INDOCHINESE OIL CARTELS See Editorial Page Y Sirtrigari ~i~ait1 UNSPRUNG High-35 Law--25 Colder, variable cloudiness; snow flurries Vol. LXXXI, No. 139 Ann Arbor, Michigan-Tuesday, March 23, 1971 Ten Cents Eight Pages North Vietnamese attack base at Khe Sanh ARVN units continue withdrawal from Laos From Wire Service Reports The base perimeter of Khe Sanh was briefly penetrated by North Vietnamese commandos last night. The attack on Khe Sanh, which has served as the base of U.S. operations in support of the Laos invasion, was the first ground assault against the base since it reopened. 'As the attack occurred, President Nixon told the American public via nation-wide television that the Laos invasion had already "substantially reduced" the danger to the security of 100,000 American forces remaining in the northern part of South Vietnam. While North Vietnamese gunners poured 200 artillery r o u n d s into Khe Sanh about 40 commandos attacked, * * * * * * * * * * * * SEI TE SSE BLY RESE, REJEGS E D CL, SSIFIED RCH AT 'U1 Nixon says Laos drive 'mile stone' WASHINGTON (A') - President Nixon last night declared the Lao-, tian offensive a milestone in the quest for the safe withdrawal of American forces from a more se- cure South Vietnam. Nixon said South Vietnamese forces are withdrawing from Laos with greater confidence, and higher morale than before now. In South' Vietnam, he said, they will be fighting "on their terms," with a heavy numerical advantage against North Vietnamese forces. "As far as the danger to the American forces remaining, par- ticularly in the northern part of South Vietnam, where there are 100,000 of them as you-know, that danger has been substantially re- duced. (The Laos) operation has already accomplished that much," Nixon said. " Nixon discussed the Laotian op- eration in a nationally televised interview with Howard K. Smith of the American Broadcasting Co. last night in the first of several hour- long television-radio interviews in which Nixon plans to bring his policies and views directly to the people. Nixon said the South Vietnnmese! thrust into Laos could not be as- sessed in the traditional t arms of victory or defeat, since its goal was disruption of Communist.,sup- ply routes, not that of gaining ter- ritory. In those terms, he said 'We can- not judge it even after it is con- eluded. We can only see it in long range perspective in terms of re- ducing the risk of American w.th- drawal and insuring the ability cf South Vietnamese to defend them- selves." He said the media, ;hrough nol fault of their own, had given a mis- leading picture of the operation, both by concentrating on two South Vietnamese units that ran into trouble and by not showing damage inflicted on the N. Vietna- mese. Nixon said his interim assess- ment, based on the advice of Gen. Creighton Abrams, the U.S. com- mander in Saigon, is this: "-As far as our withdrawal is concerned, it is assured --- "-As far as the ARVN is con- cerned . . . some of their units did not do well," but 18 of the 22 bat- talions engaged in Laos conducted themselves well. ..The operation in Laos at this interim period has made con- siderable progress in achieving those goals," Nixon said. Some got inside the base and about 20 were killed, the U.S. command in Saigon said. However, field reports said sev- eral helicopters were destroyed by shells or satchel charges planted by the North Vietnamese. Less than a dozen Americans were kill- ed or wounded, U.S. officials said. It was the ninth consecutive day of the shelling, but it was the first time that troops had been. used against the base. Meanwhile, under an increasing- ly fierce barrage of North Viet- namese attacks, South Vietnamese troops in Laos were forced to re- treat yesterday to within six miles of South Vietnam's northwestern border. In addition, the South Viet- namese yesterday abandoned three more fire bases in Laos, leaving them only two bases across the border. The six-mile mark was reached as a North Vietnamese tank col- umn continued to chase South Vietnamese armored columns east- ward on Highway Nine. Informed sources told newsmen at Khe Sanh that the opposing forces on the highway were still about three miles apart but that the North Vietnamese were hold- ing up Saigon forces at a stream crossing. The sources said a bridge over the stream had been knocked out and a bypass around it blocked by Hanoi troops. U.S. tank units pushed quickly into positions on the South Viet- namese side of the border to block any North Vietnamese, attempt to cross over. The retreat from the Laos pan- handel has brought 10,000 S o u t h Vietnamese tr0oops across the bor- der' on to their own soil in the past three days, the Saigon com- mand reported. Only 12.000 men remained in Laos from the force of 22,000 sent across the border to try to disrupt the Ho Chi Minh trail supply network. Field reports further said the actual number of government troops in Laos was below the an- nounced 12,000, but no figures were available. Accounts from cor- respondents in the north said the remaining South Vietnamese were fighting every inch of the way out of Laos. Even official figures put out by Saigon headquarters showed that government forces involved in the' Laotian drive had suffered nearly 1 25 per cent casualties among their 22 000 men in Laos. U.S. military sources in the north said the South Vietnamese had about 150 tanks and armored personnel carriers in the opera- tion in Laos and now they have fewer than 100. They said that more than 50 had been destroyed or damaged by North Vietnamese tanks, mines and rocket propelled grenades. The campaign began Feb. 8 and the withdrawal started March 12, See N. VIETS, Page 