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FOUR
THlE MICHIGAN DAILY
_I _ _ I
SL's Future-An Analysis
STUDENT GOVERNMENT on the campus,
always in a state of flux, now finds it-
self at a critical juncture. During the past
year many campus groups, particularly the
Student Legislature, have undergone a per-
iod of introspection and reflection about
their organization, functions and capability
of solving problems. This extreme soul-
searching has made organizations such as
SL vulnerable to criticism, as it has laid
open weaknesses which other campus groups
could point to with the "See, I told you
so"' attitude.
Fortunately, SL decided to do some-
thing more than merely debate its own
problems, and formed the campus organi-
zation study committee. Included in the
group's personnel are top leaders of the
larger activities. As was to be expected,
basic conflicts which have been discussed
behind the scenes for years have been
brought into full view in the committee's
deliberations.
Through the study committee, leaders of
groups sucD as the Union and Interfrater-
nity Council have had the chance to voice
their long-held contention that student
government would be more effective if or-
ganizational representatives were included
in its ranks. Pointing out that experience
is the best criteria for leadership, they have
support from both Dean Walter and Dean
Rea.
On the other side; arguing that students
definitely rejected organizational represen-
tation in 1946, SL representatives have
fought suggestions for changes in the direct
election method. For a while last fall, it
looked as though a proposal to'bring about
a "super council" government would get on
the ballot, but the movement never devel-.
oped.
SL's low morale and crisis period pass-
ed, at least temporarily, with the 47 per
cent campus vote cast last fall and the
Survey Research Report confirming that
students wanted the Legislature to con-
tinue much as it had.
To switch to organizational representa-
tion at this time might appear to be an ex-
cellent idea. From the standpoint of ex-
pediency, it is definitely a better solution,
but student government need not surrender
so easily to expediency when a basic prin-
ciple is at stake. Considering the long-range
situation, there is no proof that an organiza-
tional representation method would be of
any great benefit to students, and there is
considerable thought that it might prove
harmful. Briefly, several undesirable ef-
fects can be seen arising from such a plan:
1) A substantial number of students not
tied to the various organizations would not
oe represented.
2) Mere possession of experience and
administrative ability does not mean a
leader can express what would be regard-
ed as "student opinion." Lines of com-
munication from the leaders to their "con.
stituents" would be hard to maintain.
3) Student interests could quite often be
lost in the battle for supremacy and pres-
tige between organizations represented on
the council.
4) There probably would be little impetus
for strong anti-blas measures if IFC and
Panhellenic Association are on such a coun-
cil. Similarly the pressure for Lecture Com-
mittee action or motions on discriminatory
scholarships might be harder to achieve.
Past experience seems to indicate that
the various "service" organizations have
avoided taking any stand that might
prove at all embarassing to the adminis-
tration. These groups are more disposed
to public relations than support of pro-
gressive measures.
Thus the Legislature's independence and
courage might be sacrificed for the possi-
bility that service projects might be better
integrated and progress made in lines which
have been blocked by the autonomy com-
plex of large student groups.
* * *
PROPONENTS OF THE organizational re-
presentationplan have their best point
in the experience argument. SL has been
extremely worried over its personnel prob-
lem, although the last election did bring in
some very capable new members. The main
flaw of the experience argument, however,
is that continuity is sometimes lost in such
an arrangement and, in addition, the ex-
officio post on student government would
necessarily be a side job for the head of
any large organization.
Through its present system, SL has
achieved a certain measure of continuity,
and its officers of cabinet rank are com-
petent, but cabinet membership is more
than a full-time activities load. If or-
ganizational representation were only in-
stituted in part, this trouble would still
come up if the representatives wanted to
exercise any great influence.
Within its present framework, SL must
face several serious problems. The per-
sonnel situation is one of them. Keeping
in touch with the student body is another.
The problem of lines of communication is
being partially solved by a much-improved
Speakers' Bureau, but further effort should
be made to attract interested students to
the regular Wednesday night meeting.
Meetings themselves could be nore effective
if more time were spent on intelligent dis-
cussion and less on parliamentary wrang-
ling. More adequate prior preparation of
motions would also improve meetings, al-
though the committees generally do a fair
job of preparation.
