WEDJNESDAY, OCTfOBERi 15, 1952 THE MICHIGAN DAILY JL J-JLu .T~i1 '*A J L \J -1. 'I a~s4 f L A4 J The Lecture Committee 4 "Let Us Know When You Want To Talk To US" A New Approach? Il EVENING the Student Legislature will consider the problem of the Lecture Committee. The discussion which will take place and SL's ultimate course of action will have import far beyond the significance of this one extremely vital problem, for the Legislature's treatment of the Committee will set a pattern for success or failure in other issues throughout the year. In the past, SL has taken vigorous stands on several campus issues. They have been successful in opening the li- brary for extended hours and in bringing about adoption of the Thanksgiving Holi- day. Both these victories came last fall, a time when the Legislature seemed at the height of its power. Although President Ruthven vetoed the time limit anti-bias clause plan the previous spring, members were confident that the -twin victory at the beginning of the fall semester was a hopeful sign of success in further projects. Their hopes were discour- aged by President Hatcher's veto of a mo- derate bias clause plan last spring and by an Administration veto of additional funds for the Legislature. Toward the end of the spring semester SL adopted a motion relative to the Lecture Committee which was supposed to be sent to one of the first Regents' meetings this fall. Previously, in the spring all-campus election, a student referendum on the Lec- ture Committee had shown that the student body favored abolition of the powerful board which controls speakers in University build- ings. Though the referendum was certainly encouraging, it provided no easy solu- tion to the problem of how to remove the Lecture Committee or alleviate its more objectionable pressures on student opinion and thought. SL members had to figure out a plan which would be consistent with student opinion as expressed in the refer- endum and would still have a chance of passage by the Regents. Reconciling these factors has proved to be practically im- possible. The SL plan as finally adopted provides that: 1-Campus organizations, fully recognized by the Student Affairs Committee, be free to sponsor speakers of their choice, and that rooms be assigned to speakers on an equal basis with no political or other dis- crimination. 2-Each group before sponsoring such speeches must inform the Lecture Com- mittee of the proposed talk and submit a signed statement that the speaker will not advocate violent overthrow of the government and that the meeting will be peaceful and orderly. 3-If the speakers does advocate violent overthrow of the government or the meeting becomes disorderly or riotous, the sponsoring group will have a Joint Judiciary hearing with the Joint Judiciary Council recom- mending action to the University Sub-com- Inittee on Discipline. 4-The Lecture Committee will be em- powered to enforce this procedure. THIS PROPOSED system would eliminate "bannings" of speakers because of alleged subversive background or doubtful political affiliations. It would place res- ponsibility for unlawful remarks with the sponsoring organization. In addition, SL members passed a sub- sidiary motion directing that a brief of the Lecture Committee situation be drawn up and that student, faculty and alumni groups should be approached to gain sup- port for the motion in order to present a more impressive case to the Regents. A small victory was gained late last spring when two students from SL were invited to sit on the Committee with speaking, but not voting, rights. This was the situation when SL recon- vened this fall. Little or no work had been done in approaching various groups for sup- port at the end of last term, but plans were initiated to get the project under way im- mediately this fall. Tomorrow is the deadline for submitting material for the Regents' October meeting. A brief on the SL motion will be turned in before the deadline and plans are being made to secure written support from stu- dent groups to be added to the initial report before the October meeting. To date, no campus organization has had a chance to consider the SL proposal al- though each group will have an opportunity .