I
Eighty-Seven Years of Editorial Freedom
420 Maynard St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Are
kids'
cothes
safe?
Friday, February 18, 1977
News Phone: 764-0552
Edited and managed by students at the University of Mikhigan
Fare wel Frank! Let'S
find a good replacement
AS FRANK RHODES prepares to as-
sume the presidency of Cornell
University, The Daily staff extends
him its sincere congratulations. We
wish him success and satisfaction in
his new responsibilities.
The University of Michigan now
faces the task of choosing Rhodes'
successor as vice-president for aca-
demic affairs. We have some seri;
ous reservations about the way the
search seems to be shaping up.
President Robben Fleming got off
on the wrong foot by indicating he
opposed the creation' of a broad-
based search committee to review
candidates for the post. Instead,
Fleming said he planned to be "heav-
ily involved" in the selection process
from the very beginning.
The way the University picks its
new vice-president will determine the
type 'of person it gets.
In addition to administrative
ability, an academic affairs vice-
president should be sensitive to stu-
dent interests. He or she should have
a. real commitment to student par-
ticipation in University decision mak-
ing - in setting policies that affect
students directly.
THESE ARE QUALITIES generally
absent in the higher levels of the.
present University administration.
The way to assure these qualities
are found in the next academic af-
fairs vice-president is to set up a
search committee with sufficient stu-
dent membership, along with faculty,
staff and administrators. In ,the past,
students have often been inadequate-
ly represented on such groups.
It is also important that the search
process go public with the names of
those under consideration. This would
be potentially embarrassing to indi-
viduals eliminated in early stages of
the selection, however, once the list
has been narrowed to a handful of
names, it should be publically re-
leased.
A public airing enables the diverse
University constituencies to examine
the qualifications of the various can-
didates and express their preferences
among them. We feel this would as-
sist in selecting the most representa-
tive and most broadly acceptable
person for the job.
Unfortunately, the first steps Rob-
ben Fleming has taken seem to lean
in the opposite direction - toward
a secret and closed vice-presidential
search process. We hope he decides
to broaden the search, and also hope
the Regents insist this be done.
By PAUL A. EISENSTEIN
Second pf two parts
'THERE ARE FEW who would disagree that there is
a need to set some standards for fabric flamm-
ability, particularly for children's sleepwear. Though
national statistics have not been kept, there is strong
evidence that the sleepwear standards are helping to
reduce serious injuries and death for children who wear
them.
"The actual number of deaths from flammable
fabrics is low, but there seems to be a trend down,"
comments Hans Grigo, a technical consultant at the
National Safety Council. "We're seeing less deaths
and less severe injuries, and that's a good sign."
A study made in 1971 by the National Institute for
Burn Medicine in Ann Arbor utilizing over 4500 burn
cases compared the consequences of similar type burns
for persons wearing and not wearing flame resistant
clothing. Twenty-four percent of the victims whose
clothing cauught fire, died. Only six percent of those
whose clothing did not ignite later died. The extent and
severity of burns were also greatly reduced, as was
the final doctor bill.
BUT THE TRIS DILEMMA has caused many long-
time supporters of strong flammability standards to
take another look. One of them is Sara Bolieu, Direc-
tor of Burn Prevention at the Shriner's Burn Institute
in Galveston, Texas. Bolieu notes that in a number of
cases where children wore flame retardant garments
"the injury was greatly minimized," but she criticizes
the CPSC standards as being too drastic and "unreal."
"I've proposed that standards be modified to elim-
inate the need fo rtris, or any chemical treatment. One
hundred percent polyester and nylon could pass the
test standards with a few minor modifications. A few
of the modacrylics could pass right now."
Wool is another garment that is inherently flame
resistant, Bolieu added, but one of the CPSC's require-
ments is, that fabrics be tested in a bone-dry state
(they are heated in an oven and then placed in a dessi-
cant chamber before testing). This removes moisture
found in the material in any condition it would nor-
mally be worn, and makes wool unnaturally flammable.
"RIGHT NOW WE'RE seeing the results of stand-
ards that were stricter than they had to be," she says.
