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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 19, 1988)
News Digest By the Associated Press Edited by Bob Nelson Babbitt, duPont drop from race ucmocrat Bruce banmti anti Republican Pclc du Pont fell by the presidential campaign wayside on Thursday, while Vice President George Bush said “I’m telling the truth” about GOP rival Bob Dole in his lough television commercials. With one exception, the six Democratic survivors converged on Texas for a two-hour debate broad cast live on public television. Republicans Bush, Dole, Jack Kemp and Pat Robertson vied for support in Nevada’s caucuses, a competition that drew' little notice with delegate-rich primaries just around the comer. Babbitt made hisexitgracefully in a quip-filled Washington news con ference. “Look, I’m not going to . slash my throat if we don’t raise taxes tomorrow said the former Arizona governor, who had asked voters to stand up for a national sales lax to reduce the deficit. Babbitt, who finished fifth in Iowa’s caucuses last week and sixth in New Hampshire’s primary on Tuesday, said the campaign was “the greatest joy of my entire public life.” He praised all his former rivals but endorsed none of them, saying he would do what he could to aid the eventual winner in the Democratic nomination. du Pont, whose provocative ideas about fundamental change in Social Security and abolition of farm subsidies failed to attract much voter support, announced his with drawal in news conference in Wilmington, Del. “The campaign has lowered its flag but the crusade continues to marchsaid the former governor and congressman. He said his ideas are right for the country and “they’re coming to America sooner or later.’’ Sen. Albert Gore Jr. of Tennessee, hoping to emerge as the Democratic front-runner after Super Tuesday, said his rivals had taken positions that were out of the mainstream, and added he was the one who could lead the Democrats to victory in 1988. “Dick Gephardt, for example, has changed one position after another.. .. Jesse Jackson hasn’t had a single day of experience in government. Mike Dukakis hasn't had a single day’s experience in foreign policy. We ’re going to lay it on the I inc in th is campaign,” he said. Marine accused of being CIA agent Responsibility taken in kidnapping TYRE, Lebanon — A caller Thursday claimed the Islamic Revo lutionary Brigades kidnapped a U.S. Marine officer and accused the offi cer of being a CIA agent. The Arabic-speaking man, in a telephone call to a Western news agency, said the previously unknown group took Marine Lt. Col. William R. Higginsoutof Beirut “after he was brought out from the south.” U.N. officials and Shiite Moslem militiamen staged a massive search for Higgins throughout south Leba non and virtually scaled off the area around Tyre, 50 miles south of Beirut. In Washington, President Reagan said he wants to rescue Higgins, but he offered no details. “We’re doing everyth ing we canhe said at a photo session. “We’re trying to find out as much as we can. We’re trying to get him located, and certainly we want to rescue him.” A While House official, asked to explain the president's remark, said later that Reagan “was referring to the ongoing efforts on the part of the United Nations and governments to obtain the release of Higgins.” The official spoke on condition he not be named. There has been no mention by officials at the State Department, Pentagon or White House of any U.S. military action to rescue Higgins. Instead, officials repeatedly have emphasized that Higgins is under U.N. authority and control. Gunmen on Wednesday blocked the coastal highway near Tyre and grabbed Higgins as he returned from a meeting with officials of Justice Minister Nabin Bern’s Shiite Amal militia. Abdel Mahid Saleh, an Amal political leader, said he and Higgins had discussed efforts to free foreign hostages in Lebanon, in addition to other topics at the Tyre meeting. Higgins was serving as chief ol an observer group attached to U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon. Stale Department spokesman Charles E. Redman said the United States would continue supplying soldiers for the observer group but declined to say if any new instruction would be sent to the Americans. Rebels stage largest attack in a year USULUTAN, El Salvador — More than 600 rebels using mortars, grenades and automatic weapons attacked an infantry base and cotton cooperative early Wednesday in the biggest guerrilla operation since early 1987. Officials said at least 18 people were killed and 14 wounded. The bailie raged in and around this pro vincial