+ rrYA Y r Mir rl u li 1! 1 r. r i I. Seventy-Sixth Year EDrrED AND MANAGED BY STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSrY OF MICHIGAN UNDER AUTHORITY OF BOARD N'CONTROL OF STUDENT PUBLICATIONS PERSPECTIVES 124. Lights, Curtains, etion By HARVEY WASSERMAN ~ 4 . Where Opinion Are*Free, 420 MAYNARD ST., ANN ARBOR, MICH. 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. FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 1967 NIGHT EDITOR: ROGER RAPOPORT Ann Arbor Income Tax: The Time Has Come THE INTENSITY of personal and party attacks at Monday night's City Council meeting is indicative of Ann Arbor's sen- sivity towards a city income tax. Unfortunately, a city income tax is the only feasible means of meeting the community's growing needs at this time. The needs for additional income are clear. After a long-overdue pay raise to the police department, other city em- ployes are clamoring for raises. In most cases their present salaries fall far below the national average. SEVERAL ADMINISTRATIVE depa'rt- ments are badly understaffed. There is also a growing need for recreational facil- ities in the Ann Arbor area. Add to these the outlay necessary for solving many of the civic problems in Ann Arbor-civil rights for one-and the need for more city funds is clear. The question is how to get them. ALTERNATIVES to an income tax were outlined at Monday's meeting. They in- cluded a request to the state Legislature for additional sales tax rebate to the city; a special census to update Ann Arbor's population, making the city eligible for more tax money; waiting for Congress to act on the "Heller Plan," which calls for the retention of federal income tax by state governments, and'a re-evaluation of tax-exempt property with requests to university, state and federal agencies to allow a portion of their property placed on the tax rolls: It is estimated that the acceptance of all these reforms would bring $200,000 additional revenue. Unfortunately, the odds are against the acceptance of any of these reforms. First, the Heller Plan was brought to Congress two years ago, when that body was more receptive to such a plan. With this year's tight budget, its future is doubtful. Waiting for Congress' decision puts off the solution to pressing needs, and may be hoping against hope. NOR IS IT LIKELY that the state will increase rebates to municipalities un- der present economic conditions. The cost of a special census could well be greater than the additional revenue an updated census would bring.' A city sales-tax would be regressive and unfair, especially in light of the state's present sales tax. Finally it is extremely doubtful that the University, in its present state of finance, is willing to give up any portion of its tax- exempt status. THE ONLY EQUITABLE solution is the income tax. There is not doubt that Ann Arbor can afford it. As Mayor Hulcher put it Mon- day night, "We can afford anything we want to, but we must first decide what we want." An income tax may not be what we "want," but it is what the city needs. If the Republican majority on the council continues its fight against "creeping so- cialism," it will be interesting to see how they make ends meet. --RON KLEMPNER (A SHORT HISTORY): In Au- gust, 1965, the University ad- ministration publicly announced that then-Regent Eugene B. Pow- er had donated $1.3 million to build a theatre. The cost of the theatre was estimated at $2.5 mil- lion; the administration said the remainder of the money would come from gifts. At that time, The Daily senior editors asked Regent Power to reconsider tying his gift to a theatre, asking whether the mon- ey might not be better spent on other projects. By March, 1966, the cost-esti- mate was $1 million higher, at $3.5 million. Unfortunately, ac- cording to one official involved In the planning, the figures that were made public did not include seats, curtains, lighting, backstage facilities, or carpeting. Presumably patrons would bring their own folding chairs and flashlights. NOW: The $4.5-$5 million esti- mate disclosed this week is near- ly complete. The financing plan, however, was changed to include a $2 million bond issue to be cov- ered by $175,000 per year from General Funds. Over a 25-year period this amounts to around $4 million. General Funds come from tui- tion payments and from the state Legislature. That is, they used to come from the state Legislature. Currently the University is fight- ing Public Act 124, a state law which places authority over Uni- versity building plans in the state Legislature. The Legislature does not like the stand. Quoth one powerful legislator, "The Univer- sity of Michigan is getting no money from the Legislature as long as it fights P.A. 124." There are pros and cons on the long-run virtues of fighting the act. The relevant fact is, it will cost us General Funds money this year. FROM GENERAL Funds come operating costs of the University: upkeep, equipment, administrator salaries, and, most crucially, fac- ulty salaries. The past 10 years have seen a marked decline in the University's relative position in faculty salaries (from the top five to 17th in AAUP ratings). In a period when competition for top faculty is stiffer than ever, a large university can ill-afford such a serious loss of relative standing. Indeed, drains on the entire General Fund have been so seri- ous that over the