Man, the Invertebrate

The problem presents itself of how to solidify the human spine once it has turned to jelly. Now, when the disease has reached near-epidemic proportions, it is time for research. Just the other day someone at Syracuse University became infected with a virus the "National Council for American Education" has been spreading for a number of years now--jocularly labeled "Reducators at Harvard." The poor fellow's backbone promptly softened, and he decided it might be best in the "interests of interfaith unity" if Kirtley Mather did not address a student "Brotherhood Week" banquet.

Other forms of the disease have recently struck down ten members of the New York State Board of Regents and afflicted the owner of a movie house in Ozone Park, Long Island. These latter cases bear striking symptomatic similarities. Both the Regents and the theatre owner succumbed before outraged minority opposition to the showing of certain motion pictures. "The Miracle," a movie which few people would have seen if such a rumpus had not been raised about it, was banned by the Regents. The Ozone Park theatre owner did not show "The Bicycle Thief" after local Knights of Columbus marched on the theater and threatened to picket unless the offending picture were withdrawn. The theatre owner fell ill with that same disease which has laid low radio and motion pictures and now infects television--he did not wish to offend any one. In recent years, various groups have also been offended by Walter Gieseking, Kirsten Flagstad, the motion picture "Oliver Twist," and many other peoples and works of art. There is hardly anything or anyone that does not offend somebody.

Paul Robeson and William E. Du Bois would certainly have offended a good many people if they had kept their speaking engagements here last week. It is to the credit of this University that once again it did not succumb to that disease of spinelessness so prevalent today.