Page 4-Thursday, January 12, 1978-The Michigan Daily Eightyv-Eight Years of Editorial Freedom 420 Maynard St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109 Vol. LXXXVIII, No. 84 News Phone: 764-0552 Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan Jimmy's traveling road show By ROD KOSANN What is Begin up to? T HINGS ARE GROWING curiouser and curiouser in the Middle East. A few short weeks ago peace was a real- istic possibility for the first time since 1947. But now that the emotion of the two historic visits - Sadat's to Israel and Begin's to Egypt - has dissipated, the two sides appear to be as far apart as ever. The newest crisis is Israeli settle- ments in occupied Arab territories. When Sadat and Begin met last month, there was no problem reaching an agreement on the future of the Sinai: it would be returned, unconditionally, to the Egyptians. At least that is what we were led to believe. But last week Begin reversed his field and stunned the Arab world by announcing plans to establish new Israeli settlements in the Sinai. This brought an immediate and stern response from Sadat: "Not a single Israeli" can remain on Arab lands after peace. Sadat felt betrayed, and with ample justification. Begin is playing a very dangerous game of tentatively agree- ing to one thing and then changing his stance little by little until he pushes the opposition to its limit. But Sadat is not in a position to be pushed. He took a bold step in bucking his Arab allies and initiating peace talks with Israel, and now he must produce results, not promises. Sadat has said that there can be no peace until all occupied Arab lan- ds are returned. This is in line with the demands of other Arab leaders, and if Sadat's efforts produce such an agreement even the most radical Arabs may ~ well join the bandwagon. But if Israel continues to build new settlemen- ts on the West Bank and in the Sinai, these radicals will portray Sadat as a traitor and his peace plan a failure. And if Sadat is discredited, all hopes for peace will be dashed. So the big question is: what is Begin up to? His move in the Sinai was a direct slap in the face to Sadat, and Tuesday's announcement of new proposed set- tlements on the West Bank only wor- sened the situation. Begin is treading on unstable ground, and he is risking a possible war. As it now stands, Sadat is the only Arab willing to deal with the Israelis, and all Begin has done is ap- pease Sadat privately while embarras- sing him publicly. If Begin truly wants peace he must prove it by making some concessions. And agreeing to build no more new settlements on occupied Arab lands would be a small step in the right direction. President Carter took his traveling road show through seven countries last week, and from the best one can tell so far the reviews are mixed. If there is a general consensus, it seems to be that the President scored high marks on many major policy questions in- volved in his trip, but that a series of oratory and diplomatic gaffes clearly illustrate that Carter is still experiencing the growing pains of his first year at the White House. Such an assessment does much to satisfy the needs of political flattery, but it falls far short of closely examining what finally transpired at some of the stops on Mr. Carter's itinerary. The first major city where the President's road show occupied center stage was War- saw. Much to Carter's embarrassment it was not he, but his interpreter, who made the biggest splash on the first day in Poland; and in all the confusion the press appeared to forget exactly why the President had made the visit in the first place. Ostensibly, one of Carter's primary goals was to encourage Poland, and its leader Edward Gierek, to act as an intermediary between U.S.-Soviet effor- ts to further the cause of detente. THIS POLICY objective received surpris- ingly little public play from the two leaders, and undoubtedly some will argue that the process of building a U.S.-Polish-Soviet pipe- line is a slow one that must take place behind closed doors, and therefore shouldn't be com- mented upon so early in the game. However, Poland is a nation that enjoys the dubious honor of having to share a good percentage of its yearly production with the Soviet Union, and just to ensure that there are no hard feel- ings the Russians keep three Army divisions in the country. So, what Mr. Carter may have disappointedly discovered on his visit to Poland is that when one wants to establish better relations with the puppeteer, enlisting the aid of the puppet isn't all that important after all. Soon after Poland, Carter's troupe pulled into India, where the major question was one of limiting the proliferation of nuclear weap- ons. President Carter has lent his strong sup- port to legislation, already passed by the House, that prohibits further sales of nuclear fuel supplies to those countries who refuse to accept complete international inspection of their nuclear facilities. Indian Prime Minister Moraji Desai rejected these safeguards and at the same time reiterated India's refusal to sign a global non-prolifera- tion treaty that would halt the growth of nuclear armaments. At that point in the proceedings it seemed reasonable to expect that Mr. Carter would have preserved the integrity of his nuclear policy, and halted further shipments of atomic fuel supplies to India. He didn't. In- stead, he okayed those shipments, and signed the so-called "Delhi Declaration" wherein he and Mr. Desai concurred on the general prin- ciple that nuclear stockpiles must eventually be eliminated. BY REACHING this agreement, Mr. Car- ter has done little for the cause of nion-prolif- eration, but has gone far towards