Rise and shine THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN 3. 45 Details, page 2 Thursday Published since 1889 by the students of the University of Kansas March 12, 1987 Vol. 97, No. 114 (USPS 650-640) House approves resolution to cut aid to contras Measure faces Senate. United Press International WASHINGTON β€” The House approved a symbolic resolution yesterday that would cut off military aid to the contras, rejecting Republican accusations that members were handing Central America over to the Soviets. The measure, which passed the House 230-196 in an extremely participan atmosphere, would suspend for six months all assistance to the contras, notably the final $40 million of a $100 million package that Congress approved last year. The resolution also demands a public accounting of millions of dollars already sent to the contrasts. The resolution was supported by 213 Democrats and 17 Republicans and opposed by 40 Democrats and 156 Republicans. Speaker Jim Wright of Texas conceded the resolution stood little chance of passage in the Senate and no chance of being enacted over President Reagan's vet. But he said it would send a potent message to the White House that arming and aiding the contra is near death. Wright called on Reagan to use diplomacy and economic aid to curtail subversion in Central America and warned that Reagan's request for $105 million in aid in fiscal 1988 faced probable defeat later this year. The measure faces a likely filibuster in the Senate where there was strong opposition to the contra program before the revelation of the Iran-contra scandal in which profits from U.S. arms sales in Iraq were being sold to control the contras at a time when Congress banned such aid. During the often emotional debate yesterday, Republican accuseds Democrats of selling out U.S. interests in the region. Opponents such as Rep Trent Lott, R-Miss., repeated the statement, "I do not want to be recorded as handing Central America over to the Soviets." But House Democratic leader Thomas Foley of Washington called that accusation a poor and limp excuse in support of a failed program. He said the Soviets knew Congress was united in pledging not to permit Nicaragua to have offensive weapons that threaten any nation. "It is largely a symbolic vote." Foley said. "It is important for members to say what they think should happen in the future." The speaker said passage of the resolution meant Reagan should abandon his request for the $105 million β€” a request that could die by a majority vote in either chamber and didn't invite a veto because no legislation would go to the Oval Office. Wright and Senate Majority Leader Robert Byrd said that even if the measure passed Congress, they did not have the votes to kill Reagan's anticipated veto of the resolution. Republicans were clearly putting themselves in the position to blame aid opponents for a possible victory by the Soviet-armed Sandinista army over the Contras. Rep. Robert Mrazek, D.N.Y., countered by saying he refused to have his name recorded "in favor of handing Nicaragua over to the Contras." Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., called the policy one of deception, lies, and cover up and said opponents of the Sandistas "don't have the guts to ask for a declaration of war. It is time to end this." KU experts say U.S. reputation could sour By ROGER COREY Staff writer Staff writer The United States' reputation as a peace-loving power and representative of international law in Central America could be destroyed if President Reagan continues to support the contras, according to three KU Latin American specialists. Yesterday, the U.S. House suspended 230-196 the final $40 million of a $100 million package of aid to the contras that Congress approved last year. The resolution also demanded a public accounting of millions of dollars already sent to the contras. House leaders admitted that the resolution had little chance of passage in the Senate. They also acknowledged that it had little chance of being enacted over Reagan's veto. Stansifer said that the real issue was not the $40-million outlay but the funds diverted to the contras from the Iran arms sale. "The $40 million can't be stopped politically," said Charles Stansifer, director of Latin American studies. "Before Congress votes on any additional money, they should know what happened to the diverted $20 million," Stansifer said. Jack Bremer, director and campus pastor of Ecumenical Christian Ministries, said the most humane action he could do was to give would be to end all contra support. Bremer said the administration had blocked peace proposals by the Contadora group and by Costa Rican president Oscar Arias Sanchez because it did not want to see a Central American government free of U.S. influence. Bremer said the