SATURDAY, MARCH 15, 1952 THE MICHIGAN DAILY _.a Union Co LSSAGE OF THE three proposed amend- ments to the Union Constitution tomor- will strengthen student representation Jnion administration, and should be sup- ted by the presence of every member e student at the constitutional meeting. 'wo of the three proposals are aimed securing better student representation, d the third, a change in the amendment thod, can make the Union Constitution >re adaptable to changing times. lection-at-large of five vice-presidents the Union Board of directors, the first posed change, is necessary for the candi- es best qualified by experience to be :ted. n past years members of the Executive incil found- themselves running against h. other for one Board position, especial- in the literary college race, while other :tion divisions had no qualified candi- es in the running. Election-at-large would eliminate this d insure a wide-open race which could won by the most capable antl exper- iced candidates. Although the presence non-Union staffmnen on the council is sirable, the opinion of men experienced Union opera1 ion is a necessity. 'he Hare System has proved itself as the st representative in Student Legislature :tions, and should rightly, be used for the on vice-presidency race. ccording to the first amendment, a vice- sident will also be elected by the com- ed schools of medicine and dentistry i by the law schools. This adherence to old method is justified because profes- ial school students are not so closely nected, with undergraduates. Election by schools in these exceptions mld insure fair representation for pro- ssional students, who have always con- ibuted mature and qualified vice-presi- nts to the Union Board. bie second amendment, proposing sub- ction of the highest ranking Student islative, male officer for the chairman of osntuton Men's Judiciary as an ex-officio member of the Union Board, would also give students a more representative voice in Union af- fairs. The chairman of Men's Judiciary was made a board member in 1942, the last constitutional revision. Since that time Stu- dent Legislature has developed, becoming the most important representative group on campus. Except when a woman is elected head of SL, the Union Board member would be the SL president. Probably the most important of the three proposals is the creation of an effective and representative means of amending the Union'constitution, as proved by several un- successful attempts to make needed changes in past years. Putting proposed constitutional changes up to an all-campus vote of Union mem- bers would not only be the most repre- sentative expression of student opinion, but would eliminate the problem of as- sembling a quorum of 400 Union members -a difficult task, despite a Union mem- bership of more than 10,000. This is the problem .which faces Union staff members when they make their newest attempt to enact progressive changes in the constitution. The effort will succeed only if it is backed by each Union member -not by "the guy next door." The South and West Quads, neither more than a block away from the Union, could easily furnish enough Union mem- bers to constitute the quorum and facili- tate amendments. If the quorum fails, it will fail because students "passed the buck" of legislative responsibility to "the other guy." Union officials have promised that the constitutional meeting will last no more than 45 minutes. Because of the gravity of the matters to be considered, it should 'be' an interesting 45 minutes-well worth tak- ing a break from books and attending. --Mike Scherer ERPRETING THE NEWS: French War 1 f By J. M. ROBERTS Associated Press News Analyst ECRETARY LOVETT'S call for increased military aid to the anti-Communist ces in Indo-China coincides with word m Paris that France has no intention of king down in the war with the Viet nh. For some time now, especially during e current French political crisis, there axe been fears that France might decide at since she cannot support both, she ould have to drop the Indo-China cam- ign in favor of building up her defenses Europe. t had been suggested the French might :k a stalemate similar to the one the ies are negotiating for in Korea. The dif- ence is that agression in Korea has been pped where it began, while in Indo-China considerable territory, including highly :ortant agricultural regions, would have be yielded to thp Communists. the French government has now made point, however, which is also the key nt in the American attitude, th'at de- se of Indo-China is part of the defense ich the Democratic nations intend to ke everywhere and anywhere around the mnmunist perimeter. The French make it clear they are not backing down on their commitments in this respect, and publicly recognize that any such action might cause the United States to write France off as an undepend- able ally. Paris may liave been advised in advance, or at least be presupposing, that increased American aid will be forthcoming. This aid, judging by reports from Paris on French plans, would be largely for the native forces of Vietnam, Laos and Cam- bodia. France wants to build theml up so that she-can take home, or at least keep at home some new ones as they are pro- duced, the officers which she needs to really get going in her European defense role. The Pentagon ideas outlined to Congress Thursday show clearly that this aid would not be merely for France, but a part of the whole strategic picture. Lovett included For- mosa, meaning