Page 2 University Daily Kansan Monday, May 4,1953
Short-Memoried U.S. Turns Back on Its Beloved Film Tramp
From his London hotel suite the silver-haired, 64-year-old artist recently issued a statement:
"It is not easy to uproot myself and my family from a country where I have lived 40 years without a feeling of sadness. But since the end of the last world war, I have been the object of lies and vicious propaganda by powerful reactionary groups who by their influence and by the aid of America's yellow press have created an unhealthy atmosphere in which liberal-minded individuals can be singled out and persecuted . . ."
With these words Charlie Chaplin wrote an end to an American life that had produced screen monuments for our culture that may never be surpassed. By letting his re-entry permit expire, Chaplin must remain on foreign soil.
Chaplin the man may be gone, but Chaplin the tramp will remain as long as projection lights flicker; the little fellow with the baggy pants, bamboo cane, and battered derby that won the world's heart by 1915. Charlot, the tramp, the symbol of all human loneliness; the touching, hilarious combination of the comic and pathetic; Charlot, in whom all men could recognize their own foibles and the knocks meted out by society.
This is a Chapin that will survive picket lines and press attacks, the scandals and trials, the hurd stories, and the American Legion.
For few figures of our time have engendered such opposite extremes of love
and hate as Charles Chaplin. Few figures have such paradoxical backgrounds; the man who rose from utter poverty to become a millionaire before he was 30, the man who climbed from the London music halls to become the world's beloved celluloid comic hero.
In "Limelight," his last film, we find a richly beautiful yet strange story of a drunken, discarded clown, Calvero, who finds his own regeneration in the regeneration of a lovely young ballerina who is weary of life.
"Limelight" was strange in that in sporadic snatches we caught Charlie Chaplin, not Calvero, telling his own story: the harking back to the music hall beginnings, the inner sadness of any entertainer who gives himself to his public, and the sprawling philosophy of life expressed which hints that this may have been his last picture.
Calvero, speaking of his audiences, says, "Individually they are wonderful—there is greatness in every one of them—but as a group they are a many-headed monster." And again, "I hate the theater." But, the ballerina protests, the theater flows in the great Calvero's veins. "Blood flows in my veins too." Calvero replies, "and I can't stand the sight of blood."
Chaplin's screen artistry can be described only as sheer genius. He is the only film-maker whose career covers practically the entire lifetime of the motion picture. And for most of his later films he has written the scenarios, composed the music, arranged the choreography, directed, and was the star.
Chaplin's own words best illustrate his attitude toward the film as art.
"Talkies?" he said in 1929. "You can say I detest them! They come to ruin the world's most ancient art, the art of pantomime. They annihilate the great beauty of silence."
Biographies have been written about Chaplin, many contributing to a legend that doesn't exist, and more undoubtedly will be written. Robert Payne, in perhaps the best, "The Great God Pan," notes Chaplin's "innate dignity" and paints him
as "intensely moral, wise in the ways of the world but still hoping for the best, a world in which men can live together with respect for each individual."
This has been the theme of every Chaplin film, originating in low comedy and progressing to high art form, usually combining both to delight all levels of audience. "City Lights" was the zenith of this facet of his movie career.
Then came the serious messages. "Modern Times" while still rollicking comedy was a pungent satire on mechanized society. And in in"The Great Dictator" Chaplin thumbed his nose at totalitarianism, followed with a thrust at the pitfalls of capitalism in "Monsieur Verdoux." It was in this last film that Chaplin began to lose his audience.
The tragedy was unfolding. Following the war the official investigators remembered a San Francisco public meeting in which Chaplin spoke in the defense of invaded Russia (at President Roosevelt's request) and "even" referred to his audience as "comrades."
But under the McCarran-Walter act the only charges which could be brought against Chaplin were under the "unsavory character" clause. It was while the Justice department was investigating that Chaplin let his permit expire.
And so the country that saw Chaplin's rise to greatness, that laughed with him and applauded him, now turns its back on him. Jerry Knudson
Beria-Is He Malenkov's Friend?