* . . to vote on the question within the next few days when notices arrive from SL. Certainly every student organization should give the motion favorable support, but the results cannot be forecast, and there will be little time for long consideration of the problem by individual groups. They must act immediately to give their support to SL. Nevertheless, there is serious question whether the Regents would favorably con- sider the SL recommendation, even if it were backed by substantial segments of the cam- pus. The chances for passage seem extreme- ly poor. On any such question as this the Regents must carefully consider the publi- city which would be attendant to relaxation of University regulations in this regard. Sub- version is a touchy issue to deal with at a time when the public is often sacrificing good sense for mild hysteria. ** * THE SL PROPOSAL would damage the present powers of the Lecture Commit- tee which have obviously been construed to eliminate all sources of possible bad public relations due to the appearance of alleged Reds on campus. Theoretically and ideally, any speaker should not be subjected to scru- tiny by a vigilante group such as the Lecture Committee. Unfortunately, idealism may not seem the solution to this problem. A more prac- tical course aimed at tempering arbitrary committee judgments might be far'more beneficial both immediately and in the long run, than would a series of drastic reforms which would probably receive in- stant disapproval from the Regents. Such a course might be a plan whereby a number of voting students were added to the Lecture Committee, thus bringing stu- dent opinion onto a level where it could be most effective. A plan such as this would have far more success in gaining approval of the Regents than would the more idealis- tic proposals. SL's action on this issue will have sig- nificance beyond this immediate problem. Continued rejection of SL plans by Ad- ministration and Regents will immeasur- ably weaken the organization, perhaps to an extent where it will become totally use- less as an effective medium of student opinion. As such, it would seem that SL should reconsider the action of last spring in light of the potentialities for the mo- tion's passage. If the members find that the plan has no hope for ratification, they must decide on other action. Members should realize that it would be unwise to stand up and take another serious beating. They must also see that a more moderate plan, if successful, will give the Legislature a necessary shot in the arm and result in further opportunity to have simi- larly constructive proposals considered in a better light by the University. Lastly, SL members must realize that such a plan as has been suggested is not entirely the retreat from principle it might seem. Instead, the plan offers a method of drawing closer to the ultimate goal shared by most students on campus-it possibly holds a better im- mediate solution than a score of drastic re- form measures of the'type consistently dis- regarded by the University. -Harry Lunn 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: HARRY LUNN "ETHICS IS essentially a product of the gregarious instinct, of the instinct to cooperate with those who are to form our own group against those who belong to other groups. Those who belong to our group are good; those who belong to hostile groups are wicked. The ends which are pursued by our own group are desirable ends, the ends pur- sued by hostile groups are nefarious. The gregarious animal feels that the general principles of justice are on the side of its own herd. When the animal has arrived at the dignity of the meta-physcian, it invents ethics as the embodiment of its belief in the justice of its own herd. Ethics is in origin the art of recommending to others the sac- rifices required for cooperation with oneself. -Bertrand Russell "EVERY STOIC was a Stoic; but in Chris- tendom where is the Christian?" -Emerson . . . . The 'Boot-'em-Out' Approach ONE OF THE most confusing aspects of University policy is The Lecture Com- mittee, a paternalistic body which, since its creation in 1937; has evolved a series of regulations which have violated ideals of academic freedom on campus. In 1949, the Lecture Committee was em- powered by the Board of Regents to ap- prove proposed speakers and make sure the speeches were "designed to serve the educational interests of the academic com- munity rather than the political interests of one party or candidate." With this as a starting point, the Com- mittee proceeded to register its history in University annals. In 1949, James Zarichney, a Michigan State College student and an admitted CP member who was refused readmission at MSC was banned. Reason: his speech would have irritated MSC officials and served no