THE MICHIGAN DAILY SUNDAY, I U I ______________________________________________________________________________________________ THE MICHIGAN DAILY It fe ems ioMe THEATRE Primaries By_ KIRKE L. SIMPSON The Editor N' '; ,f J Edited and managed by students of theniversity of Michigan under theauthority of the Board In Cotrol of ostudet Publications." Publieshe every morning Accept Monday during the University year and summer Session.' Member of the Associated Press The Associated Press is exclusively entitled to the use for republication of all news dispatelies credited to it or not otherwise credited In this news per. Al sighs of republication of all oier matte r hein also reserved. Zfitered at the Post Office at Ann Arbor, Michigan, as second class mail.matter. Subscriptions during regular school year by carrier, $4.00; by mail, $4.50. &f ember, Associated Collegiate Press, 1937-38 RKPRGENTD FOR NAIONA ADVERTISING BY NationalAdvertisingService,Inc. College Puliulers 0epresustatie 4aO MADisoN AVE. NEW YORK, N. Y. ChIcA4O - BosTon - Los ANGeLws - SAN FRANCISCO Board of Editors MANAGING EDITOR .. IRVIG SILVERMAN City Editor . . . .'. . Robert I. Fitzhenry Assistant Editors.. . . . . Mel Fneberg, Joseph Gies, Elliot Maraniss, Ben M. Marino, Carl Petersen, Suzanne Potter, Harry L. Son eborn, Business Department BUSINESS MANAGER... ERNEST A. JONES Credit Manager . . . . Norman Steinberg Circulation Manager . . . J. Cameron Hall Assistants . . Philip Buchen, Walter Stebens NIGHT EDITOR-ROBERT I. FITZHENRY The editorials published in The Michigan Daily are written by members of the Daily staff and represent the views of the writers only. It is important for society to avoid the neglect of adults, but positively dangerous for it to thwart the ambition of youth to reform the world. Only the schools which act on this belief are educational Institu- tions in the best meaning of the term. -Alexander 0. Ruthven.' War From The Skies... HOULD WAR COME to Europe to- S morrow, the fascist nations would have. an immediate advantage in air strength orthe democracies, Pierre cot, former French minister of aviation, declared recently in an article which was reprinted in England and America. "It cannot be denied," says M. Cot, "that the production of war industries in Ger- many and Italy At present exceeds that of France, Britain, Poland and Czechoslovakia, mainly be- cause the industries in Germany and Italy are already on what is virtually a wartime basis. In contrast to the general belief, time works to the advantage of the totalitarian states in peacetime. They are rearming at a much more rapid pace than the democracies." upon outbreak of war, however, M. Cot points out, France and Britain would immediately begin production of war materials, including airplanes, on a scale which Germany and Italy could not match. For this reason he anticipates an attempt by the fascist states to end the war With lightning speed, by use of every available weapon, notably raids on the civilian populations of Paris and London. As a counter to these measures M. Cot foresees the attempt to paralyze German indus- try by simultaneous and repeated air raids from Prague and Paris, while the British navy enforces a tight blockade of German ports. As for Italy, M. Cot finds the position of that nation not particularly strategic for a long war The Italian army is divided into four parts, one in Ethiopia, one in Libya, one in Spain, and one at home. In the event of war, French-British sea power in the Mediterranean would prevent the junction of these forces. Italy, of course, is in even worse condition for a prolonged major war than is Germany. These considerations leave out the factor of Soviet Russia. Were Russia fighting on the side of France, the 'Soviet air force "would be the real answer to air raids on Paris and London, M. Cot observed. Russia and Germany have no common frontier, and unless Poland entered the war on one side or the other, warfare between these two adversaries would be confined to air raids and possible naval fighting on the Baltic. There can be little doubt of the validity of M. Cot's statement that the only hope for a fascism victory in a death struggle with France and Britain, lies in a short war. The suggestion may be advanced that Russia will be immobilized by a war with Japan in Siberia and unable to give aid to France and BrItain. As a matter of fact, however, the Red Army in the Far East is com- pletely autonomous, and designed to combat Japan alone, leaving the European forces free. Moreover, the chief contribution the U.S.S.R. would make to the European war would probably be in the form of air power. M. Cot expects the heaviest blow to fall upon France when the war finally comes. "Delenda est Gallia" is a constantly recurring theme in "Mein