4
4
TIHE MICHIGAN DAILY
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1952
I _______________________________________________________ U
Brotherho
-Two V
T SEEMS that Brotherhood Week isn'ta
causing too much excitement here in Ann
Arbor.
But the disk jockies seem to have gotten
into the spirit of the thing. I happened to
turn on the radio this morning to be greeted
with a mellow baritone crooning:
"You start living
When you start giving,
That's the brotherhood way."
The voice then continued to tell a little
story about how brotherhood is bursting
out all over Levittown, New York. Levit-
town is a lower-income housing project
built right after the war mainly for vet-
erans and their families. Cooperation is
the key word there and extends to all
phases of everyday community living.
One of the problems which confronted the
families was what to do with the kiddies
when the parents went to church, since teen-
age baby sitters just didn't exist in the com-
munity. A solution was soon devised by the
young couples whereby the Jewish families
"sat" while the Christian families went to
their churches on Sunday and the Christian
families did the same on Friday night when
the Jewish families went to their synagogues.
This solution indicated quite clearly that un-
derstanding between different faiths can be
constructively accomplished.
I think it's a pretty nice story. But I wish;
crooning disk jockies weren't the only peo-;
ple discussing the spirit of brotherhood.
-Jan Winn,
Editorials printed in The Michigan Daily
are written by members of The Daily staff
and represent the views of the writer only.
This must be noted in all reprints.
NIGHT EDITOR: CAL SAMRA
)od Week
iews -
*
THIS WEEK has been set aside as Nation-
al Brotherhood Week-a fact which is
just as significant as National Doughnut
Week.
Throughout the country people will be
listening to speeches made by upstanding
citizens stating democratic platitudes.
Colorful posters vainly trying to put across
the idea of brotherhood with pictures of
smiling people of all races and nationali-
ties arm in arm will stare at shoppers and
bus riders. Unfortunately, on the whole,
these efforts are a complete waste of time
and money.
Prejudice and bigotry will never be con-
verted into fraternity and equality by the
meaningless ceremony and publicity that
goes with Brotherhood Week. The activities
of Brotherhood Week are attended by those
who do not need to be reminded that all
men are entitled to equal opportunities. The
anti-Negroes, the anit-semites and the rest
of the antis are not budged one inch from
their biased convictions.
It is doubtful whether a specific week is
necessary to highlight the evident need for
the improvement of interested ethnic group
relations, for those who are actively inter-
ested in the problem need no reminder as to
the work that must be done. There are or-
ganizations which strive all year round to
institute such changes as the Fair Employ-
ment Practices Act or a civil liberties bill.
However, as long as such a week exists, it
should not consist of "love thy neighbor"
speeches but should focus attention on the
deplorable exampies of prejudice that pre-
vail and definite methods by which society
can work, toward remedies.
All too often people may be impressed
by the brotherhood speeches, but are not
enlisted as active fighters in the war
against bigotry.
Perhaps if action instead of words were
emphasized during Brotherhood Week, it
might become a contributing factor toward
the goal of equality for all men.
-Helene Simon
v-- -_
.
DRAMA
.
THE UNUSUAL clash of two theatrical
styles has produced a strange but power-
ful child in the Arts Theater production of
Bertolt Brecht's A Man Equals a Man. On
the one side is the now familiar theater in
the round while on the other is the unfami-
liar Epic Theater developed in Germany be-
tween World War I and. the rise of Hitler.
MATTER OF FACT'
By JOSEPH and STEWART ALSOP
WASHINGTON-The movement of events
there days is a little like the movement
of a glacier, grinding, sluggish and all but
imperceptible until the next avalanche is
started by the remorseless ice. Today, the
glacier does not seem to move. Yet there
are signs of movement for- the careful eye
to see; and one such is a new plan for
carrying ; the Korean war. to the Chinese
mainland, when and if there seems to be
no other choice.
