THE MICHIGAN DAILY WEDN- F'SDA , AU G. 19,19-36 WEDNESDAY, AUG. 19, 1936 Free Speech~o Your Birthright -Thinkers Are Failures, American Politicians Think- (Gerald W. Johnson in the Baltimore Evening Sun) Publishect every morning except Monday during the University year and Summer Session by the Board in Control of Student Publications. Member of the Western Conference Editorial Associa- tion and "he Big Ten News Service. MEMBE.R OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS The Associated Press Is exclusively entitled to the use for republication of all news dispatches credited to it or not othierwis3e credited in this paper and the local news publisied herein. All rights of republication of special dispatches are reserved. Entered at the Post Office at Ann Arbor, Michigan, as second class matter. Special rate of postage granted by Third Assista nt Postmaster -General. Subscriptionduring summer by carrier, $1.50, by mail, $2.00. During regular school year by carrier, $4.00; by mall, $4.ai- Offices: Student Publications Building, Maynard Street, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Phone: 2-1214. Representatives: National Advertising Service, Inc., 420 Madison Ave., New York City.-400 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, Ill EDITORIAL STAFF Telephone 4925 MANAGING EDITOR...........THOMAS E. GROEHN ASSOCIATE EDITOR.........THOMAS H. KLEENE Editorial Director ................Marshall D. Shulman Dramatic Critic ............John W. Pritchard Assistant dT~itors: Clinton B. Conger, Ralph W. Hurd, Joseph a. Mattes, Elsie A. Pierce, Tuure Tenander, Jewel W. Wuerfel. Reporters: Elkanor Barc, Donal Burns, Mary Delnay, M. E. Graban, John Hulpert, Richard E. Lorch,DVincent Moore, Elsie- Roxborough, William Sours, Dorothea Staebler, Betty Keenan. BUSINESS STAFF Telephone 2-1214 BUSINESS MANAGER.......EORGE H. ATHERTON CREDITS MANAGER................JOHN S. PARK Circulation Manager...............J. Cameron Hall Office Manager ........ ...................Robert Lodge N CONNECTION with the irrepressible ques- tion of teachers' oaths and related matters, someone calls attention to a passage in Mr. Jus- tice Brandeis' dissenting opinion in Whitney vs. California which reads: "Fear of serious injury cannot alone justify suppressioi of free speech and assembly. Men feared witches and burned women. It is the function of speech to free men from the bondage of irrational fears." It is a fine theory, even if it doesn't always work. In the whole continental sweep of the re- public, there is hardly a human being freer of speech than Representative Tom Blanton of Texas. Yet he is of the type of men who feared witches and burned women. His witch is the spirit of Communism and the women the luck- less schoolma'ams of Washington. Blanton, be it remembered, is the man who attacked to the District of Columbia appropriation bill a rider compelling every school teacher to make oath that she has not taught Communism before she can receive her pay check. If the spirit of Com- munism is growing in the United States it cannot be checked by bedeviling school teachers any more than the powers of darkness can be checked by burning women, but, in spite of free speech, a great many people other than Blanton seem to think so. The belief in witchcraft has been pretty well eradicated from the United States, Pennsylvania excepted, but it was not eradicated by the rope and the stake. What drove it out was the in- crease of knowledge about the material world, that is to say, the introduction of other ideas in- compatible with the idea of witchcraft. If Com- munism is eliminated, it will be by 'a similar pro- cess, and it will not be eliminated in any other way. The example of Blanton to the contrary not- withstanding, Brandeis was right. Free speech, in so far as it represents the free interchange of ideas, does free men from the bondage of irra- tional fears. The catch in it is that most speech represents no idea at all, but is a mere sound effect. It is disagreeable, annoying and of no value. Doubtless it is sometimes pernicious. Its suppression would be a noble achievement if it could be effected by a process equally selective. * * * * Unfortunately, though, every project for the suppression of speech is carefully designed to suppress, not that part which is mere gabble, but that part which may represent ideas. Not Blanton, not the D.A.R., not even Hitler or Mussolini has ever moved to suppress speech about the weather, or about whose.wife is carry- ing on with whose. husband. To repeat the empty-headed chatter one hears all around is fectly. safe, even under the most oppressive government on earth. Why, in Washington it- self, in the very presence of Blanton, even a school teacher may safely repeat: In fourteen hundred and ninety-two Columbus sailed the ocean blue. It is only when some school teacher says something that had never occurred to the aver- age Congressman that