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Eighty-one years of editorial freedom
Edited and managed by students atithe University of Michigan
Black progress at
'U'
--a success.
story?
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, OCTOBER 15, 1971
NIGHT EDITOR: GERI SPRUNG
Making airplanes quieter
GOVERNMENT REGULATORY agen-
cies, originally created to protect the
public's interest, often do exactly the
opposite. A dispute over regulating the
noise from jets shows how the Civil Aero-
nautics Board (CAB) and the Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) tend to
aid the airlines and-airports they are
supposedly regulating.
Before landing at an airport, jets must
fly at low altitudes, often over residential
areas. People living as far as ten miles
from a major airport have been forced
to endure the roar of jets which blocks
out conversations and cracks plaster
walls. Moving farther from the airport
is usually the only escape.
Three years ago, however, Congress en-
acted legislation requiring jumbo jets
to be quieter and told the FAA to im-
pose noise controls on older jets if it
found them to be technically and eco-
nomically feasible.,
CAB CHAIRMAN Secor Browne told a
convention, of airport operators Tues-
day that it is unlikely the jets can be
muffled at an acceptable cost. Officials
from airports in Boston, Los Angeles, and
New York promptly disputed Browne's
statement. Government reports, they
claimed, show that noise reductions are
possible.
IT IS SIGNIFICANT that the dissenting
officials come from cities which have
had some of the most serious noise prob-
lems in the country. After listening to
complaints from people forced to live
with noise from jets for several years,
these officials are likely to place a higher
economic value on quieting the planes
than Browne.
Editorial Staff
ROBERT KRAFTOWITZ
Editor
JIM BEATTIE DAVE CHUDWIN
Executive Editor Managing Editor
STEVE KOPPMAN . Editorial Page Editor
RICK PERLOFF .. Associate Editorial Page Editor
PAT MAHONEY .... Assistant Editorial Page Editor
LYNN WEINER .. .... Associate Managing Editor
LARRY LEMPERT . ,.Associate Managing Editor
ANITA CRONE............. ... ......... Arts Editor
JTM IRWIN .......,..., Associate Art Editors
ROBERT CONROW.............. .... Books Editor
JIM JUDKIS...................Photography Editor
JANET FREY.................... Personnel Director
JIM JUDKIS.... ................ Photography Editor
NIGHT EDITORS: Rose Sue Berstein, Lindsay
Chaney, Mark Dillen,, Sara Fitzgerald, Tammy
Jacobs, Alan Lenhoff, Jonathan Miller, Hester
Pulling, Carla Rapoport, Robert Schreiner, WE.
Schrock, Geri Sprung.
COPY EDITORS: Art Lerner, Debra Thai.
Sports Staff
MORT NOVECK, Sports Editor
JIM KEVRA, Executive Sports Editor
RICK CORNFELD .. . Associate Sports Editor
TERRI POUCHEY,.......Contributing Sports Editor
BETSY MAHON.... Senior Night Editor
SPORTS NIGHT EDITORS: Bill Alterman, Bob An-
drews, Sandi Genis, Joel Greer, Elliot Legow,
John Papanek, Randy Phillips, Al Shackelford.
Business Staff
JAMES STOREY, Business Manager.
While the CAB chairman claims, "I'm
for the environment," his concern shows
a typical big business bias. "Overcor-
rection of the environment can have very
serious consequences," Browne explained.
"What we must talk about is the total
environment in which people can live but
also earn a living."
Muffling the noise from jets, however,
is unlikely to put large numbers of peo-
ple out of work. Jumbo jets, such as the
Boeing 747 and DC-10,already have
quieter engines than older models. Add-
ing porous, sound-absorbing materials to
these older planes might actually provide
new jobs. Airlines, which are already
suffering large losses, would probably re-
ceive tax incentives to install the new
equipment, which Browne expects- to cost
about $1 billion.
SINCE IT IS expensive to quiet or retro-
fit older jets, the government should
insist that the job be done as well as pos-
sible. To placate the public outcry for
quieter jets, the airlines and federal
agencies may try to get by with the
smallest possible improvement.
Already the FAA has dropped a con-
troversial proposed standard regarding
measurement of noise within communi-
ties, which industry groups had object-
ed to. Now airport operators and airlines
will be allowed to draft a new standard.
Once again the companies required to
obey the government's rules will help
to make them while the public sits on the
sidelines.