The plan, which has been placed before
the Joint Chiefs of Staff by the Air Staff,
has no resemblance to Gen. Douglas Mac-
Arthur's scheme for bombing in Man-
churia. In fact it is a plan for not bomb-
ing in Manchuria, since Manchuria now
contains a powerful concentration of
Russo-Chinese air power, and it is also
a plan for not bombing the Chinese ci-
ties and industrial centers, which con-
tribute so infinitely less to Chinese mili-
tary power than the cities and industrial
centers of the Soviet Union.
The basis of the plan Is simple enough.
For such a huge country, China is held to-
gether by a remarkably slender network of
communications. The Yellow River and the
Yangtse, the Grand Canal, and two or three
railroads are the main arteries, and there
are no lesser arteries and capillaries to take
the traffic, if the main arteries are cut.
IN THIS respect, the Chinese Communists
are no different from earlier Chinese
empire builders. Meanwhile, however, the
arteries of communication have become im-
measurably more vulnerable to external at-
tack. Mine the Yangste and Yellow Rivers,
for example, and the North-Western prov-
inces and the rich kingdom within a king-
dom of Szechuan will simply be cut off
from the rest of the country. Bomb out
the railraods and mine the Grand Canal,
and South China will be severed from North
China.
These are, in fact, the devices now con-
templated. They have two obvious vir-
tues. First, they will do infinitely more
damage to the Communist regime than
any other form of attack, without arous-
ing the violent emotions inherent in the
bombing of great cities. Second, they will
follow the rule of "hitting them where
they ain't," forcing the Chinese to spread
out the air power now concentrated in
Manchuria. in a honnee Affnrt in defend
Everything that is unique about a thea-
ter in the round production runs contrary
to Brecht's Epic theory. Round theater
is intimate with extreme audience identi-
fication. It is therefore emotional and
absorbing. Brecht, however, believes in
a theater removed from an audience which
should remain observers, accepting the
action without involvement. Round the-
ater leans on a few characters acting
within a limited area. Epic, in this play,
calls for large numbers moving quickly
in a large area that is constantly changing
scenes. The Round is a theater of imagi-
nation and symbolism. Epic, though more
dependent on symbolism leaves nothing
to the imagination.
Brecht, its most ardent exponent and
disputed founder, has written the theoreti-
cal commandments for Epic. The world, he
states, is an everchanging place, and the
play is an active force to change the world
rather than to just tell about it or to im-
mortalize one of its eternal truths. The
play exists primarily for the time in which
it is written, the time it is seeking to change.
The plot should be clear at all points, each
scene existing for its own sake as well as
for the whole. Titles, written and spoken,
musical addresses, soliloquies should be used
to point up the meaning, to tell where the
play is. Epic theater has used screen pro-
jections on the backdrops in order to sharp-
en its meaning. And to assure that nothing
meaningful will be lost in action or emo-
tion, the Epic detaches the audience from
the play and the actors from one another.
[t tells them to act as if they knew the
ending, gesturing and interpreting but not
losing themselves in the part. The empha-
sis is always on emotional separation in
the theater and physical change in the
world.
Understanding Brecht's objective and thi,
principles he uses to reach them, there is an
appreciation of the victories and defeats of
an Epic in the Round. The story of any man
being molded into a killer to serve a morally
defunct order cannot be accepted on its face
value. Its historical position, politically and
theatrically, is as important as its plot.
Even to an audience accustomed to the
experimentation of the Arts Theater Club,
the Brecht play offers disturbing innova-
tions. The desire to fully identify is frus-
trated, the symbolic characters lack full
human personalization, the stage is
crowded, a complex geometric folding box
is used for the sudden on stage scene
changes, the same actors take several
parts, the equation that a man is a man
is laboriously repeated. These are all ex-
plained, however, in terms of Brecht's
theory which we can accept or reject as
we will.
At the same time the obviously positive
aspects are the moments of intimacy that
Brecht, himself to the contrary, writes, and
that theater in the Round naturally pro-
duces. There are the humorous high points
that Brecht believes must be included if the
audience is to be entertained as well as
Basic Illness
pERHAPS THE most valuable of the many
"corruption exposes" is the revelation
that there is more involved in the scandals
than the "wicked" behavior of certain in-
dividuals.
