Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 3

5 Free Press Telephones 3petf ott ifree Stress THE SECOND FRONT PAGE Page 3, Section A Monday, March 18, 1974 Today's Chuckle We hear that brought out a new drink called Foreignaide. It's the refreshment that never pauses. For Home Delivery To Place Want Ads City News Desk Insurance Dept. All Other Calls 222-6500 222-6800 222-6600 222-6470 222-6400 Fertilizer Shortage tate Hard May Hit The national fertilizer shortage Is a result of the energy crisis and such factors as government's agricultural policy and Industry competition. Almost all of the nitrogen fertilizer in the U.S.

is produced with natural gas. And last year, when natural gas supply was tight, unanticipated record demands for fertilizer drastically reduced inventories, industry officials say. controls on fertilizer last fall and the subsequent increase in domestic grain prices made it profitable for Midwest wheat growers to use large amounts of fertilizer. This year, release of millions of acres of land (400,000 of them in Michigan) by the federal government for planting has also increased fertilizer demand. But the long-depressed, highly competitive fertilizer needed to stabilize retail meat prices can still be produced.

Otherwise, they fear, corn prices currently at a high $2.80 to $2.90 a bushel could go even higher, prompting a whole new food price spiral for the consumer. BUT ABOUT two months before planting time, neither the weather nor the extent of the state's fertilizer shortage is easy to predict. So, outlooks vary. "Nationally we expect a five BY SUSAN MORSE Fr PrH Staff Writer Michigan farmers and economists concerned that a national fertilizer shortage may hit Michigan exceptionally hard this year. Corn, Michigan's biggest grain crop, is particularly dependent on nitrogen-based fertilizers that are in short supply.

Some observers hope that with optimum weather conditions, the bumper corn crop percent shortage of nitrogen. It's pretty apparent that Michigan is going to be affected more severely than that," said a U.S. Department of Agriculture economist. "There is the possibility that some areas could go as high as 50 percent." State Agriculture Depart-ment figures place present and expected shortages of nitrogen at 12 to 15 percent, phosphorus at 10 percent, and potash at five percent. "Nationally ne -expect a he percent shortage of nitrogen.

It's pretty appar ent that Michigan is going to be affected more severely some areas could go as high as 50 percent." The lifting of federal price Please turn to Page fi, Col. 1 Blast Harsh Job-Bias But Valid Sauna Spawns A Streaker Is there no end to it? One of the latest streaking strikes took place during the general membership meeting of the sedate Polish American Century Club when a man burst from the sauna and ran through the crowd, not even trailing a towel Friend of Mine who hasn't seen a movie in years was finally dragged to one by his wife. "I just couldn't get comfortable," he says, "I kept waiting for a commercial." Tip of the Topper to Mrs. Jenny Carr who just reached her 90th birthday. She came to the United States from North Cumberland i England in 1923, has lived in Our Town 37 years On the a'ling list in Grace Hospital is Norman (Mac) McCall, head waiter at the Bloomfield Hills Country Club for 30 years.

He's recovering from a heart attack. Waller Greene who moved from the post of top aide for former Mayor Roman Grihhs to a vice-presidency 'of National Bank of Detroit claims that Watergate, is truly a racially exclusive affair. So far, no blacks are involved. furbished Shelby Hotel to cele-brats its official opening Monday. Quite independently, there will be another affair in progress from 4 to 5 p.m.

on the same date when the Jerry Cavanagh irregulars gather to do honor to their old chief. He had his campaign headquarters at the Shelby in the successful campaigns of 1961 and 1965. Such stalwarts as Bob Tighe, Jot B. Sullivan, Jack Kclley, 1 red Romanoff, Bill Finnin, Jim Garvey, Willie Baxter, AI Jacoby, Art Stone and Jerry Remus will be on hand. Young ays good record in hiring minority employes.

But in the building trades field, he said, the percentage of blacks is small because of a scarcity of licensed black This was an area specified by Watts in his criticism blacks and whites by frequently hiring friends and relatives rather than the applicants most competent for the job. But Charles A. Meyer, Civil Service commission secretary and chief examiner, said Sunday there was no basis for the mayor's statement. "The whole concept of civil service is equal opportunity so that people have a chance to have their qualifications evaluated competitively and objectively," Meyer said. Meyer suggested that on an overall basis, the city has a I l- it i It il BY DON LENHAUSEN Fr Pri Stiff Writer Mayor Young Sunday criticized as "intemperate and unfortunate" statements by one of his top officials that blacks would burn the city down if they knew the extent of widespread racial discrimination in city jobs.

