Page 4-Sunday, February 19, 1978-The Michigan Daily
Eighty-Eight Years of Editorial Freedon,
420 Maynard St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Vol. LXXXVIII, No. 117 News Phone: 764-0552
Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan
Your choice in 4th Ward
REPUBLICAN voters in the city's
Fourth Ward are the only ones who
must vote in a primary election this
year, and it is not an enviable position.
Both candidates are so woefully limited
in scope and lacking in a basic under-
standing of the city's needs that we can-
not in good conscience endorse either
man.
Consider the choice: Earl McIntire
or David Fisher. McIntire, 29, is an em-,_
ploye of University Microfilms. In
speaking with Daily reporters, he ap-
peared to have little grasp of individual
issues. Somehow, however, he prom-
ised to reflect the viewpoints of his con-
stituency, whatever they may be. He
has treated his campaign as a crash
learning experience: "the more I've
gotten involved in it (the campaign),
the more I see that there's a lot more to
it than 'let's fix the streets.' I mean
everything relates to money." This is a
statement displaying the typical sim-
plistic political philosophy and the re-
luctance to take stands on issues that
McIntire's campaign has fostered.
David Fisher, 33, an engineer, CPA
and former University football star,
has run a different sort of campaign.
Perhaps, however, it would be more
appropriate to say he is having it run
for him.
Former Ann Arbor mayor James
Stephenson has managed Fisher's
campaign, and has expressed a char-
acteristic lack of interest -in the con-
cerns of University students. He re-
fused to let Fisher speak to Daily repor-
ters, and explained, "the Daily is not
the only way to reach students."
He can speak at length on the issues,
but Fisher only goes so far as to outline
the two opposing viewpoints. A solution
must come some time later: I don't
know the complete picture, it demands
more attention" follows most
discussions of specific concerns.
Nothing these candidates are
presently doing can be labeled as par-
ticularly wrong it is what they are
not doing, be it relating to students,
speaking with authority on issues, or
speaking up and formulating a plan of
action on these issues that are all
serious deficiencies each Republican
Fourth Ward voter must weigh when
they vote on Monday.
Now that Carter's last "ditch" ef-
fort to save his canal treaty is
showing signs of success and the
Senate isabout to embark on a
lengthy debate over the subject,
it might be a good time to shovel
aside some of the bovine fecal
material that is sure to ac-
cumulate on the floor of the
Senate to get at some real issues.
If you read the newspapers you
might be under the illusion that
we are dealing here with great
matters of state.
ON THE ONE hand there is the
conservative fear that "our"
canal is being jeopardized by a
"tinhorn" commie dictator. You
would think that conservatives
would be embarrassed at defen-
ding a virtual socialist enclave,
but whatever flies the stars and
stripes must be sacred.
The liberals, on the other hand,
see another chance to humble us
before the world, to prove that
leviathan is really a "good ole'
boy". Ever willing to be suckered
by the petty dictatorships that in-
fest the planet, they don't realize
their own government has gotten
into the act.
I suggest that for the current
debates that the Secretary of the
Interior designate the Senate as
the first federal amusemqnt
park.
CONTRARY TO the treaty
supporters' notions, their
document does not weaken
Americantimperialism, it merely
changes its form and subtly
strengthens it. The canal will
remain American in everything
but name. Outright control will
continue to the year 2000 when
military control will, like the
stench of bloody conquest, linger
on. In the meantime we will have
bought Panama. As Ellsworth
Bunker of Vietnam fame, one of
the treaty's negotiators put it, "It
is not ownership but use that is
important." Use and control,
however, are the essence of
ownership. To'be sure, Panama's
price is impressive. Currently,
the U.S. government pays
Panama $2.3 million per year for
use of the canal. After the treaty
the payola will be upped to
around $370 million per year in
various packages. So why the
change in the form of ownership?
Why the big payoff? Is it merely
to show everyone abroad what
great guys we are? I doubt it. Any
South American politician above
the rank of Corporal ought to be
able to see through this scam.
The Romans, who were eviden-
tly more sophisticated in political
matters than we are, would
probably know the answer. Their
phrase, cui hono? (who
benefits?), tends to reduce these
great issues to their usual paltry
ends. Who benefits is revealed in
the December 5th issue of the
new magazine, Inquiry. In an ar-
The treaty
is a scam
By Gerry Wolke
nment to pay its debts hence, the
canal treaty.
