11 i
Seventy-Seven Years of Editorial Freedom
EDITED AND MANAGED BY STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
UNDER AUTHORITY OF BOARD IN CONTROL OF STUDENT PUBLICATIONS
-'M
Where Opinions Are Free, 420 MAYNARD ST., ANN ARBOR, MICH.
Trutih Will Prevail
NEws PHONE: 764-0552
Editoriils printed in The Michigan Daily express the individual opinions of staff writers
or the editors. This must be noted in all reprints.
FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 1968
NIGHT EDITOR: ROB BEATTIE
r
Engineers. in Polities:
Why Not?
SUGGESTIONS that engineers go into
politics usually aren't taken very
seriously. But they should be.
As our society grows in complexity, the
need for legislators and planners trained
in handling the technology upon which
modern life is founded and capable of
dealing with technical problems in
imaginative ways grows along with it.
As R. Buckminster Fuller has written,
"politics undertakes to reform man, not
his environment." Engineers, on the
other hand, attempt to change the en-
vironment to meet the needs of man.
Because the major problems facing the
states and communities of the United
States today are essentially environ-
mental in nature, it stands to reason that
more engineers in positions of public re-
sponsibility would be that many more
"politicians" used to dealing with these
problems on a practical level.
MANY OF the problems facing us
domestically quite obviously demand
practical technical- solutions. The pres-
ence of even one engineer in a legisla-
ture or on a special review board would
be an invaluable asset to that group's
ability to formulate and evaluate possible
solutions to. the problems of pollution,
urban development, traffic control, raw
materials and energy production,!irriga-
tion and flood control.
Other problems, which at first glance
seem to be purely social in origin, often
have important economic roots or mani-
festations which can be solved, at least
in part, by creative engineering.
For example, American race relations,
although founded in a long history of
prejudice, have many economic implica-
tions. Sub-standard ghetto housing in
cities like Chicago, New York or Detroit
often costs more per month than super-
ior housing in 'other parts of the city-
but Negroes cannot live there because of
restrictive rental practices or inability
to make down payments.
Similarly, the suburbs are off-limits
both for-purely racial reasons and be-
cause many ghetto residents cannot af-
Second class postage paid at Ann Arbor, Michigan,
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Daily oxcept Monday during regular academic school
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ford to make a down payment on a house
and are unable to borrow money from a
bank. Housing in a government-subsi-1
dized tetrahedral "city of the future" (as
envisioned by Fuller) could make mod-
ern, equitable housing available to citi-
zens from all walks of life on a mass
basis.
Such housing would hardly provide a
complete solution to the race problem,
but it would certainly be a step in the
right direction. We must remember that
most of last summer's rioters were not
unemployed; they were Negroes with
low-income 'jobs who were unable to
afford non-ghetto housing, people who
could not partake fully of the benefits of
technological advancement.
THERE IS hardly an area of our do-
mestic life which would not benefit
froni creative application of modern
technology. But, as State Rep. Raymond
Smit (R-Ann Arbor), himself an engi-
neer, observed in a speech to Chi Ep-
silon Engineering Honorary Society last
Tuesday, many engineers voluntarily cut
themselves off from human problems
and humanistic concerns.
The engineering college at the Univer-
sity has recognized the need to provide
opportunities for its students to pursue
interests ouside of mathematics, physics
and chemistry. Thus the college com-
bines a new six-hour Great Books pro-
gram for freshmen with a requirement
that engineers take about one-fourth of
their courses in non-technical subjects.
Although many crusading liberals
might object to engineers seeking public
office on the grounds that the profession
tends toward political conservatism, it
seems likely that in the future political
divisions of left and right might lose all
traditional meaning. What we might well
have instead is technical versus non-
technical politics, where a combination
of creative technical theory and humani-
ist sympathies will be at a premium.
Even in traditional liberal-versus-
conservative terms; however, having en-
gineers in positions of power could hardly
be more harmful than the current blend
of businessmen-lawyers-movie actors who
are running the country. It might even
be better.
-JENNY STILLER
Letters to the Editor
LBJ Withdrawal
pngBoyGone -
By MARTIN HIRSCHMAN
THE TIMING of both the major announcements of President John-
son's speech Sunday night have been subject to a dIrth of
speculation. Political analysts have asked why Johnson chose this
moment to try for peace in Vietnam and why he decided at that
time to leave the Presidential arena.
The initial analysis of the peace proposal was severely muddled
and has since been obviated by Hanoi's surprising response.
It now appears that the President's proposal was not made. in- an
information vacuum and that, in fact, Johnson was informed that
Hanoi would be ammenable to such a proposal at this time.
