i E1je 3fd1gan Daitj Eighty-Six Years of Editorial Freedom Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan Thursday, October 30, 1975 News Phone: 764-0552 420 Maynard St., Ann Arbor, Mi. 48104 t.. +e ' 1L &1 %L - Why By KATHRYN ADISMAN W HEN I FIRST learned about the Alice Doesn't strike from a news release distributed by the local NOW at Betty Frie- dan's press conference last month, I was impressed. I was immediately sympathetic to the idea of a strike as a symbolic gesture of self-affirmation and protest. Two weeks later, I began to realize that virtually no one on campus was aware of this strike. So I decided to xerox a few copies of the press release, give them to women in my of- fice, and test the reaction. Some felt that a strike was a nega- tive way of expressing the worth of women, but could not produce positive alternatives. Others questioned what good it would do or what have we got to com- plain about. Most who objected to a strike bn the grounds that it was negative felt that they could justify a day off if there were follow through activities to attend. People failed to un- derstand the concept of strike as a purely symbolic act. As two students were overheard saying to each other, what are we supposed to do - stay in bed all day? Perhaps the most trenchant criticism I heard could be put into one simple question: what do you want? Generally the purpose of a strike is to achieve specific economic goals. What did NOW hope to achieve? At- tention? Suddenly I began to wonder why I was publicizing this strike, why I was trying to sat- isfy the sceptics, and not NOW. On October 15 our office re- ceived one of those press re- leases in the mail and Kathy Fojtik, president of local NOW, was interviewed on WUOM. Was this it? The extent of local NOW's advocacy? And what about the University: I believed that women at the University initially intimidated by a strike would let themselves be guided by the Women's Commission. If the Commission supports the strike, I thought, its chances of success throughout the Univer- STRIKE ANALYSIS Alice doesn't work sity are great. But why hadn't the Commission issued a state- ment, or planned activities? The strike was only two weeks away. In search of answers to these persistent questions, I be- gan to make phone calls to NOW, the Commission, IWY, and other Women's organiza- tions at the University. With the exception of NOW, I chose to restrict my inquiry to the Uni- versity and the female estab- lishments in it because this is the heart of our community and these groups are the most obvi- ous bastions of women's power. One call led to another and here is what I learned. ACCORDING to Kathy Fojtik, in April 1975 the San Jose chap- ter of NOW called a day of strike, the idea met national approval, and the date was set for October 29. The purpose of the strike, Fojtik said, was con- scioisness-raising both of the es- tablishment and of the partici- pants. When asked why local NOW was not organizing follow- through activities during the day, she pointed out that a strike was a terminal action, the only action called for by NOW, and that, therefore, they were not cooperating with groups like the Women's Stud- ies Program who were organiz- ing events locally. Asked wheth- er she had sought support of women's groups on campus, she said she did not. I gathered that it was only because the Michi- gan chapter of NOW had voted to favor the strike that local NOW felt bound to extend os- tensible support. The extent of Foitik's actual participation in strike organization and activity appeared to be limited to an- nouncement of the event. She claimed that local NOW has neither the time nor the woman- power to do more. At this point, the crucial ques- tion loomed: why bother to ad- vocate a strike which does not generate strong local support? Her inevitable response was that it is better to have even a half- assed event than to do nothing at all. Fojtik called me naive for suggesting that women need leadership. But I wondered if a strike of just a few would be a strike at all. She did not be- gin to explain why she expects commitment from individual women when the leaders of NOW apparently can't afford it. Finally, conceding the probabili- ty of failure this year, she ar- gued that this was only a be- ginning: the momentum would build and next year or the year after a strike would be success- ful. She counters the view that women who strike are only hurt- ing themselves by advising strik- ers to take a sick day: your boss will know the real reason for your absence but he won't be able to dock your pay or fire you. When asked, if this didn't defeat the principle of a strike (how can you