The Michigan Daily-Thursday, June 10, 1982-Page 9
THREE FLOORS OF 'EVERY KIND OF SEX YOU COULD WANT'
NEW YO
Administra
Square's ri
an "X" r&
raided it an
"I was
federal govo
really need
task force t
William
that arrang
had approv
theater in 1
long as it w
BUT MO
Times Squ
it was rai
repeatedly
ding to poli
With live
and pornog
Porn shop got fede
RK (AP)- News that the Small Business three floors have "every kind of sex you could want,"
ation once made a loan to one of Times 24 hours a day, according to Inspector Emil Ciccotelli
chest and raunchiest sex emporiums drew of the police public morals squad.
sting yesterday from officials who have Rita Irick, a SBA spokeswoman, explained the loan
d groups that have tried to close it down. was made by several private investment companies,
shocked, especially at a time when the including Gold's.
'ernment is cutting subsidies to people who THE SBA learned of Show World's true business
I them," said Carl Weisbrod, head of a city only after its auditors paid a visit to Times Square in
o clean up the area. 1980. It came to public light this week in a Wall Street
Gold, president of the investment company Journal report on the loan program.
led the 9 percent federal loan, said the SBA Ms. Irick said the SBA bars loans to gambling
ved a similar loan to a pornographic movie operations, but not to legal businesses like Show
Miami Beach. "We were told it was OK as World. She and other officials agreed that with-
asn't creating a nuisance," Gold said. drawing the loan might have raised First Amen-
)NTHS before the Show World Center in dment issues.
are received its $65,000 federal loan in 1977, Weisbrod called the loan "wildly inappropriate"
ded by police. Since then, its employees and said the issue was "not whether it (the loan) is
have been arrested for obscenity, accor- technically leagl. It's whether it's wise to see tax-
ce. payers' money spent on this kind of thing ... The SBA
sex shows, films, peep shows, sexual aids has a responsibility to supervise investment com-
Iraphic magazines and books, the center's panies using federal dollars."
ral loan
MS. IRICK SAID the agency, which reports an
overall default rate of 6.9 percent, "has not taken a
loss" on this loan, which the center paid off early.
An employee of the center said owner Richard
Basciano was not available for comment, but
Basciano's lawyer has said Show World Center Inc.
used the money only to renovate offices in the
building.
Times Square, once the center of American show
business, today is dominated by more than 60 sex-
related businesses. A few doors down Eighth Avenue,
American Savings Bank branch manager Edward
Acosta said he was charging almost 17 percent for
home mortgage loans, which usually are cheaper
than commerical ones.
DORCHEN Leidholdt, a founder of Women Against
Pornography, a group that has given feminists
guided tours through the World Show Center, ex-
pressed "outrage" that the government would aid a
purveyor of "violent and degrading pornography that
victimizes women."
Syrian MiGs
battle Israeli
jets as war
with Lebano
escalates
(Continued from Page 1)
their aim on Syria's Soviet-made SAM-6
missiles in the Bekaa-long a major
military irritant to Israel-they also
tightened the screws on the
Palestinians.
Palestine Liberation Organization
chief Yasser Arafat went on Beirut's
"Voice of Palestine" radio to appeal for
help from other Arab nations, saying:
"The Israeli government is carrying
out the massacre of the Palestinian
people in Lebanon with the open ap-
proval of the United States."
MEANWHILE, Syrian reinforcemen-
ts were streaming into Lebanon.
Informed sources in Damascus said
the Syrian force in Lebanon had more
than doubled, to 65,000. Reports of the
number of Israeli troops in Lebanon
rangefrom 20,000 to 60,000.
U.S. Secretary of State Alexander
Haig, in West Germany with President
Reagan, reported a "substantial num-
ber" of missiles had been added to the
Syrian force in Lebanon in the past two
days.
AMERICAN envoy Philip Habib flew
from Israel to Damascus yesterday for
talks with Syrian leaders in an ap-
parent effort to arrange a cease fire. A
senior Israeli official said Habib was
conveying "our basic message, which
is that we are not interested in a con-
y frontation with Syria."
The Iraqi announcement, made over
Baghdad radio, said "Iraq is prepared
to start immediately withdrawing all
its military forces from all cities and
emplacements presently held inside
Iran and return to its international bor-
der within a week."
It said the plan called for negotiations
with Iran, directly or through
mediators. If Iran refused, the
statement said, the Iraqis are willing to
accept arbitration of the Islamic Con-
ference Organization, the non-aligned
movement's mediators, or the U.N.
Security Council.
THE MOTHER AND sisters of Israeli infantryman Katriel Shwartz mourn yesterday at his Tel Aviv funeral. He was
killed shortly after fighting broke out.
- Begin, Sharon an unlikely pair
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) - They are earthy Sabra who believes in full- rising swiftly in the military. As a
something of an odd couple, the two frontal assualt in battle or across the young major, he was put in charge of
men who are waging Israel's war on the negotiating table. running a secret army unt that caned
Palestinian guerrillas in Lebanon. Columnist Yoel Marcus has written in out reprisals for Arab terroristattacks.
In background, temperament, and the daily Haaretz that Sharon has the THE 1967 MIDEAST war gave both
style, few people could be more dif- image of "a frightener. His large men a tremendous career boost.
ferent than Prime Minister Menachem physical shape, his glorious military After 19 years as a political outsider,
Begin and Defense Minister Ariel past ... his egocentrism, his cunning, Begin got a post in a unity government
Sharon. his hot temper, and his thugish tongue formed to conduct the war. It was a
BUT JEWISH history and a profound - all these hae given him the image of stamp of legitimacy which many
faith in military might have combined awe-inspiring might." believe launched him toward the
to make the two prime movers - over- Begin grew up in the anti-Semitism of premiership. Sharon won glory for
coming the hesitations of colleagues Poland between the two world wars. leading Israeli forces to victory in the
and launching the invasion of Lebanon. Most of his family was killed by the Sinai Desert.
Begin represents the immigrant Nazis, and Begin escaped only because The 1973 war gave the two another
generation, steeped in the experience of the Soviets had imprisoned him. boost. Disgusted with the way the
ghetto life and persecution, Sharon HE CAME TO Palestine in 1942, and Labor Party-led government handled
epitomizes the new Israeli;born here, his fiery Zionist nationalism was alien the war, many Israelis became Begin
raised on a farm, and forged in the fur- to the socialist Jewish establishment. supporters. Sharon gathered laurels
nace of four Middle East wars. He became an underground leader and for leading the crossing of the Suez
Begin is a frail 68. His heart is weak lived with a price on his head. Canal, which turned the war in Israel's
and he walks with a stick. Sharon grew up on a Galilee farm, a favor.
Sharon is robust 54, a bulldozer of a lonely boy whose parents often were at In 1977 Begin was elected prime
man with a shock of silvery hair and a odds with neighbors. His mother taught minister, and he named Sharon to lead
surprisingly boyish voice. him he could succeed by fighting for his the Agriculture Ministry. And after
BEGIN IS A courtly man who always rights and relying on himself. Begin won re-election in 1981, he gave
wears a shirt and tie and greets women In the 1950s, while Begin was suf- Sharon the Defense Mnistry and a
with a kiss of the hand. Sharon is an fering electoral defeats, Sharon was mandate to get tough with the
Palestinians.