IF VAGUE FOUR THE MICHIGAN DAILY FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 1950 __ FRIDAY, JANLIARY 20, 1950 - U Engineering Curriculum A RECENT EDITION of The Engineering News contained an editorial by Richard A. Humes in which he puts forth the opinion that the engineering students are "in a rut." He voiced disapproval of their complete devotion to school work without leaving time for participation in extra- curricular activities. The question of whether or not to de- vote time to non-scholastic functions is an outgrowth of that ancient topic so useful for freshman compositions, a lib- eral education versus technical training. The point of Humes' article is valid as far as it goes, however it has ignored the more basic problem involved. It would be fine for engineers to take part in extra-curricular functions, but it is more important for them to have a well- rounded curricular program. This is not possible with the present arrangement. The engineering program is simply set up in such a way as to discourage non- technical courses. To receive his degree the engineer must complete 140 hours. Out of this total, 10 hours must be taken in required English courses, six hours in eco- nomics, and six hours in non-technical elec- tives. That leaves 118 hours of scientific and technical subjects which must be mastered. The student is actually opposing the principles espoused by his college if he should try to broaden his mind. Perhaps the attitude of the engineers Editorials published in The Michigan Daily are written by members of The Daily staff and represent the views of the writers only. NIGHT EDITOR: DAVE THOMAS themselves is not entirely blameless for the situation. All too many of them take the Philistinic view that they should expose themselves only to that form of knowledge which will provide them with a direct means of earning a living. This sort of outlook is certainly not conducive to in- stituting a change in the program. Of course engineering is an exacting pro- fession and requires extensive training in subjects pertinent to it. The forestry school, however, which also trains students in a non-technical skill, has found it possible to include in its curriculum many non-tech- nical electives. Even the highly specialized architecture college provides for as many as 22 hours of outside electives in addition to the required economics and English. There are several possible solutions to the problem. The engineering curriculum could be lengthened by one semester mak- ing it similar to the architecture program; or, more extreme, it could be put on a graduate school level like the dental school. Another scheme would be to have the student enter engineering school while still an undergraduate, but only after hav- ing completed two years in the literary college, such as is done in preparation for the business administration school. Any proposal for lengthening the course of study, however, is disagreeable to the in- dividual who finds it financially difficult to attend college at all. Perhaps, then, it would be possible merely to have the student sub- stitute non-technical electives for some of the technical courses that he is required to carry. At any rate the engineering college should alter its program to some extent to conform to the basic liberal education policy of 'our colleges rather than remain the trade school which it exists as today. -Ed Silberfarb. f , Class (Mi. A FEW WEEKS AGO everyone was lean- ing out end letting fly at what the future 50 years in our fair land would hold. It is not out of line therefore that we take a quickie at what the University's hallowed class- rooms witnessed this past semester. The 8, o'clock, as usual, got the raw end-one seriously doubts that more than half those attending these early morning frolics know what manner of business was transacted. The rest of class sessions seemed to stand solid under the assaults of the conspiring academicians except for the lectures. There is the salted wound. Since the predominance of veterans has vanished from the undergraduate classes, many have forgotten that there are still persons attending the University who are interested in gaining an education. At any rate if discourtesy and disinterest are the by-words To get to a lecture on time is now unheard of. To be quiet s) Conduct after arriving is heresy. Particularly the co-eds. Agggh, the co-eds. Amazing thing about the situation is the equanimity of the professor in the face of what might be construed as a personal affront to his power at the podium. Why none of them carry a 'silencer' is mystery of the first order. Perhaps (allow a predic- tion) they will do so before the century mark is turned, although by then even a pocket revolver won't prove