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Sixty-Sixth Year
EDITED AND MANAGED BY STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITfY OF MICHIGAN
UNDER AUTHORITY OF BOARD IN CONTROL OF STUDENT PUBLICATIONS
STUDENT PUBLICATIONS BLDG. * ANN ARBOR, MICH. * Phone NO 2-3241
Editorials printed in The Michigan Daily express the individual opinions of staff writers or
the editors. This must be noted in all reprints.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 11, 1956 NIGHT EDITOR: MARY ANN THOMAS
Arbitrary Retirement Age
Wastes Valuable Resources
MATT MANN, speaking from the University
of Oklahoma campus, stated the case
against the University's retirement program
very succinctly recently: "Some men are old
and senile at 40," the, legendary Michigan
swimming coach declared, "while others are
as alert and capable at 80 as they ever were.
If a man continues to think young he can go
on doing good work way past the normal re-
tirement age."
Though they have couched their thoughts in
more scientific language and documented them
with data and case histories, the gerontologists
at the ninth-ainual Conference on Aging reach
much the same conclusion as Mr. Mann. There
is no logical reason to believe that a man's
usefulness ends when he reaches an arbitrary
and fixed age.
It all adds up to a scathing denunciation of
the University's unreasonable retirement stipu-
lations. It is ironic that the Conference, it-
self a testament to University interest in scien-
tific progress, so clearly points up the Univer-
sity's backward approach to retirement.
The University forces arbitrary retirement
at 70. There are no exceptions to the rule. It
has been in effect since the early 1920's. The
Conference provides an opportune moment to
reevaluate the regulations.
IT CAN BE demonstrated that, whatever
criteria are used for retirement, there is no
logical reason to use chronological age. Mental
and physical constitution of-the specific indi-
vidual, type of work, pressures of the job--
these and other factors that vary from case
to case bely reliance on an arbitrary chrono-
logical retirement age.
The harm in arbitrary retirement is two-
fold.
First it denies the University continued val-
uable service by qualified administrative and
faculty personnel. There is no abundance of
capable professors. Any regulation which forces
good men off campus may be labeled unrea-
sonable.
Second, it harms the personnel retired. In
dealing with old age the keynote address at the
Conference declared that lack of incentive and
apathy was a far greater problem than biolog-
ical deterioration.
AS ILLOGICAL as arbitrary retirement is in
any, instanw, it is more so at a university.
Teaching is not a physically strenuous occupa-
tion. Many of our greatest works of art, our
most significant contributions to science and
progress have come from men well past 70.
While many advocates concede that chron-
ological age is a poor criteria, they ask: who is
to determine which professor is fit to teach
and which is not? Administrative difficulties
prohibit flexible retirement programs, these
people claim.
The Conference has managed to undercut
that argument also. Presenting an impressive
array of datta from industrial firms that aban-
doned arbitrary retirement for flexible plans,
the workshop on retirement unequivocably de-
clares that no administrative obstacles were
encountered.
IT APPEARS THAT the basic reason behind
arbitrary retirement is a distaste for making
difficult and unpleasant decisions. Adminis-
trators are paid to make such decisions. The
cost to the community and the individual is
too great to let the distaste stand as a valid
criteria.
It would be compatible with its position as
a leader if the University abandoned its arbi-
trary retirement plan in favor of a flexible
program based on the individual's usefulness.
-LEE MARKS
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THE SECOND PLAY presented by the Saline Mill Theatre this
summer is F. Hugh Herbert's comedy "The Moon Is Blue." It fares
considerably better than the opening effort, but a tendency to rush
the lines costs the production a good number of laughs and occasionally
seems to exhaust the cast members.
The play concerns a naively forward young woman and an atten-
tive young man who pick each other up atop the Empire State Build-
ing and wind up spending a hectic evening in the man's apartment.
They are joined during the evening by the father of the young man's
former fiancee, a worldly gentleman who is also aware of the girl's
charms.
There are complications-both customary and ingenious-which
S0
ALINE MILL:
'The Moon Is Blue'
include the girl's father (an Irish co;
elements, obviously, are simple
enough, but the complexities of
character carry the play along to
the natural conclusion.
* * *
MARTHA KERN BUHS has the
role of Patty, the girl, and perk
forms with steadiness and care.
There is perhaps too much uni-
formity in her portrayal-Patty,
it would seem, is a girl caught be-
tween a precocious possession of
the facts of life and a lack of
overdue experience, leading her to
vacillation between sophistication
and naivete.