8 FACULTY SENDS DEBATE.' ON ISSUE* TO COMMITTEE'. By TAMMY JACOBS Senate Assembly, the faculty representative body, yes- terday in effect rejected a proposal that it urge the Regents to ban classified research from the University, and asked two of its committees to make a further study of the con- troversial issue. Meeting for the third time in eight days to discuss the question, Assembly declined to consider a motion submitted by faculty members who organized a week-long fast to protest the presence of classified and military research. Instead, the faculty body called on its Research Policy Committee to undertake a three-month study of the issue and bring back recommendations to Assembly members at -Daily-Tom Gottlieb SENATE ASSEMBLY MEMBERS vote yesterday on whether to discuss a motion to end classified research or a motion to resubmit the issue to committee. By a vote of 31 to 26, the assembly decided to discuss the motion to resubmit the issue to committee. Assembly classified research vote indicates widened faculty division By MARK DILLEN the students who filled the Rack- Yet to history Prof. Sam Warn- a corrupt legislative organization," Daily News Analysis ham amphitheatre gallery during er, exemplifying those opposed to said Warner, last night. Yesterday's close defeat by the the many hours of debate that all forms of classified and military And finally, there were the vic- preceded the vote. Many were research, the defeat indicated the tors. They expressed hope the out- faculty's Sente Assemblyofsso-among those who had fasted for protection of Assembly's "private come meant "reason" would tri- posals to limit University classified ten days or among the 250 who interests" by a "corrupt legislative umph over "emotion" and the feel- actions from a splinteredfaculty. marched yesterday afternoon to organization." ing against the military and class- atosfwoasplered:.nacu-protest classified and military re- This assessment comes close ified research would be approached Those who succeeded in sub-! search. cloe t "moderately." mitting the question for further Aseavvi the sentiments of the more radical President Robben Fleming also study claim their victory is a tri- Ater the vote leavg Engin. protesters who initiated their cam- umph of reason; those who lost Prof. Elmer Gilbert's proposal the paign two weeks ago with a fast. gave his reaction to yesterday's are still hopeful of eventually se- final one under consideration - Then, through the use of a "moral' events. "It is entirely legitimate to curing a majority. All but the most one which referred the issue back non-violent tactic, supporters hoped review this policy of the Univer- dissident faculty remain hopeful to committee - most of the de- to "legitimize" their protest be- sity, and see if changes should be the weeks of debate will eventually jected audience went downstairs fore Assembly. made. And if the feeling among yield "something everyone can live to the Rackham lobby. With the defeat of their efforts, he changed, that policy sh u with." There, they decided to meet to- this significant minority is unlikely them to take appropriate action," However, among the group which night in the Student Activities to seek further compromise when he said. spurred the debate - a committed Bldg. to determine what they could their fast failed to elicit any. Now nucleus of students and faculty do now to further their campaign this group appears more likely to aAs for immediate plans, most - disappointment is the hardest to against war research. A motion to challenge Assembly than work m take. Many said they expected return to the meeting and voice within it fied and military research are still their pressure on Assembly to re- objections to the Gilbert proposal - debating the basic question divid- sult in an anti-classified research was defeated. "When an organization like that ing their actions until this point: stateme. (Senate Assembly) is called to pro- should they attempt to persuade statementh s moagrdwr Meanwhile, Assembly members tetishsoi.le n t oe bodies such as Senate Assembly to Pehas hoe os ageedweewhose motions to lmt or curti tetishsoi.ale n t oe take the strong stands they seek classified research failed, express- instead to protect its courtesy to gktst"ongmstant"ey se or use "more militant'' tactics, ed both disappointment and hope. its members and private interests, such as disruption, to force the Re- Medical Prof. Donald Rucknagel. you have the perfect definition c gents to adopt their stand? who was pressing for adoption ofst ss- certain restrictions against classi- ' iire- A ---4rcn -1 4-'h.neauiniig t- 'Y their June meeting. In addition, the Classified Re- search Committee will investigate whether to change the methods it uses to implement current guide- lines on classified research. The committee will report to AssemblyI on May 15. The Classified Research Com- mittee has been the focus of the research dispute, which flared up recently in the wake of disclosures that University researchers are making significant contributions to the new "Electronic Battle-; field" used by U.S. forces in Indo-, china. The committee was created; three years ago when the Regents1 adopted the current guidelines on classified research, under which; the committee must reject re- search proposals whose "specific purpose . . . is to destroy human1 life or to incapacitate human be- ings." Opponents of military and clas- sified research have charged that the committee has not properly' enforced the guidelines, and have asked that the guidelines be strengthened to effectively bar all military research from the Uni- versity. The motion approved yesterday by Assembly