Wait, there's more. The treaty
also stipulates that Panama must
buy the products or services of a
wide range of American
businesses from Pepsico
(remember them from Nixon's
Russian deal?) to Pan Am which
are connected to those same
Contrary to the treaty supporters'
notions, their document does not
weaken American imperialism, it
merely changes its form and subtly
strengthens
it.
ticle which is must reading by
professor Murray Rothbard en-
titled, "The Treaty that Wall
Street Wrote," professor Roth-
bard shows us that "the nub of
the Panama treaty is a bail-out
operation, by which the
American taxpayer is being
gulled into subsidizing, and even
salvaging, a handful of U.S.
banks."
IT SEEMS that the
Panamanian government, on the
advice of certain New York
banks, created a banking haven
free of taxes and onerous
regulations. So far so good. The
few banks there expanded
rapidly in number to 73 with
assets of $8.6 billion. Unfor-
tunately, a substantial part of the
money was funneled into the
Torrijos government in the form
of loans as part of the deal. But
like most nondeveloping coun-
tries saddled with a smothering,
state the only effect of these loans
has been to increase Panama's
debt which has reached $1.7
billion while consuming 39 per
cent of its budget in debt service
alone. With default threatening
such banks as the Chase Manhat-
ten, the First City National, or
the Bank of America among
others a way had to be found of
enabling the Panamanian gover-
banks through their directors.
Panama will become, in effect, a
client state. No wonder the con-
servative Movement of Indepen-
dent Lawyers - of Panama
denounced the treaty as the "first
American intervention in our
country of the twenty-first cen-
tury."
Actually, the treaty starkly
resembles the previous interven-
tion. Originally, Teddy Roosevelt
felt that he should purchase the
right to build the canal from a
bankrupt French company. The
U.S. government was willing to
pay $40 million to that company
but unexpectedly the Colombian
government, sovereign over the
isthmus at that time, demanded a
$10 million cut. Now Teddy could
have easily paid them off out of
the $40 million but instead he
feigned indignation and formen-
ted a revolution using American
rebels. The reason is simple: the
French company -had been
bought by a syndicate of Teddy's
friends headed by J. P. Morgan.
Not only did Roosevelt save his
friends $10 million, he later paid
them twice what they had paid
for the stock in order to form the
government's U.S. Panama
Canal Co., the socialist enclave
our conservative friends will
defend to the death.
THERE ARE larger questions.,
generated by this sorry mess
than American image abroad or,
whether this will benefit the-,
Communists or not. The practice-
of buying markets for American
business abroad with foreign aid
is about to come to the end of its;
credit line. Massive defaults that,
could shake America's banking'
industry are imminent as third=
world nations economically
petrified by their governments;
have no way to repay the loans.,
There is a grave danger that the~
banker's friends in the Federal:
Reserve System will bail them:
out with an even greater inflation:
thereby enabling them to be:
repaid with cheap, depreciated,
dollars; in effect another tax on-
the rest of us.a
Furthermore, how much longer,
are we going to allow this unholy:
alliance of business, labor, and:
government (what Rothbard:
calls "friendly fascism") to ruin
our economy at the expense of~
our liberties? Economy and
State must be separate just as
Church and State and for the
same reason. Religion is a
valuable thing to most people, but-
when it aligned itself to that in- :
stitution of coercion, the State,
the result was Papal wars and:
inquisitions. Unless we begin to
show as much wisdom as our
founding fathers we may. yet find
Panama an attractive place to
live.
The solution to the Panama
problem is not a new treaty, nor
is it status quo imperialism.
Various libertarian proposals
have been brought forth, in-
cluding just giving the canal to
Panama or selling it to the
highest bidder.
Attractive as those solutions
are I regard the best idea as
having originated with economist
Milton Friedman, concerning the.
question of nationalized business,
and independently by local liber-
tarian William Minard, concer-
ning city services. The solution is
the same: form a corporation and
give equal shares of freely
tradeable stock to the
Panamanian population to
dispose of in any manner they see
fit. Not only do we let the
"people" decide in this case but
better yet, we let the person.
(;err Wolke is one of 4,Ant
Arbor's leading promnoters 'o
libertarian thought. andI is a
freqluent contribitor to the
Dail's E(itorial page.
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LETTERS TO THE DAILY
How,
To The Daily:
What the Daily has p
in this section regard
Samoff case deserves
discussion and a
especially in the light
present emphasis put b
educational instituti
teaching as one of their n
portant priorities. Wh
should be concerned wit
Samoff case is, broadly s
the problem of how o
about assessing a pro
teaching capacity.
