Friday, May 9, 1975
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Page Five
Friday, May 9, 1975 THE MICHIGAN DAILY Page Five
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To The Daily:
IF THE RESULTS of the re-
cent elections are an indication
of HRP's campaign skills, some-
thing must be done o impr ye
them. The defeat of rent con-
trol may be blamed by s o m e
people on several factors: 1)
alleged imperfections in the con-
struction of workability of the
proposed act; 2) the ability of
the landlords to hire an adver-
tising firm to handle their pub-
lic relations and advertising
campaign, and their superior
manipulation of campaiga stra-
tegy; 3) the inability of the Left
in general, and HRP in parti-
cular, to create an effective
counter-campaign.
The proposed act was not per-
fect, but neither is any law.
The rent control act was at
least at tightly drafted as the
Michigan "Tenants R'ghts Acts"
of 1968, which allows people to
rent strike if repairs are teed-
ed, and the "Security Deposit
Act" of 1972. The committees
that write laws can be influenc-
ed by members pvrsuing their
own prejudices. The ultimae
question is not whether the act
would be better. 6-cause each
drafter has a different idea re-
garding what constitutes "bet-
ter". The question in the voting
booth is whether its passage
would have been better than
non-passage.
THE SUCCESSFU. carnpaian
of the landlords was created by
skillful and coordinated use of
the media. They raised $31,630,
in campaign funds through a
front group called "Citizens for
Good Housing." Over twenty
thousand dollars went to a De-
troit-based advertising I i r n.
Thev placed well-timed ads and
articles in all the area news-
papers, conducted jomeowner
oninion polls to hell determine
the content and quality of the
ads, and mailed thousands of
pamphlets to vote's. The tam-
ing of Democrat Attorne; Gen-
eral Kelly's announce: opposi-
tion to the proposal lea's one
to suspect that landlords may
have approached him with a
view to publicize his opinion.
Op-Ed
Pcige
The "octopus" ads, telling
voters exactly how to "; a v e
themselves" from the rent con-
trol octopus were ingenious. An
ad campaign in all area news-
papers was developed in con-
junction with this, tnereby cori-
municating with a large number
of potential voters. Their sim-
plicity, humor and timing mark-
ed the campaign as professional.
THE HRP, on the other hand,
has developed no appreciation
for the skills involved in com-
municating with Chos, whonae
not already convinced of their
position. This is partly due to
their poverty and t the fact
that they don't want to use ad-
vertising half-truths.
We do not suggest that BRP
abandon its moral ,istas'e for
fraud in oolitics; hovever, not
all skillful advertiasng is dis-
honest or "hype" IRP would
do will to enlist the skills of
either paid professi1ntl3 or svm-
pathetic unnaid orots-sionais in
the endeavor of iraijng a typi-
cal HRP statement (such as ad-
vocacy of rent casirol) i n t o
messages designed to catc the
eve and attention of the peole
who are not yet decided.
PEOPLE are g-nerIlly sin-
aware, for examnle, of the
Left's position that landiords
gain profit in for ways- cash
flow, "principal" payments
(whereby the tenant buys t h e
building for the landlord), "pre-
tend" tax depreciamon, and real
appreciation in value of t h e
unaware of the radical and
build ng. Peonle are generally
unaware of the radical and
supportable belief that hous-
ing costs can be cut in half
by legislation to stop the in-
flation in value caused by ine-
sale o buildings at continually
Bottle baffle bubbles over
(Continued from Page 4
cause their cost is spread over 10or 20
users. A recent PIRGIM survey found
average savings on Coca-Cola of 36c per
eight pack of 16-ounce bottles. Not much
to bother about? Well, one estimate is
that consumer savings on returnables
would amounts to $66 million a year, in
your pocket and mine, just in Michigan.
-EMPLOYMENT. The only serious
study done so far, by an economics pro-
fessor at Western Michigan University,
estimates conservatively that, while
nearly 2800 people would lose jobs, near-
ly 8400 new jobs would be created - a
net gain for Michigan of 5600 new jobs.
--Litter. Oregon had a 35 per cent re-
duction in roadside litter after it passed
such a law. Between 90 per cent and 95
per cent of bottles were being returned
for deposits instead of thrown aside.
-Tax savings. Oregon's bottle bill sav-
ed taxpayers over $656,000 a year in solid
waste disposal alone.
And more.
