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Thursday, February 6, 1975
University Dallv Kansan
Food stamp cost frozen
WASHINGTON—Congress rejected President Ford's plan to increase the price of food stamps and voted Wednesday to freeze the price for the
It was the first legislative action completed by the 94th Council. The Senate passed the bill 76 to 8 and sent it to Ford only a few hours after the agriculture committee approved it without hearings. The House had passed the bill Tuesday 374-38.
companies and March 21st. The Senate also approved a resolution directing Secretary of Agriculture Earl L. Butz to make recommendations by June 30 on ways to improve and reform the program.
Freezing the prices at the Jan. 1 level would kill the administration's plan to save $464 million a year by making all food stamp recipients pay the legal maximum of 30 per cent of their adjusted net income for the coupons after March 1.
Levi to succeed Saxbe
WASHINGTON-Edward H. Levi, a legal scholar and university president who had isolated himself from political parties for 30 years, was confirmed Wednesday by the Senate as the nation's 71st attorney general. The Senate approved President Ford's nomination of Levy a full-time member.
The 63-year-old president of the University of Chicago succeeded William B. Saxbe. Saxbe was sworn in Monday as ambassador to India. Levi probably will be sworn into office in a ceremony Friday at the White House. Justice Department officials said.
KBI files reviewed
TOPEKA-Atty. Gen. Curt Schneider revealed Wednesday portions of a report prepared by retired state Supreme Court Justice William J. Wertz and Ast. Atty. Gen. Donald R. Hoffman, who went through $32 of the cost of investigation's files last week to see if they had a law enforcement value.
Schneider didn't make public the entire report as he had said he would, but said Wertz and Hoffman recommended destruction of 73 of the files. He said three times that number might also be considered to be without law enforcement value.
Schneider said he knew there were files on student activists, mostly at the University of Kansas, which should be examined. They involved, in particular, two students from
Ford critical of arms ban
WASHINGTON—President Ford said Wednesday that his administration would comply fully with a congressional cutoff of arm deliveries to Turkey but urged Congress to reconsider the ban. He said the president had raised grave doubts about the conduct of American foreign relations.
In a written statement distributed at the White House, Ford said the arms cutoff was likely to impede the negotiation of a just Cyprus set.
meanwhile, Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger is seeking a compromise with congressional leaders that will enable the United States to
ERA still stirs debate
†OPEKA—An energy-charged crowd mostly of women overflooded the legislature's large lawn in front Wednesday to hear concussions. Hilaria Irigaribu
The amendment was ratified by the Kansas Legislature in 1972, but opponents were asking that the 1974 session attempt to rescind that accu-
The latest legal opinion from the office of the Kansas attorney general held that it wasn't possible to rescind such action.
WASHINGTON (AP)—Challenging President Gerald R. Ford's energy program and bidding for time to construct its own, the Democratic-dominated House of Representatives voted Wednesday 309 to 114 to halt Ford's tariff on imported oil.
House delays Ford's oil tax plan
The bill that the House passed and sent to the Senate would suspend for 90 days the authority that Ford claims he has to impose a presidential order of $3 a tax bar on foreign oil. The $1 tax imposed Feb. 1, the three planned increments, would be canceled.
Ford is expected to veto the bill if it clears the Senate.
The vote by which the House passed the bill was greater than the two-thirds that would be required to override a veto. Forty-Republicans joined 267 Democrats to say
In a second blow to Ford's over-all economy-energy program, the Senate joined the House in passing legislation to raise the price of food stamps March 1.
The stamps are bought by needy persons and redeemed for a greater purchase price. The Ford proposal required a flat charge of 30 per cent of adjusted net income for the stamps.
THE 76-8 VOTE sent the bill to Ford for signature or veto.
A third measure sought by the administration to increase the federal debt limit was passed by the House 248 to 170. It would increase the limit to a record $313 billion to accrue in June 2013, but June 30 because government spending is expected to outpace revenues.
