EDITOR'S NOTE See Page 4 Y L Latest Deadline in the State Da it49 {s~ s1 FAIR, WARMER VOL. LXV, No. 3 ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1954 SIX PAGES Prof. Nickerson's Appeal Revealed Pharmacologist States Position To Intellectual Freedom Group (EDITOR'S NOTE~: This is the third in a series of articles discussing evidence presented to University officials, faculty appeal committees and to The Daily in the case of Prof. Mark Nickerson. He appeared before a House Sub-Committee on Un-American Activities at a Lansing hearing .in May. He was suspended by University President Harlan H. Hatcher pend- ing further investigation of his case by University committees. (Today's article presents a letter written by Prof. Nickerson to the Com- mittee on Intellectual Freedom and Integrity, an appeal group acting as a sub-committee of the Special Advisory Committee to the President.) By PAT ROELOFS Associate City Editor The Special Advisory Committee to the President turned in a split decision on the case of Prof. Mark Nickerson of the pharma- cology department. Three men voted for reinstatement of the pharmacologist, two voted for dismissal. Following receipt of written reports by both sides of the Committee, President Hatcher wrote Prof. Nickerson informing him that he would recommend Prof. Nickerson's dismissal to the Regents. The President referred Prof. Nickerson to a by-law of the Fa- culty Senate that provided the right to appeal his case to the Com- mittee on Intellectual Freedom and Integrity. The Intellectual Freedom and Integrity group, was composed of Prof. Angus Campbell, Director of Survey Research Center, as chair- man; Prof. Raymond Garner, biological chemistry department; Prof. Karl Litzenberg, English department;- Prof. Gilbert Ross of the Music School; and Prof. Allan Smith of the Law School. Nickerson's Case Prof. Nickerson's appeal letter to the above group, dated July 31, read as follows: "Dear Doctor Campbell: "I will answer what I believe to be the President's charges and attempt to correct misinterpretations of my position . . "I have never injected my political opinions, past or present, in- to my teaching, and I have scrupulously avoided using my position as a teacher to exert political influence on students within or outside of the classroom. "... I do not deny the investigative authority of Congressional committees, but when they enter the field of my personal beliefs and associations, which the Constitution specifically exempts from gov- ernmental control, my constitutional right to refuse to answer is cer- tainly no less weighty than their authority to ask questions. I feel that the First Amendment to the Constitution provides the most im- portant basis for my refusal to answer. "Indeed, I relied only on the First Amendment until the Com- mittee refused to recognize its validity. I then also invoked the Fifth Amendment on the advice of my counsel who pointed out that the combination of the present atmosphere of near hysteria, the un defined and almost undefinable nature of such terms as "conspiracy to advocate" made any discussion of what might be considered to be unpopular political beliefs a potential course of unjust prosecution. ".. I make no apology for my use of the First and Fifth Amend- ments. I believe that I used them in the context and the spirit for which they were intended. Not to have invoked them would, in my mind, have been an affront to the principles for which the Bill of Rights stands. Role of Informer "... An additional reason for refusing to cooperate with the com- mittee was that such cooperation would have led me inevitably into the role of an informer. This would have involved the moral degrada- tion of breaking confidences, and the more serious result of spreading the pattern of attempted thought suppression to involve other irfdi. viduals and universities. This reason has more moral than legal im- port. I could not live with myself in the role of an informer, and I strongly suspect that a majority of my colleagues on this faculty would find my company most distasteful if I had played that role." (Prof. Nickerson pointed out that many people have the view that answering questions of investigating committees is one's duty, but the same people will refuse to inform on others on a moral ground. The difficulty with this position, he believes, is that the person fol- lowing this procedure may be cited for contempt of court.) His letter continued: ". . . I will attempt briefly to outline my relations to the Communist Party and to communism in a broader sense. I have been a member of the Communist Party in the past, but I have not been a member since several years prior to coming to the University of Michigan. I left the party because of a conflict between party responsibilities and my scientific