suspicion boils up with a rush. Yet few will deny that the speeches that have never occurred to the average Congressman are the very ones most likely to contain ideas. Now ideas, beyond a doubt, are dynamite. Most rulers, and all tyrants, have every reason to hate and fear them beyond anything else on earth. The reason is that for the people of any country to fear a President, or a King, or a Fuehrer, or a Duce, is an irrational fear, and eventually the exchange of ideas is pretty sure to release them from the bondage of this fear. It is precisely this, though, that your tyrant is most anxious to avoid; keeping the people in the bondage of irrational fear is the way he main- tains his power. But there is another group almost equally afraid of the free exchange of ideas; it consists of the fat-headed and lazy, whether in or out of office. Their fear is the ghastly and unnerving fear of being compelled to think. It is epidemic among legislators of all degrees of importance. Undoubtedly one of the reasons why Tugwell is hated so venomously on Capitol Hill is that the fellow is perpetually injecting new ideas into the situation. Even when they are completely dizzy ideas they are usually so cleverly phrased that one has think for a minute or two to frame the answer, and this unaccustomed exercise has had a deplorable effect on some of our reigning statesmen. Undoubtedly, too, among the general populace a lot of fury of the anti-Reds is due to the annoy- ance of having to entertain unfamiliar notions propounded by radicals. To be compelled to celebrate in order to answer the arguments of a long-haired delegate strikes a large proportion of us as both insulting and injurious. It is easier and more attractive to stop their mouths than to think up answers. * * * * Just Watching And Waiting.*.. N SPAIN there is being fought the bloodiest struggle which Europe has known since the horrors of the World War. The fight is critical, of course, in that it involves the question of which of two great social orders shall survive. It is also critical from another and more extensive view. The results of the Spanish conflict will react with great force among all of the nations of Eu- rope. That this 'is true has already been evi- denced by the dangerous practice which more powerful nations have adopted in sending aid to the warring forces. France has been accused by Italy of sending her airmen to aid rebel troops. Italy, it has been reported has prepared her air force for instant action, has withdrawn the leaves of all of her fliers, and has her entire air- fleet poised for flight. This situation has been enough in itself to create a great deal of tension. But two of Europe's great powers have not yet indicated what action they intend to take. Soviet Russia has evidenced no intentions of aiding Spain's socialist government, yet a vic- tory of the loyalist forces would be much to her advantage. And Great Britain has thus far kept hands off. Her position is precarious, for she has to choose only between a socialist gov- ernment or a form of fascist government in Spain. -Neither will be easy to swallow. While the war rages unchecked in Spain, the powers sit nervously on their haunches, and wait for someone to start something. Spain's problem is the immediate concern of world interest, but a more important question is that of what will happen when one of the powers breaks the leashes of diplomacy. At Their Own Risk By FREDERIC R. COUDERT (Of New York, in an Address Before the Univer- sity of Virginia Institute of Public Affairs at Charlottesville.) IT IS UNTHINKABLE that the United States would ahandon all commerce and all transac- tions abroad, however legal or proper, during a war. While belligerent operations exist upon the high seas, there is always the possibility that the American flag might suffer injustice. The idea of a fool-proof neutrality is the merest illusion, and the only real question is how far we will insist upon the rights of American ships to sail upon the high seas and American goods of all kinds go to neutrals. We cannot do more than allow the trader who wishes to send contraband or questionable goods, directly or indirectly, to the belligerent to do so at his own risk. In the next war, as in the past wars, the United States will have to be governed by the public opinion of its people as to what attitude it will take. If public opinion is sufficiently pas- sive, all participation in war may be averted. This, however, reckons without the main factor: the high spirit of the American people once aroused, patriotism once incited, supposed Amer- ican rights once violated, then the neutrality state of mind may be completely changed. If so, thme consequences are unforeseeable. Nothing that can be done at the present time can pre- clude such possibilities. Music is Joan's newest discovery. "Aida" is, today, her favorite opera. But mark my word, next year it will be "Gotterdaemmerung." That's