The Machine Age
3!w 3ichigatt al
Sixty-Eighth Year
EDITED AND MANAGED BY STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERS TY OF MICHIGAN
UNDER AUTHORITY OF BOARD IN CONTROL OF STUDENT PUBLICATIONS
STUDENT PUBLICATIONS BLDG. * ANN ARBOR, MICH. * Phone NO 2-3241
hen Opinions Are Free
Truth Will Prevail"
bill I
i
WATCHING THE RECESSION:
Business U pturn Said
B insUp rnUnlikely This Spring
By WVLLIAM FERRIS
NEW YORK (IP) - What should we watch to see if the country is re-
covering from the recession? When are we likely to emerge from it?
Dr. Geoffrey Moore, associate director of research at the National
Bureau of Economic Research, listed several items which, he said,
should be watched closely. They included:
1) An increase in the average work week. This has occurred prior
to an expansion in employment in practically all recessions. In both
the 1953-54 and 1948-49 recessions the average work week started to
lengthen four months before over-all business turned up. The latest
1,
Editorials printed in The Michigan Daily express the individual opinions of staff writers
or the editors. This must be noted in all reprints.
ESDAY, APRIL 2, 1958
NIGHT EDITOR: ELIZABETH ERSKINE
The Advanced Student
And a Democratic Society
'WAS A BILL ... to provide for the annual selection of the best subjects from the schools,
who might receive, at the public expense, a higher degree of education at a district school;
d from these district schools to select a certain number of the most promising subjects to
completed at a university, where all the useful sciences should be taught. Worth and genius
uld thus have been sought out from every condition of life ...
--Thomas Jefferson
:G '' -, a Y h? 4 ..
...
_. o
{ 11 L"i t.
P
I
N MODERN DAY American education 'bon-
fusion over the meaning of the word "de-
mocracy" has misled many an educator and
parent. Prevalent is the misconception that de-
mocracy in education implies all seekers after
an education may obtain the same quantity
and quality of product. This idea pervades the
American educational system from elementary
school through to college and university level.
In elementary schools, for example, reading
classes are usually divided into three levels
corresponding to degree of attainment of the
student. The most advanced are allowed to
forge forward while the "slower" student is
given special attention. This is a step in the
right direction. Yet this same slow student is
not retained in the same grade for repetition
if his accumulation of knowledge is not suf-
ficient to continue on to the next grade. He
is shoved along with his age group to the next
grade. It seems the "flunking" process is a rare
phenomena in modern education.
A more serious problem, however, develops
in the secondary level. The high schools of the
United States today are filled with students;
who, pushed along with their age group, are
"just trying to get through." Either they have
not reached the age of sixteen and hence are,
required by law to attend school, or are yield-
ing to parental or other social pressures. This
group cannot be disregarded and hence stand-
ards must be shaped to include their educa-
tional needs. Unfortunately, the consequences
of this are not examined closely enough. The
advanced student must also be placed within
this framework of standards. Standards have
become increasingly lower and the effect is,
that the superior student has been forced down
to the level of mediocrity.
That this is true is shown by a comment by
a history professor on the faculty of this uni-
versity. A high school textbook written by him
had been returned by its publisher for re-
visions. One such revision was a request to
change "20th century" to "the 1900's." It seems
high school students today have trouble grasp-
ing the relationship of the two expressions.
Other such revisions "downward" were re-
quested.
IT WOULD SEEM reasonable to assume with
this downgrade in educational quality in
high schools that a similar pattern is occur-
ing in colleges and universities.
Democracy these days implies that all are
entitled to almost the same education regard-
less of ability. What has happened is that de-
mnocracy has become equated with mediocrity.
True democracy in education is indicated in
the philosophy of Thomas Jefferson. Equality
of opportunity in obtaining an education is
the University of Virginia founder's plea for
common sense in education. The intelligent
child should be given an advantage in obtaining
higher education. That all children should be
exposed to knowledge is also implicit in his
view. Those who are slow should be aided un-
til they reach the secondary level and then en-
couraged to branch off into fields in which
they will be better suited.