While the jumbo jets are already
equipped with relatively quiet engines, it
is also important that the older planes
be retro-fitted, since they are likely to
remain in service for a long time. Only
a small number of airports can handle
the jumbojets. Airlines' large losses and
problems in filling the new planes will
encourage them to continue using the
older jets. If these planes are .not quieted
and the volume of airplane traffic con-
tinues to increase, some areas within a
few miles of major airports may become
so noisy ' that people will refuse to in-
habit them.
RETRO-FITTING ENGINES offers the
best hope for muffling older planes.
Development of jets that land and take
off vertically appears to be several years
away. Jumbo jets are also unlikely to
eliminate use of older, noiser planes. Sig-
nificant reductions in noise will occur
only if the public puts pressure on Con-
gress and the FAA to compel airlines to
install the most effective equipment for
quieting their engines. Otherwise gov-
ernment officials are likely to give in un-
der pressure to the airlines' requests for
weak regulations while the concerns of
the public are forgotten.
PAT MAHONEY
Assistant Editorial Page Editor
On Oct. 6, the Detroit News pub-
lished an article outlining the "pro-
gress" the University had made in
fulfilling its comitnents to in-
creased black enrollment and sup-
portive services for blacks, madefol-
lowing, the Black Action Movement
student strike in March, 1970. The
following is the response of the steer-
ing committee of the Black Student
Union to that article.
T OO LONG have black people
allowed others to present a
false picture of the situation of
Blacks within the confines of this
racist, oppressive system. That
ranges from the history books, to
the mass media, and right on
down to The Detroit News.
The News ran an article on the
front page of the Wednesday Oc-
tober 6 edition on the situation
of Blacks at the University. The
article was entitled "A Success
Story - Black Progress at U. of
M." To anyone who is aware of
the true situation of Blacks on
campus that statement is ludi-
crous at best. We, the steering
committee ofsthe Black Student
Union, are forced to respond to
that article.
The article points to four areas
where the influence of increased
numbers of Black students is evi-
dent. They are:"a near tripling of
financial aid for minority stu-
dents in the last three years; an
Afro-American and African Stu-
dies center that stresses Black cul-
ture and history; a tutorial and
counseling program that assists 60
percent of the minority students
on campus; and, most important-
ly, this fall's enrollment statistics
themselves." Let's take each point
one at a time.
FIRST OF ALL, the amount of
total financial aid has tripled
over the last three years. But
let's look at financial aid more
closely. Historically, financial aid
was awarded in the way of schol-
arships for academic achievement.
In the last few years, the criteria
have been changed from academic
achievement to financial peed.
Now that more Black students are
being admitted from families with
lower incomesthehamount of to-
tal financial aid has had to in-
crease. That in no way means
that the university is giving Black
students more money. There are
just more Black students to give
money to.
Another factor is that the Uni-
versity has been forced to assume
a larger part in the amount of
money given to students because
of the reduction in federal govern-
ment grants and loans. But prob-
ably the most misleading part of
the whole picture is something
that Dr. Charles Kidd, Assistant
Vice President for Student Serv-
ices alluded to. He stated, "The
average Black student end up ow-
ing about $1,500 by the time he
graduates."
The reason is that during the
four years a student normally
stays here the amount of financial
aid he/sh- receives gets less and
less, and the amount of money he
/she is required to pay gets more,
and more. During many student's
first year they receive a full fi-
nancial aid grant. Many people
see this as a tactic to lure Black
students to the university.
But whatever a student gets his
first year, it is reduced by $600
his second year. During his third
and fourth years the amount of
the previous year is reduced by
$1,200 and $1,800 respectively. So
by the time a student gets to be
a senior he is not receiving any
financial aid (at least none in
the form of .grants).
The rationale is that a student
should be able to work during the
summer to make up the amount.
But because of the tight job mar-
ket (the unemployment rate in
Detroit for Black youth between
16-21 years old is 25 per cent) it
is ridiculous to even think a stu-
dent can make $1,500 to $2,000
in a summer. Double that with the
fact that tuition and room board
have increas~ed the last four out
of five years, and you get the
true financial situation of Black
students at the U. of M. Most end
up borrowing money, or going on
work-study in order to graduate.
We, in no way see that as "pro-
gress."
SECONDLY, let's examine the
"progress" of the Center for Afro-
American and African Studies
(CAAS). Being in existence for
only one year, CAAS is trying to
meet the needs and aspirations of
the Black community in Ann Ar-
bor. Yet, many of their efforts
have come in conflict with the
wishes of the university adminis-
tration. -These conflicts revolve
around three basic issues. (1) The
university refuses to recognize the
organizational structure of CAAS.
