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THE MICHIGAN DAILY
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1951
--
German Rearmament
GERMAN REARMAMENT is the biggest
stumbling block in the path to fortifying
western Europe against the threat of Com-
munist aggression. Opposition to rearming
Germany comes from three different
sources.
Here at home liberals, fearing German
imperialism of the last decade more than
imminent Russian aggression, vigorously
oppose the mobilization of German indus-
try and manpower. In Europe, the vacilla-
ting French are reluctant to agree to the
rearmament of their ancient enemy even
in the face of Red conquest. Even the Ger-
mans, with the horrors of the last war
clear in their niemories, are not happy with
the prospect of preparing for another war.
On his recent trip through the Atlantic
Pact countries, Gen. Eisenhower received a
colder welcome in Berlin than in any other
European capital. Because of the hesitation
of German officials, he did not submit to
congress any definite plan for German re-
armament. His idea seems to be to get the
rest of western Europe started toward re-
armament. Then, when the Germans see
that we are determined to hold western Eu-
rope, to bring them into the alliance.
This is probably the best method for get-
Editorials published in The Michigan Daily
are written by members of The Daily staff
and represent the views of the writers only.
ting German support. But regardless of the
delay, we must always keep in mind that
the defense of Germany is vital to the de-
fense of western Europe.
Western Europe (excluding England)
ranks second only to the United States in
productive power. German coal and steel is
the most important part of western Europe's
productive power. Without this German
heavy industry and manpower western Eu-
rope is indefensible. In the event of war, if
Stalin conquers western Europe and either
occupies England or neutralizes it by a
blitz, he will combine all Hitler's war poten-
tial with the overwhelming manpower of
Soviet Russia and her satellites, including
China, and turn it all against us. There-
fore, a strong Europe, which necessarily in-
cludes a rearmed Germany, is our only de-
fense against the destruction of the United
States.
We must give General Eisenhower pow-
er to both weld, as he did in the last war,
the varied and often opposed objectives of
the western European nations into a firm
shield against Communist aggression and
to augment EuFropean divisions with what-
ever number of American divisions he, as
a military man, decides is necessary.
Because of western Europe's productive
power and 260 million population pool we
must make it, not the Atlantic Ocean, our
wall against Russia. The vital part of the
defense of this wall, from both the indus-
trial and military point of view, must be
German rearmament.
-Bruce Cohan
NIGHT EDITOR: RON WATTS
x
MA TTE eR O r r ACT
By JOSEPH and STEWART ALSOP
'.1
WASHINGTON-The other day a new ex-
perience -- a visit from the F.B.I. -
came to these reporters. It was a surpris-
ingly sociable, indeed a downright genial
meeting. The two agents representing the
bureau were decent, intelligent young men.
They neither blustered nor talked nonsense.
A shrewd but friendly inquisition merged,
almost insensibly, into a friendly parting.
Nothing could have been more painless.
In the background of this jolly chat,
however, lurking, as it were, behind the
curtain of amiability that enclosed the
conversation, there were one or two things
that were decidedly disagreeable to think
about.
To be specific, the misdeed being investi-
gated was no sinister subversive activity.
It was the publication of the proof that the
Soviet atomic explosion was the planned
explosion of a workable atomic bomb, and
the disclosure of the best estimates available
of the stock of atomic bombs accumulated
by " the Kremlin since the seismographs
picked up the earth-tremor in central Si-
beria. This was the crime that led President
Truman to order a "security investigation."
It would have been more fitting to investi-
gate why the leaders of this nation failed
MUSIC
iq
LAST NIGHT in Hill Auditorium a small
audience heard Thor Johnson and the
Cincinnati Symphony close the Extra Con-
cert Series on a dismally low note. Apart
from the conductor's long-time association
with Ann Arbor, it is difficult to understand
why such an orchestra should be booked on
a series with ensembles like the Boston,
the Philadelphia, and the Royal Philhar-
monic.
Last night's experience proves that an
ensemble can be no better than its weakest
member. The orchestra's technical defi-
ciencies may well be due to reasons which
are not immediately apparent-we willingly
extend the benefit of the doubt; but cer-
tainly the blame for sloppy ensemble, devi-
ating rhythms and tonal harshness must
fall largely on the conductor's shoulders.
Even this might be forgiven if there had
been real interpretive sensitivity or musi-
cal beauty. I regret to say I heard none.
Startling contrasts, sudden tempo changes
and similar extremes simply do not sub-
stitute for precise ensemble, tonal beauty
and musical perception.
