PAG9 roult
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
FRIMAY, MARCH 11, 1953
PAGE FOUR THE MICHIGAN DAILY FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 1953
WHICH WAY THEY WALK:
What Is Policy on Formosa
Stepping-Stone Islands
What Happens When I'm Cleared?
CURRENT MOVIES
WHICH WAY does a stepping-stone lead?
That's the question raised-and unhappily
not answered -- by the current position of
Quemoy and Matsu islands, off Formosa's
shore. United States defense of the territory,
although a source of increased confidence for
the Asians, is continually threatened by fluc-
tuating actions of the Chinese Communists,
just across the brief stretch of sea.
Red China has claimed we plan to use the
strtegic islands as a stepping-stone to partial
or all-out war on the mainland. And mean-
while American spokesmen attribute the mo-
tives, in reverse, to the Communists.
Combined with Formosa, the islands now
stand as final vestiges of Allied strength in
their area of the Far East. Their seizure by
the Reds would probably usher in the all-out
war feared for almost a decade.
THE OLD historical phenomenon has occur-
red again-one small area, of little intrin-
sic import, gets the focused and intense inter-
est of the entire world. We wait to see wheth-
er or not this interest will, be morbidly war-
ranted.'
One interpretation of the possible fate of
Quemoy and Matsu-and, progressively, of the
world-followed the return of Secretary of State
JohnFoster Dulles from his sweeping tour of
the Far East. Mr. Dulles reported to Congress
on his negotiations of all kinds during the
trip, and assured us that, with respect to For-
mosa, the United States will not act as a "pa-
per tiger."
He referred to popular Communist propagan-
da likening the power of American threats to
that of a paper tiger - whose preliminary
snarls are far more intensive than its end ac-
tion.
The implication is that moves made by Red
China to "defend" Matus and Quemoy will be
interpreted, on the basis of our foreign policy,
as direct action against the Allies. Two na-
tions cannot simultaneously "defend" one ter-
ritory-if their motives are as varied as those
of the United States and Communist China.
VAGUENESS IS NOW the chief difficulty
with our policy toward the islands-and to-
ward the Reds and the entire situation. Ac-
cording to statements made by Mr. Dulles, the
American ideal is for a total cease-fire in the
area. But this would deprive the islands of
Oscenity P
For Banni
ERaY so often cautious parents become
obsessed with the idea that their children
must be protected from the trials and tribula-
tions' of the wicked world. Thus today we have
parent-teacher groups, commissions and Con-
gressional investigating committees examining
the effects of and banning numerous comic
books, movies and television shows.
Young, imaginative children, these groups
have shown after extensive surveys, gain harm-
ful ideas from reading crime, horror and so-
called obscene stories. The comic book, most
widespread and condemned of the media of
wickedness, has been blamed for the large
number of crimes, the increasing juvenile de-
linquency rate and the unruliness of children
in school.
The fact that there is much to this argu-
ment is not by any means denied. In the
horror or crime story, the impressionable child
is subjected to highly disturbing concepts much
before he is able to judge them himself. His im-
mature mind delights at the daring of the gun-
man and shares his disrespect for the police-
man. The young reader sees only the thrill
and excitement of the crime and not tthe
consequences.
HoWEE, the adult reading public is an
entirely different question. The mature
person is all too fully aware of the existence
of good and evil in the world, and he is able
to judge between them. His choice of reading
material must include characterizations of
both moral types or it would seem too unreal-
istic for him to enjoy.
Yet, despite the adult's capacity to think for
himself, the cancerous idea of protecting hu-
man morals against the evil of its own society
has 'spread to the reading selectons of the adult
publc. Aristophanes' classic play, "Lysistrata,"
was recently banned from the mails by Los
Angeles post office authorities as being obscene
under provisions of the Comstock Act of 1873.
their major support. Under no continued cir-
cumstances could the Nationalists, unaided,
maintain a successful anti-Red defense of the
islands. American withdrawal from the area.
would by no means guarantee complete cease-
fire results.
