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December 03, 1957 - Image 4

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Publication:
Michigan Daily, 1957-12-03

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Sixty-Eighth Year
EDITED AND MANAGED BY STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
hen Opinions Are Free UNDER AUTHORITY OF BOARD IN CONTROL OF STUDENT PUBLICATIONS
Truth Will Prevail" STUDENT PUBICATIONS BLDG. * ANN ARBOR, MIcH. * Phone NO 2-3241
I
Editorials printed in The Michigan Daily express the individual opinions of staff writers
or the editors. This must be noted in all reprints.
SDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1957 NIGHT EDITOR: DAVID TARR
I
U.S. Basic Research
Could Use Likes of Prof. Erdos

'The Big Question
-

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IAT THE CAMPUS:
The Lost Continent
Effective Travelogue
rE LOST CONTINENT" is not a science fiction film, nor does it
concern itself with Atlantis or any other "lost" or mythical world;
billed as a documentary, "The Lost Continent" is primarily a travelogue.
And where it differs from the travelogue, the film has its significance.
The contin'ent of the title is Asia; it is lost only so far as it is obscure
and hidden from Western eyes. The camera, however, has penetrated
into the depths of deepest Borneo, visited the sea rites of the Balinese
and attended the vow-taking ceremonies for a Buddhist nun.
As in any travelogue, these are rare sights for the camera. But in

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)UBLIC AND SENATORIAL indignation has
risen in recent months because of evidence
iat the armed services have been more intent
i fighting each other for the right to control
fissile development than on actually developing
issiles, all in the face of rapid Soviet advances.
While it is true that "inter-service rivalries"
nd the wastes of time, money, and'manpower
hich they entail, are justifiable cause for
ablic indignation, more glaring evidences of
onflict of interest" in other departments of
ie Federal government have been overlooked
i the scramble to pin the blame for lack of U.S.
putnik-parity directly on the most easily seen+
eak point.
A major, though overlooked, contributor to
e United States' also-ran position in the
ientific race with the Soviets is John Foster
ulles's State Department team. In particular,
e Dulles team's unfortunate "policy" of main-
,ining policies which are years behind the
mes has been severely detremental.
An example of State Department backward-
ess .was illustrated in a recent Daily story
hiick described an incident involving several
niversity professors. The story concerned a
eunion" of Prof. Paul Erdos, world-renown,
ungarian-born mathematician, with some
irty colleagues from Indiana and Michigan.
gnificant in the story was the fact that the
eeting had to be held on foreign soil - in
anada - thanks to State Department "policy."
)ROF. GEORGE PIRANIAN of the mathe-
matcs department explained that Prof.
dos, who came to the United States at the
ginning of the second world war, left the
=ntry in 1954 to attend an international meet-
g of mathematicians in Amsterdam, Holland.
fter he left the United States, Prof. Erdos was
nied permission to return by the State De-
rtment. Since the meeting, and after visiting
s mother in Hungary, Prof. Erdos has held
rious lectureships and is now at the University
Toronto.
For over two years, the American Mathe-
atical Society has requested-unsuccessfu1y-
at the State Department re-admit him-Prof.
-dos is well-known as an anti-communist,
iti-fascist socialist. He is considered a leading
thority on number theory-a generally non-