hastening the erosion of his own credibility. For ex- ample, can anyone expect the Shah of Iran, Middle East. Immediately before embarking on his nine-day tour, Carter lent his backing to a peace plan presented by Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin. The President af- firmed his opposition to an Independent Pal-. estinian "state in the heart of the Mideast," and maintained that a military presence in the occupied territory was a reasonable Israeli position. His comments raised hairs on the back of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, who had previously expressed his disapproval, with numerous aspects of the Begin peace plan. Consequently; in his never ending quest to keep everybody happy, Carter quickly sought to comfort Sadat by making an un- scheduled stop in Egypt, and by affirming the right of the Palestinians to determine their own future - a statement which in turn rankled Mr. Begin. The reaction of the American press to all this fence hopping was surprising. The Presi- dent was credited by many observers with in- jecting a certain dynamism into the peace process, and the New York Times observed that his statements were helpful to both Israel and Egypt. UNFORTUNATELY, no matter which side of the Mideast coin Mr. Carter came out on, his efforts seemed to cause more confu- sion than anything else. Stated simply, Mr. Carter has taken too many positions on the Mideast in the past year, and every time he opens his mouth fewer and fewer listeners take him seriously. After the President's meeting with Sadat this view was expressed by one high Egyptian official who asked, "Why should we think that (his) latest statements reflect American policy;" while the leading Israeli newspaper warned "not to take too seriously the things Mr. Carter says." After his stint in the Mideast, the remaind- er of Carter's trip consisted of giving reas- surances - to Western Europe that the U.S. would continue to stand by its allies. On the whole, this appeared to go quite well, but it is inevitable that European leaders who closely examine Carter's journey will wonder just how binding those assurances actually are. Carter's trip has helped to place him in the unenviable position of having his words taken at less than face value. This is a shortcoming that will return to haunt him in the futufe, especially when the President's road show prepares to embark on another foreign tour. Carter who signed the non-proliferation treaty when the President touched down in Teheran, to take the global agreement seriously, having seen Carter default on its principles at the fir- st sign of Indian resolve? Yet, if President Carter weakened his credibility in the debate over non- proliferation, he did it even more harm each time he chose to comment on events in the TH ILWAUKEE JOURNAL Vo rM r .0ST. FIELD NEWSPAPER SYNDICATE. 1977 , /////////A r-,_. jjj//// ii//ii / iii//isi ////// //,.i/j Letters to NO V(I! ..e-l .001- ,. '. f - r -,, L. ( '+ d' s ,,..'I , i 1 J ' { .i ' i (t' i ...,/ .b . t . " .. S ..... _. V Biko and tenure To The Daily: We would like to explain our position on several local issues, including the dismissal of Asst. Prof. Jpel Samoff. Local affairs and events in South Africa seem to reflect each other in parallel sequence. While a torrent of anger followed the murder of South African student leader Steve Biko ("It leaves me cold," said Minister of "Justice" Kruger), the U-M refused to budge on its $50 million holdings in Apartheid. Ali Mazrui, a U-M prof. even pointed out the possible com- plicity of the U. in Biko's death: through the financial support it gives the South African regime; but the regents were also left cold, it seems. Next, in a blatantly political move, Asst. Prof. Joel Samoff has been refused tenure although (possible because) he is the only authority on South Africa at the U. At the same time the U. openly admits that it will only comply with Affirmative Action regulations out of fear of losing huge sums of Federal money. Theseacts of callous disregard for racial issues (who in their right minds would defend support for Apartheid?) have aroused a strong response among broad sections of the Washtenaw county community, /students -and residents alike. To try to defuse the situation, the administration has put together a pitiful Com- mittee on Communications, whose all-white members publicly admit their ignorance about South Africa. One member had to ask the public at a recent meeting flow they could possibly uncover the U's ties with South Africa; and he is a prof. of the In- stitute of Social Research! Faced with this insensitivity, or C *0 To The Daily: The future of train tr subject well worth about; Stu McConnel gracefully and provoca the subject. (Why A Won't Ride Trains, January 78). In seeing ti cannot compete with distance speed of air t with the door-to-door c ce of the local private a right, of course. Many t used to be attractive a now, and will not be future. But there remains a which the comfortabl and speedy train can successfully with any travel. That sphere is in traffic of medium ce-Detroit to Chicago ple. The location of air the delays and uncert air travel render the tri roadbed is decent and t equipment good-a ve alternative for trips distance. That is part planation, perhaps, of tl of the rail network in Et In this country the re train quality and comfo fortunately, very ir met. Amtrak is now t put the roadbeds into a that will permit high= their new rolling equip that is a long process- expensive one. When t done, and equipment ft ineptitude, we will have to step up the pressure on the ad- ministration to get them to realize that Apartheid is not a good investment. We urge your readers