But Young said criticism by James Watts, Department of Public Works commissioner, of city hiring practices was otherwise "certainly valid." AND THE MAYOR added, through a spokesman, that he intends to reorganize civil service procedures "with an eye to guaranteeing better jobs for all qualified people." The spokesman said Young noted that the new city charter gives him power to reorganize civil service procedures, but the mayor did not specify what changes he might make. In the meantime, Young said he would talk to Watts "and tell him to cool down his language." Millions for Schools At Stake Tuesday I ITTT is based on the local property tax rate. The $73.5 million produced by the millage makes up 28 percent of the present school budget. If the tax is not renewed, the Board nf Education will be forced to Impose a one percent city school tax on July 1 on all Detroit residents. The income tax would produce about $8 million less for the schools but would cost most citizens more money.

The school system has its first balanced budget this year since 18, when there was the first in a long series of deficits which nearly bankrupted the school system. The state Legislature authorized special loans to pay off the debt and Please turn to Page 8A, Col. 1 BY WILLIAM GRANT Frti Prm fcducation Writer Detroit voters will be asked Tuesday to renew an expiring 7.5-mill property tax that produces over a quarter of the annual budget of the city school system. Voting booths will be open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m.

at all city polling places. The millage issue is the only city-wide ballot question, although there will be special elections in three districts to fill vacancies in the slate Senate and House. THE 7.5-MILL tax produces $41.5 million in local revenue and another $30 million in state school aid, which fir 7" TT T7 Fr Prtst Phots by IRA BOKtNBIRO voicenrint aus At a budget hearing Satur-d a Watts denounced civil service officials as "whores," "bastards" and "bigots who have been around for 150 years." Watts, a black attorney and former A official, contended that "blacks get the enrf of the stick, the lowest jobs we've been screwed in this town for years "If the black community knew the hosing they were getting in city government, they would burn down this town. We'd have a revolution." But on Sunday Young, who has been ill and was not. at the budget session, said Watts spoke from a false premise.

"Blacks already know what's going on," the mayor said. YOUNG SAID he believed Watts "got carried away by the sound of his own voice." "Watts is bringing the rhetoric from the UAW caucus to City Hall," Young said. "This is very, very wrong. Director Atchison and an inspector make a surprise check Cemetery Walkout Is Ended City Buying Boss Battling Cheat mm on Grocery Scale A Test in Swindle BY ELLEN GRZECH Frtu Prsi Snaciat Writer LANSING A clever swindler with a handful of dimes tricked Michigan National Bank out of $9,840, and got away with it. He used the telephone and a persuasive story a dozen times to con the bank out of a canvas bag filled with cash.

He did it without ever being seen except briefly by a cab driver, and he got the police to help him. Police said the swindler was Wayne Chaisson. a 31-year-old cowboy with convictions in two states, but their case, will never be heard by a judge or jury. LARCENY CHARGES against Chaisson were dismissed Wednesday, after the state's chief expert, witness was dis- the food market inspections. Wier weij.hs the meat while Larivee records the findings.

Occasionally, Larivee warns the meat clerks to watch for "shrinkage" water leaking from chickens, blood draining from -ed meat, anything that will lower the actual weight of a package. While the three men checked on the meat behind one counter, a female shopper examined a linely marbled roast. "I'm not vorried about the weight," she said. "I just wish I could see the underside of this roast so I could see the fat." purchasing commissioner, Atchison has the responsibility for making certain that weights and measures in Detroit weigh and measure properly. His office checks on truckloads, taxi cab meters and food market scales.

"In the past we just responded to complaints because our department is so small. We left most of the food inspections to the state. "But now we feel that this is ton important an area to leave to someone else." The inspection division currently must rely on two veteran employes, Ray Larivee and Chester to handle not proposing instant urban renewal with Molotov cocktails. program is more constructcive than that We don't want to burn the city clown. We want to reconstruct it on the basis of equality for all people." Young said thai Watts' "unfortunate language does not detract from Hip problem of job discrimination." Young claimed that civil service through the years has discriminated against both credited by his own teacher in surprise testimony.

The major evidence against Chaisson was a voiceprint a graph of a voice made from a call the swindler placed during his scheme. Police later obtained a tape of Chaisson's voice and compard the two. State Police Lt. Ernest Nash, whose voice identifications have helped convict 26 defendants around the country, declared Chaisson- was the swindler after listening to the tapes and ana Cemetery workers voted to end their L'l-week strike at three. Romay Catholic Arch-diocesan cemeteries Sunday by ratifying a new 2'2-year contract.

The 37 gravediggers and other cemetery employes were expected to return to work Monday to begin burying some (iliO bodies that have been stored in cemetery buildings since the. strike began Dec. 14. The struck cemeteries were Holy Sepulchre in Southfield, Holy Cross in Detroit and Our Lady of Hope in Wyandotte. Tha workers, members of Local 13702 of the United Steelworkers of America, won an immediate wage boost above their former $4.65 an hour wage and another 25 cents spread over the length of the contract.