With its constitutional structure provid-
ing great theoretical power, the Legislature
should be able to assume a more central
position in student activities.
It is not entirely the fault of SL's ner-
sonnel or structure that maximum effec-
tiveness has not been approached. Ra-
ther, much of the fault rests with other
groups and leaders who have deliberately
undercut it and with an administration
which has not always cared to take its
viewpoint too seriously. The argument
that SL is not representative can easily
be used as criticism to cover a more basic
disagreement with Legislature views.
Although a clear-cut immediate solution
for the student government dilemna seems
impossible, it would seem wiser for the
campus to continue with directly-elected
student representatives, keeping in mind a
long-range plan of having SL assume more
centralized authority over other campus ac-
tivities.
Such a conclusion presumes that the
Legislature will continually work at ful-
filling student needs and voicing common
opinion as accurately as possible. It
means that SL will seriously consider
-Dean Walter's advice to plan projects in
terms of short and long range objectives.
But even more important, this conclusion
suggests that other campus groups co-
operate more fully in realizing common
student goals and be motivated more by a
campus-wide orientation than by a self-
centered viewpoint.
Through a logical development of its
wide constitutional functions, with coop-
eration from other organizations and the
administration, the Legislature holds great
promise both for the student body and the
University community as a whole.
--Harry Lunnn
An 'Honest'
Mistake
REP. HAROLD VELDE has made an hon-
est mistake."
The Chairman of the House Un-Ameri-
can Activities Committee has finally ad-
mitted under pressure that he was wrong
in accusing Agnes E. Meyer of writing
pro-Soviet literature.
Meyer, a member of the board of direc-
tors of the National Citizens Commission
for Public -Schools, recently blasted the ac-
tivities of Velde and his committee in a
speech before the American Association of
School Administrators.
Velde quickly answered this by insinu-
ating that Meyer was "following the Com-
munist party line," and then accused her
of writing a letter to a Soviet publication.
This act in itself was marked with vin-
dictiveness.
A few hours after, the Washington Post
printed an article stating that Meyer had
demanded a retraction. Velde quickly back-
tracked and said he had "taken appropriate
disciplinary action against the employe
responsible" for supplying the misinforma-
tion.
Aside from the immediate problem of
Velde's indiscreet action, another ques-
tion is raised. The public, it would seem,
is entitled to know just how reliable are
the employees of Velde, McCarthy and
Jenner, and how reliable is the informa-
tion supplied by these employees. The
reputations and livelihood of hundreds
are at stake.
One is forced to wonder whether the
"mistake" in the case of Agnes Meyers was
the only one commuted by Velde's group,
and if not, how many other guiltless per-
sons have been smeared in a similar man-
ner.
-Mark Reader
"We Got To Stop Reckless Spending"
1
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ette, 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 380 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.
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A rchitectlure A4uditoriumn
THE GRAPES OF WRATH, Henry Fonda
and Jane Darwell.
MOVIES concerned with social criticism
can confine themselves to exposing one
particular of human misery and dying nat-
urally when a remedy arrives, or they can
be something more. The Grapes of Wrath,
social criticism in its broadest sense, has
roots deep enough in humanity so that it
will be valid and exciting until the mu-
lenium.
Its Imniediate situation is brilliantly
delineated. The exodus, in the thirties,
of small midwestern farmers from their
wind-torn wheat lands is invested with
the terror and hopelessness that the dis-
possessed, the wanderers, have under-
gone for centuries. They are hated for
their misery and exploited in their help-
lessness as they limp to the Promised
Land in California. But for all its pan-
oramic view, this picture' is much more
than a documentary.
Embodying the hope and bewilderment
of the exiles, Henry Fonda retains neverthe-
less a superb individuality. With his quiet
intensity he completely realizes his complex
role of seeker and fugitive. Jane Darwell
is equally well cast as Ma Joad. She man-
ages to be the eternal matriarch without
falling into pioneer mother cliches.
The script, and John Ford's direction,
maintain this high level. Stark, tending
usually toward a very effective under-
statement, they avoid the excesses of pity
and sentimentality that would be ruinous
to their theme. The picture is not just a
grim march of misery nor is its wit in
comic hillbilly situations. The humor
seems close to these people and the soil,
and has a peculiar dignity indigenous to
these things.
