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July 11, 1967 - Image 4

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Text
Publication:
Michigan Daily, 1967-07-11

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Seventy-Sixth Year
EDITED AND MANAGED BY STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
__ UNDER AUTHORITY OF BOARD IN CONTROL OF STUDENT PUBLICATIONS

'ere Opinions Are Free, 420 MAYNARD ST., ANN ARBOR, MICH.
Truth Will Prevail

NEws PHONE: 764-0552

Editorials printed in The Michigan Daily express the individual opinions of staff writers
or the editors. This must be noted in all reprints.
TUESDAY, JULY 11, 1967 NIGHT EDITOR: WALLACE IMMEN

'U' Towers Rent Policy:

Setting an Adn
END OF THE SEMESTER. Last-minute
cramming. Summer job - hunting.
Packing. ... And ,don't forget to sublet
your apartment.
There is nothing to be done about most
of the frenzy of exam week, but at least
University Towers residents will no long-
er be prey to that bane of Ann Arbor
apartment-dwellers, the summer sublet.
"U" Towers' straight eight-month lease
is to be heartily applauded. Few students
would not welcome the opportunity to pay
rent for an apartment only for the
months they are able to use it-without
taking the loss that either 10 months
worth of rent or-at most-half-rent
during the summer entails. Even at the
Towers' higher-than-average rates, the
eight-month lease will involve less to-
tal cost than a 12-month lease at lower
prices.
Everything is not that rosy, however,
and there may yet be some tough going
ahead for the new "U" Towers manage-
mnent. While it is true that the new lease
plan is a welcome change on the Ann
Arbor rent scene, Super Quad's reputa-
tion needs a good deal of refurbishing-be-
fore most students will flock there to
take advantage of the new lease. Re-
pairs in the physical condition of the
building are a first start in this direc-
tion, and the management's proposed
program of graduate student advisers and
stricter controls on the wild parties and
rampant vandalism that have plagued
the apartment in the past may be of some
help.
IF THE NEW management's repairs and
reforms do succeed in changing "U"
Iowers' condition, and its image, enough
to let the eight-month lease attract a
substantial number of student renters,
the effects on the housing situation in
Ann Arbor could well be extremely sig-
nificant. .Although Super Quad's 800-
person capacity could at most account for
about five per cent of an off-campus
housing market which includes more than
half of the University's student body, a
sign of overwhelming demand for the
eight-month lease might pressure the
>wners and managers of other apart-
nents to follow suit. And if enough small

irable Precedent
property owners do respond to the Tow-
ers' lead, larger concerns may well find
the old, familiar and-until now-highly
sancrosanct 12-month lease on shaky eco-
nomic grounds.
In abstract terms, and from the stu-
dent renter's point of view, this is as
things should be. It has often been
pointed out that other industries-from
farming to automobile manufacture -
are sensitive to seasonal fluctuation, and
there is no reason why real estate should
be exempt from the realities of econom-
ic life in a college town. What the pres-
ent sublet system does, in effect, is place
the burden of Ann Arbor's economic fluc-
tuation on those who are both least able
to afford it financially and least trained
in finding tenants-the students.
"U" Towers has provided for the Ann
Arbor real estate oligopoly what a coop-
erative bookstore would have provided for
the textbook business-competition, with
the student as the beneficiary.' The real-
tors know this, and they don't seem to
like it. In an unprecedented show of
unanimity, the five that could be reach-
ed responded with a rousing "no com-
ment," which means that there is prob-
ably some cautious observation and a good
deal of consolidation taking place be-
hind the scenes. f
Should, however, the eight-month lease
become the norm rather than the ex-
ception, we need not feel too sorry for our
friendly local realtors. The summer loss
will probably be recouped through a
slight all-round increase in rents, which
at the very least will result in some de-
gree of equity in student and landlord
losses due to seasonal fluctuation.
HE NEW "U" TOWERS management
has broken-for at least a few student
tenants--the established pattern of Ann
Arbor apartment rentals. Now that there
is one crack in the formerly solid wall
of local real estate, we hope that other
managers and owners will see the advan-
tages of adopting a similar policy. Im-
possible things have happened before;
we may yet see a universal eight-month
lease in our time.
-JENNY STILLER

