I. Seventy-Sixth Year EDITED AND MANAGED BY STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN UNDER AUTHORITY OF BOARD IN CONTROL OF STUDENT PUBLICATIONS Equality?-Ask Your Local Cab Driver '. :y. - ' ionAreee' 420 MAYNARD ST., ANN ARBOR, MICH. TruthpiWill Prval 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. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1967 NIGHT EDITOR: SUSAN SCHNEPP Rusk: Old Diplomats Never Learn New Tricks By PAUL WHITE Collegiate Press Service IT WAS 20 minutes to nine and I had to be at the corner of Fulton and Nostrand by five after. It was raining, the generator had fallen out of my car, and I was on Foster Ave., sort of in the heart of Flatbush. So I had to get a taxi I was therefore, according to an ageless tradition in New York, far- ther up that well-known creek than I could ever have imagined, for experience had long taught me that if you even looked dark- skinned you simply did not enter- tain the idea of getting a taxi in Flatbush. They locked all doors when they saw you coming, and if you got the opportunity to get around to the driver's side he told you that he didn't "want to go over there." Then he would speed off before you had time to pull him out the window and beat your civil rights out of him. ANYWAY, this night I really needed that taxi, and I decided that regardless of traditions and precedents, I would get one. I stood at the corner of Foster and New York Aves. in the pour- ing rain. I had prepared myself well for my venture before leav- ing home. Two taxis flew by, and I went through the motions of hailing them; both slowed, scowled and ac- celerated. Then, as I saw the traffic light turn red, I slinked behind a UPS van and waited as a taxi cruised to a stop at the light. Then I darted out and quick- ly pulled open the back door. But the light had turned green again, and as the driver took one look at me, he drove off at about 40 miles an hour with the door open, and I was sent reeling up against the curb. I was happy it was dark and there were no passersby; it could have been em- barrassing, even for me. I WAITED. Oh, we blacks nev- er mind waiting! The light was red and another taxi was coming to a halt. I eased out again, but this time the driv- er saw me and quickly reached over and locked the door. It was 10 minutes to nine and the light was still red. I darted around to the driver's side and put my plan into action. I pulled the little revolver from my pocket and eas- ed it up behind the left ear of the driver, and with the other hand I reached in and opened the back door. "Dig it," I said, swing quickly, into a frightening vernacular. "You move this cab an inch before I get inside and I'll blow your goddam brains all over the street." He froze and I quickly climbed into the back seat. I put the thing back into my coat pocket. I wait- ed. "FULTON and Nostrand," I told him. He had regained himself. "I don't go over there," he said. "I'm on my supper break, mister. I don't want no trouble. I gotta wife and three kids to support. Waddya wanta make trouble for? I don't go over there." In exasperation I brought out the silly thing again and touched his ear with it. Besides, there were cars lined up behind us and they were honking horns and yelling. "Fulton and Nostrand," I said, and glancing quickly at his iden- tification card I added an extra "Guinea." He turned off Foster onto New York Ave. and we were on the way. "You gonna get yourself into a lot of trouble, mister," he said. "You know that?" I SMILED and pocketed my gun. They would never believe this in Grants Town, Nassau, Bahamas, I thought. Just like in the movies. The big time. New York. Oops! We neared Empire Blvd. and the 71st Precinct, and the driver was slowing down, even though we had the green light. The gun was out again and up behind his ears. It was the first time during the entire episode that I was real- ly frightened. Anyway, he sped past the station, and I settled down again. Then, with childlike curiosity I said, "You prejudiced, bossman?" He grunted. "Just don't like be- ing forced. You coulda asked me nice." "You locked your doors," I said wearily. "Mister, you realize how many taxi drivers lock their doors that way in New York City every day? You know how many black people in New York are waiting at this minute for taxis?" "You don't force yourself-" "The law says you have to take me where I want to go within the city limits." "A guy can't make any money off you people." SO, THE SHOE pinched there. I laughed. Who would ever think that prejudice could ever be an economic necessity. The poor guy -the poor, stupid bastard who probably went diligently to mass every Sunday, contributed to the muscular dystrophy fund, and had a daughter who was exorbitantly beautiful and loved him very much. He pulled over at the corner of Fulton and Nostrand. The fare was 85 cents. I gave him the exact change and got out of the cab after easing an extra dollar on the seat next to him. He'd find it later, I thought. x I stood near the cab. He looked at me with all the blood and ven- om of his ancestors, and as he pull- ed away he shouted at the top of his lungs: "Nigger! Dirty, rotten niggers all!" I SMILED, and taking the gun from my pocket, dropped it into an ash can. I had paid 60 cents for it at Woolworth's, and had for- gotten to give it to my