The College of Literature, Science,
and Arts (L.S.&A.) has indicat-
ed that the constitution adopted
by the staff of the Center is "not
acceptable." (2) The Center does
not have the power to hire its own
staff. All instructors at the level
of assistant professor and above
must have joint appointments, i.e.,
in CAAS and some other depart-
ment. Whaththis does in effect
is prevent the Center fr'om. hav-
ing any high level staff that
function solely in behalf of the
Center.
The future of the Center's staff-
ing is at the mercy of various
other department. Because of this,
there is no way that the Center
can build the strong base needed
for its continuance and growth.
(3) The budget of the Center for
the current year was reduced by
$50 000. Is that what The News
meant by progress?
Thirdly. The News mentioned.
the increase in the number of
Black student on campus. Here,
we would like to take issue with
the numbers The News presented.
Acknowledged is the fact that the
number is increasing, however, to
say that it is "a record number
of Blacks - somewhere around
2000." i- a slight exaggeration.
The number is 1,700 at most,
around 5 per cent of the student
body (not 6%/2 to 7 per cent as the
administration would have us be-
lieve).
THE FOURTH AREA that the
article mentions is supportive
services for Black students. Dr.
Kidd was certainly correct in
saying that "the CULS (Coali-
tion for the Use of Learning
Skills) program has been tremen-
dously effective in helping Blacks
from economically disadvantaged
families catch up." We herald the
achievements of CULS. But there
is a second major part in the area
of supportive services for Black
and other minority (Chicano, In-
dian) students. It is the Oppor-
tunity Program. The Opportunity
Program was set up specifically to
recruit Black students and pro-
vide "the educational assistance
and financial aid necessary for
the completion of each student's
educational objective." The 'ma-
jority of Black students are Op-
portunity students.
Now let's ask the question:
What "progress" is taking place in
the Opportunity Program? The
answer is, none. In fact, an ex-
amination of the facts will reveal
attempts to modify .(if not elimi-
nate) the program. This sum-
mer, a major job of "reorganiz-
ing actions" took place between
administrative offices. Affected in
the switches was the Office of
Special Academic Projects, under
which. the Opportunity Program
falls. The director of Special Pro-
jects, Dr. Gilbert Maddox (host
of the popular television show,
"Profiles in Black") received an
appointment in the journalism
department and decided to resign.
Instead of a new director being
selected, the Office of Special
Academic Projects was phased
out. The components of the of-
fice were divided up and placed
in various other parts of the Uni-
versity. The Opportunity Program
is now in the Office of Academic
Affairs under the coordination of
Dr. William Cash, assistant to the
president.
THE OVERALL EFFECT of all
this skillfull reshuffling is that the
Opportunity Program as an entity
almost does not exist any longer.
But in a further attempt to de-
ceive the Black community in Ann
Arbor, President Robben Fleming
has set up an Opportunity Pro-
gram Advisory Committee. This
committee, made up of students,
faculty, and administrative repre_
sentatives has advisory power
only.
The committee does not have
the power to monitor funds for
activities, establish priorities, or
select staff. It can only survey
and review the program. It may
offer recommendations to the Ex-
ecutive officers regarding pro-
grams, but it is has no assurance
that the recommendations will be
acted upon. We, the steering com-
mittee of the Black Student
Union, do not see all this as pro-
gress. We see this as trickery.
Those are the four areas around
which the "success story" is based.
The Detroit News procedes to
paint a picture of the situation of
Black students at the University
of Michigan that is not only dis-
torted, but just down right false.
But The News did something
else that we object to even more.
It went around campus, talked to
a few Black people they saw on
the street, and presented their
opinions as the views of Black
people at the University.. One in
particular we would like to cite.
The statement by "a leader of the
Black Student Union" that the
"patronizing attitude by white stu-
dents - especially white members
of radical groups" angers some
blacks. This so-called leader said:
The real violence during the
BAM strike - the rock-throw-
ing and the scuffles with police
--was done largely by white.
radicals who thought they knew
what was best for blacks. Those
radical groups even accused us
of selling out when we ended
the strike. It's absurd that a
bunch of white middle class
students who are tripped out
on LSD half the time can ser-
iously imagine they can help
blacks.
First of all, that statement was
not made by any present member
of the , steering committee, and
therefore is not a leader in BSU.