past 10 years GF money has lagged behind en- rollment growth at a rate ap- proaching 10 per cent. The thea- tre will prove a serious drain on an already strained pool of funds, -now strained, in fact, to the point where a tuition increase within the year does not seem unlikely. Further, the $1.2-$1.7 million in unallocated gift funds budgeted for the theatre is also of consider- able importance. Thus far the Uni- versity has received less than $2 million in such gifts, far below both expectations and needs. THERE CAN BE no doubt the University community needs a the- atre. Ann Arbor hosts some of the best theatre productions in the country, and present facilities are obviously inadequate. The question of using student monies to finance the theatre can be argued on all sides. In the past, most buildings financed through the General Fund have been for facilities of clear-cut student serv- ice. CURRENTLY, legitimate thea- tre productions are generally pa- tronized more by faculty and area residents, some coming from as far as Detroit, than by students. Presumably, however, the new Uni- versity Theatre has been designed with a large balcony so that stu- dents can be better accommodat- ed. Hopefully, the extra capacity will allow for student low-cost seating, as befits a University at- tempting to lower the socially se- lective cot of attending. If the above correctly states the intent of the planners, then that partially answers one question of precedent. But if that is so. why the big secret? Not even the academic deans were consulted on the orig- inal decision to build the theatre:' none of them were informed that the cost estimates had risen so sharply or that General Fund monies, from which they must pay their colleges' salaries, were to be used. The decision to build a Univer- sity Theatre clearly belongs to those who will pay for it. As one vice-president put it yesterday in refusing to comment to The Daily, "no financing plan has been finalized by the Regents." IT IS INTERESTING to note that Ann Arbor fire marshals will not inspect a University building (even in answer to a specific com- plaint) unless officially requested to do so by the administration. It seems the University does its own fire inspecting. When a police crew is needed to keep order at such things as cam- pus rallies, the city force, it seems, serves well enough. :* Letters: The University Is Really 150 To the Editor: MR. PRATT'S article in this morning's Daily on the prop- er birthdate of the University needs some correcting and extend- ing. He infers that the only ac- ceptable date of founding is the date that classes began at colleg- iate level, which would be 1841. He can prefer this date if he wishes, but if he does so he must apply the same yardstick to all other colleges and universities and change their dates of founding. Almost every college or univer- sity of any age started teaching some time after it was chartered, organized, or founded, and for sev- eral years operated at what we today would call a high school level. The realities of educational life in every colony or state preclud- ed any other approach. I cannot see that the argument for using the date of the first college-level classes is any stronger than one for using the charter or legal date, and every college I know uses the latter date. So there is nothing unusual in the fact, which Mr. Pratt fails to mention, that the University Board of Trustees ran a Classi- cal Academy in Detroit from 1818 to 1827. This was normal proced- ure. Incidentally, Detroit was not 'the only town 1817. in Michigan" in LEGALLY the 1817 date is un- assailable, because there has been no interruption in the corporate organization since that time. Clearly a college or university is not a building, which can be de- molished or destroyed by fire, or a location, which can be changed, but a legal entity. Therefore it is absurd to quote the opinion of -a Detroit librarian in opposition to the judgment of the Michigan Supreme Court. It is the legal institution of the U-M that is 150 years old, not any par- ticular curriculum or faculty or building or site, all of which came later. The sign in front of the General Library says nothing watever about the founding of the Univer- sity and has no bearing for or against any date of origin. -Howard H. Peckham Director, William L: Clements Library Principles? To the Editor: IN THIS MORNING'S editorial we have once more an exam- ple of your lack of balance and perspective which does not bode well for all these coming occa- Retaining Dorm Privacy HE FACULTY MEMBERS of the Board of Governors of Residence Halls have suspended for review South Quad's lib- * eral new visiting hour policy. The unique feature of the policy under reconsideration is that a student may close his door while entertaining a guest during appointed visiting hours. A resi- dent advisor will be on duty in the corri- dor but will not be checking or moni- toring the participating rooms. This feature must be maintained. Resi- dence. halls are notorious for their lack of privacy. Thomas Fox, South Quad di- rector, summed up this problem in to- day's news story: "There is no place for a student to be alone to cry, or to privately' share joys, sorrows, or successes." IT MAY BE that this ,lack of privacy is an Important cause for the upperclass- men exodus from dorms to apartments every year, a point Director of