have a strike and not tell anyone?), she referred to the precedent of Un- ion blue flu days. The analogy is flawed: the NOW strike does not have popular support where- as the blue flu day can succeed only with such support. FOJTIK URGED ME to find out what the Women's Studies Program was doing on October 29. The most startling thing I learned about this Program was that the organizers did not actu- ally support the strike. One of the organizers, Anne Locksley, considered the strike ridiculous since many women cannot af- ford to break their Union con- tracts. Apparently she was not aware of Fojtik's strategy to avoid repercussions. I asked WSP organizers, Locksley and Norma Ware, if any activities were planned at the University for the 29th. I learned that there would be various things going on at community centers during the day and a party at the Uni- tarian Church in the evening. They had considered the pos- sibility of a rally on the Diag, but eventually rejected it be- cause their primary audience was women in the community, not on campus. I was told, furth- ermore, that a rally was politi- Kathy Fojtik Fojtik said that since the strike was a terminal action, NOW was not cooperating with groups like the Women's Stu- dies Program who were organ- izing events locally. cal. that the Diag or Regents' Plaza was not a convenient meeting grolnd for the women they had in mind, and again that there was not enough time or peonle to oroani7e both kinds of activities. When I wondered what I coild do as an employee of the University, Locksley re- nlied that if I wanted to organ- ize a rally on camnus she would sunnort me, bvt that the Wom- en's St'idies Program would not initiate s'ich action. Somewhat disanpointed by this 'commnimtv' bias. I deceded to turn at last to campus women's organizations. The University IWY was taking no official stance pro or con the strike, but did sunoort activities organized by the Women's Studies Pro- gram. Lila Green, program co- ordinator, said that she would have supnorted the strike if she had heard about it in time, but that she had received no infor- mation whatsoever from NOW. Jean Cobb, Chairnerson 'of IWY Policy - making Committee, felt that a one-day strike was mean- ingless and contrary to the self- interest of women. Were a strike to be carried on for a week, even a month, she might sup- port it. In general, however, she felt that women should put their energy into more positive acti- ties such as the "Re-designing Sex Roles in Education" confer- here ence scheduled for mid-Novem- ber. AFTER THIS I CALLED the Women's Commission and spoke with Barbara Murphy, Assistant Chairperson. She stated that it was against the law for public employees to strike. Although personally, she agreed with the principles underlying a strike she did not advocate one. As for the attitude of the Commis- sion, she assured me that there would be a statement in The Daily at least a week before the strike. When I called back the next week, I spoke to Murphy and to Chairperson Eunice Burns and learned that the Commis- sion had decided at their meet- ing on Thursday, October 23 to do nothing. The reasons given were familiar: it was too late to do anything; women are paid least anyway. Burns would not say whether a strike would have been approved if it had been brought up at an earlier meeting. It was not mentioned earlier, she said, because it was considered a low priority item. I asked if the Commission in- tended to make public its rea- sons for not supporting the strike. Burns replied that a pub- lic statement would only pro- voke controversy. On this note ended my tele- phone inquiry and my hope for a successful strike. If there is one thing that all the women I talked to agree on it is that a strike by itself is not a positive or meaningful act. Perhaps local NOW should have tested the climate of feel- ing in Ann Arbor before lend- ing automatic support to a na- tional strike. University wom- en's groups certainly could have played a stronger part in or- ganizing activities that would legitimize a strike for many women and highlight this day at the University. More ques- tions were raised than were an- swered. As an advocacy organi- zation, does not the Women's Commission owe a responsibili- ty to women in theUniversity community to define its posi- tion? Is the function of IWY merely to sponsor conferences and lectures? What is the good of a solo strike in an atmo- sphere of confusion and indif- ference? I decided to strike banks and supermarkets and to work on October 29. Kathryn Adisman is a Uni- versity clerical and a member of the Her-Self staff. Freon: Later is too late HE MICHIGAN LEGISLATURE is hearing