Mr. Dulles insists we are not using Quemoy
and Matsu as cease-fire bargaining counters.
This is difficult to believe: their very geograph-
ical position almost forces such a role upon
them. Bargaining,whether or not it is overt,
underlies every action of the Reds or of the
Allies as the island controversy continues. If we
are accused of making these islands our pawns
in the move for an eventual cease-fire, we can-
not completely deny the accusations. Wheth-
er or not we defend or withdraw from the is-
lands, they remain essential and central ob-
jects of American interest.-
SIMILARLY, the islands are potential Red
pawns. The stones would help their steps--
toward eventual world Communism-if they
gained control of the islands. It's logical to de-
duce that the Reds would seize any opportunity
to gain control of the islands.
Mr. Dulles, we would conclude, ought to
clarify our policy-and to realize that we can
ill afford to relinquish Quemoy and Matsu,
even as part of a cease-fire arrangement. This,
we can hope, has been the basis of his actions
so far, but the rationale, on his part, has not
been quite clear.
REPORTS from the endangered area give
cause for temporary optimism about our de-
fense procedures. In no cases are the Com-
munists attributed with military strength
enough, at this point, to launch an attack on
the islands. No gun emplacements currently
face Quemoy, nor have we any signs of Com-
munist military equipment of size necessary to
attack the islands or Formosa.
And it has been pointed out, by Mr. Dulles
and others who ought.to know, that Red air
operations are not, at the moment, prepared
for an imminent invasion.
But although these signs of a Communist
military lull at the moment are encouraging,
we cannot afford to interpret them as an indi-
cation of Red peace aims. As long as the main-
land forces show any determnation to conquer
Formosa-and traces of this determination
have not vanished-it should be our policy to
maintain adequate defense preparation.
-Jane Howard
qo Criterion
ng Classics
OBSCENITY is a word that has been sub-
jected to a number of varying interpreta-
tions. Like morality, its meaning is relative to
the individual, the society and the times. One
person may think a story is highly immoral
and corrupt while another may hold that the
same story is a moving and realistic portrayal
of life. Faulkner's prize-winning novels are an
excellent example.
But "Lysistrata" is a play that would not
attract the young or immature reader. This
classic by the ancient Greek playwright is a
witty and ironic story that, as Prof. Wesley
Maurer commented, "makes sense today." The
very fact that it has been held in such high
esteem for all these centuries is ample proof
that "Lysistrata" has more to offer its readers
than "obscene" ideas. Besides being a good
example of a well-written and amusing piece
of Greek literature (which itself is adequate
reason for reading it), the play is a portrayal
of an attempt by Athenian women to prevent
wars. The Los Angeles post office authorities
may not approve of their scheme, but who are
they to judge what is moral and what is not?
Denial is a wile women use to get their way,
and these men are doubtlessly aware of it.
OBCENITY should not be, and primarily is
not, an adequate criterion for condemning
a piece of good literature. The literary and
ideological value of the story far outweigh any
objections based on obscenity. If this were the
sole criterion, think of the books that would be
banned.-Faulkner's stories, Flaubert, Dostoev-
ski and Zola to name only a few.
Coming back to reality, however, we find it
difficult to believe that any such step would
ever be taken. Banning a book on the basis of
an 1873 law seems too ridiculous to be upheld
by the Supreme Court. But then, the possibility
of being deprived of job and reputation without
reason also seemed ridiculous-before Mc-
Carthy.
-Mary Ann Thomas
At the State. . .
THE LONG GRAY LINE, with
Tyrone Power and Maureen
O'Hara
AMONG the many offenses of
this picture one cannot num-
ber a misleading title: two hours
and fifteen minutes is undeniably
a long time for a movie to run;
and gray, a uniformly dull color,
suits the contents of those two
hours and fifteen minutes per-
fectly.
One explanation of the picture's
inordinate length and badness is
that it is actually not just one
picture, but two mediocre ones,
hashed up and stuck together
in a potpourri worse than either
of the originals. One of them is
the blarney Irish love story, ooz-
ing with poteens, tureens, and
colleens. The other is the choco-
late soldier story, which, in order
to be effective, demands that the
viewer be willing to exclaim "Gee
Ma, sojers is just like us, ain't
they?"