did suggest one change in the classified research guidelines. The proposed change would bar classified r e s e a r c h whose "clearly forseeable purpose is to destroy human life or in- capacitate human beings." However, it remained unclear just what difference, if any, ex- isted between this proposed guide- line and the current one, which bans research whose "specific" purpose is killing or injuring. An audience of about 350, most expressing vocal support for the proposals to ban classified re- search, listened as the various motions were discussed and voted on during the three-hour meeting yesterday afternoon. Medical Prof. Donald Rucknagel and social work Prof. Roger Lind, who have led faculty opposition to the research, presented a mo- tion which stated that the Uni- versity "shall enter into no re- search contract . . . that requires security classification by the fed- eral government except where classification is for the sole pur- pose of providing access to classi- See ASSEMBLY, Page 8 Meeting called on' facultyat Students opposing the Univer- sity's stand on classified research have scheduled a mass meeting for tonight to protest Senate As- sembly's refusal to vote on a mo- tion which would have banned such research and to plan actions around the issue. Assembly, the faculty representa- tive body, voted yesterday to send the classified research issue back to two committees for further in- vestigation before it takes action. Before the Assembly meeting, about 250 persons had rallied on the Diag and marched around cam- pus to show their opposition. The march ended at Rackham Bldg. where an audience of about 350 at- tended the Assembly meeting. When it became clear the Assem- bly had in effect rejected proposals calling for a ban on such research, about 125 students left the Assem- bly meeting, discussed possible actions, and then called tonight's meeting. Persons calling the meeting said last night that the group will con- sider ways of organizing opposition to classified research for the next Regents' meeting, ways of organiz- ing support for the Student Govern- ment Council referendum against such research next week, and pos- sible non-violent actions a.: Willow Run Labs, where most of the re- search takes place. "Senate Assembly is no longer viewed as a legitimate body in the eyes of the .community," an er- ganizer of the meeting said. The meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. on the second floor of the Student Activities Bldg. -For the last several weeks, stu- dents and faculty have been or- ganizing towards the Assembly's meeting. Daily rallies, mass meet- ings, and a student-faculty fast to protest classified research all cul- minated in yesterday's decision to further examine the issue. U.S. soldiers refuse u spared Army discip l 'TrrmyITwT A T "Q ine action KHE SANH, Vietnam () -7 ty-three American soldiers refs an order Saturday night to m into Laos to secure a dama helicopter and their comman officer's armored vehicle. The 53 men, members of Br troop, first Squadron, First C alry, American Division who supporting the South Vietnan invasion of Laos, were back in field yesterday. Although thez were spared disciplinary act their captain was relieved of cnmmand. Fif- Mechanized Division, said the cap- used tain "made an error in tactics" hove that resulted in his losing control iged of his unit when he became sep- ding arated from it. Hill told newsmen the current ravo operation represents "a marked .av- change in the war for these men are . . . The guy who has been used to nese bring the hunter finds he's the the hunted." men The general said some cavalry ion, units which had been operating to his the south of Quang Ngai P r o - I vince had never hfnre faoed the The two platoons of Bravo troop moved up three times, but ran into heavy resistance and pulled back1 to await their heavy weapons andt air support. The third time for-1 ward, Poveda's armored person-I nel carrier struck a mine and the platoon became separated. Before dusk, two other armoredj carriers moved up the highwayI and picked up Poveda and hiss crew. Later. a helicopter made aj forced landing behind the aband- oned command vehicle, but t h e chonned crew was evacuated. fied research, told the adjourning session that secrecy in research violated the spirit of the Declara- tion of Independence. "It's the nature of academic- ians not to move very fast on is- sues." Rucknagel said later. "In th- ]onq run . . . we may accomo- lish more. A certain amount of faith and reason will prevail." Social work Prof. Roger Lind, co-sponsor of the defeated propos- al. expressed the same' hope - ds'ite the fact thn committees which will examine the issue will be heavily weighted with faculty. Expressive of this moderate po- sition was journalism prof. William Candidates seek council seats 11 111 (_,,1 1 Y W AnlJn EDITOR'S NOTE: The following article is the last of a three-part series examining the City Council races in the April 5 election. By JAN FREY The City Council races in the city's fourth and fifth wards pit two Democratic supporters of Mayor Robert Harris and his past record against two Republicans who support mayoral candidate Jack Garris in his more conservative views on city policies. Tn +h hoavil Rnnulican fourth ward. a black protester, Hadler says the officer wasn't culpable, specifically referring to the short time span and the stressful con- ditions under which the incident occurred. Further, he states, "the rules under which the police act are sufficient," and there is no need for the mayor or city council to become concerned with an issue unless it is brought to them through nor- mal procedural channels. W.q.rrPn Lee