Lawyers cash in on
bulb suit
The Michigan Daily-Friday, March 24, 1978-Page 9
Happenings.
(Continued from Page6) jazz to finish out the month.
(Continued from Page 1)
trust laws. The case has stretched over
five years..
CANTOR, WHO SAID he expected a
quick resolution of the suit, now has
doubts about the legal action. He says
he has little to gain from the end of the
bulb program.
"Did you ever see a drug store sell
light bulbs and make a'profit?" Cantor
asked. "No one is going to make a profit
selling lights bulbs. It's an enticement,
a football."
According to Cantor, the stores that
would benefit the most from bulb sales
would be largerdepartmentstores,
which would lure customers with
marked down bulb prices.
CANTOR, OWNER of Northland
Pharmacy in the Southfield Northland
Medical Building, claims he loses about
$95 annually on store bulb sales. He ad-
ded that his major grievance against
the Edison program is that customers
pay for it whether they use the ex-
change program or not.
Cantor said he made claims of finan-
cial losses from the Edison program,
despite their marginal effect on his own
business, as "a guise to undertake the
suit."
He said he still objects to the
program, however.
"Edison does not have the calculating
capabilities of breaking down the
costs," Cantor added.
LAST YEAR, Detroit Edison spent
more than $2.8 million operating the
bulb program and costs are expected to
exceed $3.2 million this year.
"It may cost more to get the 'free'
bulbs, rather than if I bought them on
tor," Bennett said. "It's nobody's
business who paid for my bill. Cantor's
relationship with McMaster is totally a
private affair."
ACCORDING TO Cantor's attorneys,
they will seek payment for Bennett's
work in the legal settlement with
Detroit Edison.
'Cantor said he made claims of financial losses from
the Edison program, despite their marginal effect on
his own business, as "a guise to undertake the suit."'
the free market," Cantor explained.-
Because of critical publicity by
Detroit area media, Cantor hired a
Troy-based public ' relation firm, Mc-
Master Associates, one of the largest
such companies in the Midwest.
"I DIDN'T THINK it would grow into
this," Cantor said of the lawsuit. "I
thought it would be over in one
hearing."
Joe Bennett, Cantor's public relations
agent, said Cantor had hired him and
paid $800 for several press releases ex-
plaining his side of the lawsuit. It
remains unclear whether Cantor or his
attorneys paid for the bill.
"I submitted my bill to Larry Can-
The Detroit law suit'was practically
settled late last year, but three Wayne
State students attempted to intervene
in the case last month. They claimed
neither Edison nor Cantor's attorneys
represented consumer interest. Last
week, Judge Fiekins ruled that the
students had no "enforceable" interest
to intervene.
DETROIT EDISON attorneys,
claimed if the students were allowed to
intervene, the lawsuit would continue
for several more years with additional
legal costs being passed onto the con-
sumers.
The students claimed light bulbs
would cost more if the bulb program
was stopped. According to Cantor's at-
torneys, however, if the program is
discontinued, light bulbs would cost less
than the current store prices.
"The program is insidious, it really
is," said Weinstein. "Sometimes people
think we (the attorneys) are the Black
Knights, but we wear the white hats."
s0
Part two of The Daily's series on
the Edison light bulb program will
look at how Lawrence Cantor was
convinced to file a suit in which he
had little to gain. See tomorrow's
paper for details.
"That might become an expense that
may have accured," explained Can-
tor's attorney Weinstein. "It might be a
legitimate expense of the lawsuit."
Weinstein explained the $1.5 million
requested legal fees were based on the
assumption that they would win the
suit. Since the attorneys agreed to take
the case on a contingency basis, as in
the Chicago suit, Cantor would not have
to pay anything if the attorneys lost the
case.
"THE CONTINGENCY is that we
would win the suit," Weinstein said.