The Long Gray Line purports to
be the true story of a certain Ser-
geant Martin Mahrer, who be-
came something of a fixture at
West Point over a period of fifty
years. Tyrone Power, as Mahrer,
arrives at West Point fresh from
the boat, with his. emigrant tag
still fluttering gaily on his coat
and his brash Irish wit ready to
serve him in any adventures that
may chance to befall him.
His big adventure is Maureen
O'Hara, another child of the old
sod, with whom he conducts a
sub-moronic courtship. Immed-
lately after the ceremony, they
begin to journey down the years
together, beset with many of life's
most hackneyed cares and troub-
les.
WHILE NOT pursuing Miss
O'Hara or helping her bear
her load of tribulations, Power is
engaged in being the locker-room
philosopher of "the Point." This
gives him the chance to run
through a good many Stover at
Yale situations with his boys.
Should Charlie keep on with the
team, or try to keep up his marks?
As stiffening for this vast quak-
ing meringue of sentiment, a good
deal of malarkey about the vaunt-
ed West Point "code" is intro-
duced. The boys are continually
chopping down cherry trees and
running to the commandant to
tell about it: they are duly pun-
ished by being made to march up
and down the yard looking stern.
Nobody breaks the code, of course,
those scandals of a few years back
were doubtless the work of sub-
versives.
The isolated scenes of this movie
are strung together on a vast con-
At the Orpheum .. .
CAMILLE, with Greta Garbo
and Robert Taylor.
+CAMILLE was a novel, then a
play, then an opera called La
Traviatta. It was the Caine Mu-
tiny of the 19thcentury. Now it is
a movie-an eventuality even the
fun-loving Dumas fils probably
didn't consider. But he would not
be displeased with the picture; this
latest of Camilles sticks amazing-
ly close to the gaudy original.
Here is the story; it's yummy.
Beautiful, consumptive Marguerite
Gautier, living the life of a cour-
tesan (wicked woman) in the Par-
is of the 30's, meets pure, hand-
some, sort of penniless Armand
Duval at the opera. He loves her,
but she isn't having any; her
wicked mode of life has turned
her heart to stone or something.
She is at this time granting her
favours to The Baron. Later, while
The Baron is in Russia, Armand
convinces Marguerite of the purity
of his love ,"I want to take care of
you. Won't you let me take care
of you?") and she says very well
you can take care of me "this very
night. After the ball come back
here. Shhhhh." But the evening of
rapture-to-be is spoilt by the re-
markably sudden return of The
Baron from the steppes (he only
left the day before); true love is
for the moment truly queered.
But Marguerite does love Ar-
mand, and she does go to the
country with him. There she
drinks milk, hikes, Oh bliss! etc.
Happily ever after, etc. THEN.
Enter Armand's father come to
beg her to give him up-his ca-
reer, you know, etc. She gives him
up, goes back to The Baron. Dies
in the end.
THUS FAR I have carefully re-
frained from mentioning Miss
Garbo. This is so to keep separate
what I think is proper to keep
separate. Just as one does not mix
up Hamlet the play with Tony
Curtis' performance of the central
role, (fictitious example) one
should not confound Garbo with
Camille. (I have just set down.a
most debatable statement. I have
no space to debate. If anyone is
interested I can be reached.,
My praise of Camille was obvi-
ously qualified; my praise of Gar-
bo completely un. Garbo was
splendid.
Robert Taylor as Armand
wasn't. He was extremely callow.
Lionel Barrymore was the father.
-J.W. Malcolm
nective tissue made up of views
of marching cadets. Devotees of
precision drill might find the pic-
ture interesting for this reason.
All others stay home.
-Bob Holloway
.r
LETTERS TO THEV EDITOR
Which Arts . ..
