PIRGIM REPORTS
[,ajs
By RICHARD CONLIN
transit
SI,
cgars
no
PEOPLE concerned with t h e'
decay of America's cities
have long maintained that t h e
automobile is an inefficient and
wasteful means of urban trans-
portation compared to m a s s
transit.
Despite this, more and more
space-has been given over to the
automobile in urban areas,
while mass transit has largely
deteriorated. Statistics on ener-
gy use demonstrates the error
of this trend.
A fully loaded automobile us-
es some, 2;300 BTU's of energy
per passenger mile, while. mass
transit averages 760 BTU's per
passenger mile. However, as of
1970, only 3 per cent of urban
passenger traffic was carried by
mass transit; the three times
more wasteful automobile was
carrying 97 per cent of the traf-
fic.
THESE FIGURES are basec
on fully loaded vehicles. In
fact, mass transit operates with
only a 20 per cent load factor,
while the automobile, with its
typically solitary occupant, car-
ries only 28 per cent of its po-
tential load per mile traveled.
Thus actual energy consumption
is 8,100 BTU's per passenger
mile for the 97 per cent of
miles traveled by auto, and 3,-
800 BTU's each for the 3 per
cent mass transit miles.
Thus, the average passenger
mile is ten times as energy
costly as it could be - 8,100
BTU's for the present auto-
mobile versus 760 for f ul11y
loaded mass transit.
If all travel were, converted to
mass transit, the U.S. would
save some 5,000 trillion, BTU's,
or about 1 billion.barrels of oil,
some 10 per cent of our annual
oil usage.
Instead, over the past 20
years the problem, has been get-
ting worse: mass transit has de-
clined from 15 per cent of traf-
fic to 3 per cent, and total en-
ergy consumption has almost
tripled.
OBVIOUSLY, we; cannot elim-
inate all urban auto traffic, but
we should look at ways to cut
down.
-Increasing:the load in pre-
sent mass transit to, 50 per
cent " would eliminate 5 per
cent of auto traffic, and save
50 million barrels annually.
-increasing load factor in
cars to 50 per cent would elim-
inate 40 per cent, and save
400 million barrels annually.
-Changing 50 per cent of
present auto passengers cnto
mass transit would eliminate
48 per cent, and save 480 mil-
lion barrels annually.
Some combination of t h e s e
strategies must be used if we
are to achieve sane energy con-
sumption policy.
The sacrifices in convenience
and speed are relatively small.
A well planned and expanded
route system or a comoined
route and dial-a-ride bus system
:ould eliminate the inconvenience
probem. Present mass transit
has an average speed of 15 mph;
urban autos average 20, It
shoud be noted that mass tran-
sit is about eight times safer
"Watergate or no Watergate. . . our notto is still 'What the
ublic doesn't know f7 n't hurtt r.'
i
g Mfri an Datl
Eighty-four years of editorial freedom
Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan
per mile than urban autos.
WHY ISN'T mass transit used
more? To some extent because
of life-style, but the automobile
life-style has been fostered by
the economic structure. Every
available means has been used
to promote the automobile for
every use.
And auto use has recei,.,ed a
massive subsidy from govern-
ments at all levels, building
and maintaining vast highway
networks while starving mass
transit and rail. As recently as
1968, the $6-billion federal trans-
portation budget was divided:
Highways-70 per cent
Air and Water-29,per cent
Urban mass transit-1
per cent
Railroads-.2 per cent
We've achieved some changes
since 1968, but subsidies for the
automobile are still a huge por-
tion of the transportation bud-
get. If we put that money into
subsidizing mass transit, we
could make it attractive enough
and cheap enough. to transfer a
significant fraction of automo-
bile passengers to mass transit,
which would significantly reduce
energy consumption.
MICHIGAN VOTERS w i 11
have a chance to take the ini-
tiative in this November's- elec-
tion. Proposition D is a' $1,1
billion bond issues To provide;
funds to construct mass transit
and alternative transportation
facilities, vote YES on Proposi-
tion D.
Proposition A would restrict
gas tax moneys from being used
for mass transit. To reduce the
automobile's domination of our
transportation system vote NO
on Proposition A.
The cobination of those two
votes, NO on A and YES on D,
will take a giant step towards
a rational energy and trans-
portation policy for Michigan.
Tuesday, October 29, 1974
News Phone: 754=0552
420 Maynard St., Ann Arbor, Mi. 48104
Beggingthe royal question
Shotage derby:
Antifreeze wins
RICHARD NIXON DIES before
the first Tuesday in November
1976:
1) Gerald Ford will praise him as
a great American who loved his coun-
try more than himself. The Great
Judge above will be given the final
responsibility for determining Nixon's
true guilt or innocence.
