Y"
"Ouch! Hey-It's Me"
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Sixty-Sixth Year
EDITED AND MANAGED BY STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
UNDER AUTHORITY OF BOARD IN CONTROL OF STUDENT PUBLICATIONS
STUDENT PUBLICATIONS BLDG. * ANN ARBOR, MICH. * Phone NO 2-3241
Editorials printed in The Michigan Daily are written by members of The Daily staff
and represent the views of the writers only. This must be noted in all reprints.
AT THE MICHIGAN
Union Opera Amusing
Farcical Revue
THE Union Opera people have put together their show this year in
the style of a 1920's musical-comedy revue. There is a whispy
plot-line about modern-day filmland problems, but the spirit, songs
and humor are old fashioned. complete with dancing girls and cops
running up the aisles.
With such gimmicks, there is an over-all lack of unity, and when
people want to sing or dance they just walk away from the scene and
start to perform.
"Film Flam" hence becomes more of a vaudeville show with all of
the difficulties derived from that outdated variety format: some of
the acts are very entertaining, others not as much.
TO THE SHOW'S credit is a cast of fine singing performers. John
McCrae carries some of the best numbers with a pleasing voice; Ken
Smith exhibits verve, belting out three songs which are unfortunately
structured too much along the same lines and do not give his abilities
iEDNESDAY, DE7CEMBER 7, 1955
NIGHT EDITOR: MARY ANN THOMAS
Lack of Ex -Offico
J
Responsibility Hurts SGC
STUDENT GOVERNMENT Council members
may be letting the greatest responsibility
ever invested in a University student body go
to waste. There are signs of an unswing but
after eight months SGC must dig rather deep
to find concrete accomplishments to report to
the student body.
Numerous excuses have accompanied SGC's
inactivity and some are valid. But many of
the excuses. might better be termed weak
rationalizations. Continued advoidance of its,
real responsibility to the students will make
the Council no better than SL and possibly less.
Obviously SGC is going through growing
pains and this must be a major consideration
in criticism. But unfortunately misdirection in
this growing period seems to be building some
insurmountable obstacles which will remain
after Council's alleged growing period is long
past.
Much of the blame can'be laid to the ex-
officio members. Last year anti-SGC people
said ex-officios would not have sufficient time
to actively work on the Council, and even if
they did, would form a special interest group
with a strong tendency to conservatism. Al-
though the opposition was established on pessi-
mistic prediction rather than on fact, eight
months experience is justifying the pessimism'.
THUS FAR ex-officios have not been reaching
the hopes of even the pessimists. With one
or two exceptions the special interest tag has
been borne out. On one occasion a pair of ex-
officios argued to save a fall date for one of
their organization functions when the rest of
the Council saw almost unanimously that all-
campus interest lay in another direction.
But warse, ex-officios generally haven't been
contributing leadership to the Council. They
all come to SGC meetings each Wednesday but
this is the extent of their contribution. Some
elected members complain they never see an
ex-officio from one meeting to the next and
general ex-officio silence through weekly meet-
ings indicates lack of contact with SGC activity.
Of course ex-officios are busy with jobs of
their own. But last year ex-officio students
pledged to delegate work to subordinates so
they would have time to devote to the Council.
They saw that appointment or election to a
top student position involves a responsibility to
the whole student body and not just to their
own group on campus. It's doubtful this pledge
has been forgotten in one year. But students
who see the Council flounder for lack ofleader-
ship will start asking questions soon.
If ex-officios can't assume responsibility on
the Council, alterations of the present SGC
plan should be considered soon. But if the ex-
off icios can widen their scope on campus issues
and campus problems; if they will take the
time for serious thought on the imminent
problems facing the University this year, they
can still provide the leadership spark student
government needs.
Ex-officios have been re-examining their
position on the Council since its inception. Now
is the time for some concrete contribution to
SGC with the leadership necessary for SGC to
make inroads on the University's student prob-
lems.
-DAVE BAAD, Managing Editor
e£-O C
WASHINGTON MERRY-GO-ROUND:
:r-
Hall Dewey Guide Ike GOP.
By DREW PEARSON
enough opportunity; and Dick
Booth makes a fine French tech-
nical wizard in "C'est Moi, Made-
moisselle."
There is also a wonderful and
witty show-stopping Arabian girl
production number, and some very
amusing comedy caricatures, es-
pecially Michael Palazzolo as Rita
Passion, a standout part, George
Spelvin as Mary Pickwick, that.
silent-screen pantomime trage-
dienne, and Bruce McClelland as
Theda Vampa, sultry passion flow-
er.