This becomes obvious when one consid-
ers how the racketeering and cheating runs
through almost every level of our society
-the administration, congress, big busi-
*ness, state and local government, educa-
tional institutions, athletics and private
enterprise.j
It seems then that an investigation of our
culture as a whole will yield the only satis-
factory explanation to what has been called,
"the racket stage of our society."
On the whole, our society is an aquisitive
one. The goal is to "get ahead" in terms of
money and position.
The theory of "freedom of the indivi-
dual" is constantly confused with that of
"free enterprise." Free enterprise has often
taken the form of freedom for only those
with financial power.
Though not representative of the entire
society, this anti-social theory of "every-
man-for-himself" is certainly the dominant
characteristic of our American life.
If ther.e were a general social attitude of
personal and group integrity and less em-
phasis on material welfare, young basket-
ball players would see no point in taking
bribes, and a mink coat and deep freeze
would lose their value.
If one realizes that it is part of our
social structure which generates the mone-
tary power drive, it becomes impossible to
wholly blame the "little man" who sets
his own code of ethics. He is part of our
"grasping" culture and is frustrated be-
cause someone has "grasped" sooner and
faster than he. His set of values is deter-
mined by those above him, whose position
of power he would like to have. And until
our capitalistic society sets up a new sys-
tem of values and personal incentives men
will continue to "cheat" and set their own
anti-social code of ethics.
However this reordering of our society's
goals and aims can not be effected by one
small group in society. It must come from a
social awareness and be accomplished by
democratic methods towards democratic
ends. For this reason the theories of fascism
and communism become totally ineffective
and undesirable.
But as in the case of individual psychology,
the recognition of illness must proceed ther-
apy. That is, the. patient must make a basic
concession to begin with-there is something
wrong and I heed treatment. The same
principle holds true on the level of society.
But how many Americans are willing to
make this basic concession. True, everyone
in the United States is excited about cor-
ruption, but few are willing to view this so-
cial malaise realistically.
The Republicans continue to damn the
"corrupt administration" and cry "a new
broom sweeps clean." This is just so much
political rhetoric. The Democrats, to meet
the political demands of the GOP oppo-
sition will continue to "pass the buck"
and promise the American voters that if
reelected they will fight for "good clean
government." Congress will continue to
set up Kefauver and La Follette commit-
tees which, while motivated by sincere
drive to clean up the rackets, skirt the
real problem by dealing only with the for-
mal aspects of government procedure and
personnel.
The American voter, assaulted by so much
political propaganda, will become increasing-
ly suspicious of the "evil bureaucracy" in
Washington and will allow his subjective
moral indignation to hold the reins of rea-
son and objectivity.
Until these groups recognize that the wide-
spread corruption is a symptom of a social
disease, nothing will be accomplished by
condemning the man who "cheats" to stay
ahead.
-Alice Bogdonoff
Frats &Dorms
DOES A FRATERNITY offer so much to a
"poor Quad man?" Is it the only way to{
live? These days all are being rushed into
the idea that there is nothing wrong withj
them. Fraternity men, if they could, would
eliminate the Quad altogether. Sure, a Fra-
ternity is fine, but is it the only way to live?
No, since all men do not join, some must
live in other ways.
To say the Independent man does not
live is a fallacy. To some people the kind
of "fellowship" that a fraternity offers is
not for them. As far as food goes the
Quad food is not as bad as the pledge
master makes out it is. The chances are
that he ate the food himself and is still
living. So then the fraternity offers a
"home." It's a funny family.