to sign the petition that is . being circulated to help them get the message. -Southern Africa Liberation TheL bished, and schedules improved, Mr. McConnell and I, and all of us who love trains, may have many opportunities to enjoy. their ef- ficiencies as well as their roman- ce. P.S.: Stu McConnell knows how to write. -Carl Cohen trains To The Daily: Congratulations on your forth- rightness in publishing the lead- avel is a ing article January 7th on thinking prostitution and the proposed 11 writes reduced penalty in Ann Arbor. tively on Whatever the outcome of this bat- Daiys 6 tle, I'm glad to see that this issue hat trains was given prominent coverage, thelong as it reflects today's moral travel, or climate and ethical tolerance. rave, or However, I would like to respond onvenien- to a comment included in that ar- luto, he 1°s ticle which was made by David rains that Lady, one of the prosecuting at- re not so torneys of several Ann Arbor so in the women arrested on soliciting charges. sphere in Lady said "The women are of- le, clean, fering sex for money.. . The compete men are just participating". This mode of implies that men don't offer iter-urban money for sex, and that, without distan- active solicitation by women, forexcam- men would not seek 'out{ ports, and prostitutes. Lady is ignoring the ainties of fundamental law of supply and amn-if the demand; prostitution is the rolling profitable, and therefore in sup ery happy . of such ply, only because there are men of theesuc actively pursuing sex for a price. he succex-s Demand is responsible for the e ofcess existence of prostitution, and es oe. men create that demand. .quisites of With this in mind, any moral rt are, un- judgement of prostittion must regularly apply equally to both sexes. Lady rying to is proved false even by his own condition argument, for by his logic, if a speeds for man offered money for sex, the ment. But woman would be 'just par- and a very ticipating'. Lady seems to em- hat job is phasize the role of instigation, but ully refur- in truth there is solicitation on )aily both parts; the contract is struck between two willing parites, both actively seeking a commodity which the other has. How then can any distinction between the sexes on the gravity of the offen- se? Throughout its entire existen- ce, the oldest profession, when considered a crime,' has been a'{ crime of women, since men are consistently seen as only fulfilling their natural urges, whereas women are being sinful, if the engage in sex outside mar- riage. Whetther or not' .our society accepts, and legalizes prostitution,. it must acknowledge the egual par- ticipation and responsibility of men and women. This in turn depends on our individual at- titudes-obviously David Lady's are not well thought out. -Deborah M. Reyher 0 lovely winter To The Daily: I propose a New Year's Resolution for the Michigan Daily:-No more grumping about the weather!g Many winter days are plain beautiful. The sky is often bluer and the air crisper than in anyw other season. Snowflakes made silver by bright sun are a delight. With snowball material everywhere and buildings and trees boasting soft white trim,, even cloudy winter days can out- shine warmer, duller days in other parts of the year. We have a long winter before us, and it will be far easier to take without glum "stay in bed" ad- vice from the Daily. Let's get out of bed and enjoy what winter has to offer. It's not that hard to do and the rewards are many. -Dean Rosencranz 'Brilliant! Now we don't have to worry about rebuilding the dam!' A win for women athletes IN A CONTROVERSIAL decision handed down Monday, U.S. District Court Judge Carl Rubin ruled that Ohio and Federal bans on coed sports are un- constitutional and declared that girls may compete with boys in high school sports, even contact sports. Those that oppose Rubin's decision argue that women are simply not cap- able of competing in men's athletics. But what is so wrong with giving women the opportunity to compete, assuming they are equally skilled? For years women's sports have not emphasized the skills or the same kinds of talents that men's athletics have. So it is natural that most women feel ath- letically inferior to men, even if their potential ability is the same. One effect the ruling may have is to prepare women for male competition starting at the outset of athletic interest. Giving women the chance to com- pete with men doesn't necessarily mean women will come to dominate or r'a t. _ h --_ _1. L_-.-- V 7 L -t :4 . .. c risk injury. Many lines of employment that women hold now are equally as dangerous as playing linebacker on a football team. While it must be remembered that thus far the ruling pertains only to high school sports, it is also important to note that the decision will have a far- reaching effect and, should extend as far as college and professional sports. We feel that this ruling has been needed; moreover, that it is somewhat late in coming. (Tble 3diw a M00.)5 TrHIS 5CAOOL- (E~AR? HO 1AR6 %~CI U- .756P I EDITORIAL STAFF ANN MARIE LIPINSKI Editors-in-Chief JIM TOBIN LOIS JOSIMOVICH..................... . anaging Editor GEORGE LOBSENZ..................... Managing Editor STU McCONNELL....................... Managing Editor JENNIFER MILLER.................Managing Editor PATRICIA MONTEMURRI .............Magaging Editor KEN PABSIGIAN........................ Managing Editor BOB ROSENBAUM ...................Managing Editor MARGARET YAO........... ........Managing Editor SUSAN ADES JAY LEVIN Sunday Magazine Editors ELAINE FLECTCHER TOM O'CONNELL Associate Magazine Editors 1 U r I T0I WHaTs 5UMIMVt. 1J ) IcTI TIF5 M O '*ATTOV120 AVTf6R W6 ?. G' tP1 A MV I- IA rt'(w M (A"