*.T r ; Mtr % Drn aily
Seventy-Seven Years of Editorial Freedom
EDITED AND MANAGED BY STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
UNDERAUTHORITY OF BOARD IN CONTROL OF STUDENT PUBLICATIONS
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ere Opinions Are Free, 420 MAYNARD ST., ANN ARBOR, MICH.
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Editorials printed in The Michigan Daily express the individual opinions of staff writers
or the editors. This must be noted in all reprints.
Y, MAY 1, 1968
NIGHT EDITOR: MARCIA ABRAMSONj
The Tragic Death of Sweet IDA:
Nihil'Novl*SubSolur
THE INSTITUTE for Defense Analyses
is no longer a 12 university consortium
to acquaint academics with problems of
national security. IDA's executive board
recommended to each of the member
schools that membership become strictly
an individual privilege and asked each
institutional member to disassociate it-
self from IDA. All. (including the Univer-
sity) but Columbia (which has problems
of its own) ratified the executive board's
recommendation.
IDA's institutional rearrangements rep-
resent less a victory than a defeat. Stu-
dent Government Council, Voice, and The
Daily have been campaigning for Univer-
sity withdrawal from IPA since last No-
vember. Yet IDA was never more than a
symbol, and many who supported the
anti-classified research drive from the
beginning argued against elevating IDA
to the level of issue. They feared precise-
ly what seems to have happened: the
University and IDA would part company
as part of a compromise" which would
leave the more important, real issue -
classified research--untouched.
But the University's decision to with-
draw from IDA was made with no such
sinister intentions: indeed, if it had,
there would have been more cause for
jubilation. The Regents did not sever
ties with IDA to toss few crumbs to those
students who have been demanding that
both IDA and classified research must
go; nor did the Regents weigh the re-
sults of the campus-wide referendum, in
which an overwhelming majority of stu-
dents favored keeping IDA and classified
research.
The fact is that the Regents didn't take,
student opinion of any inclination into
account at all. They withdrew from IDA
on the recommendation of IDA's execu-
tive board for the simple reason that in-
stitutional membership in the organiza-
tion has never yielded substantial bene-
fits to either the institutions or the or-
ganization.
AND SO there is little new under the
sun. The University is !'out" of an
organization that never means much
anyway except as a symbol; student opin-
ion has as little influence on University
policy as it ever had, for to please the
majority of the student body would have
required sticking with the sinking IDA
ship while to pacify the radicals the
University would have had to withdraw
several months ago when withdrawing
would have been a true political act.
Welcome back to the University of
Michigan, summer 1968 edition.
--URBAN LEHNER
- ~
,44
- I
s "
Gb5* " 8 Yw". -^- ad Tzibune Syndcate
"I don't understand what's keeping them ..'. . Ho was quite specific when
he suggested us coming here !"
A:High costofreting
STEPHEN WILDSTROM-'
'Every one of
E0
them is a racist
It was the second night of Passover. The company had just com-
pleted the ritual feast-the Seder-when I discovered how deep lie
the roots of the sickness of contemporary American society.
Passover is the Jewish festival of freedom, a vicarious observance
of the flight of Israel from slavery in Egypt to freedom in the Prom-
ised Land. The body of the traditional home service begins "We were
slaves unto Pharoah in Egypt." Yet a 4,000 year struggle to retain that
freedom had lost its meaning to the well-fed company at that table
just as American history has lost its significance to this nation's
prosperous white citizens.
AFTER DINNER-the guests soggy with abundant food and
sacramental wine-the conversation turned from the condition of the
world to the state of the nation to the "schwarze problem." Schwarze
is a Yiddish word meaning black, but in America, it has acquired new
meaning. Jews have never needed to resort to the word "nigger";
schwarze has sufficed.