IN A RECENT article in Modern Age magazine,
Prof. Harold L. Clapp of Grinnel College, of-
fers some striking contrasts to the American
system. His children were educated in Geneva,
Switzerland in a public school. He comments,
"Swiss school authorities believe in discipline."
He proves his point when commenting on the
mental development of the Swiss elementary
school pupil. In the first grade 13upils are
taught that organization of material and pre-
cision of expression is just as important as rote
memorization.
In the sixth grade, Swiss children have a vo-
cabulary of seven thousand words including
some which would stump the average American
collegian, such as "autonomy," "protectorate"
and "despotism." Genevese sixth graders, in
reading, cover the works of Moliere, Flaubert
and Maupassant.
Clapp attributes this impressive collection of
knowledge to the business-like and disciplined
educational system which the school authori-
ties enforce.
Parents are required to supervise the school
work of their children. "Regulations stipulate
among the right and duties of the parents that
parents must supervise school work done at
home."
The Sviss system is truly democratic. Com-
pulsory education to the sixth grade is charac-
teristic. At the end of the sixth year, students
are given tests to determine what type of high-
er education they are best qualified for. The
student may then choose what course he is to
follow on the basis of these tests.
Essentially this means the Swiss system is
geared so equals compete with equals and no
one is dragged down into mediocrity. The ad-
vanced student is" given a square deal as well
as those less adapted for advanced intellec-
tual training. All are given ali opportunity to
learn but the advanced student is urged to
forge ahead.
The Swiss system makes sense. American
educators might take note of the methods and
amazing results of educators in Switzerland,
-CAROL PRINS
Magazine Editor
p. ~.a
e" i
: S. ..
WASHINGTON MERRY-GO-ROUND:
Labors of a Lobbyist
By DREW PEARSON
WASHINGTON - When Alen
Davies, lobbyist for the meat
packers, stoodyat the bar in the
National Press Club and boasted
about his close friendship with
Ezra Taft Benson, he didn't do
himself much good. But he did do
some good for the American pub-
lic.
Bill McGaffin of the Chicago
Daily News promptly wrote a story
about Davies' boast, even though
Davies made big noises about hav-
ing McGaffin bounced from the
Press Club.
The farmers who look to Ben-
son for support hadn't entirely
realized before that Ezra is more
the friend of the meat packer and
big processor than he is of the dirt
farmer. His close friend Davies
for instance, is now lobbying
against the O'Mahoney bill, intro-
duced by the senator from Wyo-
ming to transfer antitrust juris-
diction over the meat packers to
the Federal Trade Commission.
O'Mahoney knows the housewife
will get little protection from Ben-
son's Agriculture Department, so
he wants the Federal Trade Com-
mission to act instead. Davies is
opposing the transfer.
DAVIES is also the lobbyist
working to stop the Humane
Slaughter Bill, already passed by
the House of Representatives,
thanks to Congresswoman Martha
Griffiths of Michigan. This bill
would require hogs and steers to
be given a quick dose of gas be-
fore they are hammered over the
head in the packing houses. In
some cases dazed steers, knocked
on the head but not killed, go ca-
reening around the slaughter-
house before they are finally
butchered.
Lobbyist Davies has been work-
ing with the Republican members
of the Senate Agriculture Com-
mittee to hold extensive hearings
on this bill, even though hearings
were held two years ago.
Meanwhile, Secretary Benson is
reported a bit hesitant about his
earlier plan to appoint his friend
Davies as a delegate to the British
Food Fair Aug. 28-Sept. 11 in
London. Last year, Davies went as
a representative to the American
Meat Institute, but this year Ben-
son was planning to make him an
official delegate of, the Agricul-
ture Department - until he got
all the publicity over ghost-writ-
ing Benson's statement that he
would not tesign as Secretary of
Agriculture.