But despite the good reasons and the
documented facts in support of this leg-
islation, the opponents are fighting hard.
Most newspapers have editorialized in
favor of the bottles bill, and many local
organizations and local governments
have adopted resolutions. But it's not
enough.
Legislators need to know they can't
vote for special interests without the peo-
ple noticing. They need letters. Not only
from students, but from their parents,
neighbors, friends.
FOR MOST effectiveness right now,
w r i t e to uncommitted and opposed
members of theHouse Consumers Com-
mittee and urge them to report the bill
out of committee so the whole House can
vote on it. They are:
Dan Angel (R-Marshall)
George Cushingberry Jr. (D-Detroit)
Richard D. Fessles (R-Union Lake)
Joseph Forbes (D-Oak Park)
Gerritt C. Hasper (D-Muskegon)
Josephine C. Hunsinger (D-Detroit)
Ruth B. McNamee (R-Birmingham)
George A. Prescott (R-Tawas City)
Sal Rocca (D-Sterling Heights)
The address for all of them is The
Capitol, Lansing, Michigan 48901.
The committee will be mak-
ing a decision in a week or two. This is
the moment when your letter can count.
higher prices. C)t plus rent
control is but one example of
s'tch legislation.
If IREP had bean able to
communicate some of these
facts to the unconviaiced public,
the importance of rant control
may have been understood. Of
course, HRP is not on a par
financially with the landlords.
The Left may never generate
the same quantity of printed ma-
terials to educate the public
about is positioin. Tha :s pre-
cisely the reason that the Left
should have greater respect for
the skills and toil ne tescary to
improve the quality of t h a s e
materials.
-Kathy Kay
and Jonathan Rose
May 8
W# SUMMER OFFICE HOURS
MVon.-Fri.-1-5
ANY ACTIVITY IDEAS?
COM E SE E US AT TH E
SUAC OFFICES-2nd Floor
MICHIGAN UNION
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Oyster Bar &
The Spaghetti Maclinei
Tuesday thru Sunday-5 to 10 p.m.
301 WEST HURON 663-2403 ANN ARBOR
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HUMPHREY BOGART in 1941
THE MALTESE FALCON
John Huston directed this Dashiell Hammeit thriller starring Bogart as
Sam Spade. It began a director-actor combination that resulted in most of
Bogart's best films (The Tresure of Sierra Maude, The African Queen, and
Key Largo). And what a beginning too-with Mary Astor, Sidney Green-
street and Peter Lorre, this film is one of the best of its kind.
SAT.: Marx Bros.' A NIGHT AT THE OPERA
MON.: Hitchcock's THE LODGER (Free-At 8)
CINEMA GUILD TONIGHT AT OLD ARCH. AUD
7:30, 8, 9:30 Admission only $1
MENU
Fresh Blue Point oysters on half shell . 1.95
Dinners below include salad bar, bread, butter. coffee
Spagheu:
1. Tomato .. . 2.70 7. Meat Balls ...... 2.95
2. Mushrooms 2.75 8. Sicilian ..........3.25
3. Meat 2.95 9. Marinar....... 3.25
4. Meat & Mushrooms 2.95 10. Carabonara. 3.75
5. White Clam . 2.95 11. Butter, Garlic, Basil 2.75
6. Red Clam . 3.25 12. Chicken Livers .. 3.75
13. Potpuri (Meat, Tomato, Clam Sicilian) .... 3.25
Veal:
Marsala . ......... 3.25 Francaise ...........3.25
Noodles:
Green ......... 3.50 Whole Wheat . . 3.50
Doily Specials of Shrimp,
Lobster, Veal, Crabmeat
All spaghetti for children under 10 .... 1.25 less
Dessert:
Cannolli .... 75 cents
All noodles are made right in front of your eyes
by our unique "spaghetti machine"
Cocktails-Wine-Beer
FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA'S 1974
THE CONVERSA THON
Gene Hackman as the professional wire-tapper whose conflict-
ing dedication and sense of guilt is the backdrop for murder and
suspense. A Whispery, haunting soundtrack threads through this
fascinating film .CANNES FILM FESTIVAL GRAND PRIX WIN-
NER. Gene Hackman, Allen Garfield, Cindy Williams, John
Cazale.
FRIDAY and SATURDAY
ANGELL HALL
CINEMA 11 7:30 & 9:45 AMD. A
ADM. $1.25