While celebrating their own hard-won freedom, the esteemed
guests spouted the enslaved cant of racism. Jewish tradition stresses
the vicarious experience of history "lest we forget" a history of mil-
lenia of persecution and repression. Yet that tradition had made little
impression on the Seder guests.,
THE SEDER was held in a neighborhood euphemistically called
"racially mixed." Predominantly white five years ago, it has rapidly
become predominantly black as the white fled to the suburbs. Yet the
people at the Seder were the very people who had stayed as the com-
plexion of their neighborhood changed, a fact which made their deep-
rooted racism all the more discouraging and frightening.
At one point of the discussion about "What is itthat the schwarzes
want and what do they hope to gain by looting and burning?'"/someone
noted that the window was open and suggested that it be closed for
fear that the black neighbors might overhear. The guests realized that
their comments where highly offensive but would themselves have been
gravely offended had they been openly accused of racism. I don't know
whether the concern over the open window was motivated more by fear
of the surrounding blacks-a fear that now permeates the white com-
munity-or by sensitivity for the neighbors' feelings. At least the
former motivation is honest.
A WHILE LATER, someone condemnedthe police forces of Amer-
ican cities for allowing looting to continue unchecked and suggested
that looters be shot on sight. No one flinched when it was mentioned
that the religion which they so energetically professed placed a supreme
value on respect for human life. Under the Law of Moses, a crime
against property requires only that the offender make restitution for
any loss incurred while a crime against a person calls for penalties
ranging from ostracism to death. Prosperity has rendered a professed
tradition empty and meaningless.
Every person at that table is proud to call himself a liberal.
Every one of them supported the civil rights while the civil rights
movement concerned itself with voting, desegration and even open
housing. Everyone of them strongly opposes the Vietnam war. Every
one of them was shocked and saddened by the death of the Rev. Dr.'
Martin Luther King. Every one of them is a racist.
EVERY ONE OF THEM strongly and with deep feeling endorses
the concept of collective guilt when applied to the Germans for the
massacre of European Jewry. None of them is willing to accept col-
lective guilt for the shame and sorrow of Americanpsociety.
No matter what programs any government of private agency may
foster, no matter how much money is spent in the ghettoes, this in-
sidious, unknowing liberal racism will stand in the way of true im-
provment in the quality of American society.
Forgive them, they know not what they do.
DaypltiUdes
.,
Time To Cooperate
NEWS THAT the Faculty Assembly has
, opened all of its meetings to the en-
tire University community should be
greeted with only guarded enthusiasm.
True, in opening, its meetings the As-
sembly has recognized that progressive
solutions to University-wide problems can
only come when there is honest inter-
change of ideas. The decision to open
the doors perhaps reflects a reluctant ad-
mission of this fact, precipitated by the
interruption of an Assembly meeting byt
a group of students last semester, but it
is, nevertheless, an admission.
Still, there is no reason for jubilation.
Students, the Assembly has decided, are
welcome to attend the Assembly meet-
ings, but there is no provision that will
allow students to actually take part in
the meetings. Any free exchange, any dia-
logue on tlze issues of importance that
the Assembly discusses, will have to wait
for another forum.
This is really a shame. If there is any
custom-derived construction at the Uni-
versity that contributes to general ob-
struction and confusion of real progress,
it is the artificial division of faculty, stu-
dents and administration into three sepa-
rate groups. Automatically, sides are tak-
en as in a chess game, each team group-
ing on its own side of the game board.
m~ p
* Whoo'ee!
HARRISBURG, Pa. UM-Richard M. Nix-
on said yesterday he welcomed the
entry of New York Gov. Nelson Rockefel-
ler into the Republican presidential race,
but predicted he still would win the GOP
nomination.
"I think Gov. Rockefeller's announce-
ment will make for a more exciting con-
vention ...
False alliances of so-called interest are
established. Closed meetings, still far too
prevalent at the University, contribute
greatly to the de facto division. Arbitrar-
ily closed mouths at newly-opened meet-
ings, though, will not solve too many
problems.