There are also numerous other
entertaining touches: dozens of
magic tricks thanks to Writers
Russell Brown, Chuck Reynolds
and Bill Russell, an impersonation
of Marlin Bardo by John Szucs,
and Theda Vampa's dance of se-
duction.
* * *
BUT WHAT the show lacks is
some sort of strong story to tie
it together; that it does not seem
more chaotic and disorganized
than it does may be attributed
to the hard work of its performers
and the fast clip at which it moves.
Six writers (including women
for the first time) have collabor-
ated on the songs. None are es-
pecially original, but they are
largely pleasing. "Luckier Than
We" is a spritely up-tempo song,
"Summer By the Sea" is a roman-
tic turn as is "With You." The
other numbers are best described
by one of their titles, "The Gim-
mick's the Thing." They are ef-
forts which are tuneful, but apart
from their show situations do not
stand on their own.
"Film Flam" comes through best
with its songs, dances and cari-
catures. Choreographer - Director
Fred Evans has devised some in-
genious numbers, but he some-
times fails to direct his comedy
material very well - and often
good lines are lost.
To expect pure professionalism
from a Union Opera is asking a
great deal; but this year's show
very often comes near to profes-
sional burlesquing, and when it
does the result is gratifying.
--Ernest Theodossin
OFFICIAL
BULLETIN
THE Daily Official Bulletin is an
official publication of the University
of Michigan for which the Michigan
Daily assumes no editorial responsi-
bility. Notices should be sent in
TYPEWRITTEN form to Room 3553
Administration Building before 2 p.m.
the day preceding publication. Notices
for the Sunday edition must be in
by 2 p.m. Friday.
'A Ner Look At
The Power of the Press'
.t
(EDITOR'S NOTE: The following address was
delivered yesterday at a special lecture sponsored
by the Journalism Ltepartment. It is printed here
in part.)
By DOUGLASS CATER
Washington Editor, Reporter Magazine
IT IS a curious fact that members of the press
are never found so wanting as when they
turn their talents of description and analysis
upon the press itself. For too long too much of
the writing about the press has been in terms
of the tired old cliches of "guardian of our
freedom" and "defender of our liberties . . ."
The definition of the power of the press has
been both mis-stated and understated, it seems
to me. In recent years we have come to hold a
healthy and proper'cynicismn about the editorial
power of the press. Candidates are too fre-
quently elected nowadays against the nearly
unanimous opposition of the editors not to raise
questions about editorial influence. But this in
no ways calls into question the vast and power-
ful influence of the working press as an institu-
tion of democratic government . . . The press
is the major publicist of democratic government
. ..All too frequently the public image of
government assumes wierd and bizarre shapes
quite distinct from the original. More than
that, publicity has been known to take on a
life and personality all its own-the supposed
creature of government in turn recreating the
policies and personalities. which are being pub-
licized.
The explanation for this is not limited to the
fact that publicity influences public opinion
which must ever be the determining influence
in a democracy. In this age of fast and far
reaching publicity, that ephemeral substance
has come to be taken as, a cheap and easy
substitute for public opinion. The headline inch
serves as the day-to-day guide to public opinion
on a whole host of issues for the politician who
is at best an imprecise social scientist ...
... It is hardly overstating it to say that the
American Fourth Estate has become a de facto,
quasi-official fourth branch of government, its
institutions no less important because they have
been informally and, indeed, almost haphaz-
ardly arrived at . . . the government has built
within itself a corresponding paraphenalia for
handling press relations employing, it is esti-
mated, nearly twice as many personnel as the
press itself.
THE REAL power, the continuing daily influ-
ence of the press is in its role as the articu-
lator of those events of government which it
deems worthy of note. The substantial power of
the press is in its selectivity-its definition of
"news."
At his regular press conference . . . the Pres-
ident presents his views on a countless number
of matters. The press, in the first instance,
determines by its questions which matter are
brought forcibly to his attention and in what
way. The press- determines which of the Presi-
dent's utterances are headlined on page one,
which buried inside the paper, and which ..-.
are ignored . , ,
But before it communicates between gov-
ernment and citizenry, the press has always
served a vital function as communicator in the
first instance within the government itself .. -
The press also serves as a principal trans-
mittal belt from week to week between the
executive and Congress. The President's press
tioners of the art of public relations will pri-
vately admit, there is an area of definable man-
ipulation. It can be a result of accident ...
The reporter, however, works within
limits. News, despite the cynical comments of
some press critics, is a vaguely definablecom-
modity recognized more by intuitive instinct
perhaps than by copybook maxims.. .