2) Gerald Ford will be praised for
his foresight in pardoning the for-
ier president. Could the country
DAN BIDDLE
Editor in Chief
JUDY RUSKIN and REBECCA WARNER
Managing Editors'
LAU7RA BERMAN ................. Sunday Editor
HOWARD BRICK ...............Sunday Editor
MARNIE HEYN ..Editorial Director
CINDY HILL ....................Executive Editor
JEFF DAY ............9ssistant Managing Editor
KENNETH FINK .....................Arts Editor
STAFF WRITERS: Susan Ades, Glen Alerhand,
Gordon Atcheson, David- Blomquist, Dan-
Bluger an, Tony Cecere, Cathy Brown, Cli-
ford Brown, Dave Burhenn, Wendy Chapin,
Barb Cornell, David Crumm, Mark DeBofsky,
Sandy Feldman, Linda Fidel, James Florczak,
Cinthia Fox, Enid Goldman, Laurie Gross,
Mary Harris, Paul Haskins, Stephen Hersh,
Debra Hurwitz, Wayne Johnson, Lois Josi-
movich, Mary Kelleher, Barb Kalisewicz,
Carol Klemet, Linda Kloote, Chris Kochman-
ski, Don Korobkin, Claudia Kraus, Ron
Langdon, Sue Leinoff, Jay Levin, Andrea
Lilly, Anne Marie Lipinski, Su Lively,
George Lobsenz, Mary Long, Judy Lopatin,
Josephine Marcotty, Rob Meachum, Diane
Morrison, Jim Nicoll, Beth Nissen, Chryl
Pilate, Tom Preston, Sara Rimer, Jeff Ris-
tine, Steve Ross, Joan Ruhela, Tim Schick,
Bob Seidenstein, Stephen Selbst, Stu Sherr,
Charles Smith, Jeff Sorensen, Kate Spelmarn,
Jim Stern, Steve Stojic, Brian Sutton, Paul
Terwilliger, Suanne Tiberio, Jim Tobin, Jim
Valk, Mark Vermilion, David Warren, Bruce
Weber, David Deinberg, David Whiting, Sue
Wilhelm, Myra Willis, Margaret Yao, Doug
Zernow.
i
have profited from the trial of a man
in spiritual and physical agony?
3) All the tapes and documents he
left behind will have no political sig-
nificance. Attacks against Ehrlich-
man and Haldeman cannot hurt the
Republican party. Who cares that
Nixon called Trudeau an "asshole"?
Maybe he is.
4) Democrats may discover that
the Watergate backlash does exist.
Richard was our President and
Somebody hounded him out of ex-
istence. That Somebody is an assas-
sin and should be punished.
5) The government will not spon-
sor a dispassionate study of what oc-
curred in the White House from Jan-
uary 1969 until August 1974. Politi-
cians will fear the aura of martyr-
dom and voters will be in no mood to
hear more dirt about the late great.
6) At Nixon's funeral the Marines
will play Taps and give him a 21 gun
salute. No one will call him a traitor
to the U.S.
7) Gerald Ford will win the elec-
tion because he is Mr. Clean. No one
will ask him if he believes Nixon is
guilty.
8) All the old answers will con-
tinue to be inadequate for all the old
questions.
-WAYNE JOHNSON
TODAY'S STAFF:
News: Stephen Hersh, Cindy Hill,
Mary Kelleher, Susie Leinoff, Sara
Rimer, Judy Ruskin, Becky Warner
Editorial Page: Vincent Badia, Marnie
Heyn, Sue Wilhelm, Brad Wilson
Arts Page: Ken Fink, Doug Zernow
Photo Technician: Stuart Hollander
I
f
7
By BRAD WILSON
1 HOPE you will join me as I have the
privilege of being the master of cere-
monies for this year's "shortage of the
year contest."
Hello ladies and gentlemen. It is time
once again for that memorable event,
"The Shortage of the Year" contest,
when one lucky consumer product out of
literally hundreds is picked to be in short
supply during a reign of one year.
Along with the crown "Shortage of the
Year" this product experiences a Ire-
mendous increase in. its yearly income
and receives widespread publicity.
.With us this year to help ring in this
year's winner we have the sponsor of
last year's lucky product, a representa-
tive from the nation's petroleum com-
panies. Before we speak to him let
me say something about last year's
winner.
oil companies.
"Well, sir, it has been a long, cele-
brated year, hasn't it?"
"It sure has," Brad, "and it's a shame
it has to come to an end."