What is now needed in intra-University
relations, more than anything else, is hon-
esty and openness. We should all be able
to operate in an atmosphere in which
there is mutual respect and mutual co-
operation. If the faculty is to welcome
students to theirmeetings, as well they
should, they 'should also allow students
the opportunity to share in the construc-
tion of relevant policy. It is time that ar-
tificial barriers are removed, and mean-
ingful, spontaneous dialogue is estab-
lished.
-DANIEL OKRENT
Waiting Game
LAST YEAR, we got our apartments for
fall in middle and late summer. And
we had a good selection to choose from,
for even in August there were many va-
cant units near campus.
This year, overexuberant building has
left Ann Arbor realtors with a record
number of vacancies for next year. The
accelerated advertising campaign they
have been waging in The Daily recently'
is only one of many indications that the
realtors are frankly worried.
By signing leases now, students will lose
any chance of bargaining from strength
for 'an eight-month lease later this
summer and in the process make life
much easier for the realtors.
Make them sweat. Wait.
-U.L.
A Clean
Well-Lighted Place
By MARK SCHREIBER
Daily Guest Writer
EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the first
part of a series of articles on the
Ann Arbor housing market by Mark
Schreiber, asenior in the literary
college who was an at-large member
of Student Government Council.
The research paper from which the
series is taken was originally pre-
pared for SGC's Student Housing
Association.
NN ARBOR as of 1965 had the
second highest cost of living
the nation. Rental rates are
higher than those of downtown
Manhattan. The University is one
of the few college campuses in the
country with a uniform twelve
month lease. Furthermore, con-
struction is often shoddy, main-
tenance 'non-existent, and dam-
age deposits dubiously withheld.
One must look to the historical
development of Ann Arbor the
role of the University in housing
construction, and position of pri-
vate businessmen to explain these
conditions.
1 Ann Arbor as a community,
has a history of expensive housing.
Unlike most mid-western regions,
this area was not settled by suat-
ters, but bought from the govern-
ment and sub-divided by eager
entrepreneurs. Later the conmu-
nity desire to retain a pastoral
atmosphere resulted in the passae
of zoning laws to discourage the
influx of industry. With little
heavy industry to pay taxes. espe-
cially after the oover Pant was
dissolved in 1958, land costs in
AnnArbor have been traditionally
hiah'.
In addition. Ann Arbor. as the
"bedroom of Detroit." now has a
larve number of hph income fam-
ilies. In 1965 the median value of
owner occupied homes here was
$5.600 greater than that of urban
Michigan. The ability of these
peonle to afford a high standard
of living and lack of voiced ob-
jection to high prices has been
matched by the exodus of domes
tics and blue collar workers to out-
lying suburbs such as Sline,
Whitmore Lake and Ypsilanti.
* The demand for apartments
since 1960 has rapidly increased
due to the growth in student en-
rollment. This was especially true
in 1963 and 1964 when the Office
of Admissions accidently admitted
too many students. As of 1966 the
University had built no additional
housing, but part of University
Terrace Apartments were torn
dow to make room for a parking
facility. Bates, Bursley and the
token Northwood Apartments were
built after the demand was felt.
As a result of the University's
lack of resight, there has been a
spurt of private apartmentcon-
struction since 1961. The shortage
of apartments produced a sig-
nificant rise in monthly rents from
an average of $55 per person in
1960 to nearly $70 in 1967 for a
new apartment.
* Not only have landlords been
able to charge exhorbitant rents,
but in the early 1960's they were
able to secure a uniform 12 month
lease. This was at the ,time the
Ann Arbor Property Managers As-
sociation was formed, comprised
Df the largest apartment managers
and owners.
* The private market is by no
means competitive. Three man-
agement agencies - Apartments
Ltd., Charter Realty, and Campus
Management - control at least
half of the off-campus housing in
the central campus area. Motiva-
tion for excess profit in this oligo-
could easily be had. Indiscretion-
ate withholding of student dam-
age deposits and arbitrary clean-
ing bills were added evidence of
a seller's market. The possibilities
of collusion and price setting by
major landlords has also been
raised.
