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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 4, 1988)
News Digest House votes down bill, ends Contra aid WASHINGTON — A bitterly divided House voted Wednesday to cut off U.S. mili tary support for Nicaragua’s Contra rebels, rejecting President Reagan’s aid request in the hope of spurring peace prospects in Central America. The 219-211 vote, culminating six years of overt and covert military support for the rebels fighting the leftist Sandinista government, killed Reagan’s request for $36.2 million in new aid to keep the Contras alive as a fighting force through June. It was a serious defeat for the president, who had lobbied hard on the issue for two weeks and pul the contras among the top foreign policy priorities for his final year in office. Only a day earlier, Reagan had argued that failure to ex tend aid would strengthen communist influ ence in the hemisphere. “Today’s vote is the end of a chapter,” said House Majority Whip Tony Coelho, D-Calif. “Contra policy is the past. Now we can deploy America’s greatest strengths, from aid and trade to diplomacy, to stoke the flames of liberty and secure the future for Central Amer ica.” But Republicans bitterly warned that the action would relieve part of the pressure on Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega that has forced him into recent concessions, and that Managua would slip backwards into renewed repression. “The issue of Nicaragua and Central Amer ica will not go away,” said House Republican Leader Robert Michel of Illinois. “If you vote this package down, you d better be prepared to bear the consequences, Mictiei said. “And who among you is smart enough to predict the path on which (Nicaraguan Presi dent) Daniel Ortega will lake you? Current aid to the rebels expires Feb. 29, ana Democrats pledged to hold another vote before the month is out on an alternative package ol purely humanitarian aid to the rebels, and lol low that up with a new emphasis on economic development aid for countries in the region which abide by terms of a five-nation peace accord. ‘ We recognize mat wc cannot morally walk away and leave them abandoned in the jungle,” said Rep. David Obey, D-Wis. The most controversial part of the defeated package was S3.6 million earmarked for weap ons and ammunition, which Reagan had said he would withhold until March 31 to see how cease-fire talks go between the rebels and the Managua government. Those talks arc sched uled to resume Feb. 10. The United States has funneled more than $200 million to the rebels since their guerrilla war began in 1981. Stockpiled weapons and other supplies continue to be airdropped to the contras by the CIA, operating from Honduran bases. Kennedy is confirmed to Court 97-0 vote ends seven months of political battle WASHINGTON —The Senate on Wednesday swiftly and unanimously confirmed Anthony M. Kennedy to the Supreme Court, ending a fero cious political battle that began seven months ago. Kennedy, a federal appeals court judge who was President Reagan's third choice to succeed retired Justice Lewis F. Powell, was approved by 97 0 with Democrats and Republicans alike praising him as a moderate, open-minded conservative. Reagan, in a statement, said he is “extremely pleased” and declared Kennedy “will make an outstanding addition to the Supreme Court. . . . The Senate has not only restored to the nation a full nine-member Su preme Court, it has reaffirmed this country’scommitmcnttothe philoso phy of judicial restraint.” In Sacramento, Calif., Kennedy issued a statement saying he could serve on the Supreme Court, and adding he is committed to the Ameri can constitutional system. Kennedy, 51, will be sworn into office Feb. 18, becoming the 104th justice in the history of the nation's highest court. He is expected to play a pivotal role on the sharply divided court, particularly on such issues as abor tion, affirmative action and separa tion of church and state. His confirmation, after a pro forma one-hour debate, was in marked con trast to the stormy fight touched off by the nomination last July of Robert H. Bork. Bork, Reagan’s fist choice to fill the vacancy created by Powell’s June 26 retirement, was denounced as a rigid right-wing ideologue who threatened individual freedom and civil rights progress. The Senate re jected him by 58-42 on Oct. 23. Reagan, calling Bork the victim of a lynch mob, then picked Douglas H. Ginsburg, who withdrew from con sideration after admitting he had smoked marijuana while a Harvard law school professor. Kennedy was extolled Wednesday by Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D Mass., as a man