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Welfare lists hit
all-time high point
By The Associated Press
The government announced
yesterday that unemployment
pushed welfare rolls to their
biggest monthly jump in three
years during January, and
spokesmen said the rolls now
are probably at an all-time,
high.
At the same time, the Labor
Department said first time
claims for unemployment took
another weekly drop to their
lowest point since November,
and American Motors Corp.
(AMC) announced losses that
put the American auto indus-
try's net first-quarter loss at
$94 million.
THERE WERE ALSO these
economic developments:
-An Agriculture Department
report said poor weather this
spring has caused serious delays
in planting corn and other crops
essential to the nation's food
supply next year. The report
said unless weather improves,
food prices might take an up-
swing in 1976.
The Department of Health,
Education and Welfare (HEW)
said welfare rolls in January
were up 1.3 per cent. It said
the 11,147,071 persons receiving
Aid to Families with Dependent
Children (AFDC) in January
was just 8,888 short of the all-
time high in March 1973.
ROLLS HAD dropped steadily
from March 1973 until last Au-
gust, when they began rising.
The pace accelerated as the
economy worsened, with addi-
tion of 123,100 recipients in De-
cember and 141,447 in January.
January is the latest month
for which AFDC figures are
available. Unemployment was
8.2 per cent in January and 8.9
per cent in April.
HEW officials said welfare
rolls now probably are at all-
time record highs although ex-
act figures won't be available
for months.
"OBVIOUSLY, the welfare
rolls are being affected by pre-
sent economic conditions, espe-
cially the job market for low-
skilled mothers with families
who are the principal family
heads on the rolls," said James
Dwight, outgoing administrator
of HEW's Social and Rehabilita-
tion Service.
Meanwhile, the Labor Depart
ment said initial claims for job-
less benefits under state pro-
grams totaled 429,700 during
the week ending April 26, a drop
of 26,300 from the previous week
and the lowest number in any
seven-day period since the week
ending Nov. 2.
Thirty-six states reported
fewer first claims. Initial claims
have been dropping steadily in
recent weeks but still are near-
ly double the rate of a year ago.
OVER-ALL, THE department
said 6,352,100 received unem-
ployment insurance benefits in
the week ending April 19, a de-
crease of, 25,400 from the pre-
vious week. Among states pay-
ing fewer claims were Michi-
gan and Ohib, where recall of
laid-off auto workers improved
the picture.
In Detroit, AMC followed.
Ford and Chrysler in reporting
first-quarter losses. General Mo-
tors $59 million earnings were
its worst performance in 29
years, and the industry had net
losses of $94 million and before-
tax losses of $274 million
Spring-time siesta
This weary tyke seems on the verge of nap time as she reclines near the fountain in between
the Modern Language Building and the Chemistry' Building,
PolitiCS didn'tencourage
appointment - Lindemwer
By BARBARA CORNELL pointments demonstrates that a) the state Constitution requires
University Regent Lawrence it won't take politics out of the him to run for election in 1976
Lindemer ,(R-Stockbridge) last courts, and that b) it won't to complete the remainder of
night denied charges of party work." Kavanagh's eight-year t e r m.
politicking that have clouded his LINDEMER said he "under- Some Democrats were unsure
recent appointment to the state stood the charges. Mr. Wino- that Lindemer, who has no real
Supreme Court. grad has a job to do." But he statewide backing, could ever
Governor William Milliken ap- added that working with the win the election, but Lindemer
pointed Lindemer to fill the seat University's Hoard of Regents is confident.
vacated by the death of Justice has apparently proven to him Everybody in a campaign
Thomas Kavanagh. Charges of that he can be non-partisan. has a hard time. There have
partisanship stem from Milli Whereas Lindemer often votes been good incumbents that have
ken's replacement of Kavanagh, along Republican conservative won and good ones that have
a Democrat, with Lindemer, a lines on Regental rulings, he lost. I have lost two elections
Republican claims, "Partisanship is one and won one so I've got another
THE MOVE gives the Repub- thing, philosophy is another." victory coming to even up the
licans three of seven seats on score.
the high court-their greatest Criticism also centered around He learned of the appointment
number-of justices in five years. the appointment of non-judge last Saturday, and plans to as-
State Democratic Chairman to the Supreme Court. Lindemer sume the post "within the next
Morley Winograd voiced the is a partner in one of the larg- 30 days." Lindemer must also
strongest criticism. He was es- est law firms in Lansing so he resign as a Regent. Milliken is
pecially critical of the Gover- is not without judicial experi- currently considering several
nor's proposal that all judges ence, and he refuted the argu- names to fill the vacated posi-
be appointed by him (Milliken) ments of those opposed to his tion and a decision is expected
in an effort to take partisanship appointment on this basis. "Cer- in a few weeks.
out of the courts. tainly there are many preced- He said he has "deep regret"
"The choice is obviously the ents across the country," he about resigning as a Regent. "I
Governor's to make," said Win- said. have a great respect and affec-
ograd. "But I think this ap- IF HE IS to retain his seat, tion for the University," he said.
Oil forecast gloomy
WASHINGTON (A') - The fed- rels of oil and 320 to 655 trillion
eral government sharply revised cubic feet of natural gas.
downward yesterday its esti- THE ESTIMATES are rough-
mates of how much undiscover- ly half the size of those made
ed oil and natural gas the Unit- by the agency one year ago.
ed States can count on in its
drive for energy self-sufficiency. The 1974 estimates, in turn,
The U. S. Geological Survey revised downward estimates
said new studies of potential made in the late 1960s and upon
undiscovered petroleum re- which the government had re-
sources in this country show an lied in formulating energy poli-
estimated 50 to 130 billion bar- cies.
University buildings:
potential fire traps
By CHRIS DYHDALO, apply to any campus structures.
JEFF RISTINE and The state law supercedes the
TIM SCHICK city code.
First of two parts In a move to improve condi-
Less than six months ago, the tions, the University's Depart-
Economics Building suffered ment of Safety organized a Fire
light damage due to a fire. This Safety Committee about two
building and many other Univer- years ago to examine insuffic-
sity structures are potential fire ient "early warning" systems
traps, with minimal fire pre- and to correct fire hazards
vention or early warning sys- where necessary.
tems. AN OFFICIAL in the Safety
Hundreds of students pass Department said the University
each weekday through old class- will install fire alarms in those
room buildings which have no buildings which do not have
fire alarms, no smoke detection them now.
devices and inadequate fire But, dangerous conditions per-
hoses. sist.
SOME OF the older buildings .Last December's Economics
also lack dependable emergency Building fire started when a
exits. While there has been no construction worker accident-
major disaster in a University ally ignited the insulation on a
building within memory, the radiator pipe. The incident un-
possibility of severe injuries nerved many of the professors
and deaths is real and often working in the century-old build-
frightening. ing, which houses many irre-
Althongh the city supplies fire placeable docunments.
fighting services for the Univer- ONE PROFESSOR, W. H. An-
sity, the city fire code does not See 'U', Page 10
Daily Photo by PAULINE LUBENS
Many fire hazards simply stem from a building's old age. The main stairwell in Tappan
Hall is narrow, unenclosed and constructed of wood.