educational purpose. Refused permission along with Zarichney was Ernest Goodman, 1948 Progressive Party candidate for State Attorney General. A year later, ex-University of Washing- ton Prof. Herbert J. Phillips was also de- nied speaking privileges when he wanted to give a lecture on communism. As a re- sult of the banning, an off-campus debate was held between Phillips and Prof. Pres- ton W. Slosson of the history department with student interest in the case being demonstrated when two thousand students gathered to listen. Last semester there were four such cases in rapid succession. Arthur McPhaul, executive Secretary of the Civil Rights Congress, Abner Greene of the American Committee for the Protection of the Foreign Born, William Hood of Ford Local 600 and Mrs. Ann Shore, also of the CRC, were all banned from speaking after they had been invited to speak by recog- nized campus groups. Each banning had violent repercussions ranging from off-campus appearances and private dinners to University investigations similar to those conducted by the House Un-American Activities Committee and placing of five students on probation. As a result of policy decisions during the past few years, the Committee's criteria for passing on a speaker seem to be as follows: No one who is a member of the Com- munist party, or an organization that the Attorney General has listed as "subver- sive," or has the "general reputation" of being associated with Communism may speak on campus. In the Shore wase the Committee came up with a rather paradoxical decision. Leb- ron Simmons, a Detroit Democrat was given permission to debate the topic of U.S. geno- cide against the'Negro people, indicating that the Committee felt it was all right for a "non-suversive" to advance a "subversive,, idea. But a "subversive" (Mrs. Shore) was not acceptable to advance the same "sub- versive" idea. In last semester's all-campus elections, student indignation against the Committee reached a high pitch when a clear majority voted 'yes' to an SL referendum question "do you oppose the empowering of the Lecture Committee to restrict any recognized cam- pus organization in its choice of political speakers or subjects?" Meanwhile, the Young Republicans, Young Democrats, Young Progressives, Students for Democratic Action, and the Civil Liberties Committee joined in protest against the Committee.. At the end of last semester, the faculty of the literary college also voiced dis- approval of the Committee's actions. The faculty objected primarily on principle. In the face of continued agitation from student and faculty circles, it may be hoped that the Lecture Committee finally suffers a quiet demise. Such organizations have no place at an institution dedicated to foster democratic principles. -Jerry Helman MATTER OF FACT: 'The Terrible Day By JOSEPH ALSOP WITH THE EISENHOWER PARTY-It r, says a lot that the members of Gen. Eisenhower's personal staff commonly refer to his visit to Wisconsin as the "Terrible Day." The background of the "Terrible Day," which is still not understood, in turn explains a lot of things that are troubling a lot of people. When Eisenhower and his staff were planning the invasion of Wisconsin, the main question confronting them was of course the question of Sen. Joseph Mc- Carthy. Eisenhower thought he had al- ready handled the McCarthy problem ade- quately. He personally wanted even less to do with McCarthy than with the other traducer of Gen. George C. Marshall, Sen. William Jenner of Indiana. For reasons of principle as well as of politics, the General's staff held the same view. They thought the General could not avoid appearing with McCarthy on the plat- form at the big meeting in Milwaukee. But they planned not to invite McCarthy to travel through Wisconsin on Eisenhower's train. And in order to emphasize the Gen- eral's stand, Eisenhower and his staff in- cluded high praise of McCarthy's victim, Gen. Marshall, in their first draft of the f cx%. t r^ n f S LE, etteP4 TO THE EDITOR. The Daily welcomes comriiunications 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 DREW PEARSON SAYS: U-M Rent Control Survey Has GOP, DemsWondering ON THE WAY TO ANN ARBOR-It looks as if the Republicans have paved the way for removing rent controls at exactly the wrong time. Thousands of people got notices of increased rents last week in Des Moines, Kansys City, Toledo, Atlanta, Akron, Nashville, Seattle, New Orleans, and Reading, Pa. Meanwhile the University of Michigan has completed a sur- vey