Residence Halls John Feldkamp should keep in mind when designing upperclass dorms. Where can a quaddie go to be alone? Not his room. He has at least one roommate. Not the dining room. Ever see the lunch lines? Not the snack bar. That's designed to be a social meeting place. Not his house lounge. There's either a discussion or a bridge game on. Not his quad lounge. There are always couples there, even though there are rules against public demonstrations of affection. He isn't even alone when he kisses his date goodnight at closing. The foyer is replete with others doing the same. And before the new visiting hour policy, the quad resident could not even entertain a guest privately in his own room. The door had to be open and an R.A. was supposed to come bouncing around with potato chips or some other convenient excuse. Most R.A.'s rebelled against this. The old visiting policy was a mockery. THE ISSUE HERE is deeper than the question of what goes on behind clos- ed doors. The review of the new visiting policy will ultimately reflect the board's sensitivity to the individual student's need for privacy. How are mature private re- lationships to develop in pulbic, crassly insensitive surroundings? When we deny privacy, what happens to the dignity of the individual? The visiting hour policy was not mis- used. In fact, only about 10 per cent of each corridor participated. "It was nice," said a student, "just to get away from a lot of people and noise for a change." -JOYCE WINSLOW I Y - r yr.. ThA A CE C-D OA1 6 Ak COUT AT Ate {Y MOMENT' sions when the student participa- tion in the "decision-making" processes becomes large. To keep my remarks brief - what happened to your protests when the Residential College "ap- propriated" money from general funds when it had been stated quite specifically that financing would be found from sources pre- viously untapped by the Universi- ty and the literary college? Could it- be that you are pre- pared to voice opposition when the plan does not happen to agree with your mood rather than with your principles? -Thomas M. Dunn Professor of Chemistry Fiedler To the Editor: I FOUND Andrew Lugg's article (Daily, Jan. 8)hon Prof. Leslie Fiedler to be both muddled and destructive. It was muddled because it be- trayed an almost total lack of comprehension of Prof. Fiedler's meaning and intentions; it was destructive because it foolishly endangers, by its hostile, carping attitute, the budding writer-in- residence program, which deserves encouragement, not disparage- ment. Prof. Fiedler's lecture was one of the most absorbing and exciting that I've attended in some two and a half years here at the Uni- versity. IF IT IS true that Fiedler makes some pretense to an om- nicence he does not posses, it is also true that he is perhaps the most acute and aware observer of doings in the American intellec- tual community around. Fiedler's ability to take a seein- ingly trivial manifestation of con- temporary culture (a film, a style in dress) and extrapolate from it a meaningful statement about our culture is a piece of literary sleigt-of-hand that I have long enjoyed in his essays and enjoyed even more last Friday evening. I cannot imagine anyone better -qualified thanFiedler to take up a topic like the relation of the new youth "sub-culture" and the slow death-agonies of Western civilization. True, for a critic, Fiedler is at times uncritical and over-adula- tory of this new sub-culture, but his estimate of its meaning and its real place in the development of Western culture is almost exactly right, and when Fiedler comes up with his observation that Freud and Marx were really "super-Prot- estants" in their thinking or some- thing similar, one is being treated to a rare show of originality and brilliance. AS FOR MR. LUGG, I can hardly believe that he was present at the lecture that he undertakes to criticize. He accuses Fiedler of "applying a methodology (Marxism-Freud- ianism) which is no longer very relevant," apparently failing to realize that Fiedler most specific- ally and emphatically rejected Marxism and Freudianism as a means of understanding this new sub-culture; as obsolete and ir- relevant, the tools of a former generation. Really. I would suggest that Mr. Lugg learn how to spell the names of Marshall McLuhan (not McLuan) and Buckminster Fuller (not Fil- ler) before he trots them out to support his arguments. It is of course painful and dif- ficult for most, of us to accept the burde'n of Prof. Fiedler's lecture, namely that we are in a past- Humanist era, and that the new youth, of the long hair and ex- panded consciousness, represent the most typical citizens of this republic. IT SEEMS to me that this is what Mr. Lugg is resisting and in this he has my sympathy. But I fear that Prof. Fiedler may be more of a prophet than he realizes, and that history is on the side of the people he described so well. At the least, Prof. Fiedler's talk and the excellent attendance were both encouraging signs that there really is some interest in the life of the mind among students here, annd this seems to me a develop- ment that should be aided, rather than attacked by The Daily. -Ronald Rosenblatt, '68 Hardly a Credit To the Editor: Dear Mr. Hatcher, AS AN ALUMNUS of the Univer- sity of Michigan I feel I must regist- my strong disapproval of recent events on campus. The chronic refusal of administration leaders