Union spokesman Ronald Maurer said they also will receive an unlimited cost-of-living allowance, improved vacation, health and accident benefits and, for the first, time, a formal sick day at-Iowa nee. Jean Sekula, a Primary Unit i II teacher in the Holcomb School, was so intrigued with Keith Dickinson's campaign to I choose a state bug that she decided to involve her own students in the project. The children were enthusias- tic, wrote speeches supporting the bug of their choice from a field of seven the grasshopper, honey bee, hornet, i crickci, monarch butterfly, firefly and walking stick. The bulletin boards were covered with posters, and the children made speeches campaigning for their favorite. Then they voted by secret ballot.

The monarch butterfly was first with 54 and the fire- I tly second with 40 and the walking stick ambled in third with 38. As ior Dickinson's caper, Mandas William Myers hopes that the final vote won't be in favor of the honey bre. Myers 1 says that Utah has pre-empted that hard-working little guy, has him on the stale seal and 1 he even adorns the Utah Hotel where the cupola is in the form of a beehive. I I The Wayne State University Symphony Band, directed by Harold Arnoldi, leaves Tues- 1 day for Anaheim, to perform at the opening con- I cert of the Music Educators National Conference. I The band, chosen from 400 applicants, will also perform for alumni reunions in Los An- i geles and San Francisco and i community concerts at Hayward, Cupertino and Car-niel.

Speaking of Wayne Stale, Paul Pentecost, director of in- i formation services, is intrigued by the national attention given to Charlie, the seven-foot alii-, gator that was kept in secrecy for seven vears in the basement of Old Main. i Thomas Rumble, dean of the Office for Graduate Students, told Pentecost he should have known something was up even two or three years ago. 1 "I used to pass that door at 5 or 5:30 every evening at the same iime that one of the attendants was closing it and callin out: 'See you later, lyzing the voiceprints. But when Oscar Tosi, a voiceprint expert from Michi- Please turn to Page 4A, Col. I EMPIRE FOUNDED OiV MASHED PEAS Dies Baby Food Pioneer Dan Gerber BY SUSAN WATSON Fre Press Stall Writir The Detroit purchasing director, whose shopping list for the city totals about $1 million a week, walked into seven grocery stores last week and watched as his two uniformed assistants began weighing chickens, pork and perch.

"We're concerned that people get what they pay for," said Leon Atchison, newly appointed purchasing director. "I'm putting stores on notice that as long as I'm commissioner, we'll be making these unannounced visits." It was quite a sight. THERE, IN a dark business suit and wrinkle-free trench coat, was one of the key officials in city government standing behind a meat counter amid the huge metal trays and plucked chickens. The man who co-ordinates the purchase of fire trucks, mountains of building supplies, and just about everything else the City of Detroit buys, was on the lookout for $1.99 -a -pound round steak weights and measures in De-which weighed less than what was marked on the label. Out nf the seven stores he visited last week, two were ticketed for selling short-weight meat.

The owners must appear in Traffic and Ordinance Court on the violation. The packages weighed one-eighth ounce to four ounces less than what was marked on the label and the customers wen; overcharged from a penny 10 73 cents. The ther five stores passed the weiaht test, although a couple were ordered to re-m and rewriph all thp chickens for sale and two others Irilf to get their 'Nice People' Answer FP Ad For Day Care "Nice people answered the ad," said Ms. Dorothy Rogers, Detroit. "And I feel the Free Press is interested in getting results for me." Ms.

Rogers placed an occlusive fast-ACTION Want Ad offering home day care for children. She received 15 calls and is happy with the results of the ad. To get the results you want, contact a Free Press Ad Taker today. BY SUSAN MORSE Frc Prss Stall Writr Daniel F. Gerber who helped transform a family business into the world's leading baby food Products died Saturday night in his hometown of Fremont, Mich.

He was 75. The former Gerber company board chairman was taken to Gerber Memorial Hospital after suffering an apparent heart attack at his home, a family spokesman said. There will be a community memorial service at 2 p.m. Wednesday in Fremont's high school gym. A private family service will be held Monday.

Born May fi, 1808, in Fremont, Gerber joined his father's Fremont Canning Co. in 1912. The company introduced Gerber's strained baby foods in 1928, and in succeeding years became a leading producer of baby food and other items for babies. The incentive for the strained fond business reputedly came from Gerber's wile, Dorothy, who on one fateful day 1927 asked for her husband's help in straining sonve peas for daughter Sally's supper. When he complained nf thp difficulty of mashing and straining the peas by hand, she suggested he hap the vegetables pureed at the plant.

The next year, Gerber markepd six varieties nf pureed foods on a trial basis, and the company wa, iWHHipMi hi'Ii unlcr--. Please turn to I'agp VL, Col. I I A rv w7 A -V, 5, -V Thought for the Day Judging the restrictions fnnjrf-ss seeks to wrpnsp on hp aiiiomntiv" industry unrW ip of plriun iilioi. thr iiplr' d' 1 I1 i'' fret within a Daniel F. Orbcr in a )7.