Though lacking some of Steinbeck's orig-
inal grimness and despair, the optimism
presented by this movie is not based on
phony dramatics. Instead, it seems to grow
out of the spiritual strength of a different.
but equally valid set of characters and
values.
-Bob Holloway
On Judging Others
NT MAN can justly censure or condemn
another because, indeed, no man truly
knows another. This I perceive in myself;
for I am in the dark to all the world, and
my nearest friends behold me but in a cloud.
Those that know me but superficially think
less of me than I do of myself; those of my
near acquaintance think more; God, who
truly knows me, knows that I am nothing;
for He only beholds me and all the world,
who looks not on us through a derived ray,
or a trajection of a sensible species, but be-
holds the substance without the helps of
accidents, and the forms of things as we
their operations. Further, no man can judge
another, because no man knows himself: for
we censure others but as they disagree from
that humor which we fancy laudable in our-
selves, and commend others but for that
wherein they seem to quadrate and consent
with us.
An Answer to
Demagogues
By BENJAMIN FINE
New York Times Education Editor
A WARNING THAT the Congressional committees investigating
schools and colleges threaten not only education but the demo-
cratic way of life was voiced in Atlantic City Tuesday by Mrs. Agnes
E. Meyer of Washington, a member of the board of directors of the
National Citizens Commission for Public Schools.
In a major address at the seventy-ninth annual convention of
the American Association of School Administrators, attended by
17,000 teachers, superintendents and key educators, Mrs. Meyer
scathingly denounced the activities of Senators Joseph R. Mc-
Carthy, Republican of Wisconsin, and William E. Jenner, Repub-
lican of Illinois. The address called by educators the most out-
spoken of the convention, was vigorously applauded by the dele-
gates, representing every state of the union. Spokesmen for
nation-wide school groups, such as the National Education As-
sociation and the National School Boards Association, called Mrs.
Meyer's address an "historical event" and a "rallying point" for
teachers to maintain independent schools.
Asserting that academic freedom and American democracy itself
were threatened, Mrs. Meyer lashed into Senator McCarthy, calling
him "our modern grand inquisitor." She referred to him as a "dan-
gerous and ruthless demagogue" a "political adventurer" and a "psy-
chopathic character." Before he is allowed to investigate anyone,
she said, it would be more appropriate for the Senate to investigate
him.
"His record as an investigator is shameful," Mrs. Meyer declared.
"He has accused innocent people of Communism on mere hearsay
evidence, thus traducing our American principle of law that a man
is presumed innocent until proved guilty. By such methods he has
weakened the morale of our Federal service and spread suspicion and
fear throughout the' nation. He has stirred up hatred and used ev-
ery device to destroy the confidence of Americans in each other. He
has used the technique of insinuation against innocent people and
debauched the Senate's power of investigation by introducing authori-
tarian practices that are akin to the communism which he professes
to hate."
Mrs. Meyer said that Senator McCarthy would not dare to
challenge education now if the American public had organized a
nation-wide defense of academic freedom when-previous Congres-
sional attacks began. Because of the tactics of Mr. McCarthy, Mr.
Jenner and Mr. Velde, Mrs. Meyer asserted, the morale of the
teachers had been seriously undermined.
"The American people as a whole must now realize that they are
the ones who make the climate of public opinion and that they must
come to the defense of our public schools and of our institutions of
higher learning, declared Mrs. Meyer. "For the independence of our
whole educational system will be jeopardized if Velde, Jenner and Mc-
Carthy are not stopped in their tracks before they get under full sail."
These men, she charged, are corrupting the legislative process
and debasing the Congressional power of investigation into an attack
on the very foundation of liberty itself. She urged that the press,
radio, television and church organizations take a firm stand against
the school investigations. She warned that "either the clergy of all
denominations must now unite in a protest against these latest Con-
gressional inquisitions, or they will be the next to burn at the stake."
"Wth an increased budget, McCarthy may well get out of
hand," warned Mrs. Meyer. "Are the Eisenhower Republicans go-
ing to allow this man to disgrace them at the very outset of their
Administration? If they have any political wisdom they will not
let McCarthy blacken their records by permitting him to slander
so honorable a group as our educators. But the Republican
leaders must act quickly if they wish to save their own reputa-
tions. They must recognize their enemies before it is too late.