To the Editor:
M R. ALAN Eisenberg's train of
"thought" which would even
remotely associate the "fine art
of balancing a teacup at Martha
Cook" with the art of differentia-
ting Rembrandt from Goya is a
regrettable mental lapse for which
I disclaim either familial or intel-
lectual responsibility.
-M. J. Eisenberg
* * *
Dorm Raises . -
To the Editor:
APROPOS THE recent raises in
dormitory room and board
costs, I communicate the following
for the sake of information and
not for propaganda:
1) The so-called University co-
ops (Cheever, Fletcher, Geddes)
should be distinguished from the
Independent Co-fps. The former
are owned and run by the Univer-
sity. The latter are controlled by
the Inter-Cooperative Council-a
corporation owned entirely by the
students who live in the seven
houses (Stevens, Michigan, Owen,
Osterweil, L e s t e r, Nakamura,
Brandeis).
2) In these independent co-ops
any rate increase originates from
and is voted on by the resident-
owners as a matter of right and in
the light of considered judgment.
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
DorothyeMyers .... ...City Editor
Jon Sobeloff ........Editorial Director
Pat Roelofs ......Associate City Editor
Becky Conrad .........Associate Editor
Nan Swinehart ........Associate Editor
David Livingston .......Sports Editor
Hanley Gurwin ....Assoc. Spo--ts Editor
Warren Werthleimer
. Associate Sports Editor
Ros Shlimovitz.........Women's Editor
Janet Smith Associate Women's Editor
John Hirtzel .......Chief Photographer
Business Staff
Lois Pollak ..........Business Manager
Phil Brunskill, Assoc. Business Manager
Bill Wise ........Advertising Manager
Mary Jean Monkoski .Finance Manager
Telephone NO 23-24-1
Member
The Associated Press
Michigan Press Association
Associated Collegiate Press
The Associated Press is exclusively en-
titled to the use for republication of
all news dispatches credited to it or
otherwise credited to this newspaper.
All rights or republication of all other
matters herein are also reserved.
Entered at the Post Office at Ann
Arbor, Michigan as second class mail
matter. Published daily except Monday.
Subscription during regular school
3) A year ago the weekly rent
was raised from $3.65 to $3.85, or
about $4 a semester. Last year in
co-ops the entire room and board
cost averaged $197 a semester. It
is now around $200. The rise was
$3, or approximately 1%ilt%. In
the dormitories the average room
and board rates are $352 a semes-
ter, and according to the . new
schedule they are going up to
$377, a hike of $25, or 7 percent.
Naturally, co-ops are very un-
like dormitories, and the differ-
ence both in the level of costs and
in the percentage increase can
probably be justified.
So much for information, Now
a stab at a solution.
I am told that in the dorms
there are about 150 staff assist-
ants - approximately one in 25
residents. These assistants receive
compensation valued at about $230.
If staff assistants were eliminated
a saving of $10 per resident would
be possible. I wonder if there is
any real need for staff assistants.
-Stefan Vail, President
Inter-Cooperative Council
Bassoons or Bazookas . .
To the Editor:
IT IS certainly ironic that only a
short while ago we were publi-
cizing Brotherhood week, and now
the news is all of a miniature Ku
Klux Klan which is developing on
this campus. Despite the obvious
distinctions between politics and
art, these small groups are intent
on keeping the Berlin Philharmon-
ic Orchestra from presenting its
scheduled concert on the grounds
of, their former Nazi affiliation.
In the first place, do we know
whether or not they still hold to
this ideology? Even if they do,
boycotting is not the answer. The
only way to get rid of a bad idea
is to think of a better one. If we
can show these musicians, who
are representatives of their na-
tion, the tolerance and freedom
for which America is famed, this
will be very effective diplomacy.
Although this incident may ap-
pear small on a nation-wide basis,
it will make Communist headlines.
The Communists are always on
the lookout for such examples of
hypocrisy to point out to their sat-
ellites, "see, America .is all talk,
there is no real freedom." All of
the money and food in the world
will not win friends from people
who are alienated by our way of
life.