the way she progresses, advances, grows. -From an Article about Joan Crawford in Screen Guide. As it happens, though, Americans are in for. it because the founders of our Government based the whole system on the theory that democracy is safe only as long as it can bring active minds to its support. Hence, they decreed freedom of speech. This is the quinine-soaked lollipop, this is the explosive cigar that the Founding Fathers hand- ed down to their children. Some of the children resent it extremely, but they are stuck with it, and there is no easy way of getting rid of it. For there are others among the children who like it and who would put up a terrific fight before they would permit it to be taken away. Indeed, they are fighting now, which explains why a certain freedom of speech obtains in America in spite of all the anti-Red laws. To these it seems that the Founding Fathers were absolutely right-that democracy cannot survive unless somebody does some thinking from time to time. They are aware, perhaps more keenly aware than anyone else, of the danger that inheres in ideas, but they under- stand one immensely important truth that con- stantly eludes the non thinking. This is the fact that the only way to kill an idea, to slaughter it completely, embalm, cremate and bury it, so that it will never be heard of again, is to attack it not with any sort of material weapon but with an- other idea. When Jefferson remarked that error can be tolerated safely "while reason is free to combat it," he misled even some of his admirers into assuming that he saw little danger in error. This is, of course, preposterous, but it is a com- mon attitude. Today, if an American contends for the right of a Communist to make a Com- munistic speech, it is commonly assumed that the American must either cherish a secret sym- pathy with Communism or regard it as relatively harmless. To such people, Frandeis' remark that even "fear of serious injury" cannot justify suppression of free speech is completely incom- prehensible. Yet what is mysterious about it? Every man who submits to the surgeon's knife incurs a small risk to avoid a greater one. There is. noth- ing strange or unusual in that. Granting that the Communists are putting out a great deal of silly and some poisonous stuff, if they have made any of us think they have served a purpose straight in line with the desires of the men who framed the Constitution. Such confidence had they in their work that they deliberately put it up to be shot at by decreeing freedom of speech. A less courageous generation shames them when it fears that free speech will ever bring the Constitution down. Capitlism Purging Itself? (Fro the New York Times) N HIS West Virginia speech last week Colonel Knox struck what was, for him, a comparatively new note. He avowed himself a believer, to a certain extent, in the doctrines of "share the wealth." He is con- vinced, that is to say, that there i should be a wider and fairer distri- bution of the profits of industry and business. He is in favor of shorter hours and higher wages. He also admits that modern capitalism, great as have been the benefits which it brought to the world, has developed certain incidental wrongs and evils which ought to be removed. At this point Colonel Knox parts company with the methods and pro- posals of the New Deal. He is per- suaded that capitalism is able and willing to cure itself. Already it hasj rid itself of some of its worst vices. I If let alone by the government, it will proceed gradually to adopt better and more socially minded processes, thus continuing to the end of the path up- on which it has long been advancing. Some of the reasons which Colonel Knox gives for holding that there is a self-curative spirit in great corpora-. tions today seem open to question. One of his arguments is that large companies have proceeded to distri- bute their stock much more widely It is said that on the eve of the depre§- sion there were 12,000,000 small stock-4 holders in American chartered organ- izations. The implication of Colonel Knox was that they had a distinct voice in the election of directors and control of the business. It is well,< however, that corporate managementc is usually able to perpetuate itself by1 the vote of much less than a ma-1 jority of the stock. The small hold- ers count but little in such a matter, though it may be that their interest in a given company may make them anxious to protect it against unwise or confiscatory legislation. This was shown to be the case in the vast pro- test which was made at Washington by small owners of securities when the bills affecting the utilities were pending. In that instance it was not stocks but bonds that counted. Many millions of the latter had been bought by small and honest investors with- out any thought of speculation, and they, naturally, were alarmed when they saw that the interest on their savings was in danger of being wiped out by hasty and oppressive laws. 