Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 8

8A DETROIT FREE PRESSTUESDAY, JUNE 3, 1980 from our readers flettoU jfrec tcss AN INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER The formula for success includes literacy noo jojooonouo PRIMARIES They have served a purpose, but changes are in order An equal responsibility to defend the country? Draft: Equal rights, equal wrongs females as well as males. After other very inventive statements about the women's movement he proclaims that after the marching of 1979, 1980 is the year we gain our rights he then facetiously offers women the use of his draft card. We do not support the draft for females or males either. We especially do not support women being drafted into an Army where they have anything less than equal rights. Our hope is that neither gender will be drafted.

SYLVIA ROBINSON Women's Justice Center AS LONG as there is no equal draft system in effect to include women, I find all their demands of justice in equality to be misleading and even offensive to all veterans of the armed forces. Priority for women in receiving occupational opportunities has continued without their personal requirement, or obligational responsibility, to protect and defend this country. RONALD B. POIRIER THE MAY 1 Free Press carried a letter from Steve Kosch wondering where the ERA supporters were now that draft registration had been proposed for IN THE MAY 23 Free Press, a story was run on the declining pass-rates on recent examinations for admission to practice law in Michigan. According to the story, the reason offered by State Bar officials for this worsening performance is declining ability of law school graduates to read and write.

In the story, Dennis Donohue, staff assistant to the State Board of Law Examiners, is quoted as saying, "The fact that everybody watches TV and doesn't read anymore may not be so important to a physicist or a chemist, but it's damned important to a lawyer." The narrow-mindedness displayed by this statement is unfortunate. As one who has been a practicing physical chemist and is now a practicing attorney, I want to assure Mr. Donohue and your readers that de-. dining ability to read and write among even the highly educated is a matter of great concern to physicists and chemists as well as lawyers. The ability to read and write well is as necessary for success in the practice of science as it is for success in the practice of law.

The literacy of the general public is as important for the success of science as it is for the success of law. WILLIAM J. SCANLON, PhD, JD Ann Arbor Picture perfect PLEASE ACCEPT my congratulations on an extremely well done iPicturestory by Nolan Ross on May :22, "Inside Mt. St. Helens." Mr.

'Ross has said graphically what a thousand words would not. Very easily understood and remembered. A great educational service to Free Press subscribers. Please keep up your constructive description of current affairs. W.P.

SCHAMBRA Midland Intercepted Letters LEONARD SMITH Concert Band Dear Cancelled: CTARS and Stripes occasional ly- sized is that sexual harassment, whether subtle or blatant, can prevent a woman from holding and progressing in a job and having a job means survival. I hope your paper will continue to cover this issue. Follow-up articles will go far to keep the issue in the forefront. BARBARA JEAN GRABOWSKI Lansing Save the children HERE IS a chance for the right-to-life group to save the lives of innocent children. Gov.

Milliken is asking the Legislature to axe the crippled children's program, which includes the use of the life-giving kidney ma- chines. To take these away from sick children means death. ALICE GODFREY THIS YEAR'S presidential primaries, despite the hypes and the distortions, have served the country better than it may appear to campaign-weary voters. Michigan, among other states, already is pondering the future of its primary. It's time to take a look at where we are in this siege of press agentry, candidate blitzes and billowing bucks.

The primaries and the caucuses have banished some erroneous preconceptions. Jimmy Carter, who seemed to have nosedived out of sight at the outset, has established that he still has a broad kind of appeal if not fervent and deep-running support. Ronald Reagan has shown that his near miss in 1976 was no accident and that he does, in fact, have the approval of most Republicans. Ted Kennedy has been weighed, for the first time, and found to lack the popular approval that many people had presumed he had. The Jerry Brown mystique, now tested nationally, has all but disappeared.

Some Republican candidates such as Howard Baker and Robert Dole have found that their prominence in the Senate or in the party could not be translated into nationwide constituencies. Without the primaries, how could the party conventions have correctly gauged any of that? It is clear at this point that the country is not very happy about the Carter-Reagan choice. But the primaries and caucuses suggest there might have been greater unhappiness with other choices. We may never see a primary season quite like this one again. The Democrats already had plans in motion, not applicable to this year, that will tighten the nomination campaign season.

The New Hampshire primary and the Iowa caucuses probably will lose their attention-grabbing, first-in-the-coun- HILLER His and so too his place in THE JOHN HILLER story is so familiar to Detroit, and his place in Detroit sports lore so distinctive, that it is difficult to add to the sum of it. His retirement brings to an end such an extraordinary professional career, though, and cuts such an important link between the dreary present-day Tigers and the glory boys of 1968, that we have to add our expression of thanks and admiration to what others have said. Al Kaline, among others, has described John Hiller as probably the greatest relief pitcher in Tiger history, and his tribute does not invite likely contradiction. And the manner of this premier relief pitcher's going his sense of when it is time to end a great career marks Hiller, like Kaline, as one of the finest men to grace a Tiger uniform. But what sets the John Hiller story apart is neither the professional skill nor the personal grace and style that were his in such abundant measure.