restricted field of basic mathematical research.
More important, Prof. Erdos is known as an
"idea man" who can inspire colleagues in basic
research fields.
It may well be true, as Prof. Piranian sug-
gested, that Prof. Erdos "aroused the suspicions
of some minor official whose mother had been
frightened by the senator from Wisconsin," by
being .a socialist and an individualist or by
visiting his mother in Hungary, but the Erdos
case is not an isolated example. Other scientists
have been lost at the hands of other "fright-
ened, minor officials."
EXCLUSION OF ERDOS and others like him
on grounds of being free-thinkers or social-
ists was never in the best interests of the coun-
try. Even in the period of super-secrecy, con-
sistent practice of this policy would have led to
results which could only be termed ridiculous.
Einstein was, after all, a socialist and an out-
spoken man-not to mention a great scientist
and a -believer in democracy. It seems likely,
therefore, that the State Department excluded
Erdos and others with little popular personal,
merely as-a concession to the tenor of the times.
The Erdos case is a relic of the time when the
general policy of the government was "better be
secure than sure." That policy is on the wane as
a partial result of Sputnik. Supposedly, even
such secrecy-minded organizations as the
Atomic Energy Commission are declassifying
formerly secret information because of the
relaization that super-secrecy and super-secur-
ity can only put a brake on all important basic
research.
Thus, the especially disturbing part of the
State Department's continued refusal to re-
admit Erdos is the implication that even after
a change in governmental attitudes, the' State
Department continues to hold to a policy which
was not in the first place intelligent, but only
designed as a concession to the times.
It is obvious that such a flagrant "conflict of
interest" cannot be tolerated, especially when it
effects the now vital field of basic research. The
United States can no longer afford the luxury
of having a State Department which is not only
out of step, but also severl steps behind the
times.,
-LEWIS COBURN

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PROGRAM
. - -S -
cHrboc I V..i;) ..-"
(Herloc Ison Vcaton)Copyright, 97 The Pulitzer Publishing Co.
Is VacatSt.)Louis Post=Dispatch

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WASHINGTON MERRY-GO-ROUND:
Tired Champ Fights On
By DREW PEARSON

The Persuasion of Provision

SOVIET SUCCESS in launching the two Sput-
niks has been valuable to America in one
instance at least. The subsequent investigation
of Russia's intense educational programs has
stirred" Americans to look inside their. own
modern, functional classrooms to see what is
actually going on.
And what we find there may make us ex-
tremely uncomfortable. While communities
have concentrated on ultra-modern new schools,
they have negleeted the quality of what is
taught.
And, while every attempt should be made to
assure the safety and health of primary and
secondary school students, the first aim of edu-
cation is not comfort. Yet, we have distorted
John Dewey's philosophy of the importance of
childhood adjustment so that there is often very

little academic challenge for the above-average,
student.
RUSSIA PROVIDES the other extreme in
requiring students to study physics and
chemistry beginning when they, are ten years
old. Certainly the material results are evident
in Russia's scientific progress, even if the indi-
vidual is questionably educated but rather only
trained.
It would be unfortunate if American schools
followed Russia's example and forced students
to study science; however, it would be fortunate
if children could be introduced to the physical
sciences' and languages while they are still in
elementary schools. And we may even find that
junior enjoys his French or chemistry as much
as his finger-painting.
-JAMES BOW

WHEN YOU WATCH what's go-
ing on at the White House
today, you can't escape comparing
it to the heroic stand of a great,
over-age boxing champ, egged on
by his managers to go in there
and slug it out.
It's nearing the last round. The
Champ has taken three 'bad falls.
But each time,' the managers are
in there splashing water on his
face, rubbing his arms, massaging
the biceps, ;telling him he has to
get back in the ring. The box-office
receipts depend on it. They are
out of luck, out of jobs if he
'doesn't perform. He goes back slug-
ging.
He knows that the life insurance
tables are against him, that his
wife has implored him to retire
from the ring, that his son wants
him to live the rest of his life in
peace. But the box office, the man-
agers-their position and prestige,
the Grand Old Party demand an-
other round..Game to the end, he
fights on.
Jim Hagerty, chief coach of the
management team, rushes back
from Paris. Before he takes over,
his assistant, Mrs. Anne Wheaton,
omits the Madison Avenue pep
talk, the adjectives, lets the doc-
tors' bulletins speak for them-
selves.
But Jim is an old hand with the
megaphone. Twice before, he got
the Champ up from the mat, help-
ed persuade him he was better
than before, in one case sent him
off to Panama from a sickbed to
prove it. It made no difference that
the Champ, at Panama, told the
President of Brazil, himself a doc-
tor: "I feel sick and tired all the
time." The wobbly knees, the tired
feeling made no difference. The
managers were in there to win.
Jim Hagerty had the megaphone.
He knew how to drown out the
murmurs of protest from the
Champ. He even drowned out the
news story of veteran United Press

