Eighty-four years of editorial freedom Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan i vetnam p eace, Thi Ustyle Saturday, September 28, 1974 News Phone: 764-0552 420 Maynard St., Ann Arbor, Mi. 48104 Chile: Poe and Bismarek SECRETARY OF STATE Henry Kis- singer is clearly untroubled by the horror tales of torture the mill- tary junta in Chile is spinning out. Apparently, Kissinger chooses to ig- nore the brutality that has enraged other high officials. Kissinger's lack of concern for ba- sic human rights was revealed in a N. Y. Times article yesterday which reported that Kissinger had rebuked U.S. Ambassador to Chile David Popper for initiating a discussion on human rights during a conference on military aid with Chilean offic- ials last July. Former professor of government Kissinger's written response read like a dean's remonstration to an errant faculty member. Kissinger scribbled a terse, "Tell Popper to cut out the political science lectures." His anger was translated into a promptly heed- ed formal letter of complaint to Pop- per. Sources report that Popper has curtailed his complaints centering on the military junta's use of torture. A CCORDING TO Kissinger's hard- nosed diplomatic code, one does not confuse issues by linking human rights with a discussion on military aid. Kissinger's brusque response to Popper's laudable action points up the steely edges that characterize Kissinger's brilliant - yet unprinci- pled - skill around the negotiating table. According to the N. Y. Times, Am- nesty International, a private Lon- don-based agency, is receiving regu- lar reports of prisoners being sub- jected to beatings, electric shocks, and psychological torture and sex- ual assault, charging that torture of 6,000 to 10,000 political prisoners continues. Obviously not cast in the hard, Bismarckian diplomatic mold, Pop- per used his position to express his dissatisfaction with the Chile re- gime's brutality. And how is Popper rewarded for his sensitivity and con- cern? He receives a command from the master to stick to the point (military aid) and leave the messy question of torture and human rights for another time. JT IS THE UNITED States' respon- sibility to confront the military regime in Chile with the issue of their ugly brutality whenever the op- portunity for discussion arises. We cannot wait for formal conferences on such questions. One begins to suspect the moral code of a man who orders the sepa- ration of military aid questions from human values. Kissinger's superman garb is beginning to reveal tears and imperfections, but the fact remains that his rebuke to Popper had the desired effect. Kissinger keeps his men in line, but who is going to pull the reins in on the man who battles the forces of communism with blind- ers on to questions of basic human rights? -SARA RIMER By DAN RUBEN WHEN Heny Kissinger s a i d that peace was "at hand" two weeks before the 1972 elec- tion, Americans believed him. Kissinger failed to mention that we would first have to bomb North Vietnam into submission over the Christmas holidays in order to secure a peace settle- ment. Within a few months and af- ter thousands more lives, how- ever, "peace with honor" ar- rived and a treaty was signed. The return of American troops and POW's gave this country a blissful moment. But there was no peace in Vietnam. The trea- ty called for free political com- petition for power with the as- surance of freedom of speech, press, and movement; the re- lease of all civilian prisoners; the withdrawal of U.S. military and police advisors, and an end to all U.S. military involve- ment. These provisions have been so grossly violated that the New York Times .w a s prompted to report that t h e treaty is a "dead letter". OUR ALLY, and the president of South Vietnam, Nguyen Van Thieu has clearly signalled his opposition to free political com- petition: "Let those who con- tinue to advocate a coalition government stand up and be counted. I am certain that the people and the army will not let them live for more than five minutes." The Thieu regime has round- ed up an estimated 200,000 poli- tical prisoners. An elaborate surveillance system, equipped with a central computer in Sai- gon, has been developed by American corporations and ad- visors. The names of each fam- ily and each family member un- der Thieu's control are stored in the computer. At night the po- lice knock on thousands of da(,rs to make sure that each person is accounted for. If they are not, an arrest generally f 3 I- lows. Police are backed up by Thieu's one million man array to insure law and order. Thieu has decreed that "all police and military forces are per- mitted to shoot to kill all those who urge the people to demon- strate, to arrest and detain those persons who incite the people to create disorder, or who leave areas controlled by the government. If they pro- test, they will be shot. ' THOSE WHO aren't shot are shackled with hand'cuffs, manu- factured by Smith & Wesson Company of Massachuse ts, and dragged off to one of S ) u t h Vietnam's many prisons where mistreatment and torture are commonplace. Two former pri- soners describe conditions: "ri- soners are extinguished slowly, gradually. They are refused food, water; they are beaten.. In these conditions they c o n- tract tuberculosis or some oth- er disease that, lacking treat- ment, sunshine, or