Warning Note

Three weeks ago visitors at University of Michigan's commencement were startled when President Alexander G. Ruthven exclaimed in his address: "To those young people who are planning to enter or return to the University next year, I issue this warning: Michigan welcomes only students who are convinced that democracy is the ideal form of government for a civilized people. She will not be confused by sophistries built around meaningful but ill-defined phrases such as 'freedom of the press' or 'freedom of speech,' but will deal firmly, without fear or favor, with subversive or so-called fifth-column activies."

Undergraduates were not so startled. They guessed the target of President Ruthven's ire: the campus' noisy chapter of the American Student Union, which had spent a busy spring denouncing U. S. "war plans," and failing to denounce the Communazis. Last week their guess was proved correct and President Ruthven showed that he was not fooling. To a number of Michigan students (the A. S. U. said nine), home for vacation, he sent a curt lote: "It is the decision of the authorities of the University that you cannot be readmitted to the University." Others got warnings. Pressed for explanations, he added: "You have been a disturbing influence."

President Ruthven refused to reveal the names of the boys expelled, first to be ousted from a U. S. university as alleged fifth columnists. But the A. S. U. disclosed that one was Leftist Hugo M. Reichard, of South Plainfield, N. J. Hugo is the youngest of four children of Hungarian immigrants. According to his brothers--one is a garage owner and Rotarian, another a truck driver--Hugo "turned radical" at Rutgers, where he spent his first college year. Vexed at Hugo's radical activities, his father, on his death bed, made the boy promise last year that he would give them up. At Michigan, Hugo ignored his promise, became a ringleader and vice president of the A. S. U. chapter. A brilliant student, he made Phi Beta Kappa, was vice president of the Student Senate, got a B.A. at Michigan last year, an M.A. in English literature this year.

To the A. S. U.'s howls, President Ruthven turned a deaf ear. But, said he : "This decision is not final. Sometimes we permit students to re-enter on their promise to settle down."

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