Feb. economic jump *surprises officials The Michigan Daily-Thursday, March 31, 1983-Page 3 t . WASHINGTON - The government's main economic forecasting gauge rose 14 percent in February, the sixth straight monthly increase and an en- couraging sign that recovery from the recession can be sustained. The gain reported yesterday for the Commerce Department's Index of Leading Economic Indicators was less than half the 3.5 percent of January - he biggest increase in three decades - but no one had expected a repeat of that jump. Still, the February increase was the second-biggest since the spring of 981. Commerce Secretary Malcolm ialdridge said he was encouraged by the report. THE LEADING index for February was good news again for the economy," laldridge said. Though government and private sec- tor economists now agree that a, national economic rebound is well un- der way from the 1981-82 recession, some have questioned how long it will last. Private economist Michael Evans said, "I think it means we are in a recovery but it's an uneven one. I don't think this is a picture of a strong economy at all." HOWEVER, IF the leading in- dicators perform as designed, fears of a short-lived revival are ill-founded. The index would be expected to begin falling about nine months before any new national recession arrived, government analysts say. The index brings together forward- pointing statistics from a wide variety of economic areas, and Baldridge noted that seven of the available 10 areas showed improvement. Donald Straszheim, vice president of Wharton Econometrics in Philadelphia, agreed, saying tne size of the overall gain "is a distinctly good number and there are more good ones to come." "We are quite convinced that the recovery is in place, and the economy is going to get better as the year goes on," he said. STRASZHEIM noted that the strongest index component in February was a highly unusual gain of more than 20 percent at an annual rate in the nation's money supply, and he said it was unlikely such a surge would be repeated. But that gain was hardly the only strength. Also showing improvement over January - and thus helping the index - were a rise in the prices of sensitive materials, an increase in formation of new businesses, a drop in first-time claims for jobless benefits and better showings for stock prices, business deliveries and building permits for future home construction. Baldridge, in a statement distributed by aides, said he was particularly "en- couraged by the fifth straight monthly drop in initial unemployment insurance claims, which are now 27 percent below their September 1982 peak." -HAPPENINGS Highlight The University's Musket Theatre presents the musical, "Hair" at 8 p.m. at the Power Center for the Performing Arts. Films AAFC - The Day the Earth Stood Still, 7 p.m., The Incredible Shrinking Man, 8:40 p.m., Angell Aud. A. Mediatrics - Montenegro, 7 & 9 p.m., Nat. Sci. Noontime Film Fest - Bomb, 12:10 p.m., Pub. Health Aud II. Women's Studies - In the Best Interests of the Children, noon, MLB 2. Nuclear Issue Film Fest - If You Love This Planet, 8 p.m., Couzens Valentine Lounge. Performances School of Music - Opera, "The Marriage of Figaro," 8 p.m., Mendelssohn. Music School - Cello recital, Kenneth Whitley, 8 p.m., Recital Hall; horn recital, Cathy Miller, 8 p.m., Rackham Assembly Hall. Museum of Art - Piano recital, Sadmara Zekarian, 8 p.m., Museum of Art. Ark - John Hartford, 7:30 & 9:30 p m., Ark. Music at Midday - Chamber Music, Heasook Rhee, David Moulton, Joan Horley, 12:10, Pendleton room, Union. First Presbyterian Church - Via Crucis, Chancel Choir, 7:30 p.m., First Presbyterian Church. Speakers English - George Rosenwald, "To Give Delight & Teach the Art of Life," 7:30 p.m., Rackham. Vision - Pamela Raymond, "The Black Moor Golddish: A Model For Congenital Glaucoma?" 12:15, 2055 MHRI. Education - William Cruikshank, "Quantitive or Qualitative Assessment & Testing of Exceptional Children," noon, 1322 SEB. Anthropology -Catherine Badgely, "The Taphonomy of a Late Miocene Hominoid from the Siwaliks of Pakistan," noon, 2009 Museum Bldg. Urban Planning - Joe Eisely, "The Second Computer Revolution," 11 a.m.,1040 Dana. Research on Economic Development - Samson Ololmo, "The Role of Housing and Migration in Nigeria's Economic Development," 12:15, 340U, Lorch. Japanese Studies - Dorinne Kondo, "Creating the Ideal Self: A Japanese Ethics Training Program," noon, commons room, Lane Hall. Chemistry - E. C. Lim, "Molecular Radiationless Transitions," 4 p.m., 1200 Chem. Computing Ctr. - Chitra Ramanujan, "Intro to Pascal VI," 3:30 p.m., 176 BSAD. HASS - Alfredo Montoya, "Impact of Immigration of Hispanic Workers in the U.S." 8p.m., Rackham Amphitheater. Medicinal Chem. - Richard DiPietro, "AMAN Spectroscopy in Structure Analysis: Application to Medicinal Chemistry," 4 p.m., 3554 Little. Minority Student Services - Antonio Flores, "Hispanic and Minority Par- ticipation in Financial Aid Programs," 11:30 a.m., Trotter House. Japanese Linguistics - Susumu Nagra, "Recent Developments in the Study of the