capital of 70,(XX) people, 70 miles southeast of San Salvador, the capital. Military officers said two detach ments of about 300 leftist insurgents each ux)k part in the c(X)rdinatcd attacks, which included blowing up two bridges linking the capital and Usulutan, El Salvador’s eastern province. Seven members of a civilian family — a couple and five children aged 7 months to nine years— were killed when a mortar shell hit their one-room brick and adobe home in a poor neighborhood just outside the 6th Infantry Brigade headquarters. Col. Inocencio Montano, brigade commander, said five soldiers were killed in combat at advance posts outside the base perimeter and no guerrillas penetrated the base. The attack began at 12:10 a.m. and lasted about three hours, he said. Montano said four of the 55 U.S. military advisers stationed in El Sal vador were at the base when the assault began, but none was in dan ger. Radio Vencercmos, the clandes tine rebel transmitter, called the raid a success and claimed the attackers indicted 190 casualties. It gave no breakdown of dead and wounded. Reagan budget focuses on education, science, AIDS WASHINGTON — President Reagan Thursday sent Congress a j $1.09 trillion conciliatory, election-year budget combining his most restrained military request ever with proposals lor more spending on education, science and the fight against AIDS. “In presenting this budget, I am keeping my end of the bargain. I call upon Congress to uphold its end,” Reagan said in the eighth and final budget of his presidency. Unlike earlier Reagan budgets, the new document embodies an I agreement on spending priorities already reached with Congress. Reagan’s 1989 budget calls for reducing the federal deficit from $150.2 billion last year and the $146.7 billion estimated for 1988 to $129.5 billion in the fiscal year that begins next Oct. 1. Lawmakers fail to revive sports agents bill Lawmakers blew the final whistle Thursday on a bill designed to protect college athletes from unethical and unscrupulous sports agents. Sen. James McFarland of Lincoln offered a motion to place the bill on general file after the Judiciary Committee killed the bill last week. The motion failed 19-23. McFarland’s motion needed 30 votes. Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha led the battle against resurrecting LB 1049, saying the measure unfairly would have criminalized sports agents and would not have protected athletes. Father of missing marine dies at 72 LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The father of Marine Lt. Col. William R. Higgins died Thursday, one day after his son was abducted in Lebanon. William F. Higgins, 72, died of heart failure at Humana Hospital Audubon, said hospital spokeswoman Donna Hazlc. He had been hospitalized with congestive heart failure, and his son came home in September on emergency leave from the Middle East to see him. The marine’s mother died in April 1979. The younger Higgins’ family had been trying to reach him with news that his father was near death when they learned of his kidnapping. Judge to decide whether youth is a juvenile PAPIL.LION — A 16-ycar-old Sarpy County youth who married a 37-year-old woman last month should be made a ward of the slate and given a guardian, attorneys for the state argue. Sarpy County District Judge Ronald Reagan was excepted to decide whether the youth should be considered a juvenile or an adult. He heard testimony Tuesday from the youth, his wife and others. Governor’s impeachment trial delayed one week PHOENIX, Ariz.— The Arizona Senate on Wednesday granted Gov. Evan Mccham a one- week delay of his impeachment trial that was set to begin Monday. The action came on a voice vote. Earlier in the day, the Senate j defeated two motions for delay offered by the embattled governor’s attorney, Murray Miller. Miller had asked that the trial be put off until criminal charges of concealing a $350,000 campaign loan are adjudicated. He contended that an impeachment trial would prejudice the criminal trial juiy. Six-day student takeover has ended AMHERST, Mass. — A six-day occupation of a University of Massachusetts building by minor ity students ended Wednesday after protesters and the school’s chancellor agreed on reforms to cor rect alleged racial harassment on campus. The takeover ended just before 1 p.m. when 150 minority students walked onto the steps of New Africa House and began to sing a gospel song, then * raised their fists in a victory salute. “We, the Third World students, wish to ac knowledge the lime and effort of the administra tion and the support of those on campus and elsewhere in the w