PAGE FOUR
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 7.1954
TTTF DAXY. "A. %.AUnTL" ':TZ ,&.7-
0
The City Editor's
SCRATCH PAD
By DOROTHY H. MYERS
Daily City Editor
DOPTION of Student Government Council
in elections this week would be the death
blow to meaningful student government at the
University.
The support of the University administra-
tion and SGC's own structure clearly indi-
cate it was not intended to be, and cannot
be, a strong student government.
For some time it has been clear that the
administration generally, and President Hatch-
er particularly, is opposed to criticism from
any source-whether it be students, faculty
members or 'outsiders.' Recently, at IFC and
IHC meetings, President Hatcher specifically
indicated his favor of those organizations who
do not try to get anything out of the admin-
istration or periodically criticize it. His senti-
ments of strong disfavor to those who dare
criticize him have been equally evident at both
the student and faculty level recently.
Apparently it does not matter to the ad-
ministration that criticism, and the thinking
behind it, is one avenue of liberal education,
and that the voice of the students should be
heard, even when it is a complaining one.
What is also not evident to those who have
chastized student criticism is that the stu-
dents and the administration do have a basic
conflict of interests. Both want to make the
important decisions as to what many Uni-
versity policies should be-whether it con-
cerns driving bans, Thanksgiving week-ends,
library hours or political speakers. If this
fundamental conflict is clouded by pure har-
mony, it would inevitably mean that one group
has "given up" in its struggle to help make
the decisions.
So it is with the apparent hope of elim-
inating any chance of strong criticism, that
the administration has planned the Student
Government Council.
M EMBERSHIP in SGC is nearly a balance
between elected and- ex-officio members.
Seven members will represent the big power
blocs on campus (who seldom oppose the ad-
ministration); ten will vote as campus rep-
resentatives (the eleventh elected member will
be chairman, without a vote except to break
ties.)
Electing 11 people to represent nearly 20,000
students is bound to eliminate nearly all mi-
nority opinion. In subsequent semesters, when
only six members will be elected and each
member will "represent" more than 3,000
students, the slight change of minority rep-
resentation is even further weakened.
For in reducing the number of elected mem-
bers, both ends of the political spectrum which
can be elected to SGC are chopped off-
leaving middle-of.the-road believers in status
quo to represent all students. The originality
which inevitably comes from both the right
and the left, nationally as well as locally,
will leave SGC considering only the most ob-
vioUs non-provocative tasks, and concluding
with the most meaningless solutions to mean-
ingless problems.
STUDENT Legislature's history, it has
been a vociferous minority which has con-
tributed most to student government and to
the campus. This minority has dared to criti-
cize the administration, the townspeople and
the student body. It has harangued and argued
with the administration until it has secured
opening the General Library on Sundays, a
four-day Thanksgiving Holiday, removal of
potentially discriminatory questions from Uni-
versity admission blanks, ridding the Univer-
sity of its former ban against all political speak-
ers, and prevention of new groups with dis-
criminatory clauses from coming on campus.
This minority has also persuaded the more
conservative members of SL into making a
genuine study of discrimination in fraternities,
barber shops, restaurants, and alleged Union
dining room policies-with some successful re-
sults.
Many of these policies originated by SL's
minority, and adopted by its majority, have
opposed and embarrassed the University ad-
ministration. So now the minority is to be
silenced, in the "panacea" called SGC.
And it would not be surprising if, with criti-
cism from student government silenced, the
administration then attempted to quiet or
silence other areas and organizations which
can oppose and criticize it publicly.
Even the representation of the seven major
power-bloc organizations on SGC is an in-
surance against criticism. For the seven major
organizations have an interest which differs
from that of the campus-at-large. Each of
them is interested in gaining more organiza-
tional power, or at least in preserving the
status quo. None of the members of this ex-
officio group have given any indication they
will relinquish any part of their own power
to the new organization. And it is not at all
unlikely that the principle of "I-won't-say-
anything - about - your - organization - if - you-
won't-say-anything-about-mine" will dominate
the potentially-important SGC discussions,
making more anti-bias bills or investigations
of possible Union discrimination unlikely.
Even if the major organizations were not
basically conservative, there is no reason why
they should sit on the student government at
all. They were not elected by anyone, and do
not represent anyone but themselves and their
organizations which are a minute part of the
entire campus. Their so-called "prestige"
would be more likely to be detrimental than
helpful to students who would honestly like
to arrive at an opinion representing general
campus sentiments. The function of a student
"representative" and a student "expert" are
fundamentally different, and there seems little
need to mix them up in fairly equal propor-
tions and call it student government.