newsman Merriman Smith when
Smith quoted the Champ: "I had
to say yes because they told me
they didn't have time to build up
another candidate."
They had also told him he
wouldn't have to do much work,
they would handle things for him.
But he had found out different.
On the third fall, the managers
had known the history of strokes,
known the likelihood of recurrence
when a champ is old, when he's
under stress- and strain, when he
has to sweat over tough decisions.
But the managers threw water
in his face, massaged the muscles,
told him to get back in there and
fight just the same. Jim Hagerty
knew all too well how difficult it
was to get the champ to tackle
major problems.
He'd been with him at Newport
when the Champ didn't want to
tackle Little Rock, almost had to
be hauled off the golf course to
tackle it.
The managers also knew how the.
Champ was finding it difficult to
concentrate. They knew the medi-
cal history of older people when
less blood flows to the brain; how
their mental functions decline,
how it's difficult for an older man
to make decisions under stress and
strain-which is why the, military
service insists on retiring men
shortly after 60.
The managers knew how the
Champ wanted all reports brought
him in capsule form, how he sel-
dom wanted to study problems
more than 20 or 30 minutes. They
knew, too, of the testimony of
Dr. John W. Gofman, the Univer-
sity of California specialist: "Ar-
teriosclerosis of the brain, that is,
narrowing of the blood vessels of
the brain, is definitely related to
arteriosclerosis of the heart.
When the blood vessels of the
heart are narrowed, so on the
average are the blood vessels of
the brain. This takes an enormous

toll of lives, and more than that
it affects usefulness. It is not only
a problem in that its victims oc-
cupy mental hospitals in older age,
but of much more vast importance
is the loss of effectiveness due to
diminishing blood supply to the
brain in large numbers of crucial
individuals in their most effective
years."
Finally, the Champ's managers
knew how distressed he had been
over the headaphes and heartaches
of the past year-over Little Rock,
the missile failures, and the bick-
ering inside his own cabinet.
He had been accustomed to tough
body-blows in wartime, but he
writhed in surprise and inward
hurt when his good friend and
Secretary of the Treasury, George
Humphrey, publicly lambasted his
budget.
An attack on the budget by a
member of the Cabinet was un-
precedented.It had never happen-
'ed before in history. But the
Champ didn't fire his critic, as his
predecessors would have done. He
went instead to visit at Humph-
rey's Georgia plantation, thereby
adding to the budget confusion
There was more confusion when
the Secretary of Commerce pub-
licly blasted wage and price con-
trols one day after the Champ had
OK'd wage and price controls to
stop inflation. Publicly slapping
the Champ, now seemed to be
contagious.
Charlie Wilson was the next to
slap back when he and the champ
differed over federalizing the Na-
tional Guard. Charlie, visiting the
White House, old newsmen: "This
isn't my dunghill." ... The news-
menhad to clean up his remark,
... Later Mrs. Wilson slapped the
champ hard, as only a woman can
slap and get away with it. She
was rewarded by a special trip
south in the champ's private
plane.
(Copyright 1957 by Bell Syndicate Inc.)

