Education: Daring Daily

Placidity and politeness distinguish most U. S. college newspapers. Mostly they serve merely as bulletins of local events, enlivened only by such glimpses of the outside world as the Harvard Crimson offered last week: a boxed, front-paged prediction that the Cardinals would beat the Athletics,signed by one “Hu Flung Huey.” A crusading college paper is the Daily of the University of Michigan, which with the Daily of the University of Minnesota took first place at last year’s convention of the National College Press Association. On the Ann Arbor campus, many a scandal has been openly aired. Michigan’s President Clarence Cook Little resigned two years ago after a long quarrel with the State legislature (TIME, Feb. 4, 1929). Last year three students were jailed for ‘legging; later, five fraternity houses were raided for liquor by the police, were closed by the University (TIME, Feb. 23). The Michigan Daily reported all these events. Last week the Daily reported more strife at Michigan. Managing Editor of the Daily this year is tall, dark Richard Lardner Tobin, 21-year-old nephew of Funnyman Ring Lardner. Son of Editor Richard G. Tobin of the Star (Niles, Mich.), he has since the age of 10 carried papers, reported, edited, run a press and linotype. He used to play the violin. Also, he played football while at Niles High School, got his nose broken five times. Under Managing Editor Tobin, the Daily last fortnight printed two numbers which raised hue & cry at Michigan. They contained: 1) An attack on the American Legion convention in nearby Detroit. Excerpts: “Alleged college drunks are mere children’s parties compared to some of the sights which were witnessed in Detroit. . . . Drunks of various sorts, in various stages of intoxication, littered the streets. . . . Crap games were in progress. . . .”

2) A quotation from a survey in Campus Comics (commercial quarterly):

“Ann Arbor’s standing as a student liquor consuming center … is surpassed only by that of the city of New York.” Next in standing were ranked the Universities of Nevada and Wisconsin.

3) An announcement that the Daily would begin a campaign to boycott free-lance taxicab drivers in Ann Arbor who “fleece the students”

4) Allegations of graft in the Department of Buildings & Grounds of the University.

At once Shirley Wheeler Smith, vice president of the University, took action. It had been customary for the University to pay $3.600 for 917 faculty subscriptions. These Vice President Smith withdrew. President Alexander Grant Ruthven called the newspaper “tasteless and objectionable.” Retorted Managing Editor Tobin: “The charge of sensationalism … we deny. . . . The Daily will not juggle news stories. It is our intention to stand by that statement.”

Last week met the Board of Control of Student Publications—two deans, two professors, three students. It decided that Vice President Smith had exceeded his authority: the subsidy of the Daily was in the hands of the Board of Regents. Also, the Daily should maintain “a free press, unhampered by administrative interference.” Forthwith from the office of Vice President Smith came word that the faculty subscriptions would be reinstated. The city council of Ann Arbor announced that it had taken cognizance of the Daily’s war on taxicabs. Meters would be installed. Everyone was happy. Editors of the Daily felt they had “won a great victory.” Magnanimously they said they would not “rub it into the administration.”