Caught in the middle is the CPSC. On one side are
requests to ban tris from use and relax flammability
standards. On the other side are petitions to extend the
laws to cover a number of new items including all chil-
dren's and adult's clothing, tents, sleeping bags, cur-
tains and upholstery.
"We should make all fabrics flame resistant. I
don't think industry would have any problems meeting
the standards. It's a matter of getting together and
saying, 'Let's do it. now,' " argues Dr. Irving Feller,
a professor of clinical surgery at the University, and
president of the National Institute for Burn Medicine.
Feller was one of many who successfully lobbied for
the children's sleepwear standards.
The same day that the Environmental Defense
Fund released its report on tris, the CUSC was holding
the first of several hearings on whether or not to
grant an exemption of federal flammability standards
to the state of California.
CALIFORNIA WAS seeking the exemption not to
reduce its coverage, but to extend it to other children's
clothing. The hearings are expected to continue for
some time.
If the CPSC ever intends to extend the coverage of
the flamihability standards, co-author Ames, of the
"Science" article on this cautions, ''The CPSC must
think about the wisdom of putting that much of any
chemical on the skins of so many kids without conduct-
ing adequate testing before hand."
Until now, industry was free to choose what chemi-
cals and fabrics they would use to meet the flammabil-
ity standards.
"We set performance standards and do not necessar-
ily require the use of flame retardant chemicals;" ex-
plains Lawrence Kushner, one of the five CPSC com-
missioners.
Other than the required flammability tests, industry
has been unwilling to conduct the lengthy and expen-
sive tests on flame retardent (and other) chemicals un-
less required. The Toxic Substances Act which went
into effect in January, will now require such tests for
all new chemicals to be put on the market. Respon-
sibility for the registration and testing of new chem-
icals was given to the Environmental Protection Agen-
cy (EPA).
MARLIN FITZWATER, 'director of public affairs at
the EPA says that, "Under the new law, any company
that comes out with a new chemical must give us a
pre-test report and' we can then order further tests.
Most chemicals will be tested, unless we already know
(what to expect from them).
"We want to know if they will hurt the environment
or cause cancer . . . We want to keep off the market
chemicals like PBB which were sold for years before
anyone suspected how much of a danger they were,"
Fitzwater -continues..r
A number of supposedly safe chemicals have been
targeted for EPA testing. In most cases, flame retard-
ant additives for clothing have been given a clean bill
of health, but the tris scare is not the first.
Towards the end of'1975 scientists also began to wor-
ry about what type of compounds would form if chlor-
ine bleaches and formaldehyde came in contact in the
home washer. Formaldehyde, that noxious smelling
chemical from high school biology class, is found in
all the flame retardents processes used for 100 percent
cotton, as well as in the proceses- to make clothes per
manent press. The first indications were that chlorine
and formaldehyde could combine toform one of t1e
deadliest carcinogens known, BCME.
A number of frantic studies followed. The EPA report
released just a year ago indicated there was no danger;
most, but not all reports since then have come to the
same conclusion. In theory, BCVtE can be formed.
"AS YET, THERE is no indication that BCME
has been formed under the conditions (found in a home
washing machine). Research may show that BCME
might be formed, but there has been no demonstrable
danger," says Fred Fortess, of the Philadelphia
School.
"The danger in using chlorine bleach," Fortess con-
tinues, "would be that a mother presumes that the
cotton garment is still flame retardant, but it may
be easily ignited."
Consumers can come closer to guarantee their child-
ren's safety, Fortess says, by taking a little precau-
tion - by taking the time to read and follow the re-
commendations sewn into the garment on the fabric
care label.
Precaution is the key word in preventing unnecessary
fire losses. Both the National Institute for Burn Medi-
cine and the National Safety Council have proposed
major programs aimed at teaching the public the rules
of fire safety.
But education is only one precaution, insist CPSC
Commissioners Kushner and R. David Pittle. They
insist that the children's sleepwear standards (and pos-
sible extensions of the coverae to clothing for child-
ren and senior citizens) are absolutely necessary.
The problem, then, is, in Kushner's words, "a balanc-
ing of risks."