this award-winning production, th
more than capture themselves on
the screen and make themselves
strongly felt.
Photographic and sound tech-
nique are applied to an otherwise
ordinary travelogue to create a
great presence for the viewer. At
the ceremony for the Buddhist
nun, the faint clicking of the scis-
sors and the rasp of the razor as
the priests remove the subject's
hair give a sense of realism, of
belief, seldom found in films.
When the ever-present danger
of volcanic threats to a nation's
security is presented, the misty air
view of the crater and the faint
native chant in the distance sur-
mount in suspense that created by
any mystery filmn.
IN ANOTHER part of the con-
tinent, the rice fields and their
crucial importance to the lives of
millions of people are brought out
in their water-retaining, hanging-
gardens formation and the season-
al cults that accompany the growth
of the rice.
"The Lost Continent" is basically
a study of comparative religion in
Southeast Asia. Through its quiet,
calm narration by John Gunther,
its excellence of sound effects and
the "beauty and poetry of its im-
ages" (for which it won a Cannes
Film Festival award), the film im-
parts a strong impression of these
primitive religions-and their like-
nesses and similarities to religion
everywhere.
In this religion-in-man ap-
proach, "The post Continent" finds
its unity. A curious structural but
only superficial unity for the film
centers about an Italian expedition
that supposedly sees the continent
as photographer-explorers. We see
the expedition only three or four
times, however, and only for a few
minutes - circumstances probably
due to the editing of this 1954 pro-
duction.
ACCOMPANYING this film at
the Campus is another award-win-
ning short, "The Red Balloon," in
which a bag of air is humanized.
Imagine a simple story about a
boy and his dog in which the latter
is eventually killed by other mean
boys-then substitute red balloon
for the dog, and there's "The Red
Balloon." It is a simple, quaint,
but unusual picture in which little
is said and nothing needs to be.
University students from south
of the border will be amused at
the additional color travelogue on
"Cuba Today" and its beautiful,
growing cities and fine leader
Batista-with not even a hint of
the civil strife and closed schools
to be found there today.
-Vernon Nahrgang
Challenge
NIKITA KHRUSHCHEV has
challenged the United States
to compete with Soviet Russia "in
the peaceful things such as pro-
duction of radios and televisions
and vacuum cleaners."
Knowing the Soviet ability to
surfeit its own population and
those of its satellites with all man-
ner, of high - grade consumers'
goods, we would not be surprised
to hear tomorrow that one of the
Barnum & Bailey midgets had
challenged Ted Williams to a
home-run hitting contest.
Or, as the mouse shouted afte
his third cocktail, "Bring on that
. - cat!"
-National Review

