Saturday, August 10, 1974 THE MICHIGAN DAILY Page Saturday, August 10, 1974 THE MICHIGAt'-J DAiLY Page .1 Letters: Fan mail and advice to be fair, hardworking, honest, Using the first approach, but don't denounce a judicial prehensible conduct. R and sincere. He always tries to Judge Elden comes fairly close candidate for merely having they go to the fact tha do justice within the constraints to the ideal profile, although his made an unpopular decision, should have been more s of the law and legal system. personal prejudices no doubt The whole world does not re- tive to the fact that the p i I nare an influence in his decis- volve around the $5 done law. are seeking to isolate stu I HAVE NO doubts that when ions. Since his philosophies are supporters as outside agits Judge Elden ruled against the probably more conservative -Randy Phillips But such political criti dope law that he did so only af- than mine or the editorial staff August 9, 1974 pales in comparison to the ter careful consideration of the of The Daily, those prejudices gust I feel at the role of legal arguments on both sides. may go against my interests at gu Ann Arbor Police in prote I am sure that he was convinc- times. But on the whole Judge the interests of the Argus ed that the law required him to Elden has proven himself to be To The Daily: poration as they seek to i make the decision that he a good judge under the first SINCE THE Tuesday edition the wishes of their empl made. approach. of The Michigan Daily attri- expressed in a democrati, C That ruling itself can not re: Many neonle would arge that buted an inaccurate quotation erally supervised election. Five ather t he ensi- olice udent ators. .ici3:n edis- f the cting Cor- gnore oyees , fed- Elden To The Editor: I WAS QUITE disturbed at your harsh attack of District Court Judge S. J. Elden in your recent endorsements. Your paper called Judge Eld- en a "reactionary" without any- thing to his judicial credit. Clearly, you based this state- ment as well as all the other endorsements in the judgeship race primarily on the $5 dope ordinance. Since Judge Elden ruled against Ann Aroor's first $5 law, your paper deduced that he -must be a reactionary and a conservative. To equate that decision with a "reactionary" character shows an ignorance of the legal and judicial process. As a law student working for student legal aid this past year, I have had the opportunity to appear and argue cases before Judge Elden. I have found him flect upon his own social and political philosophies, and Judge Elden may very well favor the de-criminalization of marijuana use and other victimless crimes as I do. Despite the above, I do not wish to imoly that I either vot- ed for Judge Elden or support- ed him in the recent primary. I did not, but it still remains that your endorsement was ur- fair to the man. I believe there are two alter- native approaches to choose from in deciding who to vote for for judge. FIRST, WILL he or she be a fair. honest, objective, and im- partial jodicial officer, i.e., the supposed ideal profile of a judge in our legal system? Second, will he or she vigor- ously protect those interests which most clearly reflect the voter's own political and social philosophies - perhaps even to the disadvantage of other inter- est groups? only the first approach is pro- per in choosing a judge, but I believe that certain interests which are not now being ade- quately protected need vigorous protection in order to balance the inequities caused by some bad judges and bad law. I HAVE worked to defend tenants and the accused for the past year at legal aid, and my interests center around the pro- tection of the rights of those two groups. Thus, I voted for Donald Koster based upon the sescond approach. My decision was not an easy one to make, because I have a great deal of respect for judge Elden and his judicial abilities. In the future, I would sug- gest that you make very clear the real reason for your choic- es. If it is because you think your endorsed candidate will be very favorable to the positions or interests you support or wish to see protected, then say Lo, to me as a person who alleged- ly "wished to remain anony- mous', I feel compelled to set the record straight. The Daily stated that I had said that Mark Zucker, a stu- dent supporter of the Argus strike arrested on the picket line by the Ann Arbor police, had blocked a car. I did not say that, and he did not do it. It is curious that the police originally stated to me and oth- ers at the picket line that Zuck- er had struck a car with a picket sign. After we pointed out that the police had not even checked the car for evidence of the charge, they "adjusted" the crime to obstructing traffic when he was booked. S i n c e the car which Zucker alleged- ly obstructed managed to pro- coed through the picket line un- escorted and quite unscathed, the charge seems patently ab- surd. WHAT CRITICISMS I m a y have of Zucker are hardly that he engaged in illegal or re- Not only has Argus ignored the results of the election, forc- ing the workers to strike, they have