Miss Buhs plays the part safely,
tending to ignore the extremes
of either characteristic. She has a
sure command of the personality
she creates, but it seems rather a
flatter personality than the play-
wright might have intended..
Donald Gresham, the young
bachelor, is portrayed by Al Doug-
lass. Mr. Douglass suffers most
from the rapidity given the whole
presentation, and appears forced
on several occasions to throw away
some of his best lines.
He is best when he allows him-
self to fall into a natural speech
pattern, an event which becomes
more and more rare as the play
progresses. .
ED BORDO appears as David
Slater, the middle-aged interrup-
toin that nearly causes Gresham
to lose the girl. Mr. Bordo's per-
formance is rather disturbing,
again because of the production's
pacing, and because he plays with
a bit more intensity than seems
necessary.
The fault, and in such an en-
gaging play it appears larger than
it is, lies apparently in the con-
ception of the play by director
Barbara Hamel. The production
is generally too high-pitched and
excited; a good deal more sub-
tlety would have been appreciated.
Once again Robert Maitland's
setting is imaginatively created
and constructed. Mr. Maitland's
sketch of the New York skyline
is almost too attractive. It draws
attention that might rightfully
belong to the actors.
--Tom Arpt
AT THE STATE
and plentiful phone !calls. The
*DAILY
OFFICIAL
BULLETIN
Needs Subtlety
d.
The Daily Official Bulletin 1s an
official publication of the Universty
of Michigan for which the Michigan
Daily assumes no editorial responsi-
bility. Notices should be sent in
TYPEWRITTEN from the Room 3553
Administration Building before 2 p.m.
the day preceding publication.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 11, 1956
VOL. LXVIII, NO. 11S
General Notices
Delta Kappa Gamma Summer Session
Tea. All visiting members of Delta Kap-
pa Gamma are invited to be guests of
Michigan Beta Chapter at tea Sat.,
July 14 from 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. at 41 E.
Ridgeway. Cali Mrs. Judy Lisatz. NOr-
mandy 2-9371 by Thurs., July 12 to ar-
range for transportation.
Phi Delta Kappa Luncheon Meet*
fug -- All members of Phi Delta
Kappa are invited to a luncheon meet.
ing in the South Cafeteria of the Mich-
igan Union at noon on Thurs., July 12.
Go through the cafeteria line and Bar-
ry your tray to the South Cafeteria,
which will be reserved for Phi Delta
Kappa. Plans for future activities wil1
be discussed. Visiting faculty and stu-
dent members are especially invited.
Play
The Circle, W. Somerset Maugham's
comedy, will be presented by the De-
partment of Speech at 8:00 p.m. to-
night in the Lydia Mendelsaohn Thea-
tre.
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WASHINGTON MERRY-GO-ROUND:
Russians Bring Literacy Up
By DREW PEARSON
1 14
A Language house for Michigan
THE UNIVERSITY OF MICIHIGAN has an
outstanding department of Romance
Languages, yet year after year it pours much
of its teaching efforts down the drain because
it lacks a Language House.
A language house would provide students
with a place to practice speaking languages
they are learning. The student of a foreign
language at the University hears the language
he is studying four hours a week in class and
perhaps speaks it himself a total of twenty
minutes a week.
He could gain much more if he had a place
to hear and practice the language day by
day-if he could live with the language. A
language house would present an opportunity
to absorb the language easily and naturally.
THE MAIN OBJECTION to having a lan-
guage house appears to be financial. Some
members of the Romance Language depart-
ment feel we should sit back and wait until
a charitable person donates a language house.
But why should we wait? The longer we wait
the more effort and time teachers in the
Romance Language department waste.
We have been able to have a language house
during the summer months because several
landladies have been willing to keep their
houses open for the department's use. How-
ever, when the school year begins, this house
must again become a league house. Surely the
University could find some suitable house if it
put forth the effort.
There is no question that such a house
would be succesful. The department assures
us that if such a house were opened it would
be filled immediately.
LANGUAGE HOUSES have been succesful
at other schools such as Middlebury, Wis-
consin, Colorado, Oberlin, Wellesley and
Smith. It seems that a University as forward-
thinking and as academically outstanding as
Michigan could find some way of getting a
language house for itself. If we can spend
half a million on a press box, why can't we
have a language house? The , question is:
which is more important?
-HARRIET RICHEY
No Opportunity Missed
To Peddle Coimunisim
A NEWS ITEM which will probably pass
without much notice appeared in Monday's
New York Times.