Granted that the Nazis did very
brutal things in the last world
war. War is always brutal and we
certainly don't want any more. Yet
the action campus groups are de-
manding now is the first step to-
ward further war. Only love and
understanding can win the peace.
This is the true meaning of broth-
erhood, the universal politics.
Honestly ask yourself; do you want
the Germans carrying bassoons or
bazookas? The action and atti-
tudes taken on the Berlin Phil-
harmonic's concert may well de-
termine the answer.
-Marjorie Barber
Crystal Ball ...
To the Editor :
IT WOULD SEEM to me that Mr.
Jones, in his recent article on
Prof. Hyma, has failed to make the
distinction between the concept of
a spiritual Supreme Being and
Mrs. Swami's charismatic crystal
ball quoting the latest bull market.
-Don Kenney, 157L
DAILY OFFICIAL BULLETIN
Washington Merry-Go-Round
DRAMA REVIE W
WASHINGTON - Some of the
facts lurking in the back-
ground of our synthetic rubber
situation don't look good.
Despite this, the Eisenhower Ad-
ministration continues determined
to turn the rubber factories, built
itt enormous expense to the tax-
payer, over to the big rubber and
oil companies. In fact, if Congress
doesn't act, they automitically are
sold on March 26.
Here are some of the disturbing
facts which Congress ought to take
a careful look at:
Low stockpile-all government
press releases regarding synthetic
rubber reserves have- suddenly
stopped. They used to be publish-
ed once a month but none since
January 20. Reason: the synthetic
rubber reserve has dropped alarm-
ingly. Though we're supposed to
keep 60,000 tons on hand, today
we have only 38,000 tons, which
will drop to 28,000 by April 26.
(The synthetic factories are to be
sold on March 26, delivered April
26.)
age means that little companies.
won't be able to buy after April.
Only 22 tire companies consume
72 per cent of all synthetic rub-
ber. Of these, the big four alone
consume 60 per cent. But there
are scores of other companies
needing rubber for other purposes
which may not be able to buy it
after April 26.
Bonanza for big business-Un-
der the terms of the sale, private
companies pay Uncle Samr$260,-
000.000 for the rubber factories.
Meanwhile the factories are mak-
ing an annual profit averaging
about $64,000,000. This means that
if the U.S. Government kept the
plants and ran them for four
years, it would make as much pro-
fit as the purchase price.
Another way of putting it: the
big boys who are buying the fac-
tories pay for them out of profits.
In the end the factories cost noth-
ing. It's a good deal if you can get
it, and the companies will have it
on March 26-unless Congress
acts.
"Uncle Sap"-Though the best
(Continued from Page 1)
for women. This is a business office
(not editorial). Training- is for posi-
tions in many departments. Brochures
and applications are available at the
Bureau of Appointments.
Wm. J. Mericka & Co., Inc., Cleveland,
Ohio-opening for one or two young
men interested in the investment secur.
ities field. Background of economics is
preferred but not essential.
Linde Air Products Co., Div. of Un-
ion Carbide and Carbon Corp., New
York, N.Y.-needs a number of Chemi-
cal Engrs. and Physical Chemists. From
two to five years industrial experience'
are desirable, preferably on inorganic
product development.
The Vulcan Detinning Co., Gary, Ind.
- seeking a Plant Engr. Should be
Mech. E. with experience in plant main-
tenance, familiar with boilers, cranes,
materials handling, electrical equip-
ment, etc. Some knowledge of inor-
ganic chemistry helpful, but not ne-
cessary.I
For further information contact the
Bureau of Appointments, 3528 Admin.
Bldg., Ext. 371.
Lectures
Aeronautical Engineering L e ct u r e.
"Some Aspects of Structural Dyr~mics
and Aeroelasticity," Raymond L. Bis-
plinghoff, professor of aeronautical en-
gineering, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology. Fri., March 11, at 4:00
p.m., in Room 1504 East Engineering
Building.
