I
THE MICHIGAN DAILYISUNDA, APRIL22,M951
C~it~~ntte
By JIM BROWN
T HE DECISION of the General Library
officials to close the library every Sun-
day this month "as part of an experiment in
money-saving measures" shows an out-
standing lack of understanding of student
pioblems and is working great hardships on
I large number of students.
A well-appointed library is undoubtedly
the otstanding physical pre-requisite for
any major college or university. It is the
intellectual heart of the campus and acts_
as the center of mature and reflective
study. Unquestionably, its facilities should
be available to the student body during
every possible moment of the week.
_Here at the University, however, the offi-
cials lave now closed the library on Sunday.
Even as an experiment, this action seems ex-
tremely unwise and unfair to a large number
of students. Anyone who feels that the Gen-
eral Library is not used by students on Sun-
day is blind. On nearly every Sunday after-
noon during the past year, seating space in
the main reading room has been at a pre-
mium. Many students save work of a parti-
-ularly complex nature for Sunday after-
nopn when the everyday pace is slowed down
.nd there is more time for reflective thought.
And a large number of these students count
on the facilities and atmosphere of the Gen-
eral Library to help them in this work. These
.ac.ities have now been denied them because
of the University's "experiment.
vibrary officials rationalized their plan
on the grounds that other places are avail-
able for student study. We can only ask,
where? None of the smaller divisional li-
braries are open and the small Union ~li-
brary is only open for a relatively short per-
iod of time. Could it be that a more basic
reason for closing the library is simply that
the officials have found it difficult to find
staff members willing to work on Sunday?
Revamped RFC
STUART SYMINGTON'S appointment to
the revamped Reconstruction Finance
Corporation should serve to end the public
,uor over corruption in the organization and
allow it to resume its functions.
The choice of Symington is a fortunate
one for both the country and the RFC. As
chairman of the National Security Re-
sources Board, he won wide respect. His
integrity is unquestioned. le, if anyone,
can pull the RFC, still reeling from the dis-
- closures of the Fullbright investigation,
,ut of its present doldrums.
President Truman's reorganization plan
for RFC, which was approved by the Senate
last week, went by almost unnoticed in the
hubbub over the dism/ssal of General Mac-
Arthur. A single administrator replaces the
five-manboard of directors which proved so
zusceptible to "influence-peddlers."
Also, a loan policy board, composed of the
administrator and deputy administrator of
RFC, the Secretaries of Commerce and
Treasury and a fifth appointed member, will
:be on hand to prevent a repetition of the
scandals brought out in the recent investi-
gation.
The revised set-up should end the shady
dealings which destroyed public confidence
in the government lending agency, and even-
tually allow the now-discredited organization
to iestore itself in the public eye. Staff mor-
ale, esesntial to the proper functioning of
any enterprise, can be painfully built up
again.
The RFC has proven over the years that
it has a definite function in this country.
Perhaps those who recklessly shouted for
its abolition were unaware of the facts of
its history.
In the firt place, RFC is a Republican
undertaing. It was set up in 1932 under the
auspices of President Hoover, one of the few
steps he ever took to combat depression. The
agency was designed to provide capital for
business undertakings that the banking sys-
tem was unable to provide.
In the second place, it has been generally
forgotten that RFC is one of the few gov-
ernment agencies which consistently runs in
the black. Despite being involved in gigantic
fiascos like the Lustron Corporation, which
flopped after borrowing heavily from RFC,
the agency has not cost the taxpayers a cent.
RFC shows a net half-billion dollar profit
for its 19 years of operation, most of which
has been returned to the Treasury in divi--
dends. The vast majority of the business the
organization does is sound and free from
political taint.
The way to cure the ills of the RFC was
not, as Senators Bricker, Capehart and
others seemed to think, by' lopping off its
head and distributing its function to other
already overloaded government departments,
but to remove the flaws in the existing or-
ganization. This the President has attempted
to do, with a reorganization plan which
should eliminate "influence-peddling'j- and
Undoubtedly the Library officials are con-
fronted with an extremely distressing finan-
cial situation. But closing the Library's doors
to hundreds of students should be the last
possible economy measure-not the first
step in a series of "experiments."
Even if the library officials were abso-
lutely without funds to keep the building
open on Sunday, their action could not
be justified in the students' eyes. For it
seems unbelievable that somewhere in the
complex administrative organizations of
the University there .isn't some employee
or service which could be discontinued
with considerable saving. For example, a
number of secretaries, clerks and recep-
tionists in the Administration Building
could be removed or given additional
tasks. Such a plan would certainly be of di-
rect benefit to the student body-for whom
the University primarily exists.