nephew. I looked at all the beautiful black people scurrying about me in the rain. So many of them bought and used real guns. I assimilated. (White is a student at St. John's University in New York.) ~1 AT HIS PRESS CONFERENCE Thursday, Secretary of State Dean Rusk once again ruled out any cessation of Ameri- can bombing in North Vietnam until the Communists de-escalate their war effort. The secretary accused the Communists of waging "a systematic campaign to bring about a permanent cessation of American bombing without any corresponding mil- itary action on their side." He stated that the U.S. is not prepared to stop the bombing in exchange for a vague possi- bility that Hanoi will come to the con- ference table. He appealed to "all the capitals on the other side to let good sense prevail" and stressed the need for "reciprocity." [N TRUTH, one can only be appalled at Rusk's latest rehash of the adminis- tration's inflexible line-especially in the light of recent developments. First, correspondents invited to Hanoi described in their stories the relatively minor military effect of bombing "stra- tegic targets." In addition, Messrs. Salisbury, Burch- ett and Baggs were unanimous in their portrait of a people toughened by an un- ceasing 20-year struggle against the French, American supported puppet rul- ers, and now the Americans themselves. If anything, the raids contribute to a deepening of national pride among the people. EQUALLY SIGNIFICANT, however, is the civil war in China which effectively frees North Viet Nam from any constrain- ing Peking influence. This is a propitious time for the U.S. to use the temporary interruption of Hanoi-Peking relations to bring the North into conference. Hanoi foreign minister, Nguyen Duy Trinn, in an Associated Press interview several days ago, stated: "If the bomb- ings cease completely, good and favorable conditions will be created for the talks. Halt the bombings; come and talk." Rusk doesn't believe any of this. The spectre of the Communist buildup during the May, 1966 bombing halt still torments him. There is, however, little reason for the North Vietnamese to take Rusk's word as good either. There is substantial evi- dence to suggest that several instances in the past, most notably in November, 1964 -pre-election time-the U.S. has rejected quiet diplomatic overtures from the Com- munists. IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS, there has been a renewal of hopes that a break- through was in the works. Apparently, Rusk and the administration feel that rather useless bombing raids are too high a price to pay for the possibility of end- ing the war. The secretary, an old diplomat who nev- er learns new tricks, has blown another chance. -STEVE FIRSHEIN i Letters:Building Bridges' to East Europe The V-P's Need Your Help PETITIONING for Student' Advisory Boards to the vice-presidents has been extended until Feb. 17. The interviewing committee made up of three members from both Student Government Council and Graduate Stu- dent Council says the extension is due to the small number of graduate students who have filed petitions. But the necessary extension on peti- tioning seems to indicate a more general lack of interest in advisory committees among students. The interview commit- tee has received only 52 petitions to date. T HESTUDENT-administration commu- nication failure last semester has left students with very little faith in the power of their opinions to substantially influence the University in any way. Most students feel there's no use in putting in the time, work and energy nec- essary to do a good advisory job be- cause the administration never really takes their advice seriously anyway. Cer- tainly, if SGC couldn't deal effectively with the administration the vice-presi- dential committees are doomed from the start. This attitude is not without justifica- tion. But the fact is, the structure for the Vice-Presidential Advisory Committees does exist and the committees are going to exist despite the calibre of the stu- dents who serve on them. For this rea- son we owe it to ourselves to have the best students serve. WE ALSO OWE it to ourselves to give the administration another chance to deal with us in good faith; or at least make it hard for them not to. However limited the potential of these committees may be they do offer the pos- sibility 'for a "candid exchange of infor- mation about problems of mutual con- cern" to students and administration. Regular, open, bi-weekly meetings be- tween the vice-presidents and students could be the beginning of a well founded sense of trust between students and the executives of the University. IF INTELLIGENT, interested and ener- getic students would be willing to serve on these committees they would be able to wring whatever potential they have, out of them. Ot least they would give the administration a run for its money. -SUSAN ELAN To the Editor; THE VISIT of West German ForeigngMinister Willy Brandt to Washington this week has sym- bolized to many a new era of Ger- man policy perspectives with re- lation to Eastern Europe and to the United States. The question whether the shift in attitudes can be fully appreciated is not in doubt; however, the question re- mains whether this change can be implemented for the benefit of the United States and the remain- der of the Western