of "integrity, intelli gence, courage and craftsmanship" embracing a "judicial philosophy that places him within the mainstream of constitutional interpretation." The liberal senator, who is not related to the nominee, was pinch hitting for Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr., D-Dcl., in leading the placid Senate debate. Biden, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee that recom mended Kennedy’s confirmation by a 14-0 vote, missed Wednesday’s de bate because of illness. Also absent were two presidential candidates, Sens. Albert Gore Jr., D Tcnn., and Paul Simon, D-III. Rumor of nuclear accident sweeps Europe STOCKHOLM, Sweden — Ru mors of another Soviet nuclear acci dent swept across Western Europe on Wednesday, triggering speculation in grain and dollars on financial markets before being squelched by Soviet and Swedish officials. The false reports may have been fallout from a test of an early warning system begun by an international nuclear energy watchdog agency in the wakcof the 1986 Chernobyl disas ter in the Soviet Union. Wednesday’s rumors apparently began in Sweden, as did the first reports of the accident at the Cher nobyl nuclear power plant in the Soviet Ukraine. The national news agency Tidnin garnas Telegrambyra, citing Sweden’s national Radiation Protec tion agency, reported “an atomic power plant accident apparently oc curred in the Soviet Union.” The report spread quickly, even though officials at the radiation agency said they had made no such statement and the Soviet Minister of Nuclear Energy denied an accident had occurred. The dollar, a traditional money shelter in troubled times, rose slightly on some European markets as the rumor spread. “Everyone started buying dollars like crazy,” said a trader at a large U.S. bank in Frank furt. The Swedish radiation agency said no increased levels of radiation were reported from anywhere in Sweden. The U.S. Slate Department also said it had received no reports of increased radiation. The Soviet Union came under international criticism when it de layed reporting the Chernobyl acci dent for several days as a cloud of radioactivity spread across Europe and eventually around the world. Thalaccidcnt, the worst in the history of nuclear power, caused 31 deaths. Nebraskan Editor Mike Reilley 472-1766 Managing Editor Jen Deselms Assoc News Editors Curt Wagner Chris Anderson Editorial Page Editor Diana Johnson Wire Editor Bob Nelson Copy Desk Chief Joan Rezac Sports Editor Jell Apel Arts & Entertain ment Editor Charles Ueurance Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor Gerdt McMurtry Graphics Editor Tom Lauder Asst Graphics Editor Jody Beem Photo Chief Mark Davis Night News Editors Joeth Zucco Scott Harrah General Manager Daniel Shattil Production Manager Katherine Policky Advertising Manager Marcia Miller Asst Advertising Manager Bob Bates Publications Board . Chairman Don Johnson. 472 3611 Professional Adviser Don Walton, 473-7301 Trie Daily Nebraskan (USPS 144-080) is Ru'jlished 6y the UNL Publications Board, r.braska Union 34,1400 R St., Lincoln, Neb 68588-0448, weekdays during academic year (axcept holidays); weekly during the summer session. Subscriptionprice is $35 for one year Postmaster. Send address changes to the Daily Nebraskan, Nebraska Union 34,1400 R St Lincoln, Neb 68588-0448 Second-class postage paid at Lincoln, NE ALL MATERIAL COPYRIGHT 1088 DAILY NE0RASKAN Six Palestinians shot; Arabs injure Israelis BETHLEHEM, Occupied West Bank — Israeli soldiers shot and I wounded six Palestinians and Arabs with slingshots, stones and j marbles injured five Israelis in battles Wednesday in the West Bank, w itnesses and officials said. Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir rebuffed a call from Egyptian j President Hoshi Mubarak for a six-month freeze on Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip as a prelude to peace talks. During a visil to a West Bank settlement, Shamir told Jewish settlers he hoped their communities “will grow and prosper.” Asked w hat advice he would give to Jewish settlers to deal with the | unrest, Shamir said” “Be strong.” Asked what he would advise Pales- | limans, Shamir said: “Be quiet.” Soldiers on military plane caught with cocaine SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico—Three American soldiers and a Panama- j nian were arrested after 77 pounds of cocaine were found in a U.S. military plane flew from Panama, a customs official said Wednesday. The four, all wearing U.S. Army uniforms, were detained at Roosev- j elt Roads Naval Station after the drug was found Saturday during routine customs check, said Mamie Pollock, U.S. Customs