It is possible that the "experiment" was
instituted by the library officials to drama-
tize the University's critical budgetary prob-
lems. If this is the case, however, it seems
unwise and unfair to experiment at then ex-
pense of the student body.
Senate
Appointment
HIGH ON THE speculative list of possible
successors to the late Senator Vanden-
berg is the name of University law Professor
John P. Dawson.
As a man widely respected in both edu--
cational and government circles and one
who exhibited political ability during last
fall's congressional campaign, Prof. Dawson
would be an excellent choice to fill the Sen-
ate vacancy.
Low level debate, mediocre intellect and
such incidetts as Friday's name-calling free-
for-all have considerably hampered the Sen-
ate's world prestige. Only with men of the
calibre of Prof. Dawson.placed in policy po-
sitions can the rest of the world be expected
to have confidence in this nation's leader-
ship.
By appointing Prof. Dawson, Gov. Williams
would be providing this State and the nation
with an extremely able, progressive and res-
ponsible representative inthe Senate.
-James Gregory
Janet Watts
Roma Lipsky
The ek's News
IN RETROSPECT
Xettep 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.~
National .
THE BUSTED HERO of the Pacific made his momentous return to
America this week. Gen. Douglas A. MacArthur stepped down
from his plane Tuesday night at San Francisco airport, hustled off to
a hotel, and braced himself for a series of riotous welcomes seldom
paralleled in the history of the country.
The old soldier spent Wednesday in San Francisco,. Thursday in
Washington arid Friday in New York, and everywhere he went he was
engulfed by an idolizing mob thousands strong. In a San Francisco
speech Wednesday Gen. MacArthur declared that he has "no political
aspirations." His policy he said, was strictly "God Bless America."
The next day, the five-star general took his case to Congress
and to the country. In a moving, history-making address, the
ousted Korean war commander outlined the strategy proposals
for which he had been fired.
When he finished, Congressmen rose to their feet in a cheering
ovation, and a few of them wept.
Throughout the country, meanwhile, acclaim for Gen MacArthur
continued to mount. On Friday, New York City broke out with the
biggest hero's welcome in its history as a crowd estimated at 7,500,000
* * * roared a thunderous tribute to the
~. 2.7 J i~j. famed soldier.
In retrospect, the return of Mac-
Arthur has had two important ef-
fects on the American public. On
the one hand, it has evoked a
swelling spiritdof hero worship and
national feeling unequaled since
the end of the war. On the other,
it has sparked a conflict over
U.S. policy in Asia more deep and
bitter than anything since before
Pearl Harbor.
In his address to Congress, Gen.
MacArthur defiantly reaffirmed
his conviction that it will take
much stronger measures to bring
the Korean war to a speedy and
victorious conclusion.
Japan's Economic Future
(EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the last in a series of
three editorials dealing with the forthcoming
peace treaty between this country and Japan.)
REGAINING a healthy economy will be
Japan's biggest problem in getting back
on its feet as a free country. And many
experts on the Far East say that the Jap-
anese economic future is a black one.
Industry in Japan was naturally hard
hit by the war. Its expansion after the
peace treaty will be greatly hampered un-
less Japan can trade freely with its Asiatic
neighbors. But these ntions are generally
opposed to giving Japan any aid which
would make it strong again.
It seems therefore that the United States
is faced with the job of insuring Japan's
economic future and quelling the fears of
our allies. Probably the best way to do this
is to support an alliance of Far Eastern
countries similar to that of the North At-
lantic Treaty nations. Stress would be laid
on econormic cooperation as well as military.
How serious Japan's economic position is
can be shown by the percentage of imports
necessary to make its industry work: 80
per cent of its iron, 90 per cent of its lead, 60
per cent of its zinc, 70 per cent of its
manganese, 90 per cent of its oil, a quarter
of its lumber and all of its bauxite. Japanese
industrialists in turn depend on Asia to buy
a good deal of their finished products. And
although it is basically a rural land, Japan's
increasing population depends on industrial
might for survival.
Japan is now faced with "closed" signs
in large shares of both its export and import
markets. iNeighboring countries would rather
sacrifice some of their own well being than
see another rise of the Rising Sun. On the
continent Communist domination of China
and North Korea will further cramp expan-
sion of Japanese trade.
