Page 10-Wednesday, March 1, 1978--The Michigan Daily
From A2
to Washington:
The legacy of Wilbur Cohen
Council wrangles with
human rights ordinanc
(Continued from Page 1)V
posts. President John Kennedy appoin-
ted him Assistant Secretary in 1961, the
year after candidate John Kennedy
chose Cohen to be his chairman of the
Task Force on Health and Social
Security.
During his early years with HEW,
Cohen handled some 65 legislative
proposals, including such landmark
measures as the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965, the
Higher Education Act, Medicare and
Social Security legislation.
COHEN DESCRIBES Kennedy's
assassination as the most tumultuous
moment of his life. "It was terrible," he
sighs. "It changed the whole nature of
the United States."
As HEW Under Secretary for
President Lyndon Johnson, Cohen was
responsible for coordinating major
policy issues between the legislative
and executive branches. He served as
Secretary in 1968.
Cohen's work on social security
issues, however, began much earlier.
"I got into the whole thing when I ser-
ved as the research assistant to the
Executive Director of President
Roosevelt's Cabinet Committee on
Economic Security, which drafted the
RV u
original Social Security Act," he
recalls. In 1935 he joined the staff of the
Social Security Board and subsequently
was Director of its division ofsresearch
and statistics from 1953 to 1956.
OF ALL THE Presidents with whom
he has worked, Cohen rates FDR the
best: "FDR showed the greatest
capacity for leadership in crisis
situations - especially during the two
most important crises (W.W. II and the
Depression) which the U.S. has faced in
the 47 years I have been an adult."
Cohen's least favorite President has
been Richard Nixon - in fact, he says,
Nixon has irked him for 32 years.
"I'm a long-time Nixon opponent,"
says Cohen with a smile. "I was willing
to support him when I agreed with him
but I didn't respect his integrity or
stability. I wouldn't even meet or shake
hands with him, I avoided it."
MANY AWARDS adorn Cohen's of-
fice walls. There are photos, too --
photos of Cohen standing with
Washington politicos and VIPs. Cohen
is also the author of many books and ar-
ticles on the fields of social security,
health, education and welfare.
But despite his forty-year association
with the federal social security
program, you won't find Cohen drawing
any retirement benefits after he leaves
his post.,
The dean plans to keep very busy,
thank you.
"PRESIDENT Carter has appointed
me to be chairman of the National
Commission for Unemployment In-
surance," says Cohen. If' that's not
enough, House Speaker, Tip O'Neill has
tapped Cohen for membership on the
National Commission of Social
Security.
He will divide his time during the
next two years in Washington and at the
University, where he will teach a
couple of courses.
Cohen sports a long list of accom-
plishments as dean of the Education
School. He's especially pleased with the
recent course of affirmative action at
the University.
"WE HAVEN'T reached Utopia by
any means," he says, "but in the last
nine years, we've given minorities,
women, and handicapped people a
greater potentiality in future oc-
cupations."
"The University deserves credit for
doing this under heavy financial
responsibilities, and did not sacrifice
quality," he adds.
In federal government, Cohen hopes
to see the development of a National
Health Insurance plan. He's already
developed one of his own.
"This is the strongest item of impor-
tance. Health costs are terrible -
provisions must be made so people
won't go bankrupt," he says.
In his spare time, Cohen enjoys
stamp collecting and music. "I have
collected stamps for 60 years," he says
enthusiastically. "Music is also my
hobby. And I love football -- I never
miss the Ohio State-Michigan game."
Cohen also paints with water colors
and enjoys travelling. "But," he says,
"I like the political life - the ex-
citement and the controversy."
(Continued from Page i)
cluding minors. If the bill is
rewritten to prohibit age
discrimination only against
people between 18 and 65 it would,
in effect; say that it is legal to
discriminate against people who
do not fall into that age group.
One solution is for Council not
to specify age, then attach a list
of exceptions to the ordinance,
such as bars and X-movies. This,
however, could turn into a laun-
dry list several pages long, if
every possible exception is listed.
Another section of the human
rights ordinance outlaws
discrimination on the basis of
sex. Councilman Ronald
Trowbridge (R-Fourth Ward)
pointed out a potential pitfall
Monday night when he suggested
the city may be prohibiting
single-sex sports teams.
CITY ATTORNEY Bruce
Laidlaw said, "One-sex teams
are something we might want to
list in our exceptions if that is
Council's intention."
Councilman Jamie Kenworthy,
however, suggested the city shy
away from the issue altogether,
since the legality of single-sex
teams is currently being debated
in courts across the country.