activities. It became impossible to carry out both in a satisfactory manner, and my interest in phar- macological research was greater than my interest in continued poli- tical activity of any kind. Political Interests My political interests have centered around three major social problems: (1) the organization of labor as both an economic and a political force, (2) racial discrimination, particularly the eco- nomic basis for such discrimination, and (3) the relationship of prix- ate ownership of the means of production to economic cycles and to international tensions and conflicts as a result of the exploitation of foreign markets .. . "I was attracted to the Communist Party because it appeared to have the clearest and most intellectually consistent interpretation of these problems and because the members of this political party were the only group who appeared consistently to be willing to expend their time and energy in seeking a solution .. . "If the President's comment that I still hold the views I held as a member of the Communist Party means that I still believe that the best solution of the problems of economic cycles and of international conflicts over markets rests in public ownership of the means of pro- duction, that racial discrimination can be definitely resolved only by the elimination of economic exploitation, and that labor should be a major and organized political force in our democracy, then he is per- fectly correct. These may not be. majority opinions at the present See PROF. NICKERSON'S, Page 4 ----- -- ------- FUTURE EDITORS: 'Ensian, Daily, Generation Planning Tryout Sessions No Action by Board on SGC lan: Campus Leaders Protest Pictures Seniors may make 'Ensian picture appointments from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m. to- day on the Diag, and at the Student Publications Building from 1 to 5 p.m. today, tomor- row and Monday through Fri- day next . week, according to Paul Geiger, '55, Business Man- ager. Picture-taking will begin nextm Mndav Re ents O.K. Gifts, Grants Of $370,495 Polio Fotiindationi Gives $200;000 I net 1vIy. By JIM DYGERT The University Board of Regents accepted gifts and grants amount- A; A tt ee U rges ing to $370,495.20 during its meet. ing yesterday. Largest was the $200,000 from the National Foundation for Infan- D sertio t tile Paralysis, New York, for the Polio Vaccine Evaluation Fund.I Two grants totaling $42,740 were Of Chiang accepted from the Arthritis and Rheumatism Foundation, Michigan Chapter. A grant of $29,000 for the LONDON (4--Back from Moscow Elmer Gedeon Memorial Scholar- and Peiping, Labor Leader Clem- ship Fund was given to the Board ent Attlee called on the West in Control of Intercollegiate Ath- Wednesday to get rid of Generalis- letics. simo Chiang Kai-shek at once. Name Changed Simultaneously, Attlee's lieuten- General approval was given to ants supported the principle of making the necessary legal and West German rearmament in the procedural studies regarding cov- face of determined opposition from erage of University employees un- left wing and pacifist groups at a der Socinl Security. meeting of the Labor party's Na- The name of the Registrar's of- tional Executive Committee. fice was changed to the Office of 'Get Rid of Chiang' Registration and Records.bEdward Arriving home after talks with G. Groesbeck, who has been as- ApRuinhnmeChitertkse Commu- sistant registrar, was appointed to top Russian and Chinese Commu- the office of director, effective im- Say Delay May Stop Referendum Nine Students Voice Opinions No mention of plans for a SW- dent Government Council was made at the Board of Regents meeting yesterday. Before the Board's meeting, Re- gent Otto E. Eckert, J. Joseph Her- bert and Roscoe O. Bonisteel, to- gether with University Vice-Pres WdentJames A. Lewis, Prof. W. Earl Britton of the engineering .college and Dean Earl V. Moore of the music school met to discuss the proposal. The committee made no report to the full Regents meeting. Students Protest Late yesterday, chiefs of nine major student organizations as- serted, the fate of both SGC and SL . is uncertain since delay makes it nearly impossible for students to hold a referendum endorsing - or disapproving SGC and also to j hold elections by late November when Student Legislature elections are generally scheduled. Delay may .mean, they indicat- ed, that SGC could not possibly UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT HATCHER PRESIDES OVER* YESTERDAY'S BOARD OF REGENTS MEETING No Call to Senate To Act On McCarthy Censure National Roundup. nist leaders, Attlee told reporters at London airport: "Personally speaking, I think the sooner we get rid of Chiang Kai- shek and his troops the better." mediately. The establishment of a graduate program in Hospital Administra- tion in the