Secondly, that statement is not a
position of BSU, and in no way
expresses the feelings of the
steering committee. We realize
that one of the main reasons that
the strike was the success that it
was was because of the wide-
spread student and worker sup-
port the strike received. We ap-
preciate that support. To say that
radical groups are made up of "a
bunch of white middle class stu-
dents who are tripped out on
LSD half the time" is to us ter-
ribly ridiculous. We dare the per-
son who made that statement tio
come forward so that it can be
ascertained whether or not he has
the right to speak in the name of
BSU.
THE STEERING COMMITTEE
of BSU detests the fact that The
News would present such a gross-
ly misleading and inaccurate ar-
ticle. We would hope that the
demand for honest reporting by
the public would cause The News
to stop.
I4
4
4
I
fU.S. capitalists face
Japanese compeftiton
By ZACHARY SCHILLER
THE UNITED STATES government is caught in a growing contra-
diction over Japan. The Japanese have been asked to assume a
role as military protector of American investments and interests in
Asia.
However, the U.S. wants. the Japanese to act as a subordinate
power, acting in deference to American desires. The Japanese, if they
do begin a military buildup, obviously want to look out for them-
selves first.
Thus, there is a growing struggle between the U.S. and Japanese
economic powers. The country rebuilt through American aid now chal-
lenges the U.S. as a competitor in the world market.
Japan is not only a competitor, it is a powerful one. This power
results mostly from the fact that Japan can produce goods more
cheaply than the U.S. through lower labor costs.
Thus, Americans buy Japanese products instead' of those of do-
mestic make,' and widen the balance of payments deficit originally
created by American military expenditures in Japan.
0
NOW, JAPAN'S DEFENSE MINISTER Naomi Nishimura has of-
fered a plan to lessen the American balance of payments deficit. He
said Monday that the government of Eisaki Sato is prepared to double
its expenditures for U.S. military hardware. The Japanese would
therefore spend $1 billion during their next five year plan on American
military equipment
Nishimura also declared that he was in favor of a change in
Japan's prohibition against sending troops obroad. Although the
defense minister suggested only that soldiers should be authorized
to go on rescue and relief missions, it once again reminds us of Japan's
growing economic and military
power.
The U.S. is confronted with an
incontrovertible fact: no longer
can the U.S. totally dominate
world economy, -exploiting both. A
markets and resources at will A
and controlling the destiny of .;
many of the world's nations.
For the first time since the end
of World War II, the U.S. is con-
fronted with competition for both
foreign and home narkets and
resources.
That a struggle is in the offing
between these two great powers is. "
self-evident to American leaders.
According to the New York Times
Secretary of the Treasury John
Connally stated in a press briefing
last week ". . . we want our bal-
ance of payments improved. The Sec. John Connally
Letters to The Daily
Grad Assembly
To The Daily:
A NEW GRADUATE Assembly
-which a salesman would prob-
ably dub "smaller but better"-
is being formed by the present
GA and the graduate governments
of the 11 Graduate Schools.
A new structure is needed, be-
cause in the last year, the sphere
of "duty" of GA has changed,
and its present structure is no
longer applicable to its needs. Be-
fore last spring, there was no
"Rackham Student Government,"
and so GA assumed responsibil-
ity for "Rackham issues" as well
as campus-wide ones.
Now that there is a Rackham
government, GA is freed from
Rackham responsibilities and can
concentrate on campus - wide af-
circeus maximus
Addicted to pinball-Help!
-by indsay chan y
OUR UNIVERSITY president recent-
ly announced a crack-down on pin-
ball pushers and the institution of a
pinball rehabilitation center. We talk-
ed to the President just prior to his
departure for South Korea where he
will study Asian efforts to smash the
International pinball ring.
"Mr. President, why did you make this
sudden decision to wage an all-out war
against pinball use?"
"Well, we were not aware until re-
cently of the extent to which pinball use
and addiction had spread on the Uni-
versity campus."
"What is the extent of use here?"
"I don't have any figures, but it is
very widespread. We know that the
situation here is much worse than on
any other campus in the country."
"How was pinball introduced to the
campus in Ann Arbor?"
"To the best of our knowledge, it
started in the dorms two years ago. We
think South Quad got the first machines
in the spring of '70. They were so pop-
ular that other dorms followed suit, and
by the next fall, they had spread all
over campus. Now, this fall, there are
big nushers outside the dorm vstem.
"Was he addicted by then?"
"Just about. It got worse and worse.
Bill spent almost all his time playing
pinball. As fast as he got a quarter, he
ran to the nearest pusher. His grades
went down; he was always broke."
"It sounds terrible."