One excuse which those favorable to SGC
have is that the body, within two years' time,
will enlarge itself to a more representative
group. That the group ever would enlarge it-
self is highly doubtful-a person who was one-
eighteenth in control of SGC would hardly
be inclined to become only one-twenty-fifth,
one-fortieth, or one-fiftieth in command of it.
And even if members of SGC should ever de-
cide the group needs to be bigger, it seems
doubtful that the administration would ap-
prove such a change (for with official admin-
istration recognition of SGC, any constitu-
tional changes would also have to be sub-
mitted for administration approval). The ad-
ministration desired a near balance between
the two forces, and it is unlikely. they would
risk enlargement of the popular portion of
the Council.
The minute size of the Council, however,
would not mean SGC would collapse under the
burden of work currently handled by SL, it
would merely mean SGC could never undertake
such a volume of work.
But should all those blocs to student power
fail, the administration has one last chance--
the Review Board. Now, as it has been out-
lined in the Council's plan, the Review Board
could only negate an SGC action when it
"does not come within the scope of SGC." But
it doesn't take more than a cursory glance at
history to see that this was the idea of the
Supreme Court too, and that judging the
"constitutionality" of an issue inevitably be-
comes judging the "advisability" of an issue
no matter how competent Review Board, or
Supreme Court, members might be.
Thus if SGC ever wanted to pass an anti-
bias bill, the Review Board might well decide
such a measure was unadvisable or "outside
the scope" of SGC. Although this would be an
entirely probable step, it shows the possibility
of great differences in power between SGC and
the present Student Affairs Committee which
has the definite and established power to con-
sider such bills. Yet SGC is being "sold" to
students as a stronger student government,
with a combination of both SL and SAC
powers.
GIVEN the current disintegrative state of SL,
it is obvious that a stronger student gov-
ernment is currently needed. But it is equally
obvious that SGC is not stronger student
government and that the administration ap-
parently does not wish students to have a
stronger student government at this time, but
rather a weaker one.
Because of these reasons, it would seem best
to defeat SGC in tomorrow's and Thursday's
elections and begin new plans' formulated and
discussed by student representatives, for
strengthening Student Legislature. Only by in-
sisting upon representative student govern-
ment can a student government's most im-
portant function-representing student opin-
ion-be accomplished. And only by insisting
upon representative student government can
student government be strong.
DREW PEARSON:
Elephant
Doesn't
Forget
WASHINGTON - The public's
memory is short. But a states-
man's memory must be long. And
during the McCarthy debate the
President, Mr. Nixon, and others
must have experienced some in-
teresting flashbacks as to what
happened with some of the same
principals in the McCarthy debate
only a short time ago.
Last 0 c t o b e r, Sen. William
Knowland of California, Eisenhow-
er's so-called Republican leader,
attending the funeral of Sen. Pat
McCarran in Nevada, conferred
with Jenner of Indiana, Welker of
Idaho, o t h e r s of McCarthy's
stanchest friends. Together t h e y
planned the fight to block his cen-
sure. After the funeral they came
away dead certain Bill Knowland
would vote with them. They were
not disappointed.
Flashback No. 1 -Meanwhile
Senator Knowland said nothing. He
said nothing until last week when
he rose to announce he would vote
for McCarthy. Knowland is heavy-
built, slow-moving. His speech can
be ponderous, deliberate. "After
great searching of my conscience,
and mindful of the responsibilities
I feel heavily from sitting in this
chair," he said, "I shall not vote
for the censure resolution. . . .The
decision was not an easy one...
I arrived at it only last night."
McCarthy supporters smiled. The
speech was no news to them.
Flashback No. 2 - It was Sep-
tember 1952. Tom Dewey, the man
who got Eisenhower nominated.
and was then his closest adviser,
came to see him. He knew Ike
was leaving for Milwaukee, where
he must either be nice to Joe
McCarthy or be tough with him.
Dewey spent two hours with Ei-
senhower urging him to be tough.
"You will have to face this issue
sooner or later," he said in brief,
"and you might just as well face
it now. I ducked on the issue of
Curley Brooks (Chicago Tribune
candidate for senator) when I cam-
paigned in.Illinoismand it cost me
votes. You can't compromise with
the McCarthy wing of the party."