showing that rent control was a paramount issue in deciding the 1948 election-a fact that has strategists in both parties won- dering if it may happen again. Unfortunately for the Republicans, the issue was clearly drawn in hundreds of cities, with the GOP against and the Democrats for extending controls on a local basis. Almost without exception, rents shot up immediately after controls were abolished by city councils. In Detroit, for instance, the Detroit News reported that rent in- creases ranging up to 140 per cent followed a 5-to-4 vote by the city council to end controls. As a result, rent control-as in 1948-has become the No. 1 election issue with thousands of voters in Detroit and other cities. Referring to the 1948 election, the University of Michigan report states: "More significant than any party differences in attitude toward rent control is the fact that almost three-quarters of the people favored it, and only one person in eight was actually opposed to it. On this issue, therefore, many voters crossed party lines." * * * * - BIG JOHN -- WAGE STABILIZATION Chairman Archibald Cox was plenty miffed when John L. Lewis announced that his miners wouldt strike unless the wage board approved by today his 24-cents-an-hour wage boost agreement with the coal operators. But what burned Cox even more was Lewis's refusal to attend a wage board meeting to discuss the proposed pay boost. Big John's disdain for constituted government authority is well known. But his tent-sulking on this occasion set a new record. Immediately after Lewis's agreement with the operators, Harry Moses and Joseph Moody, spokesmen for the mine owners, suggested that both sides get a stipulation from the Wage Stabilization Board that the wage boost would not go into effect until the WSB approved it. This is provided by law. "Certainly not," replied the beetle-browed miner boss, adding something to the effect that the contract should go into effect im- mediately without any meddling by Government bureaucrats. "But it's illegal to enter into a conclusive contract without the approval of the wage board,".declared Moody. Lewis shrugged his shoulders. When later he was invited to the wage board discussion, he shrugged them again. Finally presidential assistant John R. Steelman persuaded Big John to send his legal counsel, Welly Hopkins, to the meeting. But Hopkins blandly refused to discuss the wage agreement; also ducked questions as to whether Lewis would carry out his strike ultimatum. "I am not an officer of the United Mine Workers and therefore not in a position to speak with authority," declared Hopkins loftily. "Well, I don't like it when somebody puts a gun to my head and tells me to rush a decision on a matter vital to our economy, or face a strike," shot back Cox. "I also do not like having a wage agreement like this shoved at me, when both labor and in- dustry know that it is a violation of the defense act to make such a conclusive agreement without our approval." Cox said that 13 cents of the proposed 24-cents-an-hour pay boost was "allowable" under wage board regulations, but added he would have to be shown some "real evidence" before he would approve the remaining 11 cents. (Copyright, 1952, by the Bell Syndicate) editors. L.Y.L. Protest ...1 To the Editor: THE LABOR Youth League be-1 lieves that the banning of speakers in Ann Arbor is becoming a bad habit, a very bad habit. Paul Robeson, scheduled to speak for the Progressive Party on October 19th at the Masonic Tem- ple, has been denied the right to express his thoughts to us. Why can't we hear Paul Robe-1 son in Ann Arbor? All speakers outrightly advocat- ing an immediate cease fire in Ko- rea, with negotiation of prisoner exchange afterwards, are having a rough time today. Eisenhower says: "I do not have any prescription for bringing thef thing (Korean war) to a decisive end." So he can speak anywhere without question. Stevenson says: "There is, of course, no tidy solution to the Ko- rean war. . ." He too can there- fore speak anywhere.' But when Robeson and the Pro- gressive Party say: give us an im- mediate cease fire in the Korean war-their message is hushed up! The Board of Masons who re- fuse to let Robeson speak at the1 Masonic Temple have joined those, narrow-minded people in this country who consider the simple desire for peace un-American. Well, suppose Robeson was ban- ned by the Masons, and we still1 had freedom of speech on the campus? Then he could speak here. But the Lecture Committee Banning System denies us