world. During the period of Eisen- hower rigidity with respect to for- eign policy, the East European states were considered lost to the sphere of the West. No serious at- tempts were made to establish con- tact with these countries that might have born fruit in later years since the Soviet Union con- trolled these states through a va- riety of informal controls. With the growing independence of China of the last few years and the willing de-Stalinization of the East European states, a remark- able degree of independence and Iautonomy has ensued. This fact has undoubtedly not gone unno- ticeduby State Department offi- cials and planners and the re- sult has been President Johnson's "building bridges to East Europe" strategy. THE GENERALIZATION is oft- en made about the East European states that when Russia and Ger- many are weak in power the in- dependence and national direction of these states is assured. When a wide discrepancy exists in the pow- er ratios of the two countries then the East European states will be controlled by the dominant power. And finally, when these two powers are relatively strong, they will tend to cancel each other out with the East European states re- ceiving almost the degree of au- tonomy and direction that they would have enjoyed in a period of weak Russia and Germany. The point I am attempting to bring to light concerning relations with the Eastern bloc, is whether or notsome combination of West Germany and the United States can effectively assume the role that a strong, unified Germany had previously played against the power of Russia. The advantages in such a policy would be the fur- ther disintegration of the Soviet Bloc; with the eventual unification of Germany a possible develop- ment. CERTAINLY there are elements of great risk in such a policy; the Soviet Union cannot be expected to stand apathetically neutral in such a situation. But certainly the realistic gains with the implemen- tation of such a policy, outweigh the disadvantages: The important point to recog- nize here is that since the politi- cal, social and economic factors of the world are certainly dynamic and ever changing, why should the Western world portray its charac- ter as a reactionary nation pro- tecting the status quo and illus- trating a negative attitude toward change? Rather the forces of freedom and democracy should initiate pos- itive and flexible* alternatives to return the prestige of previous generations of freedom to the en- slaved people throughout the globe. The Western world should not be bound down by a rigid approach with few alternatives to relations among states. m-Drew Bogema, '68 Freedom? To the Editor: AND TO SSG William Predgo, U.S. Army, and others who con- template fighting for freedom in Vietnam: I feel that your frank reaction (Daily, Feb. 9) that I support the Viet Cong deserves an equally straightforward reply. This state- ment, which was taken out of con- text by the press, was not meant to imply that I support the Viet Cong against you. Insofar as I am interested in the internal prob- lems of Vietnam I support the Viet Cong against the past and present repressive, inept govern- ments of South Vietnam. In case you forgot, the Viet Cong are fighting against these governments, not against ours. I see no reason why I should change my allegiance just because the U.S. government decides, immor- ally and illegally, to support one side of this internal dispute for its own selfish and tactically short- sighted interests. THERE ARE a number of peo- ple like you who think we are fighting for the freedom of the Vietnamese people and ultimately for that of the United States. I suspect that we are not in fact fighting for the freedom of Vietnam but rather for its en- slavement to American political, economic and military control. And I know, insofar as "freedom," used intelligently, is a subjective con- cept, that you are not fighting for my freedom, but rather for my en- slavement to the forces of irra- tional fea-', propaganda, and jin- goism. THEREFORE, let me advise you in advance that when you return from Vietnam I will not crown you with laurel wreaths or cover you with confetti. Just as you be- lieve that I am our country's worst representative, I ascribe this dis- honor to you. -Peter Wolff, Grad Wire LbJ. To the Editor: TONIGHT I received a call from a friend in New York, asking me to send a telegram to Presi- dent Johnson urging a halt to the bombing in Viet Nam. I be- lieve this is a particularly appro- priate time for such a move.' The present truce provides a basis for a halt. In addition, Kosy- gin's press conference indicates that such a move is likely to bear fruit. No doubt even Washington is aware of the inadequacies of Rusk's replies to Kosygin's re- marks. I hope that those readers who share this view' will add their tele- grams to ours. Equally important, I hope they will contact their friends, of similar bent, both in and out of Ann Arbor, and urge them to do likewise. With the pres- ent uncertain situation and a Pres- ident sensitive to public opinion, perhaps we can swing the balance. A POLITICAL telegram up to 15 words in length can be sent to Washington for 93 cents. A night letter up to' 50 words can be sent for $1.34. It seems a small ante for stakes so high. -Donald F. Stanat Assoc. Res. Mathematician Viet Holiday To the