Critics attac local hospital By DAN BIDDLE The Ann Arbor chapter of the Medical Committee for Human Rights (MCHR) has accused St. Joseph Mercy Hospital of mono- polistic practices, violation of Michigan tax statutes, and "gross negligence in serving real community health needs." MCHR is a growing organiza- tion of medical professionals whose self-proclaimed purpose is to "make quality health care a human right." The hospital has categorically denied all the charges in an of- ficial statement describing the allegations as "irresponsible and having utterly no basis in fact." MCHR announced yesterday that it had sent out a series of letters requesting that: -U.S. Attorney General Rich- ard Kleindienst begin "an invest- igation of several Michigan cor- porations involved in an alleged "conspiracy with the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital to monopolize trade in emergency room care, anethesiology, radiology, a n d academic training programs:" -S t a t e Insurance Commis- sioner Russel Van Hooser "in- tervene to stop illegal and un- just practices leading to need- less high costs" at St. Joseph's; -City Attorney Jerold Lax file suit against the hospital for violation of Michigan Statute 211, which deals with tax exemp- tions for non-profit corporations; -City Council begin "exten- sive public hearings in order to stop the self-interest-oriented and secretive planning and operation of St. Joseph Mercy Hospital." Neither Kleindienst nor Hooser were available last night for comment on the requests from MCHR. Lax said he has ordered City Assessor Wayne Johnson to in- vestigate the matter. MCHR charges that the hos- pital violates tax statutes by "extending its tax exempt status to profit - making professional corporations." St. Joseph's Public Relations and Development Director John Rhude called the charges "total- ly false" and said that all cor- porations using hospital space "are paying their taxes" for that space. He also denied the charge of "monopolistic practices in health care." Many of the allegations con- cern St. Joseph's planned move to a new site in Superior Town- ship, east of Ann Arbor. According to Rhude, the move was made necessary by a Mich- igan Board of Health directive ordering the hospital to expand and improve its capacity on a' new site by 1976. MCHR spokesperson Eric Helt argued that the reasons for the move have never been made clear, and said he was con- vinced that the move was in- tended "to satisfy the hospital's profit motive and dodge input from this community." Rhude denied Helt's claim. MCHR contends that a closer location is available at an esti- mated cost of $750,000, compared to a figure of $2 million for the planned site, which Helt says is close enough to the Ann Arbor sewage treatment plant to cre- ate a "serious health hazar'd." Rhude called Helt's figures "erroneous" and denied the health hazard charge He added that the Michigan Board of Health had approved of the new site but said he did not know "exactly how far it is" from the sewage plant. page thre NEVER-ENDING High-$3 Low-63 Mostly cloudy, chance of thundershowers Tuesday, July 18, 1972 ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN News Pho ie: 764-0552 IRS seeks suit against A landlords Retreat near Quang Tri South Vietnamese hurry to climb aboard a truck at a bridge crossing south of North Vietnamese rocket fire begins to close in on their position yesterday. The Sou are in the third week of a drive to recapture Quang Tri and claim to have advanced yards of the provincial capital's eastern border with the help of massive U.S. bombi: U.S. B52 bombers and a naval task force of more than a dozen crusiers and destr the North Vietnamese held areas. STARTS TOMORROW: Annual fair turns South into an excitingartist' s By CHRIS PARKS Following a large scale in- vestigation of campus area hous- ing, the Detroit branch of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has recommended that the Jus- tice Department initiate law suits against certain Ann Arbor landlords for rent freeze viola- tions. This was revealed by Mayor Robert Harris at last night's City Council meeting. According to Harris, the recom- Associated Press mendatio'h for action was made known yesterday afternoon dur- ing a meeting between Detroit IRS officials and the council's Quang Tri as Rental Housing Committee. No ith Vietnamese specific landlords were named. I to within 200 Harris said, "We got the im- pression that local IRS has rec- ng. Nearly 100 ommended some enforcement oyers pounded suits, but do not know if these will be civil or, criminal or whether the U.S. Attorney and - Justice Department will ap- prove the recommendations." The decision by IRS came, ac- cording to Harris, after a major lT investigation of campus area landlords. IRS, Harris said, as- signed 15 per cent of its entire field manpower for the state to the study. aIt was the opinion of the IRS investigators, h o w e v e r, that overcharges were due to "land- lord misunderstanding of the o maintain t h e complex rules, rather than will- he displays work ful flouting of understood rules," s year's artists according to the mayor. y an acceptance Harris' announcement came up of eight per- just prior to passage by City Council of a rent control ordi- nance designed to p r o m o t e stricter compliance with rent freeeze provisions by city land- lords. The ordinance requires land- lords to compile rent data in- cluding base price information, and to make this information available to prospective tenants. Several key provisions were deleted before the law was pass- ed, however. Deleted portions of the ordi- nance include a requirement that the information be filed with the City Assessor, and a clause allowing any concerned person to file suit against a landlord be- lieved to be in violation. As approved, the ordinance carries with it a possible fine of up to $100 and jail sentence of up to 90 days for noncompli- ance. Only Council members Bruce Benner (R-4th ward) and Lloyd Fairbanks (R-5th ward) opposed the measure. MCAT-DAT Home Study Review and Testing Program For information write: GRADUATE STUDIES CENTER P.O. Box 386, N.Y., N.Y. 10011 This Wednesday will mark the opening of the thirteenth an- nual Ann Arbor Street Art Fair which will run through Saturday, July 22nd. The fair annually attracts over 70,000 persons who come to view the work of nationally known ar- tists from sixteen states as well as Canada. Many types of art media can be seen at the fair as well as demonstrations of glass blowing. ceramics, wood carving, print- making, weaving, spinning, painting, metalsmithing, weld- ing, clay sculpture, and enamel- ing. Sponsored by the South Univer- sity Businessmen's Association, The Ann Arbor Art Association, the Chamber of Commerce and the University of Michigan, the fair will take place in booths constructed on South University.' Plannedastageeaperformances highlight each year's fair. This year's entertainment will include performances by the Civil Thea- tre, the Ann Arbor Council for the Performing Arts and t he Huron Valley Architects Associa- tion. Impromptu events, such as the street dances, strolling singers and musical groups, also add ex- citement to the fair. Other events include children's artwork created from recycled discarded materials, and exhibi- tions from, the Potter's Guild, high school students and senior citizens. In an effort t high quality of ti on display, thi were selected b committee made sons competent to evaluate one or more categories of the fair. The committee also evaluatees all work at the fair each year and uses this evaluation as a basis for issuing invitations to artists the following year., This year's fair hours are from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. The best time to visit the art fair is be- tween opening hours and mid-af- ternoon. OPEN e e 1:15 Shown at 1:30 4 P.M. 6:30 9 P.M. 231 S. STATE ST. DIAL 662-6264