hired scabs by moans of patently illegal newspater ads forbidden by Ann Arbor orain- ance. Yet the police continue to act as armed guards of strike- breakers. THE FORCE OF the govern- ment and the economic inter- ests of the Argus Corporation have become indistinguisnable, a combination of interests that are the rule rather than the ex- ception. It is that combination that we must all fight. It is that combination that is being faced every morning at 5:30 by the strikers as the scans come acros the picket line, which is where Mark Zucker, myself and others who support the c 0u2e of the workers plan to Ie. Requiem ... and the question (Continued from Page 4) shock or cynical "I told you so's." The frail image has collapsed. When, the highest of the highest succumbs to the common man's vices, it punctures public morale, leaving the country vulnerably preoccupied and confus- ed. AMERICA NEEDS a full-time president . . - to fight for personal vindication when the focus should be elsewhere . . . particularly at this time with problems we face at home and abroad would. be harmful," warned Nixon in his resignation speech Thursday night. Supposedly a leader in time of crisis, Nixon's ability to "rally around the flag" was dangerously im- periled. Since 1776, liberal historians and political scientists have stressed the need for a strong executive. According to them, the Presidential office was inherently weak and required the pre- sident to maximize his power. Yet should maxi- mization imply exploitation? What will future presidents be like? Wards of Congress? Do-nothings? Or strong-willed re- formers able to capture the nation's imagina- tion? The future does not promise a strong execu- tive, for the office has been abused by Richard Nixon. GERALD FORD is confronted by a angry Congress and an irate public. The future of tri- partite government in this country depends heavily on his behavior in the next few months. * By DELLA DIPIETRO j DON'T KNOW whether I would like to see criminal prosecution proceedings start- ed against former President Nixon. I am honestly stunned and confused. I've heard and pondered a multitude of con- flicting opinions. But amid all my confusion there is a sense of something that I wasn't sure still existed in me. Perhaps some would think that I'm being sentimental in a cut-and-dry business world where sentimentality shouldn't exist; or I'm being traditional in a country where traditions are stamped outmoded on a reg- ular basis - but I AM feeling patriotic. I feel proud of the country where this transfer of power has taken place without bloodshed and riots; of a Constitution that has lasted and succeeded when others have failed. Yes, then carry out that Constitution to the end - equal justice under the law for all men, many cry, with justification. PERHAPS Mr. Nixon should not be granted amnesty just be- cause he was our president. In spite of myself, though, the thought of possibly dragging the than our country elected presi- dent, down from one- of the highest offices in the world to the gutter, is "abhorrent" to me. Our country has beep suffer- ing from a terrible wound. It's an ugly wound, one many would like to forget. just 'be-' caine tf is ugly. Maybe I am * one of those. It's a serious wound, one that would be fatal to many other countries. Our country has stood strong throughout and I do believe that it will no matter what comes out of this. But is it necessary to keep going on? Have we or have we not learned our lesson * yet? Certainly Nixon has, but have we, who helped let Water- gate happen - we, who didn't -and don't- take the time out to really know and really care? Can we begin with the healing process-or is there still too much dirt still imbedded in our wound? Ch urch i ekce FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST, SCIENTIST 1833 Washtenaw Sunday Service and Sunday School-10:30 a.m. Wednesday Testimony Meet- ing-8:00 p.m. Child Care-Sunday, under 2 years; Wednesday, through 6 years. Reading Room - 306 E. Lib- erty. 109 Mon., 10-8 Tues.-Sat. "The Truth That Heals" - WPAG radio, 10 a.m. Sunday. BETHLEHEM UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST 423 S. Fourth Ave. Ph. 665-6149 Minister: Howard F. Gebhart 10 a.m.-Worship Service and Church School. FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 1432 Washtenaw Ave. Ministers: Robert E.. Sanders, John R. Waser, Brewster H. Gere, Jr. "Where Christ, Campus and Community meet" 9:30 a.m, - Worship Service. Sermon Title: "Peace Is Pos- sible." ST. ANDREW'S EPSICOPAL CHURCH, 306 N. Division 10:00 a.m. -'Morning Prayer and Sermon. 7:00 p.m.-Holy Eucharist in chapel. CANTERBURY HOUSE 218 N. Division-665-0606 Holy Eucharist at noon at Canterbury House. LORD OF LIGHT LUTHERAN CHURCH (ALC-LCA) (Formerly Lutheran Student Chapel) 801 S. Forest Ave. at Hill St. Donald G. Zill, pastor Sunday Service at 10:30 a.m. UNIVERSITY LUTHERAN CHAPEL (LCMS) 1511 Washtenaw Ave. Alfred T. Schelps, Pastor Sunday Service at 9:15 a.m. UNIVERSITY REFORMED CHURCH, 1001 E. Huron Calvin Malefyt, Alan Rice, Ministers 10:00 a.m.--Morning Worship.