testimony today on the freon-ozone issue. Freon is the sub- stance which has been unanimously condemned by the scientific com- munity 'as a detrimental force on the earth's protective ozone layer. Without ozone, the. earth is sub- ject to stronger concentrations of ul- traviolet radiation than it receives presently. Ultraviolet radiation is dangerous to humans in that it can cause skin cancer; it is dangerous to the food chain from bottom to top in that it kills algae which are un- able to protect themselves from large doses of such radiation. Freon, a substance used as the pro- pellent in such aerosol products as deodorants and hairspray, has been found in independent studies by scientists across the country to be capable of disintegrating the ozone layer. Freon is used in these pro- ducts because it is an effective means of propelling the spray out of the can. However, freons eleven and twelve, the offending parties, are not the only kinds of chlorofluorocar- bons which are available to manufac- turers of deodorants and hairsprays. There are other freons which do not appear to be dangerous to the ozone layer and which could be utilized in aerosol cans. IN FACT, ACCORDNG to Ralph Ci- cerone, University professor, the only advantage freons eleven and twelve have over other possible pro- pellants is their non-flammability. It is today possible to spray one's Ar- rid Extra-Dry and light a cigarette simultaneously without exploding. For this luxury, we are submitting TODAY'S STAFF News: Glen Allerhand, David Gar- finkle, Sara Rimer,, Tim Schick, Jeff Sorensen, Bill Turque Editorial Page: Paul Haskins, Debra Hurwitz, Tom Stevens Arts Page: Chris Kochmanski Photo Technician: Pauline Lubens ourselves and other forms of life to a potentially deadly risk. We will not know for certain whe- ther freon can destroy enough ozone to be directly dangerous for approx- imately five years. It will take five years or thereabouts for the freon now released into the atmosphere to reach the ozone layer, so there is a gap in our knowledge which prevents it from being entirely certain at this point. Nevertheless the scientific com.- munity, despite numerous attempts, has been unable to come up with any data which would tend to dispute the present opinion: that is, that freons now in use present a significant dan- ger of increased ultraviolet radiation levels due to destruction of the ozone layer. EREONS ARE ALSO used as refrig- eration agents in many kinds of large machinery. Such use is also, po- tentially dangerous and many re- search teams are working on ways to modify refrigeration units so they can be run without freons. This pro- cess, however, will take some time to accomplish. In the meantime, we can buy a little extra time by eradi- cating aerosol use of freons immedi- ately. There is no reason for us to con- tinue to pollute our atmosphere and create for ourselves a potentially fa- tal situation simply because we want to be able to spray and smoke at the same time - without running the risk of spontaneous combustion. Many states are in the process of considering legislation which would ensure that aerosol manufacturers find substitutes for the freons they now use. Oregon has actually passed such a bill into law. Michigan will soon have its chance to pass a bill banning such freon use. We wholeheartedly support such leg- islation and hope that the testimony the Michigan legislature hears today leads them to make a decision in its favor. I Letters to The Daily Alliceis to tacitly deny the reality of a constant level of coercion To The Daily: keeping women in their place, FROM THE ORGANIZING and to make a mockery of both committee of the October 29th the role womens' work plays in Womens' Celebration, endorsed the economy and the serious na- by feminists from the Gradu- ture of the oppression they un- ate Employees' Organization dergo. Most critically, without (GEO): , collective organization, women We denounce the National Or- who act according to the dic- ganization of Women for its be- tates of their conscience and havior -concerning the October withhold their labor are unnec- 29th national womens' strike, essarily jeopardized for the specifically for: benefit of NOW's media farce. 1) NOW called for a national 2) NOW's vision of a national strke of women on Oct. 29 but womens' work stoppage is refused to commit itself to or- equivalent to a consumer indus- ganizing. A strike is the su- try created vision of a national preme expression of womens' mothers' day. Womens' work is capacity to engage in collective not amusing. action and of their fundamental 3) NOW did not consult any right to withhold labor in the other womens' organizations in struggle to achieve control over deciding to call for a strike, and the conditions of their work. To thereby presumed to speak for call for a strike without com- the entire womens' movement, mitting oneself to organization of which they represent only the reformist segment. 