Editor Walter L. Hart of the
Morgantown, W. Va.,, Dominion
News, who is something of an avi-
ation expert, maintains that
there's more risk from flying pri-
vate planes than commercial air-
liners, and that if Mike Todd
hadn't been crossing the U.S. in
his own private plane, he wouldn't
have come to his untimely death.
My own investigation at the
Civil Aeronautics Authority bears
this out .
Latest CAA figures show that
airplane accidents in private air-
planes are twice as great as those
on commercial airliners. In 1956,
1,700 air carriers had 47 accidents,
or about 3 per cent. But 28,000
private business or pleasure planes
had 1,700 accidents, or six per.
cent.
LATEST addition to the diplo-
matic corps is svelte, handsome
Ambassador" Hector Santaella,
representative of the new demo-
cratic government of Venezuela
which recently kicked out long-
time terrorist dictator Perez Ji-
menez.
Educated at Texas A. & M. Uni-
versity and Harvard, Ambassador
Santaella is a businessman who
'understands the . problems "of
American oil companies, yet was
arrested three times by hated Po-
lice Chief Pedro Estrada because
he championed democracy.
Calling on President Eisen-
hower to present his credentials,
he came back impressed.
"The President was in excellent
health, alert, charming, sympa-
thetic," he said. "He has a warm,
dynamic personality."
Despite the charming reception
Ike gave to the new Verezuelan
Ambassador, two days later he
slapped a restriction on Venezuela
where it hurts most - imports
of Venezuelan oil. The diplomatic
corps was flabbergasted over the
fact that Eisenhower delivered a
full-dress speech one day last
week emphasizing the importance
of foreign trade and on the same
day, slapped new Amnericah~ re-
strictions on foreign trade.
His speech against restrictions
on foreign trade was telecast to
the entire United States from a
bipartisan forum organized by
Charles Taft, brother of the late
Senator Bob Taft - a forum from
which such bipartisan speakers as
Adlai Stevenson and Speaker Sam
Rayburn had agreed with Eisen-
hower that foreign trade must not
be restricted.
YET ON the same day, Ike
okayed a further restriction on
oil from: 1) Canada, which faced
i m m e d i a t e national elections
where U.S. animosity is an issue;
2) Venezuela, whose new demo-
cratic non-dictator regime can't
afford an economic setback; and
3) the Near East ,where Nasser is
making inroads on American oil
in Saudi Arabia.
Remarked one ambassador (not
the new Venezuelan): "The hand
says one thing, the mouth the
other. Either Mr. Eisenhower
should not have restricted oil, or
he should not have made the
speech."
Note: Eisenhower was under
pressure from Senator Lyndon
Johnson of Texas and some of
Ike's Texas oil friends to further
curtail oil imports.
(Copyright 1958 by Bell Syndicate, Inc.)
figures on the work week are for
February. They show it has de-
clined for 15 straight months.
2) An increase in new orders
and in contracts for future con-
struction. These ordinarily pick
up from four to six months before
an upturn in industrial output or
employment.
The latest figures on new or-
ders for all types of durable goods
are for January. They have de-
clined for 12 straight months.
Residential contracts have de-
clined for five months and com-
mercial contracts for nine months..
R * *
3) A CONTRACTION in the,
scope of the recession - that is,
in the number of business indices
affected by it. This has happened
first in all 24 recessions and de-
pressions the b'ureau has studied.
It occurs usually six to 12 months
before an upturn in aggregate
business activity.
4) A variety of evidence is nec-
essary before the recession can be
said to be over - not just figures
on employment, retail sales or
other individual economic barom-
eters.
In this connection, Moore noted
government figures on employ-
ment are based on a sample,
which varies monthly. Therefore,
a one-month decline or upturn in
employment doesn't necessarily
indicate a sustained trend.
* * *
5) IT IS IMPORTANT to adjust
the statistics to seasonal varia-
tions. Monthly comparisons alone,
without adjustment, don't mean
much.