enough. Maybe the employment of the old - fashioned head knockers of Pilgrim meet- ing house vintage would help. This stu- dent, however, would welcome the use of some good and equally old-fashioned professorial oaths the next time a lecture audience starts packing their books and donning overcoats at ten minutes till the hour. It might not do much good at that, but possibly a few of the disturbers might get shocked into dropping the course. --Rich Thomas. Not Worth It THANKS TO the Regents, administration, and cohorts, at least one of the perils of modern civilization has been eliminated from undergraduate life here at the Uni- versity. The reference is to the recent explosion, caused by the flaming bowl of cafe diablo - brandied coffee, at a gourmet's banquet which burned and seriously injured three prominent Detroiters, and slightly injured three others. The University's liquor laws, in the first place, and the notorious grade of food it serves in the dorms, which would repel even the staunchest-stomached gourmand, in the second place, would clearly render such an occurence impos- sible. There is a question, however, suggested by the situation that needs consideration: Is the cause, in the University's case, worth the cure? -Rich Thomas. Wire- Tapingo Infractiont DURING THE Coplon-Gubitchev case, now being tried in New York, Judge Sylvester Ryan was given reason to suspect that the whole case is based upon evidence obtained through wiretapping; unless the FBI can disprove his suspicions, Judge Ryan will throw the whole case out of court. Concerning the wiretapping methods which Hoover's FBI has admitted using, Justice Louis D. Brandeis has said, "Cen- turies of thought have established stan- dards. Lying and sneaking are always bad no matter what the ends.... For my part, I think it is a less evil that some criminals should escape than that the government should play an ignoble part." Even Judith Coplon's conversations with her lawyer were not free from an un- Wanted audience consisting of FBI men. As Harold Ickes has said, "only the con- fessional is more sacred" than the con- versation between a lawyer .and defendant. The Supreme Court of the United States once said that any convicitions based on wiretapping evidence or on evidence pro- curred through wiretap leads is unlawful. Supporting the Supreme Court decision is Section 605 of the Communications Act which "forbids all interceptions and di- vulgences to any person." And the fourth Constitutional amendment protects an American against "illegal searches and seizures." In view of these laws and opinions hand- ed down by reputable citizens, it is clear that if Judge Ryan's suspicions remain after the FBI tries to disprove them his threat should be carried out. -Leah Marks. T'he 'Songs' Of-ichian THE UNIVERSITY sadly needs some "singable" school spirit songs - and the seniors have a chance to perform a lasting service to Michigan posterity by coming forth with a vocal gem in the current senior Song Contest. Throughout the whole year students complain about the lack of school spirit at Michigan - and the seniors do more than their share of nostalgic reminiscing about the "good old days," when there was "a certain spirit" about the school. Our school songs are inadequate - let's face it. Most of our students have hever bothered learning the words to the "Maize and Blue" - and the result at the football games is a pitiful display of hypocritical mouthing of the words while the dirge-like strains of the tender alma mater hymn emitted from the band echo across the stadium. And there is something ironically in- appropriate about joyously "Hailing to the Victors Valiant" when the Michigan team is twenty points behind. The song contest which is being spon- sored by the Senior Night committees is open to all seniors. It will be their last chance to add a new note to our deficient repertoire, achieve immortality, and re- ceive the thanks of future students. -Joan Willens. Devaluation Helps There are some persons - Drew Pearson, for one-who have been saying devaluation of the pound did not really help Britain at all. The facts seem definitely against them. Reliable London report has it that since devaluation the British have actually re-" versed the drain on their dollar reserve. Immediately after devaluation in September that reserve stood at $1,404,000,000. Now, it is reported, it stands at about $1,500,000,000. This is no tremendous gain - something less than $100,000,000 in four months. But every month before that had been showing sharp declines in the reserve. 