Freed of American influence by the peace
treaty, Japan may well find itself compelled
to turn to China or even Russia for economic
survival. It will not be possible for Japan
to continue accepting subsidies from the
United States indefinitely. Nor will it be
profitable for the now occupied nation to
depend *bn this country for its resources or
sales.
As long as the United States maintains
armed bases on Japan there is little doubt
that American influence will continue.
But even the subtle threat of intervention
will not prevent the Japanese from finding
the best answer to their economic prob-
lem in the long run.
A union of the free countries of Asia
could be that answer. With American back-
ing, such a union would be a strong force
against Communism in the Far East, and at
the same time would give Japan a chance
'to establish and maintain itself as a free
and democratic nation.
--Vernon Emerson
. . . Congressmen wept
Undebatable Debate
lie called for economic sanctions, blockading China, holding
Formosa, using Chiang Kai-Shek's troops and bombing Communist
bases in Manchuria.
President Truman and his State Department advisors have had
profound and sincere reservations regarding most of these measures.
An intensified economic blockade would clearly create dissension
among our Western allies and might impose almost as much hardship
on England as on China. As for bombing Manchuria and using
Chiang's forces, either would entail the risk of Russian intervention,
or at the least resumption of the civil war between Mao and the Na-
tionalists, with the United States committed to aid the latter. The
President feels this country is not now ready to take on such a gamble.
Nevertheless, MacArthur has stood firm. Appeasement will
not work, he contends, and he is supported in this by a majority
of the GOP.
Making political capital out the whole issue, Republicanleaders
are planning a full investigation into the prosecution of the Korean
campaign and a restudy of the situation ir the Far East. At week's
end, they were checking into MacArthur's statement that his views
were largely shared by the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Meanwhile, the
general himself had gone into restful seclusion, after fading away in
rather grandoise fashion.
SENATOR VANDENBERG-At a time when our nation is being split
apart over the question of its foreign policy, one of the few men who
might have helped repair the * * *
schism and mold a more stable
Congress passed away. Michigan's
senior Senator, Arthur H. Van-h
denberg, died Wednesday night
after a long illness following two
operations to remove cancerous
tumors from his lungs and spine.,
The death of this chief exponent
of a bi-partisanforeign policy was
an ironic note on present nation-
al controversies. For without re-
gard to his personal welfare, Sen-
ator Vandenberg had delayed the 3
necessary operations for a year in
order to help push the North At-
lantic Treaty and the Inter-Am-
erican Treaty through dongress.,
Recognition of his complete un- . . . bi-partisan architect
selfishness is the greatest tribute *
the nation could pay to his memory. He was a man whose presence
is sorely needed to offset the current congressional petty bickering
and political manipulation.
Around th e.orld
KOREA-Despite the speechmaking and tickertape in the States,
the war in Korea was still going on without any discernible change in
tactics or results. The Allies, under the command of General Matthew
Ridgway, cautiously advanced deeper into North Korea. The reds, at
first fighting strong delaying actions, gave over to pockets of token
resistance.
Strongest hindrance to the Allies came from man-made
floods, forest fires and smoke screens and from the seasonal ele-
ments of snow, rain and fog. UN troops still managed to capture
strategic Hwachon Reservoir and push 16 miles north of the 38th
parallel.
A firm censorship was clamped down on all further mention of
Red troop movements in press releases. Compared to recent weeks,
the entire front was relatively quiet, and rumors of a coming un-
declared truce sprung up among the naturally wishful front-line
soldiers.
Local . .
ANN ARBOR RENT CONTROL-On March 26, the Washtenaw County
Rent Advisory Board secretly voted to decontrol Ann Arbor, and sent
its request on to Washington for official approval by Federal Housing
Expeditor Tighe Woods.
Last Wednesday, Woods made up his mind and tossed the
decontrol problem rigit back into the local laps with a firm "no.'
As far as Washington is concerned the matter is closed until more
complete evidence is submitted that rent decontrol is warranted in
Ann Arbor.
SUNDAY SHUTDOWN-Students will not be able to use the Genera
Library for Sunday studying this month or next. According to Prof
Warner G. Rice, library director, the Sunday closing is part of an
experiment to determine which -library services can be discontinued
with the least general discomfort. The move was prompted by an
expected budget cut. -Bob Keith and Leonard Greenbaum.
Communism Ad...