Eisenhower followed his advice,
inserted two paragraphs in h i s
Milwaukee speech defending his
old friend, Gen. George Marshall,
indirectly c r i t i c i z i n g McCar-
thy. One day later, GOP stalwarts
Arthur Summerfield, Ferguson of
Michigan, Hickenlooper of Iowa,
with Tom Coleman of Wisconsin,
flew to Ike's train, urged him to
revise his speech. McCarthy him-
self did the final persuading when
smuggled up the service elevator
of the Pere Marquette Hotel in
Peoria. Ike yielded. He smiled on
McCarthy in Wisconsin. McCarthy
was re-elected.
Flashback No. 3 - Eisenhower
was on the stage at a political
rally in Indianapolis. Senator Jen-
ner of Indiana sat beside him. Ike
was obviously unhappy. Jenner
had called George Marshall, the
man who promoted Ike from lieu-
tenant colonel to lieutenant gen-
eral in one year, a "front man for
traitors" and "a living lie." But
the candidate for president had
been told to endorse all GOP can-
didates. He couldn't discriminate.
It was part of politics.
So ae posed before the cameras
while Jenner, gloating in the lime-
light, held up his hand like a
champ boxer bowing to the crowd.
Last week, the same Senator
Jenner strode up and down the
aisle of the Senate Chamber. This
time he held both hands clenched
over his h e a d. This time he
laughed hysterically. "Poor old
Zwicker," he chortled, "he doeg
not count. He is out the window.
Zwicker is out and now you want
to fight communism.,,
Copyright, 1954,
By The Bell Syndicate, Inc.)
Sixty-Fifth Year
Edited and managed by students of
the University of Michigan under the
authority of the Board in Control of
Student Publications,
Editorial Staff
Eugene Hartwig ......Managing Editor
Dorothy Myers..............City Editor
Jon Sobeloff ........Editorial Director
Pat Roelofs ......Associate City Editor
Becky Conrad.........Associate Editor
Nan Swinehart .......Associate Editor
Dave Livingston .....,. . ..Sports Editor
Hanley Gurwin ....Assoc. Sports Editor
warren Wertheimer
........Associate Sports Editor
Roz Shlimovitz.... .... Women's Editor
Joy Squires .Associate Women's Editor
Janet Smith .Associate Women's Editor
Dean Morton ......Chief Photographer
Business Staff
Lois Pollak ........Business Manager
Phil Brunskill, Assoc. Business Manager
Bill Wise.........Advertising Manager
Mary Jean Monkoski Finance Manager
SL Questionnaire .. .
To the Editor:
IT SEEMS The Daily Sunday
"flubbed" in reprinting my
platform statement, so that part
of the answer to question six was
put in as the answer to questions
one and two, and the answers to
questions one, two, and five were
entirely omitted.
I would like to correct the state-
ment at this time.
1. In answer to the first ques-
tion about whether you favor the
district system of representation
-I would say that since a commit-
tee that has been meeting for over
a year now to work on this system
has still not been able to come up
with any satisfactory plan for its
implementation, it would seem
that the idea is neither desirable
nor practical.
2. My answer to question two-
"do you believe the Student Legis-
lature should take stands on dis-
crimination in private housing and
organizations?" was an emphatic
"yes: '
3. By some strange accident the
answer to the third question, "are
you in favor of campus political
parties?" was printed correctly
and numbered "3." It was essential-
ly "yes," since political parties
would encourage the election of
candidates on the basis of issues
rather than personality.
4. "Do you believe SL should
take stands on issues affecting the
student body only indirectly? (i.e.
severance pay, faculty suspensions,
etc.)" My answer was "If there is
a great deal of student opinion on
such issues then any student legis-
lature worthy of the name has
the duty to take a stand on them.
5. In answer to "Should SL car-
ry on service projects like the
Book Exchange, Cinema Guild,
etc.", I said "yes."
6. "Do you favor the proposed
Student Government Council plan
for student government?" My ans-
wer was essentially 'yes' because
the SGC would have greater power
and also official recognition of the
Regents. However, the plan has
two serious defects that I would
like to see chlanged once it would
go into effect:
1. The members of the SGC
should have the power to enlarge
the organization if they deem it
necessary, as I believe they may,
since it is only an eighteen mem-
ber body, eleven of whom are
elected by the campus at large.
2. The SGC should be given a
firm financial basis to insure its
stability and also be given ulti-
mate financial control of the other
campus organizations whose acti-
vities fall within the scope of stu-
dent government.