Kampf," he asserts, while German strategy would dictate an effort to destroy the strongest and most accessible enemy first, just as in 1914. Czechoslovakia, however, is also considered an eQental hulwark in the democratic military de- Heywood Broun The battle of the right and left banks about Krumn Elbow seems to me a most curious contest. Mr. Spencer's passionate opinions about the iniquities of the New Deal have their counterpart a- mong other landed gentry along the Hudson, but the owner who has just ceded his estate to Father Divine is more original than the original anti-New Dealer. If I remember correctly, his battle for a copyright title for his castle began long be- fore any of the neighbors started referring to the President as "that man." Even if there were no pump priming or NLRB, Mr. Spencer would still be anti-Roosevelt. Indeed, his language would not be a whit less emphatic if he were talking about a private citizen instead of the President of the United States. To me this fury becomes even more 'strange when I read that the angels have been called into residence largely because Mr. Spencer can- not nail down the full signpost "Krum Elbow-on- Hudson." Surely there must be shorter and more snappy titles for a country place. * * * Just A Suggestion Moreover, if the vacating owner had cared to shake the dust off his feet in a gale of merriment, he might have passed up the bid of Father Divine in favor of a conceit more humorous. By now it is too late, but if Mr. Spencer had come to me I would have suggested that he transform his manor into a camp for budding novelists. And had he been accommodating enough to ask why, I would have added with a straight face, "Since you can't have Krum Elbow, you might at least get yourself new writers." Since the embattled antiquarian does not seem to be too quick on the trigger in the matter of smart cracks, it might have been necessary to spell it out for him, viz., "n-e-u-r-i-t-i-s." But putting levity aside, it must be said that Mr. Spencer has a right to say that even though the name for which he fought is not so hot, the competition in country nomenclature rarely reaches a high level. Houses out where the pavement ends are seldom christened any more dleverly than the taverns. For every Dewdrop Inn it is possible to produce a private residence quaintly called 'Wit's End or Bedside Manor. The Pun In Passing I speak as one who has high respect for puns and a great envy for that dwindling group of men and women who are able to play upon words by ear. But these very experts realize the limitations imposed upon this type of humor. George S. Kaufman is possibly the greatest American master of the pun, but in titling his shows he has eschewed labels of the sort, al- though he did come dangerously close in call- ing a musical show "I'd Rather Be Right." Once he explained his feeling in the matter by saying, in effect:-"No play should ever be launched under a punning title unless the pro- ducer expects nothing more than a short run. For a week or so the patrons may think the joke in lights is very funny, but long before the month is up the passing public will grow very weary of having a wisecrack forced upon its attention each day in the advertisements. A dramatist who has a good pun will do better to use it in his play rather than chalk it on the wall outside the theater." In other words, a pun is all right for a visit, but nobody would like to live with one. And, personally, I would not care to go home every night to an Elbow, even if it happened to be on the Hudson. As Others See It On Pearl White So Pearl White is dead. And, according to the records, not yet fifty years old! This generation of whippersnappers never knew her, but graying men and women, of middle age and considerably past, remember her as one of the particular bright spots of their youth. She was as much of another generation as the surrey with tassels, the old-fashioned razor and the lyceum (pronounced in those days in three syllables, with the accent on all three). In those days of the silent films Theda Bara was the mysterious personification of that dark vampire which every man hopes and dreads to meet; William S. Hart was eternally brave and dashing; people argued over whether Alice Joyce was more beautiful than Clara Kim- ball Young; we laughed at Marie Dressler in "Tillie's Punctured Romance"; good old Jim Corbett was a lean and agile actor, defeating villains with deft jabs and right crosses, most of the time attired in evening clothes. Brave days, those. But for thrills the greatest of them all was Pearl White. There was a woman. It was tough going, that waiting for the next installment of those stirring serials, "The Perils of Pauline" and "The Exploits of Elaine." A bareback rider terrific and repeated air