Page 2-Thursday, August 12, 1982-The Michigan Daily 'U' economists0 predict upturn in nation's By SCOTT STUCKAL The nation's economic clouds will' begin to clear by the end of the year due to increases in consumer spending, University economists predicted yesterday. In an update of an economic forecast made last November, University economics Prof. Saul Hymans and economic research assistant Joan Crary said the Gross National Product (GNP) would rise at an annual rate of 3.9 percent by the end of the year, signalling anincrease in the amount of goods produced. The increased production will be fueled by a jump in consumer spending, Hymans said. A moderate -inflation rate along with an increase in disposable income due to the upcoming income tax cuts will allow consumers to spend on more durable goods, he said. Production will increase because business inventories goods - goods stocked in warehouses - will not be enough to offset the spending increases, Hymans said. Hymans said the country is presently in the "early stages of a recovery," but he cautioned that government fiscal and monetary policy will be the major determining factor of whether the recovery will continue. economy CAR SALES statistics are one exam- ple of the recovery, he said, addingthat Michigan will share in the recovery. "I think we're already seeing some improvement in the Michigan economy. It's no longer going down, but it's beginning to go up, and it will continue in the next three or four mon- ths," Hymans predicted. He added that high unemployment rates in Michigan and around the coun- try will not stall the recovery. "I DON'T want to minimize that the people who are unemployed are not suf- fering a loss, but the people who are employed will be spending their money," Hymans said. . Hymans and Crary predicted that unemployment will peak at 10 percent before leveling off at 9.5 percent. They also said that despite record- breaking government deficits proposed by the Reagan administration, interest rates will continue their slide below the present mark of 15 percent. "What the deficits represent is a shift in liquidity from the government to the private sector," Hymans said. This means, he explained, the federal government incurs the debt while giving the private sector more money to use and invest. - Today The weather Today will make you wish the weekend was already here. Temperatures will reach the upper 70s with plenty of sunshine available. Q Dirty Dennis SOME READERS OF Dennis the Menace feel the mischievous cartoon tyke should have his mouth washed out with soap. A cartoon strip published by some newspapers showed Dennis and some friends leaving a movie theater. "That was a dirty trick," comments the bib- over-alled tyke, "killin' off the bad guy while I was in takin' a leak." Field Newspaper Syndicate of Irvine, Calif., had sent a milder alternate captiorn, but some newspapers overlooked it. The Laramie, Wyo. Daily Boomerang, among a number of other papers around the country, carried the first ver- sion. A few days later, the Boomerang published an apology to readers saying ". . . apparently Dennis couldn't resist the temptation to put one over on the editor. We'll keep an: eye on him in the future." Leighton McLaughlin, Field syndicate editor, said in a telephone interview that the originator of Dennis the Menace, Hank Ketcham, wrote the caption in the form that has drawn some objections. "We talked to Hank. He contended times are changing. We felt perhaps Dennis was an exception to that progression."L i Happenings Films AAFC - Sisters, 7 & 10 p.m., Chained For Life, 8:40 p.m., Lorch. CFT - Suspicion, 3:30 & 7:15 p.m., To Catch A Thief, 5:15 & 9 p.m., Michigan Theatre. Miscellaneous- Ann Arbor Advocates for Safe Alternatives in Childbirth - "New Parents Panel," 7p.m., First United Methodist Church, Huron and State. Campus Crusade for Christ - meeting, 7 p.m., 2003 Angell. Intervarsity Christian Fellowship - meeting, 7 p.m., Union. Scottish Country Dancers - beginning class, 7 p.m., intermediate class, 8 p.m., Union. Ann Arbor Support Group for FLOC - meeting, 7p.m., 308 E. William. Medical Center Bible Study - meeting, 12:30 p.m., Room F2230 Mott Children's Hospital. School of Music - "The Fantasticks," 8 p.m., Mendlessohn Theater. To submit items for the Happenings Column, send them in canc of Happenings, The Michigan Daily, 420 Maynard St., Ann Arbor, MI. 48109. TeMichigan Daily Local detectives to question murder suspect in Houston (ContinuedfromPage1) bargaining