* The campus would be dull without the
fraternities. But you can't put all the men
in them. Let's be honest about this thing
and say that while some men like them there
are others who do not and that these are a
large and important part of the life at
Michigan.
g-William Riley
New Books at the Library
Arm, Walter-Pay-Off. New York, Apple-
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH-Lately I did some research on "creepingt
socialism" and its benefits to certain states and business groups.t
Here are the results: f
* * * *
U.S. STEEL CORPORATION-Biggest boon to Utah has been
the operation of a steel mill at Geneva. Governor Lee told me thisc
greatly increased the population of Salt Lake City and the sur-r
rounding area and contributed generously to local prosperity.t
However, the U.S. Steel Corp. at first opposed the production of
steel in Utah. Judge Elbert Gary, former head of U.S. Steel, scoffedI
at the idea when I interviewed him many years ago, and his successorsV
continued to scoff-even after Pearl Harbor. In fact, they were so op-f
posed to western steel production that the federal government had
to take the initiative itself for the Geneva plant.
Uncle Sam took all the risk and after proving that the steel in-r
dustry in the far West could be successful, then U.S. Steel, supported1
by some astute lobbying by ex-Gov. Herbert Maw of Utah and ex-
Sen. Abe Murdoch, got the federal government to sell the Genevat
plant to U.S. Steel for about 20 cents on the dollar.
The steel plant cost the taxpayers $191,326,000. It was soldt
to U.S. Steel for $47,175,000. Direct subsidy to U.S. Steel and theI
State of Utah was $144,151,000.
FORT DOUGLAS, UTAH-On the foothills just above Salt Lake
City stands Fort Douglas, an important army installation. After the
war, a large hunk of the fort's territory, plus important buildings,t
were turned over to Governor Lee's State of Utah, and are now a part1
of the University of Utah.
AIRLINES SUBSIDIES-Utah, an inland state, benefits from1
quick airline transportation. Most people don't realize it, but the air-I
lines, though now big business, get an annual subsidy of $95,000,000
through "creeping socialism." On top of this they get the advantagei
of 70,000 miles of air lanes serviced by radio range stations, beacons1
and traffic controls, all paid for by the federal government. The rail-1
roads have to pay for their own signals, telegraph and upkeep of their1
tracks, while the airlines get like services free. In addition, the air-
planes get the use of airports, usually supplied by municipalities, tax-
free. The railroads pay taxes on their property.
In 1951 the taxpayers shelled out $21,361,040 to construct new
towers, beacons, and radar for the airways, plus another $73,931,-
'733 for personnel to operate these safety aids, plus another $37,-
000,000 for runways and construction work at airports.
The airlines are now big business. I agree with Governor Lee that'
this is "creeping socialism." But he'll find that big business will be the
first to howl if it's stopped.
SHIPPING SUBSIDIES-Also the first to yell if we stop "creep-
ing socialism" will be another big-business 'group, the shipping lines.
American shipowners get $30,000,000 annually in operating subsidies.
On top of this the United States Lines last year got a construction
subsidy of $18,225,000 plus an indirect subsidy of $24,061,000 for na-
tional defense in building the new vessel, the United States.
American Export Lines is due to get a $26,000,000 subsidy for
the Independence and the Constitution, but after Controller Gen-
eral Lindsay Warren objected to "creeping socialism" and propos-
ed curtailing subsidies, the American Export Lines threatened to
dump the ships in the lap of Uncle Sam.
PUBLIC ROADS-Another form of creeping socialism is the gov-
ernment's annual subsidy to the states to build highways. This costs
the federal taxpayers about half a billion dollars a year and is allo-
cated to Governor Lee of Utah and the other 47 states.
If this were curtailed every bus line, trucking company, and many
private motorists would be at the door of Congress in about 24 hours
demanding that "creeping socialism" for the highways be reinstated.
DOCTOR'S SUBSIDIES-In Utah, Sen. Elbert Thomas was
defeated partly because he favored a public health bill. The doc-
tors rose up in arms against him, called him an exponent of
.creepihg socialism.
What the public doesn't realize, however, is that the doctors got
their own direct subsidy in the form of $39,578,000 from the federal
government last year, much of it going to medical institutions for re-
search. However, this money is largely in the form of gifts so that the
doctors control it once they get it from the government. The tax-
payers have no means of checking as to how efficiently it is spent.
