Esch-reuther Battle Intensifies

Congressional candidates Marvin L. Esch, the Republican incumbent, and John S. Reuther, the Democratie challenger, exchanged some of their sharpest words to date last night as they headed into the stretch of what appears to be a high tensión contést. The two candidates, vying for Esch's Second Congressional District seat, turned what was supposed to be a tightly-timed six-way League of Women Voters candidates' forum into a terse two-way volley. Esch defended his record, insisted he is proud of it and also "proud to be a Republican." Reuther criticized Esch for his voting and committee records and chided him for omitting "Republican" designation from campaign materials. Audience-posed questions brought out campaign charges about United Auto Workers funding for Reuther and Esch's support of some of President Nixon's molicies, and each candidate seized on those questiorfs to attack the other. League moderators suspended their usually strict timing rules and allowed the two to respond to each other before an attentive crowd of more than 100 persons. As the form neared its end, Esch lamented what he called "unfounded attacks" and observed that "it's not much fun anymore to be in Congress." The remarks of four other party candidates for the same congressional seat are summarized below, followed by summaries of comments for two state represen - tative contests heard just prior to the Congressional session: Philip Carroll (Human Rights Party): Calling Republicans and Democrats "essentially the same," he favors: withdrawal of U.S. troops from overseas; ending arms shipments abroad; nuclear disarmament; abolition of the Central Intelligence Agency; unconditional aranesty; racial equality measures; crossdistrict busing; affirmative action in employment and elsewhere for women and minorities; free abortion clinics; 24-hour child care facilities; local welfare control; equal rights for homosexuals and the young; free health care; more workers' rights; price and profit controls; graduated income tax; public ownership of utilities and "democratie socialist" society. Martha Pettit (Socialist Worker Party): Assaüing President Ford on the on paraon, amnesty and anti-intlation programs, she called for "working people to bind together and assert their rights." She contends the nation "needs a planned economy under the control of working people" to solve national problems. Ronald Ziegler (U.S. Labor Party): Claiming western society is in its "déepest economie crisis" ever, he warned of a Rockefellerdominated capitalistic force, which he called "fascist," which he said aims to save capitalistic wealth and subjugate workers in an imminent depression. He charged liberal national politiciáns and labor leaders with being a part of it and said his party has been harassed by United Auto Workers representatives and others at auto plants in the Second Congressional District. Roy Jones (American Independent Party): He advocated less government and keeping "America safe for crackpots," citing the achievements of Henry Ford and Thomas Edison. Citing inflation as "the worst problem," he advocated a return to the gold standard, repeal of the Federal Reserve Bank laws, better schools and balanced budgets. He is against abortion and gun control. MICHIGAN HOUSE - 52nd DISTRICT Merian Frederick (Democrat) : She decried the ineffectiveness of current laws and called for stronger laws, specifically to control lobbying and open public meetings, to prevent conflict of interest, and to regúlate campaign financing "be'cause we need the best legislators we )can get, not that money can buy." She called for meaningful substance abuse treatment, correctional institution reform, for regulations to make abortions safe, solar energy development and preventative environmental laws. Roy Smith (Republican): Smith advocated a shift from property tax reliance to income taxes to ease tax burdens; fuller credit rights for women; and better schools, educational programs and recreation to fight crime and elimínate the question of cross-district busing. He said he personally opposes abortion but pointed to the U.S. Supreme Court decisión and said it is "sometimes necessary." He supported "sound" environmental programs and total campaign reform, cautioning that morality can't be legislated. Keith C. Pratt (American Independent): He opposed, regional government, a graduated . income tax, public mass transportation and abortion. He favored freedom to have guns as a crime deterrent, ousting federal health-safety and other agencies, revival of capital pumsff ment, local funding only for pólice agencies and state rather than federal environmental protection. MICHIGAN HOUSE - 23rd DISTRICT Michael Conlin (Republican): Contending "we have more laws than we really need," he called for législators who will find "new approaches and other solutions than just new laws." State government is large and needs control, he said.' He is opposed to a graduated income tax because, he said, 40 per cent of income is taxed now, and he favors repeal of the food and drug sales tax, citing government "inefficiency." He agreed with "90 pér cent" of Common Cause campaign reform proposals but contended it doesn't go far enough and even regresses on some questions. He called for a more involved citizenry. Earle Stevenson (Democrat): He called for leadership and realistic promises by législators. He promised to work for a total tax revisión, including a graduated income tax, the "fairest tax," for voter consideration. He favored the food-drug tax repeal and suggested a tax on luxury items, called for "more businessmen ín government," state anit-trust laws, laws to allow companies to "go public" in Michigan, a break-up of state trucking and food distribution monopolies and engineering expertise in the legislature, especially for mass transit. Norman Brehob (American Independ-I ent Party): Claiming the nation is at "al crossroads," he called for an end tol "bureaucratie meddling" and a return tol constitutional roles of state and local I government as society's problems 1 en. Calling a graduated income tax "a I Robin Hood concept," he opposed it, opposed sales tax repeal, and opposed campaign reform legislation as "impractical" and unnecessary if the "Robin Hood concept" is eliminated from government.