College News, 1939-03-01, Vol. 25, No. 14

              The College News
r-616
VOL. XXV, No. 14
BRYN MAWR AND WAYNE, PA, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 1939
Copyright TRUSTEES OF
BRYN    MAWR   COLLEGE,   1t39
PRICE 10 CENTS
V-
f
Martha Graham
Evokes History
In New Dance
Frontier   is   Most   Effective,
Least Pretentious Part
Of Program
DEEP   SONG   FAILS
BY INTELLECTUALITY
Goodhart, February 28.�As the
fourth of the College Entertainment
Series, Martha Graham and her com-
pany presented four dances in the
controversial and modern style she
has done so much to establish. Three
of the dances were solos by Miss
Graham. The fourth was the elabor-
ate American Document, a dance se-
quence performed by the entire group.
Miss Graham opened with Sara-
bande, a delicate satire on court danc-
ing by Lehman Engel. It was base? the course of the play,
on the selection of certain typical
^actions or  gestures:   the  lifted  arm,
K. Hepburn Appears    f
In New Barry Play
theatre  Guild  Comedy   Offers
Playwright and Actress in
Engaging Mood
The Theatre Guild has produced in
Philip Barry's The Philadelphia Story
a play that should be successful on
Broadway. Although it is rough in
spots this does not mar the excellent
performance of Katharine Hepburn or
the good impression the play makes
as a whole.
Reminiscent of Mr. Barry's Holiday
which starred Miss Hepburn in the
movie version, The Philadelphia
Story deals with one of those fabu-
lous heiresses who prefers money and
the spirit of fun to money and snob-
bery. Two hard-working reporters
represent the base class which lives
for the finer things in life and has no
family tree to speak of. Naturally
they succumb to Miss Hepburn's
charm   and   vigorous   personality   in
the slow bows and the stately pacing
movements. These, were then exag-
gerated by Miss Graham to the point
of burlesque and absurdity. She held
her lifted arm straight and stiff in
the air with her relaxed hand dan-
gling from it foolishly. When she
bowed, she got down with calm, de-
liberate elegance and fairly wallowed
on the floor. Her sarcasm was ob-
vious and a little superficial, but it
provided the good-humored and eas-
ily intelligible opening that was
needed. The dance's heartlessness
and artificiality, too, was probably in-
tended to contrast with the intensity
and passion of the second number,
Deep Song, by Henry Cowell.
Deep Song, according to the pro-
gram note, "was not meant to be
i an exact picture of a Spanish woman
but presents the torture of mind and
body experienced in common by all
people who react to such suffering as
the Spanish people have faced." Miss
�Graham's own personal reaction to
her theme was so apparent tfcat it
seems brutal to criticise such sincerity
and feeling. Also, any attempt to res-
cue the dance from the archaic and
the trivial, and make it again the in-
strument of truly popular feeling, is
a praiseworthy effort, whether it suc-
ceeds or fails. Nevertheless, we our-
selves feel that in this case it has
failed. The failure was not caused by
any lack of intensity or skill; it re-
". suited, simply from the unsuitability
of the subject to the style of inter-
pretation. Martha Graham's dancing
is primarily intellectual and subtle.
The suffering of the Spanish people
Continued on Page Three
As Tracy Lord, the unpredictable
divorcee, who remarries her former
husband in preference to a more stable
suitor, Miss Hepburn proves again
that her strong point is comedy, in
which field she can take on all comers.
One of her best scenes is in the first
act wherein she turns the tables on
the press and beats them at their
own game, "two to one in favor of
the home team." She get the maxi-
mum humor out of her lines without
losing any of her grace and poise.
Her drunk scene is a masterpiece, al-
Continued on Pago Two
U. S. Policy Toward
Loyalists   Discussed
Peace  Council  Votes  to  Press
Repeal of Spanish Embargo
By Congress
Denbigh Showcase, February 27.�
A meeting of the Peace Council was
called to discuss and vote on the sug-
gestion of the A. S. U. that the Coun-
cil take appropriate steps to inform
Congress that it is in favor of lifting
the United States embargo on Spain.
This embargo is the result of spe-
cial neutrality legislation. The Span-
ish Crisis was not covered by the
original neutrality legislation, only
applicable where war has been offi-
cially declared. The lifting of the
embargo would enable the Loyalist
side to obtain munitions from the
United States in either Loyalist or
chartered foreign ships as the United
States would not be empowered to ex-
port munitions in American bottoms.
Continued on F�ge Two
Stapleton, Herben, Veltman�H. Wade, M� J. Cook,  E.  Harz
Tortnighdy Philistine' Finds Five Females
Forming First Philosophical Fight Forum
"To all Graduates, Fellows, and
Hearers, to '98, '99, and 1900, and
our new freshman class, above all to
our august Faculty and President:
Greeting!" Thus the Fortnightly
Philistine opens its first editorial for
the year 1897-98. The first news re-
view <5f the college, founded in 1894,
the Philistine included an editorial,
book and play reviews, and contribu-
tions from students.