Unemployment normally de-
clines 14 per cent from January
to May, increases 18 per cent from
May to June, declines 22 per cent
from June to October and in-
creases 31 per cent from October
to January. %
Thus, a decline of 10 per cent
in the number of people out of
work between January and May
this year would be less than sea-
sonal, and no cause for belief the
recession was over.
How does this recession com-
pare with those of the past?
"THE CURRENT decline about
equals, and possibly exceeds, the
two previous post-World War II
recessions," Moore said. He noted
that the "leading series" - that
is, indices which tend to lead ag-
gregate business moves - are
down more than in the last two
recessions.
The current recession does not
compare in severity at this point
with that of 1936-37 or the great
depression of the early 1930s.
If the historical precedent of
the 1953-54 recession holds and, of
course, it might not, Moore said, it
seems unlikely a general, sustained,
cyclical business upturn will get
under way this spring.
Paid Up
IN THE MIDST of reports that
consumers are having trouble
repaying debts, the American
Bankers Association has just re-
ported that, in January, delin-
quency declined on banks' con-
sumer loans of all kinds.
In most classes of bank loans to
consumers, delinquency also was
shown to be lower than in January
of 1957.
-U.S. News
DAILY
OFFICIAL
BULLETIN
The Daily Official Bulletin is an
official publication of the Univer-
ity of Michigan for which the
Michigan Dailyassumes no edi-
torial responsibility. Notices should
be sent In TYPEWRITTEN form~ to
Room 3519 Administration Build-
ing, before 2 p.m. the day preceding
publication. Notices for Sunday
Daily due at 2:00 pm. Friday..
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 195
VOL. LXVIII, NO. 133
General Notices
President and Mrs. Hatcher will hold
open house for students at their home
wed., April 2, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Phi Beta Kappa: Annual business
meeting, wed., April 2, 4:15 p.m, Rm.
451 Mason Hall. Election of officers and
new members.
Undergraduate Library: From Mon.
March 31, through Thurs., April 3;
reservations may be placed at a special.
reservation desk on the Second Floor
of the Undergraduate Library for Re-
serve Books to be circulated from the
Undergrduate Library, over the Spring
Recess.
Reservations may be placed for one
book per person per course during the
following hours: 2:00-5:00 p.m., Mon-
day-Thursday. If there is only one copy
available in the Undergraduate Li-
brary, no reservation will- be taken.
In order to fill the reservations, Re-
serve Books will not circulate April S.
Reserve Books may not be charged out
for the spring Recess without a reser-
vation.
The Reserve Books that are being
held will be available from 8:00 a..-
5:00 p.m., Fri., April 4. Books not
claimed by 5:00 p.m. on that day will
be returned to the stacks.
Reserve Books that have not been
charged out over the Spring Recess
will circulate according to the follow-
ing schedule:-
Out Fri., April 4; Due April 7 at 9:00
a.m.
Out Sat., April 5, 800 a.m:; Due April
7 at 9 a.m.
Out Mon., April 7-Thurs., April 10,
4:00 p.m.; Due following morning at
9:00.
Out Fri., April .1, 4:00 p.m.; Due
April 14 at 9:00 sa. '
June graduates may now order their
caps and gowns at Moe's Sport Shop
on North University.
There will be an International Center
Tea, sponsored by the International
Center and the International Students
Association this Thurs.. Apr. 24, from
4:30 to 8:00 p.m. at the International
Center.
Biological Station: Application for ad-
mission for the coing summer session
should be in my office before Apr. 15.
An announcement d e s c r i b i n g the
courses offered can be obtained at the
Office of the Summer Session or from
the Director. Applications should be
made on forms which can be secured
at 2129 Nat. Sci. Bldg. A. H. Stokard,
Director.
Grants for released time for faculty
members in the Behavioral Sciences.
Apr. 2 is the last day that applications
may be made for released-time grants
to faculty for research in the be-
havioral science fields. Applications
should be filed in the Graduate School
office by 4 p.m.
