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Monday, February 6, 1978
University Daily Kansan
Poll shows 3 votes needed to block canal treaties
WASHINGTON (AP)—A new survey shows that 31 senators either are opposed to the Panama Canal treaties or are leasing toward opposition to them, which is contrary to the 34 need that was identification of the treaties.
An Associated Press questionnaire sent to every senator also shows that 41 senators favor the treaties and eight are leaning toward ratification of them. Twenty-four senators indicated that they were opposed to the treaty, and seven others said they were leaning toward opposition to it.
That could mean that the fate of the treaties, which are a major foreign policy objective for the Carter administration, may rest with 20 senators who did not state their position on the questionnaire.
SOME OF THE Senate's senior members and most influential members are among the 20. Most of them are Democrats, some of whom are chairmen of key
committees and subcommittees and often decide the fate of legislation.
They include Henry Jackson and Warren Magnuson, both Washington Democrats; Howard Cannon, D-Nev.; William Proxime, D-Wis.; Thomas Eagleton, D-Mo.; Thomas McIntyre, D-N.H.; Jennings Randolph, D-W.V.; and Herman Talmadge, D-Ga.
A two-thirds majority of the Senate-67 members if are present is needed for ratification of the treaty.
MOST OPONENTS of the treaties are thought to have declared themselves already, and Senate observers suggest that most uncommitted members are potential backers of the treaties who are not willing to promise Carter their votes without getting something in return.
The treaties would gradually turn over the international waterway to Panama until that country is given full control in the year 2000.
The debate on the treaties is expected to begin after the Lincoln Day recess, Feb. 13-20, and last from two weeks. Senate Majority Leader Robert C. Byrd, D-W. Va., said Saturday that it would be a difficult fight to ratify the treaties but that he thought they would be ratified.
BYRD AND Senate Minority Leader Howard Baker said they were asking senators to support two essential and fundamental amendments to enhance passage of the treaties.
passage of the treaty.
The changes would guarantee the United States the right to have priority access to the canal and the right to defend the waterway militarily after the year 2000.
The questionnaire asked senators to say whether they would support the treaty with or without the amendments, whether they opposed any treaty or
whether it was the one before the Senate and whether they were undecided or simply not ready to declare war.
ONLY 14 senators said they could support the treaties without the guarantees of access and defense rights. Seven said they saw no need for any new treaty with Panama, and 15 said they thought there should be a treaty but not the one before the Senate. Most objections to the treaties seemed to be based on the fear that even with the amendments, guarantees for the canal's security were inadequate.
The only senator who did not respond to the questionnaire was Sen. Charles Mathias, R-Md. He is thought to be for ratification of the treaties but was listed by the AP as undecided.
In another development financial issues have been generating new problems for ratification according to the report.
three senators expressed misgivings after hearings by the Senate Armed Services Committee. In the heartings Canal Zone Gov. Harold Parffit and U.S. Controller Gen. Elmer B. Staats said that the treaties, despite what the administration had said to them, would cost the U.S. taxpayers millions of dollars.
THE PANEL WAS told that direct costs to the United States that arise from ratification of the treaties could amount to more than $700 million. It also was told that tolls, even if increased greatly, might not be enough to operate the canal during the period without help from the U.S. Treasury.
Sources said aides to about 40 senators met Friday with White House officials to discuss the financial issue. Some of the aides reportedly accused the attorney general of exploiting a limb by misleading them on the matter of costs.
Toll takers to continue ignoring the speeders
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) - Highway toll takers can be giving speed tickets after checking the time cars passed the last toll booth.
Officials in Maine came up with that idea after noting that the state already stamped the time on toll tickets when a driver was struck by a truck and then beeped the toll at his exit.
But the state police decided to shevel the idea after state Attorney General Joseph E. Brennan mentioned some complications.
One problem is that toll takers do not have arrest powers. If toll takers were given those powers, they would have to leave their booths to appear in court when a driver pleaded not guilty, Breman said.
HE ADDED that to make the charges stick, the clocks in all tail boots would have to be synchronized and calibrated, and probably expensive proposition.