Typical is a fictionalized account of
Bryn Mawrters' reactions to a hockey
game in which they had just been
beaten.
Editorials are filled with sage ad-
vice: to the freshmen, not to begin
bluffing until they are juniors; to all,
to get up -�arly rather than stay up
after midnight, and to study for ex-
aminations in small groups because it
is well known that memorizing is best
done by repeating aloud. The
Philistine also urges consideration of
the difficult probjem, "when may a
freshman call an upperclassman by
her last name." It concludes, some-
what ambiguously, with the encour-
agement, ./'fight on, little sisters."
We were particularly drawn to the
frankness of one essay on "the Debat-
ing Club." It began, "In the philoso-
phy class last year there were five
students who wanted to understand
their work"�and they formed a de-
bating club.              |
The Freshman Play of 1897 gives
evidence of serious intentions, though
veneered in the pastoral form:
"We find our flocks insipid  and  our
shepherd songs a bore,
This educated chorus,
We've a great career before us,
And   nothing  shall   restore   us -
To our simple way."
A note of doubt also creeps in at
intervals. In a sketch entitled the
First Ball, the author says that tnjs
occasion is just as exciting for the
college girl as for "the true debutante
who spends all her winter's energies
in similar dissipations." However, af-
ter describing the happy evening, the
author suggests that her heroine is
perhaps "sorry for the first time in
her life that she is a college girl."
Again, there is a description of a
12 o'clock class in which everyone is
on the verge of sleep, including the
lecturer.          -    ,
Already,   in    its   first   years,   the
Continued en Pa** Three
P.W.Bridgman's
Manifesto  Hit
By Professors
Anderson,    Weiss    Deplore
Limitation of Freedom
Of   Inquiry
Mr. Anderson of the economics de-
partment and Mr. Weiss of the phil-
osophy department made independent
protests in their classes against Pro-
fessor Percy W. Bridgman's "mani-
festo," which appeared in the New
York Times last Friday. Professor
Bridgman <lgc*rh*<l in his individual
capacity to close his laboratory to
visitors from totalitarian states, since
these states have perverted scientific
knowledge to serve their own pur-
poses.
Mr. Weiss made the following an-
nouncement to his classes: "Should
there be any who is a citizen of or is
sympathetic with totalitarian states,
I vouch that I shall do all in my
power to teach them to the best of
my ability in the fields in which I am
competent."                    v^-"
Mr. Anderson devoted an entire lec-
ture hour to a discussion of the im-
plications of Professor Bridgman's
statement. He considers it extremely
dangerous, especially since it comes
from one of the most eminent scien-
tists in America. If Professor Bridg-
man's example is followed, the prin-
ciple of denying knowledge to citizens
of totalitarian states may be extended
infinitely to other realms of knowl-
edge. "Though as an individual Pro-
fessor Bridgman has a right to ex-
clude whomever he pleases from his
laboratory, he has himself paved the
way through his public statement for
the application of totalitariaa princi-
ples. He has, says Mr. Anderson,
placed himself in a paradoxical situ-
ation, because while defending free
scientific experimentation and con-
demning the totalitarian practice of
restriction, he is threatening restric-
tion as his personal policy.
Professor Gauss' expression of ap*-
proval in Saturday's Times, says Mr.
Anderson, is a plain misinterpretation
of the original manifesto. Professor
Gauss has emphasized the idea that
Continued on Page Three
Democracy Requires
Freedom of Thought
Judge Allen Says Bill of Rights
Assures Personal Liberty
Of Expression
Goodhart, February 27.�In her
fourth lecture Judge Florence E.
Allen discussed The Bill of Rights
which is contained in the" first ten
amendments to the Constitution.
"The fundamental basis of democ-
racy," she said, "is freedom of
thought." The guarantee of freedom
of thought contained in the Bill of
Rights finds its fullest and most far-
reaching expression in the first amend-
ment.
Along with the great documents of
our history this amendment should be
remembered. It springXfrom the de-
sire of those who founded this nation
that the truth shall always remain
free. It is a great landmark "which
points us, as Americans, to the truth,
which, if we care, we might now be
seeking."
|(he first amendment does more
thw^express an attitude or state a
provision regarding personal liberty.
It draws a line of individual right
over which Congress may not step:
"Congress shall make no law respect-
ing an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof;
or abridging the freedom of speech,
or of the press; or the right of the
people peaceably to assemble, and to
petition the Government for a redress
of grievances." This provision has
been made by the Constitution, "the
supreme law of the land."
The    rights    established    in    this
amendment should  be considered not
only    as    safeguards    of    individual
Continued on ra*e Four
COLLEGE CALENDAR
Thursday, March 2.�Philoso-
phy    Club    meeting.    Common
Room, 7.30.