re

General Notices
Regents' Meeting: Fri., Dec. 13. Com-
munications for consideration at this
meeting must be in the President's
hands not later than Dec. 4.
Late Permission: Women students
who attended Fortnite on Nov. 25 had
late permission until 10:45 p.m.
Late Permission: Women students
who attended the concert at Hill Audi-
toriumn on Tues., Nov. 26, had late bier- .
mission until 11:05 p.m.
All women students who attend the
Stanley Quartet Concert Dec. 3 will
have 45 minutes to return to their
residences after it is over.
All Choral Union and Extra Series
ushers are hereby reminded that one
performance of the Messiah is included
in each series of concerts. The help of
each usher is very urgently needed at
these concerts as they are especially
difficult to handle. Absence from these
concers will count against you at May
Festival time.
Students who were notified by letter
of Nov. 27, 1957 concerning completion
of Monthly Certifications of the 9
series for education and training allow-
ance under Public Laws 550 and 634 are
reminded to report to the,Office of vet-
erans' Affairs, 555 Administration Build
Ing; before 5:00 p.m., Fri., Dec. 6 to fill
in those forms.
General Meeting of University varsity
debaters at 7:30 p.m. Tues., Dec. 3, in
Room 2040, Frieze Building. All inter-
ested persons may attend.
Fall Meeting of the Michigan Linguis-
tic Society at 1:30 p.m. Sat., Dec. at
the Kellogg Center at Michigan State
University, East Lansing. Reservations
for the luncheon preceding the meet-
ing may be made through Dr. Ruth
Hok, secretary-treasurer of the Sociey.
Applications for Engineering Research
Institute Fellowships to be awarded for
the spring semester, 1957-58, are now
being accepted in the Office of the
Graduate School. The stipend is $1,175
per semester. Application froms are
available from the Graduate School.
Only applicants who have been em-
ployed by the Institute for at least one
year on at least a half-time basis are
eligible. Applications and supporting
material are due in the office of the
Graduate School not later than 4:00
p.m., Tues., Jan. 7, 1958.
Disciplinary action in cases of stu-
dent misconduct:' At meetings held on
Oct. 24, 31, Nov. 7 and 14, cases involv-
inga50 students and 1 fraternity were
heard by the Joint Judiciary Council.
In all cases the action was approved
by the University Sub-Committee on
Discipline.
1. Conduct unbecoming a student in
that state laws and city ordinances re-
lating to the purchase, sale and use of
intoxicants were violated: lk
a. Drank In violation of state law,
in student quarters and pleaded guill-
ty in Municipal Court to the charge
of being drunk and disorderly. One
student fined $10.00 and warned.
b. Drank in student quarters and
pleaded guilty in Municipal Court to
the charge of being drunk and dis-
orderly. One student fined $10.0.0 and
warned.
c. Drank, in violation of state law,
and pleaded guilty in Municipal
Court to the charge of being drunk
and disorderly. One student fined
$10.00 and warned.
d. Supplied intoxicants to minors.
One student fined $15.00 and warned.
e. Drank, in violation of state law,
on University property. Five students
fined $10.00 each and warned.
f. Pleaded guilty in Municipal Court
to the charge of driving after drink-
ing. One student given a written
warning.
2. Violation of University driving
regulations:
a. Failed to register automobile:
1 student fined $35.00 with $20.00 sus
pended; 1 student fined $35.00 with
$15.00 suspended;. 1 student fined
$25.00; 1 student fined $25.00 with
$15.00 suspended; 1 student fined
$25.00 with $10.00 suspended; 1 stu-
dent fined $20.00.
b. Driving without authorization:
1 student fined $40.00 with $15.00 sus-
pended; 1 student fined $25.00; stu-
dent fined $25.00; 1 student fined
$15.00 with $10.00 suspended; 2 stu-
dents fined $15.00.
c. Misused special business permit:
I student fined $25.00; 1 student fined
$25.00 with $10.00 suspended; 1 stu-
dent fined $25.00 with $15.00 suspended.
3. Apprehended for disfiguring the
campus at Michigan State University.
Four students fined $15.00 and warned
and 1 student fined $25.00 and warned.
4. Illegally lending University identi-
fication card to admit another person
to a football game. Fourteen students
given a written warning.
5. Attempted to sell a football ticket
for more than the face value, 1 student
fined $10.00; 1 student fined $10.00
all of which was suspended and 1 stu.
dent fined $5.00 and1nstudent given
a written warning.

6. Committed an act of petit larceny
(bicycle). Two students fined $25.00,
each and warned tha1.t ftz~ureiotin,

DAI LY
OFFICIAL
BULLETIN
The Daily Official Bulletin Is$a
official publication of the Univer-
sity of Michigan for which the
Michigan Daily assumes no edi-
toral 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 p.m. Friday.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1957
VOL. LXVIII, NO. 62

are beauty and sensuality that

S-,
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4

INTERPRETING THE NEWS:
Israel:, The Perpetual Canker

By J. M. ROBERTS
Associated Press News Analyst
1HE MERE TOPIC of peace in the Middle
East has become so explosive that United
Nations, observers feel confident Dag Ham-
marskjold is sticking closely to immediate
short-range objectives during his current visit.
Arab sources have expressed some doubt, fear-
ingthat Jordan's improved relations with the
West might produce an effort to get her to
make a settlement with Israel, thus weakening
the Arab front and punching a hole in the Arab'
blockade.
The communique after the conference be-
tween King Hussein ands the UN Secretary Gen-
eral, however, was careful to point out that
border trouble was their only topic.
Indeed the belief is that Jordan is displaying
a revived offense against Israel in order to
convince Egypt and Syria that she still stands
with them against Israel regardless of other
differences.
A T ANY RATE, Jordan, whose Palestine refu-
gees represent a majority of her population,
is in no position to take up Arab-Israel peace
single-handed.
Any pressure from the West now would be
likely only to undo tht advantages gained when
Hussein withstood pro-Nasser elements.
Hammarskjold is expected to follow a similar
spot-job course during his effort in Damascus
to stop the recriminations between Syria and
Turkey.
About the best that Western observers hope
to get in the Middle East now is neutralism, and

