M'4 Mihgan 43au
Eighty-Seven Years of Editorial Freedom
420 Maynard St., Ann Arbor, M[ 48109
Bottle bill can work in ichigan
By TOM STEVENS
Saturday, Uc ter 23, 1976
News Phone: 764-0552
Edited and moaged by students at the University of Michigan
5'
Ford tried to rum a numberj
on the black community
THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN,
perhaps unlike any other election
year, has deteriorated into backstab-
bing, innuendo, deceit and has, un-
fortunately, dealt rarely with the
pertinent issues confronting the
American people.
The latest tidbit-of misrepresenta-
tion was the President Ford Com-
mittee's decision to use a photograph
of Mr. Ford with Vernon Jordan,
the executive director of the Nation-
al Urban League, the Rev. Jesse
Jackson, director of People United to
Save Humanity, and a former White
House aide who is now the Africa
director of the United States Agen-
cy for International Development.
The ad appeared in some 21 black
weeklies under the heading, "Presi-
dent Ford is Quietly Getting the Job
Done."
Mr. Jordan protested, and rightly
so, that the photograph was "unaiu-
thorized" and requested the ad be
discontinued because it implied "my
(Jordan's) endorsement of your can-
didacy."
The advertisement was stopped
Thursday, but the fact remains that
Ford actually thought he could con-
vince the black community that he
was "getting the job done."
That's hard to swallow, especially
considering the unemployment in the
inner cities of this country is run-
ning about 35 or 40 per cent; among'
teenagers and young adults it is
closer to 50 or 60 per cent.
It's also hard to believe his state-
ment considering his record, both asj
President and while he was in Con-
gress, on welfare, other social pro-
grams and education funding.
What job does he think he's getting
done? And how is that "job" helping
black people in this country?
Or anybody for that matter.
TODAY'S STAFF:
News: Stu McConnell, Lyn Powers,
Jeff Ristine, Martha Retallick, Tim
Schick, Linda Willcox
Editorial Page: Mike Beckman, Rob
Meachum, Jon Pansius, Tom
Stevensa
Arts Page: Lois Josimovich
Photo Technician: Scott Eccker
BECAUSE OF THE TIDAL WAVE advertising cam-
paign put on by the Committee Against Forced
Deposits, an acknowledged special-interest front for
the soda and beer industry in the state, it will be
a pretty close shot if Proposal A goes through next
month, as all common sense says it should.
The veritably beelzebubic goo the industry has
been putting on television seems to be doing its in-
tended job, as presently only somewhere over 50 per
cent of the state voters are pro A as opposed to
some 70 per cent prior to the onset of the industry's
war. All this in spite of wholehearted endorsements
of A by, among others, state and public groups such
as Michigan's Natural Resources Commission, Agri-
culture Commission, State Highway Commission, the
Michigan Milk Producers Association, the Detroit
Audabon Society, the Michigan Parks and Recrea-
tion Association, and notably Governor Milliken.
ESPECIALLY GOVERNOR MILLIKEN, the elec-
ted leader of the state who said in an open letter
to the people of Michigan, "I urge Michigan citi-
zens ... to join me in supporting Proposal A as a
workable and practical step toward a cleaner and
better Michigan." Milliken, however, has chosen not
to come out in person to make known his feelings
about the proposal. If the Governor would only ask
for (and receive) five minutes total of prime time
TV to tell the people of Michigan, that as their top
official, he does indeed urge a yes vote on A, it
seemns obvious that the citizenry would probably go
along with him. It's hard to believe that Milliken
would be denied five minutes (or even two minutes)
air time to espouse his belief. Any news show would
be glad to plug him into the airwaves. If we would
appear before the voters perhaps a dozen times via
television, Proposal A might be assured passage.
BUT MILLIKEN PROBABLY doesn't feel that
would be an equitable thing to do. If Milliken actu-
ally did do something that responsible, and Pro-
posal A passed as it almost certainly would, the soda
and beer industry would be out to get him, calling
him "nuts" and "a weirdo" like they did Oregon
Governor Tom McCall when he came out all for a
throwaway ban and it passed. Milliken allowed a pub-
Ton Stevens is a Staff Writer for the Daily Editorial
Page.
