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LMERICAN DIVORCE ASSOCIATION FOR MEN' Unique Eyewear DOC • • OF WEST BLOOMFIELD Dr. Howard J. Rosner, Optometrist West Bloomfield Plaza • Orchard Lake south of Maple • 626-0200 -FENIW-STEIN 553.9966 Talent Agency Simone Vitale Jerry Fenby 5 + 2 Tango Sunset Boulevard Higher Ground Bill Meyers Sun Messengers Fenby-Carr Tim Hewitt George Benson Jazz Loving Cup Classix DJs including ERIC HARRIS Seasons Krosswinds VIDEOS AVAILABLE FOR ALL BANDS 94 FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 1990 LT= LOANS gm% ON DIAMONDS Quick, Confidential Cash Loans on Jewelry LEW SILVER DIAMOND BROKER 9 Mile at Greenfield 559-5323 GIA Graduate in Diamond Grading & realuation aifa — It began as an innocent public ser- vice broadcast on Israel television, but it erupted into a battle royal between two giants — the Israel Manufacturers' Association and the organiza- tion of Israel Chambers of Commerce. The subject, one well known in other countries: imports versus local products. The offending broadcast, in- tended to push consumption of domestic goods, contained this approach to consumers: "Each time you reach out to choose something imported, another family in Israel stret- ches out its hand for help." The battle between the two interests has been going on for a long time. The importers insist that they are rendering a major service to the coun- try's economy, and they launch an attack against local industry. They produce tables of comparative prices, allegedly showing that Israel- made products sell here at home for prices far higher than comparable products in many countries overseas. The local manufacturers have an answer for high prices. First of all, they say, compare quality. They say local merchandise is superior to the products often im- ported from abroad. Further- more, there are costs in Israel over which local producers have no control. Government controls make capital expen- sive and set high interest rates. Labor is more costly because of prolonged absences for military reserve duty. The importers press their case. Prices are high because Israeli industry is inefficient. The consumer shouldn't pay for poor management. The answer is to open the gates wide to competitive imports. That will quickly compel local industry to improve its quality, as well as efficiency of production, and the result will be lower prices — all to the advantage of the consumers. Israel may be having dif- ficulty exporting because its prices are too high. Exposure to competition will not only benefit the local consumer, but will also open up new markets to export, the Chambers of Commerce maintain. They cite economists, as well as the Bank of Israel, who urge that imports should be encourag- ed as the best way to compel manufacturers in Israel to ra- tionalize their production. The national economy is not based only on what is cheaper for the consumer, the local employers maintain. There are national and social factors as well, affecting employment in border villages and development towns. These are, in turn, related to national defense. If mass cheap imports result in closing down domestic plants, with consequent large-scale unemployment, the end result could be a drying up of the local market for the im- ports as well. There are some industries which combine import and domestic production with the same goods. For example, Israeli businessmen import tuna in bulk, cut it, insert it in tin cans here, and sell it as if a local product. The dif- ferences of opinion have led to commercial clashes. Thus, when the Elite chocolate pro- ducers decided to diversify by importing cigarettes, they fac- ed a threat from Dubek, which holds the monopoly on local cigarette manufacture, to import chocolates. Both companies backed away. The arguments will long continue. It is known that many Israel products, in the fields of electronics and high technology, for example, com- pete successfully in interna- tional markets. And almost every Israeli tourist going abroad comes back with a story of some Israel-made pro- duct, clothing or food or even furniture, that he bought in London or New York at a price less than what the same item costs here at home. El "'"'"I IN BRIEF I THE LUBAVITCH FOUN- DATION of Farmington Hills has retained the interna- tional architectural firm, Minoru Yamasaki and Associates, of Troy, to design its synagogue/religious center project proposed for West Bloomfield Township. MICHAEL LEVINE has joined the law firm of Fraser Trebilcock Davis and Foster, P.C. HONEY FRIEDMAN has been named executive direc- tor for the Variety Club, the children's charity.