The Michigan Daily Edited and managed by Students at the University of Michigan Wednesdc,, "-a istr News Pl-.e Li I Open U.N. to all nations THE STASIS DAYS of world power roles, symbolized by the cold war stalemate and the uncontested sub- jugation of third world nations, are gone forever. The balance of power has undergone radical change since the Kitchen Debate era when international diplomacy was on ice and the United States and Russia held all the chips. In the interim, the overextention of eastern mar- kets has outworn American welcome in developing na- tions across the globe and forced U.S. withdrawal from areas once considered ripe for the pickings. The merits of detente and constructive dialogue were pounded home by the bitter Vietnam experience, several near misses (Cuba and the Dominican Republic, for ex- ample) and the still festering Mid East sore spot. The American diplomatic rationale, though mel- lowed somewhat by the Indochina lesson, is still woefully flawed if the U.S. feels it can still play power broker, along with the USSR and a few other peripheral giants, to the world. Judging from the U.S.'s recent move to thwart the entry of the two Vietnams into the United Nations, the residue of a cold war mentality still figures prominently in the American outlook toward the family of nations. The U.S., through its leaders, claims to recognize the value of detente of building bridges rather than walls. Yet the walls of western economic manipulation en- circling Third World nations have not been readily dis- mantled, nor have bridges of human consideration been extended to those nations. The developing nations have grown weary of waver- ing before the closed door of neo-colonialist contempt and have shown a willingness to mend fences among themselves and join ranks to surmount the obstacle of super-power incursion together where they were once thwarted standing alone. The United Nations operates on a code of cooperation and compromise. Its edicts are unenforceable, impacting only where its member nations deem them acceptable. By simply refusing the Vietnams of the world mem- bership in the international collective, or by vetoing their prerogatives from the sacrosanct Security Council THE LIGHTER SIDE New energy plan: Mild winter By DICK WEST WASHINGTON (UPI) - Con- gress has been catching a lot of flak recently for failing to develop a comprehensive en- ergy program. Essentially, this is a bum rap. The fact is that Congress has come up with a policy of avoid- ing energy shortages -without building unwanted nuclear pow- er plants, lowering antipollution standards or otherwise creating environmental hazards. Although details of the new policy haven't been announced yet, I can reveal that the key- stone of the congressional en- ergy plan is a mild winter. Much of the basic thinking that led to the formulation of this policy was done by the House Government Operations Committee. In a recent report, the committee warned that na- tural gas shortages could bring economic disaster to some in- dustrial areas if there is a se- vere winter this year. I SENSED insreading the re- port thai it was the forerunner of a move to put Congress on record as favoring a mild win- ter. So I checked it out with sources close to the leadership, who confirmed my hunch. "I think you can expect strong action along that line soon after Congress returns from the August recess," one source told me. "Most likely it will take the form of a joint resolution endorsing the con- cept of mild winters in areas threatened by gas shortages. "With this bold stroke, Con- gress will seize the initiative from the White House on energy measures and spike President Ford's insinuations that the leadership is too weak and divided to deal with the prob- lem." I said, "That's a pretty tough position you are taking. Are you sure the public will buy it? The powerful ski lobby, for in- stances, will fight tooth and nail against adoption of any energy policy that approves mild winters." FORD AOPsW 6f wCeSRlSE