mmq PAGE TWO THE MICHIGAN DAILY SATURDAY, MAY 2,.1953 _____________________________________ U U Morse's Filibuster THIS WEEK the liberal faction of the Senate, which repeatedly has attacked the use of the filibuster as tool of those who wish to obstruct the democratic process, has fallen prey to its own condemnation. For twenty-two hours and twenty-six minutes Sen. Wayne Morse, Independent from Oregon, demonstrated against the pending offshore oil bill that would give ownership of submerged coastal oil lands to the states. Although the almost round- the-clock speech is by far the longest continuous oration by any one individual in the history of the Senate, Sen. Morse denies that his lengthy discourse was a filibuster. Instead, he prefers to classify his performance as an attempt to drama- tize the offshore oil issue by the use of delaying tactics. Notwithshtanding the terminology, it would seem obvious that the Senator's ac- tion has not promoted speedy and unob- structed legislation. Perhaps an all-day filibuster might be tacitly condoned or at least seen as con- sistent with past actions if it had come from those who proudly laud the Senate as be- ing the greatest deliberative 'body in the world. However, when Sen. Morse, with about twenty-five other Senators calling themselves "a little band of liberals," prac- tice the same tactics of delaying legisla- tion, then one begins to wonder whether or not the entire issue of the filibuster is not just another political football to be kicked-about at times - and hugged at others. Although the Graham-Holland bill should be opposed as a grab by powerful Oi interests, it is difficult to find justi- fication for the use of the filibuster by the very same men who so vehemently oppose the regular adherents of unlimited debate. For example, no opposition to Sen. Morse's verbal marathon has been heard from Sen- ators Lehman, Humphrey, Douglas, or the host of other "liberal" representatives to the senior house of Congress. Ironically, these same men have persistently combat- ted the present Wherry closure rule, and sought to replace it with a cloture ruling that would facilitate limiting debate. In fact, all the above-mentioned Senators have long histories of opposition to the filibus- ter and to the usurpers of unlimited dis- cussion. Thus, it would appear that the use of the filibuster as a political manipulation is to be reconciled by Senators whenever they find it advantageous, and to be lambasted by the same individuals when it serves the needs of the opposition. -Eugene Abravanel Quad Exhibition A FEW NIGHTS ago a group of fraternity men gathered together in the court- yard of the East Quadrangle and began a five-minute serenade for the women of Pres- cott House. From across the yard, Prescott House's capricious quadmates, masculine gender, began to "bay and whinny" as boys will do being roused from sleep, study or po- ker games by a chorus of voices raised in song. Serenaders (members of Kappa Alpha Psi, a Negro fraternity) having been drowned out,-two apparitions clad in flowing white robes (sheets we're told) appeared in the courtyard. "All this was perfectly normal and not malicious," (so one East Quadder writes.) Shall we believe a local chapter of the Ku Klux Klan resides in the East Quad- rangle or that the whole incident, which has hurt and insulted a large segment of of the campus, was simply the overtime working of a perverted senses of humor. Such exhibitions are indeed regretable. But even more regrettable are the unconsci- ous motivations and unforgivable insensi- tivity coming from individuals who ask to be treated as adults. -Gayle Greene University Day In welcoming 1,400 high school stu- dents to campus today, the University gives the state's top flight students a chance to become better acquainted wtih one of the finest universities in the world. Unique in many ways, the University is at once small town and international. It blends a complex of studies, research, activities, culture and sports into a re- warding experience for students. Most important, the University provides a place for free study and research-it is, in most ways, a haven of free thought in a troubled nation and world. Although we are not always satisfied with speaker censorship or the progres. of student government, we still acknow- ledge the great experience that life at the University offers. And as the students spend an all too brief day on campus, we hope they will capture something of this same spirit and come to consider the University as exceptional an institution as we do. - -Harry Lunn MUSIC MATTER OF FACT By JOSEPH and STEWART ALSOP WASHINGTON - The right background " for the President's press conference on national defense is the story of what really happened at Paris. Judging by the reports now trickling back across the Atlantic, the NATO planning meeting was a fairly omi- nous rally. Some pretty big cracks had begun* to show in the walls of the house of the West. Trouble with the foundation was all too clearly indicated. But repairing foundations is always expensive and bo- thersome. Everyone wanted to avoid ef- fort and expense. So the assembled states- men slapped some plaster into the cracks. They muttered a private prayer that the foundations would last for another little while. And they issued a public statement that construction was triumphantly pro- gressing according to plans. That is about the best figurative summary of what happened. To be more specific, the first offer that Messrs. Dulles, Humphrey, Wilson and Stassen brought to Paris is now