Brennan said a driver could establish an ally by arguing that he was not driving for the entire trip. Or he could just throw away the time-stamped toll ticket and resign himself to paying the maximum toll upon leaving the turnip.
Surveys in December found the average speed on Maine's highways to be more than 38 miles an hour, indicating that the average speed of the motor limit of 35 miles an hour.
Selection conflict started before inauguration
Brennan said that no other state had used a similar plan, presumably because of the problems.
WASHINGTON (AP)—The Carter administration's current difficulties over the appointment of federal prosecutors, typified by what has happened to David Marston in Philadelphia, began even before Jimmy Carter took the oath of office.
In the hectic days after the November 1976 election but before the new administration took over in January 1977, Carter's campaign promise to take politics out of the selection of U.S. attorneys was challenged by James. Sen. O.Eastland, D-Miss.
A year later, the issue of patronage appointments has embroiled the administration in an embarrassing contempt for the judiciary. He was as the U.S. attorney in Philadelphia, Marston, a Republican with a record of winning corruption cases against Democratic politicians, has assailed him and has won congressional allies along the way.
confirms presidential nominees for federal judgeships and prosecutor posts, met with Carter in Atlanta when the president-elect was selecting his cabinet.
EASTLAND, 73, the long-time chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee which
According to one account, Griffin Bell, then a federal appeals court judge, joined the meeting. Eastland reportedly told Carter and Bell that the old way of doing things was adequate and that there was no need for change.
Eastland was referring to the time-honored practice of allowing a state's U.S. senators to pick federal prosecutors and the same party as the president of the same political party as the president.
THIS PREROGATIVE was being challenged by Carson's pledge, contained in a campaign position paper that said, "All federal judges and prosecutors should be appointed strictly on the basis of merit, not the desire of conservatism of political aspect or influence."
recently they do not recall talking about U.S. prosecutors at that meeting.
But Morvin Wall, the Justice Department's chief spokesman, has been quoted as saying that Carter and Eastland talked about the appointment of prosecutors during their meeting in the mansion and that Bell just sat in during the discussion.
WALL SAYS it was Carter who agreed to set aside his campaign promise about appointing federal prosecutors strictly on merit.
impression that his handling of the Marston case shows he has retreated from the danger.
The case led to more serious criticism of the administration when it was disclosed that Mr. Carter had failed to Carter to speed Marston's firing at a time when Ellberg was under investigation by Marston's office. Carter has denied he was aware of the investigation when he spoke to
The administration has replaced 66 of the 94 U.S. attorneys in the country, selecting a Republican in only one instance.
Both Eastland and Carter have said
Republican critics say Carter has left the
Committees to test laetrile use, death penalty
The Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee will hear testimony Wednesday on a resolution by Sen. John Vermillion, IR Independence, to automatically rescind
TOPEKA (UP1) - Legislation to restore the death penalty, rescind the state's ratification of the proposed Equal Rights Amendment and make the use of Laftrile for cancer patients legal will be considered in Senate committees this week.
In the House, committees will discuss bills that will stiffen child pornography laws, a bill on product liability and a bill that will require students to take competency tests.
Kansas's ratification of the ERA if an insufficient number of states ratify the amendment to the March 21, 1975, deadline for Kansas's ratification if Congress extends the deadline.
THE SENATE committee also is scheduled to consider death penalty proposals before it is expected to vote on a bill before the end of the week. The committee will send a proposed punishment bill passed by the House and a bill introduced by several senators.
The bills would make the death penalty a
possible sentence for persons convicted of first-degree murder.
The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold hearings tomorrow through Friday on bills that would revise the state juvenile code. One of the bills would reduce the maximum age of persons covered by the code from 18 years old to 16 years old. Another bill would make juveniles stand trial as adults for certain crimes.
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN On Campus
THE SENATE Public Health and Welfare Committee is expected to vote on a bill that could legalize the manufacture and use of Laetrile for treatment of cancer.
committee discussed the bill Friday, but did not vote because one member was absent.