The worst disgrace of the evening, how-
ever, was the program. An insulting pot-
pourri of old war-horses, it contained not
one serious or demanding symphonic num-
ber. The Satie, Elgar and Wagner might
well serve as "fillers"' on a program of
heavier orchestral music (which this was
not), but I thought Hadley's Overtures,
Enesco's Roumanian Rhapsodies and the
Delius Intermezzo had long since been con-
signed to the sphere of the "pops" concert.
If Mr. Johnson can't make his orchestra
play proficiently, let him at least give it
music worthy of the effort, and then insist
that it be played in a musical fashion.
-Louise L. Goss
to impart such vital inormation to the
American people on their own initiative.
The twenty or thirty bombs now in the
possession of the Kremlin, the hundred or
more atomic bombs the Kremlin will have in
another eighteen months, are not after all
pretty baubles by Faberge. Their mere ex-
istence intimately, directly and deeply af-
fects the world position of the United States,
the future of the free world, the individual
future of every American citizen. Their ex-
istence, in short, is one of the three or
four salient facts that must influence every
decision of national policy.
IN RUSSIA, no doubt, such.knowledge may
be closely guarded. But ours is a free
society, whose masters are the people of
the United States. The great decisions of
national policy are made by the people, and
not by the President, or the Secretary of
State, or any other temporary office-holder.
In order to decide wisely, the people must
be informed. And it is the most sacred trust,
the most important single duty, of the high-
est public servants to inform their masters,
the people, so that the decisions of the peo-
ple may be wise.
As Winston Churchill brilliantly proved,
facts which are matters of life and de4th
can always be presented honestly to the
people, even in circumstances of great de-
licacy and danger, without giving aid and
comfort to the enemy. Suppression of
such facts is not a sign of prudence. It
is a sign of leadership that is feeble, or
dishonest, or both.
If the leaders wish to represent a disas-
trous program of disarmanent as "cutting
fat without muscle"; if they desire to be-
muse the people about the meaning of such
a great event as the Soviet atomic explo-
sion; if they are pretending that the
chances "were never better for peace" with
Korea just around the corner, it is only na-
tural for everything to be classified except
the toilet paper. Such is the rule that has
been followed in Washington, more or less
consistently, for the past two years.
In these circumstances, it becomes the
duty of every self-respecting reporter to dig
out, not any facts which are properly secret,
but the essential facts which affect the
national posture and welfare. It is a risky
business; for reporters and editors cannot
know what is known to Presidents and Sec-
retaries of State-exactly how to present
these vital facts so that no harm is done.
But if the press lets itself be transformed
into a mere machine for transmitting the
doctored handouts of shabby politicians, the
press has abdicated its chief function.
THERE ARE other points besides the fore-
going that are raised by the recent visit
of the young men from the F.B.I. A whole
chapter might be written on the shocking
but increasing use of these "security inves-
tigations," not only as a weapon to muzzle
the press, but as a weapon of inter-depart-
mental bureaucratic war.
Another chapter might be devoted to
the methods used-the broadside inquiry
which in these reporters' experience at
least never hits the target; the wholesale
harassment of innocent men on the meth-
od of "who knows whom"; the unashamed
official practice of the very same guilt-by-
association which is considered so shock-
ing when indulged in by Senator Joseph
R. McCarthy. Something more might
even be said about the scrupulosity of the
F.B.I. as compared with the State Depart-
ment's special agents who have done
DORIS FLEESON:
Inflation&
.labor
W ASHINGTON-When President Truman
faces angry Labor Leaders this week
the issue between them will not be a nar-
row dispute over wages or appointment of
a Labor Leader to a responsible position.
They will tell him that there is no in-
flation control. They will tell the Presi-
dent of the United States that they do
not intend to be made the goat for this
critical situation. Politicians and thought-
ful observers have been more or less mur-
muring anxiously to this effect; the La-
bor Leaders are saying it bluntly in their
closed meetings over the week end.
Any attempt by the President to call
names or find scapegoats will make a bad
situation worse. He has impaired the confi-
dence .of the leaders of 40,000,000 working
people, who are banded together as never
before, tactically and in principle, in a
United Labor Policy Committee, which in-
cludes top men in the American Federation
of Labor, the CIO, the Railroad Brother-
hoods and the Machinists.
* * *
BECAUSE THEY WERE shut out of Char-
les E. Wilson's confidence initially while
he took his major aides from banking and
business, they fear him too, perhaps un-
reasonably. They suspect that he is maneu-
vering to put them in a strait jacket on
wages while the rest of the economy is be-
ing allowed to run free.