Chiang Kai-Shek's Nation- alist army there, as another spot where similar work must be done, pointing out that the island of seven million people could not itself support a garrison of several hun- dred thousand needed against the possibili- ty ;of Chinese Communist invasion. -- w - --- - - - --- - --- MATTER OF FACT By JOSEPH and STEWART ALSOP THE LESSON OF NEW HAMPSHIRE WASHINGTON-It sometimes seems that the American voter, that testy and ,unpredictable fellow, takes a sly pleasure these days in confounding the professional politicians, the self-appoifted experts, and everybody else. For what stands out about the New Hampshire primary is that every- body was wrong-as usual, The supporters of General of the Army Dwight D. Eisenhower were wrong. They were wrong as far back as February 15th. On that date, the Eisenhower leaders, including Gov. Thomas Dewey, and Sena- tors Cabot Lodge, Frank Carlson, and James Duff gathered in a New York hotel to discuss the Eisenhower prospects. And they were so convinced that Eisenhower could not win unless he were present in person to campaign that they made a collective telephone call to Paris to tell him so. When Eisenhower stuck to his initial po- sition, a black mood fell on the Eisenhower camp. In New Hampshire, Sen. Lodge was at pains to say that the preferential pri- mary would not mean very much. All the other Eisenhower leaders privately took a dim view of the General's chances. A day or so before the primary, there was much talk in the Eisenhower camp of sending a sort of polite ultimatum to the General, if he lost badly, asking him either to return and campaign or to withdraw and get his followers off the hook. But Taft and his supporters were equally wrong. If Taft had maintained his original position-that he entered the New Hamp- shire primary only as a sort of gallant ges- tire against hopeless odds-he might have emerged almost unscathed. But when he in effect predicted the capture of four delegates (which the faint-hearted Eisenhower men were ready to concede him) and said that he considered the preference primary a "horse race," he opened himself up to the severe political wound which he has now suffered. AS FOR THE DEMOCRATIC party. no- body was more wrong (except possibly one of these reporters) than Sen. Estes Kefauver himself. Here it may be worth describing an interview with Kefauver which took place a few days before his resounding vic- tory over President Truman. The interview was "not for attribution" at the time, be- cause Kefauver wanted to talk frankly but did not want to compromise his chances. And it is worth recounting now, if only be- cause it suggests the element of mystery which lends American politics its peculiar fascination both to participant and specta- tor sportsman. The talk took place in the usual dingy hotel bedroom, after, a Kefauver rally in the usual dingy hotel "ballroom." The rally was sparsely attended, consisting largely of non-voting teen-agers wearing cardboard coonskin caps. Kefauver, obvi- ously tired, had spoken haltingly. and with about as much fire as a turtle. Later, talking to one of these reporters, he seem- ed near the end of his tether. Ib, he said sadly, he knew he didn't have a chance, with both labor and -the whole Demlocratic regular organization working against him. He might just take a single delegate, but no more. As for the preference primary, he would be delighted if he scored, say, 40 per cent of the total. Poor-mouthing to reporters is a familiar political technique, but Kefauver certainly seemed quite honest- ly convinced that he had no real chance. It is still remarkably difficult to take Sen. Kefauver really seriously as a Presi- dential candidate, since he has little support in the South and he has alienated most of the Northern Democratic organization mena. As for the effect of Kefauver's triumph on President Truman, the possibility that this might arouse in the President his famous streak of Missouri stubbornness must be' balanced off against the fact that Truman, if he runs at all, wants to run against Taft, not Eisenhower. And it goes without saying that Eisenhower's remarkable victory in ab- sentia has altered the whole Republican balance sharply in his favor. * * 4 THE VICTORY'S EFFECT on the Gener- al's own plans remains unpredictable. At least one member of Eisenhower's in- ner circle in Paris has told these reporters that Eisenhower would consider a striking success in New Hampshire the necessary "clear call to duty." Another such success in the New Jersey primary, where Taft and Eisenhower are again matched on April 15, would make the call clearer. Conversely, the N . ew Hampshire victory will certainly sharply reduce the pressure from this coun- try on the General to return. At any rate, the fact that everybody was wrong again suggests a rather ob- vious conclusion. All concerned were per- fectly logical in their wrongness. The Eisenhower supporters and Taft himself were entirely logical in expecting Taft to be strong in a poll presumably domi- nated by orthodox regular Republicans. Kefauver and the regular Democrats were equally logical in expecting Truman to h strong in a noll nresumably dominat- t " t by Werblo*k . ON THE with DREW PEARSON 'WASHINGTON-Today millions of harassed, last-minute taxpayers' are still up to their elbows in the arithmetic of income taxes. No matter how they slice the figures, however, the result will be the same: higher taxes and lower rebates. ' What the taxpayers