regional director. Customs agents, assisted by drug-sniffing dogs, seized about 77 j pounds of cocaine with a value of $350,000 to $420,000, DEA Special 1 Agent Arthur Barnes said in a telephone interview Wednesday. General affairs committee advances liquor bills LINCOLN — Proposals that would require kegged beer to carry an additional identification, and allow operation of so-called brewpubs have been sent to the full Legislature by the Government Aflairs Committee. The committee advanced LB944, sponsored by Sen. Rex Haberman j of Imperial, requiring all kegged beer to be marked with and identifi cation number inscribed with a black-light marker. The number w ould be invisible to a purchaser. Haberman said he wanted to stop so-called “kegger parties” because of evidence that teen-agers have often been drawn to them. Mecham says he may have asked for probe cover-up PHOENIX, Ariz.—Gov. Evan Mecham acknowledged Wednesday before a House impeachment committee that he may have told Arizona’stop police officer not to cooperate with an investigation of an > alleged death threat. Mccham’s statement came only hours after he said he gave no such order to Department of Public Safety Director Ralph Milstcad. Speaker Joe Lane said the House could decide by the end of the week whether to impeach Mecham, who also faces a recall election and a criminal trial. Two men held on $8.4 million bond in hostage case TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Staff at a private school prayed Wednesday for two jobless men, one lured from an unemployment line, being held under $8.4 million bond each for a schoolhousc siege in which 80 youngsters were taken captive. Police said the men — James L. Harvey and John Rhodes Jr., both 42, unemployed and largely strangers to each other — were charged with 84 counts of kidnapping each in the day-long siege at West End Christian School. Assistant Police Chief Ken Swindle said the counts were for the 80 children and four teachers taken hostage when two armed men, wearing ski masks, burst into the schoolhousc Tuesday morn ing. Harvey, who police said lured Rhodes from an unemployment line and masterminded the take over, was transferred to a state mental ward Wednesday for a psychiatric examination, while Rhodes remained in jail. “We thank you Lord that nobody was hurt, and we pray that you will work within Mr Rhodes and Mr. Harvey to change their hearts,” Headmaster Dan Carden said in prayer with staff members at the mostly-empty school The 350 children at the school, founded by a Baptist church, were given the day off Wednesday. Carden found a battered door to one classroom but otherwise little damage to the building. Parents fought with fears during the 12-hour takeover, but many hostage children fought mostly with bore dom. “It was so boring for the children and they got so tired,” said Mary Alice Blanton, the last teacher freed. “Imagine third-graders having to sit in a classroom 12 hours.” Court awards father custody of Baby M TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey’s highest court Wednesday awarded custody of the child once known as Baby M to her father and his wife, but ruled that the surrogate parenting contract under which she was bom was invalid. The New Jersey Supreme Court also said that Mary Beth Whitehead-Gould, who gave birth to the child under the contract, maintains her rights as a parent and must be permitted to visit her daughter. “Our law prohibits paying or accepting money in connection with any placement of a child for adoption,” the court said. “Baby sell ing potentially results in the exploitation of all parties involved.” The case began when Whitehcad-Gould, then known as Mary Beth Whitehead, reneged on a $ 10,000 contract in which she agreed to be artificially inseminated with William Stem’s sperm and turn the baby over to him. The dispute sparked a worldwide debate over surrogate motherhood and new reproduc tive technologies. Last March 31, Judge Harvey Sorkow up held the contract, severed Whitehcad-Gould’s parental rights and granted custody to the Sterns. Sorkow said the Stems would provide the most stable home and condemned Whitehead-Gould as an impulsive and manipu lative woman. The state supreme court ruled dial the con tract was inval, d, but upheld Sorkow’s decision on parental fitness and added that a surrogate contract that uid not involve payment would have been legal. The court restored Whitchead-Gould’s pa rental rights and invalidated the adoption ol the baby by Stern’s wife, Elizabeth. The justices said the only issue remaining in the case is the extent of visitation by Whitehead-Gould, which will be decided by the lower court.