It announced that Premier Nikolai Bulganin,
Communist Party Secretary Niklita Khrushchev,
and Foreign Minister Dmitri Sheplov of the
Soviet Union will visit the tiny Indochinese
state of Cambodia at an unannounced date in
the future. The invitation was extended by
Prince Norodom, abdicated ex-king of Cam-
bodia.
The announcement contained the usual line
concerning the "selfless friendship and mutual
assistance" between the two nations, with
Russian promises, again, of economic and
technical assistance with no strings attached,
respecting fully the sovereignty of the recipient
nation.
No effort is too great, no nation too small,
no opportunity too insignificant to the masters
of the Kremlin. Rarely is a chance missed to
push their wares on the unsuspecting.
And this comes at a time when the American
Congress has voted to reduce its foreign aid
program.
-RICHARD HALLORAN
WHILE the House of Represent-
atives was defeating t h e
school construction bill last week,
here is what was happening to ed-
ucation in Russia.
Forty years ago under the Czar-
ist regime, Russian illiteracy was
about75 percent.
Joe McCarthy will probably call
anyone a Communist who reports
it, but surveys show that illiteracy
in Russia today is about the same
as in the United States, maybe
even less. The reason is arseven-
year system of compulsory pri-
mary education, which under the
new five-year plan will soon be
extended to ten years.
In other words, Russian young-
sters will be compelled to take
three years of high school. In most
of the USA, high school is not
compulsory.
*.* *
THIS TEN-YEAR program is al-
ready in effect in Russia's larger
cities. Its emphasis'is being placed
on science and technology. During
the last six of the ten years, forty
percent of the curriculum is de-
voted to science and mathematics,
with six years of foreign language,
usually English, to help Russian
engineers keep abreast of Ameri-
can science.
Today the USSR has 35,000,000
people registered in schools, in-
cluding workers taking night
courses. If other adult and corres-
pondence courses are included, the
figure is probably around 60,000,-
000.
In institutions above the high
school level, the Russians have
4,300,000 enrolled. This, however,
includes technical and manual
training s c h o o1 s. The United
States has 3,000,000 students in
colleges and universities, which is
probably higher than the number
of Russian students strictly in
colleges and universities.
As a result of this concentration
on technical training the USSR is
already ahead of us in turning out
engineers. A total of 53,000 were
graduated in 1954 as against 23,-
000 in the USA. Last month the
USA graduated only 228 teachers
of physics to teach in 27,000 high
schools. Yet it is the physicists
who are needed most to work on
atomic energy.
* s s
NO WONDER Khrushchev
boasted in Burma: "We shall see
who has more engineers, the Uni-
ted States or the Soviet Union."
In the same breath he offered
to build a technical institute in
Rangoon for the Burmese.
While Russia is turning out
more and more engineers and
teachers, the National Education
Association estimates that the
USA has a shortage of 128,000
teachers, with 900,000 pupils go-
ing to school in shifts because of
the school room shortage. A total
of 96,079 teachers were graduated
in June, but the nation will need
twice that many to keep up with
deaths, retirement, and the in-
creasing birth-rate.
The U.S. Office of Education
estimates that the USA will have
to spend $3,800,000,000 a year-.-
state, local and federal-to meet
the needs of the next four years.
Today we are spending only 2,700,-
000,000, and the Kelly bill, defeat..
ed in the house last week, provid-
ed only $400,000,000 a year for
four years.
All this is why more and more
neutralist countries are sending
students to Russian universities;
also why they are going to Moscow
for Russian technicians despite
the American technical aid pro-
gram.
'* * *
NO LEGISLATION was given a
more tragic run-around than the
school contruction bill ... conser-
vative Republicans reallykilled it.
They voted for the Powell amend-
ment putting an anti-segregation
clause in the bill which they knew
would help to kill it. Then having
loaded it up with this amendment,
they turned around and voted
against the entire unwieldy pack-
age.
Ex-Speaker Joe Martin and
GOP leader Charlie Halleck of In-
diana long made no secret that
they didn't want a school bill.
They regard it as socialistic-New
Dealish. The Powell aniendment
was the easy way out . ..also this
put the Democrats on the hook
with Negro voters.