'New Voice ...' To the Editor: I HAVE READ with considerable interest the editorial written b Mr. Gregory, and also with alarm at some of the critics' advers comments, it reminds me of a re- mark I heard a student make- "Let Uncle Sam pay." I asked him the question, Do you know wh( Uncle Sam is - why the Govern ment of course. But who is th Government? I told him ever morning when I looked into m mirror I saw Uncle Sam-a TAX- PAYER. Some weeks ago the top bracke economist, Dr. Edwin G. Nourse quit his post as Chairman of Pres- ident Truman's Council of Eco- nomic Advisers. His last officia. words are as follows, I quote- "As an economist, I do not see standards of life being raised ade. quately out of enlarged produc- tion, when a great labor organiza- tion sees the current situation as the 'occasion for a reduction in the hours of work' . .. when the cza of coal orders a three-day week~ with full pay for a redundant labor force . . . when pensions at 60 are demanded for a population steadi- ly becoming longer-lived. "I am not happy either when I see government slipping back into deficits as a way of life in a period when production and employment are high, instead of putting its fis- cal house in order and husbanding reserves to support economy if less prosperous times overtake us. "We must recognize that we can't get more out of the economic system than we put in, the collec- tive bargaining in good faith and on solid facts is a road to a work- able distribution of total product and that monetary and fiscal tricks have no power of magic but are a slippery road to misery." Work is a nasty word to many. Hard work is even a nastier com- bination of words. And the hard worker in many a place of em- ployment is anathema to others who believe in doing so much in just so much given time and no more, in fact just enough to keep out of trouble. But not enough patriotism or loyalty to stop the TAXPAYER from giving this something for nothing" called a Welfare state by unfair taxation. -Frederick Shurley Non-Religious .. To the Editor: AM somewhat puzzled by one paragraph in the otherwise ex- cellent article on religion in the last fifty years, which appeared in The Daily's Sunday issue. "The various Protestant church- es indicated a difference of opin- ion on the amount of extra-re- ligious participations and func- tions which the Church should carry out . . Congregationalists, Methodists, Episcopalian, Presby- terian and Baptist groups engage in Church youth groups and other non-religious activities centering around the Church."' I doubt that any of these Churches would consider their youth groups as "non-religious" or "extra-religious" in any sense of the term. If by "religious" activi- ties,the writer meant only worship services and Bible study, that is an unwarranted use of the term. A Church does not consider any of its activities as "non-religious," -even its parties. Rather it re- gards its whole program as an in- tegrated plan to bring religion more vitally and joyously into the lives of its people. It uses many methods for this purpose: some- times worship, sometimes discus- sion groups, sometimes recreation. Every project undertaken, secular though it might seem to the casual glance, has an underlying spiritual significance. Since the Churches are com- manded to "love thy neighbor," any activity undertaken by the Church to help people spiritually, mentally, or physically, can and should be called a religious activ- ity. -Flora Slosson * * .* NAACP Convention ... To the Editor.: IN WASHINGTON, D. C., one of the most important lobbies ev- er assembled in the history of the United States convened this past weekend. The NAACP Civil Rights Mobilization, sponsored by ,more than 50 national organizations, was first-rate news. However, with the exception of the Negro papers, practically the entire com- mercial press, including The Michigan Daily, ignored or buried The demands of these delegates was silhouetted against the vicious policies of discriminatio that e abound in Washington. Negro y delegates found segregated hous- y ing, segregated restaurants, segre- e gated theatres, and even segre- egated cemeteries! These are the practices that ex- Sist in the capitol of the world's Sforemost democracy. Some o these practices also exist in Ann eArbor and it will be the task o ythe Ann Arbor delegation, just as it will be the task of every other Scommunity delegation to this lob- by, to expose and expunge discrim- Sination wherever it is manifested For this reason, delegates called upon President Truman to erase Jim-Crow in Washington, D. C., and to sincerely stand behind the recommendations of his Commit- r tee on Civil Rights. For President Truman to ask -for a civil rights program while - refusing to utilize power through swhich he may legally eliminate the corroding practices of dis- Scrimination will seem to be hypo . critical and insincere to delegates r from many states. It