:vs: _sS! .?SM:' . 81A:?. .v4H i. . .? r r: ::. 2.x'in.. lreY:4:s.. rY.. . YJF ..: +, "fA3 ki[::P.!L'{4.!ri eravvfMUmu......_.. The Michigan. Daily Edited and managed by Students at the University of Michigan Thursday, July 1 1976 News Phone : 764-0552 '76's scarlet letter wmmm An unfair new ballot law "THE DAILY is alarmed at a new state law which rints the number of parties that may appear on the November ballot. The bill was introduced in the State Senate last spring by Patrick McCollough (D-Dearborn) in an effort to streamline the bulk of parties on the state ballot, from a projected thirteen to nine - the maximum allowed on voting machines. Zolton Fereney, former Democratic gubernatorial candidate and oresent candidate for the state Supreme Court, has called the bill "disenfranchisement of the worst kind," and we agree wholeheartedly. He has taken the matter to court on behalf of several minority par- ties. Representation is the heart of democracy, and to discourage potential representatives is to eliminate the interests of voters who identify with the minority par- ties in the formation of policy. Furthermore, small par- ties have often filled a gadfly role, badgering the Demo- crats and Republicans into accepting social p'"oblems too far out on a limb for their moderate tastes. Ferency's suit is important. We hope the legislature follows his lead, and rights its wrong. Editoria1 Staf-SSnmmer Term TIM SCHICK KEN PARSICIAN JAY LEVIN JIM TOBIN El1SAFINE n LETCUi ANN MARIE LIPINSKI Stuppementt Editors JJF 5EiJ5ST ., ... ,...................... .... Arts Editor LOIJO...VICH...Night Editor ('EORNE I.OBSENZ...Night Editor MIKE NORTON .. .... .......... ...Copy Editor STU MCCONNE . I ...Assist ant Night Editor PHrILLIP BOKOVOY ... Asistaot Night Editor 1lANI JORDAN ......A A sist nt Night Editor .JNNY MIIIER.. ...... Asohtoot Night Editor BARBL AHS . ...,. . . AstotNigh' Editor By DOC KRALIK (ONGRESSMAN WAYNE HAYS' affair with '''Elizabeth Ray has touched off a scandal that has now gone beyond Washington. The Capital Hill Sex Scandal" threatens to be- come a catch phrase which includes the extra- marital affairs of all our public officials. As the media gear up for a wholesale investiga- tion of the sex lives of elected officials, and as we the readers urge them on, I think the ethical justification for such an investigation should be examined. The scandals will be brought to us by me- dia that have undergone vast changes in the last four years. The Watergate successes of reporters Woodward and Bernstein have un- leashed upon us a new generation of muck- rakers looking for scandals for scandal's y sake. Strong investigative reporting is the iA bulwark of a great press, but such reporting must be restrained by reasonable standards of fact verification and relevance. Such stan- dards have become archaic. Today's journalists seem free to write what they please, and to use whatever methods nec- essary to obtain information. Instead of in- i dependently establishing professional report- ing standards, journalists have adapted what- ever standards are convenient. Thus Wood- ward's and Bernstein's latest The Final Days, has given us direct quotes from sources that can only be secondary, and instead of giving their sources fancy names from porno flicks, (i.e. "Deep Throat"), they have stopped nam- ing them altogether. In trying to verify Miss Ray's story, Post reporters recently took to eavesdropping on her phone calls. If this is not the same as wire-tapping, it as least has the same effect - invasion of privacy. Wood- ward and Bernstein were appalled to learn that Henry Kissinger did that sort of thing. The wide open media have reported the growing sex scandal with perplexing irrespon- sibility. Gossip and rumor have gone front page. There has been little attempt to dis- tinguish crimes from mistakes, reprehensible actions from imprudence, and what the pub- lic should know from what is none of the pub- lic's business. If Wayne Hays has misused public funds for any purpose, we have a right to know about it. Yet it is important to point out that Hays' crime is misuse of funds, not having sex, which, I hope, is not a crime. Instead of making this distinction, the media have dwell- ed on the aspects of Ray's stories that have nothing to do with misuse of funds. Tapes of sexual encounters are interesting to a certain segment of the populace, I suppose, but they do nothing to strengthen or weaken the case against Hays. 1T WOULD BE APPALLING if Colleen Gar- dener was overpaid because her boss wanted her on call. It is disturbing that Elizabeth Ray did not mind being the incentive for Mike Gravel's vote. aut these matters are dwelled upon day after day not because they are ap- palling or disturbing or true. They are dwell- ed upon because they are interesting. Patron- age and misuse of funds is a fact of life in Congress, but apparently the media have de- cided to condone it until sex becomes involved. And votes are swayed in Congress by a num- ber of unsavory methods that have nothing to do with sex. Still, if there is not a justification for wal- lowing in the Hays, Young, and Gravel cases, there is at least justification for reporting them. There is the clear possibility of wrong- doing with regard to their elective office. Such is not the case with the affairs in- volving Allen Howe of Utah, and Frank Kelly and John Dingell of Michigan. These cases have expanded the scandal beyond the area of public interest into the area of public