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