Origins of the Japanese Language," noon, Lane Hall. Transport Research Inst. - Michael Gaffney, "Implementation of Social Technologies into the Ocean Shipping Industries," 4 p.m., TRI conf. rm. University Artist and Craftsman Guild - Terri Marra, I. B. Pemson, "History and Opportunity of the Guild," 12:30, Art School Aud, 2nd floor. Germanic Languages - Tom Beebee, "Politics in the Classroom: The Bundestag Simulation," 12:10 p.m., MLB 3rd floor commons. Meetings LaGroc/Lesbian and Gay Rights Fellowship - 7:30 p.m., Welcker Rm., Union. Ann Arbor Libertarian League - 7 p.m., Dominick's basement, 812 Monroe. Inter-varsity Christian Fellowship -7 p.m., Union. Med. Ctr. Bible Study -12:30 p.m., F2230 Mott Children's Hosp. Campus Crusade for Christ -7 p.m., 2003 Angell. Graduate Employees Org. - 7:30 p.m., rackham 3rd fl. lecture room. Miscellaneous Scottish Country Dancers - Beginning Class, 7 p.m., internediate class, 8 p.m., Forest Hills Community Ctr. Aikido - Practice, 5 p.m., Wrestling Rm., Athletic Building. Canterbury Loft & The Michigan Daily - Campus Meet the Press with Pres. Harold Shapiro, 4 p.m., Pendleton Rm., Union. International Night - Africa, 5 p.m., Michigan League. CRLT - Faculty Instructional Workshop, "Managing Stress," 7 p.m., registration required. Student Wood & Crafts Shop - Advanced Power Tools Safety, 6 p.m., 537 SAB. Spartacus Youth League - Class series, "Trade Unions in the Imperialist Epoch," 7:30 p.m., conf. rm. 6, Union. Mich. Judo Club - practice, 6:30 p.m., IM Sports Bldg. Womens Law Students Assoc. - Conference on Pornography and the First Amendment, Hutchins Hall, Rm. 100. Museum of Art - "An American Treasury in Michigan," Museum of Art and Rare Book Room of the Grad Library. To submit items for the happenings Column, send them in care of Happenings, The Michigan Daily, 420 Maynard St., Ann Arbor, M. 48109. - Daily Photo by ELIZABETH SCOTT Videoptics This video game seems out of place in normal goings-on around William Street. U.S. arms cuts depend on Soviet reductions (Continued from Page 1) proposal is a source of deep disappoin- tment to all of us who have wished that these weapons might be eliminated - or at leastsignificantly reduced," Reagan said. "But I do not intend to let this shadow that has been cast over the Geneva negotiations further darken our search for peace."~ His speech was part of an intensified campaign to win worldwidersupport - particularly in Europe - for U.S. arms proposals and to put pressure on the Soviets to move toward an agreement. While Moscow had yet to offer a specific response, U.S. arms expert Paul Warnke said he doubted the Kremlin would find Reagan's proposal very appealing. "TO THE EXTENT that it appears to call for equality of warheads between the United States and the Soviet Union, it would mean that the Soviets - if they made a 50 percent cut - would then be confronted with the entire deployment of American ground-launched cruise missiles and Pershing IHs," said War- nke, head of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency in the Carter administration. "So, in other words," Warnke added, "if you look at it literally and without getting some of the details fleshed out, there's nothing in it for them." Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.), sponsor of a congressional resolution calling for a U.S.-Soviet nuclear freeze, said "it is about time" the president made an interim proposal because "every leader in Europe has been pleading with Mr. Reagan to get off the dime and begin negotiating seriously with the Soviets." MARKEY ADDED in a statement that he thought the proposal "is due in large part to the pressure the freeze movement across this country has put on theWhite House to get more serious about arms control." After the address and a meeting with Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda, Reagan flew to California for a five-day stay and a speech Thursday in Los Angeles on curbing nuclear arms, chemical weapons and cutting the size of conventional forces in Europe. In his address, Reagan noted the Soviet Union has rejected the zero- option formula for eliminating all medium-range weapons, and said Moscow "has failed to come up with any serious alternative. They insist on preserving their own monopoly." THE SENIOR administration official briefing reporters on condition he not be identified, said the United States wants the Soviets to agree to a global reduction in medium-range weapons to prevent ..them from taking missiles targeted on Europe and aiming them ielsewhere, such as Asia. Moscow has rejected the zero-plan, proposing instead that it reduce its for- ce of medium-range missiles to 162, matching the number of British and French medium-range weapons, if the United States dropped its deployment plans. In the absence of any agreement, the United States is set to begin installing 572 Persing 2 and cruise missiles - each armed with one warhead - in Europe in December. A new Bank for savmngs.~ comes to the Detroit area. J'S.A.Bank Clothiers. 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