is 1950. The time is now to secure the rights of all groups, regardless of the color of their skin, the church to which Ithey belong or the political do- trines which they believe in. I -Hy Bershad tw* *a rMusic Critic .. . To the Editor: RE: dELAINE BROVAN. Since Miss Brovanerdtlien- *fied an encore piece by Karol Szy- I manowski as written by "Smelov- sky" in reviewing the Glenn-List concert of January 6, her literary 1 peregrinations in matters musical has been a source of high amuse- ment. But the whole pthing ceases to be funny with her scabrous re- view of the Cincinnati Orchestra E:concert. While Miss Brovan was bored, fdmany of us felt a difficult pro- Igram was performed magnifi- cently, at white heat, by Thor Johnson and his men. I feel justi- fied in writing since I have in the past done professional concert re- viewing. Last night's was a diffi- cult program to play: certainly there were a few faulty intona- tions and two or three tentative attacks by the orchestra, but the Boston Symphony displayed these same distressing qualities in their programs. here last October. Or- chestras are human, but when they respond with the verve and intensity displayed by the Cin- cinnati organization, one can ov- erlook occasional blemishes. Inter- pretively, the concert was a mag- nificent achievement: it is near- ly impossible to find a conductor who willerespect the diretions given in a score (and yet pro- duce a thrilling musical perform ance) as Dr. Johnson did in all the works he undertook, espec- ially the Franck Symphony. This lastwas given a reading, I have yet to hear matched much less surpassed by any conductor, eith- er in concert, over the air, or on discs. I am not a Frank-Sym- phony partisan, but am not ashamed that the performance was an exhilarating experience which left the same spiritual sat- isfaction that the Budapest Quar- tet's Beethoven Op. 135 Quartet performance did. Were I a single happy soul in a mob of disgruntled listeners, there might be some cause for wonder, but the con- sensus of opinion was eminently favorable last evening. What gives with Brovan A new hearing aid, perhaps, or a stiff dose of pepto-bismol might turn the trick. Or better, let her con- fine her talents to theme-writing for Music Lit 41. This letter will not change her opinion, doubt- less, but in fairness, the other side deserves a hearing. I'm for more Johnson and less Brovan and wel- come members to this newly- formed society. -Roger C. Dettmer Transport Plan . . To the Editor: I WOULD LIKE to extend my sincere thanks to those drivers and other volunteers who helped make our program of transporta- tion to the airport a success. In all, the club assisted well over two-hundred students via special busses and private car. To those many students who have called me, or have written the club, I would like to say that our organization was .glad to serve you, and we will make ar- rangements for further transpor- tation facilitis in the smrina if Xette, 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. ed statements, and purely sub- jective analyss. As a fine example of this, I would like to quote from a letter written by a Harold Walsh and published intThe Daily of Janu- ary 17. Writes Walsh: "The IFC tabled a motion which would have permitted no adverse criticism of such matters as that Negroes can't play on the basket- ball team, at least by players on the team in question . . . . (the same principal is) just like the students' not being able to get anything done with the policies of the University on Thanksgiving; or China. Not the University poli- cies, though; just China." And further along in the letter: "It's almost the same thing like the situation of mercy-killings or the question. There are things you can't go above." Not very clear is it? The Daily should exercise its discretion and withhold such vague letters that do no more than confuse the is- sue and take up space that could be put to better use in your pub- lication. -John C. Wicker (EDITOR'S NOTE: It occurred to us that possibly Mr. Walsh was mnak- ingathe same point, though by ex- ample rather than by precept. Any- way, our policy has been to print all letters, subject to the good taste and 300-word restrictions, and as long as space limitations do not. interfere we believe this is fairer all around. * * * Wire-Tapping . . To the Editor: THE CASE of the wire-tapping FBI, who intercepted a defend- ant's conversation with her lawyer, has now gone beyond the Judith Coplon case to the United Nations, and J. Edgar Hoover has told Con- gress that his agency is tapping the phones of less than 170 per- sons involved in "internal securi- ty" cases. This to discredit reports of wholesale wire-tappings. The FBI must do everything