- It is difficult to be precise in measuring
the conforming influence which news has on
the very substance on which it feeds. But, to
my mind, there is little doubt that its influence
Is pervasive.
... The competitive news advantage of one
policy over another has a tremendous bearing
on the comparative ease with which each sur-
vives the legislative process. Under the vast
panoply of our foreign aid programs, military
assistance with its newsworthy qualities . . . is
a publicity natural which almost self-induces
its continuation. On the contrary, a program
like Point Four requires tremendous exertion to
seek out its newsworthy traits, vast oversimpli-
fication, and the mammouth efforts of private
groups who zealously exploit the small news
potential support.
IF WE view the press from this perspective-as
an integral part of the democratic process of
government rather than as non-participating
adjunct to government-we get a better overall
view for measuring the performance of the
press.
Viewed from this perspective there are several
problem areas which bear closer attention. The
first of these arises from the very definition
of news itself. News about government has dif-
ferent attributes than news about ... the host
of other individual human frailties which the
press must relate to the reading public. Too
often, however, it is treated as if it were the
same commodity . . . it becomes ridiculous
over-simplification when in the quest to make
matters of high policy conform to the definition
of news, the reporter paints in stark contrasts
when the actual picture may be characterized
by subtle shadings.
Second,' there is the problem area which
stems from the technological development of
the press with its tremendous capacity for
speed . . . the press has become preoccupied
with the flow of the news to the detriment, I
believe, of the content . . .
The third problem area, it seems to me, lies
in the field of priority and prestige which
helps determine where the reporter shall exert
his major efforts ..-.
... It is the job of the newsman . . .to get at
the news while it still is news, not to wait until
it has become a pro forma debate on the floor
of Congress . .
THE REPORTER cannot pretend that he is
God. He is working swiftly against power-
ful odds at a frustratingly imprecise craft. He
defeats his role if he collaborates in the sup-
pression of information that rightfully belongs
in the public domain because of a utopian
desire to get the whole truth. But this does
not mean that he must rush headlong into
print with some partial but misleading piece
of the truth without applying his own con-
sidered judgment as to its reasonability.
Butemore than that, I believe it would be
a healthy thing if reporters applied the same
critical analysis to distortions and fabrications
--- cr mmhnc of he. nu nrf-fiin that
THERE'S more than meets the
eye behind Leonard Hall's
cheerful optimism that President
Eisenhower Wvill run again. The
bald; bland Republican National
Chairman took his cue, not from
Ike but from New York's Tom
Dewey.
Here are the behind-the-scenes
developments:
1. This column can report posi-
tively that Hall didn't even discuss
a second term with Ike ataGettys-
burg. Hall had talked about it
earlier, however, with Dewey. .
2. ASSISTANT President Sher-
man Adams and Attorney General
Herbert Brownell also consulted
with Dewey about Ike's re-election.
They agreed to come as close to
declaring him in the race as they
coult without making the an-
nouncement for him. The Presi-
dent did not indicate to them he
would run.
They convinced him, however,
that he will have trouble pushing
his legislative program through
Congress unless he gave hints of
remaining boss for another four
years.
3. Hall did his level best to
convince GOP National Com-
mitteemen, meeting in Chicago last
week, that Ike would be the party's
candidate again in 1956. Signifi-
cantly, this idea was given impetus
behind closed doors by another
Deweyite, Mrs. Charles Weis of
New York. In charge of arrange-
ments for the Republican conven-
tion, she advised her subcommittee
to plan on a short convention with
only one nomination - Eisenhow-
er's.
* * *
4. SOME committeemen didn't
swallow the Ike-will-run propa-
ganda, notably ex-National Chair-
man Guy Gabrielson and ex-Kan-
sas Senator Harry Darby. They
spread word that it was ridiculous
to expect Ike to run again. Pri-
vately, some suspected the whole
idea might be a holding action
by the Dewey forces to stop a
build-up for any other candidate.
This would give Dewey more time
to get his own machine rolling-
if Ike should decide the last minute
to retire.
It was prearranged with Adams,
Brownell and Dewey what Hall
should tell the press after his
Gettysburg conference with the
President. The plan was to suggest
Ike would run again but to put off
any formal announcement until,
March.
The subject of Ike's running,
however, didn't even come up dur-
ing his visit with the GOP Chair-
man. Hall simply reported to the
President on party finances. He
told Ike that his heart attack had
stimulated Republican contribu-
tions.
S* S S
ASIDE FROM the rinancial dis-
cussion, Ike and Len spent the rest
of their time reminiscing about
thae 1952 campaign. Not a word
was said about the President's
political plans or the timing of his
announcement.
