Te M-cigodeAtly
Vol. LXXXV, No. 5--S Ann Arbor, Michigan-Tuesday, May 13, 1975 Ten Cents Twelve Pages
Pr sden seiz U.oSsIp
---President blasts 'act of piracy'
WASHINGTON (P)-- A Cambodian gunboat yes-
terday fired at and seized an unarmed U.S.
merchant ship which its owners said was carry-
ing military and commercial cargo. President
Ford called it "an act of piracy."
White House Press Secretary Ron Nessen, who
announced the seizure of the U.S. merchant ship
Mayaguez, said the failure to release the vessel
"would have the most serious consequences.'
That diplomatically tough language is used only
in situations considered extremely grave and
carrying the possibility of military action.
NESSEN SAID the Mayaguez and its crew of
39 were seized 60 miles off the coast of Cambodia,
about eight miles from a small rock island ap-
parently claimed by both Cambodia and Vietnam.
The vessel's owners, the Sea-Land Corp. of Menlo
Park, N.J., said the ship was 85 miles from shore.
Nessen later announced that a Panamanian
ship was stopped by Cambodia in the same area
May 7 or 8, but apparently has been allowed to
leave and reportedly is en route to Thailand.
The Sea-Land Corp. said the company did not
know the nature of the military cargo aboard the
vessel. "At the most it would just be small arms,"
said a spokesperson . . . "We're just a container
operation so there could be no heavy military
equipment."
The company said the ship was en route from
Hong Kong to Thailand.
President Ford, meanwhile, met with the Na-
tional Security Council to discuss the seizure and
the State Department said diplomatic efforts
were under way for the return of the vessel.
The Burlington, Vt., Free-Press quoted Sen.
Robert Stafford (R-Vt.) as saying China was be-
ing used as a third-country channel to help free
the ship. China is one of three countries with
direct contact with the new Cambodian govern-
ment.
"We are taking immediate steps to obtain the
prompt release of the ship," said State Depart-
See CAMBODIA, Page 9
Ford
Javits
Senate unit OK's
refugee
WASHINGTON (A) - The Senate
Foreign Relations Committee approv-
ed a $405 million authorization yester-
day for relief and resettlement of
South Vietnamese and Cambodian re-
fugees.
Chairman John Sparkman (D-Ala.),
said the legislation, similar to that
being considered by the House to-
morrow, will be ready for Senate ac-
tion today.
SPARKMAN said the committee
vote, following a morning hearing,
was 13-0. Senate Majority Leader
Council
over ne~
aid plan
Mike Mansfield abstained.
The senator said Mansfield wanted
more information on any remaining
funds from various aid authorizations
previously made for South Vietnam.
Sparkman said the bill so closely
resembles the one approved by the
House Judiciary Committee that it
may be possible to avoid sending the
legislation to a time-consuming House-
Senate conference. If that is the case,
the bill could be before President
Ford for his signature by the end of
the week.
w'rangles
w budget
By DAVID WHITING
ity Council held its third lengthy, but
final, meeting last night to hash out a
>osed $18 million belt-tightening budget
this fiscal year with council members
ling City Hall department heads over
tested allotments.
:ayor Albert Wheeler announced yester-
that he expects council's final decision
y 27 on City Administartor Sylvester
ray's proposed budget.
[OWEVER, all three political parties are
ply divided on budget priorities and,
h no party holding more than five votes
the 11-member council, a stalemate is
he air.
like imost resolutions passed by coun-
which require a bare majority of six
s, seven votes are needed to amend the
inistrator's proposed budget. If council
See COUNCIL, Page 9
Street-corner still life
A Victorian lampost stands sentinel over a typically dreary Ann Arbor
morning. A lone pigeon soars up to the building eaves in search of a choice
resting perch.
Wheeler