Let me start by agree
those who argue that t
very difficult question to
But given this difficul
Black's complaint may b
not to judge a
resented in one misleading but very popu- They,
ing the lar idea. Succinctly put, let me thing
careful say that there is something edu- of t
ttention cationally wrong in a position politi
of the that seeks to judge the quality They
y major and teaching of a professor on the Black
ons on basis of the grade he gave a the l
most im- student. Grading is only a small dent
hat one. part of the teaching respon-
h in the sibility. Constant feedback, ac-
speaking cess to the professor and, last but
ne goes not least, the provision of a stimu- D
fessor's lating interaction and advice to
the student are all more import- tri
ing with ant parts of the teaching activity
his is a which are often forgotten by both aut
resolve. students and faculty in. the em- p
ty, Mr. phasis given for grades as the
e useful only measure of performance. th
prof's quality
are specifically the kinds of
s that make Joel Samoff one
he best teachers in the
ical science department.
also explain why Mr.
k's opinion is anomalous in
light of the tremendous stu-
support for a recon-
sideration of Joel Samoff's tenure
decision. The University of Mich-
igan needs more good teachers of
Professor Samoff's caliber
because this is what education is
all about. --Mervat Hatem
Graduate student in
Political Science
Submissions of essay and opinion to the
aily's Editorial page should be typed and
ple spaced. They will be returned to the
4thor only if a request is made to do so.
ublication is based on conciseness, clarity of
ought and writing, and overall appeal.
LOOKING BACK THE WEEK IN REVIEW
'no surprise: rent's up
A T THEIR monthly meeting this
week the University Board of
Regents gave their rubber stamp ap-
proval to the now annual 7.4 per cent in-
crease in dorm rates for next year.
The Regents credited rising utility
costs for the increase, which will also
increase the cost for family housing
units by 13 per cent. Between 1974 and
1978 dorm rates have risen 32 per cent
while the increase in the Consumer
Price Index over the last four years has
been 34 per cent.
During their two-day meetings the
Regents also approved an increase in
student activities space which will be
financed by a mandatory $1.50 increase
in the student fee.
The revenue will cover improve-
ments to the plant Building next to
Crisler Arena and the Student Ac-
tivities Building basement workshop.
The improvements are intended to
provide more space for theatre and
crafts groups.
In addition $24,000 will be spent to ex-
nand and increas husservice.
... that merit discussion and public
clarification."
Specially, Detwyler revealed that
University Robben Fleming sits on the
Board of Directors of Deere and Com-
pany, who sell and manufacture agri-
cultural equipment in South Africa.
Some employes of the company in
South Africa earn 19Q per hour.
Detwyler urged Fleming to provide
"clear evidence" that his service on the
Board of Directors of Deere and Com-
pany "is appropriate." Fleming has
told the Daily that he will supply such
informationin the form of a statement,
to be submitted sometime after the
President returns from an excursion to
Saudi Arabia - where he is advising
the Saudis on higher education.
The same day Detwyler's analysis
appeared, the University Regents were
challenged by John Powell, chairman
of the Washtenaw COunty Coalition
Against Apartheid, to reveal any con-
nection they have with corporations
operating in South Africa which may
present a conflict of interest.
The only immediate reaction on the
issue from the Regents came from
Deane Baker, who said he was per-
cnnalh Al nnninteI that the dahate
Although the announcement put the
Democrats in a difficult position, it
caused more of an upheaval in Griffins
own party. Griffin had announced last
April that, because of family concerns,
he would not seek re-election.
When William Milliken decided to ruD
for governor again, and not seek the
Senate seat, several well known Repub'
licans threw their hats into the Senate
ring. Congressman Paul Ruppe had
been encouraged by Griffin himself to
seek the Republican pomination.
In addition to Ruppe, Oakland County
Prosecutor L. Brooks Patterson and Lt.
Governor James Damman were taken
aback by the belated Griffin candidacy.
Patterson said "a lot of people made
plans on this ten months of denials that
he would run. A lot of people have really
been hurt by this."
Patterson decided to remain in the
race accusing his party of a "power
conspiracy." He vowed to make Grif-
fin's indecisiveness a campaign issue.
Damman dropped out of the race and
Ruppe decided he would step dawn and
leave nblic life for the time being.
UNIVERSITY President Robben Fleming surveys the Regents at their meeting last week.