Their bitterness has mounted as prices
continue to rise, exemptions are made,
parity remains sacrosanct, the tax pro-
gram lags, fsderalcreserve warnings are
scorned, etc. Indeed, they are in such a
frame of mind, according to responsible
quarters, that a general strike was even
mentioned as one way to dramatize the
fact that the battle against inflation has
never really got started.
It could be that Labor goes into the
White House better briefed than the Presi-
dent about what is going on. They are not
insulated; they are on the firing line. La
bor's people aren't yessing their bosses but
are pressing for solutions for the bread-and-
butter problems of life. So long as infla-
tion control remains ineffective, Labor
Leaders have to fight-or lose their own
jobs.
* * *
i LABOR LEADERS are not super patriots.
But at least when they see the value of
the American dollar vanishing at a runaway
pace they have sense enough to be fright-
ened.
The President is by no means to blame
for all the things Labor dislikes. He has
fought for a tax bill; curiously it is the
conservatives in charge of fiscal policy in
the Senate and House-Senators George,
Millikin, Taft, Rep. Doughton-who hang
back.
What is needed is a bold attack upon in-
flation on all fronts. The President perhaps
should make Harry Byrd's economies and
in turn demand that Mr. Byrd, who is a
member of the Tax-raising Committee, put
on taxes.' The public will not stand for a
general strike and the motion now before
the Labor Committee for a general with-
drawal from the mobilization setup is idiocy.
(Copyright, 1951, by the Bell Syndicate, Inc.)
Clean-up
A COUPLE OF WEEKS ago a dark cloud
descended on relations between frater-
nities-sororities and the local fathers. It
seems that the Department of Public
Works felt that some of the house groups
are abusing state and city building codes
by not caring for their dwellings properly
during summer months, overcrowding quar-
ters and not adequately insuring themselves
against fire.
Although this criticism is true of far
more private group residences than the
fraternities and sororities, there are a
few of the houses that do violate some
of the regulations. Such breaches of the
law-even minor ones such as not keep-
ing walks cleared in winter-are often a
source of irritation to local citizens, caus-
ing ill will toward all such groups.
It might be well for IFC and Panhel to
set up a committee to keep lax houses in
line. Part of the existence of fraternities
and sororities in Ann Arbor is maintaining
proper relations with the townspeople. But
the best way this problem can be handled
is through the cooperation of the organiza-
tions thmselves.
-Vernon Emerson
I-M Co-ed Night
A CHEERY and refreshing solution to the
age-old Michigan problem of how to
meet that gal has been arrived at by the
staff of the I-M building.
Each Friday night the staff presents a
co-ed recreation night, opening the facil-
ities of their building to members of both
sexes. And the results have been good.
Between 200 and 300 people each Friday
night have enjoyed paddleball, swimming,
WASHINGTON-Members of the Atomic Energy Committee are
skeptically eyeing a leak of important information in South Car-
olina where the giant new hydrogen plant is to be located.
Congressmen Holifield of California and Jackson of Wash-
ington have called the committee's attention to a startling set
of facts wherein State Senator Edgar Brown and a group of other
South Carolina politicians suddenly snapped up leases on im-
portant land sites just one day before the Atomic Energy Com-
mission announced it would locate the hydrogen plant near Ai-
ken, S.C. Options on these strategic plots obviously were secured
by those with an inside tip as to what was going on either inside
the Atomic Energy Commission or from South Carolina members
of Congress.
Senator Burnet Maybank of South Carolina, who is Chairman of
the Senate Appropriations subcommittee dealing with atomic energy,
admitted that he had known the location of the hydrogen plant a
short time in advance of the official announcement, but emphatical-
ly denied that he had tipped off his friend, State Senator Edgar
Brown, or anyone else.
State Senator Brown, meanwhile, has made various conflicting
statements. He was quoted in the Augusta, Ga., Chronicle, shortly
after announcement of the hydrogen bomb site, that he had known
in advance where it was to be located. But to this columnist, Brown
vigorously denied that he had known anything in advance.
To the Augusta Herald, however, he admitted knowing about the
project in advance and further stated that he had called a group of
citizens together on Nov. 27-one day before the official announce-
ment-and "explained that an announcement of a tremendous gov-
ernment defense plant likely would be made within hours"; that this
would require "as many as 2,500 additional homes"; and therefore he
proposed that this group of citizens build a housing project.
Senator Brown explained this advance alerting of his friends by
the high moral need for helping housing. He did not explain, how-
ever, why these friends proceeded to gobble up options on farm pro-
perty for as low as $60 an acre without letting anyone else in on the
big secret.