don't realize, however, is that most of them probably wouldn't have to pay a penny more than last year- if Congress had closed the unfair loopholes in the tax laws. 44 Today an estimated five billion dollars filter through these loop- Iholes, which must be made up by taxpayers earning less than $10,000 annually. In fact, nearly every major tax bill during the Truman adminis- tration has raised taxes on the lower brackets, while granting tax loop-- holes to the upper brackets. Result is thiat the tax laws are buckshot- riddled with escape clauses benefiting the higher brackets. This has been the work largely of the Senate Finance Committee, which is dominated by millionaire senators who benefit from their own loopholes. Such senators as Byrd of Virginia, Kerr of Oklahoma, Milli- kin of Colorado, Taft of Ohio and Martin of Pennsylvania, all of them millionaires, are chiefly responsible for the tax loophojes. The House Ways and Means Committee has labored to close many of them-but the Senate Finance Committee has been too powerful. The Finance Committee has camouflaged these loopholes behind such technical, legal language that the average senator, harassed with other legislation, usually can't understand them aid must take the finance Committee's word. For example, 79 of the most clause-ridden, technically worded sections of the 1951 tax bill turned out to be honeycombed with loop- holes. These escape hatches for the big taxpayers would never have been discovered if it hadn't been for a few patriotic tax experts at the Treasury Department, who risked their jobs to tip off Senators Humph- rey of Minnesota and Douglas of Illinois what the Senate Finance Committee was up to. . . . , ' --PROFITS FROM DEFENSE-- H UMPHREY AND DOUGLAS then blocked an attempt to r-am the tax loopholes through the'Senate without debate, but, in the end, the powerful Finance Committee brought enough pressure on indi- vidual senators to save most of the loopholes. They figured the debate was too technical for the public to understand, and that the small tax- payers would never know the difference. The result was a tax law that stuck the low-income people with the mounting cost of defense, while a good many of the big-money boys could reap the profits of defense. . . The most gaping loopholes now in the law allow the big oil and mining companies to deduct millions for depletion; grant a cheaper tax rat'e to the big speculators who trade in stocks and bonds; enable big businessmen to spread their income through family partnerships; and exempt interest and dividends from withholding tax. The excess-profits tax is also shot full of holes; corporations get tremendous tax handouts through five-year amortization; so-called "collapsible" corporations are still legal to avoid taxes; life insurance companies pay only a token tax; and huge foundations can be set up to get around the estate and gift taxes. Even Attorney General Mc- Grath has long been a trustee of a non-taxpaying foundation-Textr'on. -TRUMAN'S EGO- WHAT WORRIES some of the elder statesmen in the Democr-atic party is that the Kefauver victory in New Hampshire will get the President's dander up, make him determined to run again. Taking a contrary view have been the palace guard, the men im-- mediately around the President, who, for reasons of self-preservation, want him to run and who bring to -hs desk every little news item that might disrupt his relations with Senaor Kefauver. When Kefauver first went to the White Hlouse to tell the President about his plans, Mr. Truman was more than cordial, Hie spoke about the need of bringing younger Democratic leaders to the front, even advised Kefauver on how to handle his campaign. But since then, those who know how to fan the President's ire and ego have done their best to make trouble between him and the Senator from Tennessee. That's why elder statesmen in the Democratic party are watching to see whether the Truman defeat in New Hampshire may prod the President into doing what they think would be disas- trous to he party-run again. -NEW HAMPSHIRE HIGHLIGHTS- T WAS Senator Kefauver's humility and sincerity that won New Hampshire's hearts-and votes. For example, after Kefauver fin- ished a dull television speech, his wife asked in a whisper how he thought it went. Kefauver whispered back sadly that it hadn't gone so well, that he just couldn't make the words come out the way he wanted. What Kefauver didn't know was that the television camera and mike picked up this private husband-and-wife conversation. Kefauver's speech didn't impress the people, but his humility afterward did ...-. New Hampshire's hardy folk, coming out in the rain and snow to vote, also didn't like the idea of President Truman tanning himself under the Key West sun. They muttered about the President taking too many vacations and spending almost as much time in Florida as Washington . . . . Democratic leaders are worried over the way rank-and-file workers ignored labor-leader orders to vote for Truman and voted for Kefauver instead ... . The large Eisenhower vote was a bigger blow to the Taft camp than they admit. The Taft steamroller moved in high gear through New Hampshire, was expertly steered by veteran poli- ticians. Taft nrivately predicted he would win the popular vote, would Correction .. . ro the Editor:1 WAS somewhat startled to read in the Letters to the Editor col- imn yesterday a very juvenile let- er to which was affixed the name Annie Waterman." At this mo- nent I have the