"But sir, just because gasoline has
to give up her crown, since no one pro-
duct can retain the title for more than a
year, it can still continue on in the
footsteps of the fine reputation it has
built up for itself."
"OF COURSE," Brad, "You are defin-
itely right. We don't intend to let gaso-
line be forgotten. It has always been
dear to us and has even become more
so during this past year."
"So, then you plan on continuing with
the gasoline shortage?"
"We're going to do our best."
"I hear that you have a contestant
"eor's finals."
". this year we sponsored anti-
freeze for the contest. Along with con-
tiniing the gasoline shortage as I men-
w hoe to reinforce the repu-
"vie built up in the past
inner."
-n good luck, and thank
you for joining us today."
welcome, Brad."
"Now before you introdute this year's
finalist, I would like to run through the
basic requirements behind becoming
"The Shortage of the Year."
1. THE PRODUCT should be a vital
part of day to day living. That means
that the majority of people have be-
come dependent on this product during
a period of not less than five months
out of the year. (Remember, it must
affect the majority of the people, oth-
erwise it will be contrary to an im-
portant concept in our government).
2. It should be produced or its manu-
facturer supplied by a conglomerate,
a company that has interests in more
than one business, or more than one
field in a specific business.
3. The manufacturer of the product
should be federally regulated in some
way.
There you have it, foks, the b a s i c
concepts behind becoming the renowned
"Shortage of the Year." Now for this
year's finaist:
FILM, (camera, movie, etc.). T h e
consistent drop of the stock market
has hurt many people, but none have
suffered as much as the nation's maj-
or foundations. For example, the Row-
land Foundation Inc., headed by Ed-
win A. Land, the presindent of Polar-
oid Company, Cambridge. Edwin has
seen the value of his company's com-
mon stock down from $108.2 million last
October to a preseint $15.2 million.
Why shouldn't the Polaroid Company
receive compensation for this I o s s
through the increased yearly income
gained by becoming the "Shortage of
the Year?"
Cornflakes. Another of our nation's
NEVER BEFORE has the receiver of
this award done so much for the repu-
tation of this momentous occasion. This
product was in the newspapers virt-
ually every day fulfilling its role. It
received an income and benefits never
seen before by previous winners. It's ef-
fects reached throughout the entire na-
tion and the product itself became a
household word. Of course you know
what I am talking about, last year's
"Shortage of the Year," GASOLINE.
And here to represent gasoline is the
president of one of the country's major
To The Daily: officea
WHEN KATHY Fojtik stat- ty cor
ed in her campaign literature 14, Ka
that she had "worked to ini- PaulG
tiate" the Medical Care Facility Board
in the county jail, she was ab- him th
solutely correct and did not mis- that a
lead the public in any way. not be
We the undersigned, would the id
like to state the sequence of discuss
events in which Commissioner Gikas
Fojtik worked to help us insti- involv
tute the Medical Care Facility block t
in the county jail. care f
In late 1972, before she took jail se
etters
as the newly elected coun-
mmissioner from District
athy Fojtik contacted Dr.
Gikas, then of the c it y
of Health to discuss with
he problems and reasons
medical care facility nad
en initiated, even though
ea and proposal had b"'en
sed at some length. Dr.
discussed the problcms
ed and the biggest road
to implementing a medical
acility within the county
emed to be with tne inal-
to
Thc
tl" ! lgWARN6 A ~Ilr U.S. oOMMvrI641' Ar WORLl> FOO Xo 2XRga
-- NEWS MiA
practice insurance coverage for
any physicians, including resi-
dents, who would work within
the jail. The University haihesi-
tated to extend their malprac-
tice coverage to the county jail
and therefore, it was impos'ible
to work out a contract with the
Residents and Interns Associa-
tion or any other group of phy-
sicians without the necessary in-
surance. Kathy Fojtik agreed
at that time to seek legal coun-
sel and to work out the insur-
ance coverage problem wit-n the
m,.r r.": "rr.Fi:44'":rrr?:{rh'{{r }3 {?{:r'Lr v:"Fi.6"'rf"}'r Y.":"fqmr;:
-0, "ts hr o sae i-
Sitnging the midterm blues
By SARA RIMER condolences, but no notes. When you've joined the big
A FRIEND of mine officially A CLOUD of tension seems to push, it's hard to escape mid-
kicked off midterm season have descended upon campus term mania.