Ralph's Universe
lic letter supporting Proposal A only because it was
the least he could do, and he realized it. Any truly
concerned person, if governor, would undoubtedly do
all he or she could in favor of something they sin-
cerely believed in, based not only on personal con-
viction, but on realistic facts, figures and precedents
or examples such as set in Oregon. And it is a fact
that Oregon's throwaway ban is a success because
the great majority of Oregonians are all for it, praise
it and live happily by it.
Even if it did not abolish litter there by well
over two-thirds, the fact that a majority of the peo-
ple are for it indicates its rightness (if not of lit-
ter curtailment) of casting a dissenter's vote against
the destructiveness and greed of such as the soda
and beer corporations.
MOST OF THE SODA AND BEER industry's suc-
cess in its campaign lies in the amount of money
they are spending to defeat A, (at least $1 million
and maybe as much as $3-4 million) and the com-
parable dearth of funds on the part of Pro A organ-
izers, principally the Michigan United Conservation
Clubs (MUCC) which petitioned the legislature to put
the bottle question to the people. MUCC plans, how-
ever, to stage its own media blitz in. the week be-
fore November 2.
Also, the industry is directing its ad campaign
at a largely uninformed, impressionable audience; the
types of people who watch Bowling For Dollars or
Big Time Wrestling and are apt to, get fairly upset
when they hear that prices are going to get jacked
up on their favorite soft drink (or brew) if A passes,
which is untrue. That is the central bargaining point
of the Committee Against, but their paper campaigns
also stress that it will be a pain in the neck for
the consumer to have to bother with returning those
cans and bottles. Plus, they say energy will be wasted
by extra trucking of returnables. They neglect to note
that after delivering throwaways their trucks return
to the factory empty.
AS THE INDUSTRY SAYS, let's look at the facts:
* Prices will not jump up. If they do change,
they'll go down. Prices are usually always lower on
returnables than on throwaways because with the lat-
ter, iiost of the price of the drink goes into the
wasteful packaging. Oregon is an example of pop in
returnables being cheaper.
* A lot, of people will not lose their jobs. It is
accepted by unbiased people and state agencies such
as the Security Exchange Commission that passage
of Proposal A will resu]t in more jobs. Maybe 4,000
more statewide. Even twenty extra jobs would be good.
* The industry, makes it- look like everytime peo-
ple go to buy soda in returnables they'll have to
shell out that outrageous 10 cents per bottle, 5 cents
per can deposit. They do not indicate that only once
does a deposit have to be paid. After that the con-
sumer only has to bring back the bottles and cans'
and buy more pop in the same quantity as if there
is no deposit,
0 Litter WILL be reduced. Impartial surveys say
so, as do the lean, green roadways of Oregon. Hav-
ing visited Oregon during the summer, this writer
can vouch for that.
* And valuable resources will, be conserved.
There is more, but the informed reader, such
as is found in Ann Arbor, need not be lectured on
the merits of Proposal A.
WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE is getting the in-
dustry's lying babble restrained. It is surprising that
a state group or agency has not already filed suit
against the Committee Against Forced Deposits for
false advertising. With what ridiculous things the
Committee has been spouting over TV through the
mouths of moronic acting drones, a court injunction
against the industry should have already been in-
stated .to halt the lies. But the industry employs
genius, and through clever manipulation and coopera-
tive creation of phony figures, they have evaded that.
And it's a bit late now to do much, but it could
be important.
From Day One the soda and 'beer industry has
sought to wreck prospects for a throwaway ban in
Michigan (they make far less profits on returnables)
and they just might succeed unless some heavy en-
lightenment is spread around or crops up of its own
design. The enlightenment has to go to the masses.
That's where the proposal will be defeated if it is.
The masses are neither too smart nor too dumb. Most
of all, they are very pliable and will generally be-
lieve what they hear if they hear it enough. But in
spite of all the mud being heaped on the proposal,
one has the distinct feeling that just maybe people
are starting to come around in some small way
to court logic and reality.