original of that etter in my hands; it is typewrit- en with no signature - merely a yped name. A questionable letter. Following their usual policy, the "Letters" editor checked this name with the Student Directory; there was approximately such a person listed. The letter was then reread and sent to press. Nothing strange was noted about the questionable English used or the grade-school sentence construction. -This was the easy way to do the job. Through this procedure the letter was published; this letter was not written by me, with my consent, or even with my knowledge. In view of the fact that this anonymous substitution of identi- ties has occurred not only to me, but several weeks ago to a Med School student as well as twice last year, I would strongly recommend the following: that the Daily check not only with Student Directory to see if such a student exists, but contact by phone the person whose signature is on the letter, if at all feasible. Or suffer the legal con- sequences. In closing, let me again caution the Daily deities not to substitute expediency for thoroughness. . -Anne Waterman EDITOR'S NOTE: We sincerely re- gret that a person has misused Miss Waterman's name. Though we real- ize that misrepresentation is a legal offense it is a physical impossibility to che&k all letters with their writ- ers. This is the third time in two years that such an incident has occurred. Senior Ball .. To the Editor: OAN THE NIGHT of March 15, 1952, one of the oldest tradi- tions of the University of Michigan will be observed in the ballroomof the Michigan Union ... but not by many ... and why??? On page two of The Daily for March 12 you will find the major reason . . thirty campus organi- zations have scheduled approved social events for the 15th! Doesn't it appear strange that so many or- ganizations are not willing to sup- port a traditional Senior Ball? This dance was scheduled last year and was announced in the University Calendar of Events. Each student going through regis- tration received one of these cal- endars. -Therefore, there is no valid excuse for any group to sche- dule anything for that night. It would seem to me that few traditions still exist on this cam- pus-Why, then, help to destroy another?Obviously, campus events can not be perpetuated if they are not supported by the student body as a whole. As a junior, who would hate to see Senior Ball eliminated as a Michigan tradition, I am sincerely disgusted. -Barbara Belote Lecture Ban.. . To the Editor: TO THOSE who are convinced that the action of the lecture committee is an undemocratic ac- tion, the question arises as to why the University officially has come to sanction political gags on speak- ers. Many students have asked.: Isn't this resorting tothe very policy we accuse the Communists of practicing? The vast majority believe that our philosophy of gov- ernment as expressed in the De- claration of Independence and the Constitution has stood and will stand up in the fire of free dis- cussion. We ask, then of what are we afraid? Why so much in recent years have the universities gagged, ex- pelled, banned and otherwise per- securted holders of unpopular ideas? Apparently, those in authority, heads of colleges, rulers of govern- ment, mayors and governors, in the majority, are afraid of the Constitution, Bill of Rights and our Declaration of Independence. This is the only answer to whict logic persists, however one may try to avoid it. This is proved be- cause no acts of treason, sabotage or conspiracies have been uncover- ed on the part of the- attacked lib- erals, left-wingers, Communists o their defenders. Only their ideas, books, leaflets, etc. This is proved because the gov- ernment, both of national and 10- cal varieties of inquisitions, at- tacks the anti-Communist as well as the Communist, the liberal; trade union leader, Negro Peoples leader. That is, anyone who may differ with authority. Apparently, those in power fea: these ideas so much that the tra- ideas are bad; you can't hear this man." What do you say? --Robert N. McClelland v . « Union Dinner .. . To the Editor: IN LAUNCHING an investigation of a private dinner at which Arthur McPhaul spoke on the question of genocide against the Negro people, the University has taken a major step forward in the denial of civil rights to students. Everyone knows that the Ad- ministration has the right to ban speakers on campus. That is bad enough; a popular campaign to get rid of the Lecture Committee shows the sentiment of students on that matter. But does the Administration have the right to ban speakers of campus, whether in New York troit, or even Ann Arbor? 0 University decide that stu, may not even listen to ba e speakers anywhere? If stud may listen to a speaker off caj pus, then why is the Univers investigating those who heard Mc-' Phaul? Such an investigation, whatever its results, Inplies that it is a crime to listen to a speaker who has been baed. Such an extn- sion of censorship-va intimida- tion-is hostile to the mpst basic tradition of American democracy: free speech. In seizing on Henry Gerard, in attempting to make a mystery out' of the privatenature of the din- ner, the University is diverting at- tention from the real issue in or- der to cover up its own attack on students' rights, which deprives students of hearing speakers of their own choice. The investigation diverts atten- tion from the fact that the Uni- versity itself created the condi- tions under which McPhaul spoke. He spoke to