"We took a substantial risk, so we are
entitled to a multiplier of our hourly
rates."
thursday
March 30
CINEMA
Shame (Angell Aud A, 7:00 and 9:00)
Ingmnar Bergman's outstanding film
about the agonizing perios of war. **
The Confession (Nat Sci Aud, 7:00
and 9:30) Yves Montand stars in Costa-
Gavras' story of a communist who un-
dergoes severe hardship when his
government partakes in a bureaucratic
purge.
False Movement (Old A&D, 7:00 and
9:05) The second film in the Wim Wen-
ders festival concerns a young writer
who wanders through Germany "pon-
dering the fact that he doesn't really
like people."
Ni terieOs,
Second Chance - Masquerade com-
bines the 60's sound of the Hollies and
the Beach Boys with a lot of modern
rock and roll through Sunday. The ver-
satile Shimmer plays rock, disco and
Abigail's - The Look, a group com-
prised of former members from foiof
Detroit's best bar bands, rocks out is
weekend.
Roadhouse - The Tucker Blues Band
jams to 12-bar blues progressions in Ihe
Chicago idiom this weekend.
The Blind Pig - Presents fantastic
R&B with the Silvertones Friday. bd
Saturday. Then Monday, club regular
Boogie Woogie Red plays the honky-
tonk piano.
Mr. Flood's - Don your cowboy , s
for an evening of wild C&W with The
Tillson-Pearson Band through Satur-
day. Tucker Blues Band plays here on
Wednesday and the Red Mountain
String Band performs on Thursday.
The Ark - John Roberts and Tony
Barret will sing ballads from EngliMh
vaudeville this weekend.
The Blue Frogge - SaturdayN t
Fever is rampant every night expt
Sunday at your favorite disco.
,
Film reviews by Owen Gleiber
man. Niteries compiled by Keith
Tolsolt.
Married students oppose rent hike
(Continued from Page1)
days.
Tolley claimed there's "no way the
Univesity can account for" a 46 percent
increase in utility costs. "Based on the
figures we've seen, the University will
make three-quarter million dollars in
excess profits," he said.
"One problem is should University
Housing be a profit making unit of the
University?" said RSG's Edward
Davidson.
BUT STEVE MEYER, a Rate Study
Committee member and University
married student housing resident poin-
ted out that University Housing is non
profitimaking nor is it state or federally
subsidized.
"Tolley won't listen to me . . . he's
totally misinformed," he said. "When I
was on the Rate Committee I was
terribly upset (about the increase)
I'm going to have to pay it, but it's
totally justified. Literaly every mem-
ber of the Rate Committee was
depressed, but we couldn't find an
alternative," Meyer added.
RSG members also claim that the
University unfairly justifies excessive
rate hikes by saying it is bringing
family housing in parity with the
private Ann Arbor housing market.
THEY POINT to the fact that last
year's eight percent University family
housing increase was balanced by a 13
percent rate increase by McKinley
Properties-one of the largest local
housing firms.
"It's a catch-22," said Davidson.
"Landlords say 'gee, the University
raised their rates so we'll raise ours.'
"It's a fair deal," said Terrier. "I
can't believe they don't understand it.
If someone told me my rent was going
up, I'd still feel like pushing against it,
even though I know there's nothing that
can be done about it, but I cannot see
any fat in these budgets," he concluded.
TOLLEY SPOKE against the in-
crease at a public session at the
February Regents' meeting, but wants
to be put on the Regents' agenda for the
next meeting. Richard Kennedy,
University vice-president for state
relations, said, however, that while he
doesn't "blame him (Tolley) for being
concerned and upset," the Regents' see
no justification for reconsidering the
matter.
"He (Tolley) was absent of any other
evidence but extreme displeasure,"
said Kennedy. "He had no argument of
fact. We told Larry (Tolley) we'd
reconsider" if he came up with a fac-
tual argument.
Under the approved 13 percent in-
crease, monthly rent fees will increase
between $18 and $32 in the family
housing units.