These medical grants are made necessary because the public and
the doctors have been so backward in contributing to free-enterprise
research instead of creeping-socialism research. Thus, Walter Win-
chell, who has done an outstanding job of money raising for cancer
work, has been able to raise only $5,000,000 in five years, whereas the
federal government has contributed as much as $15,000,000 in a single
year for cancer research.
(Copyright, 1952, by The Bell Syndicate, Inc.)
(.
_;; ; -
' .,
+ 8- --.sa !..
9ri '4M6 .k4SN t ora yrofY ao.
Yes - You Were Saying--"
4
Lq
d IIj r
7
r
s
f
I;
t
t
r,
a
i
r.
a
s
c
a
v
y
e
ON THE
Washington Merry-Go-Round
with DREW PEARSONv
etteP 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.
Correction
A LETTER published in yes-
terday's Daily under the
title Say How & When and
signed with the name of W. W.
Kimbrough III was not writ-
ten by Mr. Kimbrough.
Heaven on Earth.. ..
To the Editor:
THE two reasons set forth by
Mr. Lunn in his editorial
Sunday perhaps explain the rea-
son why 35% of the men not in
fraternities do not pledge, name-
ly, finances or some prejudice.
However, Mr. Lunn overlooked
the major reason, which explains
the other 65%. This is that the
men are quite happy where they
are.
People select the kind of hous-
ing faciilties which they feel are
most suitable to them as individu-
als. When this is taken into con-
sideration, the three advantages
of fraternities stated can be easily
answered by any one of the 65%
who is quite satisfied.
1. Fellowship. Anyone who is
willing to look at a situation ob-
jectively will see that as close and
enduring friendships are made in
the residence halls as in any fra-
ternity. Witness the one house in
the residence halls as in any
fraternity. Witness the one house
in the residence hall system
which has acquired the reputation
of the only "independent frater-
nity on campus." In my own house
that friendship can be with a
student from Denmark, Germany,
Africa, and even a Negro from the
Bronx or Alabama. Such contacts
are not usually found within a
fraternity.
2. Ever since the South Quad
was completed, fraternities have
raised their cry of "superior liv-
ing conditions." A "big hotel" at-
mosphere is only present when the
the men want it that way, and
the esprit de corps of the men in
the new building puts the lie to
the fact that it is a big, cold im-
personal place. Apparently Mr.
Lunn does not want to look too
closely.
3. Self government is entirely
what the individuals within the
house want 'to make it. Most of
the houses have a number of good
leaders, who fully control the
activities of the house without
any sign of this nebulous authori-
tarianism that is upsetting Mr.
Lunn.
I do'not consider myself a dyed-
in-the-wool independent. So far
the residence hall has suited my
individual tastes and needs satis-
factorily, and that is all I desire.
These tastes may change, and
when they do I feel I can adjust
to them without Mr. Lunn's prod-
ding.
A word about food. This seems
to be ote of the favorite attacks
on the dormitory system. How-
ever, in spite of Mr. Lunn's state-
ment of the fraternity's "excel-
lent food well prepared", I have
heard a number of fraternity men
griping about their food and
"damn cooks." Butehaving "lib-
erated" themselves, they can
hardly gripe publicly.
In every case, it is up to the
individual to decide what is best
for him. To say that residence
halls and fraternities are ips
facto Hell and Heaven on Earth
respectively, is the height of
narrow-minded prejudice, of
which Mr. Lunn accuses mosi
non-fraternity men.
Bert Braun
* * *
IFC Reply .
To the Editor:
based on superficial investigation
are not consistent with quality
news coverage. Facts such as the
minimum membership needed to
keep the fraternity financially
solvent, the support expected from
alumni in maintaining the chap-
ter, and the results of Spring
Rushing were disregarded.
Admittedly, rushing is crucial
for fraternities, as always. But to'
predict failure so heartily for five
houses is unjustified.
Was the "news story" accurate?
A quote from Spider Webb, IFC
Enforcement Committee chair-
man, set the absolute minimum
fraternity pledge quota at 3501
men. This figure is not accurate.