Adam Clayton Powell, the Negre
Congressman from Harlem, is a
great pal of Joe Martin's, even
though a Democrat. How much
Powell really wanted a school bill
is doubtful. Only two weeks ago he
stayed away from a committee
hearing on a proposal by Con-
gressman Udall (D. Ariz.) muct
more likely to pass. It would have
given extra help to schools below,
the Mason-Dixon line which in-
tegrated. Powell didn't even both-
er to attend the education com-
mittee meeting and vote. He also
stayed away from the Hell's Can.
yon Committee hearing, thereby
helping Republicans block a vote
on Hell's Canyon by protesting
"No Quorum." President Eisen-
hower made no last minute appeal
to pass the school bill as he di(
his foreign aid bill.
(Copyright 1956, by Bell Syndicate, Inc.)
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'Spoilers'
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:
Christianity Answer to Prejudice
Good Fight
ONCE UPON a time, Rex Beach
wrote a good novel entitled
"The Spoilers." Read it some-
time.
On the other hand, once upon a
time they made a movie out of
"The Spoilers." They sell good
popcorn at the State Theater with
plenty of butter.
In this movie Jeff Chandler,
Anne Baxter and Rory Calhoun
have starring roles. Chandler plays
one of those parts that he plays
so well-a good guy out where
justice depends on a fast draw
and a ready fist. They even gave
him a fine palamino horse to ride,
just so the audience couldn't make
any mistakes. ,
Anne Baxter almost wears some
fine turn of the century clothing.
She owns a saloon and has other
interests, but still has a heart of
gold.
I *.
OTHER THAN a few touching
scenes between Chandler and Miss
Baxter, the main action takes
place in the form ofhtwo fights.
One of these is the best small
unit actions filmed since the army
training film, "The Infantry Regi-
ment in Attack." The other is one
of the longest knock down and
drag out fights that we have ever
seen on the screen, destroying the
whole inside of Miss Baxter's-]fine
saloon in the process.
It's amazing how frailly they buill
things in the good old days - the
whole place seems to fall to pieces
wherever the fighters touch it
So realistic.
# s
ON THE OTHER half of the twir
bill is a fine soap opera starring
Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stan.
wyck and Joan Bennett. The title
is "There's Always Tomorrow." It
leaves us with a question in mind--
don't old actors ever get a pen-
sion?
This is the sad story of the
trouble which beset a middle class
Concerts
Carillon Recital: 7:15 p.m. Thurs.,
July 12. Compositions y ercival Price,
perofrmed by Professor Price: Seven
Preludes and Sonata for 43 Bells.
Faculty Concert: William Stubbins,
clarinet, Clyde Carpenter, French horn,
and Mary McCall Stubbins, piano 8:30
p.m. Thurs., July 12. in Aud. A, Angel
Hall. Program: Sonata for French horn
and Piano, Op. 17, by Beethoven; Duo
Concertante for Clarinet and Piano, Op.
33, by Von Weber; Sonata for Dorn and
Piano (1939) by Hindemith; Sonatine
for Clarinet and Piano, Op. 65, No. 3
(1948) by Gunter Raphael. Open to the
general public without charge.
Academic Notices
Schools of Business Administration,
Education, Music, Natural Resources
and Public Health.
Students, who received marks of I-
X or 'no reports' at the end of their
last semester or summer session of at-
tendance, will receive a grade of "E',in
the course or course, unless this work is
made up. In the School of Music, this
date is by July 20. In the Schools of
Business Administration, Education,
Natural Resources and Public Health,
this date is by July 25. Students,
wishing an extension of time beyond
these dates in order to make up the
work, should file a petition, addressed
to the appropriate official of their
School, 'with Room 1513 Administration
Building, where it will be transmitted.
French Luncheons: A member of the
French staff will be at a table near
the end of the service line in the Michi-
gan League Cafeteria at noon on Mon-
days, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Any.
one wishing to join in informal eaon-
versation is welcome.
Le Cercle Francais: All persons inter-
ested in France and things French who
wish to join in the celebration of Bas-
tille Day, Sat., evening, July 14, are
asked to leave their names and $1.00
with the secretary of Romance Lan-
guages or with Prof. O'Neillcbefore
Thursday, July 12.
La Sociedad Hispanica, of the Depart-
ment of, Romance Languages, weekly
meeting today, Wednesday, at 7:45 p.m.,
in the Assembly Hall of the Rackhara
Building. Dr. Federico S. Escribano,
Professor of Spanish, will spea~k on
Spanish on "Intromision del inges en
S el habla espanola de hoy." Spanish
music and songs. All interested are
invited.
