Experts suggest competition for lawyers The Michigan Daily - Friday, January 11, 1985-- Page 3 Contractor stops work on hospital WASHINGTON (AP) - A panel of specialists from six of the nation's largest think tanks is recommending to president Reagan that bankers, real estate agents and other professionals e allowed to compete with lawyers to rovide cheaper divorces, land sales, wills and other contracts. *That proposal is among a series of ideas designed to reduce "the burden of law, lawyers, litigation and legal fees on our society" by the 14-member Committee on The Next Agenda. A copy Of the panel's report on legal reform, Oue to be released here next week, was obained by The Associated Press esterday. THE REPORT said that if real estate settlements and contracts, divorces, wills and other contracts could be han- .led by paralegals or relevant professionals other than lawyers, the competition would drive costs down. Among the other recommendations were: : Greater use of mediation and con- iliation instead of trials. " Restrictions on the ability of state IM its to get federal courts to review heir convictions. _ * Charging private parties the full court costs of their lawsuits. * Narrower drafting of federal legislation. " Periodic reconfirmation of federal judges. The committee was sponsored by the conservative Hudson Institute and its president Thomas Bell, who drew ad- ditional members from five other iajor research centers: the Hoover In- stitution, the Heritage Foundation, the Brookings Institution, the American Fnterprise Institute and the Institute for Research on the Economics of Taxation. The committee included such Reagan first-term officials as former White House domestic policy adviser Martin Anderson and former Treasury Under- secretary Norman Ture. IT ALSO included Heritage president Edwin Feulner, a close friend of Presidential Counselor Edwin Meese III, WHOM Reagan has nominated to be attorney general. In that post, Meese would be in a position to promote or act on the legal recommendations. For instance, the panel said federal court dockets could be reduced and costs cut if more disputes were settled by arbitration or conciliation rather than by trials. The panel particularly praised the Justice Department's Community Relations Service for encouraging such alternatives, but for a number of years the service has had to rely on appeals by attorneys general to keep the Office of Management and Budget from gut- ting or eliminating its budget. Justice sources say that battle was renewed this year. It noted that this year, 15 million new civil suits will be filed and more than 30,000 new lawyers will graduate although this country already has one lawyer for every 600 citizens, the highest ratio in the world. Growing litigation has shifted power from Congress and the president to judges, has allowed individuals to mount court attacks on political and ideological opponents and given judges day-to-day management of some schoools, nursing homes and prisons. This is "paralyzing democratic processes, sapping personal initiative and weakening individual respon- sibility," it said. By CHARLES SEWELL Officials from University Hospitals and the major heating and plumbing contractor working on the Replacement Hospital Project (RHP) have scheduled a meeting for this afternoon in an attempt to put workers back on the job, a hospital spokeswoman said yesterday. Industrial Mechanical Contractors, Inc. (IMC) pulled its workers off the job Monday as a result of a dispute with hospital officials over payment for ad- ditional work. HOSPITAL spokeswoman Linda Ayers said the walkout came as a sur- prise because the proper forms for ad- ditional funds were sent to IMC after the request for more money was made. She said several members of the hospitals' contract management team will meet with IMC officials today at 2 p.m. James Brinkerhoff, the University's chief financial officer, said that he is not certain how much additional money IMC is requesting because the contrac- tors haven't returned the itemized for- ms requesting the money. He would not comment on the ad- ditional work for which IMC wants to be paid. THE $285 million, project, which began in the fall of 1981, is scheduled to be completed later this year. Brinkeroff said construction of the hospital is on schedule and that he hopes the walkout will not delay com- pletion of the project. However, he ad- ded that negotiations will be "more dif- ficult than usual," because the contrac- tor has stopped working. He said that if a settlement cannot be reached soon, it is "quite likely" that the University will seek a new contrac- tor. Brinkerhoff would not say when the project might be turned over to another contractor. Officials from IMC refused to com- ment on the situation. A union member at the Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 190 in Ypsilanti, who would not identify himself, said that the workers are union members. He added that the union is not involved in the situation. He said the contractor pulled his workers off the site and stopped working, and that the dispute is bet- ween the contractor and the University. Winter workout Two Muskegon residents Brad Lindback and hit the cross-country ski trails in Muskegon State Park. Associated Press Garry Ferris Columbia College Chicago announces: An innovative graduate program in PUBLIC AFFAIRS JOURNALISM Introducing a one-year, three-semester learning experience designed and taught by top-ranking media professionals. Shaping skills essential for careers with high-level print and broadcast news media -- and leading to a Master of Arts degree. Providing