this, possibility ! The Labor Youth League be- lieves that the banning of speak- ers who advocate an end to the, useless war in Korea is not in the interests of the University of Mi- chigan students. The blame for the nationwide attacks on free speech, both on the campus and off, lies with that small clique of industrialists whose7 profits have skyrocketed as a re- sult of the war. When peace pros- pects rise, the stock market drops. The L.Y.L. demands:I That the Masons reverse their stand and permit Robeson to speak; That the University set aside its antiquated Lecture Committee and rent Hill Auditorium to the Pro- gressive Party, or any other group, so that every political party may enjoy the right of presenting its own speakers to the American peo- ple. -For the Labor Youth League: Ethel Schechtman, Bob Schor, Mike Sharpe, Steve Smale Lecture Committee ... To the Editor: TONIGHT THE Student Legisla- ture will hear a "report" con- concerning action to put the Lee- ture Committee motion before the Regents in the best possible man- ner. It is to be hoped that the white- wash of U.S.N.S.A. which took place last week, will not be dupli- cated in the discussion of Lecture Committee revision activities. Not only did the Summer Legis- lature do nothing to gain faculty support; it did not utilize the many non-SL students who were enough aroused to do helpful re- search, to write a brief from which SL could work. The regular Stu- dent Legislature meetings this fall have given little indication of ser- ious thinking and work being done for fulfillment of revision propos- als. but to work for results with a vigor in direct relation to the strength with which the result is desired by the student body. -Leah Marks * * * Revelli's Defense.,. To the Editor:° TIERE SEEMS to be a great deal of resentment towards ac- quisition of a certain twirler's ba- ton at the Indiana game half-time show. Students are saying that Professor William D. Revelli had no business removing the baton. The explicit reason is quite sim- ple: the girl, in her excitement, had just hit another twirler on the head with her baton. This reason, evidently, was not good enough for the Michigan cheering section. They felt that the act called for a good deal of booing. Actually, it would have been more appropriate, had Dr. Revelli turned around and booed the Michigan students for the lack of under- standing, and their over-all ob- noxious behavior. The background of the incident, as seen from right on the field, is this: A few 'culture-minded' gen- tlemen in the front rows noticed the particular girl prancing out at the start of the half-time show. They started applauding her feat of throwing the baton into the air mnd catching it. The applause was intended only partly in apprecia- tion; actually, many meant it as a means of making the girl very conscious of the audience. It was only natural for more and more students to participate in the ap- plause and yelling. Now the question arises: was it fair for young high school musi- cians to come from as far as two- hundred miles only to have no at- tention whatsoever paid to them? Admittedly, the girl was an excel- lent twirler, but on authority of our own twirlers she was not the best there-even on our side of the mass band. So, when Dr. Revelli took the ba- ton, implying the sense of injus- tice to the other 6,178 performers, the "Michigan Students" objected (quite vociferously). They had - found a girl who had now become the slave of this yell- The blame lies not with Dr. Re- velli, and certainly not with the twirler, but with blind sheep that go about following wolves. -J. Bilik DAILY OFFICIAL BULLETIN 1' r. CuRETMVE Red 'Freedom' "IN AMERICA, if you are a geneticist, you may hold whatever view of Mendelism the evidence makes you regard as the most probable; in Russia, if you are a geneticist who dis- agrees with Lysenko, you are liable to disappear mysterious- ly. In America, you may write a book debunking Lincoln if you feel so disposed; in Russia, if you write a book debunking Lenin, it would not be publish- ed and 'you would be liquidated. If you are an American econ- omist, you may hold, or not hold, that America is heading for a slump; in Russia, no eco- nomist dare question that an American slump is imminent. In America, if you are a profes- sor of philosophy, you may be an idealist, a materialist, a pragmatist, a logical positivist, or whatever else may take your fancy; at congresses you can argue with men whose opin- ions differ from yours, and