To the Editor:
AM WRITING this letter in re-
gard to the ad about Commun-
ism in your Personal column Sun-
day.
Is it merely that you so strongly
believe in freedom of the press-
or only that you'll do anything for
money?
I am broad-minded enough to
realize that my letter is not going
to change your "policy." I'm just
a "little guy" who pays tes-
some of which goes to the Uni-
versity.
If you think Communism is so
wonderful why don't you pack up
and move to Russia-where it
flourishes!
-Virginia Longworth
SL Constitution .
To the Editor:
W E, WALK down the streets of
Ann Arbor and see signs
which say, "The Modern Iesign is
the coming thing-Vote for the
new Student Government Consti-
tution." The modern desin may
be the coming thing, but what has
this got to do with the new Con-
stitution? Anyone who has taken
a look at it can readily see that
it is far from modern in design,
In fact, I believe it is outmoded in
design and poorly constructed.
I honestly wish that I could
vote in favor of ratification of the
new Constitution, because I be-
lieve SL needs one. But just why
the intelligence of the Student
Body should be insulted by the do-
cument now presented for approv-
al is more than I can see. I hope
that this feeling will grow into a
campus-wide objection to the new
Constitution.
To me, the whole thing looks
like a rush job, hurried through
without much thought in order to
meet the April 24th deadline. I do
not claim to be an expert on Con-
stitutions, but I have been co-
author of one at the Junior College
I attended before coming to Michi-
gan, and I am now co-chairman
of a committee revising our Resi-
dence Hall Constitution. I feel the
present Constitution of SL has
several major flaws in it, and the
newly revised version does little
or nothing to remedy these flaws.
To go into detail would take too
much time and space right now,
but ponder on these things for
awhile: The revised version still
provides for the unfair Hare sys-
tern of electing Legislators, des-
pite a growing opposition to the
method on this campus. The new
version provides no duties what-
soever for cabinet officers except
the president whose sole duty it
is to preside at meetings. In addi-
tion it does not state the method
by which the cabinet shall be cho-
sen. Nowhere in the new versio
are we told what quorum is neces-
sary in order to conduct officia
business in SL. Voting in the S
is mentioned nowhere The whole
document is loosely constructed
weak, and for the most part mean-
ingless. Finally, some of the arti-
cles clearly have no place in th
body of the Constitution at all, bu
should be in a set of by-laws, s
that they may be changed more
easily. Who ever heard of requir-
ing a majority of the Student Bod
to amend a section of the Consti
tution which: requires Robert's
rules of Order to be used at meet-
ings.
I am sure that we have people o
this campus who would readil
give of their time and talents, i
asked to do so, in order that w
might get a Constitution worth
of this University. The present do
cument which we are being aske
to approve does not even mee
minimum requirements, andI
urge all students to read this do
cument and see its errors. Then
=they should go to the polls next
Tuesday or Wednesda'y, and vote
NO on its ratification.
Once we have defeated it, per-
haps we c#n get down to busines
and work out something which
will be worthy of ratification next
,semester.
-Gene Mossner
* * *
MacArthur . .
To the Editor:
WELL, MacARTHUR certainly
pulled out all emotional stop
-to the surprise of no one. Asa
1 showman, MacArthur is second
to none.
Outside of the emotionalism,3
am in essential agreement wit]
everything he said. His point o:
view is one which I have held
from the beginning. As a toldie
I feel that MacArthur is second
to none. I question neither his
'sincerity nor his patriotism. I do
not question his right as a citizen
and as a man who is in a position,
by training, experience, and intel-
ligence, to say publicly what he
feels needs to be said. It is the
right of every citizen l this na-
tion to speak freely - and without
fear of retribution.
This, however, is not' the ques-
tion involved in MacArthur's dis-
missal. As a soldier, MacArthur ist
subject to certain regulations.
Paramount among these is that
superior officers must be obeyed.
Without such a regulation, no
military organization could func-
tion. MacArthur broke this regu-
lation, and it was 'for this that
he was dismissed. If MacArthur
felt that his suiperiors were in1
error, that the usual military
channels were not sufficient to
correct this error, and that it was
his duty to appeal to the public,
then he should have voluntarily,
relinquished his position and come,
to us as a private citizen. Instead
of using this "legal" method, Mac-
Arthur chose to disobey army regu-
lations, and for this'he was, justly,
dismissed. 'Had he been of 15380,
rank, or of lesser reknowh, he
would have beeh court-martialed.