an academic base in practical political science and stressing reportorial experience -- in the vital urban laboratory of Chicago and suburbs and in residence in Springfield, IL, the state capital, and in Washington, D.C. Offering internships with government agencies and in legislative offices to provide an insider's perspective that will help open media doors for interpretive and investigative public affairs reporters. Fellowships available for selected applicants. Thailand and Vietnam .gree to form zone PART-TIME EMPLOYMENT - NIGHTS The College of Literature, Science, and the Arts is currently interviewing students interested in participating in an alumni fundraising telethon. LS&A alumni across the country will be called from campus. The telethon runs five nights per week, Sunday through Thursday, February 3 through February 21. Each week you select two of the five nights available, with some opportunity to work additional nights. Hours: 8:00 to 11:00 p.m. Pay: $3.55 per hour LS&A STUDENTS PREFERRED Call 763-5576 The University of Michigan is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer BAN SANGAE, Thailand (AP) - 'hailand and Vietnam agreed yester- Aay to establish a demilitarized zone long a stretch of the Cambodian bor- der, a Thai general said yesterday. Maj. Gen. Salya Sriphen, commander of Thailand's eastern task force, said the zone was formed after the presence 9f Vietnamese troops on Thai territory Oearly provoked a conflict. ' HE TOLD The Associated Press that a 22-yard-wide strip on each side of the border near Ampil "will be our DMZ." Vietnamese officers agreed to the zone yesterday when they decided to pull their troops back from the border, ending a 24-hour confrontation with ,Thai forces, he said. "Everything was put calmly and peacefully to the Vietnamese," he said. Salya said the Vietnamese said they were misinformed as to the exact location of the border. "WE JUST want to avoid any possibility of our territory being in dispute," Salya said. Once the border location was settled, Salya said, the Vietnamese troops cleared out of an area 1.2 miles long, running north and south along an anti- tank ditch. Thai soldiers then started placing orange flags and other markers along the border line, Salya said. Vietnamese forces in Cambodia had overrun the Cambodian rebels' headquarters base at Ampil on Monday and Tuesday. They forced thousands of fighters of the Khmer People's National Liberation Front to flee. For further information, write or phone: Graduate Division Columbia College Chicago 600 South Michigan Avenue Chicago, IL 60605 312/663-1600 Columbia College admits students without regard to race, color, sex, religion, physical handicap and national or ethnic origin. U. 3i HAPPENINGS Highlight There will be an organizational meeting for an Alternative Career Fair today at 4 p.m. in the Union in Rm. 3909. The meeting is sponsored by MSA. Films Cinema-Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, 7 & 9 p.m., Nat. Sci Aud. Cinema II-Blade Runner, 7 & 9:15 p.m., Angell Aud A. Alt. Act.-Gallipoli, 7&9p.m., MLB4. AAFC-Picnic at Hanging Rock, 7 & 9p.m., MLB 3. Performances School of Music-Chamber Choir, Thomas Hilbish, 8 p.m., Hill Aud. I Speakers Academic Women's Caucus-Virginia Nordby, "New Challenges for Women in Higher Education", noon, basement conference rm., Comerica Bank Building. Near Eastern & North African Studies-Abdelhay Moudden, "Under- development in Morocco: The Policial Variables", noon, Lane Hall Commons Rm. Meetings Chinese Students Chrisian Fellowship-7:30 p.m., Memorial , Christian Church. Ann Arbor Chinese Bible Study-7:30 p.m., University Reformed Church. Korean Christian Fellowship-9 p.m., Campus Chapel. Dissertation Support Group-8:30 a.m., Rm. 3100, Union. International Students Fellowships-7 p.m., call 994-4669. Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship-noon, 220 W. Engineering Building. Miscellaneous ALL-PRO CHREER MOVE 4n - SrATES OF r NSA OFFERS YOU A HEAVY-HITTING CAREER OPPORTUNITY IN THE FOLLOWING DISCIPLINES: ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING There are opportunities in a variety of research and development proiects ranging from individual equipments to very complex interactive systems involving large numbers of microprocessors, mini- computers and computer graphics. Professional growth is enhanced through interaction with highly experienced NSA professionals and through contacts in the industrial and academic worlds. Facilities for engineering analysis and design automation are among the best available. To find out more COMPUTER SCIENCE At NSA you'll discover one of the largest computer installations in the world with almost every major vendor of computer equipment represented. NSA careers provide mixtures of such disciplines as systems analysis and design, scientific applications programming, data base management systems, operating systems, computer MATHEMATICS You'll work on diverse agency problems applying a variety of mathematical disciplines. Specific assignments might include solving communications- related problems, performing long-range mathematical research or evaluating new techniques for communications security. THE REWARDS AT NSA NSA offers a salary and benefit program that's truly competitive with private industry. There are assignments for those who wish to travel and abundant good living in the Baltimore-Washington area for those who wish to stay close to home. Countless cultural, historical, recreational and educational opportunities are just minutes away from NSA's convenient suburban location. GO FOR IT ALL l TIO A The on the National I I