Agenda, Student Government Coun-
cil, April 2, 1958, 7:30 p.m. Council Bm.
Minutes of the previous meeting.
Officer reports: President - letters?
Exec. Vice Pres. - Interviewing and
Nominating Committee International
Student Relations Seminar, M-Hand-
book, motion; Admin Vice Pres. -
Elections report; Treasurer.
Officer Elections.
Standing Committees: National and
International, Public Relations, Edu-
cation and Student welfare, Student
Activities Committee; Constitutions:
League; Activities: African Student,
Union, banquet, April 19, Lane Hall.
Old Business.
New Business - Housing Discrimina.
tion, motion.
Constituents time.
Members time.
Announcements.
Adjournment.
Lectures
Roy B. Canfield Memorial Lecture:
"Respiratory Emergencies in the New-
born." Dr. Willis J. Potts, Prof. of
Surgery, Northwestern Univ. and Sur-
geon-in-chief, Children's Memorial Hos-
pital, Chicago. Wed.,rApr. 2, 8:00 p.m.,
Hospital Amphitheatre.
Readings by Members of the English
Department: Prof. Robert F. Haugh will
read "Some Stories of J. D. Salinger"
on Thurs., Apr. 3, in Aud. A, Angell
Hall, at 4:10 p.m.
Concerts
Vienna on Parade will be presented
in Hill Aud. as the last concert of this
season's Choral Union Series, on Wed.,
Apr. 2, at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale
at the University Musical Society dur-
ing regular office hours; and 'will be
on sale at the Hill Aud. box office af-
ter 7 p.m. Wed., preceding the concert.
There= will be a "Hi-Ft Concert" in
the Union Music Lounge Wed., Apr. 2,
from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. The selections
that will be played are: Tchaikovsky's
6th Symphony (Pathetique); Bartok's
Concerto for Orchestra; Mozart's 41st
Symphony (Jupiter).
Good Friday Concert: Gustav Mah-
ler's Second Symphony (The Resurrec-
A
}
a
t.
1
4,000 Voters Made
Decisions Affecting 29,000
C
-k
APPROXIMATELY 8,000 Ann Arbor residents
stepped into their roles as citizens Monday
by voting in the special school election.
Twenty-one thousand others stayed home.
A little more than 4,000 Ann Arbor property
owners accepted their responsibility for the
education of the community's children Mon-
day. Just a few less voted "no."
At stake were a $3,750,000 bond issue pro-
viding funds for additional badly-needed build-
ing and classroom space and a two and one-
half mill property tax increase which sought
to put the community on more equal ground
in competing for competent teachers and other
school personnel for their children.
Neither of these proposals offered a panacea,
but after previous rebuffs by the city's voters,
they were all school officials dared ask for.
Commendably for them, somewhat less than
one-seventh of those eligible to decide, saw fit
to give education and Ann Arbor's children a
break. By a margin of only five votes on the
tnillage proposal and 121 votes on the bond
proposal this fractional group was just big
enough.
IF ALL MARGINAL elections would turn out
this gratifyingly, then let's be quick to ad-
vocate them. Let just a third or a fourth of
the people make our communal decisions for
us; let a majority of the minority prevail with
foresight and wisdom.
But, unfortunately, the results of Monday's
vote were not normal for Ann Arbor. They were
a- lucky exception to precedent. If thirty-two
people had cast their ballots differently, the
story would have been quite familiar.
We would hope that the one-seventh has be-
gun a trend which will attract some reinforce-
ments to help them overcome the educational
apathy and irresponsibility of many Ann Arbor
property owners.
-WILLIAM RANSOM
"t.
c.
IN THE STALIN PATTERN:
Khrushchev: Can He Achieve Total Power?
INTERPRETING THE NEWS:
Neighbors of Goodwill
By J. M. ROBERTS
Associated Press News Analyst
SECRETARY DULLES has been quick to note
that, after the Canadian elections, affairs
at Ottawa remain in the hands of kinfolks.