Detroiters have a special affection for Hiller for what he had to overcome and for the dogged persistence with which he fought his way back from a heart attack. By will and discipline, he made himself a fit professional athlete again. He overcame. In a sports world too dominated by easy money and ready excuses, the achievement JVo need to inject racism ASA RESIDENT of 1 300 E. Lafayette, I was shocked to hear Mayor Young inject racism into the tenants' efforts to explore a possible idirect purchase of the building from HUD.

To date, a large percentage of (tenants have attended several association meetings without a single 'comment having racial overtones. Spotlight on sexual harassment I WISH to commend you for your recent coverage of sexual harassment in the work place (Free Press, May 18). The article presented an honest look at what has been and continues to be a barrier to women's full participation in the work place. What perhaps needs to be empha JOHN S. KNIGHT Editor Emeritus LEE HILLS Editorial Chairman DON C.

BECKER President JOE H. STROUD Editor DAVID LAWRENCE JR. Executive Editor FRANK ANGELO Associate Executive Editor try roles. Some states may join in regional primaries. Other changes are afoot.

The primaries and caucuses are a messy business. Shortening the season seems merciful to voters, but as John of Michigan State University notes in a new book called "Before the Convention," it also will give greater importance to having bundles of money and high name recognition early. And it may cut down on what the voters learn about candidates through their steady exposure, up close, week to week. Every four years we probably will hear, and should hear, calls for changes in the way primaries and caucuses work. They are very imprecise instruments.

But no one is seriously saying they should be eliminated and that we should return entirely to conventions managed by political brokers. Some experiments with regional primaries, including several states or whole sections of the country, would be a useful next stage. By reducing the number of election dates and cross-country hopping, regional primaries might give more serious texture to the campaigning, reducing the weekly' handicapping and other horse-race aspects. We are not sure at this stage whether that is" the direction Michigan should take. But we are sure beyond a doubt that the Democrats' scuttling of their primary this year, to hand the decisions to badly attended caucuses, must not be repeated in 1984.

That episode predictably has led to new calls for repeal of the presidential primary law in Michigan. They should be rejected, but Michigan needs to start early in deciding what kind of process as open as possible, so that we again may have large numbers of people participating should be used next time. story was distinctive, Detroit His skill, his grace and style, his will to fight: Detroit fans will miss them of John Hiller in building, and rebuilding, his career stands out. He was a competitor. From the looks of this season's beginnings, there will be many an afternoon or evening when we will look longingly down to the bullpen, wishing for the sight of John Hiller in prime form.

For years to come, Detroit sports fans will have a special place in their affections for this very special man. instance uncovered where serious health hazards result from environmental neglect. In a quick, non-comprehensive survey, a congressional subcommittee found more than 3,000 hazardous waste sites spread across the nation, and more than 100 in Michigan. Statistics aside, a lot of people in Michigan have been made very nervous by the wastes dumped at Hooker's Montague plant. The inefficiency the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency has exhibited at Love Canal will not calm many nerves, in Michigan or anywhere else. The victims of Love Canal have suffered enough. Their futures should not be held hostage while geneticists debate statistics and public and private officials quibble over who's responsible for what. Those questions can and will be settled later, some of them in a court of law. Meanwhile, the federal government has an obligation to relocate those families whose lives it has helped to disturb not only for their sake, but to assure thousands with similiar worries that, in the event their communities are affected, they won't have to face the problem alone.

T3 The primary choice is to stay away from polls The reason, of course, is simple. Integration is working splendidly at 1300 and all tenants have a common concern that an outside purchase of this luxury building will result in higher rents or conversion to condominium at high retail prices. Either one of these probabilities -will have a drastic impact on the moderate-income tenants. PAT ALESSANDRO Sign it, please Send your letters to The Editor, Detroit Free Press, 321 W. Lafayette Detroit, Ml 48231 Letters may be edited or condensed.

Shorter ones usually will be given preference. All should be signed originals, with the full address of the writer. Letters that also are sent to other publications usually will not be used. Writers normally should be limited to no more than one letter each 30 days. Names will be withheld only for extraordinary reasons.

The cost was high and the interest low Unless a presidential primary is held in all 50 states at the same time and allows the citizens to choose the candidates, what good is it? GEORGE J. CODD Grosse Pointe U.S. House COMPROMISE MILITARY SPENDING: By a vote of 123 to 165 the House rejected a motion to table (kill) a proposal instructing its conferees to insist on the compromise budget resolution figure of billion in outlays and $171.3 billion in budget authority for national defense. The 1 53.7 billion figure was agreed to in a House-Senate conference committee on the budget resolution. The figure was $5.8 billion more in spending than the original House number and $2 billion less than the Senate number.

The vote occurred after the House rejected the compromise budget resolution on grounds it contained too much money for defense programs and not enough for domestic programs. Its effect was to send the House Budget Committee back to conference with the Senate with instructions to support both the 1 53.7 billion defense figure and more money for domestic programs. A yes vote supported the motion to table. DEMOCRATS SI YEAS NAYS NOT VOTING "PAIRED IS Albosta IS Blanchard IS Bonior Brodhead IS Carr IS Conyers Diggs IS Dingell Ford IS Kildee Nedzi Traxler Wolpe REPUBLICANS IS YEAS NAYS NOT VOTING "PAIRED Broomfleld Davis Pursell Sawyer Stockman VanderJagt 3 I AM WRITING this letter because I know of no other rational way to vent the frustration and anger I feel as a result of the apathy and indifference shown by Michigan voters who would not take 1 5 minutes of their time to cast a vote in the May 20 primary election. These are the same people, however, who spend hours at a time complaining about the present state of affairs in this country and the incapability of present government officials to effectively deal with today's problems.