agreement with Watts, but delayed final sentencing until next Tuesday to ensure Watts' cooperation. "It was the best we could do," Shaver said. The nine cases were "unsolvable" without Watts' information, Houston Assistant District Attorney Jack Frels and Houston Detective Mike Karadat- zke said. FRELS ALSO said that the Ann Ar- bor detectives would not be allowed to question Watts until the investigation in Houston was completed to the satisfac- tion of authorities there. "No one has questioned him (Watts), and his attorney said they won't talk until everyone agrees to the plea- bargaining offer," Frels said. The cases in Harris County, Texas will be handled before any of the others, he said. "We're satisfied that he is respon- sible for nine murders in Harris coun- ty," Frels said. "There is one other girl missing, but we don't have any reason to believe that Watts is involved." DEFENSE attorney Zinetta Burney said he had originally planned to use an insanity defense, but after the con- fession Monday, Judge Shaver received a report from the Rusk State Hospital certifying that Watts had been examined for 21 days and was found to be sane. Although Frels said the Texas in- vestigations could be "quite time- consuming," Hawkins said the Ann Ar- bor officials would likely stay in Texas until an agreement is reached. Asked whether or not he was op- timistic about getting information from Watt's plea-bargain agreement, Hawkins said "not unless he gets a heavy, heavy sentence in Texas." HAWKINS also said the agreement was "somewhat favorable," because Ann Arbor police otherwise do not have enough evidence linking Watts to the slayings to obtain a warrant for his arrest. Prosecutor Delhey has final authority to decide whether or not to of- fer immunity from prosecution to ob- tain information, Hawkins said. "I do know he (Delhey) plans not to (make the offer of immunity) unless there is a heavy sentence in Texas," Hawkins said. "The 60-year sentence would mean abut 20 years before he (Watts) is up for parole. That means he'd be 48-years- old when he gets out, and he could come back to Ann Arbor. What happens then?" he said. Detective Karadatzke said Watts led police to the buried bodies of two women he admittedly killed, and also involved himself in seven other killings - in the Houston area. Frels said Watts hinted at other killings in Austin and Galveston, Texas; Detroit, Ann Arbor and Kalamazoo, Michigan; and Windsor, Ontario. His plea-bargain agreement would be to "help solve unsolved mur- ders in those areas in return for im- munity from prosecution," Frels said, Vol. XCII, No. 60-S Thursday, August 12, 1982 The Michigan Daily is edited and managed by students at The Univer- -sity of- Michigan. Published daily Tuesday through Sunday mornings during the University year at 420 Maynard Street. Ann Arbor. Michigan, 48109. Subscription rates: $12 September through April (2 semesters); $13 by mail outside Ann Arbor. Summer session published Tuesday through Saturday mor- , nings. Subscription rates: $6.50 in Ann Arbor; $7 by mail outside Ann Arbor. Second class postage paid at Ann Arbor. Michigan. POST- MASTER: Send address changes to THE MICHIGAN DAILY, 420 Maynard Street, Ann Arbor, MI. 48109. The Michigan Daily is a member of the Associated Press and sub- scribes to United Press Inter- national, PacifictNews Service, Los Angeles Times Syndicate and Field Newspapers Syndicate. News room (313) 764-0552, 76- DAILY. Sports desk, 764-0562; Cir- culation, 764-0558; Classified Adver- tising, 764-0557; Display advertising, 764-0554; Billing. 764-0550. Editor-in-Chief ..OARK GINDIN Managing.Eito.JULIEHINDS Opinion ,Page Edor.. KENT REDDINSG ArtsEditor RICHARD CAMPBELL Sports Editors, . JOHN KERR RON POLLACK Stott Lbro,{an BONN[E HAWKINS NEWS STAFF: George Adams, Jerry Aliott, Greg Brusstor, John Hoffman, Barb Misle, Bill Spindle, Kristin Stapleton, Scott Stuckol, Fannie Weinstein. Business Mana.,.......... JOSEPH BRODA Disp'ay/Clssifie.d Man.r.......... ANN SACHAR Sles Coordinator ............E. ANDREW PETERSEN Circulation Manager ................ KIM WOOD circulationDirector..................TIM McGRAW BUSINESS STAFF: Becki Chottiner, Maureen Drum- ond, Kathryn Hendrick,. Karen Johnson, Sm Slaughtr.. SPORTS STAFF: Joe Chapelle, Jim Dworman Jim Sisson. PHOTO STAFF: Doug McMahon, Elizabeth Scott. ARTS STAFF: Sarah Bassett, Jill Beiswenger,. Jerry Brobenec, Jane Car, Mark Dighton, Maureen Fleming, Michael Huget. Elliot Jackson, Ellen Rieser.