Earlier, Sherman Adams had
gotten an optimistic report on the
President's health from his doctors.
Adams reported the results to
Dewey, in effect, as follows: "By
February, Ike will be out shooting
18 holes of golf. The worst thing
a heart patient can do is sit around
and think about his heart. Mental
activity is good for the heart. It
stimulates the heart and gives it
exercise."
During subsequent talks, Dewey,
Brownell, Adams, and Hall agreed
the President was so bored during
his hospital recuperation that he
saw what it would be like to retire
and have nothing to do.-,
* * -
IT SHOsULD BE stressed that
Ike personally never encouraged
them to expect him to run again.
They agreed among themselves,
however, that Ike would be the
best candidate if he could be per-
suaded to run.
They also agreed to hold off Ike's
announcement as long as possible,
presumably to give him more time
to regain his health and make up
his mind. This would have the
added advantage of keeping other
candidates quiet and stopping the
publigity build-up for Vice Presi-
dent Nixon, Senate GOP Leader
Knowland, and other hopefuls.
Some National Committeemen
at the Chicago Republican rally
suspected this is what Dewey had
in mind. As far as this column
could learn, however, the idea of
a holding action for Dewey wasn't
mentioned out loud in Dewey.'s
private talks with Adams, Brownell
and Hall.
(Copyright, 1955, by Bell Syndicate, Inc.)
'FOOL-SCALE PARODY':
Gargoyle Out Kidding
Daily and Friends
Highlighting a "fool-scale" paro-
dy of The Daily, the campus humor
magazine, Gargoyle, today tries for
the second time this semester to
bring joy to Ann Arbor.
Gargoyle operates on the basic
philosophy that:
1.) Anything ncomprehesnsible
to the readers (Chinese symbols,
Latin verses, or just gibberish) is
hilarious.
2.) Personal puns for friends and
staffmen are hilarious.
3.) A little vulgarity and pro-
fanity is hilarious.
k And so in issue No. 2 we get:
Anda bit of Latin prose for
this issue - Maiores nostri moni-
mentum spientiae, etc., etc."
And in a takeoff on a "Doily":
LITTLI MAN ON CAMPUS
by Dick Bibler
"Don't you stupid b------ds know
you are in college to do something
else besides pound your fat stupid
heads against them books."
And then there are countless
references to various people' the
reader probably wouldn't know:
the editor's roommate, a former
Daily staffer not even on campus
this year, a Daily night editor's
roommate, and other friends, many
kidded throughout the magazine.
DESPITE all this the Gargoyle
does offer some fairly good
material. The takeoff on The
Daily will probably bring laughs,
although mostly to people who
have some connection with the
paper. There is a section of jokes
and comment on them that read-
ers should find entertaining.
And useful for all is a clip-and-
save replica of the University
driving permit, a kindly gesture.
which is certain to increase the
number of automobiles on campus.
But the longer articles will prob-
ably be too tedious for full con-
sumption. Although humor and
comedy come in various forms,
the Gargoyle brand forsakes any
subtlety and wit in favor of over-
worked and hard-pressed farce,
A SPECIAL television section
takes the $64,000 Question to task,
as well as the $100,000 Surprise,
a job of spoofing that is slightly
overdone on this one theme.
There are some pretty clever
cartoons, as well, a few borrowed,
some by Art Editor Dave Rohn.
But in general, unless you are
able to catch the numerous al-
STANLEY QUARTET:
Excellence
OfEnsemble
T HE second Fall concert of the
University's Stanley Quartet
was held last evening in the Rack-
ham Lecture Hall and served to
confirm once again that the group
is well integrated and capable of
most exciting professional per-
formance. Playing !a program of
Haydn, Bassett and Brahms, the
members of the Quartet displayed
their excellence both in ensemble
and in solo.
It must be said how difficult it
is under the best circumstances for
a regularly concertizing quartet to
achieve rapport of ensemble, and
how much more therefore one
must recognize the fine achieve-
ment of the Stanley in making of
themselves a quartet in the full
and best sense of the term.
No one who heard their inter-
pretation and execution of the
Haydn C Major (Op. 74 No. 1)
could doubt how instinctively well
they commune with each other
and what marvelous tonality may
result from such communion.
* , ,*'
LESLIE BASSETT'S Quintet
with double bass claimed a great
deal of interest both because it is
a new work and because its com-
poser is a member of the Univer-
sity community. The work is an
imaginative treatment of sound,
both melodic and harmonic, and
pits interesting combinations of in-
struments against ' each other to
produce varied tonal effects. Many.
of these effects are captivating,
and one must confess some are not,
yet it would be patently unjust on
the basis of one performance to
arrive at any but the most tenta-
tive judgment.