The correct figure is confidential
to the IFC Rushing Committee
and is well below the rumor quot-
ed by Webb.
AlthoughWebb's work on the
Enforcement Committee marks
him as outstanding, such figures
as the minimum pledge quota
could be released only through
the Rushing Committee or IFC
officers.
Another misconception appears
in the statement by the Daily
reporter that "many residents of
South Quad expressed doubt that
their present living conditions
could be improved upon in .fra-
ternities." Yet, 1/3 of the men
registered for rushing are from
South Quad-more in relation to
South Quad enrollment than from
any other resident group.
Why is this "news" story so
important to the entire campus?
It is a glaring example of a com-
mon fault-much that is written
and said about fraternities is not
entirely true. The best policy, as
always, is to see for yourself.
-'Pete Thorpe
IFC Rushing Chairman
* * *
YR Resolution . ..
To the Editor:
IN view of the fact that this is
the month in which Abe
Lincoln was born, I felt that it
was only proper to introduce the
following resolution in the Young
Republican meeting held on Feb.
13: "We do encourage and urge
the immediate enactment by the
Michigan State Legislature of a
Fair Employment Practices Act
which would give the F.E.P. Com-
mission thus created sufficient
legal power to carry out its recom-
mendations and rulings."
The resolution thus stated was
adopted unanimously and rededi-
cated at least this portion of the
G.O.P. to a continued fight for the
rights of the colored people and
to a constant and continuing bat-
tle for their economic imrprove-
ment.
-David Cargo
* 41
Al
';
{
'y
',ti ,
,:
NO oone-whether independent
oraffiliated-can overlook
the "news story" entitled "Rush-
ing Crucial for Fraternities"
which appeared in Tuesday's
Daily.
Was it true? The Daily reporter
stated "there are five houses on
campus which face imminent fail-
ure and another six with danger-
ously few members," supporting
these statements with "statistics
compiled from past pledge lists."
How was this done? By counting
the pledges each house accepted
during the last two years, the re-
porter found that 11 houses were
on the bottom. "Obviously," the
reporter must have reasoned, "the
lowest five are doomed to 'immi-
nent failure' and the next six
lowest have 'dangerously few
members.'"
Such arbitrary conclusions
Sixty-Second Year
Edited and managedby students of
the University of Michigan under the
authority of the Board of Control of
Student Publications.
Editorial Staff
Chuck Elliott ........Managing Editor
Bob Keith ..................City Editor
Leonard Greenbaum, Editorial Director
Ven Emerson.........Feature Editor
Rich Thomas ......... Associate Editor
Ron Watts .............Associate Editor
Bob Vaughn ...........Associate Editor
Ted Papes.............Sports Editor
George Flint . .. .Associate Sports Editor
Jim Parker .....Associate Sports Editor
Jan James ........... Women's Editor
Jo Ketelhut, Associate Women's Editor
Business Staff
Bob Miller ...........Business Manager
Gene Kuthy, Assoc. Business Manager
Charles Cuson i...Advertising Manager
Sally Fish ..... ,. ....Finance Manager
Circulation Manager.......Milt Goetz
Telephone 23-24-1
Member of The Associated Press
The Associated Press is exclusively
entitled to the use for republication
of all news dispatches credited to it or
otherwise credited to this newspaper.
All rights of republication of all other
matters herein are also reserved.
Entered at the Post Office at Ann
Arbor. Michigan, as second-class mail
matter.
Subscription during regular school
year: by carrier, $6.00; by mail. $7.00.
4
r
i
x
-r,
b
.'
'F
,
BARNABY
1'
Good! Barnaby blew
out all the candles! Where's
411- +tea .:,
I'm six years old now, Jane. So
I guess Mr. O'Malley, my Fairy
Godfaher, wentw nvrn; mA
.___._.
cy.,,
C o° 4So Barnaby!...Your F
and on invisible Le
2.1.,..lb.swkq& W-4*8+-16 OtIta
airy Godfather
prechaun and
I
)x