4) At the local level, NOW refused to sponsor or contribute to the womens' celebration, a viable alternative developed by an ad hoc and totally penniless group of community women. THE ACTIONS CITED above are reflective of the general po- litical perspective of the Nation- al Organization of Women. We denounce that organization as elitist, seriously irresponsible, presumptious, publicity-monger- ing, opportunists, adventurists, and anti-working class. We ad- vocate that all other sectors in the womens' movement join us in denouncing NOW and exclud- ing them from womens' collec- tive action for feminist social change. The Oct. 28th Organizing Com. Feminist members of GEO October 29 LEANINGS Old remedies won't cure class sickness HEALTH SERVICE HANDBOOK Slow hours best for visit By SYLVIA HACKER and NANCY GARWOOD Question: I came to Health Service at 4:30 on Wednesday and the doctor was in an awful rush. Why can'twthey take time to talk to a patient instead of treating you like a piece of meat? Answer: We talked to a num- ber of physicians about this question and believe it or not, it aroused a great deal of dis- cussion because most of them really want to take more time with a patient. They asked us to emphasize thatrcertain times during the day are not highly conducive to unhurried interac- tion. One is just before the lunch hour when physicians, students and many other living creatures are hungry and in need of in- gesting some tasty nutrients. Another bad time is late after- noon before the 5 p.m. closing time. At this time, two condi- tions are operating: the lab is closing and so if a test needs to begdone there is a pressure to get up there on time; the physicians who, as we have al- ready revealed in a previous col- umn, are human, want to go home to their families. So if you're feeling crummy, which is a time when TLC is especial- ly needed, it's a good idea to optimize your chances of getting it by coming in around early morning or early afternoon. We're not promising you a rose garden (to re-coin a phrase)rbut the probabilities for getting more attention are better then that a second tampon is inserted without removing the first one and the first one is therefore forced high into the vagina. It can actually be forgotten for awhile but not for long because a foul odor will soon develop, sometimes accompanied by a discharge. If you, or a very close friend can't remove it, a physician can do so very quick- ly and without serious discom- fort. Question: I have recently been sexually active with sev- eral different partners. I'm feel- ing great but considering all I've read about gonorrhea being asymptomatic in the female, do you recommend that I come in for a test? Answer: Yes, indeed. Having a culture done for gonorrhea can either reassure you that all's well or if an infection is brewing, it can be quickly and successfully treated before any inflammation spreads Question: In your October 17th column you spoke of high blood pressure as a risk factor lead- ing to the development of heart disease. Please elaborate. Answer: As you have already observed, one of our greatest strengths is elaborating, so here goes: Blood pressure refers to the pressure at which the heart pumps blood through the body, and is usually represented by 2 numbers (e.g., 120/80). The first number is the systolic blood pressure, produced when the heart contracts to pump the and young adults). When this happens, the heart has to work much harder to pump blood and as a result may become enlarg- ed. Also, hypertension many in- crease atherosclerosis (harden- ing of the arteries) by pushing blood fats into the artery walls. Several factors may increase an individual's susceptibility to de- veloping hypertension. If some- one in your family has had this condition, your chances of de- veloping it are increased. Age and race are also important as it is more prevalent in black people and persons over the age of 35. It is important to note that although some persons with high blood pressure may have symptoms that include headaches upon waking in the morning, nosebleeds, and feel- ings of tiredness, dizziness, and shortness of breath, hyperten- sion may be far advanced with- out causing any of these symp- toms. Thus, to be on the safe side, you should have your blood pressure checked yearly, especi- ally as hypertension can be con- trolled, if detected, through medication and