The ordinance as it now stands
would also subject the University
to its rigid provisions, and thus
the city may also be inadverten-
tly prohibiting single-sex dor-
mitories on campus. minority hiring.
THE AFFIRMATIVE action
clause is another sticky issue
which must be ironed out before
the ordinance comes before a
vote. That clause would force
corporations which want city
contracts to meet a certain
minority percentage goal of
workers on that particular
project.
The City Administrator, in his
revised version of the bill,
suggested contractors set
minority employment goals
based on the percentage of that
particular minority in the
population.
"Minorities" are defined as
Blacks, American Indians, and
Hispanic-surnamed Americans.
ALMOST immediately this sec-
tion drew fire from the critics.
Councilman Earl Green (D-
Second Ward) wanted to know
why only Hispanics with Spanish
surnames were a minority, since
many have "American" last
names.
The biggest bone of contention
emerged between Wheeler and
Councilman Jamie Kenworthy
(D-Fourth Ward). Kenworthy
said he would like the section to
force contractors to set hiring
goals for both minorities and
women, while Wheeler said he
was still unsure whether in-
cluding women would hurt the
"If there aren't any women
bricklayers certified, then that's
not the employes' fault," Ken-
worthy said, arguing to include
women.
"YOU AND I are probably
going to differ," Wheeler said.
"We come from different
backgrounds, we talk to different
people. There is no way I am
going to divorce myself from
what I am and what I know.
There is no way I'm going to pass
an ordinance that puts back all
the progress we've made for
minorities."
Wheeler said he would not
eliminate women from the affir-
mative action clause, but said he
wanted first to look at how
federal laws have dealt with the
problem.
The biggest potential hold-up
before the ordinance becomes
law will be convincing the
Republican- side, especially
Councilman Roger Bertoia (R-
Third Ward), that it can indeed
be enforced.
Bertoia has called the com-
prehensive anti-discrimination
law too long and too all-inclusive.
Bertoia said by outlawing
discrimination against such a
lengthy list of classes, the city
was "diluting our efforst."
"There are some things the city
is not equipped to deal with," he
said.
saidI
Park, in Washigton
begins his,
testimony in Koreagate scandal
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Korean relations, with some
congressmen threatening to withhold
aid to Seoul unless it cooperates in the
investigation. The South Korean gover-
nment has refused to turn over some
South Korean officials which the House
committee views as key witnesses in
the probe.
VARIOUS congressmen said the
initial interrogration of Park by in-
vestigators for the House ethics com-
mittee elicited "no surprises." One
source described the questioning as
tedious.
A member of the committee, asking
not to be identified, said Park answered
all questions at the three-hour opening
session but covered only basic details
before committee members broke for
lunch.
Among the first names to come up at
the closed-door session were those of
former Reps. Richard Hanna (D-Calif.)
and Edwin Edwards, who is now the
governor of Louisiana, committee
members said.
HANNA HAS been indicted qn
criminal charges of conspiring with
Park to try and buy influence in
Congress for the South Korean gover-
nment. Park is scheduled to testify at.
Hanna's trial, scheduled to begin on
March 20. Edwards, a Democrat, has
denied any wrongdoing, but
acknowledged he and his wife got
$20,000 from Park.
Park was arraigned Monday on a 36-
count federal criminal indictment
which, among other things, charges
him with paying $100,000 or more to
several former congressmen and
making campaign and office, account
contributions ranging from $100 to
$5,000 to at least 24 congressmen and
senators.
Park pleaded innocent to the charges
in a proceeding which the Justice
Department said was a mere formality.
The department already has granted
Park immunity from prosecution in
return for his testimony in U.S. courts
on the influence buying affair.
PARK ALSO insisted Monday he was
not acting as an agent of the South
Korean government when he gave the
gifts to congressmen. Park has
acknowledged, however, he hoped the
contributions would help his country.
The Constitution prohibits members
of Congress from accepting gifts from
foreign governments or their agents.
Park, once a prominent party give
who entertained congressmen an
other officials at the George Town Clu
here, left Washington about 18 month
ago as details of the alleged influent
buying scheme began to unravel.
Lobsters that were 10 or mor
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average size of those brought ashor
after 1870 was 2%/2 to 3 pounds
Crustaceans landed today weigh les
than half that amount.
4-)
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supplies
Looms:tapestyankle.and
rigidhedcile.....originally 20 to $35
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wooden hoops &
thnhl ha mut
DOWN ON £E~VYTING.
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His FtRr-jT SAL i.
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ACCESSORIES
YARf: colorov weaving variety
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FRYE, D~xTE R
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