orld,” said Dwayne Warren, 22, a senior who served as spokesman for the pro testors. The five-page agreement was worked out be tween Chancellor Joseph Duffey and nine of the protesters late Tuesday night following nearly four hours of negotiations. The pact included a promise to change the school’s student conduct code to allow suspension of students found to comm it acts of racial violence or harassment. In addition, Duffey promised extensive renova tion of the New Africa House and funds for educational and cultural activities for minority students. Dulleyalso agreed to increased funding for the recruitment of minority students and teachers, but he rejected a demand for student involvement in hiring faculty members. Duffey also consented to the formation of a student committee to monitor progress of the pact. The students said they debated the administration’s response until just before noon Wednesday. An carly-moming deadlock among protesters temporarily spread rumors they would take over another campus building. Protesters say racial tensions at the university began with a clash between blacks and whites following the 1986 World Series. Joscllc Costello, 24, a junior who remained at the New Alrica House during the vigil, burst into tears shortly after the takeover ended. ‘I feel like I’m going to faint I haven’t been able to sleep and I haven’t been able to eat,” said Costello. “But it was all worth it.” About 2(X) spectators, including Amy Carter, daughter ol former President Jimmy Carter, watched the end of the takeover, which began F riday morning. Carter, 20, was among 14 people arrested in November 1986 at the university dur ing a protest of CIA recruitment on campus. She was later acquitted of trespassing and disorderly conduct charges._ Kennedy sworn in as 104th justice WASHINGTON — Anthony McLeod Kennedy was sworn in as the nation’s 104th Supreme Court justice Thursday, bringing a crucial tie-breaking vote to a court ham pered by a vacancy the past eight months. With a hand on his family Bible, Kennedy promised during a brief ceremony to “do equal right to the poor and to the rich.” He then was seated at the high court bench, at the place traditionally reserved for the junior justice. President Reagan, who ap pointed Kennedy, did not attend the courtroom ceremony but Attorney General Edwin Meesc III presented Kennedy’s commission of office to the justices. None of the three former court members still living attended the ceremony, Justice Lewis F. Powell, who Kennedy succeeds, and Chief Justice Warren E. Burger were in Florida. In comments before ihc cere mony, Kennedy, 51, said he had a running start in his new job. “I’ve been working. I’m ready for Monday,” when the court ends its current recess, Kennedy said while posing for cameras outside the court building prior to his swearing in. “We’re just delighted to be in Washington. The welcome has been very gracious,” Kennedy said. in Hiesday s Daily Nebraskan a headline incorrectly said the Intsti tutc of Agriculture and Natural Re sources was being considered for a project in Nigeria. I he project is in Niger. Dr. John Yohe’s title was also incorrect. Yohc is the program direc tor of IN'TSOKMIL The article incorrectly implicdlhc University of Nebraska-Lincoln was competing lor the crop project with Purdue University, Alabama A&M and Winrock International. UNL would be cooperating with these institutions if accepted for the proj ect. NelSaskan Editor Mlko Reitley 472-1766 Managing Editor Jen Deselms Assoc News Editors Curt Wagner Chris Anderson Editorial Page Editor Diana Johnson Wire Editor Bob Nelson Copy Desk Editor Joan Rezac Sports Editor Jett A pel Arts & Entertain ment editor Geotl McMurtry Asst Arts & Entertainment Editor Mlckl Haller Graphics Editor Tom Lauder Asst Graphics Editor Jody Beem Photo Chief Mark Davis Night News f ditors Joeth Zucco Scott Harrah Art Director John Bruce General Manager Daniel Shattll 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 The Daily Nebraskan (USPS 144 080) is published by the UNL Publications Board Nebraska Union 34, 1400 R St., Lincoln, Neb (except holidays); weekly during the summer session. Readers are encouraged to subnet story ideas and comments to the Daily Nebraskan by phonng 472 1 763 between 9 a m and 5pm Monday through Friday The public also has access to the Publications Board. For informa don, contact Don Johnson, 472 3611. Subscription price is $35 (or one year Postmastor Se nd address changes to the Daily Nebraskan, Nebraska Union 34,1400 H St., Lincoln, Neb 68588 0448 Second ciass postage paid at Lincoln, Neb ALL MATERIAL COPYRIGHT 1988 DAILY NEBRASKAN