INTERPRETING THE NEWS:
Democrats Big Question
By J. M. ROBERTS
Associated Press News Analyst
A S OF THIS moment, the chief question re-
maining on the national political situation
is who the Democrats will nominate for vice
president.
The word that President Eisenhower still
intends to head the Republican ticket in spite
of his recent operation comes merely as a con-
firmation, and his previous endorsement of
Vice President Nixon to continue in that post
leaves the Republican convention a formality.
In the last two or three weeks Adlai Stev-
enson has assumed a closely comparable posi-
tion among the Democrats. Objective political
observers are crediting him with at least 400
votes on the first ballot at Chicago, and his
ow nsupportbrs claim 500 of the 6862 needed
to nominate.
rrrURR nRRTRTTTVov__enAi+t ismidely n_-
But there is no overlooking the bandwagon
proportions which the Stevenson campaign is
now displaying, although it may be happening
too early.
Selection of Gov. Frank Clement of Ten-
nessee as keynoter for the Democratic conven-
tion has put him at the top of the party's
list of vice presidential possibilities, since he
is a strong Stevenson supporter.
KEFAUVER is mentioned, by those who dis-
count his chances for the top place, pri-
marily in connection with the possibility of a
Harriman victory. But he's mighty well liked
in the Middle West on a general basis.
Sen. Humphrey of Minnesota ranks near the
top on the basis of sheer personality as a cam-
paigner, but lives pretty close to Stevenson,
who would need a running mate from some
other section.
The chief nE.ternca ndidate is Sn .John F.
To The Editor:
T HE PRESS of class work has
prevented my making a writ-
ten response to your article con-
cerning prejudice in last Wednes-
day's paper. I was especially im-
pressed with the references to evi-
dence of prejudice among Negroes
themselves. Because I know that
this is all too true.
The fact that the Negro is a
creature of prejudices is simply
proof of the obvious truth that he
is very much like all the rest of
God's creatures having similar vir-
tues and weaknesses. Because that
is true, I shall present some obser-
vations about the Negro which
may contain some suggestions 'for
other groups.
The thing which causes the Ne-
gro to resort to prejudice is the
feeling of inadequacy or a sense
of a lack of self-sufficiency in one
respect or another. Prejudice is
universal, but this fact does not
make it any less dangerous. As a
invite all the homeless, poorly
housed or those in any other state
of need of material things to come
live with us.
It would serve a better purpose
if they felt assured that we real-
ized their need and recognized and
respected their right to try to hon-
estly obtain those things for them-
selves, and that they at least had
our moral support in their efforts
to make a respectable place for
themselves in our society.
* * *
AS CHRISTIANS we could go
even farther. By encouragement
we can not only make the less for-
tunate feel that they have our
support, but that we expect them
to aspire after that which is noble.
All too often, I'm afraid, we are
more concerned with impressing
upon them the fact that they are
not expected to set for themselves
certain goals which we like to
think of as reserved for the privil-
not even like to have others think
unkind things about us even when.
we know they aren't true.
THEREFORE we can easily see
tht if we should begin practicing
the words quoted above, it would
revolutionize our society. The year
of jubilee would have arrived in-
deed. No longer would we attempt
to perpetuate our "caste" 'sys-
tem within the races or otherwise.
Each of us would be concerned
with helping his fellowman attain
a richer, fuller life because that is
what we all want for ourselves.
Prejudices d e v e 1o p because
someone or something seems to be
a threat to our realizing our am-
bition to attain this fuller life or
place of prominence which we de-
sire. This has been true ever since
the serpent tempted Eve. It was
responsible for Cain's slaying of
his brother, Abel.
This is not always evident be-
cause so often our bias, is vented
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Doctoral Examination for Robert Allen
Schuiteman, Education; thesis: "A
Study of Colombian Nationals Who
Attended Collegiate Institutions in the
United States," Thurs., July 12, 31
School of Business Administration at
2:00 p.m. Chairman, A. D. Henderson.
Placement Notices
The following schools have listed
vacancies for the 1956-1957 school year.
They will not send representatives to
the Bureau of Appointments at thi,
time.
Elmwood Park, Ill. - Teacher needs:
Elementary (1 second grade, 1 fifth
grade); Industrial Arts.
Farmington, Mich. - Teacher needs:
Vocal Music; Girls' Physical Education.
Flint, Mich. (Utley School) -Teacher
needs: Elementary (Later Elem., Kin-
dergarten); Homemaking; Math/Science
Spanish/English.
Fowler, Mich. - Teacher needs: Ath-
*