Tomorrow, the House Judiciary Committee will consider two child pornography bills. One of the bills, introduced by Rep. Kalo A. Hineman, R-Dighton, makes it class a misdemeanor for anyone to use a child under the age of 18 against the crime would carry a maximum one-year prison sentence and a $2,500 fine.
A STIFFER bill, by Rep. Glee Jones, R-Rihaowna, and Anita Niles, D-Lebro, would make it a class E felony to sexually exploit children in pornographic materials. Cost the offence would be punished by a maximum five-year prison sentence and a $5,000 fine.
Events
TODAY: LEON FLEISHER, piano artist in residence, presents master classes with KU students at 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. in Swarthout R馆 Hall in Murphy Hall. Sessions are open to the public. A general membership meeting for PHI KAPPA PIHIs is at 2:30 p.m. in 2007 Learned Hall.
TOONGHT: HOWARD BOYAJIAN presents a faculty violin recital at 8 in Worthington Recital Hall. JERKIN TOOMO performs and shows sides on the violin, piano, cello, flute, saxophone and bassoon.
TOMORROW: LEON FLEISHER, pianist artist in residence, will present master classes with KU students at 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. in Swarthout Recital Hall. The SOCIETY OF ART will have workshops all day in Parlors A and B of the Union. There will be an art auction at 7:30 p.m. THE COLLEGE ASSEMBLY meets at 4 p.m. in the Forum Room of the Union. THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS will meet at 7 p.m. in Parlors Hall. James Gillespie will off-shore at 7 p.m. in Parlors Hall. THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE Fiction CLUB will meet at 7 p.m. in Danforth Chapel. The Union. Anyone interested in ballet, jazz or modern dance is welcome to come to TAU SIGMA at 7 p.m. in Robinson Gymnasium Dance Studio. THE KU RUGBY CLUB will meet at 7:30 p.m. in the Pine Room of the Union. BARBARA GRIER will discuss "The Lebanese Movement: 25 Years of Literature and Life" at 7:30 p.m. in Dyche Auditorium."MUSIC OF SCRIABIN, MAHLER AND LISZT," a music lecture, will be at 8 p.m. in Swarthout Recital Hall.
British want Wordworth's letters back
LONDON (AP) - British collectors are making an appeal for money to keep a bundle of love letters and other writings by the 19th century English poet William
Wordsworth from being sent to the United States.
Jonathan Wordsworth, the poet's great-great-great-nephew, his所聘
Congressman's troubles deepen as Haiti connections investigated
WASHINGTON (AP) -Rep. Daniel J. Flood, D-Pa., who is under federal investigation for alleged payoffs in return for using his official influence, is now embroiled in new revelations involving Haiti.
Flood was actively supporting increased aid for Haiti in 1973 and 1974, which is the same time a Flood aide, Stephen B. Elko, was promoting various business deals in Haiti. He is also visiting hospitals that operate for profit, according to State Department officials and
documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act.
ELKO NOW faces a prison term after being convicted of accepting bribes in return for using Flood's trade to benefit a West Coast trade shop. He has been given immunity and, according to an affidavit filed in court by federal prosecutors, has accused Flood of accepting more than $100,000 in payoffs.
collectors was close to agreement with
them. It is unclear which purchased the
written last summer.
"We're extremely close to having raised the money," Wordsworth said in a telephone interview. "We have in fact made an offer to them. They are going to think they are going to accept that figure."
state Department officials said they had received several letters from Flood urging that the United States increase its aid to Haiti.
Cornell bought the collection 7 July at an auction in London for about $81,000. Cornell planned to send the works to its Ithaca, where he is editing a series of Wordsworth volumes.
The collection, including 15 love letters that Wordsworth wrote to his wife, Mary, is considered academically valuable since their relationship, information about their relationship.
The writings were found last year in a carret fitter's storage shed.
In October, Lord Donaldson, Britain's minister for the arts, ordered a four-month delay on export of the papers so that the collectors, called the Wordsworth Heritage Appeal, could launch a drive to keep the material in Britain.