Authors Blum and Ames put it differently, "The
r risk of the exposure of tens of millions of children
to a large amount of a chemical must be balanced
against the risk of fire.
"Flame retardants either have not been tested or
have not been tested adequately for carcinogenicity. The
use of untested chemicals is unacceptable in view of
the enormous risks.
Paul A. Eisenstein is a Daily staff writer.
1
£
I I
Things may now be what
they Seem; milk won't
masquerade as cream
WHEN WAS THE last time you or- RUT AS LAUDABLE as MRA's act
dered cream with your coffee is, It isn't enough. Misrepresenta-
only to be served something akin to tion on restaurant menus has
white paint? Or, do you remember plagued us for many years, and has
drooling over the picture in the menu been practiced by more than the
of a plate overflowing with french 1,500 MRA members. What of all the
fries but finding only 10 of the cris- other restaurants in the state, those
py delecasies on the plate brought to not associated with MRA? Will these
your table? Likewise, the "ground establishments be permitted to con-
round" or "fresh scallops" you tinue their deceitful ways?
thought you were getting may have The issue of false advertising in
been just plain old hamburger and menus is not a matter to, be gov-
slice up manta ray. erned by the MRA, and honesty
Well put your fears aside - those should not be confined to those who
days are over, are MRA members. Protection of the
Starting Monday - George Wash- consumer is the responsibility of the
ington's birthday - the 1,500 eat- state legislature. It is not sufficient
eries that are members of the Michi- that the MRA members are trying
gan ,Restaurant Association (MRA) to be honest. Misleading the public
will follow in the footsteps of our should be a crime, and the only body
first President and put honesty back that can deem it one is the legisla-
into their menus. What you see will ture, not MRA.
be what you get-no more margarine In typical style, the legislature
masquarading as butter, nothing pre- will probably consider the matter in
tending to be something it isn't. the near future (once an issue gets
How refreshing to find some 1,500 in the paper, it seems the legisla,-
entrepreneurs acting with such in- ture wakes up to the problem), and
tegrity and out of concern for the we hope it will act to protect all con-
public. They have nothing to gain sumers. But in the meantime, we sug-
from this act but self-respect, and gest a boycott of all non-MRA res-
it is inspiring to know that that is taurants.
still enough for some people. Per- May we all eat with more confi-
haps all business persons aren't the dence - bon appetit!
profit hungry ogres we sometimes TODAY'S STAFF:
make them out to be. News: Phillip Bokovoy, Eilene Daley,
Lani Jordan, Mike Norton, Jim Tb-
Editoral positions represent a in, Margaret Yao
Editorial: Marnie Heyn, Ken Parsigian
consensus of The Daily Editorial staff. Arts: Lois Josimovich, Karen Paul
Photo: Andy Freeberg
(I _.
,1
I-
I'
Letters to The Daily
NUBS
To The Daily:
I don't mean to overreact or
be defensive, but I have never
read any piece of journalism as
inaccurate, down right wrong,
clinched, biased, and stylisticly
poor as your February 10, 1977
front page story, "Computer
students go nuts at NUBS," by
Brian Blanchard. That this was
represented as truthful reflects
to me, a concentrator in com-
puter and communication 'sci-
ence, the quality of your news-
paper, editorial staff, and Blan-
chard. Please consider the fol-
lowing criticism and act as you
will.
Throughout the article Blan-
chard uses "loaded words" (I
assume your familiarity with
this term). Granted, more "col-
orful" words often add some-
thing to nonsubstantive space-
filler, misleading loaded words
do harm, perhaps unintention-
ally. Consider the title. People
very weary and bummed out,
people highly involved with their
work, and people who'd give
anything to leave NUBS but
won't, I've seen. People becom-
ing mentally disturbed or chang-
ing into almonds, no. This seems
trival and reactionary, superfici-
ally. Let me give more examp-
les, "while normal students ...
computer students" implies
computer students are abnor-
mal. "Pamper" ("to treat or
gratify with extreme or exces-
sive indulgence" - Revised ed-
ition of Random House College
Dictionary) "their addiction to
humming machines." Sometimes
people "drift" into their "own
computerized flings." Closely
related are Blanchard's cliched,
stereotypical, erroneous, unper-
ceptive descriptions, "drawn like
lemmings" - people are not
animals and don't act like them.