The Treasury Department reported that the debt would approach the present $495 billion by Feb. 18, bringing the threat of a bankruptcy to an end. The debt bill now goes to the Senate.
Despite the setback on the tariff bill, a White House spokesman said, "The President was encouraged by the size of the vote and he thought he had come a long way since he began his meetings with members of Congress. He plans other meetings with members of Congress to continue the explanation of his program."
PASSAGE OF THE TIRR-delaying bill came after a flurry of White House activity and reports and denials that compromise might be in the wind.
Ford entertained about 100 Republicans at dinner Tuesday and about the same number of Democrats, largely from the South and Southwest, at breakfast Wednesday, with briefings by high officials on energy and economic matters.
Chairman George H. Mahon, D-Tex., of the House Appropriations Committee, one of those who attended, said Ford "made the point that he had been waiting for Congress to take action and had to take steps to bring it to a head, so he took the initiative by imposing the oil tax."
1. got the impression he wasn't uninterested in that kind of compromise . . . I think a compromise is a real possibility," Stratton said.
Mahon also said Ford indicated he would be open to suggestions, but didn't intend to. The boss offered the same offer.
the house he had approach. Ford after the breakfast with a proposal for 60-day delay
WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY Ron Nessen promptly said Ford was going ahead with plans for the three-step oil tax. He said Ford was willing to look at any concrete alternative proposed by Congress all they were asking for was a delay.
Nessen announced during the day that Ford would go to Houston, Tex., and Topeka next week in his campaign for public support of his economy and energy proposals. Ford will meet in Houston Monday with about 10 Southwestern governors. He will meet in Topeka Tuesday with Midwestern governors.
Nessen also said Ford would run for a full term in 1976 regardless of economic conditions at that time. Nessen thus expanded on Ford's statement at a Tuesday news conference that the economic circumstances would be good enough to justify his seeking reelection.
IN HOUSE DEBATE on the oil import bill, Republicans hammered at the theme that the Democrats hadn't produced any counter proposals on the energy problem and that nothing would be gained by delaying Ford's program.
Democrats, however, argued that Congress had a right to consider approaches to the goal of reducing oil imports other than the one chosen by Ford's idea of raising prices through a tax, and thus rasing a burst of inflation.
Chairman AIl Ullman, D\^4re\^ of, the House Ways and Means Committee, argued, "All we are talking you, Mr. President is to give us 90 days. Put the burden on us. We'll produce a sound energy policy—but don't lock us into a pricing mechanism that will do grave disservite to this country."
But Rep. Samuel S. Stratton, D-N-Y, told
Rep. Barber B. Conable Jr., R-N.Y., said
proponents of the delay had no comprehensive plan of their own and that oil producing countries might interpret the rise as a sign of weakness and again raise prices.
Democrats have spoken of the possibility of a system based on allocation and rationing under which persons would be allowed to buy at standard prices enough gasoline for their vehicles, as was committing to work, and would be taxed heavily on additional purchases.
NO UNANIMOUS Democratic alternative has appeared. But a number of key
Doctors' insurance for malpractice up
By PAULA JOLLY Kansan Staff Reporter
A doctor who wants to open a practice in Kansas may not be able to—not because he isn't needed, but because he can't get malpractice insurance, Jerry Slaughter, executive assistant of the Kansas Medical Society, said Tuesday.
"I Insurance companies aren't writing new malpractice insurance policies," Slaughter said. "They won't cancel a policy if it had no business, but they won't write new ope.
The companies are reluctant to carry malpractice insurance because it is becoming unprofitable. High sums than usual may be needed in malpractice cases, Shaughter said.
The Kansas Medical Society wants the Kansas Legislature to reduce the statute of limitations on damage suits from its present 12-year limit, Shaughter said. The statute of damages for a doctor liable for damages for 12 years after a treatment or surgery is performed.
Kansas malpractice insurance for all
Kansas doctors also is being considered,
SUI.