-Joan Bryan
Chairman, SL Culture and
Education Board
, *
SGC Proposal .. .
Yo the Editor:
I WOULD like to reaffirm my
personal faith in the wisdom of
official delegation by the admin-
istration of commensurate auth-
ority and responsibility to the
chosen leaders of the students,
recognizing that there must be
certain definite limits to the area
of such delegation. I feel that the
SGC proposal in its present form
has certain serious limitations
which could lead to even greater
misunderstanding between the
students and the faculty and the
administration. However, the pro-
posal, if approved by the Regents,
will involve official sanction for
student government that has not
been accorded to SL in the past.
Furthermore, the accompanying
"Come On Let's Take The Short-Cut"
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Questioning .,.
To the Editor:
MOST OF the candidates whose
platforms appeared in Sunday's
Daily did not face up to the mat-
ter of SGC. If they cannot ask
themselves direct questions, what
can they as our representatives
ask of others?
1. Just how will SGC be more
"efficient?" This word has been
used uncountable times. Efficiency
is performance on a task, com-
pared to a standard. What tasks,
what standards. are SGC backers
talking about?
2. Was it just an oversight that
the administration didn't consider
giving a student government more
power without chopping its repre-
sentation by three quarters? If the
administration has reasons for rul-
ing out alternatives, they must
have reasons for the one they pro-
posed. What are they?
3. Does it matter if the Regents
may have made up their minds al-
ready? Is that reason for letting
it make up ours?
I wonder if any candidates have
thought this issue over since their
statements were submitted to The
Daily. If so, won't they tell us so?
-Bill Livant
Bhoodan Lecture...
To the Editor:
WOULD LIKE to express my ap-
preciation of Jim Dygert's fine
interpretation of Pat McMahon's
service to the Land Gift Move-
ment in India. A number of people
have expressed interest in this lat-
est manifestation of the Ghandian
philosophy. Pat, who is a commit-
ted Ghandian, will discuss her ex-
perience with the Bhoodan Move-
ment in further detail in a panel
with Prof. John Muehl and Mr.
Robi Chakravorti this Friday at 8
p.m. in Rm. 3KLMN in the Michi-
gan Union.
--Nancy Snider
student tax already approved by
campus referendum is a major
feature of the SGC proposal and
would take effect with Regental
sanction of SGC.
I am prompted to make one
more comment by the letter to the
Editor in Friday's paper from Wil-
liam J. Moore, '55L, entitled "Why
SL . .." I feel that Steve Jelin is
entirely justified in declining to
run for SL again for reasons of his
personal health and welfare. With
the uncertainty regarding the fu-
ture of student government that
has prevailed for most of this se-
mester, it is enough to make any
individual feel that one semester
of office as SL President is all that
he can survive, without wrecking
his health or his academic stand-
ing.
Apparently Mr. Moore suffers
from the illusion that a college
education consists merely of the
acquisition of factual knowledge.
If he could have been present at
the recent Conference on Higher
Education held in Ann Arbor, he
might have been enlightened by
the constant emphasis from col-
lege administrators, and partic-
ularly from the Personnel Chief of
the General Electric Company, on
the need for higher education to
train students in practical human
relations in addition to training in
the mere techniques of their future
vocations.
-Prof. J. Willcox Brown
* * *
Shopper's Lament .. .
To the Editor:
DECK THE streets with last
year's trimmings;
smutty Santas, drooping greens.
'Tis the season to be folly
drumming up the Yule.
Sing a song of sooty garlands,
tarnished tinsel, tattered tulle,
Thirty days hath the merchant for
making spirits dulle.
-B. Wagoner
* * *
ment and in my opinion SL or
SGC can fulfill this need if we
give our support.
The CSP is really a refreshing
beacon among all this fog of apa-
thy on campus, especially in the
Law School. Mr. Moore might do
well to join the CSP and learn the
issues.
What we are seeking is more
students in government and less
government in the students, so
let us get out and support the SL
or the SGC, T&E, CSP, and the
NIL.
-Bill Cowlin, '56L
I
DAILY OFFICIAL BULLETIN
,
(Continued from Page 2)
Supports Trusts .
q
To the Editor:
THE PAST few letters to The
Daily from the lawyers on
campus are a good illustration .of
the Law School's attitude on stu-
dent government. It is really too
bad that with the education they
are receiving those lawyers can
not be the campus leaders.
With all due respect to Mr.
Moore, we need student govern-
gineering-Production, Design & Devel-
opment.