diet (the latter usually including moderate re- striction of sodium and reduc- tion of overweight). As noted in our earlier column, untreated hypertension may increase your chances of developing heart at- tacks and stroke. REMINDER: Tonight iskthe big kickoff for kicking the smok- ing habit. Come to Health Ser- vice, Room 5 in the basement at 7:30 p.m. and find out wheth- er you want to join onr 4-week By ROBERT MILLER T1HE FISCAL CRISIS in New York is merely symptomatic of the human crisis visable in all American cities. As the quality of life, wages and working con- ditions deteriorate, corporate profits increase. Banks, through their practice of "red lining" take money from the inner city and invest elsewhere. Banks have not only milked NYC, but the entire nation. Mu- nicipal and state governments across the country will pay an extra $3 billion this year to bor- row money at interest rates-in- flated 2-3 per cent. The cost of utilities and services like water and sewage disposal will be fur- ther increased. Default is only one element of an imbalanced economy which redistributes resources in favor of banks and corporations. This will continue whether or not the city defaults. WAGE FREEZES AND lay- offs in the public sector will act asan invitation for corpora- tions to pay their blue collar and service employees a lower wage and relieve the pressure to increase benefits. A default would reduce social services as well as accelerate the trend to- ward concentration and mer-- gers. If the money market tight- ens up small businesses and banks will find it harder to bor- row and consolidations will oc- cur. The English journalist Ham- ish McRue comments percep- tively: "While we inkBritain tend to see New York's diffi- culties as a crisis of the Ameri- can free enterprise system - as private wealth and public squa- lor, and something that is hap- pening elsewhere in ' America but on a less dramatic scale in the U. S. it is taken as the folly of high public spend- ing, whichsboth encourages waste and saps initiative." IN AMERICA A FEW social- istic notions lie within a capi- tlist framework. While the ity or labor leader on the Big MAC, the corporation composed of businessmen and financiers which in effect runs New York. Democracy in this country is being undermined by the "cor- porate foot" which prevents U. S. cities from curing their ills. If a state or city decides demo- cratically to increase corporate or personal taxes, factories and rich individuals can cross a nearby border. The mere threat to move by corporations has de- stroyed long-term planning or- iented toward human needs. Rapid transit in Detroit has been thwarted by this threat. In New York the number of working people has decreased by over * 500,000 over the last six years. The light manufactur- ing industries have fled to es- cape the well organized and militant textile unions. THE ONLY WAY workers can maintain a decent wage is to extend their organizing nation- ally and even internationally when possible. Bureaucrats like Meany who sell out to business must be pushed aside. There is a political vacuum developing in this country which "Potato - head" politi- cians like Hubert Humphrey cannot fill. Those Democrats which claim to represent blue collar workers and people of the inner city do not have the power to practice what they preach. The banks have them by the balls, leaving them little room to maneuver. New York has shown that in- dependent unions are the only ones which can protect their members and further, that the natural allies of workers are other workers, not Democratic politicians. It may not be a co- incidence that those services which Ford wants to assist - police, fire and sanitation have been the most militant when threatened with layoffs. New York has already seen strikes by teachers, and sani- tation workers, demonstrations by unemployed and those op- posed to day-care shut-downs nna vpnmar4e* byh senior The Teach-In mini-course will proceed as scheduled despite the failure of the LS&A Executive and Curriculum Committees to grant course credit for the educational alternative. Mini-course lectures will be presented by faculty members Henryk Skolimowski, Frithjof Bergmann, and Thomas Weiskopf. William Rosenberg will be supervising mini-course activities and conducting workshops, along with the other members, throughout. The mini-course should prove to be an invaluable ence for those interested in the teach-in and larger course -of contemporary American society. supplemental experi- issues affecting' the First Lecture:j By Professor Henryk Skolimowski October 30, Thursday, 7:30-9:00 p.m. 170 Physics and Astronomy Building Second Lecture: