The Michigan Daily-Thursday, July 6, 1978-Page 9
FIGHTING CONTINUES
Lebanon asks Syria for truce
BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) - Shelling
and sniping between Syrian troops and
Lebanese Christian militia bands
paralyzed east Beirut yesterday and
the Lebanese government appealed to
Damascus for a truce.
But the Syrians seemed in no mood to
listen.
WHILE LEBANON'S Fuad Butros,
the foreign and defense minister,
hurried to the Syrian capital for urgent
consultations with President Hafez
Assad, Syrian artillery and rockets
pounded the Christian quarter for the
fifth straight day.
Intensive barrages shook the entire
capital throughout the night. The
Syrian assault is aimed at the eastern
Christiaa sector of the city where the
militia bands of the Phalangists and
National Liberals are headquartered.
Eyewitnesses reported convoys of
trucks moving at daylight into Beirut
from Sidon, the provincial capital 25
miles south of Beirut. A string of 44
Syrian trucks loaded with ammunition
also lined the road from the airport.
AN INDICATION of the emotions
lingering since the 1975-76 civil war is
found in the undisguised glee the
predominantly Moslem residents of
west Beirut show at seeing the
Christian quarter leveled.
Residents of high-rise apartments in
the western sector were seen on their
roofs during the night, applauding each
time a Syrian shell exploded in a flash
across the city.
The latest casualty count issued by
Beirut police indicated 167 residents of
east Beirut were killed. Some 579 per-
sons, mostly civilians, have been woun-
ded since the clash erupted Saturday.
"THE PHALANGISTS and National
liberals are criminal gangs out to usurp
power and partition Lebanon into sec-
tarian states," stormed the state radio
in Damascus.
"Their state will be allied with Israel
to imperil Syria's western flank. That's
why they are provoking Syrian forces in
the Arab peacekeeping army, but these
forces ~ represent the legitimate
authority in Lebanon as wel as the
genuine will of the Lebanese people,"
Damascus radio asserted.
The 30,000 Syrian force in Lebanon is
the core of the Arab League's
peacekeeping force policing the ar-
mistice since the civil war ended.
THE SYRIANS cooperated with the
Christian rightists in the civil war to
fend off an alliance of Palestinians and
Moslem leftists. But in-fighting among
the Christians and their cooperation
with Israel in the south have caused
relations between Syria and some
Christian factions to deteriorate.
Rightist leader Camille Chamoun,
head of the National Liberal Party and
former president, publicly urged the
Syrians to get out of Lebanon im-
mediately.
Chamoun's statement angered the
Syrians, leading to the collapse of the
cease-fire Tuesday, the third in as
many days. It even drew fire from
Lebanese Prime Minister Selim el
Hoss.
"SUCH TALK is strange considering
we know that the ADF (Arab Deterrent
Force) came here at the request of the
legitimate authorities, reflecting a
Lebanese consensus," Hoss said.
Foreign observers and Lebanese
commentators voiced fears that, if
prolonged, the clash could escalate into
a free-for-all and plunge this troubled
nation back into war.
One well-informed Western diplomat
said he feared the Lebanese gover-
nment could split into rightist and pro-
Syrian factions, and that the Lebanese
Moslems and Palestinians would again
attempt to rush into the fray, re-
igniting the hostilities of the civil war.
The diplomat said the two leftist
groups have stayed out of the fight, but
a call for help from their Syrian ally
might be difficult to turn down if it
came.
Wichita, Kan., named after the
Wichita Indians, was founded in 1870,
and became the shipping point for cat-
tle herds driven up from the Chisholm
Trail.
Backers say tax slash could cut local rents
(Continued from Page 3) remain outside the market because of top. that only "fat" in government nei
Management estimated property taxes the high tax rates. JARVIS RECEIVED national atten- trimmed in implementing the a
account for 20 per cent of area rental Backers of the amendment still need tion during the California proposition d'ent.
expenses. to gather an estimated 60,000 campaign and backers of the Tisch We are opposed to any cut it
Taylor said the long-range effect of a signatures in order to place the Amendment are confident his ap- essential services because it is
drastic tax cut might be even more measure on the ballot. Howard Jarvis, pearance will result in the collection of necessary," Kissner said, "But w
significant to the local market. Such an co-author of California's successful enough signatures to get the amen- told, for example, that 50 per centa
action, he said, would encourage Proposition 13, began a two-day swing dment on the ballot. budget in (Washtenaw) Count
housing development in Ann Arbor by of the state yesterday in an effort to Kissner praised Jarvis as "the first wasted."
attracting firms which currently help push the signature drive over the folk hero in recent history" and IF THE PROPOSAL manages to
described his campaign as embracing a spot on the ballot and is approv
" the "little people in America." Kissner voters in November, state and
spoke of the proposition's importance administrators would still have
not only in cutting government spen- December 199 to adjust to the red
A:---4 .... ....funding.
ed be
men-
m the
s not
e are
of the
ty is
gain
ed by
local
until
duced
cuts due to budget
(continuedfrom Page3)before establishing next year's budget.
quality in all areas of the University, Eastern Michigan University will
we may have to reduce parts of dif- receive $31.88 million, Washtenaw
ferent areas of the spectrum. For Community College will get $3.69
example, we may have to offer fewer million and Michigan State will be allot-
'We realize the state has other needs
but given the huge size of the budget, we
see that the Unversity is underfunded just
as we have been underfunded before.' -
-Vice-president Harold Shapiro
ding but in maintaining democracy.
"All of this taxation is pushing people
off the economic edge. They just can't
afford to own their homes," Kissner
said. "When you have a stake in
America and own your own home it
makes for a much more stable
democracy."
THE PROPOSAL is widely opposed
by government officials, however, who
point to the drastic cuts in state
programs which will result from
reduced revenues.
Sponsors of the amendment claim
"Property tax is not as crucial as it is
thought to be," Kissner said. "Most
localities will only have a budget cut of
eight to 12 per cent because of other
revenues such as state and federal
aid."
The Tisch Amendment would allow
for an increase in state income tax from
4.6 to 5.6 per cent to offset a portion of
the lost property tax revenue, but such
a move would only recover $475 million
of the estimated $1.6 billion which
would be lost.
-7
courses in this or that area," said
Shapiro.
But he said the long range effect may
be prevented if the state starts to
allocate sufficient appropriations to the
school.
Shapiro said he could not understand
the legislature's mptives in cutting
University funds. He said there were no
efforts to pressure state represen-
tatives.
HE SAID IT WAS UNUSUAL THAT
BOTH THE Senate and House budget
proposals surpassed the final figure
allotted to the University.
He said the administration still had to
reassess the fundamental ap-
propriations to. all. University 'areas
ted $132.63 million.
Washtenaw Community College's
portion comes from the $2.6 billion ap-
proved for the state's public schools,
colleges and universities.
The game
that won't
qut
Billiards at the
UNION
Open 11 a.m. Mon-Fri
1 p.m. Sat-Sun
Reduced rates to 6 p.m.
ACTOR'S ENSEMBLE
Theatre for the Art Fair
YANKS 3 DETROIT 0
TOP OF THE SEVENTH
BY Jonathon Reynolds
SEXUAL PERVERSITY
IN CHICAGO
by David Mamet
July 19-22, 8 pm
Schorling Auditorium
School of Education
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