AS THE INDUSTRY SAYS, let's look at ,the facts,
and then decide.
y Tom Stevens
RC plays prove uneven
----
By StSAN BARRY
THE RESIDENTIAL College Players
have opened their new theatre season
with rather uneven performances of three
one-act plays which runs through tonight
at East Quad.
The first, Chekhov's The Bear, present-
ed the greatest degree of potential in the
opening scene. Kathryn Adisman as Pop-
ova struck an imposing figure with her,
highly dramatic profile. and her initially
forceful presence. Walter Bilderback as
Looka was believably cowardly and servile.
However, Adisman's problems began
when her role called for a display of ver-
satility. Where Popova's lines suggested the
subtle implications of her romantic na-
ture, Adisman remained stoic. Lines that
were intended to show the ambivglence in
Popova's character were spoken mechan-
ically and seemed foreign. Seconds after
she began to cry her face would snap back
to a pose that was sorely lacking in anima-
tion.
IN STRIKING contrast was Bob Brown
as Smirnov, an actor with one of the great-
est capacities for high comedy this writer
- - a.-~=------=- ___
has ever seen on campus. His facial and
vocal inflections easily encompassed the
wide range of emotions necessary to pro-
ject the unpredictable nature of Smirnov's
character. His lines were convincing, if not
always accurate and, except for some
excessive and heavy pacing, his perform-
ance was extremely appealing.
Brown offered his half of what should
have been 'a well-matched and meaty
brawl but this communication never came
across on stage, mainly due to Adisman's
rather one-dimensional portrayal.
As a result the ending seemed contrived
and irrational. Since the audience never
saw the more tender side of Popova's na-
ture it seemed absurd that she would sud-
denly melt into passion for Smirnov.
Playing With Fire by Strindberg, the sec-
ond play, came off about as equally lop-
sided. Margaret Low as Kirstin delivered
her one-liners well; but when it was neces-
sary to build any emotion her voice rose
all too quickly to the point of hysteria. It
was difficult to get a grasp of her real
feelings.
Roger Kerson as Axle spoke his lines
too quickly and without nearly enough
feeling. Consequently many of the dramatic
ironies in his voice had a humorous rather
than a compelling impact. When he ran off
in the end I found myself wondering what
happened. Although Kerson has a rather
effective stage presence his character was
just so removed that he seemed shallow.
The best performance was given by An-
drew Zerman as Kirstin's husband. His
artistic inclinations were well represented
in his intellectual attitude. His voice was
well-controlled, wide - ranging and effec-
tive. His movements were consistent and
economical.
WHEN Zerman imagined his life in an
adulterous pose with her lover he viewed
it through the proverbial artist's thumb,
emphasizing his objectivity and ability to
take a cold view of life as a series of com-
position at an exhibition.
Unfortunately thus play did not get bet-
ter as it progressed but, as each layer of
the characters' personality was stripped
away, the plot became more and more ob-
tuse.
The final play, The Winetree Thing, was
written and directed by Ann Arborite Tim
Prentiss. The play began with a clever pre-
mise, an enterprising young artist preying
on the greed and fantasies of two antago-
nistic women. It ended by insulting women,
presidential candidates, God, and Shake-
speare in that order. Although there were
several cute lines the play ultimately didn't
say anything that wasn't more provocative-
ly explored in Hair.
The actors, however, gave a much better
performance than their roles deserved.
Margaret Low was creative as Schwartz-
koff and Tracy Juechter was a calculating
Ruben. Jeff Wine enlivened Winetree with
a likeable whimsy that nearly salvaged the
play.
In all, the presentations provided a few
polished performances as well as some
rather thought - provoking entertainment.
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Letters to the Daily
bicycles
To The Daily:
IN RESPONSE TO the recent
letter concerning the bicycle
"threat" on campus, x x x -
The poor girl who is so afraid
for everyone's, safety is a sad
case. Being a avid cyclist and
one who uses his machine for
transportation as well recrea-
tion, as more of' should, (and
-always being in control of my-
self,) I resent being called a
"menace". True, I don't waste
any time between classes this
way I find I can stay those ex-
tra couple of minutes in class
and still be on time for my
next one, thus getting all I can
from my overpriced education.