Slaughter said he knew that the Department of Health, Education and Welfare was
The legislature also should examine the possibility of using arbitration to settle disputes.
considering federal assistance for companies suffering from heavy losses from fires
Several Lawrence physicians said they weren't having problems with the renewal of malpractice insurance, although some said rates had increased.
Wayne E. Hird, Lawrence physician, said
premium insurance had increased the seven-
hundred dollars he received from
insurance.
"I'm one of those people who has practiced for 25 years without problems," Hird said. Only about eight per cent of the population have practiced problems, while 92 per cent don't."
Spokesmen for Watkins Memorial Hospital and Lawrence Memorial Hospital said that doctors working in those hospitals provide for individual malpractice policies.
David W. Robinson, vice chancellor for clinical affairs at the KU Medical Center, said that doctors practicing at the Med Center were members of professional corporations. Each corporation contracts with the university's carrier to insure all members, he said.
"The corporations are getting more foot-dragging from malpractice insurance carriers concerning renewal," Robinson said, "but there are no real problems yet."
American officials hope that a draft treaty will be ready for submission to Congress by mid-April. A major hurdle is ratification by the Senate, where 32 members have signed a resolution rejecting the administration's plan.
But sources close to the U.S. negotiating team think that of these senators, only 20 are hard-core opponents of a new treaty. As these officials see it, the key to obtaining the requisite two-thirds majority for two senators is the large block of undecided senators.
A State Department official said the United States would have the right to defend the canal for the life of the new treaty and would defend it against any threat.
Some senators have expressed reservations about a new treaty, citing the possibility that some future strongman will take power in Panama and renounce the
A second major issue is whether the United States will retain a right to construct a waterway in a few miles from the present waterway and drawbacks of the current canal is that many modern vessels are too large for it and that the cost of building it will be unable to accommodate demand.
ON-CAMPUS INTERVIEWS
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February 11, 1975
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Panama wants total control over the canal by the end of the century. The United States has favored a date about the year 2025.
EDUCATIONAL PLACEMENT BUREAU
223 Carruth-O'Leary Phone: 864-3624
Panama pact faces hurdles before signing
A senior U.S. official said the govern-
menent and tentatively agreed to the
following:
WASHINGTON (AP)—With all but two major issues resolved, the United States and Panama hope to sign a draft treaty governing Panama Canal operations within the next 10 weeks, American officials said Wednesday.
—The new treaty will have an expiration date early in the next century after which Panama will assume total responsibility for the canal.
Over the life of the treaty, Panama will have a junior but growing partnership with the United States in the operation and defense of the canal.
—The new treaty will confer to Panama jurisdiction over the present 500 square mile canal zone. The United States will have the authority to operate in this manner to operate the canal for the life of the treaty.
Treaty duration is one of the issues that has plagued the negotiating teams, headed by U.S. Ambassador-at-large Ellsworth Macdonald,amanian Foreign Minister Juan A. Tack
Make Daily Weekly Weekend Rates Monthly Rates Overtime
FINTO 86.00 plus 64 per mile 85.00 plus 64 per mile 8160.00 plus 64 per mile $1.50 per hour
MAVERICK 89.00 plus 64 per mile 87.10 plus 64 per mile 8160.00 plus 64 per mile $1.50 per hour
MUSTANDO TOURING $110.00 plus 104 per mile 500.00 plus 104 per mile 8160.00 plus 104 per hour $1.50 per hour
GRANADA PICK UP $100.00 plus 104 per mile 860.00 plus 104 per mile 8170.00 plus 104 per hour $1.50 per hour
LTD $110.00 plus 104 per mile 865.00 plus 104 per mile 8170.00 plus 104 per hour $1.50 per hour
STATION WAGON $110.00 plus 124 per mile 570.00 plus 124 per mile 8190.00 plus 124 per hour $1.50 per hour
Allowed rates include insurance $1,000 Deductible Business Discount