lis- teners can form a judgment as to who has the best of it. In Russia, you must be a dialec- (Continued from Page 2) Generation Fiction Staff will meet in room 3N of the Union at 7:30. There are five stories to be read before the meet- ing. Hillel Drama Group. Organizational meeting at 4 p.m. at the Hillel Building. Everyone is welcome. Wesley Foundation. Matin Worship Service, 7:30-7:50 a.m. Mid-Week Re- fresher, 4:00-5:30 p.m. Relax after classes with friends in wesley Lounge. Re- freshments. Generation Art Staff will meet at 5:00, first floor of the Architecture Building. Staff members and those who are inter- ested please be there. Congregational Disciples Student Guild. Mid-Week Meditation, 5:05 to 5:35, Douglas Chapel, Congregational Church. Supper discussion at Guild House, 5:45 to 7:15. First two chapters of Overstreet's Mature Mind will again be discussed. Those not able to eat with us should arrive at 6:30 for the discus- sion. Coming Events Young Republicans. There will be a general meeting Thurs., 8 p.m., in the Union. New members are invited. Stu- dents do not have to be 21, or from Michigan, or politicians, to join. Any kind of student Republican is welcome. Anyone is welcome to come around and look us over. La P'tite Causette will meet from 3:30 to 5 p.m. tomorrow in the North Cafe- teria of the Michigan Union. U. of M. Chapter of the American society for Public Administration will hold its first social seminar Thurs., Oct. 16, 7:30 p.m., West Conference Room, Rackham Building. Mr. Marvin Tableman, Administrative Assistant to Gov. G. Mennen Williams, will speak on "The Staffing and Operation of the Governor's Office in Michigan." All stu- dents of public administration and po- litical science and their friends are in- vited. Young Democrats will meet Thurs., Oct. 16. at 8:00 p.m. in Room 3 M-N "of the Union. Recent findings of cam- paign polls and the issues they pose will be discussed. All those interested are cordially invited. International Center Weekly Tea for foreign students and American friends, Thurs., Oct. 16, 4-6 p.m. Union Opera Tryouts for the all-male musical comedy, which will tour the Midwest during Dec., will be held Wed. from 3 to 5 and from 7 to 9 and Thurs. from 3 to 5 in Room 3-G, Michigan Union. All positions are open. Anyone Interested, especially ones with singing U. of M. Sailing Club will hold its weekly meeting Thurs., Oct. 16, in 311 West Engineering, at 7:30. Those who want rides out to the lake Wed., Oct. 15 should meet at the side door of the, Union at 12:45 and at 2:00. Shore school will also be held Aursday. The students for Stevenson Club will meet at 8 p.m. tomorrow 14 Room 3K of the Union. International Relations Club. The meeting scheduled for Thurs., Oct. 16, has been postponed. There will not be a meeting this week. Watch for the an. nouncement of the next meeting in these columns. Michigan Crib, pre-law society, will meet on Thurs., Oct. 16, at 8:00 p.m., in the Hussey Room of the Michigan League. All members and interested people are urged to attend. ,Jn Atr~min Bat Sixty-Third Year Edited and managed by students of the University of Michigan under the authority of the Board in Control of Student Publications. Editorial Staf Crawford Young.....Managing Editor Cal Samra........... Editorial Director Zander Hollander... Feature Editor Sid Klaus........Associate City Editor Harland Britz........Associate Editor Donna Hendleman.....Associate Editor Ed Whipple...... ......Sports Editor John Jenks....Associate Sports Editor Dick Sewell..Associate Sports Editor Lorraine Butler........ Women's Editor Mary Jane Mills, Assoc. Women's Editor Business Staff Al Green..............Business Manager Milt Goetz.......Advertising Manager Diane Johnston...Assoc. Business Mgr. Judy Loehnberg..Finance Manager Tom Treeger.......Circulation Manager Telephone 23-24-1 I At The Orpheum... (EDITOR'S NOTE: The following review ap- peared last spring when "Quo Vadis" made its debut at a local theater. It is reprinted here.) QUO VADIS, with Robert Taylor and Deborah Kerr. FOR SHEER SPECTACLE there will prob- ably never be anything to surpass these a clown of the emperor Nero, apparently what the story called for; Leo Genn is a convincing Petronius, adviser to the em- peror. Beyond that there isn't much to be said for the innumerable Romans, slaves, hostages, lions, et al. Since the story is about the martyrdom and glory of the early Christians, it doesn't seem right that they should be treated with -LL4J- vn+i,.a. -n +viv vi.ar