Even now McCarthy's following is large.
"It has always been a psychological phenomenon and a perpe-
tual danger to our democracy that psychopathic characters succeed
in getting a hearing more quickly than rational, well-balanced human
beings, because it is much harder to establish truth than to sell the
public a plausible untruth. This era of confusion is especially favor-
able to the quacks, the extremists, the demagogues and their nos-
trums. McCarthy's power over great numbers of Americans, many of
whom are honest well-meaning people, illustrates the hypnotic
attraction of the lowest common demnoinator of human traits.
"This power of McCarthy should not be underestimated. He is a
dangerous, clever and ruthless demagogue. His is another Huey Long
with different tactics but with the same lust for power."
Mrs. Meyer went on to say: "The college presidents, I believe,
can stop Congressional investigations of our educational system
in all its branches if they act in unison. They should, all of them,
communicate at once with their vast alumni associations and
ask them to take measures for a counter offensive.
"In Oregon all the veteran's organizations got together and issued
a statement defending the state's public school system and rejecting
the loyalty oath for public school teachers. I don't think McCarthy
will tangle with the schools of Oregon, for he would have to take on
the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Disabled
American Veterans. You may be sure he won't do that.
"The plan is to expose any teachers who look suspicious and
may even be guilty of Communist affiliations. Then with the sup-
port of an aroused public opinion behind them, our Congressional
inquisitors will attack any or all professors whose opinions they
dislike. That will be the moment when McCarthy will move into
the bull-ring to do his stuff. As in the past, he will produce his
I professional ex-Communists such as Budenz to say that Profes-
Student Citizenship . . .
To The Editor:
THIS WEEK, readers of the
Michigan Daily and presidents
of various student organizations
became vaguely aware of a new
undertaking of the Student Legis-
lature. This project, a type of
student citizenship training pro-
gram, which will begin with a talk
on Feb. 26 by Regent A. B. Con-
nable, promises to be one of S.L.'s
finest contributions to this edu-
cational community.
It seems to me that by means
of the increasing volume of bus-
iness done by the Book Exchange
and the undertaking of an ambi-
tious and worthwhile project such
as the citizenship program, S.L.
is voicing an eloquent reply to its
various critics by rendering tan-
gible services to the students in
the University. The prospectus for
the program leads me to believe
that the project will be extremely
beneficial for all those students
who take advantage of it. Yet this
well conceived program will fail
if sufficient interest is not gener-
ated throughout the student body.
It is for this reason that I make
a plea to all those already con-
tacted and to all others who are
interested to investigate the pos-
sible benefits of this project. If
this is done, I am certain that the
program can not help but to give
substantial benefits to the partici-
pating students and consequently
be of subsequent value to the edu-
cational community as a whole.
-Roger Wilkins
J-Hop Extra .. .
To the Editor:
AM SELDOM moved to write
you a letter, out seeing that
the only one printed on your Feb.
9 Extra panned it, I should state
that some people in this place are
glad if there are still persons here
who do not take themselves so
deadly seriously that they cannot
once a year stand off a bit and
look at things from a somewhat
humorous angle. If the front page
article of Feb. 13 is a sample, we
certainly need alittle leavening
of levity around here. Our friend
complains of The Daily Extra
which everyone could see was in-
tended to be comic. Says it is in
poor taste. I didn't find it so. Due
to Robert Shaw's unfortunate im-
mediate demise it was in poor
taste by the next day, but when
written and printed it was not.
It was nice to see that altho ev-
erything here is bogging down in-
to such a morass of red tape that
the poor students feel the only im-
mediate comparable analogy is a
jail, that at least once a year the
local inmates are still allowed free
speech and can have an extra-
vaganza without penalty.
If things have corge to such a
sorry pass that we have in all in-
tents become only a jail and re-
strictions, rather than a place
where persons can be introduced
joyfully to new fields of pleasure
and enlightenment, which true
studies should be, then like the
jail birds we have only one re-
course in our darkness and that
is humor.
The Daily Extra was intended
as a joke and served its purpose,
for the Dance was meant as en-
tertainment. But when profs dent
the holes in the system rather
than its good points and say if
the total ragged fabric even exists,
therefore it is perfect, that's very
bad indeed and, in my opinion,
"poor taste" as well. It is unfor-
tunate if your Extra issue roused
no thoughts here on campus and
can be shoved aside unread by
students and faculty alike.