Editor: HAVE a friend in Viet Nam who sent me a typical Christmas card, Season's Greetings, and on the bottom of it he wrote, "I tried to find a card that said Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Men, but I couldn't find one here." THIS WEEK he writes, "For the next week the Vietnamese will celebrate the Lunar New Year. During Tet, people form a new soul at the same time that flow- ers bloom, trees bud, etc. There is supposed to be only friendship so the new life will be without hate or grief. Custom influences everything. They don't make love, I'm told, on the day before Tet so they may start the new year clean and pure. It sounds like a beautiful be- lief. I hope we don't Westernize it. North Viet Nam has extended a truce to Vietnamese nationals, but of course that doesn't include for- eign aggressors." I am withholding the soldier's name to protect his privacy. -Gail Smiley Abortion To the Editor: ( HAVE NEVER given birth to a child. I have never had an abortion. It is simple for me to intellectualize about the morality of destroying a fetus, but I can never be sure about how I would behave if I were faced with an unwanted pregnancy of my own. There is one thing about which I am absolutely certain: I alone must be the person to make the final decision of whether to give birth to the child or not. It is impossible to judge what is right or wrong for every per- son in a given society. Each case of unwanted pregnancy is unique, being brought on by unique en- vironmental conditions, and in- volving unique people-each with unique thoughts and emotions. FAR BE IT from me to tell an- other whether she is right or wrong in obtaining an abortion. Far be it from anyone else to tell me whether I am right or wrong in obtaining an abortion. The question of legislation con- cerning birth control should not involve the morality of abortion per se, but rather the morality of imposing universal norms on di- verse personalities. -Patti McDaid, '70 Action? To the Editor: TWO LETTERS which have ap- peared in recent issues of The Daily dealing with the problems of student housing have prompted me to speak out. The student housing problem is like the weather. Everyone likes to talk about it but no one seems to know what to do about it. Con- structive suggestions, like the ones posed by Richard Firestone in last Thursday's Daily, are few and far between. So, rents continue to rise, the landlord becomes stronger and less responsive to student problems and the University fails to take cor- rective action. Student organizations have dealt with student power, the draft, pornograply and the law. But, no student organization has dealt with the problem of student hous- ing either constructively or ef- fectively. SO, STUDENTS like the three gentlemen who wrote in Tues- day's Daily dealing with their re- lations with their landlord, are left with no recourse but to write to The Daily. They could not turn to the University; they could not turn to the city; they could not even turn to their fellow students, up until now. Now, however, there are people, like myself, who are interested in constructive suggestions and con- structive action. There are people, like myself, who are interested in hearing of any problems you have had with your landlord. If these problems come to light and, if proper concern is shown, action can and will be taken to improve the imbalance in student housing. -David I. Goldstein, '69L 0 I 0 ............"........ ............ ...... 1....5 ". ... ....... . ...f.{ . . ,." .......5 A*."*.-..,.,4.,.1.,...*...*.,..l".{.; .. ., . . . 4.5.5. .. ... i....... . . . . . ..}.... .5. /"........ ...... .......- . .-... .......... .... ...5... . .... . . . . . . .... }. .. . . ...x.. ". na . . . . . ......" 'Y/5 r .. Is Morality Irrelevant? THE FINAL PANEL discussion at the College Editors Conference in Wash- ington last weekend was devoted to "Problems of Values and Morality." This is an appropriate topic for dis- cussion, for the relevance of the word "morality" is questionable. Little old lad- ies call college drinking and pot-smoking "immoral"; the same term is applied by others to the United States' involvement in Vietnam. There are others who sneer at any mention of morality; when serious ethical questions are posed they turn up their noses and ask, "Who cares about morality any more?" IT IS IMPOSSIBLE, probably, for anyone to reach any definitive conclusions about the nature of morality. After all, a word applied as often to college drink- ing as it is to our government's foreign policy can't be a very simple word to define. No one at Sunday's panel tried to for- mulate any codes of morality as solutions to problems of morals. This is refreshing, for rigid moral codes have proven inade- quate in their handling of human prob- lems. As Charles Frankel, assistant secre- tarv of ttat for educational and cultural affairs, and one of the panelists said, "The morally zealous have yet to create a so- ciety that was livable." Strict formulae for behavior, whether personal or govern- mental, do not admit of individual dif- ferences or unanticipated situations and are therefore impossible for anyone to uphold. On the other hand, the rejection of in- flexible moral norms should not be a justification for throwing out of ethical considerations altogether. If American so- ciety is to