within its means to protect us and our civil rights. Since there are 100 million subversives in this country :(we can beat Russia at any sort of statistics), I suggest that 170 is, far from wholesale, only a drop in the bucket. Every- body should be tapped, and espe- cially good specimens can be turned over to Mr. Funt's show. It is also essential that all mail be censored, especially Christmas cards, as it is very easy to infil- trate Communist propaganda into greeting cards. All bluebooks should be read and graded on a political basis. Houses should be searched reg- ularly and all incinerators confis- cated. If there is any more trouble, every tenth man, woman and child should be shot at sunrise (or what passes for sunrise in Ann Arbor). Thus shall our civil liberties be preserved. -John Neufeld P.S.: My telephone number is 6284, in case somebody wants to tap. * * * Fire Hazard . . To the Editor: MR. CRIPPEN'S splendid arti- cles on fire hazards in room- ing houses were very much ap- preciatedsby bothvstudnts and we "awful" landladies. Most of us have a fear of fires- and many of us have treasures which we would not like to lose. Before we condemn the houses we must look into their side. Usually students have a confer- ence with their future landladies before occupying the rooms - - promises are made, sometimes kept, sometimes not. The running of a house can only take so much -and rooms are rented by care- ful people with that In thought. A radio and correct lighting-yes- now what happens? It's nice to have a cup of coffee or hot soup when one feels like it and hates the thought of going out-so out comes the hot plate, and the elec- tric percolater, etc. An iron is a useful thing to have around, saves pressing cash. "I sort of feel cold" -and out comes a heater, and still all the lights are on; a fuse is blown-etc., etc.-only the cat is responsible and she can't talk. Then there was* that great big hole in coverlet- or blanket-who did it? No one knows. Again cigar- ettes and matches don't always behave as they should. They are apt to drop off the tray or the edge of the table; where they go, no one knows. Matches have an affinity for pa- per and the waste paper basket as the floor is so handy. Furniture looks so different with nice long burns just the shape of a cigarette. (One table I had had eight such decorations). Carpets are never quite right un- -til they have an extra pattern of holes or lines. A pipe, still glowing, placed in a pocket of a coat, with the coin- panionship of a book of matches, is an excellent sort -of fire, so 'boys and girls here are some sug- gestions from a "meany" of a landlady: some thought with regard to that splendid servant but terrible mas- ter, Fire. -Marion.H. George Nothing Lefter . . To the Editor: R EGARDING Phil Dawson's la- ment that the radical is no longer the old fighter that he used to be; relax, Phil, the radical is every bit the fighter that he used to be. It's just that now he's doing a little radicalating. .You see, there's been a tremen- dous shift to the left; the re- actionary has adopted the con- servative platform, the conserva- tive has taken over the platform of the man-in-the-street, the man-in-the-street has become a liberal, the liberal has embraced the cause of radicalism, and the radical - has no one to turn to. There's nothing lefter than a radical. Thus, in true radical tradition, he's radicalating. (Conservatives ruminate and liberals cogitate, but radicals (bless their hearts) radicalate.) What the wrld has mistaken, for degenerate dor- mancy is in truth deep thinking. New ideas, new concepts, new plans, all are in the making and soon will be presented; and again they will be so far to the left that even the liberals will blanch, and the whole process will begin anew So as I stated earlier, relax Phil, whole new worlds are wait- ing to be discovered, and the radi- cals will be there to lead the way --Al Schulman. * * * Pinky.. . To the Editor: T SEEMS necessary for some- one to straighten out your movie critic who completely misses the boat in his recent review or "Pinky". He obviously knows more drama than biology. The problem was not that of "a pretty and intelligent Negress .born white." The statement is self-contradictory. One of the few worthwhile lines in the movie, was Pinky's statement: "By the only standard you recognize-skin color-I am whiter than you are." She was not a Negress at all. Thus the entire plot of the movie, namely whether or not she should deny "her race," was obviously founded on a false premise. Why should having a Negro grandmother make her a Negro? A little simple mathematics will put her more (%) with the white "race." The movie only serves to rein- force an old predujice that any- one carrying