\,
i s
N"' --A
..2.
Letts to te Edior

TRAN VAN DINH--
TThere is Method
To China's Madness
A year ago when the Chinese "Cultural Revolution" started and
the Red Guards noisily appeared in the streets, plastering the walls of
Shanghai and Peking with huge posters, and denouncing important
functionaries of the government, Chinese experts in this country
predicted the collapse of the "Central Empire." The Chinese Cultural
Revolution was labeled as China's "madness" personified in the "senile"
Mao Tse Tung. Yet, at this moment, China is still very much there, last
month having exploded an H-bomb. More significantly, the U.S. Senate
Joint Economic Committee, recently disclosed its finding on China
and conveyed a picture of a healthy China.
The Washington Post, not a leftist paper by any standard, in an
editorial on July 3, 1967, wrote:
"Far from being the land of total chaos and conflict which
the Red Guards make it seem, China is-according to the Gov-
ernment and academic economists corralled by the Joint Commit-
tee-a country which has made considerable progress in the past
and which continues to tackle major economic concerns. . . .
The Committee's study is the most comprehensive and timely one
available. Its central conclusions, summarized in Chairman Prox-
mire's report, are that China is in a 'reasonably satisfactory food
situation with no indication of food stringency,' that 'remarkable
gains' in education and welfare have been scored, and that the
Chinese nuclear development is limited not by its economic re-
sources but by its technical know how,' itself not inconsiderable
and expanding. China's recent explosion of its first thermonuclear
bomb underscores this assessment of its nuclear progress. Noting
that the 'availability of West European and Japanese alterna-
tives has made trade with the U.S. unnecessary,' the report relays
the experts' view that the American embargo serves no economic
purpose and that its removal might help warm political relations
between Washington and Peking...."
SO, AFTER A YEAR of "turmoil" and all predictions of "collapse"
and "civil war" China is making progress. Is it the product of madness
and the work of "senile" mad men or there is something wrong with
people who claim to be "experts"-those who write for magazines and
newspapers?
The wrong thing about this category of experts, to me, is that
they look at the Chinese problems, with the eyes of satisfied upper
middle class citizens of settled countries and societies. This can be
forgiven, but what cannot be forgiven is that they do not have the
patience or the honesty or a combination of both to look at the basic
facts as the Chinese see them. One had the impression that the
Chinese Cultural Revolution was something accidental. On the con-
trary, if one reads the basic documents on the Chinese Cultural
Revolution, this revolution has been prepared and discussed by the
Chinese Communist Party leaders. The basic documents I refer to, are:
" The Communique of the 11th Plenary Session of the Central
Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (which met in Peking
from Aug. 1 to Aug. 12, 1966).
" The Decision of the Central Committee of the Chinese Com-
munist Party on the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, dated
Aug. 8, 1966.
In the first document, one reads: ". . . The Plenary Session
entirely approves the Decision of the Central Committee of 'the
Chinese Communist Party on certain problems regarding Its atual
work on the countryside dated May 20, 1963; the account of the dis-
cussions of January 14, 1965 at the national Labor Conference con-
vened by the Politburo of the Central Committee; 'Certain actual
problems brought up by the socialist educational movement in the
countryside,' this document being of 23 points . . ." This first docu-
ment is a lengthy study of the Internal and external situation.
The second document, the "Decision of the Central Committee of
August 8, 1966, is a 16 point directive for the Party on the Cultural
Revolution. One can read on point 4 of this document: "In the
great proletarian cultural revolution, the masses can only liberate
themselves and no one can in any way act on their behalf. One must
have confidence in the masses, lean on them and respect their spirit
of initiative. One must reject fear, one must not be afraid of trou-
bles. . . ." In other words, Mao Tse Tung is and was aware of the
expected troubles. But he is a true believer, a purist among the revolu-
tionaries and as such he knows very well that successful revolutions
have in the past been always taken over by the pragmatists, those
"who are afraid of troubles."
THE POINT IS NOT to approve or disapprove of what Mao Tse
Tung is doing. As non-Chinese, it is important ,that we look at China
as what it is, without passion and without fear. The Vietnamese have
always looked at China that way and that'is why the Vietnamese sur-
vived all Chinese attempts of invasions or actual invasions. Mao Tse
Tung may fail in his Cultural Revolution but what he is trying to do
is well calculated. He is not a madman. In the future, no matter
who rules China, the world will have to deal with her and her people
as equal partners. It is therefore of great importance that the American
public spend time to study China and not merely to read about China
in the press. But who reads long Chinese statements or long Senate
Committee reports?