soften some of the points of abrasion, then per-
haps new approaches from the Western powers
can have some effect.
By getting down to bargaining with Egypt
over a Suez settlement, and by showing some
interest in helping develop Arab countries for
the Arabs instead of as part of their own
determination to hold on to oil, the Western
powers may retrieve part of what they have
lost.
ONE THING that may have to be adjusted is
loan costs. Syria provides a case in point,
and it is an important part of the background
of her recent gyrations.
Syria came to the West shopping for money
before she ever turned to Russia. As her minis-
ter of public works tells the story, she first set
aside 200 million dollars of her own money to
start development projects.
Then she asked the International Bank for
Reconstruction and Development, but was met
with a 5 per cent interest rate. Europe's rates
were higher, and long-term accommodations
not available. Syria turned to Russia for loans
at 2.5 per cent, and to Czechoslovakia for a 16-
million-dollar oil refinery.
Syria claims it's all strictly business. She may
not know.
BUT EVEN if the West should attempt and
succeed i establishing truly cooperative
relations with the Arab states it would not
necessarily mean coexistence between the Arabs
and ,Israel.
A part of King Hussein's trouble is that the

4

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:
Comment on Controversial Film, U.S. Education

Explanation, .
To the Editor: -
APPARENTLY it had become
rather widely known that The
Daily had agreed to publish a re-
view that I had agreed to write,
following a recent showing of "The
Birth Of A Nation," under the
sponsorship of the Cinema Guild.
At any rate, I have so frequently
been queried about the failure of
this review to appear that perhaps
I am justified in using a little of
The Daily's space to explain the
matter.
The non-appearance of the re-
view, which was written and sub-
mitted to the office of The Daily
only a few hours after I had seen
the film at a special showing, re-
sulted exclusively from a misun-
derstanding, for which I myself
was in part responsible.
* * e
THERE WAS also evidence, I be-
lieve of littlencarelessneg snme-

whites who are concerned about
realistic approaches to interracial
problems.
Some of the groups most directly
involved in such problems, locally,
came to the conclusion that the
film could most effectively be
"countered" not by attempting to
ban it, but by attempting to extend
the public understanding of it,
from the point of view of some
social scientists. Hence it was
agreed that The Daily would pub-
lish brief statements by Prof. Cut-
ler and by me.
My own review would have been
little noted nor long remembered
had it appeared, since a significant
part of it had already been covered
by a regular Daily reviewer.
I POINTED out that rather dra-
matic changes in public opinion
had occurred in this country in
the forty years since the film first
appeared, and asked how it could
happen that this incomparable

Questions * /
To the Editor:
IN RECENT WEEKS, many words
have been spent on the merits or
lack of merit of Soviet and Aneri-
can education. Analyses and dvalu-
ations presented have focused on a
comparison of accomplishments
and future expectations from the
Soviet system coupled with askance
for a reappraisal of the American
system.
With such a deluge of opinions
intermixed with statistics, one
might easily quip, "So what?
Whatcha gonna do about it?
What's all this gotta do with me?"
Secretary of Labor James P.
Mitchell has declared that if the
country is to survive it is impera-
tive to set up a counseling system
whereby youths are channeled into
vital occupations. This smacks of
wholesale acceptance of the cur-
rent Soviet approach, that of gear-
ing education to fit particular

U.S. educational system is just a
step beyond, may I suggest that
the central planning committee for
our new counseling organization
consider the following questions.
They have been asked by man
since the twelfth century.
1. "Who is so stupidly curious
to send his son to school in order
that he may learn what the teach-
er thinks?"-St. Augustine.
2. "Who are the really educated
and up to what age are we obliged
to study?"-Moses Maimonides.
3. "To what degree is higher
education necessary? What pur-
poses are the universities expected'
to fulfill?"-J. E. Wallace -Stirling,
President of Stanford University.
VITTORINA DE FELTRE, re-
iterating an ideal already enunci-
ated by Isocrates and Quintilian,
said: "Not everyone is called to be
a lawyer, a physician, a philoso-
pher, to live in the public eye, nor

A

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