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