a private audience be- cause the Administration would not permit him to speak publicly. The responsibility for a private appearance' of Arthur McPhaul, which the UnTvgsity, is investi- gating, lies with none other than the University, -Mike Sharpe Finals in May... To the Editor: PILIP TAYLOR'S letter in the March 13 Daily seemed to be a sort of belated postscript to the last Literary College Conferene, which was called, to discuss pos- sible calendar reforms. A major part of the discussion involved ar- gument between repesentatives of the administration and' Professors Huntley & Crary, co-founders of the Huntley-Crary plan On the subject of pressure groups and their influence in shaping the Cal- endar, there was a definiteadmis- sion by the administration that such influence Idoes exist. It is clear that elimination of "the "lame-duck session" would affect such groups as the resort 1dus- try, the athletic department,. and the May Festival Committee. Also, an elpngated summer session would be opposed by variouAs sec- ondary teaching groups. It is doubtful that any import- ant improvements in the existing calendar can be initiated so long as tpis outside pressure exists. The Thanksgiving holiday prblem was isolated in a sense, and the solu- tion did not concern any particu- lar outside group. Until more con- sideration is given to the student body and their welfare, such re- forms as "finals in May" and eli- mination of the "lame-duck ses- sion" are out of the question. --Joe Silvan "Now Do You Know Where He Stands?" Xettet 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 J, t 14 ORIS Fl EESON: election Issue i WASHINGTON-Republicans would have a much easier Presidential campaign problem if-they could be sure beyond per- adventure that everybody will still have money in their pockets next November. There are already signs that they cannot be sure of it. No .drastic changes impend in the vast leveling-up processes that have accom- panied the rapidly rising national in- come since the thirties. Spotty unemploy- ment has appeared however and in some areas, like New England and Detroit, it is severe. Defense spending has not gone forward at the rate forecast. Republicans are leading an effort to cut it down even more and to trim the federal budget wherever possible. Since civilians have not been pinched for goods despite defense spending, few slack- taking possibilities exist in that field. Agri- culture also has been getting a lessening share of the national income. Thus it is quite possible that voters will not be taking their recent social gains quite so much for granted when they actually ballot in eight months on Presidential candi- dates being nominated now on a quite dif- ferent set of issues. Democratic confidence that they can come up from behind -with a fighting candidate despite the mess in Washington is largely based on the fact that' these social gains took place under Roosevelt and Truman. They will, of course, promise to continue them. The internationalism which the party in power practices is also a spending policy in large part. It is often little realized how much of the Congressional support for the hower, and Harold Stassen, an internation- alist, has support there too though he has lost much of it to Ike. It is perhaps more true to say that Senator Taft can do no wrong with little or medium-size business and that he ap- proaches the heroic among people with fixed incomes and the middle class which has shared comparatively less in the re- cent social gains. These groups are ar- ticulate; they are not too numerous. The shock of higher taxes accompanying disclosures of corruption among the tax collectors must further the cause of the Republican party. Nevertheless, as a Wash- ington taxi driver succinctly remarked to a complaining passenger last week end: "Mister, now I gotta buck." There can be little doubt that the taxi driver and millions like him now think they have a vested interest in their prosperity which they will be slow to relinquish. Curiously, General MacArthur-absent from this country during the years of the great change-shows the most political per- ception about it. He campaigns against the administration on a high level of emotion- alism, with the revivalist spirit. An emo- tional drive of the MacArthur style could well be the only appeal that could anesthe- tize the pocketbook nerve of the voters.. In contrast Senator Taft continues to make it almost inevitable for voters to feel that, in a deflation, he will not hesi- tate to apply the economic squeeze when and as he hees fit. This may be right con- duct-it is not so certain it's the way to become President. Looking at today's campaign against this background of what could happen, one cynic nit it, .I t, ' Sixty-Second Year Edited and managed by students of the University of Michigan under ihe authority of the Board of Control of Student Publications Editorial Staff Chuck Elliott ........Managing Editor Bob Keith,...........City Editor Leonard Greenbaum, Editorial Director vern Emerson ..........Feature Editor Ron Watts......i...Associate Editor Bob vaughn ...1.......Associate Editor Ted Papes ................Sports Editor George Flint ....Associate Sports Editor Jim Parker .....Associate Sports Editor Jan James ............ Women's Editor Jo Keteihut. Associate Women's Editor Business Staff Bob Miller... ...Business Manager Gene Kuthy. Assoc. Business Manager Charles Cuson .. ..Advertising Manager Milt Goetz......Circulation Manager I