"We are not going to stop at this
point," said Tolley
Dreams of glory
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) ,- The
owner of the famed Spendthrift Farm,
Leslie' Combs II, says imagination is a
powerful factor in the bidding that goes
on at yearling sales. Combs has been
the leading seller in 24 of the last 28
years at the Keeneland Sales.
Sip into something
So smooth. Easy to sip. Delicious!
Comfort*'s unlike any other liquor.
It tastes good just poured over ice.
That's why it makes mixed drinks
taste much better, too. \
Southern
Com fort m
U.N. buffer zone
formed in Lebanon
Esmal getting fair
trial, lawyer says
(Continued from Page 1) PFLP is not your every day political
terrorist training in Libya in 1976 after party and terrorism is a very real thing
being recruited into the PFLP by in Israel."
another member. Esmail is denying the According to Freedman, Esmail's
statement, while his supporters in the brother and friends from East Lansing
U.S. say the confession was made after originally said Esmail never left the
the engineering student had been U.S. during 1976. However, Esmail's
severely tortured. Israeli lawyer, Felicia Langer, later
Freedman said he saw affidavits by told a press conference, which Freed-
the American Vice-Consul in Israel, man attended, that Esmail was in
who visited Esmail in prison twice, Libya at that time checking on job op-
which do not show that Esmail has been portunities.
tortured. Freedman said Esmail told SPEAKING AT a Metropolitan Air-
the Consul he had had his face pushed to port press conference sponsored by
the side, his hair pulled, was spit upon Jewish groups from Detroit and Lan-
once and punched in the stomach a few sing, Freedman also said Esmail's visit
times "but not very hard." to his sick father may not have been
"IF THESE things happen even once totally innocent.
that is wrong," said Freedman, "but Esmail's brother and other suppor-
those things are not remotely what we ters don't believe that story and also ob-
know as torture. Nor is it convincing to ject to the confession which was
me that those things could coerce a secured before Esmail was allowed
false confession." legal counsel. Freedman said that un-
Israeli police were tipped off about der Israeli law, confessions made
Esmail's visit by the FBI. Freedman without legal representation are not
objects to this type of surveilance by in- necessarily excluded, but the con-
telligence agencies, but added, "the ditions are "taken into account."
CAMP WISE
The Resident Camp of the Jewish Center
of Cleveland, Ohio
IS NOW HIRING
Counselors and Specialists for the 1978 Season.
A representative of CAMP WISE will conduct interviews
on the campus on Thursday, Mar. 38, 1978.
For Further Information, Applications and Interview Appointments, please contact the
Summer Placement Office, 763-4117.
BOARD FOR
STUDENT PUBLICATIONS
ELECTION-
(held with MSA Election)
ONE STUDENT MEMBERSHIP OPEN
+ Must be enrolled undergrad student
(Continued from Page 1)
Palestinian state and has rejected it.
Begin implicitly criticized Carter in
his speech to the press club, saying U.S.
praise for Israeli peace proposals has
"suddenly disappeared from the
lexicon."
When the peace plan was revealed
last December, Begin said, Carter cited
it as "a long step forward" and
Secretary of State Cyrus Vance called it
"a notable contribution."
THE UNITED Nations raised its flag
yesterday near the Litani River and
prepared to carve out a buffer zone in
south Lebanon between invading
Israeli forces and Palestinian
guerrillas.
Only sporadic violations of a two-day-
old truce were reported in the war-torn
area, but a battle of bureaucrats
loomed over emergency aid for tens of
thousands of refugees who have
streamed here from the south since
Israel launched the invasiorj larch 15.
The Palestine Liberation
Organization said the Lebanese gover-
nment was withholding aid from
Palestinian refugees, and the United
Rose Bowl-1978
Michigan vs. Washington
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ONLY $3.50 ea. pp.
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Nations appealed for urgent inter-
national help for the Palestinians.
Beirut state radio said a 120-man
Iranian U.N. peacekeeping unit tran-
sferred from the nearby Golan Heights
buffer zone set up outposts on both sides
of the Litani River.
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