WHY DID the University choose
to ignore these conditions? One
reason fs that the U receives no
state funds for housing because
of the dispute over autonomy. The,
University must raise dorm fees
20 per cent over cost to provide
for the existing capital outlays
fund. The University has strictly
abided by the Regents by-law
which prevents competition with
local merchants; the City Council
completed. The Dodge Report
cautions housing investment in
Ann Arbor in the next year. En-
rollment at the University has
stabilized, especially with the an-
ticipated budget cuts.
The result has been a notice-
able vacancy rate of 5-10% in
apartments. University officials
estimated that there were some
700-2000 vacancies in the Ann
Arbor area this year and that this
excess supply would easily con-
tinue into next year. The opening
of John Stegeman's highrise on
Maynard St. will add to the sur-
plus, if not absorbing students
then other tenants who would
compete with students for aavil-
able spaces.
Time has not yet been suffi-
cient for this surplus of housing
to counteract the other inequities
in the privatenmarket. Extreme
rents, burdensome /12 month
leases, indifferent maintenance,
and underhanded rental policies
still characterize a number of
firms. The break in the market
did, however, lay the groundwork
for student pressures to alleviate
these community ills.
STUDENT EFFORTS in the
last year were aimed at obtaining
better maintenance and leasing
conditions. An apartment com-
plaint service and campaign for
the 8 month lease were undertak-
en by the Student ousing Asso-
ciation and Student 'Rental'Un-
ion. both 'sub-committees of SGC.
A complaint service was estab-
lished at the outset of last semes-
ter, operating from 2-5 p.m. Mon-
day-Friday. Students called the
SRU office or came in with a va-
riety of complaints - poor re-
pair, damage deposits withheld,
unjust eviction, etc. The office
worker recorded the complaint
and gave the relevant informaticn
about solving the complaint.
He would then call the manage-
ment agency arid try to settle
cases of inefficient maintenance.
Other more serious incidents were
directed to the Office of Off-
Campus Housing for mediation.
Complaints averaged 5-15 a week.
The complaint service not only
eased the problems, but gave stu-
dents a recognized and ongoing
agency with which to deal with
the apartment firms, and an in-
dication of which management
agencies were the most lax with
respect to housing conditions.
FORMULATION and imple-
mentation of the 8 month lease
was the next step. At the begin-
ning of the school year there
were questions about contractual
standards and leasing conditions
in the existent University lease.
Because of this dissatisfaction, the
Office of Off-Campus Housing in
coordination with the Student
Housing Advisory Board worked
to develop a new University lease.
The arguments against the 12
month lease - the unnecessary,
frustrating burden of student sub-
letting during final exams, the
management agency's high prof-
its, advertising, scale and market-
ing ability, and the lack of year-
round leases on other campuses-
were strongly voiced by the stu-
dent members.
The counter-arguments of add-
ed lease forms for summer sub-
lets and confusing rental periods
were overcome by the suggestion
to use Clause (A) and/or (B) of
the new lease. Clause (A) stipu-
lated a rental period of 8 months
or less, while Clause (B) indicat-
By WALTER SHAPIRO
AMERICA has an unfortunate
penchant for displaying na-
tional insecurities by decreeing
special days to honor those quali-
ties which seem to be lacking in
our own society.
Saturday marked the most fa-
mous of these synthetic holidays,
Woyalty Day, as thousands of good
citizens demonstrated their Amer-
icanism by marching shoulder to
shoulder with paunchy Legion-
sires to the tune of discordant
high school bands.
Law and order have become the
new national concern and conse-l
uently Law Day, which emerged
during the 1950's as the American
Bar Association's answer to May
Day, has become a full-fledged na-
tional fete this year.
