The Michigan Daily-Friday, June 16, 1978-Page 5 Ga. didn't ratify; Mayors snub conference By ELIZABETH SLOWIK A handful of mayors from Michigan and across the nation are not going to join their colleagues at the National Conference of Mayors in Atlantathis weekend in an informal protest of Georgia's failure to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). Ann Arbor Mayor Louis Belcher is among those mayors not attending the conference. Belcher, who is meeting with civic officials and Rep. Carl Pur- sell in Washington today, was unavilable for comment. At least four mayors from Michigan are not attending the five day conferen- ce: Belcher, George Goodman of Yp- silanti, George Griffiths of East Lan- sing, and Abe Drasin of Grand Rapids. All four cities have passed ordinances in recent months forbidding city em- ployees from using tax dollars to attend conferences in states that have not yet ratified the ERA. In addition to the Michigan con- tingent, several other mayors are boycotting the conference including Gerald Springer of Cincinnati, Niel Goldschmidt of Portland, Oregon, and Tom Bradley of Los Angeles. These cities have also passed laws similar to the Michigan measures. Springer called his decision not to at- tend the conference "a symbolic protest." "When you need only three more states even symbols help," continued Springer. "If public attention can be brought to that issue it can possible help. This is not a protest buta tool that can be effective in influencing public opinion." Ironically, Mayor Lyla Cockrell of San Antonio, who stumped vigorously for ERA, is leaving with one of her assistants this morning for the Atlanta conference. Cockrell is the ERA Task Force chairperson. San Antonio does not have a measure like the cities of non-attending mayors. But "if Council passed that," claimed Cockrell's aide,"they'd be hurting more than helping. "Local NOW chapters are running in- to city hall and getting these things passed. Goldschmidt has been a big help (towards getting the ERA ratified) and now he can't go. I'm not sure that's good strategy." A spokesperson from the National Mayors' Conference Washington office stressed that only a few mayors have skipped the meeting to protest Georgia's failure in ratification. He said that registration is up four percent from last year. Although Seattle Mayor Charles Royer is going to the conference, Seat- tle has a "modified boycott going" ac- cording to Royer's aide. Seattle's of- ficials can use city funds to go to "non- ERA" states if they can "demonstrate need" and promise to urge the group to hold future meetings in ERA states. Do a Tree a Favor: Recycle Your Daily Soviets switcb eharge against Alabama man MOSCOW (AP) - American erred when it informed the U.S. Em- businessman Francis Crawford, seized bassy on Tuesday that the Mobile, Ala., on a Moscow street by Soviet police, has salesman had been accused under Ar- been charged with currency violations ticle 78 of the Russian criminal code, - not smuggling as was previously an- the smuggling section. Currency nounced, U.S. sources said yesterday. violations fall under Article 88. The sources, who asked not to be Information available to American identified, said the Soviet Foreign officials here had indicated that the Ministry informed the U.S. Embassy of pre-trial investigation centered on ac- the allegations against Crawford, 38, cusations of currency speculation Moscow representative for Inter- against Crawford. national Harvster, but apparently gave Soviet police pulled Crawford from no r ason for changing the charge. his car at a stoplight Monday night as The currency violations carry a he and his fiancee, a 32-year-old three-to-eight-year prison sentence, secretary at the U.S. Embassy, were on compared with three-to-10-years for their way to a diplomatic party. He has smuggling, been in detention since then. His fiancee, Virginia Olbrish, THERE WERE unconfirmed reports claimed diplomatic immunity and was in Moscow that the Foreign Ministry not arrested. NOW AT BIG GEORGE'S FINE PHOTOGRAPHY DEPARTMENT... 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