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
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