Many persons in the United States, know-
ing Lester Pearson so well and respecting him
so much, leaned toward his Liberal Party if
they took any interest at all, which most of
them did not.
There was also the fact that the Liberals
had held power during most of the mature
lives of Americans, and all had gone well.
d1I rM1 ri~4 Aenrt t 1t la ['
But most of those in the -United States ac-
cept most Canadians as a part of the American
way of life just as their two countries occupy
most of the North American Continent.
The chief fly in the ointment is that when
the big United States turns over in bed, some
of the cover may be pulled off Canada. But
like a good wife, Canada knows that there is.
no ill intention, and that the United States,
with great world responsibilities, has special
problems in keeping warm.
THE WORLD TRADE and general economic
situation'of the United States has been hurt
ink Canada some recently, especially what the
Canadians considef. the dumping of U.S. sur-
nhi whAnt+ +hrmgh+th. frmipnanid nrngrem_
By WILLIAM L. RYAN
Associated Press Foreign News Analyst
N IKITA Khrushchev has bitten
off a tremendous chew. It may
prove indigestible.
In many respects, the rise of
the Communist boss, now also So-
viet premier, compares with that
of Stalin. But in many important
respects,nit differs radically. Upon
the differences .Khrushchev may
yet stub his toe.
The Red world Khrushchev now
seeks to rule single-handed is dif-
ferent from the one upon which
Stalin burst so furiously decades
ago.
Communists in today's Red em-
pire likely are disturbed about
last week's developments-first at
Khrushchev's boldness, and sec-
ond, at his bald violation of prin-
ciples he laid down for them.
* * *
KHRUSHCHEV, the man who
decreed e taration of top narty
known to-have said it is virtually
impossible in these complex days
for one man to de both.
Khrushchev will be 64 April 17.
For all his bounce and drive,
many must wonder whether he
can do both jobs effectively.
Stalin still was under 50 when
he achieved total power - far
more total than that wielded by
Khrushchev today.
Khrushchev used Stalin's tested
methods in his ascent Each em-
ployed the party to build a vast
personal machine. Each peopled
the party apparatus, and then the
government, with his own hench-
men.
* * *
STALIN made alliance with men
he would later disgrace. He joined
Zinoviev and Kamenev in the
struggle against his brilliant ri-
val, Trotsky. Victorious, he turned
on his allies.
Khrushchev also made alli-
quently defended in a denuncia-
tion of Stalin's excesses.
Stalin made concessions in his
grab for power - to workers, and
particularly to farmers. Once sure
of himself, he turned savagely on
the farmers and forced collectivi-
zation on them in an incredibly
brutal campaign.
Khrushchev makes concessions
to workers and consumers. He
woos the farmers. He expresses
the intention of defying warnings
from doctrinaire Communists and
permitting collective peasants to
buy their own machinery. But al-
ready there are hints that this re-
form in itself may lead to de-
priving the farmers eventually of
the small private plots they cher-
ish as their own.
* * *
THROUGHOUT all the convul-
sions attendant upon Stalin's rise,
Soviet internal policy displayed
astonishing continuity. It. was ev-
ervthing for heavy industrv. with
Stalin, however, was cautious.
Khrushchev is a gambler. Stalin
was aloof, forbidding. Khrushchev
is a garrulous and gregarious
traveler. Stalin had an enormous
secret police network and a sep-
arate police army to enforce his
will. Khrushchev's police system
is only a pale reflection of sta-
lin's. In mutual self defense, the
late lamented "collective leader-
ship" had to purge the police and
severely limit its power. Now it
would seem almost impossible to
restore police power on the mono-
lithic pattern of Stalin's day.
But the most important differ-*
ence between the two careers is
this:
* s
STALIN rose through total ter-
ror in a nation still largely back-
ward. Today's U.S.S.R. enjoys
widespread education. Its people
have far superior living standards.
The Comunist party inside Rus-
, 'j
4
i
1.