-Howard M. Bernstein, LS&A, 52
Another Chance .
To the Editor:
N A RECENT article it was stated
that the Chess Club would not
be allowed to co-sponsor another
movie for the reason that the loss-
es incurred in the first two ven-
tures.were "due to poor coopers-
tioni on their part in puilcising
their productions." We feel that
this is eminently unfair.
The facts in the case are these
the only duty assigned to _the *cc-
sponsoring organizations is tQ dis-
tribute posters:and to take tickets
at the door. All. other duties aro
performed by the Cinema Guild.
The Chess Club did its share
promptly and efficiently. The loss
incurred in the first production
was due to the panning of the
movie by the Daily acid to the
large amount of other activities
which were being offered the same
weekend when the movie was pre-
sented last summer. During he
second production the campus was
ypractically deserted, it, being the
Thanksgiving' Weknd, and those
few who remained were faced with
a blizzard.
In the meantime the Chess Club
still lacks the funds with:which to
buy equipment and to repreent
the University in matches with
other schools. We feel that it
should be given another chance.
-Thomas Straus
Vice President,
Chess Club.
0, 4r
I
Air -gbn 3 ttily
I
I.-
"AMERICA'S Town Hall Meeting of the
Air" will "salute" the Phoenix Project,
so numerous University news releases have
told the world, by broadcasting a debate on
the subject "Are We Afraid of the Atomic
Bomb?"
Presumably, since both the radio program
and the project are commendable efforts,
the debate has been designed to give favor-
able publicity to the University's own con-
tribution to world peace and maybe drum up
a few favorable contributions. Laudable
though these objects are, they are in great
danger of not being achieved because of the
stupendously stupid title of the debate. In-
stead of listening attentively to the broad-
cast, the' audience will-be snickering wryly
as the debators stumble around trying to vo-
cally pump life into the most impossible of
debate questions.
And when one of the speakers says, as one
is almost sure to say, "We're not afraid of
the A-bomb because we've got the Phoenix
Project to protect us," the listeners, far from
having a glowing feeling well up in them to-
wards the Project, will think it a pie-in-the-
sky project dreamed up by a bunch of wet-
behind-the-ears midwestern hicks.
Certainly the Phoenix, Project is an ex-
tremely worthwhile undertaking. As such
it deserves the best in publicity. For the
project to come anyway near getting it
the title of this "debate" must be changed.
Even an old chestnut-type question like
"Can Atomic Power be Harnessed for
Peacetime Purposes?" would be better
than the present debate topic. There is,
after all, some disagreement on that sub-
ject.
"Are We Afraid of the Atomic Bomb?"
-of course. Even Superman is.
-Davis Crippen
Sixty-First Year
Edited and managed by students Mf
the University of Michigan under' the
authority of the Board in Control of
Student Publications.
Editorial, Staff
Jim Brown ...........Mauaging Editor
Paul Brentlinger ...........City Editor
Roma Lipsky........EditorialDirector
Dave Thomas ......... Feature Editor
Janet Watts ...........Associate Editor
Nancy Bylan ..........Associate Editor
James Gregory . scitE ditor
Bill Connolly..........Sports'Editor
Bob Sandell ....Associate Sports Editor
Bill Brenton ....Associate Sports Editor
Barbara Jans.........Women's Editor
Pat Drownson Associate Women's Editor
CU RE 'I' 7 ACV
Business Staff
Bob Daniels.......Business Manager
Walter Shapero Assoc. Business Manager
Paul Schaible .....Advertising Manager
Sally Fish..........Finance Manager
Bob Miller .......Circulation Vatager .
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At The Michigan...
VALENTINO, with Anthony Dexter and
Eleanor Parker.
AS THE PREFACE to this picture adver-
tises, Mr. Valentino is a legend, and af-
ter viewing the remains, it seems better that
he might have stayed that way.
the man who ought to have been commem-
orated was Valentino's press agent.
Anthony Dexter, the man who plays the3
great Rudolph, is the product of a "ten-
year search." lie dances a mean tango.
Eleanor Parker, his dancing partner, co-
star, and sweetheart, also plays the wife
of his director, which still gives her time
to look very decorative on a chaise lounge.
A
BARNABY
He's got wings- Wool, TV's new y9#.
IAnd pon teleisji n ava misses anfew
But recollect, it's only a
small time back to whenI
But tell us all about hew you txed
that. b;, anJat r usteotwsek.
I