School of Business Ad- ministration was also approved. Nine faculty appointments and I ---- I WASHINGTON - J. Mark Trice, secretary of the Senate, said yesterday he had been advised by the office of Sen. Knowland would be made before Thursday Square D Riots... on whether a pre-election session DETROIT - Alarmed by what, of the Senate will be called to act police called the worst violence,; i .tinp.. ,,distruntion of -ropnerty { 1 3 Long ago Attlee went on record two committee appointments were (R-Calif.) that no announcement on a resolution to censure Sen. in the dayu esouar D iCsrik in favor of giving Peiping repre- also approved by the Regents. McCarthy (R-Wis.). in the 100day Square D Co. strike sentatives the United Nations seat, Dr. Edgar Wendeil Hewson, a Trice, who waited into the night* yesterday, city officials called a held by Nationalist China, a war- research physicist and lecturer at IHCto receive a call mKnowland conference to restore law and time ally of the Western powers. the University since 1953, was ap- the Senate majority leader, had order, Attlee, who was Prime Minister pointed professor of meteorology The Inter-House Council will said earlier there was a possibility 'MayoxrAlbCrtmE.ss oecd when Britain recognized Mao Tze-1(half-time) in the College of Engi- hold its first meeting of the he would be instructed shortly toPiggins on whether police have tung's Red regime in 1950, de- neering for three years. year at 7:30 p.m. today in sent out telegrams summoning found indications of subversive ac- scribed Formosa - island strong- Walter E. Thomas, a design su- South Quad. Stan Levy, '55, senators to return here. tivities in the strike. hold of Chiang's Chinese National- pervisor in the grad'uate school of IHC president announced yes- Sept. 29 was the date generally * * * ist troops - as "the biggest dif- the Chrysler Institute of Engineer- terday. mentioned for the start of the .i.o ficulty of all" in the Orient, ing, was appointed assistant pro- session, although some thought it n cti . . fessor of drawig i the College might be a few days earlier. FT. SHERIDAN, Ill. - White- ear of Engineering for the academic Movie p t 11S( . Trice said Krowland's office haired Lt. Col. Harry Fleming, 46,i RIfheeearisit ROTC Faculty All organizations interested in had informed him the senator had yesterday was convicted of col- . . William H. Cummings was ap- sponsoring Cinema Guild movies another Republican senator he laborating with the enemy in a 18 S rorttes pointed assistant professor in the may pick up petitions at Student wanted to contact before making North Korean prison cam, the Department of Forestry in the Legislature offices in the Union a decision but did not expect to martialed on this charge. th e women School of Natural Resources for basement from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. reach him in time for an an- * * a have registered for the annual a period of one year. Dr. John H. Monday thru Friday. nouncement Wednesday night. sorority rushing period which be- Giese was appointed visiting lec- Ike Campaigns .. gan last Saturday with a series of turer in mathematics in the Lit- -b1' I MISSOULA,- Mont. - President informal mixers. Rushing contin- ery college. m- I ss R ush n g M eeting Eisenhower, hunting congression- ues through Sundaye, Oct. 3, when Fve appointm~ents were ap ' " "' al election votes in a restrained; proved to the faculties of two of kind of way, declared last night affiliatesmadw the ROTC units. Colonel William tAmerican citizens generally are H. Parkhill was appointed profes- I forTIo aybetter able to look after their needs Initial. registration figures show sor of air science and chairman "than is some bureaucrat in far- that 1,160 women - more than half of the Department of Air Science. v A A off Washington." of them freshmen - ar now in Major Charles M. Callis was ap- * * *. the process of visingh mpus' pointed assistant professor of air Social fraternity rushing proceedings will be initiated at 7.30 prison Riot .. . 18 sorority houses, according to science. Captain Louis E. DuBois p.m. today in the Union ballroom when the Interfraternity Council! Margaret Splinder, '55, Panhellenic was named to a similar post. holds its annual mass rushing meeting.A( JEFFERSON CITrY, Mo.