Nor did he explain why only a few of his close friends, including
Sol Blatt, another power in the South Carolina legislature, were let in
on the secret instead of making the housing development a commun-
ity project.
Also interesting is the fact that the land on which the syn-
dicate took options is located on a choice site along highway 64
leading to the proposed new hydrogen plant-a location which
overnight has become immensely valuable.
Members of the Atomic Energy Committee point to the fact that
if this important information was able to leak out in advance, vital
scientific secrets might leak also. A committee staff has now started
an investigation.
* * * *
- ADMIRALS' ROW -
TWO ADMIRALS have been engaged in such a hair-pulling contest
> out at the Bethesda Naval Hospital that the Secretary of the Navy
himself has had to intervene.
The two admirals are Clifford Swanson, retiring Surgeon
General of the Navy, and Herbert Pugh, the incoming Surgeon
General. Reason they are in each other's hair is because both
want to occupy the swank house on the grounds of the naval
hospital which has been Admiral Swanson's home while he was
Surgeon General.
Although he is vacating that job, Swanson is remaining as com-
mander of the Bethesda Naval Hospital, so he demanded the right to
retain these living quarters.
However, Admiral Pugh, now the top medic in the Navy, wanted
these lush quarters for himself.
When this column telephoned the hospital to ask how many
rooms there were in the Admiral's house and why it was considered
such a wonderful place to live in, Commander C. V. Crawford, in
charge of press relations, replied that he could make no statement.
"Is the number of rooms in the Admiral's house a military se-
cret?" Crawford was =asked.
"We are just not giving out any information," the Commander
replied.
:"How about the number of bathrooms? Is that confidential, too?"
"No comment."
"Is this house paid for by the taxpayers?"
The Commander admitted that it was.
"Then isn't the public entitled to know how many rooms are in
the house which their money built?"
"You may write a letter officially requesting this information
about the number of rooms," replied the Commander, "and we
will answer you through channels."
NOTE-Patient Secretary of the Navy Matthews has now ruled
that the lush living quarters at Bethesda will remain with Admiral
Swanson, since he is to command the hospital and since Matthews
wants Admiral Pugh, as new Surgeon General, to give his time to
other medical matters.
(Copyright, 1951, by the Bell Syndicate, Inc.)
Manuscript Found In A Bottleneck
etepj TO THE EDITOR
The Daily welcomes communications from its readers on matters of
general interest, and will publish all letters whichsare 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.
#- .cz.g - ~
D+qx , e ,.r, i.u.acev..t .a,. .r .
I
ON THE
Washington MPerry-Go-Round
with DREW PEASON
Pk'~EDNTS
Book Exchange...
To the Editor:
AS MOST STUDENTS at Mich-
igan realize, we do not have
a good student book store. We are
unable to buy the items we want
at the prices we are willing to pay.
The management of the Student
Book Exchange is vitally interest-
ed in the development of a better
student book store and the policies
have been directed toward this
goal.
It was with this in mind that
we inaugurated the service of al-
lowing students to leave their
books with the Exchange for stor-
age purposes. Because the room
in which the Book Exchange was
located is used for a multitude of
activities it was necessary to va-
cate the room on a specific day,
namely, Thursday, Feb. 15. Op-
erating under such definite time
and space limitations it was es-
sential that we close operations on
our scheduled date. This is the
same date which appeared on all
publicity handbills and posters. It.
was in the best interest of those
students who did not desire to
leave their books in storage at the
Exchange that the date on which
unsold books wee required to be
picked up was also stamped clear-
ly on the back of every receipt.
There seems to be a misunder-
standing as to what the policy of
the Exchange is in regards to
these unclaimed text books. We
realized that because many stu-
dents will not be returning to
school next fall they would pre-
fer to regain possession of their
books now rather than leave them
with the Exchange. Therefore the
policy toward this matter has
been and remains at this time
that if for some reason students
feel that they must absolutely pos-
sess their books they may do so.
Those interested in doing this
should leave their name and
receipt number in room 3C, Michi-
gan Union or phone Chuck Good at
3-8581. A notice to this effect was
posted on the door of the Book
Exchange last Friday.
This past season has been the
most successful that a Michigan
student book store has ever seen.
This has been due greatly to the
wholeheartedsupport and cooper-
ation received from the students
who utilized the services provided.
If student patronage continues in
the direction it is now taking, a
permanent Student Book Store will
become a living reality and not
merely a mythical dream.
-Tony Palermo, Mgr,
I.F.C. Student Book Exchange
* * *
Dorms vs. Greeks...
To the Editor:
"THREE CHEERS and a thou-
sand raspberries."
We wish to extend to you, Mr.