bombardrents of open cities and defenseless towns. In spite of the most ruthless slaughter of women and children, there has been no indication of a break in the spirit of the people of Barcelona and Madrid. Instead, if anything, the will to resist of the Loyalist By JAMES DOLL Now About Reviewing A REVIEW of a play is first of all a news item. It must tell when and where. But more than that it must also tell what. That is where the difficulty begins.,If you really start to tell in any detail anything about the play and its perfor- mance, it is necessary to state an opinion. Every reader of theatre pages in newspapers knows the sort of paragraph that ventures no opinion. "So-and-so appeared in Such-and-Such last night at That Theatre. In the supporting cast were -these and those. The play in three acts tells of story of . . . (here follows five sentences of synopsis). The audience seemed enthusiastic and the actors were obliged to take three curtain calls." The reader and prospective theatre-goer now has all the facts-except the one he wants most: Is the play any good and consequently worth my time and money? If the writer goes on to that important question of merit he must then, venture something more than an opinion. He must discuss at some length the reasons for his judgment based on his past experience and the relatior of the play to current theatrical history. If a critic does this at all well and consistently in a series of reviews it permits his readers to exercise their judgment as well. Sometimes after reading a review that is quite unfavorable one is apt to say: "He didn't like that but his reasons do not appear valid to me, they are contrary to what I believe about the theatre. I think I woul like the play and am going to try it." Method Vs. Madness Some reviewers seem to make a stab in the dark with each review. Others have a theory as to what constitutes good and bad theatre and all of their reviews are more or less based on this broad conception. These are, of course, by far the best because there is a basis for logic in what they say from day to day. Their readers have a better idea of what to expect when they choose a play on that critic's advice. Perhaps the best example of a critic of this type is Bernard Shaw. For several years during the 1890's he reviewed plays for The Saturday Review of Literature and many of his weekly articles have been reprinted in the two volumes of Dramatic Opinions and Essays. They should be read by everyone interested in the modern theatre. He has in this series a theory that is almost a fixed idea, so repeatedly does he insist on it. That is, that the new school of play- wrights represented by Ibsen and the newer tradition of playing their plays is superior to the then flourishing, but nevertheless dying, nine- teenth century conception of theatre. Many people (especially actors) believe that a reviewer should be guided by the reaction of an audience at a given performance. Admittedly the temptation to do so is sometimes very great. After seeing a performance that seemed very bad indeed but at which the audience laughed and applauded, it does seem easier occasionally to say, "What's the use? If I say I don't like this, everyone is going to disagree with me. It's so much easier to say something quite banal and land than make a crusade about something that perhaps doesn't matter much." But this attitude is wroig, so Shaw says. A critic is supposed to be an expert with an ex- pert's knowledge of his business. It's up to him to know why a play is good or bad and say so. He has probably been seeing plays since his earli- est youth and in the current season has surely seen a great many more than other members of the audience. Of course, you may say that for that reason his appetite is jaded and "he just doesn't like anything." If that is true he should not be a critic and he probably isn't a very good one. Because in spite of everything he should keep up an lively interest in-almost an obsession for the theatre. And contrary to the prevailing opinion most critics do like more plays than they dislike. Usually a critic goes to the theatre hoping (like anyone else) that the play is going to be good. But, you say, he may be prejudiced before he goes. The answer is, that every-time oe enters a theatre one has certain prejudices. This will al- ways be true until critics are selected like juries- frr their lack of experience and knowledge. If you've seen an actor before and he has made any impression on you, you have some kind of a pre- conceived idea of what he is going to be like. But if one should say, "I know I'm not going to like Miss So-and-So because she serves very bad drinks" that is personal prejudice and quite a different thing. The Public Be Damned The producers' feel that critics