-Edna Mary Poe
* * *
Arab Protest .#..
To the Editor:
R ELATIVEto the cartoon in
Tuesday's issue "Moscow call
All Arabs," it is hardly appropriate,
and I must add it could have driv-
en a point home. Now I am an
LITTLE MAN ON CAMPUS
Arab. But I do not eat my salad-
dressing with Moscow's sauce. Nor
do I use Washington's rancid oili
To me both substances are dis-
tateful.
Now really, if you had pictured
three or four hundred thousands
Palestinian Arab Refugees head-
ing to Moscow and leaving Mec-
ca behind, this would be near the
truth. You can also picture Un-
cle Sam (Truman would do) on
the highest pinacle of the mos-
que viewing the procession of these
refugees driven *by hunger, pov-
erty, disease,-starvation and pes-
tilence!
Moscow salad may appeal to this
element of the Arabs, but never to
the cross section of the Arab peo-
ple. To think otherwise would sim-
ply be "mental gymnastics" and
nothing more.
First, Communism as such is
strictly anti-pode to Islamic prin-
ciples. Those principles are so in-
stilled in our tradition and cul-
ture, that a change or deviation
from these principles is impossible.
Second, the Arab values his free-
dom more than you value yours.
The scope of this freedom for the
Arab must be as the continuous
sweeps of the skies over his home-
land. And besides Islam has a' dif-
ferent value judgement. And Com-
munism seems to be abhorent and
incompatable to the Islamic ideol-
ogy.
In the light of those facts, I
consider your cartoon as the prod-
uct of a mind unentertaining-
complete - misunderstanding - ful-
ly unawar.e
Ben M. Awada
* * *
Complaint . ..
To the Editor:
IF YOU HAVE a letter box or a
complaint department, here is
one which I consider relevant.
The main study hall in the library
is closed from 5 to 7 p.m. We are
told to come back in two hours if
we wish to continue using the re-
serve books available only there.
From a public relations viewpoint,
this is a poor way to save a few
dollars.
--W. Stevens
I
Sixty-Third Year
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4
1. + MUSIC +
At Racham Auditorium
BUDAPEST STRING QUARTET
N THE LITERATURE OF music, as in all
the performance arts, there are certain
works which, through the depths of experi-
ence explored and the heights of creative ex-
pression reached, defy their life's-blood, the
performance re-creation. These works in be-
ing so challenging, haughtily mock both in-
terpreter and listener in that each succes-
sive performance discloses new secrets from
their never exhausted supply.
Theater has always claimed "Ding"
Lear" to be such a work. In music, the
last quartets of Beethoven, of which the
A minor, opus 132, was played last night
by the Budapest Quartet, are too of the
same vintage. For the reasons declaimed
above, a perfect performance of such a
work is an impossibility. But what the
Budapest played last night was about as
faithful and understanding a performance
of the A minor that this critic has heard.
what a rich quartet sound should be; the
trio of the second movement was an immac-
ulate portrayal of quartet balance.
Interpretively they fared almost as well.
However, in giving a little too much to the
lyric side of the work, they neglected the
climactic. Each climax reached seemed one
of emotional intensity with not enough loud-
ness. In the first movement, just before the
end, occurs a very important climax. I felt
it as such, but didn't quite hear it. But I can
find no such complaint in the third move-
ment, a movement to which emotional great-
ness is testified by the fact that Beethoven
had to surround it with two lighter move-
ments. And the Budapest did an excellent
job in bringing out its meaning.
The program also inlcuded the Men-
delssohn E flat quartet, and the eighth
quartet of Quincy Porter, a work commis-
sioned by the University. The Mendelssohn
was on the dull side. A youthful work of
the composer, it contains, in the second
and fourth movements, passages that are
reminiscent of his "Midsummer Night's
Dream" music. But it lacked the unity of
material and variation of tempi which
could have made it successful. It could
have used a fast movement that was con-
r
by Dick Bibler
rTHER
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-1
1' ".~7 '
By the time Beethoven wrote this work, he
had changed the string quartet form com-
pletely. In his earlier works his problem was
i