Thurs., Dec. 9
Gibbs and Cox, Inc. New York, N.Y.
--B.S. Mech. E., and all degree levels
of Naval Arch. & Marine E.; applicants
must be U.S. citizens; for Research,
Development & Design Engineering &
Drafting.
International Nickel Co., Inc., New
York, N.Y.-All degree levels of Met. E.
for Industrial Research-Operations--
Metallurgical Central & Development.
Motorola Inc., Chicago, 111.-all de-
gree levels of Elec. E. for Research, De-
sign, & Development.
Fri., Dec. 10
Cincinnati Milling Machine Co., Cin-
cinnati Milling Products Div., Cincin-
nati, O.-M.S. degrees in Chem. E.;
must be U.S. citizens, and have had
military service; for Research & De-
velopment.
Students wishing to make appoint-
ments with any of the above should
contact the Engineering Placement Of-
fice, Room 248, W. E., Ext. 2182.
Representatives from the following
will interview at the Bureau of Ap-
pointments :
Wed., Dee. 8
Continental Casualty Co., Chicago,
Ill.-LS&A and BusAd men and women
who have had a Math. background for
positions as Accountants, Actuaries,
Advertising and Sales Promotionalists,
Salesmen, Claim Adjusters and Exam-
iners, Statisticians, and Underwriters.
Thurs., Dec. 9
American Seating Co., Grand Rapids,
Mich.-Feb. men and women in LS&A
and BusAd for Sales Trainee, Manage-
ment and Supervisory Trainee Posi-
tions.
Students wishing to make appoint-
ments with any of the above shoulcl
contact the Bureau of Appointments,
Room 3528 Ad. Bldg., Ext. 371.
PERSONNEL REQUESTS:
School of Retailing, Univ. of Pitts-
burgh, Pittsburgh, Penn. offers a train-
ing program in retailing to graduates
with liberal arts, business admin., or
home econ. background. This is a one
year course, offering both classroom
work and actual store experience.
L. Bamberger & Co., Newark, 7.J.,
has announced plans for a Career Open
House during the Christmas vacation.
Two new branches have been opened
in Plainfield and Princeton, enlarging
the opportunities for careers with this
company. Interested students may vis-
it the store on any of the following
days: Dec. 27, 28, 29, and 30, Mon.
through Thurs. Faculty members are
also invited. Further information avail-
able at the Bureau of Appointments.
Mich. Civil Service Commission an-
nounces an exam for an Institution So-
cial Worker I. Minimum requirements
include a bachelor's degree. Closing
date for applications is Dec. 22, and
the written exam will be given on Jan.
29.
The Civil Service of Canada announ-
ces applications for summer employ-
ment in Agricultural Science, Chemis-
try and Biology. Engineering, Forestry,
Surveying, Architecture, Economics,
General Arts, Sociology, Psychology etc.
Applicants must be registered as stu-
dents at a university, and must be
British Subjects.
Civil Service Commission of Canada,
Ottawa, Canada announces applications
for the following Civil Service posi-
tions: Personnel Administration, Nat-
ural and Medical Sciences, Engineer-
ing, Architecture, Forestry, Geology, and
Engineering Physics.
For further information about any of
the above or about other job opportu-
Professor of Sociology, Columbia Uni-
versity. Tues., Dec. 7, 7:30 p.m., Angell
Hall.
Academic Notices
Geometry Seminar will meet at 7:00
p.m. Wed., Dec. 8, in 3001 A.H. Prof.
D. K. Kazarinoff will speak on "Alha-
zen's Problem."
Exhibitions
Union Student Art Exhibit will be
held in the lobby of the Michigan Un-
ion Dec. 4 through 15.
Events Today
Science Research Club meeting, Rack-
ham Amphitheatre, 7:30 p.m., Tues.,
Dec. 7. "Bones, Joints and Body Loco-
motion," Wilfrid T. Dempster, Anato-
my; "Microspectroscopy, A Tool for Bi-
ophysical Research," Darwin Wood, Bi-
- ophysics. Election of new members.
Dues received after 7:10 p.m.
Mathematics Club will meet Tues.,
Dec. 7, at 8:00 p.m. in the West Con-
ference Room, Rackham Building. Prof.
R. M. Thrall will speak on "Mathemat-
ics and Decision Processes."
Meeting of the Academic Freedom
Sub Commission Tues., Dec. 7 at 4:00
p.m. in Room 3R1 of the Union.
The Congregational-Disciples Guild:
4:30-5:45 p.m., Tea at the Guild House.