"It got more terrible. Bill would
spent every night wandering from one
pinball pusher to another. He dropped
gut of school. He sold his clothes to
get money to play. Finally he started
stealing to support his habit."
"What finally happened?"
"He turned himself into the rehabili-
tation center. Now he's making r e a 1
progress. Should be cured in another
month or so."
"THAT'S GOOD. What type of treat-
ment do you use at the rehabilitation
center?"
"We call it substitution therapy. We
give the patients some other type of
game to play like chess or monopoly -
something that doesn't cost money."
"Don't they get addicted to the sub-
stitution game?"
"Sometimes, but they can keep the
habit under control much better than
with pinball."
fairs. So the change in "duties"
also necessitates a change in
structure, for as the present GA
is constituted, .,it would be du-
plicating representation from
Rackham departments.
Besides Rackham, there are ten
other graduate schools at this
University which also are entit-
led to contribute to the "graduate
voice" of GA. The proposed new
structure insures their represen-
tation.
As proposed, the new Graduate
Assembly will have 14 members--
one from each of the four disci-
plines within Rackham and one
from each of the other ten grad-
uate schools, selected by the grad-
uate student gover'nments(or
equivalent) in the schools.
The new GA will have the same
duties and responsibilities for
campus - wide affairs as does the
present GA: it will continue tc
serve as the "voice" of the grad-
uate student body to faculty, ad-
ministrators and other on mat-
ters of concern to grad students,
and to make graduate appoint.
ments to SACUA and other Uni-
versity-wide committees.
We feel this new GA will have
several things going for it. It will
assure that the post-baccalaure-
ate community as a whole is rep-
resented: it will facilitate com-
munication to the various schools,
since its members will be involved
with the governments in their
schools and this presumes they
are involved with their fellov
grad students; it will be a body
that can "focus" on issues, since
the "housekeeping" will be done
within each school by its own
government ,and it will have a
workable size.
Representatives from the grad-
uate governments are meeting
now to complete plans for th
new GA. We hope this new body
will be an efficient and effec-
tive organization for graduate
concerns.
-Jana Bommersbach
President, Graduate
Assembly.
t
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it
only way they can- be improved, in a sense, is to the detriment .of
other nations. Other nations have to give up something in order that
we might gain something."
It so happens that "other nations" are reluctant to give up what
few advantages they have over the United States simply for the bene-
fit of our balance of payments.
Moreover, it is possible that nations like Japan will be able to
overcome unilateral actions taken by the U.S. to improve its com-
petitive position.
THAT JAPAN HAS REACHED a sophisticated state of technology
and production is evident from its changing technique in marketing
and image-making. Until recently, the Japanese have relied almost en-
tirely on the ability of their products to sell themselves. The cheap-
ness of Japanese goods is better publicity than any public relations
campaign.
However, while the image of Japanese products has changed over
the, years, the image of Japan itself has not. Most Americans, for
'instance, still see the Japanese as our enemy of World War II-an
image which stands directly in the way of the Japanese desire for
economic expansion.
Thus, both government and business are expanding their public
relations budgets for an image-building campaign. "We're going to
double or triple our expenditures in this area in the next one or two
years," says Masaya Miyoshi, deputy director in the Federation of Eco-
nomic Organizations, Japan's most powerful collection of business
organizations.
The Foreign Ministry has proposed a $3.5 million increase in its
external information budget, including $1.5 million for image-building
in the United States.
THE JAPANESE ARE BEGINNING to realize that to compete
with the United States on an international level, they must also
compete with the American image abroad.
The United States must face up to the fact that it is not the sole
investor exploiting foreign markets and resources. As the U.S. replaces
its ground combat troops with air power and technological weaponry
in Vietnam, for example, the Japanese enter that country for eco-
nomic purposes.
Japanese consumer goods have now flooded the Vietnamese mar-
ket, while growing Japanese interest in Vietnam was reflected in a vast
increase in aid-from $4 million between 1960 and 1969 to $32 million
in 1970.
One Japanese executive remarked recently, as reported in The
"Well, its really a gradual process.
It begins when the student starts play-
ing on a regular basis. Maybe two or
three times a week. Then the student
begins to really .enjoy himself, and
starts playing every day, usually just
h ... "' fnn . A4,sHn. 'Pnn11 the cti -
"TELL ME, Mr. President, have you
had many addicts come to the rehabili-
tation center for treatment?"
"We've had a few so far, and let
me tell you, they are really tragic cases."
"Would you be able to give an exam-