last week with a trip to Food now that midterms are in full LATELY, when you ask the
Mart for the studying indispen- swing. Fewer students are run- average student on the diag
sables. She picked out a shiny ning off to the Arb on these how life is, they aren't likely
new thermos and a pack of mellow late autumn days, and to toss back a smiling "fine,
sleep-thwarting No Doz, in pre- most are instead watching the how are you?". Rushing off to
paration for the long-nite vigils leaves fall from a library win- the library for some last min-
ahead. When I asked her if the dow. Perhaps the atmosphere ute cramming, they mutter over
thermos was intended for some only appears more tense than in their shoulders, "Horrible;
potent coffee, which combined my previous two years here, three midterms." Long-ago Irid
with No Doz would make sleep since I am an unpressured ob- plans are busted, and it's even
impossible, she nodded ruefully. server. I've gotten off scot free acceptable to haul out the tbooks
Having recently joined the pre- -no midterms. The media has on a Friday or Saturday ni-ht,
law brigade, she was determin- capitalized on the "back to the formerly reserved for serious
ed to emerge from the exam grind" theme in this year's partying. The pressure to have
crush victorious, campus mood pieces, labeling a good time at the Unive';fty
Examples like the above ours the self-centered genera- has been turned off and swilch-
abound as wined-out students tion aiming for the fig f o u r ed full blast onto making :,oca-
Dail
county insurance carrier.
IN A SECOND meetinb
at the University with,
sentatives of the Sheriff
partment, Dr. Jay TI:
then President of the I
and Residents Associatio
others, (including Commis
Fojtik) then worked out fi
details of the proposed M
Care Facility within thec
jail. The matter was then
to the Health Committee
Board of Commissioners
ed by Commissioner Fojti
the Ways and Means Co
tee. The University had i
ed clearly that malpract
surance would not be pr
through their program.I
fore, with the cooperation
Sheriff, the County Insu
Carrier, and other comm
ers, the county agreed to
the Interns and Resident
malpractice insurance, a
pay for the additional c
the county. Monies vere
transfered from the pr
medical care accounts with
,Sheriff's Department, t
new line item to cover t
penses incurred in the cr
of the facility and in payi
salaries of the physicians
ved. Full cooperation was
by the Jail Administrato
Paul Wasson and his ass
Mr. Frank Donley. With
solution of the "mainr
ronbnem h the county. 0
major foundations to be hit hard by
the sagging stock market is the W.
K. Kellogg Foundation in Battle Creek,
Michigan. They have seen their earn
ings drop from 5S7.3 million to $44.4
million in a fiscal year beginning and
ending August 31. For years the Amer-
ican people have crunched down on
those tasty morsels, cornflakes. It is
time they received recognition fo r
their relentless services over the past
years.
ANTIFREEZE. Petroleum b y p r o-
ducts have been diminished by the'en-
ergy crisis and antifreeze is the new-
est victim. Antifreeze may be more
than double the cost of last year's
price. A spokesman for DuPont Com-
pany, Wilmington, Delaware, accord-
ing to UPI, said that the firm's. Zerex
brand will vanish from the market by
the end of the year. A UPI survey
shows spotty supplies in cold weatht
er areas. Yes, antifreeze hopes t, fl-
low in the footsteps of' its famous
petroleum brother.
There you have it, ladies and gentle-
men, this year's final contastants. And
now for the exciting conclusion you have
all been waiting for. The judge's ballot
has been handed me. And the winner is
ANTIFREEZE. Yes, they have done it
again. It just goes to show you, folks,
the nation's oil companies really mean
business."
concern about solving ths health
care problem at the jail. In our
g held efforts to introduce the current
repre- health care delivery aystem we
's De- were constantly frustrated by
irness, negative responses to our pro-
nterns posals. Commissioner Fjtik's
n and dedication, diligence and legis-
sioner lative ability served as the all
further important catalyst in County
4ed cal government which permitted the
county health care program at the jail
taken to become a reality.
of the Since the beginning of the fa-
(chair- cility in early 1973, the program
k) and has been heralded as one of the
)mmit- nation's few. The March 11
ndicat- American Medical News des-
ice in- cribed it as "one {iif the best
'vided county jail health care setups on
There- the nation" and "considerably
of the superior program to that of
u:-f'nce many state prisons."
ission- Later, additional changes had
cover to be made with the addition of
s with a full time nurse, and once
nd to again, Commissioner Fojtik was
ost to extremely helpful and worked
e then closely with us.
'evious
hin the THROUGHOUT the contract
o the negotiation, Commissioned Foj-
he ex- tik never sought publicity or
eation press coverage for h=ir activity.
ng the She simply worked beorind the
invol- scenes to help us initiate this
given much needed program. We
r, Mr. thank her and applaud her for
istant, her efforts. We feel t entirely
t h e appropriate for her t use this
ctice" item in her campaign literature
t e In- in an Vefrt to inform th iot-
VA , 77