even an infinitesi mal quantity of Negro "blood" is therefore black regardless of his skin. This is where the doctor's "logic" which your critic refers to goes astray. Supposedly a scien- tist, he went right along with the fallacy. Further, Hollywood, more con- cerned with its pockets and not stepping on any toes, rather than attempting to solve the problem has ended with a poor solution. Assuming that any significant dif- ferences between the race do exist (which I certainly doubt), the heroine is made to give up her marriage, and the old and im- practical doctrine of complete segregation of the races is adher- ed to. But we should probably be thankful such movies are produc- ed; ill-conceived as they are, they represent progress. J. F. Ensroth, '51M Barnaby . . To the Editor: MANY THANKS for the return of Barnaby. -Pamela Wagner. do 16 't _ ON THE Washington Merry- Go-Round WITH DREW PEARSON WASHINGTON - Earlier in this series I expressed the opinion that President Truman knew nothing about the links which some of his henchmen have with Cos- telloism and the gambling racketeers. I base this opinion on the fact that, at this moment, federal grand juries are probing the racketeers in Los Angeles, Miami and in Truman's home town, Kan- sas City. This investigation includes the new Democratic boss of Kansas City, Charles Binaggio, who has carried the town for Truman by resounding majorities, but who, nevertheless, was hauled before a grand jury by the Justice Department at the very samiie time Truman was in Kansas City for the Bill Boyle testimonial dinner.. Actually, these grand juries cannot clean up gambling, which comes under local law enforcement agencies, but they can crack down on narcotics, income-tax evasions and illegal immigration, which go hand in hand with gambling. In fact, Frankie Costello, an Italian immigrant, could be deported to, Italy tomorrow if the Justice Department wanted. -UNDERMINING LAW ENFORCEMENT- THE IMPORTANT THING about the gambling rackets, whether they be in Miami, Kansas City, or Fresno, Cal., is the manner in which they undermine law en- forcement. Most people probably see nothing wrong .:nth a $2 bet or with slot machines in a tavern. But along with the $2 bet the slot machines go pay-offs to the jAce. These pay-offs may be only $30 a week. But when a cop will take $30 a week to protect a gambling joint, he will also take $1,000 to fix a murder case. Once the pattern of a dishonest police force is fixed there is no boundary line where it can be stopped. Today in Kansas City only two out of 13 gangland murders have been solved by the police in the last two years. And as a result of the current Justice Department nrob in Kns Citv one uitne hf, P. Democrat Forrest Smith, running for gov- ernor -of Missuori in 1948, who accepted the backing of the Binaggio gang. Now that he's in the Governor's chair, Smith has no love for the gamblers or what they stand for, nevertheless Binaggio's political power is an inescapable fact. Binaggio has evet been admitted, since Smith's election, to the secret Democratic caucus of the Mity- souri Legislature, while two Binaggio friends have been named by Governor Smith to the Kansas City Police Board. - GAMBLERS GUESSED WRONG - IN LOUISIANA, Huey Long got started through exactly the same process. Frankie Costello arrived with a $100,000 cash contri- bution to Huey's campaign, in return for which Huey opened up the state to slot machines. This looked harmless at the time, and was the most painless way for Huey to raise money to fight the big oil com- panies and utilities then bent on defeat- ing him. But it paved the way for the most ruthless state dictatorship this country has ever seen. That's why the Justice Department's grand jury probes in Kansas City, Miami and Southern California, plus forthright Sen. Estes Kefauver's investigation of in- terstate gambling, are among the healthi- est things that have hit this country. -- MERRY-GO-ROUND -' LARK GLIFFORD, the President's ablest brain truster, tells friends he may not be gone from government long . . . Ten- resse's Senator Kenneth McKellar, the sometimes absentminded grandpa of the Senate, showed up for the opening session 40 minutes early. Though he was the sole occupant of the Chamber, he marched grandly down the aisle, took his seat, shuf- fled though papers, scribbled notes, snapped his fingers for imaginary page boys. Puzzled tourists in the spectators' gallery couldn't decide whether he was just rehearsing or absently thought the session had already started . . . . Hard-boiled newsman of xI -, I :4 *1 -I 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 Jarof......... Managing Editor Al Biumrosen.........'....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 Ed. 1