There- is a unity to the work
which is fairly well apparent, and
it is also evident that Mr. Bassett
knows the full possibilities of the
instruments he writes for - wit-
ness the continual playing of the
viola, cello and sometimes the
I- - ..,. rnre' r 'M
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1955
VOL. LXVII, NO. 58
General Notices
The University Senate will meet on
Thurs., Dec. 8. at 4:15 p.m. In the Rack-
ham Lecture Hall.
Naval Reserve Officer's Training Corps
Testing Program (NROTC) will be given
Sat.. Dec. 10. Candidates taking this
examination are requested to report t
100 Hutchins Hal at 8:30 a.m.
Lectures
Department of Near Eastern Studies,
Dr. Aziz S. Atiya, President of the
Coptic Institute in Cairo, Egypt and
visiting professor this year, "From Bible
Lands: St: Catherine's Monastery and
the Mt. Sinai Expedition," Wed., Dec.
7, Aud. B, Angell Hall at 4:00 p.m. This
lecture, originally scheduled for Dec.
B, has been changed.
Howard C. Hardy of the Armour Re-
search Foundation will speak oni "The
Use of Models in Architectural Design
and Noise Control." Thurs., Dec. 8 at
8:00 p.m., Rackham Building.
Academic Notices
Sociology Colloquium: Theodore
Schwartz will speak on, "A Study in
Rapid Culture Chaige in Melanesia,"
Wed., Dec. 7, at 4:10 p.m., Michigan
League. Room to be posted. Open
lecture.
Physical, Analytical, Inorganic Chem-
istry Seminar. Thurs., Dec. 8, 7:30 p.m.
Room 3005 Chemistry Building. D. J.
Macero will speak on "Diffusion Con-
trolled Polarographic Currents."
Organic Chemistry Seminar. 7:30 p.m.,
Thurs., Dec. 8, Room 1300 Chemistry
Building. Kenneth K. Wyckoff will
speak on "Alpha Iodo Ketones."
History 11, Group 2-Written qui on
Dec. 9. Dunn's and Silberman's dis-
cussion sections in Room A; Slosson's
in 35 Angell Hall. Bluebooks will not be
needed.
Education School Council is present-
ing a Coffee Hour, Thui., Dec. 8, cele-
brating the Christmas season.
Doctoral Examination for William
Jeffries Childs, Physics; thesis: "Angu-
lar Distributions in the 0 16(d,p)O17
Reaction, and the Energy Levels of
017," Wed., Dec. 7, 2038 Randall Labor-
atory, at 1:30 p.m. Chairman, W. C.
Parkinson.
Events Today
Scenes from Opera presented by the
opera class, Josef Blatt, musical direc-
tor, Valentine Windt and Henry' Austin,
stage directors, Wed. and Fri. nights,
8:30, Dec. 7 and 9, Aud. A, Angell Hall.
Scenes from Hansel and Gretel, Manon
and l Trovatore, sung by students in
the School of Music. Open to the pub- "
lic.
Free Films. Dec. 6-12. "Spinning for I
Steelheads" and "The Color of Man."
3:00 and 4:00 daily, including Sat. and
Sun., with extra'showing Wed. at 12:30.
4th floor exhibit hall, Museums Bldg.
Placement Notices
Livonia, Michigan will have a repre-
sentative at the Bureau of Appoint-
ments on Thurs., Dec. 8, to interview
teachers for the Second Semester.
Teacher Needs: Elementary; Junior
High (all subjects).
For additional information contact
the Bureau of Appointments 3528
Administration Bldg., NO 3-1511, Ext.
489.
A Business College in this area needs
a mpan to recruit students. A degree
is desired, but not essential. This is
an excellent opportunity.
For additional information contact
Mr. Barker, Bureau of Appointments,
3528 Administration Bldg., NO 3-1511,
Ext. 2614.
PERSONNEL INTERVIEWS:
Representatives from the following
will be at the Engrg. School:
Wed., Dec. 1:
Calif. Institute of Tech., Jet Propul-
sion Lab., Pasadena, Calif.-al levels in
Mech., Aero., Elect., and Chem. E. for
Research and Development.
Allied Chem ,& Dye Corp., Gen'1
Chem. Div., New York, N. Y-all levels
in Mech. and Chem. E. and Chemistry
for summer and regular Research, Devel-
opment, Design, Prod., and Construc-
tion.
Wed. Thurs. Dec. 7 and a:
\\
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411
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