- In th Department of military A near record total of 847 men have registered thus far for ary con- Asii rsn ciaI e ere oMlr A a eo tt o87 e heesr tu f fr f ., 4 4 Statement The Regents' refusal to act on the proposed Student Gov- ernment Council plan at today's meeting comes as a disappoint- ing delay. The Regents have had this, plan under considera- tion since their May 1954 Leet- ing and their failure to act leaves student government in a state of uncertainty. It is hoped that the Student Affairs Study Committee will be able at its Monday meeting to arrive at solutions that will prove satisfactory both to the Regents and the students. It is urged that the Regents reach a final decision on the student *government proposal at their October meeting. Signed: Jean Bromfield, Pan- Hellenic President; Hazel Frank, Assembly President; Lucy Landers, League Presi- dent; John Baily, Inter-Frater%- pity Council; Gene Hartwig, Daily Managing Editor; Steve1 Jelin, Student Legislature Prei- ident; Tawfiq Khoury, Joint Judiciary Council Chairman; Tom Leopold, Union President; I Stan Levy, IHC President. { 1 , ; .E Rushing continues with informai parties this week. Further activi- ties include parties this Saturday and Sunday when the entire soror- ity houses will be shown. Outdoor suppers are planned next week. On Oct. 1 and 2, rushees will visit the two houses in which they are most interested for final des- sert parties. Scienc( and Tactics, Captain Deno- ' van C. Dover, Artillery, and Cap- tain Norbert J. Wayne, Infan~ry, were appointed assistant profes-j sors of military science and tac- tics. Dr. A. James French was named for a three-year term on the Ex- ecutive Committee of the Medicalj School. the f inl wpo inement r 0 O hirce 1s the fall rushing session making a large crowd highly probable for to- last night, p released t othe r convicts night's function. last night, reesdohrcnit and set fire to some buildings at With one week of rushing registration remaining, it seems al- the Missouri state prison. most certain that the all time sign-up mark of 885 set last fall' day and Monday, rushing will con- F lHA Probe ... go into effect until late April and that thus student government would be virtually meaningless un- til that time. Regents' Questions Vice-President Lewis reported the committee questioned wheth- er the SGC's constitution -sub- Mitted to the Regents' May meet- 3 Nabbed at Library t { i t E k i E will be ecSart Monday tinue until Sunday, Oct. 10. DETROIT - Senator Capehart ing by the Student Affairs Study Actual rushing ets under way Robert Knutson, '56, IFC Rush- (R-Ind. estimated yesterday that Committee after lengthy weekly Sunday and Monday with all fra- ing Chairman, emphasizes that "windfall" profits and home loan meetings last spring, was suffici- rushing counsellors will be in the frauds under the Federal Housing ent to determine the proposed Both the mass rushing meeting Office of Student Affairs register- Administration totaled $500,000,000. scope and power of SGC. Band the open houses are open to jing men for rushing through Wed- Capehart is chairman of the I Also questioned was whether all rushees. nesday. Counsellors are available Senate Banking Committee which four days was enough time for the The IFG emphasizes that no i for individual counselling if it is will open an investigation today Board of Review, which would vtthenIar ede desired. into FHA operations in Michigan. have veto power over any juris- vtations are needed. -dictional questions involving SGC, 'George Haggerty '25, formei: Gnivergetyagg-coere c reLIto announce their decision to ,'e- University all-conference basket- REVAMPED PLAN: view an SGC-passed measure. f balrnd baseball star oill be hte Thatrnew suggestions passed by feturedg pe ker t t nighs C ASL arrived before the Regents> meeting. L Group Asks Change committee only at 9 a.m. yester- His remarks will concern the day, too late for the Regents to I benefit of his fraternity experience Controsdrst olteyr the n to hs suces in he bsinss I ~ ''~! consider completely before their o his success in the business ai Controlsfull meeting, was another reason digrndgaindicated for the delay. Haggertydr-IA fourth reason for further con- uate days was a member of Delta By MURRY FRYMER sideration indicated by Vice-Pre- Kappa Epsilon fraternity. - Phi One of the recommendations concerning the financial controls of ident Lewis was Regential desire Delta Phi. Sphinx and Michiga- the proposed Student Government Couincil was revamped by a Stu- to reconvene the SASC group mnun honoraries. Conference Direction dent Legislature group ea'rly yesterday before the Regents meeting. which prepared the original SGC He has maintained association The recommendation as submitted to the Regents meeting read: proposal last spring after several with the Univesity by serving the i ordance with the theory of one central student government, months of study: SASC will be re- Ilast few years as a director of the the SOC eventually be given fi-4 -_____- -_- - __----------- ---- convened to consider some further University Interfraternity Alum- nancial control over student or- tent that that activity fell in that questions raised by the Regents on ni Conference. . ganizations. area. SGC plan. - . . . ~ w~Sunnrt for, SL 'Mm Tftinhiaran T"faily 'Vncian rs4' ;ter':;:> h;