Academic Notices
AstronomicalhColloquium. Fri.,rMarch
11, 4:15 p.m., the Observatory. Dr. Hel-
en W. Dodson of the McMath-Hulbert
Observatory will speak on "Photometry
of Solar Flares.'"
Logic seminar will meet Fri., March
11 at 4:00 p.m. in 3010 Angell Hall. Dr.
Lyndon will continue to speak about
"Tarski's Theory of Algebraic Classes."
Biological Chemistry Seminar. Dr.
Isadore A. Berstein, of the Institute of
Industrial Health, will speak on "Gly-
colysis in Rat Skin," Room 319 west
Medical Building, Sat., March 12 at
10:00 a.m.
Doctoral Examination for Lynn J.
Kirby, Chemistry; thesis: "A Polaro-
graphic and Spectrophotometric Inves-
tigation of the Lower Oxidtion Levels
of Rhenium," Fri., March 11, 3003 Chem-
istry Bldg., at 3:00 p.m. Chairman, C.L.
Rulfs.
Concirts
Hendl and Youse will be performed by
the following students: Justine votyp-
ka, Nancy Bartholomew, Linda Reck,
Phyllis Stringham, piano; Linn Bevis,
contralto; Elizabeth Fischer, soprano;
Patricia Stenberg, oboe; Sylvia Sher-
man, English horn; virginia Catenese,
clarinet; Beverly Green, French horn;
Eleanor Becker, bassoon. Open to the
public.
Events Today
Newman Club-Open house at the
Newman Club Fri., March 11, from 8:00-
I 12:00 p.m. Dancing to records and re-
freshments.
Graduate Outing Club. Those inter-
ested in participating in co-rec. night
at the I.M. building come to the north-
west entrance of Rackham, 7:15 p.m.
Fri., Mar. 11.
Episcopal Student Foundation. Can-
terbury Coffee Clatch, 4:00 to 5:15 p.m.,
Fri., March 11, at Canterbury House.
Student and Faculty-conducted Even-
song Fri., March 11, at 5:15 p.m., in the
Chapel of St. Michael and All Angels.
Canterbury Campus Series: The first
speaker of the Lenten Series on "Chris-
tianity and Evil" will be The Rev. John
G. Dahl, Rector, Trinity Church, De-
troit, "The Christian Teaching on Sin,"
7:30 p.m., Fri., March 11, at Canterbury
House.
A Coffee (and tea) Hour will be held
in the Lane Hall Library Fri., Mar. 11
from 4:30-6:00 p.m. Dr. L. Thomas Hop-
kins will be our guest and the Young
Friends are the guild host.
Hillel: Traditional and Liberal Fri.
Evening Services at 7:15 p.m.
Westminster Student Fellowship Open
House, Fri., March 11, 8:00-12:00 p.m.,
Student Center of the Presbyterian
Church.
Frosh Weekend-Script Committee,
Maize Team will be Fri., March 11 at
4:00 p.m. in the League.
First Baptist Church. Fri., March 11.
8:00 p.m. Guild Open House.
Michigan Christian Fellowship: "The
Techniques of Leading a Bible Study"
will be discussed at Lane Hall, 7:30
p . -
Wesleyan Guild. Pri., March 11. Drama
Workshop, 4:00 p.m. The play, "One
Foot in Heaven" will be discussed.
Coming Events
A
I-
d
A GOOD PRODUCTION of an uneven play
was presented last night as the Ann Arbor
Civic Theatre performed The Country Girl at
the Lydia Mendelssohn.
The Clifford Odets drama has some high
moments of good theatre, but it also has its
share of lapses. The first act is weak so that
the story doesn't come into its own until the
second. And the climactic final scene is a let-
down.
The Country Girl tells of a once-famous actor
be much younger; this makes his falling in love
with Georgia seem somewhat out of focus.
AS THE heroine, and central character, Sally
Replinger was at her best in the highly dra-
matic scenes with the director. In the quieter
scenes with her husband, she had the force but
not the vital warmth needed for the role.
Ken MacDonald in the difficult role of the
actor was noticeably better at the play's be-
ginning than toward the end.