Square Dance tonight. Lane Hall.
7:30-10:00 p.m.
La Sociedad Hispanica is holding its
weekly "tertulia" today from 3:30 to
5:00 p.m. in Club 600 at South Quad.
Episcopal Student Foundation. Stu-
dent-conducted Evensong at 5:15 p.m.,
Tues., Dec. 7, in the Chapel of St. Mi-
chael and All Angels.
Alpha Chapter of Sigma Rho Tau
invites engineers, architects, and tech-
nicians to attend the practice meet-
ing Tues., Dec..7, from 7:00-8:00 p.m.
at 244 west Engineering.
The Co-Recreational Badminton Club
will meet at 8:00 p.m. tonight at Bar-
bour Gym. Please bring your own
shuttlecocks. We will begin a ladder
tournament.
Coming Events
Le Cercle Francais will meet Wed. at
8:00 p.m. in the League. Two French
students will give their impressions of
the United States, and two American
students will discuss their impressions
of France. Film "Jeunesse de Neige,"
refreshments.
Sophomore Engineering Class Board
will .meetat 7:30 p.m. Wed., Dec. 8, in
Room 1300, East Engineering Bldg. Fu-
ture recognition plans will be made.
Open to the public.
Ulir Ski Club will meet in Room
3M&N of the Union Wed. at 8:00 p.m.
Refreshments, movie, "Skiing in the
Valley of the Saints," information
about Christmas vacation ski trips.
Psychology Club will meet Wed., Dec.
8, at 7:45 p.m. in the League. Dr. Al-
linsmith will discuss "Child Psychol-
,gy,"
Episcopal Student Foundation. Stu-
dent Breakfast at Canterbury House,
MUSIC REVIEW
i ir ..w i r.w
A t Hill Auditorium...
The Robert Shaw Chorale and Concert En-
semble, Robert Shaw, Conductor.
THE SHAW CHORALE remains the most pop-
ular singing ensemble in the country, and
beyond that they are probably the finest pro-
fessional group of their kind we have ever
heard. After describing the beauty of their tone,
the perfection of their ensemble, and the con-
summate artistry with which everything is pre-
sented, the most lasting and convincing impres-
sion is that music, any music, performed by this
group is completely alive, and its vitality can't
be escaped. People who examine a Shaw pro-
gram before performance and find it not too
impressive (for one reason or another) must be
appointment which sometimes greets an artist
on the concert stage after an all-to-brilliant
and flawless debut on wax is not at all present
with the Shaw Choral
Two Schubert songs for soloist and chorus,
Nachthelle and Standchen, were presented after
intermission; the lyricism of these pieces was
most beautifully captured. A contemporary
work, Tom O'Bedlam by Jacob Avshalomoff,
was doubtless the most interesting work heard
during the evening, but hardly the most expres-
sive. It seemed to me that there was just too
much going on in this piece, scored for oboe,
jingles, tabor, chorus and dancer, to result in
anything but a rather confused impression.
The last programmed number, a selection of
chorses frnm Die Fledermanit was all effer-
CURRENT MOVIES
A THENA is an example of a good movie idea gone to waste. The
script writers have taken the trouble to set up a clever comedy situ-
ation about a health faddist family. But they do nothing with the sit-
uation; instead, Athena becomes the traditional boy-meets-girl-boy-
losses-girl-boy-gets-girl musical with a sprinkling of mediocre vocal
numbers. What begins as a sparkling and exciting idea fizzles out into
one of the year's more boring and soon-to-be-forgotten pieces.
The Mulvain sisters, Athena (Jane Powell) and Minerva (Debbie
Reynolds), live with their five other sisters and grandparents in one
of those luscious outdoor-living homes. Grandpa Mulvain (Louis Cal-
hern) is 78 and can do all sorts of parallel-bar exercises. Grandma Sa-
lome Mulvain goes into hyponotic trances while she communicates with
the moon.
Into this world of muscle building, vegetarians, and astrology
comes snobbish, verrry proper Boston attorney Adam Calhorn Shaw
(Edmund Purdom). He is properly shocked by the celery-chewing fam-
ily but later unfreezes in Miss Powell's arms. The finale sees everybody
paired off nicely. Vic Damone is present as a crooner idolized by the
teen set.
IN THE MUSICAL department, Athena strains very hard to present
some new songs by Composers Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane, but
achieves little success. Miss' Powell sings "Chacun Le Sait" from Daugh-
.