administration's policy actually was helping the communists by bringing death to innocent civilians supporting a terrorist military group. "Since 1850, when we sent the Marines to Central America, we have controlled Nicaragua." Bremer said. "It's evident the administration wants to overthrow the Nicaraguan government." Stansifer said that as an imperial iist power in the last century, the United States was relatively gentle. "And we are still pursuing the same policy," he said. But U.S. policy in Central America in the past six or seven years has been largely unaffected. Barbara Waggoner, adjunct lecturer in Latin American studies, said the current Central American policy was not effective in terms of U.S. goals. Waggoner said she had been watching developments in Central America since her first trip there in 1966. She said the effect of the war against the Sandinistas was vast. Farmers' land was being taken over for airstrips, and the fighting had increased economic pressures on Nicaragua. The war also had affected El Salvador and Costa Rica. Waggoner said the United States had never been considered a beneficent nation by Central Americans. And the last thing the region needed right now was a war, especially in the name of democracy. "Violence encourages both sides to heighten their restrictions and control of the waggoner said. Kyle Shepard, Overland Park junior, hands Tami Jones, Lawrence resident, a temporary south of the 14th Street intersection between Danfort Chapel and Lippincott Hall next campus pass at the traffic control booth near the Kansas Union. This booth may be moved to semester if a proposal by the KU Parking Board is approved. See story page 3. Darcy Chang/KANSAN S. Africa activism dormant, some say Bv JOSEPH REBELLO Staff writer Two years ago, some KU student activists would have participated in demonstrations, held sit-ins and courted arrest to press pressure on the University of Kansas to divest its business interests in South Africa. "We've done all we could through the proper channels," said Dennis "BooG" Highberger. Lawrence grazed one corner of a former member of the committee. Today, most of them would not even attend a RU Committee on staff with MCA. Frustration over students' inability to persuade university officials to divest and reduced media attention to South African issues have knocked the steam out of student activism, some former activists said. At the height of the committee's activity in 1985, an average of 40 members attended each committee meeting. That number dropped to about 15 last spring, said Charles Munson, Leawood senior and the committee's current president. "A lot of people were banging their heads against a wall for a long time, and when you do that, something has got to give." The committee stopped meeting in the fall. When meetings resumed this See DIVEST, p. 6, col. 3 INSIDE Squirrely study John Koprowski, Cleveland graduate student, catches and shaves squirrels on campus for his doctorate research on the social habits of urban squirrels. See story page 10. The Kansas women's basketball team extended its winning streak to nine games when the队 defeated Northeastern Louisiana 78-23 in the first round of the NCAA tournament. See story page 11. Nine in a row Lawmakers say state House vote may endanger fee release for KU By CHRISTOPHER HINES Staff writer The bills would have added about $21 million to the state's general fund for the rest of this year and fiscal year 1988 and about $50 million during the next three years. TOPEKA - A political battle between Gov. Mike Hayden and the state House may jeopardize the 1988 release and reduce KU's budget, some lawmakers said yesterday. The House rejected Tuesday two bills supported by Hayden that would take a portion of state sales tax revenue from cities and counties and deposit it in the state's general fund. Kathy Peterson, Hayden's press secretary, said that Hayden was furious because he included the news articles he drew up his 1988 budget proposals. State Rep. Bill Bunten, R-Topke, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, said the House now was faced with reviewing and cutting all unapproved spending bills to make up for the lost revenue. "I think the fee release is complete in danger at this point." Bunten said. "Operating budgets, faculty salaries and capital improvements would all have to be reviewed." Last week, Bunten's committee approved KU's 1988 operating budget and reversed a previous fee release from the university to 612 into the fiscal year 1988 budget. But the committee's bill didn't reach the House floor before Tuesday's action, which means the bill probably will go back to the appropi- ations committee for reconsideration. Another member of the committee, State Rep. Robert Vancrum, R-Overland Park, said that with Hayden's $128 