Page Two FHE MICHIGAN DAILY Wednesday, July 13, 1977 Consumers purchasing down in June WASHINGTON (A - Con- sumer purchasing declined in June for the third consecutive month, the Commerce Depart- ment reported yesterday in the most serious signal yet that the economy may be headed for a significant slowdown in months ahead. While it may be only a coin- cidence, the slowdown in con- sumer buying started in April almost simultaneously with President Carter's decision to withdraw his proposal for a $50 tax rebate for every Amer- ican. That decision was an- nounced on April 14. THE COMMERCE Depart- ment estimated total retail sales in June at $59.233 billion, down very slightly from the May total of $59.247 billion. The decline in dollar terms was less than one-tenth of one STEVE'S LUNCH 1313 S. UNIVERSITY 769-2288 COME FOR: Vegetable lempura Sweet & Sour Korean Bar-B-Q Dinner Beef Dinner (Bul-go-gee) Fresh Bean Sprouts Mandoo (Kyoza) Plate Brown Rice WE TAKE CARRY-OUT ORDERS per cent. But since the sales figures are not adjusted for in- flation, the decline in consumer buying in real terms was pro- bably significantly greater. The June decline in retail sales fol- lowed a three-tenths of one per cent decline in May and a drop of one-tenth of one per cent in April. Prior to April, retail sales had increased at a substantial pace during the previous two months after Carter took office and announced his tax rebate proposal. AT THE time Carter with- drew histax rebate, several prominent administration of- ficials, including Secretary of Labor Ray Marshall, had said consumers may have been spending their rebates in ad- vance and could be left with empty pockets if they did not get them. Combined with other recent unfavorable economic statistics, including a rise in unemploy- ment in June to 7.1 per cent and the first decline in several months in the government's index of economic indicators, the sage inretail sales may add to fears the economy is enter- ing another slowdown, similar to the severe economic pause in mid-1976. However, Carter administra- tion officialshave expressed confidence that while the econo- my will slow somewhat from tbe seven per cent growth pace of the first half of the year, it still will grow at a healthy rate for the remainder of 1977. THE COMMERCE Depart- ment said in its June sales re- port that sales in both durable and nondurable goods were vir- tually unchanged from May, Durable sales totalled $20.033 billion, compared with May's $20.073 billion, and nondurable sales totalled $39.2 billion, com- pared with May's $39.174 bil- Wanted! peop1e who can: lion. Sales of autos and auto parts increased slightly in June to $11.993 billion, up from $11.959 billion in May, but still was be- low the April total of $12171 billion. The sharpest decline in sales in June occurred for building materials, hardware and farm equipment, with sales falling three per cent to $3.555 billion, down from $3.66 billion in May. FDA finds 'Laetrile ineffective WASHINGTON UP) - A gov- ernment review of evidence on the substance Laetrile shows beyond serious question" it is- ineffective against cancer. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Dr. Don- ald Keniedy said yesterday.. Kennedy told a Senate health subcommittee that the over- whelming majority of research- ers agree Laetrile is 'of un- proven safety and of no effec- tiveness whatsoever." T H E COMMISSIONER also rejected the idea that cancer patients should be able to $se Laetrile if they wish. "I think it is a deplorable suggestion that this govern- ment should, on the falsely ap- plied issue of freedom of choice, stand aside and allow patients and family to be ex- ploited by the purveyors of a therapy that is of unproven merit and even of uncertain identity." He said Laetrile, derived from apricot pits; can be made up of several compounds. IN ANOTHER development, two researchers in Ohio said tests conducted on mice for the American Cancer Institute showed that Laetrile had no ef- fect on cancer. "The drug had no effect on the growth of the, tumors," said David Houchens, coprincipal in- vestigator with Dr. Artemio Ovejera of the Battelle Labora- tories in Columbus. Houchens said. "It was neither positive nor negative. We saw no tox- icity. I would have to say in this particular test system, the drug is not effective under standard testing procedures." "But this certainly does not say it would not work in some tumor in some other system," he said. J.aetrile is available in some other countries, primarily in Mexico, and 11 states have act- ed to legalize its use within their own boundaries. THE MICHIGAN DILY Volume LXXxvi. No. 42-s Wednesday, July 13, 1977 is edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan. News phone 704-0562. Second class postage paid at Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109. Published daily Tuesday through Sunday morning during the Univer- sity year at 420 Maynard Street, Ann Arbor. Michigan 48105. Subscription rates: $12 Sept. thru April (2 semes- tes); $13 by mail outside Ann Arbor. Summer session published Tues- day through Saturday morning. Subscription rates: $6.50 in Ann Arbor; $7.20 by mail outside Ann Arbor. If you can spend some time, even a few hours, with someone who needs a hand, not a handout, call your local Voluntary Action Center. Or write to- "Volunteer" Washington, D.C. 20013 Weneedyou. 0 em toa, wb..tv pubMsg s. The National Center for Voluntary Action.