cur- iosity. Representative Howe quite possibly has been the victim of an entrapment, but little has been said concerning the questionable 2 methods or credibility of the two policewo- men who arrested Howe. Instead, the freak- ish morality of many Utahans almost forced him from office before hehad a chance to answer the charges. As for the Michigan af- fair, even Oakland Cty. Prosecutor Brooks -' Patterson, a key source for the story, does not think the charges against Kelly and Din- gell are worth investigating. Neither man is married, and there is no evidence that sex with Ms. Herman could possibly affect their job performance one way or the other. Sta- tutes prohibiting prostitution, sodomy and homosexuality have fallen in disuse. The attacks on Howe, Dingell, and Kelly show the dangerous extent to which the sex scandal has expanded, invading the sex lives of public officials with no other motive than curios- ity, perhaps entailing the destruction of po- litical careers. If the stream of revelations continues, we will find out that elected officials are pretty much like everybody else; they have sex as much as possible. Some, of course, are strong enough to resist the temptations which their offices present them. But sexual morals are private matters. In undertaking the investigation of these scandals, the media should realize that they have the responsibility to distinguish sex from crime, and to help prevent the "immoral" from going the way of the guilty. Pr;lE TP'-tERSP N KATHY M ULHEN CASSI5E ST CI AIR DEBBIE DREYFUSS BETrH STRATFORD NANCY BOCK DAN IUGERMAN OLLIE KIESEL DON StIMi'5iJN . HICH LERNER ) ID GOLDMAN .. BOB MILLER .. MARK WHITNEY.. Smie-ur Buisiiess S/atf Advertt ,,gCoordintor Display Advertising Manager .... Cir,,uition Manager Classified Manager Cirenlation Director DO-iissly Advertising Ass't Manager ... Salesperson Salesperson Salesperson Si,,mme r Sports Stajf * Sporis Editor Executive Snorts Editor Night Editor Night Editor * .. Nigiht Editor Letters to The Daily July 4th Coalition Despite government harrassment, the National July 4th Coalition is expecting a successful demonstration of 40-50,000 peo,)le in Philadelphia this Sunday. How- ever, they have been faced with one obstacle after another, as the U. S. government attempts to thwart their plans. Attorney-General Levi has authorized the FBI to investigate the Coalition, according to the Washing- ton Post, "to determine if there is factual basis for allegations against them." Levi declined to state what those allegations were. Meanwhile, in New York, two active Coalition members; Martha Schwartz and Lu- rieda Torres, have been subpoenaed by a federal grand jury, ostensibly created to investigate a series of bombings in New York City two years ago. Ms. Torres is now appealing a contempt conviction for refusing to cooperate with the harrassment. COLUMNIST Jack Anderson reported that an "in- formal White House task force" has been created for an "anti-terrorist' campaign to prevent alleged plans to disrupt the bicentennial celebration. Another problem the Coalition has faced is the con- fusion created by the fact that the Revolutionary Stu- dent Brigade (RSB) has called for their own demon- stration, and refers to itself as the Rich Off Our Backs- July 4th Coalition. This name is deceptive, as the RSB "coalition" is nothing more than the Revolutionary Communist Party (RCP) and its three front groups. In addition, there is the People's Bicentennial Com- mission march in Washington. Jeremy Rifkin's PBC has been criticized for its non-democratic structure, due to the fact that all economic and political deci- sions are made by a 17-member executive board - an ironic twist to an organization calling for "Econom- ic Democracy." HOWEVER, the National July 4th Coalition is a true coalition, consisting of over 130 local and national organizations across the country. Representatives from all these groups met this spring in order to plan for the demonstration in a democratic way. The Coalition has three broad demands: "Bicentennial without colo- nies - Freedom for all oppressed nations", which spe- cifically refers to independence for Puerto-Rico, au- tonomy for Native American lands, and no more U.S. intervention in the Third World. The second demand is for "Full democracy and equality" particularly for the most exploited: blacks, other national minoriti ,. and women. The final demand, "Jobs and a decent standard of living," reflects the Coalition's call for a job for everyone and the right of working people to control their workplace. The demonstration will begin at 11:30 a. m. at Le- high and 30th, followed by a Peoples' Parade which includes floats, music, and a rally at Fairmont Park (Oxford and 33rd). The park is at the opposite end of the city from the Ford celebration. Keynote speakers include Rev. Ralph Abernathy, Karen DeCrow (NOW), Dave Dellinger, Big Black (Attica), and Juan Mari Bras (Puerto Rican Socialist Party). Locally, the A2 Coalition is composed of 11 commun- ity and student organizations including the Tenants' Union, Welfare Rights Organization, The Unemployed Council, Native American Solidarity Comm., Southern African Liberation Comm., Youth Liberation, SHRP, Ypsi HRP, Michigan Free Press, and the Free Peo- ples' Clinic. A massive car caravan of Ann Arbor citizens * will be departing this Saturday, July 3 for Philadelphia. Come and join us. For information call 994-0248. Irene Brody Co-coordinator Ann Arbor July 4th Coalition June 30