S TD TT T6 LICTEP STATES AN TO ThU CCRRUPTOM A i6N- OF AMERICA- FOR WHICH Fr STAMPDS- ONE K)Kx ti.)Th ULCtEIY 1 (FPAIV- FOP, AUL.. VMFER G(ARP- VCE - THE Summer Daily Summer E diioni of 7'1E MICH IGAN DAILY Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan Friday, June 1, 1973 News Phone: 764 0552 Hospiltalsw should perform aortions ON JANUARY 22 of this year, the Supreme Court ruled that states cannot prevent a woman from having an abortion during the first three months of pregnancy. In an apparent contradiction of this ruling, the Michigan House passed a bill yesterday declaring that hospitals and hospital personnel could refuse to perform abortions on moral grounds without fear of reprisals. The House bill also applied to clinics and medical fa- cilities. The bill now faces state Senate approval, along with Governor Milliken's signature, and if passed, will surely be challenged in court. WE FIND the implications of this bill offensive, and hope that it is quickly killed by the Senate or the Gov- ernor. The bill clearly seeks to limit the right of Michi- gan women to have a legal abortion. Supreme Court Judge Harry Blackmun, in delivering 5he ruling on January 22, stated that the decision to end a pregnancy in its early stages must be left to the woman and her nhysician. Speaking on the state's role on abortion mftbers. Blackmun noted that the state can only step in to protect health and prenatal life and to impose medical standards. In sum, the Sunreme Court has ruled that the state can only issue abortion regulations for medical reasons, and not moral reasons. WE BELTEVE that individuals who find abortions mor- ally repreh-nsihle should not have to perform them against their will. However, we do not think that licensed hospitals and clinics, which exist as institutions to pro- vide health services, should be allowed to refuse to per- form abortions because of the moral opposition of hos- pItal administrators who determine hospital policy. It is the responsibility of hospitals to protect the health of those people who put their trust into hospitals as the place to receive adequate health care. Abortion, as a legally approved medical service, must also be made available by hospitals, in upholding the public faith. Summer Staff ROLPE TESSEM Editor A sad tale of age and loneliness; Life goes on for the elderly By SUE SOMMER AMIDST A throng of vacant eyes Dora slouched in a corner chair, snoring. At eighty-two years of age she had found her morning expedition from her bedroom to the dining hall too exhausting. After bearing up twice in t h e corridors, transformed at meal- times into busy thoroughfares, she had sought refuge at the nurse's station. There, seated in a row of chairs extending half-way down the hall, Dora and her neighbors were safe from the hustling of aides and nurses who straightened out rooms and distributed morning medication. Dora is already a three-year vet- eran at the tBrown Home for the Elderly. After her husband's death she had tried to persevere in her house- keeping and "independent" living. Failing at that, she had moved in with her daughter's family.SBut that meant thai her grandson, Johnny, must share a room with his younger brother and the fam- ily could only go on a one week vacation in the summer instead of two. It was "mutually" decided - Dora would be happiest in a home. WAKING UP, she tucked the skirt of her four-sizes-too-large house dress more snuggly around her knees and attempted to ar- range her hia, the few strands that sherhad. Although not yet entirely void of color, it refused to match even a gleam of light for highlights. "Dora, do you want to stuff a pillow with me in the recreation room?" It was always a pillow . . or once in a long while a stuffed dog. She already had so many and not even enough grandchildren to give them all to. Nevertheless, she clasped hold of the extended hands for sup- port, moral as well as physical, hoisted herself to swollen feet and shuffled down to the recreation room. Dora eased down into yet another chair. AS ATTENTION to her own very unurgent need was delayed, she distracted herself by studying Ms. Friedman, a blind woman seated on her left. Ms. Friedman, hunch- backed, seemed everyday to shrink still further back into the form of her wheelchair. With mixed confusion and en- tertainment Dora eyed the way in which the aides tried to trick her comrade out of one or two pillows. Commending her on her speed at stuffing, they would take the "finished' product, dump the cotton back onto the table and ask her please to stuff another. "Here you are, Dora. Your own pillowecase. Isn't it pretty?" They all spoke in that identical squeaky voice. Silly teasing. Baby chatter. This time it back-fired. "Sdick it up your ass'" But no. They'd set it down in front of her and inevitable she'd take it up, commencing to rip apart the big clumps of cotton, the same as everyone else in the roam. Her arthritis was acting up and after only a minute of pulling and tugging she had to pause and mas- sage her throbbing hands. When did they eat lunch? She couldn't remember and competed with 15 other women, all hollering the same aide's name, in order to inquire. TWELVE O'CLOCK; it never changed. On her way to lunch she en- countered the home social work- er, navigating through the home with a "special", obviously very worried visitor and her family. But with a waiting list of 200, these ever new faces only confused Dora. "And this afternoon we'll 1be having a surprise birthday party for the residents who have had birthdays this week." Ah, the social worker had spilled the beans, but even surprise par- ties were a weekly routine. One of the first guests to be es- corted into the recreation room, majestically converted into a par- ty room by 3 balloons and a few streams of crepe paper, Dora felt the room transformed a third time, unintentionally, into a steam bath. The air conditioners sputtered, but the open windows negated their ef- fedt and the jamming of 60 penile into the crampedmroom left little space for any breeze to seep through. LISTENING TO Robby, theb li- mousine driver, croak out "The Impossible Dream" in his falsetto voice was too irritating. When Dora, though, asked for assistance hack to the nurse's station, en- vious of those who could. weave through the maze of chairs alone, she was urged to stay a little longer and enjoy the party . .. AND the birthday cake. So she ate cake at 3:00 and at 4:30 found herself once again mil- ling through the dining hall to her table. Dora slipped a dry, passive kiss onto the cheek of the party-lady who had comne to say good-bye and with a feeble reluctance surrend- ered the clutched hand. The woman explained, she had to dash home to prepare dinner for her children. 5:30 -- you couid see the. plate of Dora's dentures, as sle slept in a chair opposite the nurse's station with her mouth slipping open. As soon as the evening nurse's shift had arrived someone would clean the chocolate off her face and dress her for bed. Sue Sommer is an assitant ight editor for The Daily. The Editorial Page of The Michigan Daily is open to any- one who w i s h e s to submit articles. Generally speaking, all articles should be less than 1,000 words. MARTYSTERN Editorial Page Editor DAN BORS Spurts Editor BILL BLACKFORD Business Manager . Asst. Night Editor . Ass't. Night Editor Ass't. Night Editor - - -Ass'. Night Eitor -Staff Photographer - ...SasetPhotographer LAURA i'i IAiN KATH Y }si r, DAVE M4ARauLiCK T U 7 .- : 1-,1!t1