Last week Gen. Creigton Abrams, Gen. William Westmoreland's
expected successor showed up unexpectedly in Washington for a series
of secret talks with the President. Possibly those talks gave Johnson
significant hope that Hanoi was ready to talk about peace.
In addition, U.S. and North Vietnamese officials last Friday suc-
cessfully concluded negotiations which lead to an exchange of prisoners.
It is possible that some significant peace feelers were sent out during
that time. Possibly, Johnson considered the successof the conferences
alone significant enough to warrant further peace moves at ,this time.
JOHNSON'S SPEECH reeked havoc on the U.S. political scene, bu
at the same time put the issues of the 1968 campaign into sharp per-
spective.
Analysis of the President's announcement he will not run for an-
other term has been limited largely to discussion of his possible suc-
cessors. This is unfortunate. For Johnson's speech hardly eliminates
him from consideration as a candidacy. On the contrary, everything
about the President's speech seems designed to enhance his chances
for November.
* By announcing a limited bombing halt Johnson exposed the
fraud of the 1968 campaign; he showed how very close ail the nmajor
contenders for the Presidency are in their attitudes towards Vietnam.
SENATORS EUGENE McCARTHY and Robert Kennedy almost
immediately expressed their support for the Johnson's move toward
peace. Ever former Vice President Richard Nixon, the ,only strong
Republican possibility said he favored the proposal.
Thus, by announcing the plan, Johnson eliminated the majo
issue of his opponents-the present Vietnam policy.
0 By nominally withdrawing from the political arena Johnson
isolated himself from possibly disastrous defeat in the Wisconsin
primary.
In this area Johnson has clearly achieved his goal. It is now im-
possible to give an intelligent analysis of the Wisconsin results.
0 Johnson created a perfect image for the U.S. public when- he
went on the air Sunday night. The manner of his speech 'showed a
Great Man facing a Great Decision to help preserve this- Great Society.
The speech created a single day during which the American public
was hungry for news. And when they turned on the television Or objened
up the morning paper they saw the image, not of a defeated politician,
but of a man seriously concerned with securing peace, in South East
Asia. This image could only have been put forth by combining the two
announcements.
0 By creating a situation in which he is in agreement oin:- the
Vietnam War with every major Presidential contender, and by "demon-
strating" that their solution-cessation of the bombing--will not work,-
Johnson has shown that he has been following the appropriate cburse
of action all along.
* The President's actions, in addition to their cunning, ar ex-
tremely flexible. At any time up to the convention. Johnson can turn
around and jump back into the race. If he judges that he can win the
nomination and the election he will probably accept a draft at the
convention.
Hopefully, the American people will understand what President
Johnson's speech Sunday night really means. Unfortunately, even if
they do there will be no reasonable alternative road for them to follow.
For as the eents of the past week have shown, there is presently
no truly fresh alternative to Lyndon Johnson within reach of the
Presidency.-
PERHAPS KENNEDY or McCarthy or Nixon will be able to demon'-
strate differences with Johnson in the domestic sphere. But although.
they may wish the United States had never become involved in a war
of the size and scope of Vietnam, they will continue to harbor a
philosophy of U.S. foreign policy which has been out-dated for ten.
years, a policy which could easily make a large portion of South East
Asia into another Vietnam in the next four years.
A
Defending the Johnson Administration
To the Editor:
AM WRITING this letter in re-
sponse to your editorial of Mon-
day, April 1, 1968, concerning
President Johnson and the cur-
rent administration's domestic
and foreign policies. The present
situation deserves a more serious
consideration than the cursory one
given by your staff.
Mr. Johnson's de-escalation of
the Viet Nam War is certainly
not only a cause for exhilaration
but also a moment of exaltation
for some. It is my opinion, and
likewise the opinion of many
other students and faculty, that
your attack againstrthe Admin-
istration was a ruthless one,
founded only on large generaliza-
tions, concerning contempory Am-
erican policies.
Your article began by reference
to "the surge of enthusiasm which
swept the nation and the world
last night, when President John-
son handed down the mantle of
the Presidency." I, and millions
of other Americans, felt no en-
thusiasm, no happiness, and no
exaltation.
Instead we felt that this coun-
try is growing sicker and sicker,
typified primarily by flagrant
and blatant attacks, such as
yours, against what is the most
pressing and most difficult public
office in the United States po-
litical system, the Presidency of
these United States.
Furthermore, contrary to your
opinion, Mr. Johnson did not en-
ter the office of the Presidency
in a relative period of peace.
Were the threats of communist
infiltration into African, South
American, Southeast Asian, Mid-
Eastern, countries only peaceful
movements?
Mr. Johnson did not make the
commitment to the South iVet
Nam government. It was made by
his predecessors, but it will con-
tinue to be mandatory that the
word of the United States be kept,
in all such agreements.
You refer to the race riots dur-
ing Mr. Johnson's administration
as being his fault. They are not.
Race riots are a culmination of
the desires, the anxieties, and the
disappointments, which have faced
the American Negro ,since his
forced implacement on this con-
tinent in 1619.
It is only coincidence that this
culmination erupted into violence
during President Johnson's in-
cumbency. You, the editors, seem
to forget the Poverty Program,
Aid-to-Education Bill, Medicare,
the Civil Rights Bill of 1964, the
new Department of Housing and
Urban Affairs, and the Job Corps,
- all which were passed through
Congress under the auspicies of
the Johnson Administration. You,
like all people, see only the bad,
and minimize or forget the good
that Lyndon Baines Johnson has
brought to this country.
THE PRESENT administrators
have been faced with insurmount-
able problems - civil rights, Viet
Nam, the American dollar, pov-
erty, and civil liberties. Mr. John-
son reactions to these problems
have been the mostwescan expect
from any President of the United
States in such demanding situa-
tion.
You have expected Mr. Johnson
to clear up all the difficulties of
the United States, which have
existed years on end, in one short
four year term.
My estimation of your staff's
ability and moreover your intel-
ligence has been diminished by
your simple-minded, drastic at-
tacks leveled at the President of
the United States. Your most un-
fair reference to Joseph McCarthy
as being correlated with the John-
son campaign is utterly ridiculous,
and deserving, as your entire
editorial is, of enormous criticisms.
I regret that I must lower my-
self to your mud-slinging tactics,
but it seems as if this is the only
language that you understand.
After Mr. Johnson's address to
the nation Sunday night, report-
er~s gathed in the White House.
A certain reporter voiced the
opinion that Mr. Johnson has ac-
complished more for this country
than any other President of the
United States. I'm sure that mil-
lions feel this same sentiment for
the President of the United States.
-Mark Evans, '71
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Palestinian Liberation Movement: Guerrillas, Jordan anc
(Israel
4
By IMAD KHADDURI
Daily Guest Writer
rf HE ALGERIAN National Li-
beration War, 'in which the
Arab Algerian people defeated the
French colonialists, lasted for
seven years. During that time,
50,000 French and a million Al-
gerians died. There are certain
identical political and psycho-
logical forces in both Algeria's
liberation experience and Pale-
stine's.
In both cases, a Western-orient-,
ed people, in order to secure their
vested interests, imposed their
existence from a position of su-
perior strength on the indigenous
Arab population. This unjust con-
dition bound anddeformed the
Arab population physically and
psychologically, a fact which
further facilitated their continued
oppression.
In both cases, the people of Al-
geria and Palestine, after years
of fruitless passive resistance,
came to the realization that a na-
tional liberation struggle is the
only effective force that are pitted
against them.
In both cases, mounting repres-
sive violence is the intruders' only
answer to the "thing" which once
again can become a man by the
same process by which he frees
himself.
"It is because France could
neither liquidate the Algerian peo-
ple nor integrate them with the*
French that it lost the Algerian
War." (Jean-Paul Sartre, Ram-
parts, Feb. 18, 1968).
It took the Algerian Arabs 130
years to focus and transform their
anger and frustration into the
drives and the motives which im-
pelled their National Liberation
Movement. It has taken the Pales-
tinian Arabs 50 years.
Liberation Movement, announced
today that it had completed setting
up many well-hidden, well-stocked
bases in Israel or Israeli occupied
territory. It said from these bases,
Palestinian guerrillas 'most of
them dedicated peasants and stu-
dents are now operating daily ...
No part of Israel, no Israeli instal-
lation, no Israeli target is out of
their reach!' It added, 'Al-Fattah
wishes to point out that its opera-
tions, which today enjoy the sup-
port of the entire Palestinian
people, are in no way aimed at the
Jewish people as such,''' (N.Y.
Times, Feb. 7, 1968).
"PALESTINIAN casualties rose
today to 17 dead and 58 wounded
in yesterday's artillery duel be-
tween Jordanian and Israeli
forces, across the Jordan river.
The official Amman radio said
that 6 children and 5 women were
among the dead and that 18 chil-
dren and 12 women were among
the wounded. Most of the casual-
ties were among refugees whose
camp on the east side of the Jor-
dan River was struckbysIsraeli
artillery fire." (N.Y. Times, Feb.
10, 1968).
"Ahmad Nazzal squinted past
the rubble left here by an Israeli
air strike, toward the gray green
Beisan Hills across the Israeli
border 15 miles away. . . Over
there the Arab commandos' blood
has been mixed with the earth,
he said in Arabic. 'They are the
men who are trying to liberate
their land: they must fight on.'
Mr. Nazzal and the men of Qmiem
insisted today that their sym-
pathy for the guerrillas was un-
deterred. Their reaction, which
appears to be shared by a large
part of Jordan's population poss-
es a problem for the authorities in
Amman. King Hussein .is trying
to crack down on the Arab com-
"IN A MESSAGE to a gathering
of Bnia Zion, a major American
Zionist group, President Johnson
cited the work of Bnia Zion 'as a
force of peace and justice in hu-
man affairs.' Another message by
Vice President Humphrey hailed
Israel as a 'sister democracy,' and
expressed hope that time would
bring 'continued progress and
realization 'of permanent peace
between the Arab states and Is-
rael . . . . Senator Kuchel (told)
the group that, 'Jerusalem must
never be divided again. It must
remain one city, as the capital of
Israel, as a living and joyous cen-
ter for the celebration of the har-
mony of the Western World. We
all have a stake in that cause.'"
(N.Y. Times, Feb. 26, 1968).
". . . Despite the repeated self-
complimenting assertions of the
occupying forces that they have
completely destroyed Al-Fattah in
one area or another or that they
have discovered large supplies of
weapons and ammunition, the
military successes of the Al-Fattah
guerilla as increasing in scope and
intensity. As a result, the enemy
is launching repressive measures
in many Arab cities and villages
such as Jerusalem, Gaza, Nablus,
and others during which they have
arrested tens of civilians and de-
stroyed or blown up several homes
of unarmed civilians. The Al-
Fattah National Liberation Move-
ment finds itself compelled to re-
consider what it had previously
,announced with regard to avoid
aiming our attacks against civil-
ians. Let the enemy's civilians car-
ry the responsibility of Moshe
Dayan's and his Nazi military
forces' repressive measure against
our civilians." (Palestinian Na-
tional Liberation Movement, (Al-
Fattah, March 4, 1968).
".Israeli officials said that
they have captured William Na-
guib, a leader of Al-Fattah, who
had trained saboteurs in Algeria
and West Germany before he went
to Syria to serve as an instructor-
in a camp run by the Arab ter -
rorists. He was traced to Jeru-
salem and picked up yesterday.
After interrogation, the Israelis
said, he led his captors to an-
other leader, Kamal Nimri, an
engineer who was said to have
been seized while he was writing
a report to his superiors describing
'a successful operation' Friday
night in Abu Ghosh. Vehicles in a
tractor station were damaged by
an explosion and fire set by the
sabouteur." (N.Y. Times, March
5, 1968).
"ISRAELI MILITARY authori-
ties extended to Jerusalem last
night their practice of dynamit-
ing the homes of suspected Arab
terrorists. . . A handsome stone
house in the fashionable Wadi
Hoz area was destroyed and thou-
sands of dollars worth of windows
and furniture in neighboring
houses were smashed in a series
of explosionsdthat rocked the Arab
neighborhood. . . . This swift re-
taliation for suspected anti-Israeli
activities is practiced by the mili-
tary authorities to impress on the
Arab civilian homes of suspected
terrorists or civilians who harbor
them is conducted independently
of any legal action aganst tihve
suspects, hundreds of whom have
been in custody for months. In
another action today, the former
Mayor of Jordanian Jerusalem,
Rouhi el-Khatib, was expelled to
Jordan for 'hostile activities and
incitement to rebellion against the
authorities. Mr. el-Khatib had re-
fused to cooperate with the Israeli
municipal authorities.' (NY.
Times, March 8, 1968).
Tomorrow: The spread of
guerrilla actions
,Jordan's King Hussein
ganization announced that the
Arab guerillas operating inside
Israeli occupied territory have
agreed to work under a unified
military command that will co-
ordinate underground strategy.
The statement said that Arab
guerrilla operations inside Israel
were aimed only against military
targets and were seeking to avoid
harming Israeli civilians as much
as possible. It said the operations
would be coordinated by a 'rev-
olutionary command council for
the liberation of Palestine which
will set up clandestine he-dquart-
ers in Jerusalem following a con-
ference of guerrilla leaders 'in-
side our homeland.'" Chicago
Daily News, Dec. .8, 1967).
"ISRAELI OFFICIALS say that
the Israelis more as a ruthless
occupying force than an aggrieved
victim of aggression. Furthermore,
repressive measures might so
arouse the Arab population within
Israel that an internal guerrilla
effort becomes more feasible . .."
(N.Y. Times, Jan. 12, 1968).
"The Israeli army clamped a
general curfew on the more than
200,000 Arabs of the occupied city
of Gaza today while security forces
searched house to house for arms
used in a current wave of sabotage.
There have been almost daily hand
grenade attacks in Gaza .
Security forces recently arrested
40 persons suspected of belonging
to the Palestine Liberation Organ-
ization." (N.Y. Times, Jan. 19,
1968).
"Five mortar shells were fired
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