even to discuss differences with students is reprehensible. This long term lack of com- munication must be a source of frustration, anger and rebellion among the student community. IN THE FINAL analysis it is for the good of the society that stu- dents protest the horror of absurd wars. It is for the good of the uni- versities that students protest the progressive loss of interest in un- dergi'aduate education. I feel that many other alumni may agree with me in deploring the current situation. This is hard- ly a credit to the University and to its sesquicentennial celebration. Sincerely yours, -RobertElvove, M.D. '62LSA 4 4 f X110' , 44 s , yw ~wl A v' A S su-each-in ALREADY THE UNIVERSITY'S sesqui- centennial is under way, but perhaps there is yet time to make worthwhile additions. One element the sesqui-calen- dar lacks is an opportunity for serious discussion of academic affairs. Such an addition might well come as a teach-in. The discussion, involving stu- dents, faculty members and administra- tors, could deal effectively with counsel- ling, grading policies, registration pro- cedures, and even the meaning of liberal education. The format of the teach-in could be utilized to question formal education It- self; ask how it should proceed in the University, how it should relate to society and politics-what its goals and values should be. NEW UNDERSTANDING thus gained could be valuable. Practically, it could present us with solutions to campus and off-campus problems. It could serve as a tool to clear away doubts surrounding the student-faculty-administration relation- ship. An academic affairs teach-in in con- junction with the sesquicentennial, then, could prove well worthwhile and be in keeping with the spirit of celebration. -NEAL BRUSS No Comment Department THE FLYING SAUCERS have returned. Two brothers sighted an Unidentified Flying Object over Lake St. Clair near Sel- fridge Air Force Base on Monday. On "All those voting to unseat Mr. Adam Clayton Powell . .. The ins of Harrison Sali~sbury *1 THE REPORTS of Harrison Sal- isbury in the New York Times are news only because they have been published in an important American newspaper. ,Outside the United States the substances of what Salisbury has been reporting is not news at all. For the Europeans who read their own independent newspapers it is not news to be told that the bomb- ing of military targets has killed and wounded many civilians and wrecked many civilian houses. Nor is it news outside the United States that the bombing has not interdicted the passage of men and supplies. Nor is there anything new in what Premier Pham Van Dong told Salisbury about the North Vietnamese case and the Nnt hmVi am vrsirdatrinne height of our power to stoop to such self-deceiving nonsense? Of course, a reporter in Hanoi will be told what authorities in Hanoi wish him to believe. But what is a reporter in Washington told when he talks to the State De- partment, the Defense Department and the White House? Be he an American, an English- man ,a Frenchman or a Japanese, he is told what the authorities in Washington wish him to believe. That should not stop him from reporting it and interpreting it as best he can. Nor should it have stopped Salisbury from reporting what Hanoi had to say as well as what he could observe directly. It goes without saying that Hanoi would not have given Salis- bury a visa if Hanoi did not think Today and Tomorrow By WALTER LIPPMANN to Salisbury. Reputable and re- sponsible European correspond- ents, for example of Le Monde, had already confirmed the fact of the civilian damage. Most probably, the real reason for the visa is that Hanoi now wishes to open up direct communi- cation with the United States. It cannot have been a mere coinci- dence that Salisbury was admitted +-anni a +a c a +ma if one believes with Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge that we shall "achieve very sensational results" in 1967. But if one chooses to be- lieve Gen. William Westmoreland and close observers like* Sen. John Stennis that no end of the war is in sight, it is not improbable} indeed it is very probable, that Hanoi regards the war as stale'- mated. If there is the view in Hanoi, then Hanoi is thinking that neither victory nor defeat can come to either 'side and that a start must be made on the diffi- cult path of negotiation. Here we are confronted with a semantic issue-between the de- mand of Hanoi for "uncondi- tional" cessation of bombing and Mi. inion.P nnn"roin. i.v ,, war, the whole war would be re- sumed with increasing fury. Hanoi must know this. What it is really seeking, I suppose, is some reward, some evidence for its people that they have gained by their en- durance. And, on the other hand, our in- sistence upon reciprocity is a mat- ter of fact, public relations, not of substance. T h e administration wants to be able to say that Hanoi gave in to us before having to fend off Barry Goldwater and Richard Nixon and the rest. The real obstacle to a negotiated 'peace is a very substantial one. It is whether or not, on any terms that are practicable in the actual world, the United States would evacuate its military position on the mainland of Southeast Asia. 4 * jy £dia+&.6 The Daily is a member of the Associated Press and Collegiate Press Service. Subscription rate: $4.50 semester by carrier ($5 by mail; $8 yearly by carrier ($9 by mail). I