* Vol. LXXXVI1I,'No. 39-S
I ha A L Saturday, July 8, 1978
m chigan DAIL Sixteen Pages
Ann Arbor, Michigan Ten Cents
Drinking age hike on Nov. ballot
By MICHAEL ARKUSH
A referendum to raise the state's
drinking age to 21 has collected enough
signatures to be placed on the Novem-
ber ballot, and supporters predict a
substantial victory.
"I can bet you this proposal will pass,
and there will not be any confusion in
anybody's mind over what they're
voting for," said Allen Rice, head of the
Michigan Council on Alcohol Problems,
a group which strongly favors adoption
of the measure.
PROPONENTS of the amendment to
the state constitution yesterday filed
petitions containing over 317,000
Jobless
rate dips;
food
prices up
WASHINGTON (AP)-The cost of
food rose sharply last month and led
another increase in wholesale prices,
but the nation's unemployment rate
dipped to 5.7 per cent, the government
said yesterday.
The Carter administration said the
two Labor Department reports
illustrate the need to fight inflation
while showing "striking progress" in
the battle against unemployment.
The jobless rate dropped from 6.1 per
cent of the work force to 5.7 per cent in
June. Wholesale prices rose 0.7 per
cent, the same as in May, but wholesale
food prices began accelerating again.
THE PRICES grocers pay for food
went up 1.1 per cent in June, more than
double the 0.5 per cent gain the month
before. These increases usually show
up within a few months at retail stores.
Prices turned up sharply for poultry,
pork, beef, veal, vegetables, fruit and
rice. Prices declined for eggs,
vegetable oils and sugar.
Prices of automobiles went up more
slowly than in May while prices of fur-
niture went up faster. Gasoline prices
were lower.
ALTHOUGH FOOD prices were
rising at the latter stages of processing,
food price increases at earlier
stages-at the farm and
warehouse-appeared to be easing up.
"It seems that we have some further
price increases to absorb but the
general pattern ahead seems to be
toward moderation," said William Cox,
a Commerce Department economist.
The administration expects food
price increases to tail off in the second
half of the year. Officials expect the 10.2
per cent inflation rate during the first
five months to slow to 5 per cent in the
final seven months.
THE WHOLESALE price report-
showed that the producer price index
was 194.4, meaning wholesale prices
See JOBLESS, Page 7
signatures - approximately 50,000
more than required to put the measure
on the ballot.
The Secretary of State's office must
still validate the signatures but this
procedure is usually considered
automatic. It is expected a decision will
be issued later next week.
If the petitions are ruled legitimate
and voters approve the measure in
November, the new drinking age could
go into effect before Christmas.
STATE SEN. Alvin DeGrow (R-
Pigeon), a backer of the proposal, said
he has conducted several surveys in his
district showing 75 per cent of his con-
stituents support the amendment.
But DeGrow acknowledged the sur-
vey contained the usual shortcomings,
with only eight per cent of the voters
answering the questionnaire.
"I believe, however, that this survey
does show a fair consensus of what the.
people think," the Pigeon Republican
said.
DE GROW SAID Senate colleagues
told him their constituents also suppor-
ted the proposal.
Several months ago, the state
legislature approved a measure to raise
the drinking age to 19 effective Jan. 1,
1979, but rejected any resolutions to
move it to 21. If the referendum is
passed, it will override the legislature's
bill.
DeGrow said the legislature was
reluctant to raise the drinking
requirement to 21 because of pressure
from the state's liquor groups.
"BUT, WE BELIEVE the powerful
liquor lobby will not be able to get
enough support to block this proposal,"
he said.
Rice said his agency would push
vigorously to adopt the proposal by
staging a widespread advertising cam-
See DRINKING, Page 7
a i ootse Daily Photo by PETER SERUNG
The cool, green grass of the Diag provides an excellent spot for these two shoeless wayfarers to give their feet a rest on a
sultry July day.
DON'T QUIT, SARKIS TOLD:
Pressure on Lebanon mounts
BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP)-Israel reinforced its troops
along the Lebanese and Syrian borders yesterday as world
leaders stepped up efforts to keep -President Elias Sarkis
from resigning and to prevent the Syrian-Christian feud from
developing into a new Mideast crisis.
The reinforcements and the flight of seven Israeli war-
planesover Beirut on Thursday were a warning to Syria to
stop its attacks on Israel's Christian allies in Lebanon. Israeli
Defense Minister Ezar Weizman said Israel would have to
"do more than just take note" of the Syrian attacks in
Beirut's Christian quarter.
AN ISRAELI ARMY spokesman in Tel Aviv confirmed
an Israel radio report that said forces had been strengthened
'along the entire border" in the north. The spokesman said
the reinforcement also was designed to deter Palestinian
guerrillas from taking advantage of the Syrian action by
stepping up activity against Christians in southern Lebanon.
Syria put its armed forces on alert.
The Christian quarter was calm as Syrian guns fell silent
after six days of intensive bombardment of east Beirut,
where rightist militias maintain their strongholds. Oc-
casional sniper fire, however, kept most of the quarter's
600,000 residents indoors;
THE PARKING LOT at the presidential palace was
brimming with limousines as ambassadors lined up to
present their government's views and get a reading on the
-complex political situation. The United States, Britain,
France and Syria, as well as both Christian and Moslem
leaders in Lebanon, urged Sarkis to remain at his post.
Syrian President Hafez Assad, who provided key support
for Sarkis' elevation to the presidency two years ago, said the
53-year-old Christian should remain in office for the sake of
security and stability, Damascus radio reported.
The Moslem Prime Minister Salim el Hoss, who resigned
See SARKIS, Page5-