But the girl's claim of my rid-
ing being a danger, is from her
own hang-ups. In all the time
I've been riding here, I've had
only two collisions, neither of
whichtresulted in an injury.
You see I watch where I'm rid-
ing and ride defensebly because
you never know what the dazed
pedestrians will do next. to
cite my two mishaps, caused by
people who were looking right
at me before it happened. The
first was over by Waterman
when a venerable professor
stopped right in my path t6
watch me pass between two
concrete parking dividors, luck-
ily I was thinking enough for
both of us and applied brakes
to stop justas I hit him. At
the time, he was apologetic. The
only other time was this year
near Ulrich'smwhen a young
girl was crossing the street in
front of me. Looking right at me
again, she began to nervously
dance so I knew she didn't
know what she was going to do
I began to put on my brakes
again, but as you might know
at the last minute, she decided
to try to run in front of me and
the outcome was the same as
the first case. Again she was
embarassly apologetic. These
were my only mishaps and
hopefully my last. My advice
for our fearful co-ed is that she
watch out for herself and walk
calmly and I'll watch out for
her too.
R. John Godin
October 18
nu kebugs
To The Daily:
I EXPRESSED my concern
to someone that humans may
destroy themselves with nu-
clear technology (bombs or un-
safe reactors), and that only
insects would survive for they
are less susceptible to the ef-
fects of radiation than humans.
He tried to console me that in-
sects would evolve. At this point
an image of a cockroach work-
ing on a maniuscript en-
titled "Metamorphosis II"
came to mind.
Kat Kradle
October 19
11lcCart hy
To The Daily:
OVER THE LAST few weeks,
I've heard that a number of
people will be voting for Mr.
McCarthy on ,"principle" -
they claim that there is no ef-
fective difference between Mr.
Carter<and Mr-Ford .
Mr. McCarthy's recent re-
cord, however, is not that of
the great, principled liberal. He
has said that "(W)e do not need
a revolution of rising expecta-
tions. We need one of. moderat-
ing expectations . . ."; how can
those people who live near or
below the poverty level be ask-
ed to moderate their expecta-
tions. He has advocated increas-
ing employment by cutting the
work week from 40 to 35 hours-
yet still paying people approxi-
mately the same wAges: this
will simply create and add to
inflation. Early last year, he
stated that we are not really
suffering from an energy cris-
is; why, then, are we import-
ing almost 50 per cent of cur-
rent petroleum needs, and how
does he propose to deal with the
decline in domestic petroleum
production and the imminent
declne in domestic natural gas
production. He does not advo-
cate comprehensive National
Ie'lthCare - only catastronhe
h° l h care: this is the same
noition that Mr. Ford takes.
A-d, erlier this month, on
-t The Press, he claimed,
from exnertise learned in tax
comrnittees when he was in
C'onnress, that the present tax
l-islation is the most enit-
nhl? and decent that we have
ever had in America.
Meanwhile, there are, clear
and distinct differences between
Mr. Ford and Mr. Carter. Mr.
Carter has received, from the
League of Conservation Voters,
the highest rating on conserva-
tion of the major candidates:
Mr. Ford received one of the
lowest ratings of all candidates:
running this year. Mr. Carter
supports efforts to place strict
environmental controls on strip
mining; Mr. Ford vetoed a bill
to that effect last year. Under
Mr. Ford, unemployment is cur-
rently at 7.8 per cent with over
8 million people unemployed;
Mr. Carter has pledged to put
these people to work, through
long-range economic planning
and the use of the Government
as employer of the last resort,
and to bring unemployment
down to 3 per cent by the end
of his first term. In the Energy
Research and Development Ad-
ministration (ERDA), Mr.
Ford has pushed oil shale de-
velopment and expansion of the
use of nuclear energy; Mr. Car-
ter will push for a major com-
mitment towards solar energy.
Mr. Carter believes in the right
of every American to havegood
health care and is supporting
Sen. Kennedy's comprehensive
National Health Care bill; Mr.
