The Michigan Daily
Vol. LXXXVII, No. 52-S
Ann Arbor, Michigan-Wednesday, July 27, 1977
Ten Cents Twelve Page
Carter moves
fast to refute
blacks' criticism
WASHINGTON ()-President
Carter, w h o readily acknowl-
edges the role black voters play-
ed in electing him, is moving
quickly in public and private to
cut off criticism of his admin-
istration by black leaders.
Soon after Vernon Jordan, ex-
ecutive director of the National
Urban League, issued a stinging
critique Sunday of the Carter
administration's f i r s t s i x
months, the President, members
of his Cabinet and White House
aides were responding with ag-
gressive defenses of the admin-
istration's work.
JORDAN HAD told the Urban
League convention that "many
black people feel that their
hopes and their needs have been
bertayed" by what he said was
the administration's unrespon-
siveness to black problems.
The Urban League is a pre-
dominantly black organization
interested in civil rights and city
problems.
Carter was joined by two
ranking black Cabinet-level of-
ficials, U.N. Ambassador An-
drew Young and Patricia Rob-
erts Harris, the secretary of
horsing and urban development,
in defending the administration
before the convention.
YESTERDAY, Labor Secre-
tary Ray Marshall told the con-
vention .that the administration
is dedicated to strict enforce-
ment of th nation's civil rights
laws "after eight years of not-
sit-benign neglect."
Atty. Gun. Griffin Bell later
addressed the convention, mak-
ing him the fourth Cabinet-level
official to take the podium.
Marshall said C ar t e r has
made civil rights a key area of
his government reorganization
project in order to improve co-
ordination among agencies re-
sponsible for enforcing those
laws.
WHEN CARTER addres ed
the convention Monday, he call-
ed Jordan "my good friehd,"'
and said the improvements he
wanted to make in the lives of
poor people would tke more
time.
Then, privately, Carter took
Jordan aside and made clear
his feeling that public criticism
of the administration was "dam- -
aging to the hopes and aspira-
tions of those poor people."
Jordan said later that Carter
may have bought some time, -
but not much. He also felt his. <- 'Poo-MA 6LIS KY
criticism was "a fair and just Duilv Photo by MLAN 5ILINSKY
analysis." Tennis anyone
CARTER ALSO drew criticism Lack of a partner didnt bother this furry, four-legged tennis player from joining his master and
See CARTER, Page 10 friend on the courts.
CITY RECEIVES IMPROVEMENTS GRANTS:
ousingplcture brghtens
By GREGG KRUPA
"In the past this city has
been the worst slumlord in the
city. Hopefully, now we can
turn things around."
That was Mayor Albert
Wheeler's assessment of the
city's public housing market,
offered at Monday night's work-
ing session, with City Council
and the Ann Arbor Housing
Commission.
ONE YEAR ago the commis-
sion was drawing severe criti-
cism from parties on all sides
of the city's public housing
soin. Tenants were complain-
ing of abhorent housing condi-
tions in the city, the staff of
the commission had been al-
most completely replaced in a
year's time, and the depart-
ment of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD), had re-
fused to provide several reve-
nue allocations of federal funds
because of management prob-
lems within the commission.
Since that time, thanks large-
ly to personnel changes in the
commission, the public housing
picture in the city has bright-
ened somewhat. But as Jamie
Kenworthy (D-Fourth Ward)
quipped Monday night, "No
one can say we're out of the
woods, yet."
The major sign of the turn-
around is a $400,000 allocation
from HUD, that commission di-
rector Harry Kerr says will be
used for improvements to pub-
lic housing facilities.
"MANY TENANTS have
complained of the lack of pro-
per insulation in the buildings.
We even saw cases where snow
was actually blowing in one of
the facilities," said Kerr.
Kerr said that by next win-
ter, the public housing facili-
ties will have nine inches of in-
sulation, instead of the thret
inches most facilities now have.
Kerr said in addition to insula-
tion, storm windows and weath
erstripping will be installed, it
an effort to keep warm air in
the buildings in the winter.
The commission also hopes
to improve the fire safety con-
ditions in the public housing fa
cilities by building fire doors
and plugging holes in firewalls
with spray insulation.
In addition to physical im-
provements, t h e commissiot
staff has been invited to partici
pate in a training program de
signed to improve the manage
ment and operation of the com
mission. 'he training consist!
of two one-week Housing Man
agement Training Program!
See A2, Page 10
House, Senate groups can't agree on
rules for federally funded abortions
WA; :INGT,'(N (/i's0-IHouse and Senate conferees and written into law in 1976.
failed to acre; yesterday on whether federal funds "We are at an impasse," said Iep. Daniel Flood
should be used for abortions. They sent the ques- (D-Pa.), chairman of a House Appropriations sub-
tion back to their respective chambers to be re- committee. "They are going to take back their
solved, language and we are going to-take back ours."
The Se-site offered House conferees a provision The senators refused to consider any provision
that woild have permitted abortions in cases of that was more restrictive than the one that had
rape, incest and medical necessity. But by a ten been voted on by their Senate colleagues.
too we vote, the House conferees refused to go "AS OF NOW, we have to stick with the Senate
a g with it. language," said Sen. W a r r e n Magnuson (D-
StNATE CONFEREES last week rejected the Wash.), chairman of a Senate appropriations sub-
more '-strictive language proposed by the House committee.
that w Ald have permitted abortions when the The impasse did not prevent the conferees
woman's 'ife would be jeopardized by a full-term from agreeing to a $61 billion appropriations bill
pregnancy. This same language had been adopted See CONGRESS, Page 10
Monolith