In the last few days the air-
waves seem to be choked with pub-
tic service announcements with
some entertainer proclaiming in
well-modulated tones the slogan
)f today's gala celebration, "Only
through a lawful society can we
have a better society."
The problem with this kind of
oious, rhetoric is just that as Loy-
alty Day affirms patriotic sym-
,ols divorced from the nation they
represent, so too does Law Day
encourage the veneration of law
qruiteindependently of the ends
it serves.
The appeal for a "better society"
;hrough respect for law is obvious-
ty directed at those unheeding
oarticipants in the now tradition-
al riots of summer. What is ob-
secured by such an appeal is the
degree to which the maintenance
of law and order can be equated
with the retention of the political
ind social status quo.
ORDERLINESS is especially
prized because usually, despite
romises of a "better society," gov-
ermiet only 'responds to prob-
Lems when they blossom forth as
crises. An'd since the concessions
necessary to defuse these crises are
often found to be unpalatable in
the corridor of power, it is obvious
thata any: interruption of the
smooth functioning of benevolent
government is strongly resented
in Washington.
Furthermore government, re-
Electing its particular institutional
interests, makes laws reflecting
;rimarily its own concerns, rath-
er than those of its constituents.
What should be noted with pride
today is the undercurrent in this
country which began with the sit-
ins of a decade ago and continues
voday with draft resistance. For
this movement places moral ac-
;ion on a far higher plane than
legal action. While ideally the two
should be identical, it is not diffi-
cult these days to remember that
we are in America and not utopia.
ALL THESE huzzanas for law
and order should not obscure the
fact that while equanimity is de-
sirable in a land based on equity,
to decree a static society before
that millenialistic day would mere-
ly give legal sanction to repression.
*
*-
*
Can the Standard Oil Hour
Death Valley Days? Will the Re
Party maintain the same high
ratings to which it has becom
tomed? Is the medium really t
sage? Stay tuned with us for n
gust's exciting adventure of Ro
his friends....
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e accus-
he mes-
ka+Ai-
cky Au- LYNDON JOHNSON does not give the
impression of a man eager to reach
the peace table. He seems, on the con-
trary, sorry - that he ever brought the
matter up. Little more than a year ago in
his letter of Feb. 6, 1967,,to Ho Chi Minh,
Johnson suggested that peace talks
, Michigan, might be held in Moscow. Now he balks
48104. even at Pnom Penh or Warsaw. He seems
academic to have Walt Rostow feverishly thumb-
Ing regular ing through the geography books for
0 per term places Hanoi would be most likely to turn
r academic down. The presence of an Embassy and
rm by car- adequate communications are among the
mmer ($5.00 conditions sprouting up all around Mr.
a Press, the Johnson's often repeated "anywhere,
ws Service. anytime." But the latest batch of 10 sug-
gestions are all countries in which Hanoi
No man is a property
Following are excerpts from re-
marks of Senator Russell Long
(D-La) on the Senate floor last
Thursday, reprinted from the Con-
gressional Record.
NOTHING could disgust this
Senator more than to hear on
television that the Attorney Gen-
eral of the United States has said
that human life was more import-
ant than property rights, and for
that reason this Government of
the United States was not going
to shoot any criminals seeking to
escape from a crime he had com-
mitted.
I have made the statement, that
if someone were guilty of arson.
not say you should shoot a China-
man, I did not say you should
shoot a Caucasian, or a Baptist,
or a Catholic, or a Protestant. All
I said was that a criminal should
not be permitted to get away
with that kind of criminal con-
duct. He should be caught and
stopped before he gets away, even
if it is necessary to fire a rifle
bullet or a pistol shot at him.
That is how it has always been.
AND IF any Senator comes be-
fore the Senate and asks us to
bend the knee to protect law
violators, then we should consid-
er censure, or consider expelling
Stegeman's high-rise
has pressured the University to
maintain this position. Ann Arbor
landlords have, it seems, consider-
able influence on the local Re-
publican Party and can pro.iect
;A,