"Master" "God like-MTS" -
any computer student knows
computers, machines, are about
as far from either a god (be-
ing very unintelligent) or a mas-
ter (it does exactly everything
and all you say). The same goes
for "special effection" (and the
implied normal effection?) and
"worship" people have for a
machine. "Surreal sanctuary,"
"rivited," "stark," "behemoth"
In short, I feel the mere
words Blanchard uses are be-
sides stylistic poor and exag-
gerated, misrepresentative and
harmful. Harmful in that this
article, presumably written for
(and by?) people who know lit-
tle about computers and com-
puter students, reinforces the
pre-conceived, stereotyped views
people have about computer stu-
dents. Negative PR would be
OK if it were true PR, but
this isn't.
Perhaps more important and
concrete are the inaccurate and
least anyone who could write a
program containing an infinite
loop. "Good news" that is good.
output, isn't seen in a "stack
of cards" since they are for in-
put to the computer. Wires don't
run from NUBS to the computer
on North Campus anymore then
thev do from The Michigan
Daily office to the White House.
Both are telephone connections.
Those "new, gray machines"
are deckwriters. Blanchard is
so well informed, $5 wouldn't
get a neophyte very far, how-
ever, their print-outs rarely cost
35 cents a shot.
I can see the BS here and
the article isn't really all that
important. But what about arti-
cles which give facts on rele-
vant, important subjects? If
five or 10 errors get by the
editors on a small article what
of a large? Just as important
is the stereotyped views pro-
moted by bad writing. Is the
same BS, stereotyped attitudes,
doled out for blacks, women,
Jews, etc. as for computer stu-
dents? Obviously not. That
would not be cool. But is that
the criteria which you use= to
determine what sort of opinion-
making process, either an open-
minded one or a prejudgmental
one, your use? Isn't stating that
computer students are addicted
to machines, slaves to master
machines, whichtheymworship
like gods, etc., etc. much like
saying Jews are greedy or
blacks have a lot of rhythm?
My grievance isn t really with
Blanchard. He can be taught
how to write and think (for
writing ability generally reflects
thinking). I suggest English
Composition 125, Philosophy 201,
elementary logic, or any jour-
nalism course for him. Your
paper, though, and it's editor-
ial staff - I don't know what
to suggest. As - to undo this
particular article's harm I do
suggest the following; another
article written by anyone compe-
tent, perspective, knowedgable
... enough to write an accurate,
sensitive, and well-written arti-
cle. This seems mandatory. An
apology by Blanchard and/or
the editor would also be appro-
priate. (It makesano difference
to me what you actually do. I
know what's happening at NUBS
or else will learn. Also, I
wouldn't ever read the further
article or apology, or anything
else in The Daily. You've cer-
tainly won my distrust. I'm for-
tunate to have read the article
after having taken some CCS
courses and discovering that
was my field of study, not be-
fore and perhaps be discouraged
from taking any courses and
ever finding my proper field of
study.
As I said at the start, act as
you will.
K Brian Smith
P.S. Anyone who calls me a
"NUBSite" to my face will
get his face wasted, that label
is so repugnant. - B.R.S.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Daily read-
ers should know that every ar-
ticle appearing in the paper
goes through the hands of at
least two editors, and changes +
are often made. In the case of+
"Computer students go nuts at
NUBS," an editor inserted some
material for which Brian ;
Blanchard had no responsibility.
Nonetheless, The Daily stands
by the facts reported in its
story.
Waterman
To tthe Daily:
The Commission for Women
wishes to reiterate our strong
support for the preservation of
Barbour-Waterman gymnasiums.
One of tht concerns expressed
at the December meeting of the
Regents was that those favoring
preservation had not proposed
alternative uses. Certainly many
ideas have been proposed both
before and following that meet-
ing and, as President Fleming
stated, many more uses can be
found. One of the uses that the
Commission for Women would'
support very strongly would be
to return the Barbour building
to its historic purpose and make
it a women's center.