Laurenti Paulovich Beria, 54, government, has ascended to the garded as the No. the second youngest and most post of interior minister since the nearly every respe powerful man in the new Soviet death of Stalin, and may be re- The papers have
"I'm sorry young man, but this class is only open to psychology maiors."
The papers have published his pictures—balding, sharp nose, pincenze, and generally western features. His looks contrast with the fat faces, moustaches, and mongolian eyes of most of the other Russian bosses.
Beria has been a specialist in internal order and political police. He got his training at Baku Polytechnic, where he earned a degree in architectural engineering. In 1921 he volunteered for the state police, and supported the minority Bolshevist party and his friend Josef Stalin.
In 1933 he was called to Moscow to head the national state police, the dread NKVD. Stalin wanted some close friends around him, and called on Beria.
Stalin appointed him head of the Georgian state police. In that rugged country he suppressed a Cossack revolt in 1924.
Beria started a new era in Bolshevism. He purged the purgers, and pardoned enemies of the purgers. He set up a police machine that had long-range objectives in mind.
He converted the Siberian concentration camps into productive factories.
During the war, he was a member of the Inner Committee of Defense, and since 1946, he has been a member of the Politburo. As head of the Soviet police forces, he has been the destroyer of foreign communists who have strayed from the Russian fold.
Now, as the top-ranking member of the new presidium, Beria is the brains of the council of ministers. With the police still in his hands, the friend of Stalin will be the friend and enemy of Malenkov, and the other three top ministers, Molotov, Bulganin, and Kaganovich.
Secretary Benson tried to stand his ground, but the voices grew louder and louder—voices of his voters, his enemies, and his administrative comrades. Now the sound of all the voices echoes in the chambers of his mind and shapes his thoughts and policies—if he has a policy any longer!
When Secretary of Agriculture Ezra T. Benson took office and began cutting price supports, economists throughout the nation sighed with relief and voiced admiration. At last there was a man in the Agriculture department who was going to follow a sane and sound economic policy. But there were also the beef raisers, the butter makers, and the wheat farmers—and it seems they screamed the loudest.
Al Traldi
Benson's Words Show Effect Of Heavy Political Hounding
In a recent speech to the National Newspaper Farm Editors' association, it is evident that the secretary no longer knows what he is doing. His statements are a tangled mass of what is and what should be.
In his speech to the farm editors he said he had no idea of scrapping the present high, rigid price support program unless it was demanded. (Demanded by whom? Surely not the farmers?)
In virtually the next breath, he said, "We know a farmer is in a
hazardous occupation, but the high rigid price supports are probably not the answer. We've been getting a lot of mail from livestock feeders who want to get meat into peoples stomachs—not in storage," he said.
He stated that there will be no flexibility of prices this year or next unless Congress does something about it, and it is a 50-50 chance Congress will do nothing about price supports of 90 per cent of parity before fall.
After all, what Congressman wants to stick his neck out? Mr. Benson is serving as a perfect scapegoat for the whole administration, and the rest of them think it is pretty nice. One can't help feeling sorry for the man, for he is just one of the earnest who has fallen into the snare of politics.
—Rozanne Atkins
Senior Fund Grant By ASC Defended
Editor of the Daily Kansan;
There has been much criticism of the Student Council's action in refusing to underwrite the full deficit of the Senior Class. There are a few factors which the Daily Kansas did not report which we feel should be made clear.
The ASC itself faces a $500-$700 deficit this year. Last fall it transferred its entire reserve fund (over
$12,000) to the University to help furnish the Student Union. Thus, unlike previous years, there is nothing to draw from except next year's funds.
Criticism of the ASC's handling of funds which led to the present situation is undoubtedly justified. On the other hand, can anything be said for those in charge of the Senior Class funds when the final count of tickets to the Senior Ring dance showed 170 sold, 200 turned in, and 234 lost? And even concessions lost about $5.
In view of the fact that the funds for the Senior Class would have come from next year's budget, we do not believe it proper to tax 4.200 freshmen, sophomores, and juniors, as well as next year's freshmen in order to save 1.000 of this year's seniors 25 cents apiece.
It seems to us that $130 that they did get is quite adequate.
Dana Anderson
ASC Treasurer
Pach, representative
Will Adams
Finance com. member
FACTS representative