nroper diet, drags them slowly to the grave." With political dissent smoth- ered, the fighting continues. Since the signing of the treaty, over 50,000 Vietnamese soldiers have been killed. The Washing- ton Star News reported, short- ly after the signing of the trea- ty, that "the Saigon govern- ment has failed to issue the emphatic public instructions to its forces to honor the agree- ment that the Communists have issued." Instead of respeK.ting the ceasefire and settling mat- ters of contention through re- gotiation, as called for in the treaty, Thieu has ordered his police: "If a stranger enters your village, shoot him in the head." SINCE JULY of 1972, the Uni- ted States has pumped at least four billion dollars in military, police, and economic aid to maintain Thieu's control. Though the exact per cent of the Saigon budget that is pro- vided for by American aid is disputed, there is no question that the Thieu dictatorship could not remain viable without the support of the United States. As long as we continue to prop up the Thieu regime, a political settlement as called for by tie treaty remains impossible. An intensive lobbying c a )n- paign by the Indochina Peace Campaign (IPC) has succeeded in convincing Congress to make cuts in aid to Saigon. In his fiscal year, for example, the White House had sought 1.45 billion dollars in military aid and 750 million dollars in eco- nomic aid. The' full Congress reduced the level of military aid to 700 million dollars, while the Senate Foreign Relationas Committee has recommended that the economic aid figure be reduced to 420 million dol- lars. While these levels of aid remain unconscionable, the re- ductions have adversely affect- ed the Saigon strategy. Thieu's army has been forced to retreat from certain areas that w o a I d otherwise remain sternly de- fended. They have to severely curtail the random lobbing of artillery shells into Communist controlled areas. The Saigon command recently announced that air force flights would have to be reduced to conserve fuel and ammunition. Further, the delivery of many of the j e t fighters that the Pentagon had apromised Saigon has b e e n postponed or cancelled. THESE AID CUTS, hopefully, represent the beginning of the end of our tragic interven'ion in Vietnam. As Bruce Cameron, an active member of the local chapter of the IPC said, "There is a lot of latent sentiment in this country in favor of elim- inating aid to South Vietnam. The problem is to tap it and to organize it." As part of this effort, the IPC is organizing a teach-in at the University of Michigan on October 2 and 3, to call attention to the continued war and repression that is sup- ported by American policy in Vietnam. Seminars will be )(eld during all class periods on these days. The events will be climaxed by a rally on Satur- day, October 6, featuring lane Fonda, Daniel Ellsberg, a n d Holly Near, at Rackham Audi- torium at 8:30 p.m. Support of these events is crucial in terms of educating the public and demonstrating popular oppo;i- tion to present American poli- cies. With continued unrele it- AP Photo ing pressure on a snail-paced Congress, further reductions of American aid could force Thieu into a political settlement that could end the war. Cars control Human space AYONE FAMILIAR ,WITH Ann Ar- bor knows that city has two sets of traffic patterns. One pattern, found around central campus, man- dates a stop sign at every corner. This is ideal for pedestrian crossings. In other areas of Ann Arbor, cars cruise unobstructed by traffic-control devices. This is all well and good, except where uncontrolled highway runs through heavy pedestrian traffic areas. Such is the case with Huron where it crosses between State and Washtenaw. Hundreds of students cross this stretch daily when going to and from classes. And daily, thous- ands of cars come barreling down this stretch, threatening life and limb of crossing pedestrians. A similar situation once existed at Washtenaw where the George Wheel- er bridge, thankfully, now stands. Al- though the Wheeler name is imagin- ary, the legend surrounding it stands testimony to the very real danger involved in crossing Ann Arbor's bus- ier streets. TODAY'S STAFF: News: Dan Biddle, Barb Cornell, Jeff Day, Judy Ruskin, Sue Stephenson, Becky Warner Editorial Page: Peter Blaisdell, Marnie Heyn, Barb Moore, Steve Stojic, Sue Wilhelm Arts Paqe: Ken Fink Photo Technician: Ken Fink, Karen Kasmauski A NYONE WHO HAS dashed across State during class change knows how impatient drivers become while waiting for pedestrians to get out of their way. So, imagine the situation on Huron, where drivers can let loose and speed all the way from Huron and State to Washtenaw and Geddes. There is not one traffic-control de- vice for the length of the stretch, and this spells potential disaster for any pedestrian in the way. City authorities, in their slow and methodical way, are just starting to notice the seriousness of the Huron Street situation. After four accidents in one week, a solution should come about in the next few years. But un- til a solution does come, probably in the form of a signal light at Huron and Glenn, the city should take on the responsibility of enforcing Huron speed limits. THIS IS ESPECIALLY important during hours when peak pedes- trian and peak auto traffic coincide. All over town, police