avoid dehumanization in the face of increasing technology, the very human questions of personal values and the rightness of public policy must be kept open. "Morality" is not an easily defined word, but it should not become a mean- ingless one. ' FO OFTEN, it seems that there are only two types of moralists who are vocal: those who are absolutist and self- righteous, or those who like to thing of themselves as tough-minded realists scorning moral considerations as senti- mental and absurd. Both groups are mis- guided. The first group will never have any influence on public policy or on in- rlii,-a. - nho Pennd wmlm +,naqnrm Review: By NEAL BRUSS "The Idea of a World Univer- sity." by Michael Zweig, edited, with a Foreword, by Harold Taylor, 200 pages, $7.00. "[ HE IDEA OF A WORLD UNI- VERSITY," in the sense Zweig discusses it, was around be- fore World War I: it did not de- velop out of the stream of con- frontation which has character-' ized the academic world-and es- pecially the multiversity-in the Sixties. The idea, in fact, was formal- ized, submitted to the League of Nations and the United Nations for action at various times, and occasionally tested through expe- rimenutal schools., THE PROPOSALS and ideas Zweig discusses are all character- istically rational and detailed, and appear to have been prepared with concern foraavoiding nationalistic bias. To a significant extent, these qualities characterize Zweig's book. At times, however. the acade- micians who are involved in con- ceptionalizing the world university 'The Idea of a World University' cially those decisions necessary to insure cooperation among as many nations as possible, would be a problem determining the sound- ness of the idea of a world uni- versity itself. ZWEIG'S BOOK appears to be a mature and comprehensive source book on the idea. The type of suggestions presented certainly do not provide a clear and distinct plan for current action. Perhaps more important, a world univer- sity is justified mainly on the basis of intuition. Zweig himself is not one of the central proponents of the world university; as a historian he exe- cutes his research with precision. Hence, the shortcomings in the idea of a world university as. Zweig presents it do not constitute a shortcoming in the writing of the book. Zweig attempts to explain and justify one projection of the idea, and perhaps his reasoning can be expanded to justify the aggregate of thinking which is central to his book. to work together toward a world community of shared scientific knowledge and philosophic pro- posititions not delivered at the hands of national jealousies and hatred. "These obligations," Zweig con- tinues, "are not to be achieved by political programs. Rather their sucessful execution lies in the de- velopment of a new attitude and orientation of men, who must be- come international in their sense of devotion. "The realization of these re- sponsibilities will come about only when men can channel their newly directed devotion into academic study and research. The symbol of that attitude and the locus of that study can be only an international university." ZWEIG EXPLAINS, however, that there are alternatives to the world university-there are several formlations of the world univer- sity itself-which have inspired thought in the direction: "International exchanges of pub- lications; international exchanges of students and faculty; centers tives. Several of the formulae in- volve an international student body taught by a faculty which may be secured from professors on sabbatical leaves from other institutions. Students would be selectively chosen and would be taken from as many nations as possible. "A strong case can be made that undergraduate teaching, desirable though it may be, would not be possible at an international uni- versity," Zweig says, "Graduates from secondary schools in differ- ent parts of the world have widely different academic backgrounds, which become more similar the more years each student spends at a traditional university.. . "The relative lack of maturity and academic experience of under- graduates would also reduce the profundity of the crosscultural confrontation, even though per- sonally the younger students would be more impressionable and flex- ible than graduate and postgrad- uate students." THE UNIVERSITY would be housed, in many cases, in a center erments, tuitions, and academic associations. Zweig adds. "a tithing contri- bution from 'national armaments budgets could also be explored." And above all is the problem of political control, both the explicit controls of the nations supporting the world university and the im- plicit entrols exerted by the stu- dents, faculty and administrators who would comprise it. ZWEIG OFFERS several ex- amples and models, and an ap- pendix of related sources of in- formation. HaroldsTaylor who edited the book, established such an experimental project on Long Island, New York in 1963 as part of his study. An article by Taylor and some information provided by Zweig on this project provides a comprehensive and powerful ex- ample of how the idea can and has been implemented and tested. "The Idea of a World Univer- sity," is a source book on the sub ject, not a polemic or a philos- ophy. At a time when the Univer- sity faces the same problems which comlicate the ide of the world I