Although I have not witnessed most of this country's history, I feel we may be embarking on one of this nation's most difficult periods of history. It is of utmost importance that effective leaders with the proper knowledge and experience be placed in office to guide this country in the years ahead. To do this, voters must make use of every available opportunity to exercise their right to vote. The tragedy of the light voter turnout is the fact that it has provoked thoughts of doing away with the Michigan presidential primary election altogether due to the cost involved. It will be a great mistake if the Michigan voters allow these thoughts to become reality, but that may very well happen if people remain apathetic to the political process in this country.

tiluiG iroDi caflD Michigan Senate MILITARY PAY: The Senate voted 25 to 8 Thursday to subject military pay of servicemen sta-. tioned in Michigan to the state income tax, with a $1,500 exemption for the Michigan National Guard and reservists. The legislation, if it becomes law, would raise an estimated $15 to $24 million per year. Proponents argued that it was only fair that military incomes be taxed. Opponents argued that it would damage military morale and cut into recruitment efforts.

A yes vote favored the bill. DEMOCRATS IS YEAS NAYS NOT VOTING Brown IS Corbln IS DeSana IS DINello IS Faust IS Faxon Guastello Irwin 181 G.Hart Kammer O'Brien IS Pierce IS Plawecki IS Ross 18 H.Scott 13 J.Vaughn J.Hart Kelly El Hertel IS Holmes IS Huffman Mack IS Miller IB Monsma REPUBLICANS IS YEAS NAYS NOT VOTING IS Allen IS Arthurhultz IS Bishop IS DeGrow I DeMaso I Engler I Fredrlcks I Gast I Geake I Mowat I Sederburg IS VanderLaan J.Welborn R.D.Young THREATENED Love Canal residents need help; we all need reassurance We cannot afford to take this right for grant- ed. JAMES R. HUTCHENS Southfield THE DECISION by the Democrats to deprive Americans in Michigan from voting on the full Democratic ticket if they chose must have angered many people. We like to think that voting is the one thing in the political process in a democracy that is inviolable.

Many people are not accustomed to inserting "write-ins," especially when they are not confronted with the ballot until they go to the booth. Delegates were chosen ahead of this election, which seems to be a cart-before-the-horse procedure, and suggests disenfranchising Michigan voters. The very high cost of the primary when our whole state is in trouble financially seems a total waste and a further argument for primaries being eliminated. LOIS E. TREESCE Dearborn SOMETHING is radically wrong with our system when it allows a waste of between $3 and $4 million for a primary election in Michigan, while reducing aid for education and police protection.

U.S. House BALANCED BUDGET: By a vote of 141 to 242, the House rejected a compromise balanced budget resolution for fiscal year 1981 that had been agreed to earlier in a House-Senate conference committee. President Carter had announced his opposition to the budget plan earlier in the week on the grounds that the proposed national defense spending of $153.7 billion was too high. The figure represented a 13 percent increase over fiscal 1980 spending levels or a real growth rate over inflation of 5.2 percent. The House subsequently voted to send the budget resolution back to conference with the Senate.

This budget resolution the first 1981 budget resolution is intended to guide Congress as it considers fiscal 1 98 1 spending bills. The resolution does not allow the federal government to spend money. Once Congress completes its work on the spending bills the target date is Sept. 9 it then must pass a second budget resolution ratifying or adjusting the limits set in the first budget resolution. DEMOCRATS YEAS NAYS NOT VOTING 'PAIRED Albosta Blanchard Bonlor Brodhead Carr Conyers Dlggs Dlngell Ford Kildee Nedzi Traxler Wolpe REPUBLICANS IB YEAS NAYS NOT VOTING "PAIRED Broomfleld Davis Pursell Sawyer Stockman VanderJagt LIKE THREE Mile Island or Love Canal is no longer simply a place on a map, but a symbol for the risks of technology, the ignorance of man and untold dangers awaiting the unborn.

And, as is; often the case, while the symbolization heightens the national consciousness.it does little for the individuals most directly affected. In Love Canal there are some 800 residents who wish to be relocated and who have yet to get a straight answer from the federal government. They deserve better. It is not their fault that they were sold homes atop 20,000 tons of highly toxic chemicals and pesticides and other garbage dumped into the ground by Hooker Chemical Co. (and possibly by the U.S.

military). Nor is it their fault that they have been pushed to the brink of hysteria by conflicting scientific reports and advice. By any analysis, they are simply victims of forces beyond their control. 'And the federal government has a major role to play in alleviating their anxiety regardless of what various experts have to say about the actual risk of living in the Love Canal area. No environmental expert worth the title believes that Love Canal will be the last 77.