cl h- mirhigattBaldg 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 "What Do You Make Of This Rock-'N-Roll Stuff?" @9' as y f 4MTEs3PqT n v nn ,} *N_ *I - e R~4a E oc V ASKn1-tN CT I 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. 14 1 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.) i } 1 I a '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 i C B; S 1 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- *