Friday, March J.�Industrial
Group Supper. Common Room,
6.30.
Saturday, March 4.�Bryn
Mawr League afternoon, Com-
mon Room. -Square Dance. Gym-
nasium, 8 p. m.
Sunday, March 5.�Recital by
Dr.   Fritz   Kurzweil.    Deanery,
4.30.    Hornell  Hart will  speak^
in chapel.    Music Room, 7.30,
Monday, March 6.�Miss^Cehr
will speak at a Science Club
meeting.    Common/Room, 7.46.
Tuesday, March 7.�Current
Events, Mr. Fenwick. Common
Room, 7.30. German movie..
Goodhart, 8.15.
DevitDid Grin
Parodies Many
Local Notables
Western    Union   Messenger
Is Drafted to Appear
As Class Animal
CUSTOM CRUMBLES
AS MEN S$E SHOW
Goodhart, February 25.�The pro-
duction by the class of 1942 of The
Devil Did Grin achieved the purpose
of all Freshman Shows. With th�
aid of the powers of heaven, hell and
the Western Union they kept their
audience delighted for the evening
with a light-headed review of campua
characters in parody.
Everybody had a good time. Th�
audience was maintained at a pitch
of raucous hilarity, star talent was
brought to light, the animal song
was safely preserved from the sopho-
mores and the animal was without
doubt the most climactic on record.
A young fortune was realized by the
posters, and several songs were in-
troduced that may anticipate years
of service about the college dining
halls. One of the five faculty men
who attended legally (courtesy w
your newspaper) pronounced it the
best entertainment he had witnessed
at Bryn Mawr
There was plot, in among the songs
and parodies, that possessed more
unity than, susally expected in-a mu-
sical show. It seems that a typical*
smoking room group (predominantly
Merion) were blaspheming in typical
undergraduate' fashion, saying that
heaven was all there remained to anti-
cipate after typical Midyears. The
powers that were called this bluff
and, rejecting the devil's coilnter-at-
tractions, the undergraduates matricu-
lated for heaven.
Outside the pearly gates, the foul
fiend espied fair Pavlova, member of
the angelic faculty.. Swiftly en-
amoured, he plotted to win the under-
graduates to hell, for on that condi-
tion alone would Pavlova leave
Continued on Pace Four
Radio and Publicity
Vocations Discussed
Mass Meeting Held
On Spanish Embargo
Pembroke East, February 2i.�The
Bryn Mawr mass meeting on the
Spanish embargo was one of many
demonstrations and peace strikes or-
ganized all over the country by the
A. S. U. Maintaining that removal
of the embargo can still save demo-
cratic Spain, Betsey Dimock, '41,
president of the A. S. U., urged all
present to write to their senators
demanding its repeal. President
Roosevelt is believed to oppose the
embargo, but does not feel that the
country is behind him.
Lily Ross Taylor, professor of
Latin, concluded her address to the
meeting with an appeal that we aban
don the un-neutral position which the
embargo forces upon us, and align
ourselves on the side of democracy.
While it prevents direct aid to Loyal-
ists, the embar||o facilitates continued
ierman and Italian support to Na-
tionalist Spain.
In discussing the course of the war,
Miss Taylor stated that government-
controlled Italian papers continue to
demand political, as well as military,
victory. They speak of the coming
rejuvenation of Spanish civilization
in other parts of the world. Miss
Taylor believes that this is a direct
threat to democracy in South Amer-
Continued on Pace Pour
I
Versatility, Ability to Type, and
'Sixth Sense'  Stressed
As Qualifications
Common Room, Feb. 27.�Frank
Arnold, consultant of broadcast ad-
vertising, discussed in his talk here
the opportunities for" women in the
fields of publishing, advertising and
radio broadcasting. Mr. Arnold point-
ed out that the number of women
employed in each of these fields in-
creases yearly and specified as to
what chances particular departments
within each field offered, how much
they paid and how to get in them.
For entrance into any of these pro-
fessions, Mr. Arnold emphasized the
necessity of typing ability, the need,
almost as requisite, for a rudimen-
tary knowledge of shorthand and the
willingness to start anywhere within
an organization without hopes of a
high paid job. Nowadays, since there
is an increasing tendency to advance
people from one department to another
rather than resorting to outside
sources, Mr. Arnold feels that the
importance of being sure "to get on
Vie payroll," despite the acceptability
of the first job, cannot be overempha-
sized.
In the publishing field the most
numerous opportunities for women
are offered in magazine departments;
in the advertising business the posi-
tion of copy writer has become in-
creasingly important since more and
more advertising is done by women
with a view to women buyers; while
in the radio broadcasting field rela-
tively few women have as yet obtained
the more important executive posi-
Cor'lnuea on Tmgm Tw