Women's o f f i c e s, organiza-
tions, services, and groups at
the University of Michigan are
scattered across campus with
some offices out of the main
stream of campus activity. The
Barbour site would be ideal for
access. from campus, from stu-
dent areas, and from the , hos-
pital area.
An argument has been made
that this use is not on a priority
list. But how will a center for
women's services and activities
get' to the top of a priority list
even if it ever got on one? This
type of use will almost invar-
iably be placedin an old build-
ing as is, for example, Continu-
ing Education for Women. This
Center is doing a tremendous
service for the University and
is housed in less than ideal
quarters, both from a geograph-
ical location and the amount of
space available. Are they or any
similar group on the priority
list?
The Central Campus Plan of
the mid 1960's is mentioned as a
reason for demolishing the build-
ings. Any master plan should be
revised periodically. Policies,
needs, public opinion change
over time and certaini ythere
is a different atmosphere and
there are different needs in 1977
than there were in the mid
1960's.
,
-j,
ft~
THE MALE ROLE
AND IMAGE
by NIC and KAREN
TAMBORRIELLO
TRUE OR FALSE? Many young men are choosing to marry,
maintain a home, and raise children while the wife works
outside the home. Do you know any men who have chosen this
option?
It seems that freedom of choice is greater than ever, but
upon closer observation we find that men are still limiting them-
selves to one option only: the role of breadwinner.
If you're a woman, you may be asked, "Do you work?"
This implies that what is done inside the home is something other
than work. In actuality a woman can choose to work inside or
outside the home or both.
What does it mean to be man without a job in a society that
asks everyone upon introduction, "What do you do?"-a "question
that assigns you value depending upon the prestige and earning
capacity of your job?
How many of you felt an ever-increasing burden the longer
you had to answer, "I'm unemployed?"
The first level of job decision-making is whether to live
by brains or brawn. Each is attributed its own brand of mas,
ctline worth. The construction worker, coal miner, and truck
driver are glamorized as hardy, virile specimens of men living
by their sweaty toils and, wrenching out a livelihood through
brute strength. Supposedly, he strides into his home and uses
the same strength to embrace his wife and play ball with his
children. Or has his strength been sapped for the day as he col-
lanses anpreciatively only to have his family admonish him
for not being involved with them, or is he excluded from their
activities because they realize he is tired?
What about the cumulative physical consequences of a life-
time of operating a jack hammer or driving a truck? Is the toll
of occunational injuries and deaths justified? After long hours
and hard work each day, how many blue collar workers find time,
energy, or sensitivity for developing individual interests or meet-
ing individual needs?
The "professional" male worker discovers that its not enough
to have just any job; he's supposed to get "a good job." But
once he lands that good job, more messages come down saying,
"Strive for promotion." "You don't want to be a flunky all your
life."
Before you know it, you've made sacrifices you never expected
anvone should have to, played office politics ad nauseum, and you
still haven't quite reached the level of employment you'd like.
You often want to throw up your hands and just walk out. Over
and over you get the feeling. "I, really need a change." But
changes aren't easy to make. The woman you married "to help you
along the way" depends on you for economic support. Not only
her, but there are the kids to think of. You can't quit "just
yet." You love your wife and family and want them to'have the
best of everything.
By now you've provided a solid economic base for them and
assume that that translates into emotional support. But-your
wife doesn't seem to have any common interests . with you
now. Your children say that when they want to talk, you wan
to lecture. They have a different set of values than you and
you have no idea where they got them.
The changing titles on your business cards tell everyone of your
success, but meanwhile you have the beginnings of an ulcer,
smoke too much, have forgotten what regular exercise is, and
your are a prime candidate for heart disease.
Perhaps you begin to doubt that the extra money was ever
worth the time and relationships lost.
You always believed that- well-being was proportionate to
wealth but the former seems to have gotten lost in your pursuit
of the latter. Once again you ask yourself, "'Where do I go from
here?"
Next week: MEN AND WORK PART II-ALTERNATIVES
From nor Malehox: