Wyatt, Walter Brennan and the U. S. Navy.
It looks as if Warner Brothers bought in-
to war surpluses heavily and had several
reels of navy action films which they did-
n't know what to do with. So they threw in
some stars, a poor excuse for a plot, and a
load of navy propaganda. "Task Force" is
the result.
The action shots are really fine; taken
by themselves, they'd be quite illuminat-
ing. The history of the navy and naval
aviation is also good.
But Hollywood had to mess up the show
with a very tired story of navy men and
their women, plus several dull reels drama-
tizing the whys and wherefores of naval ap-
propriations, and long discourses on how the
country would fall apart wtihout the navy
to defend it.
The story, using the word loosely, fol-
lows Gary Cooper through a long career
with the boys in blue, chiefly in the air
arm. From his initial venture into naval
At the State . .
LOST BOUNDARIES . .. .
Beatrice Pearson.
Mel Ferrer and
The only trouble with a movie like this
is that the people who need it most will
never see it.
It is an important film based on an im-
portant theme handled intelligently with
taste and dignity.
Briefly, it is the story of a light skinned
Negro doctor who is forced into "passing
over" in order to practice medicine. After
twenty years in a small New Hampshire
town, he and his wife, also a light skin-
ned Negro, are forced to tell their two
children that they are Negroes.
There is nothing impassioned about this
picture. Though it frequently preaches,
(Canada Lee appears briefly to deliver one
plea for understanding, Reverend John Ta,.-,
lor, pastor of the town in which the story
of the film actually took place, offers anoth-
er,) it does so sensitively, carefully avoiding
the oversentimental.
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 Dawson.......Editorial- Director
Mary Stein............Associate Editor
Jo Misner..............Associate Editor
George Walker ........ Associate Editor
Don McNeil..........Associate Editor
Alex Lmanian......Photography Editor
Pres Holmes ......... Sports Co-Editor
Merle Levin.........Sports Co-Editor
Roger Goelz.....Associate Sports Editor
Miriam Cady.........Women's Editor
Lee Kaltenbach..Associate Women's 24.
Joan King................Librarian
Allan Clamage...... Assistant- Librarian
Business Staff
Roger Wellington....Business Manager
Dee Nelson.. Associate Business Manager
Jim Dangl...... Advertising Manager
Bernie Aidinofr.......Finance Manager
Ralph Ziegler......Circulation Manager
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