Ford opposes this in favor of
catastrophe health care cover-
age. Mr. Ford has called for
lower corporate income taxes,
lower estate taxes, - and lower
dividend taxes, all favoring the
wealthv: Mr. Carter wants to
eoialize the tax burden by clos-
ing tax loopholes and by large-
1N ending preferential treatment
towards Big Business.
IN SHORT, THEN, it seems
tht those. people who will be
voting for Mr. McCarthy will
be supporting someone whose
views are fairly conservative on
a number of issues. They will
also be casting a vote, in ef-
fect, against Jimmy Carter and
for Mr. Ford. Mr. Ford's elec-
tion will just bring a continua-
tion of the same regressive poli-
cies of the last 8 years; Mr.
Carter's election will bring a
reversal of these policies in fav-
or of more progressive and hu-
mane policies. There are many
distinct differences between Mr.
Carter and Mr. Ford, and those
people voting for Mr. McCarthy
will be losing a chance to ac-
complish a large number of vit-
ally needed programs and will
be losing a chance to change the
direction that this country can
take.
David Teitelbaum
Graduate Student
Economics and
Natural Resources
October 20
/
Flushing
To' The Daily:
CYNTHIA HILL thinks she
had it bad just because the
name of her town has certain
economic and social implica-
tions, and i'm sure that because
of this, she went through some
trauzmatic times.
But until tyou've had fo sit
with those insistent people, and
their drinks and class notes and
tell them you're from FLUSH-
ING, you haven't known pure
mental anguish!
Ludwig Laudisi
October 17
Letters should be typed'
and limited to 400 Words.
The Daily reserves the
right to edit letters for
length and grammar.,
I
! a. vt... .. _ ,. .. .,..
_""-
M ICHAEL BECKMAN
SPEAKER: "Ladies and gentlemen, members of the press,
the honorable Representative to the Lower House of
S' *11s
THERE HAVE BEEN numerous rumblings of discon-
tent about the way that my campaign has been conduct-
ed. It has been said that I haven't dealt squarely with
the issues. It has been said that I haven't given in depth
explanations as concerns my past voting record in the
Congress. It has been said that I have spent more time
vigorously attacking my opponent's congressional record.
It has been said that I have attempted to smear my op-
ponent by maliciously making defamatory statements about
his character. And finally, it has been said that I con-
spired with a major metropolitan newspaper to print slan-
derous and injurious items about events occuring in his
personal past.
To these charges I can say with a clear conscience
that they are totally off-base, false and libelous, and still
feel that I have a legitimate chance of being right.
THOSE WHO SAY that I haven't dealt squarely with
S m h7w" nhaent been following my campaign. I am
and know that I'm not a man who talks around the
issues.
As for my 'past record in Congress, I feel that my
record speaks for itself. After careful examination of my
record, there can be little doupt as to where I stand,
and wnhere I have stood.
MY OPPONENTS RECORD also speaks for itself. There-
fore, I have never felt the need to bring up such things
as the fact that in his lengthy term in the House, he has
never hada piece of legislation passed that bears his
name, he has never sponsored a successful bill, and has
consistently voted down all appropriation bills to purchase
new fighter planes for our nation's armed forces. No, there
has never been any need nor desire on my part to bring
these facts up, and I will continue to refrain from do-
ing so in the future.
As for alleged mud-slinging, I want to make it clear
that I do not believe that a candidate's personal life has
AS FOR THE ALLEGATION that I was in collusion
with a newspaper to discredit my opponent, well, I am
deeply disgusted that anyone who knows me could say
such a thing. I have always been and always will be a
strong supporter of a free press. And I, am truly sorry
about some of the things that were printed about my
opponent. Why, I specifically told the editor that if he
printed that article it would look like favoritism. And
while it may be true that the 'public has the right to
know that the man had delusions of grandeur in private
conversations with a concubine, it really shouldn't be made
into an issue. I firmly believe that my opponent's men-
tal stabilityshouldrnot be discussed during a heated cam-
paign for office. And it should not be taken into consid-
eration that the former governor of this state called him
the most unpopular member of Congress. After alb, he's
not in office to get along with his associates, he's there
to fight for his constituents.
Of irilX1VlT En'Vnn1\nzah~ }t~mFmer to
I
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