shoud not be allowed to express an opinion because they are endangering an investment. They seem, with curious lack of logic, not to object that the potential spectator is risking the investment of an evening's time and the price of a seat or two. It is felt that the critics, especially in New York, have too much power; that a play cannot sur- vive without a good notice. Indeed, this does seem to be so true that the exceptions cause wide comment. And it is less the fault of the critics than of the readers who perhaps trust the critics too much. The producers themselves refuse to take any blame for the situation. They overlook what a great predecessor of theirs said about fooling the public. In Ann Arbor the critics do not seem to have that power of controlling the box-office. And that is certainly not to be regretted. I'd like to think this is less because of the readers' distrust than because Ann Arbor wants to see plays so much that it wants to see them good or bad. WASHINGTON, Aug. 6-(P)-NextG ets Tol week's senatorial primaries in Ar- kansas, Idaho and Ohio receiving, some attention in Washington to- night pending definite word from Thumbing The Directory Kentucky as to the outcome of the i Barkley-Chandler race, in which, Did you ever realize what types of Prksideyn dooseeletadbolin-hstudents attend the average univer- President Roosevelt had boldly in- sity9 Well, if their names are any tervened. clue, all one has to do is to look In Idaho next Tuesday, when Sen. through the student directory. For James P. Pope and Rep. D. Worth example, here at the University we Clark put their rivalry for the Demo-j cratic senatorial nomination to tge' test, a much sharper issue of New Deal loyalty versus boldly asserted independence will be involved than in the Kentucky contest. Senator Pope is running on his record of consistent support of Ad- ministration measures and a pledge to keep right on as a 100 per cent New Dealer if reelected. Representa- tive Clark has been off the New Deal reservation frequently. He is com- mitted to an independent course,. based on his own judgment, if he reaches the Senate. * * * Hattie Caraway Runnifg On Tuesday also, there will be senatorial primaries in Arkansas and Ohio and a non-senatorial primary in Nebraska. In Arkansas and Ohio, a direct showing of Roosevelt favor for re- nomination of Senators Caraway and Bulkley has given a national interest to the Democratic contests. But it is in Idaho that the strongest New Deal backing has been rallied behind Pope. Secretary of State Hull broke his political silence recently to point out Pope's strong support of the New Deal trade pact venture. National Chairman Farley has extended his good wishes to Pope in less cryptic fashion than, he has done it for some other Senate Democrats involved in renomination contests. Weeks ago, President Roosevelt himself gave aid and comfort to Pope's proposals for the development of phosphate lands in which Idahoans might have much interest. There can be no doubt that Pope is carrying administration colors against Clark. His is the first in- stance in which Administration for~- eign policy has played any particular part in a Democratic senatorial pri- mary race. * * The Borah Shadow Over the contest hovers the shadow of Sen. William E. Borah, Republican Independent, who has been made dean of the Senat in point of service by unwavering voter endorsements of his independent role. Idaho has a deep-rooted liking for the Borah type of party independence, apparent- ly. It is a factor that could lift a Democratic advocate of Borah-like independence on foreign and othei affairs to victory over Pope. In the circumstances, Pope's defeat in Idaho would have a sharper sting to it for the Administration than pri- mary elimination of New Deal-ap- proved Senate incumbents in Arkan- sas or. Ohio. Short of final return from Kentucky showing Senato Barkley roundly trounced by Gover- nor Chandler, a Pope defeat woulk appear to involve a voter reactior in the northwest against the Presi- dent and his policies, both foreigr and domestic, more significant thar any other primary test to date. There have been hints that Idahc Republicans look at it that way. Off- stage they are said to have talke up Clark against Pope in the hope o hitting the President and the Ne Deal hard over Pope's shoulder. They have talked that way in Washingtor privately and it is likely that Ad- ministration aid to Pope, featurec particularly by Secretary Hull's pro- nouncement, flowed from that fact as well as his perfect score in the Senate from a New Deal standpoint * * * Roosevelt Popular There An administration setback in Idahc would not involve any of the serious questions for future Roosevelt lead- ership which have been raised in con- nection with the Kentucky