million 1988 budget increase, $27 million was designated for Board of Regents institutions. "I'm afraid it's going to have a very definite impact," he said "But we have little choice, if we want to keep to a balanced state budget." And an attractive place to make up for the $21 million loss could be the Regents budget. "We occupy a large part of the the state's budget," he said. "So when it's time to make cuts, we are usually vulnerable. We can be concerned, but there is not a lot we can do about it." Stanley Koplik. Regents executive director, said that each year the Regents budget was used as ammunition in the legislative budget battles. The first bill, defeated 97-22, would reduce the amount of money the state returns from the general fund to city and county governments to help them reduce property taxes. The refund comes from state sales tax. The other bill, defeated 72-47, would reduce the amount of money the state transfers from the general fund to the State Highway Fund. State Rep. Jessie Branson, D- Lawrence, supported the first bill but said her decision had been difficult because of her divided responsibilities to the city of Lawrence and the University of Kansas. "There are a lot of strong feelings about funding bills this year because of the budget constraints," she said. "It was a tough choice for me." Both measures were part of Hayden's strategy to alleviate some of the state's fiscal responsibilities and transfer them to local governments. Branson said, "I understand the funding problems local governments are having, but the federal budget cuts have hurt us, and we can't take the burden all alone. A lot of vital state programs would be in trouble, including education." But some legislators said the House leadership was threatening to throw the unapproved financing bills back into committee to scare representatives into changing their votes. "The Republican leadership is saying that if the bills aren't approved, they're going to start cutting programs," said State Rep. John Solbach, D-Lawrence. "It's like taking hostages." Sobach said he supported the bills but did not approve of the House language. "They cut a children's aid program this morning in retaliation, but they support the death penalty and a new state census, both of which will cost $6 to 10 million," he said. State Sen. Wint Winter Jr., RLawrence, said the state could support cuts in other areas besides education. But he is hoping the Senate will introduce a similar bill, giving Hayden's idea another chance. "I think what you have are Democrats flexing their muscles in the House," he said. "But I think it will get resolved." United Press International Ortega says plane connected with CIA The Honduran air force said Tuesday that it shot down a DC-3 trans MANAGUA. Nicaragua β€” President Daniel Ortega said yesterday that a plane shot down over Honduras was not carrying drugs but was a CIA-run flight delivering weapons to the contras. Ortega also said Nicaraguan air-defense gunners may have hit the plane before it was shot down over Honduras. He said the Hondurans invented a cover-up story about a drug flight to hide the supply mission to the contras seeking to overthrow the Nicaraguan government. "T port Monday night when the crew, including an U.S. pilot, ignored calls to identify itself. Daniel Ortega president of Nicaragua 'That plane may have been damaged, and it then may have gone on to fall in Honduras.' The remains of three people were found in the wreckage of the DC-3, the Honduran armed forces said in a statement. It said the plane was on a runway. Ortega, speaking to reporters at a baseball stadium, said the flight was a CIA-run operation, and that Sandinista gunners fired fire after it made a weapons drop. "That plane may have been damaged, and it then may have gone on to fall in Honduras, and now the Hondurans are saying they shot it down to cover up a supply operation to the mercenaries," he said. Nicaragua made the same claim on Oct. 6 when its gunners downed what Managua called a CIA flight and captured U.S. citizen Eugene Hasenstuas Hasenstuas was tried and convicted of crimes against Nicaragua's people, but was pardoned just before Christmas. "What we know is (Monday) night there was a delivery of weapons of those (flights) that the CIA manages, and that they threw out weapons attached to parachutes for the mercenary forces, and as it was withdrawing, our forces opened fire on that plane," he said. Honduras' military said the plane crashed near Palmutal, about six miles from the Salvadoran border in western Honduras. The United States denied any knowledge of the origin of the plane, which initially was identified as a C-47 transport. The plane, which had U.S. and Colombian registrations, was destroyed and no drugs, arms or other cargo were found in the wreckage.