These Silly Kids

i

Lyndon's Lemon
The nation's chief consensus
seeker lashed out at his critics
once again in Baltimore where
he spoke to delegates at the Jun-
ior Chamber of Commerce Con-
etion. Possibly some well pub-
licized advice once offered by
President Harry Truman is ap-
propriate, "If you can't stand the
heat, get the hell out of the kitch-
en."
At one point LBJ said, "You
would hardly expect a man who
has an automobile for sale to tell
you that the motor heated, the
wheels had not been put on prop-
erly, the horn wouldn't blow, that
the automobile itself had a very
short life-and then expect you
to buy it.
EXACTLY, Mr. President. But
neither could such an unprinci-
pled seller of a car-or a war-
expect his buyers to exhibit en-
thusiasm or happiness after dis-
covering how they were misled.
This is particularly true when it
costs us a fortune to maintain a
"purchase" which we cannot sell,
which we cannot give away or
share, and which we are not per-
mitted to junk.
Make no mistake about one
thing, Mr. President: This unde-
clared, illegal and immoral war we
are waging in Vietnam is your
responsibility and some of us are
quite determined to keep explain-
ing the whys and wherefores un-
til we get a change of policy from
you or a change of policy through
a change of leadership.
--R. F. Burlingame
Wasted Trip?
I see that Secretary of Defense
Robert Strange McNamara is vis-
iting South Vietnam again. Ac-
cording to an Associated Press
article, the purpose of his trip,
as usual, "is to review all as-
pects of the war . . . economic,
political and military." The U.S.
military command will be, as us-
ual, "preparing to fight for plans
it considers vital to military vic-
tory."
According to the AP story, Gen-
eral William C. Westmoreland will
ask for 200,000 more men, "but

the Johnson administration is be-
lieved concerned because a larger
Increase will mean calling up re-
servists, greatly expanding the de-
fensb budget." I hope that Mr.
McNamara makes it a point to
visit the U.S. Marines in the
northern area of South Vietnam
below the Demilitarized Zone
where there have been 8000 U.S.
casualties (66 per cent) so far
this year, and explain the prob-
lems involved in "expanding the
defense budget." With 200,000
more men, it would be possible
to encircle the northern part of
the DMZ and destroy the guns
that are destroying our men.
WESTMORELAND will, un-
doubtedly, again, ask for permis-
sion to mount a more aggressive
bombing campaign in the north
and Mr. McNamara will, undoubt-
edly, again, refuse permission be-

cause the "costs in fliers and
planes has been too high for the
results." Rather a wasted trip, or
so it would seem.
Again, to quote the AP article,
"before leaving Washington, Mc-
Namara claimed savings of $914
million in the just-completed fis-
cal year." Indeed, Mr. McNamara
should be proud of his achieve-
ments in frugality. However, it
might be better for our fighting
men in Vietnam if he were back
"saving money" for the Ford Mo-
tor Company. (Note: The Edsel
fiasco.) "Saving money" in the
business world has some merit.
"Saving money" in Vietnam, how-
ever, is not only frustrating the
efforts of our military leaders
and keeping the war from being
concluded quickly, but, worst of
all, it is accomplished at the cost
of men's lives.
-Donald E. Van Curler

44

W

1_ -.

Stage Dte-escalation' .

'HE VIETNAM PEACE proposal of eight
minor Republican congressmen offers
compromise to the policies of the ad-
Zinistration hawks and the liberal and
adical doves. The key to the proposal is
he recognition of the impasse inherent-
7 involved in the administration's pres-
at stand. It may be able to allow for a
ilateral de-escalation with accompany-
ig diplomatic "face-saving" measures for
oth sides, such a procedure being neces-
iry when neither belligerent is willing
surrender or willing and able to force
he other's surrender.
The essence of the diplomatic and mili-
Try moves involved is "staged de-escala-
on." The United States could initiate
ie process by a minor de-escalation -
>r example, the discontinuation of bomb-
ig raids north of the 21st parallel. North
ietnam could then reciprocate by an
quivalent move, such as the ceasing of
ertain supply methods and routes. The
ternation of such moves would continue
ntil both sides felt enough concessions
ad been made to go to the bargaining
able.
The report emphasizes the delicate na-
cre of the situation and advocates the
ctensive and careful use of private dip-
matic sources. Furthermore, it shows
cognition that it is not a "panacea for
letnam," and that such a program does'
ot itself solve the problem, but only
akes that solution more available. It
revents either side from being forced
to major concessions or sacrificing men
military advantage needlessly. It is,
i every sense, a compromise.
UCH A COMPROMISE is necessary only
because of the numerous blunders
ade earlier by U.S. leadership. This pro-
D:4g £r~p~wnAzziK