should devote their efforts to enforcing safety laws (in addition to ticketing every park- ed car) so that bike and foot travel are safer and more feasible. While changing the traffic pat- terns would demand time, effort, and care, it is nonetheless evident that something must be done, and soon, before some unlucky pedestrian does get a memorial overpass named in his/her memory. -TIM SCHICK Alarijuan Recently a minor Daily functionary shuffling through ; the masses of paper surrounding the AP machine, came across this series of related reports. This staff 1 member immediately grasped the significance of the i reports and had them printed. By PETER BLAISDELL NEWSFLASH, WASHINGTON D.C., DECEMBER 24 (A - Today in a surprise move President Ford cut the ground out from under his liberal critics by sud- denly legalizing possession and sale of marijuana. Rumors have it that just prior to this, Ford was locked in the oval office with the chairmen of the boards of all major cigarette companies for three hours. After the meeting, Presidential aides spoke of a mysterious smell emanating from the hallowed room however this was quickly forgotten in the general chaos resulting in the legalization of pot. WASHINGTUN D.C., FEBRUARY 26 (RI - The price of a pack of reefers was again raised in an i alega lizedc across the board move of all major cigarette manu- facturers. Spokesman for the firms justified the price hike as being the result of an embargo imposed by the Colombian marijuana farmers and further hinted ominously at armed intervention by U.S. forces com- plete with air strikes to liberate Ameridas vital supply of Columbian weed. At the same conference, spokesmen defended re- cently passed laws making any marijuana grower other than the major cigarette firms eligible for a term of 5-20 years in the state penitentiary. They ex- plained that the privately grown dope caused a 90 per cent higher cancer rate than corporation marijuana did. WASHINGTON D.C., JULY (P) Due to a sudden ac- ceptance of pot by the vast silent majority, following its legalization by President Ford, the real freaks have been turning elsewhere for their relaxation. Milk has been alleged by informed sources as the likely replace-_ ment and several state legislatures have anticipated this shift by outlawing milk sale and possession. The by Ford words 'of Indiana state legislator Dolittle explains this firther. "If those weirdoes are into milk there must be something in it us decent folks 'have been missing ill these years. So we're going to make sure those damned longhairs don't enjoy the evil pleasures milk provides or any pleasures for that matter. We tried to outlaw longhairs altogether but they multiply faster than we can stamp them out . .. SKUNKVILLE, ALABAMf,, AUGUST 12 (R) A lone youth was found strung up from an oak tree with an empty c,:rton of milk tied around his neck. The one witness (name witheld by police) said that a gang of white-sheeted figures or horseback with nothing of their faces showing except oddly shaped cigarettes with twisted ends sticking out of the mouth slits, had flashed the youth out of the underbrush and upon discovery of the carton of milk immediately pro- ceded to stomp and beat him muttering all the while, "damned milk drinker" and, "Unamerican swine." When last seen they appeared to be riding or floating away (the witness was unclear on this point) into the silvery moon. Letters to Trlhe 7l __ " 7 homophobia To The Daily: BEFORE THE ABC-TV net- work has the chance to air a Marcus Welby show entitad "Outrage" on Oct. 8, I wart to express my outrage at this particular program. W h a t viewers wil see is the situation following the rape of a 14-year- old male by his male science teacher. After this man at- tempts to molest another male, teacher is not a homosexual. How many middle Americans, after watching 30 minutes of the "suffering family," w i 11 truly separate child molestatien from homosexuality? My out- rage comes from this perpetua- tion of one of the most falinc- ious myths straight people about gay men. At the very least, ABC must be condemned for this blatant anti-gay program. I urge all concerned about truth and the humane treatment of a far too long misunderstood group of people to write or call WXYZ Detroit to protest this inhumane and false presentation. -Jim Oakley September 26 rodeo .macho To The Daily: I WOULD like to comment on the letter from E. G. Em- erson which appeared in today's Daily. He wrote with regard to an earlier article called "Rod- eo: Scar from America's Past". I read this article also, and was disappointed that the treatment of animals was mentioned only briefly. Mr. Emerson wro:e de- fending the rodeo and its "nu- mane" treatment of stock. He mentions that rodeo stock is treated better than many peo- ple's dogs. The argument of "well, it's better than . '" can this strap off which is pulled tightly around his genitals and, needless to say, causes pain. To Mr. Emerson, whose fav- orite things include bust stock 'gully and John Wayne (and t- other so-called "he-men" who make a profit from inflicting pain on animals, sometimes call'ng it a "sport"), I'd like io say wNhat I think of you but that would only bring me down to your level. -Kathie Malley September 19 v Ll } ' ;' t:,, _ '' . ,, , t ? e ' /""'t r / - \ N ! . '1 VM a- \$;1 N xN N - - n t 'Nt Kl Y'1 441A