Thomas, three cheers as a token
of our esteem for your lusty at-
tempt to achieve that extreme
idealism of being able to cast off
the shackles of your environment
and view your surroundings ob-
jectively. It appears to us that
you ultimately became aware of
the fact that you might be subject
to excommunication by the In-
quisition Functioning on Campus
(IFC), for uttering such heresy,
and in order to reestablish your-
self in their good graces you neat-
ly straddled the fence by main-
taining that although fraternities
were two-faced, and intellectual-
ly stagnant that this did not pre-
vent them from existing on a level
far above the dormitories.
The thousand raspberries we
wish to extend to you is in behalf
of all those people who believe as
we do that dormitories can and do
provide many benefits which the
fraternities in their present state
are incapable of supplying.
We agree with Mr. Thomas when
he proclaims that the praises ex-
tolled by his compatriots are not
well founded. So also would it be
foolhardy for us to maintain that
dormitories are "character build-
ers," "teachers of self-reliance,"
or "instructors of the art of tak-
ing responsibility." However, many
of the other accolades on the other
hand may be rightly bestowed up-
on the dormitories. For example,
we can justly claim that there is
present in the dormitory a heter-
ogenous group which permits a
widening of acquaintances from
areas not restricted by any artifi-
cial barriers. Intellectual stagna-
tion is hardly an accurate descrip-
tion of our dorm system while we
maintain such benefits as organ-
ized lecture programs, interhouse
debating competition, and our fac-
ulty associate plans.
It is quite true that the size of
the unit is important in regards to
the organization and efficiency. A
small living group always has and
always will be the ideal in com-
munity living. In our opinion, how-
ever, the emphasis should be on
the diversity of the group and not
on its relative size. .
Mr. Thomas also made a sug-
gestion that fraternity life is the
ultimate in social activities. In
truth, Mr. Thomas, the ultimate in
social life does not take place in
fraternity houses, but rather in
small, intimate! apartment gather-
ings! We have it on good author-
ity from caterers that ambrosia
and nectar can be supplied in
abundant quantities for much less
than $2,000. If this be heresy, Sir,
make the most of it!
-Larry DeVore,
Dave Frazer
Garg Girl .,
To the Editor:
IN THE PAST few issues of The
Daily I have noticed, with a
considerable degree of apprehen-
sion, the Gargoyle advertisement
announcing the "Garg Girl Photo
Survey." This so-called "Survey"
is obviously nothing but a vulgar
commercial beauty contest; a type
of rivalry which pits woman
against woman on one of the most
degrading competitive levels, that
of physical pulchritude. It is in-
deed disheartening that this con-
dition prevails among the more
common element of our populous,
but to permit this insidious prac-
tice to permeate to the heart of
a leading cultural and educational
institution certainly incites seri-
ous reflection upon the integrity
and erudition of a particular seg-
ment of the student body. If the
Michigan Co-ed has nothing bet-
ter to do than to friviously par-
ticipate in such folly, then I
strongly endorse the abolishment
of co-education at this University.
-Robert McColley
Budapest Review .
To the Editor:
WHEN YOU CONSIDER that for
years the Budapest String
Quartet has wallowed unjustifi-
ably in the praises of such amateur
periodicals as the New York Her-
ald Tribune, the New York Times,
the Washington Post, the Phila-
delphia Inquirer, the Saturday Re-
view of Literature, the Nation, the
New Republic, the London Times,
the New Statesman and Nation,
the Spectator, etc., isn't it just
grand that Harvey Gross of The
Daily ,can rise to the occasion by
saying of the quartet's recent per-
formpnce here, "There was no ma-
jor breakdown of interpretation"?
-Brenton Smith
1 1
s_
'.
I
I
a
Sixty-First Year
Edited and managed by students of
the University of Michigan under the
authority of the Board in Control of
Student Publications.
Editorial Staff
Jim Brown........... Managing Editor
Paul Brentlinger.........City Editor
Roma Lipsky..........Editorial Director
Dave Thomas ..........Feature Editor
Janet Watts.. .........Associate Editor
Nancy Bylan. ..... ....Associate Editor
James Gregory. Associate Editor
Bill Connolly............Sports Editor
Bob Sandell....Assocate Sports Editor
Bill Brenton.. . .Associate Sports Editor
Barbara Jans........ Women's Editor
Pat Brownson Associate Women's Editor
Business Staff 4
Bob Daniels.........Business Manager
Walter Shapero Assoc. Business Manager
Paul SchabIe.... Advertising Manager
Bob Mersereau......Finance Manager
Carl Breitkreitz.... Circulation -Manager
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