senatorial race. Roosevelt's sweep of the state in 1932 and again by virtually two-to- one over Landon in 1936 indicates strong Roosevelt sentiment there. Ad- ministration leaders count heavily on that to pull Pope through. He was an easy victor in '32, riding Roosevelt coat-tails; and Tuesday's voting will show whether the same form of political transportation is as sufficient this year. State election factors are involved in Ohio to complicate the race of Senator Bulkely for renomination and make the outcome difficult to forsee This probably accounted for the light- ness of the President's touch in be- stowing his blessing on Bulkley. In Arkansas, the only woman Sen- ator, Mrs. Caraway, is making hei first unchaperoned campaign for re- election, the late Huey Long having invaded the state in her behalf six find every conceivable surname from Aalberts to Zwick. Taking the names at face value, we might begin with the 12 Bakers and immediately recog- nize a dozen other trades and profes- sions, including 2 Carpenters. 1 Cook, 1 Doctor, 27 Millers, 5 Porters, 1 Pot- ter, 1 Miner, 2 Plummers, 22 Taylors, 1 Seaman, 1 Shoemaker, 43 Smiths, 2 Barbers-and might we add, only 1 Razor. And if you're afraid that the names of great inventors will be lost or forgotten, they are well represent- ed here in the Wrights, Morses, Mc- Cormicks, Whitneys, and yes, there are also Watt and Stephenson. But more than this-what a Biblical at- mosphere lends itself irksuch a holy array as 1 Temple, 1 Church, 1 Par- rish, 2 Priests, 2 Bishops, 2 Lords, and only 3 Christians. Yet, we must not omit the 1 Solomon, 2 Simons, 3 Matthews, 3 Marks, 1 Luke, and 1 St. John-and then with 13 Thom- ases, well, you don't doubt it, do you? So far there is but 1 Angel and 1 Harp on the campus, and strange enougf' 1 Olive Branch residing in Jordan Hall. What about the animal kingdom? Here they are: 5 Wolfs, 1 Fox, 1 Deer, 1 Hare, 1 Bull, 1 Steere, 1 Hogg, 4 Lambs, and 1 Kidd. Then our feathered friends if you please- 1 Swan, 3 Cox, 1 Chick, and 1 Bird, so we might mention the 8 Martins and 2 Rrens. Colors? Yes, they come in Black, White, Blue, Brown, Gray and Green. They come in Sum- mer, Fall, and Winter, too. Of course Carrs come also, 2 Ottos put in their appearance, 1 Packard and 3 Fords- with as many Horns. You wonder about tires? There are Firestone, Goodrich, Goodyear and Kelly. We find a conglomeration of odd types in Rich, Poor, Wise, Smart, Hicks, Hamm, Fake, Blanks, Crabb, and Bachelor-and did we forget George, Bernard Shaw, Huey, and Long? We have Gold, Silver, and Nichols, so reminded of 1 Ma, let's go onto Din- ner and conclude .with 2 Brewers, 2 Steins, 1 Beer from Detroit, and 2 Beers from Traverse. Lawrence W. Olson. Special Session End Of August To Consider New Taxes For Relief Needs GRANDVILLE, Mich., Aug. 6-(R)- Governor Murphy told interviewers today he expected to issue a call for a special session of the legislature "around the 28-:h or 30th of this month." The Governor said he planned to call the Legislative Cou a mil and the House and Senate Taxation Commit- tees into session a week bei,.re the Legislature to map out a program for raiing funds to refill depleted relief coffers. "I am doing this so that all angles of the problem may be examined and the Legislature will not be taken by surprise when it convenes," he ex- plained. While not stating specifically what new revenue-raising plans he had in mind, Murphy said he believed any tax or taxes should be "emergent" and not in addition to old taxes. "They should be taxes we can end when the need is over," he asserted. The Governor flew to Detroit late today. He planned to leave there by plane Sunday for Ludington 'Classified Director SILVER LAUNDRY-We call for and Library. J. Fred Colombo, 1912 Geddes Ave. Phone 23171. deliver. Bundles individually done, TYPING -Neatly and accurately no markings. All work guaranteed. done. Mrs. Howard, 613 Hill St. Dial 5244. 2x Phone 5594; 607 E. Hoover. 3x STENOGRAPHIC SERVICE Theses, LAUNDRY - 2-1044. Sox darned. Mimeographing. Margaret Carpen- Careful work at low price. 5x tar. Office, 400 Wolverine Bldg. Phone 7181. 58x DRESS MAKING and Alterations. Mrs. Walling. 118 E. Catherine. LOST: Man's gold ring, black stone Phone 4726. 34x at Michigan League. Lost three weeks ago. Reward. Cal 5660. TYPING - Experienced. Reasonable 62x rates. Phone 8344. L. M. Heywood 43r FOR RENT-4 room furnished, first floor, fireplace, new electric refrig- LOST: Man's wallet, containing $5 erator. Laundry. Osborn. 209 N. and personal paper. Vicinity of Law Ingalls. 63x Ili.1 They HI1T ,,H T --r . The MARK! LL ADE..here is. an Advertising Opportunity that can't miss! Advertise your Fall Rooms to Rent in the huge ORIENTATION ISSUE---sent to all pros pec- tive freshmen m on Satur- B