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The commission's original regulation said: "Licensees holding licenses to sell alcoholic beverages by the glass are prohibited from cashing pay- checks of customers." An amend- ment to the regulation adopted by the commission today reads: "This rule is not intended to apply to li- censees operating under hotel and restaurant licenses." NOW! BI NG CROSBY and BOB BURNS in " RHYTHM ON THE RANGE" WANTED WANTED: Trmnsportanon to eastern Kansas. Strawn. Phone 6528. WANTED: Woman passenger to New Castle, Pa., or nearby, August 22. Call room 305, Betsy Barbour House, 10-11 a.m. or 5-6 p.m. Wed- nesday. WANTED: Someone to share ex- penses for ride to Dubuque, Iowa or points north. Can take one. Leav- ing 4:00 a.m. Thursday. Call 4555. FOR RENT ROOMS for girls for balance of summer, large shady yard, garage; 1511 Washtenaw. Tel, 3851. FOR RENT. 4 or 5-room furnished apartment. Lockers. Oil burner. Electric refrigerator. 209 N. Ingalls. Phone 3403. 39 LAUNDRY LAUNDRY 2-1044. Sox darned. Careful work at low price. Ix LAUNDRY WANTED: Student Co- ed. Men's shirts 10c. Silks, wools, our specialty. All bundles done sep- arately. No markings. Personal sat- isfaction guaranteed. Call for and deliver. Phone 5594 any time until 7 o'clock. Silver Laundry, 607 E. Hoover. 3x MATINEES 25c NOW THRU FRIDAY! "PRAMU DRLAwDV' Extra MICKEY MOUSE VITAPHONE CELEBRITIES LATEST NEWS EVENTS CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING _____ - -- --- -- i ''I+ l 1 I i - - DRAMA CHALK DUST A Review Rather horsey is this comedy drama, which. tries for three acts to make up its mind whether it is laughing atthe third sex or railing at the retrogressive stereotypy which it conceives to be the keynote of present day secondary education. "Chalk Dust," written by Harold A. Clarke and Maxwell Nurnberg, reminds us of many things: of "She Loves Me Not," for example, with its two-story six-stage set; of "Both Your Houses," with its impassioned denunciation of politics and spoils; of Gulliver's adventures in Lilliput; of other things, all whipped into one palatable but wholly nopdescript mess. Of course, "Chalk Dust" satirizes the school teacher, and for that reason is highly amusing to a summer school group largely composed of such people (no offense-I'm one too) ; it goes further, however, in that its main theme is a sa- tire on that type of school organization whose head has a plaster of paris brain, and whose op- eration resembles that of a threshing machine. It presents an uninspired, dried-up, selfish group of old maids of both sexes, whose whole life is routine, and whose pupils resultantly suffer. In this play, a - young man teacher, whose ideas are decidedly liberated anyway, blunders into the ladies' rest room in the school, and thus in- volves himself and a lady colleague in a spe- cious scandal which eventually ruins them. The laughable insignificance of this basis for a plot is, of course, quite sound for purposes of satirical caricature. As drama, its quality is questionable. As en- tertainment, it is good, except for a drag toward Thoughts for Today "We can't build warships and things like that unless you people pay up more cheerfully," said Alderman Barber in dealing with 56 income-tax defaulters at Wood Green Court today-From a news item in The Edinburgh Evening Dispatch. "I always feel better when I go to church," he (Governor Landon) said one day. Like many American family men, however, he has often been inclined to stay at home on Sunday and let his wife go to church. He cannot be pictured as a stern, narrow church man.-News item in The Chicago Tribune. "Nowhere in the world can you find men as warm, natural, romantic and gallant as those who live in the South of the United States," said Mr. Boles. "In some respects they are very like the French and Italians in their approach to a woman. . IlIt "But with this difference. They do not kiss the hands of the ladies they admire or shower them with exaggerated compliments. Which is to their advantage. Hand-kissing, etc., is usually a blind for what is in the European mind."- From a syndicated interview with Mr. Joh~n Boles the motion-picture actor. Putting vacations with pay into a national Constitution is going rather far. It suggests propaganda more than Constitution.-From "Topics of the Times," in The New York Times. middle-aged spinster head of the English de- partment with an unholy flare for detail. Charles T. Harrell, as insurgent Mr. Rogers, fell some- Did you ever see a. man carrying a billboard under his arm No!' Did you ever see- a.handbill on the= family reading, table? f Q. Did you ever see a picture of the new hat or pair of shoes you wanted to buy come into your home via radio? 'No!Y Did you ever see a live newspaper thrown into the waste- basket without being read? That is why advertising in the Michigan Daily brings results.