known to have spread something very close to consternation among the other NATO allies. Perhaps the British, the French and the rest have been foolish to suppose that Pre- sident Eisenhower would wish to complete the great NATO structure that he himself designed, in his former incarnation as Gen- eral Eisenhower. At any rate, they were surprised and shocked by the American dele- gation's original program. It virtually ig- nored the persistent European and British dollar gap. It almost wholly eliminated most of the supporting types of military aid. And it only provided for a reduced level of direct military aid. When the British got the news, they named Chancellor of the Exchequer R. A. Butler, chief planner, Sir Edwin Plow- den and a representative of their Chiefs of Staff to tell their story to Messrs. Dul- les, Humphrey, Wilson and Stassen. What the British said-and what the French later said-was simple enough. In effect, they would be forced to renege on their most vital NATO commitments, if the United States reneged on its past policy. Such a public failure would have been politically embarrassing for everyone, as well as affecting the Kremlin the way bad fish affects an excitable cat. Considering the circumstances, there was a surprising amount of good will around the council table-Chancellor Butler and Secretary of the Treasury Humphrey, for instance, are said to have formed a close alliance. The threatened crisis was avoided by good will, by ingenuity, and by sacrificing the Eisen- hower design for NATO. (Copyright, 1953, New York Herald Tribune Inc) LAST NIGHT'S performance of Bach's B Minor Mass, the second concert of the current May Festival, constituted to me the culmination of what is admittedly a long-standing grudge. Before I came to Ann Arbor, three years ago, I had heard about the wonderful festivals of music held here every spring. I looked forward to them with great anticipation after my matricu- lation, but the first fell far below those expectations. I had always thought that a festival of music was based upon a central theme or purpose, such as the music of one particular composer, country, period, or style. The potpourri of compositions and performers was extremely disappointing, but I passed it off as the consequence of an off- year. Regretably enough, the programming and the artists have not improved: in fact they have been inclined the other way. Apparently the University Musical Society has hit upon a formula for pleasing enough of the public every year to clear a nice profit, and their aims have ceased to be anything but pecuniary. The formula seems to be such that the second concert shall be a work for soloists, large chorus and orchestra, without any relation to the preceding or succeeding concerts except that members of the -Phil- adelphia Orchestra are used to accompany the University Choral Union. This year was no exception. Bach's B Minor Mass is always 'sure-fire' for any prospective ser- ious audience. In itself it should always be welcome to any serious audience, but last night's performance even smacked of the commercial, with enough money and effort expended to make the audience be- lieve they received their money's worth, yet with the budget trimmed to a mini- mum in order to assure a goodly return at the box office. The programs passed out to the general audience did not name the star performers of the evening: the instrumentalists. The extremely difficult flute, oboe, horn and trumpet parts were played with supreme mastery by anonymous members of the Philadelphia Orchestra, whose names were known only to those who purchased a souve- nir program. We of the rabble were also deprived of knowing who played the organ. Chorally, the opening Kyrie displayed a good sonority, and correct balance between choir and orchestra. This was seldom equalled thereafter. Some of the more difficult sections were omitted, and others paced slowly enough to allow everyone an opportunity to sing his notes. Among the soloists, Dorothy Warrensk- jold, soprano, and Kenneth Smith, bass, were the most acceptable. The contralto, Janice Moudry, was obviously miscast. Her voice was pleasing enough in the higher registers, but lack of a lower resonance forced her to resort to chest tones which were dull and colorless, especially when combined with the richness of the soprano. Harold Haugh has often sung better than last night, and even his intonation was vague at times. Stylistically, however, all the soloists seemed closer to the spirit of the music than the overall interpretation. In sum, last night's performance suffered from a lack of conviction only possible when all concerned are devoted to a common musical cause. Unfortunately, too many of us remember the overwhelming beauty of a recent performance of Bach's "St. Matthew Passion" by University and other non-pro- fessional musicians. This makes it extremely difficult to see the reason for paying money to see an inferior performance, which is also part of a "package deal" involving a large conglomeration of music-making which is, for the most part of the same calibre. Not until this problem is solved will there be a musical justification for the May Festivals at Ann Arbor. -Tom Reed Editorials printed in The Michigan Daily are written by mmbers of The Daily staff and represent the views of the writer only. This must be noted in all reprints. NIGHT EDITOR: ALICE BOGDONOFF I "We Killed 'Em In Europe, Boss" The 4z McCATZKJAMMER NtG FLN G LOW CrE~ ,- FOR 7 - AYA pLN E" N p sEPAI RZOAV - d DAILY OFFICIAL BULLETIN 4 'gS3 1'+16 .AS4A$Jd~h.J p~,s