posal, while certainly about the best that
a dove could expect today, does have one
tenet of dubious validity--that the Unit-
ed States "must not risk significant ero-
sion of its current military advantage."
In this tenet it is tacitly assumed that
the United States actually belongs in Vi-
etnam. This, of course, depends on what
C. Wright Mills termed one's "definition
of reality," which set of facts and fig-
ures and possibly outright lies one choos-
es to believe.
This war, begun against the Japanese
in 1945, continued against the French
from 1945 to 1954, and finally against the
United States after that, is primarily
an indigenous social revolution. The facts
of Viet Cong esprit de corps and lack of
enthusiasm among the ARVN (South
Vietnam's army), the VC's continued suc-
cess against better armed and a more
numerous foe verify this belief. This is
further supported by the cynical nature
of South Vietnam's governments since
1954, all maintained solely by U.S. sup-
port, never indigenous grass roots back-
ing.
To expect, however, anything ap-
proaching a United States withdrawal is
politically unreal, though clearly morally
justifiable. The only alternative is a face-
saving procedure such as these congress-
men have suggested.
THERE REMAINS, still, a flaw too large
for any concerned to ignore. Where
will the belligerents go when major de-
escalation has been achieved? The ad-
ministration wants South Vietnam to be
pro-U.S. and will settle for nothing less,
whether or not South Vietnam votes for
a Communist government in free elec-
tions. North Vietnam, and most of South
Vietnam, want a re-unified socially radi-
cal government, and will likewise settle
+nr n 1c3 'Thpre An-onn inn nrnno, ca

"Well, Here Goes"
C}Q
Joea
,-
- 2

Today and Tomorrow... By Walter Lippmann -
Soviet Blackmail in Mideast

By BOB STROM
Collegiate Press Service
"Is there something really wrong
with today's crop of college kids?"
so began an editorial in the
Peoria Journal Star. But this edi-
torial didn't ramble on for a
thousand words and then end
without drawing a conclusion. In-
deed, it pinned down the very
thing which affects today's col-
lege students so adversely.
You say college students aren't
strange?
Well, then, the Peoria Journal
Star asks, why is it that a group
of University of Illinois students
wanted the dean of students to
meet with them so they could con-
front him with questions like
these:
-Why does the university have
the authority to tell you where
to live until you're 23 years old?
-Why is the university an ac-
complice in deciding which stu-
dents "qualify" to be sent to Viet-
nam (i.e., reporting students'
grades)?
-Why can the Navy, Marines,
etc., use the "Student" Union and
not the unrecognized student
group, the W.E.B. DuBois Club?
-When will graduate students
be given significant voicein the
decisions of the university?
The Journal Star goes on to
say that these questions point up
two significant characteristics
about the students who ask them:
"They are bothered by discipline

lege kids are a different breed."
And what did the Journal Star
point the finger at for corrupt-
ing America's college "youngsters"
-for making them a different
breed? A plot by the Commies?
Or by fluoridation proponents?
SMERSH or SPECTRE?
No, it was television!
Because Mickey Mouse made
kids into young adult Mousketeers
who think that society exists to
entertain them.
Because children raised in the
electronic world of "white hats"
and "black hats" can't be expect-
ed to conclude that anything
counts but the "fast draw."
Because kids who watched news
programs showing South Ameri-
can students spitting on Nixon,
and Southern Americans disobey-
ing federal laws, automatically
conclude that it is okay to spit on
their college deans and to disre-
gard university rules.
Because who can believe that
kids "who saw independence and
chaos go hand in hand in the
Congo" would not think that "the
mob scene was the highest expres-
sion of liberty?"
Why hasn't anyone thought of
this before? With all the sociolog-
ists, psychiatrists and whatever-
'elsethereares on the university
payroll, someone should have come
up with this brilliant idea be-
fore an editorial writer for a
downstate newspaper. Why not
even Solomon with all his wisdom

4

4

Blackmail, pure and unadorned,
is the only word to sum up one
approach to Middle Eastern peace
that is being tried in the United
Nations.
The approach is exemplified by
the statement of the French for-
eign minister who, when he ad-
dressed the United Nations, set
up this equation:
1-There can be no peace in
the Middle East so long as there
is war in Vietnam.
2-To end the war in Vietnam
will require unilateral action (a
polite phrase in this instance for
withdrawal) by the United States.
To make this equation plaus-
ible, the French foreign minister
ha tn amit that 'a mirn nnwer.

THE INCREDIBLE thing about
this heavy-handed attempt at
blackmail is that so many have
fallen for it, accepting it as a
legitimate, even honest way to
make peace.
It would seem that anyone with
good common sense would, in-
stead of giving this outrage a sec-
ond hearing, be able to construct
an equation of his own to sum up
the Middle East power play of the
Soviet Union and its Arab can-
non-fodder. That equation would
read like this:
1-There would be no war in
the Middle East, nor war in Viet-
nam, if it were not for the active
intervention of Communist forces

One useful element of the
French approach is sharply to
remind us that no major conflict
in the world today is, or for a
generation has been, isolated. All
such violence is caused by com-
munism.
COMMUNISM IS the only con-
flict-centered and dedicated po-
litical force today with the power
to wage continual aggression.
Communism is capable of it
and has been doing it, is doing it,
will do it so long as the world
which it is assaulting does not
take effective measures not sim-
ply to "contain" it but to roll it
back and thus discourage its ag-

p

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