Beckley Post-Herald from Beckley, West Virginia • Page 1

BECRLEY POST-HERALD 12-County Regional News Service (RNS) W.Vt., Thursday Morning, May 26, 1977 Volume 78 No. 119 2 Sections 15 Centi Nixon Tells Frost Resignation 150,000 Son Emma Lou (Mrs. Clyde) Fox holds Becktey Appalachian Regional Hospital's medical records number 150,000: Mrs: Fox, admitted Sunday to the patient, Mrs. Fox received a dozen roses from the hospital, being presented here by John Penmngton assistant administrator. ARH opened its doors to patients the first week of January, 1956.

(Post-Herald Weather Decreasing cloudiness today, becoming partly cloudy tonight and mostly today's high will be in the low 70s and tonight's low in tine low 50s, climbing to the mid-70i Friday; There is a 20 per cent chance of rain today and ten per cent tonight. Winds will be easterly at five to 15 miles per hour. (Details on Page 10) Inside, tt Calendar .7 Classified 39-31 Comics 25 Crossword ..25 Dear Abby .7 Deaths 5 Editorial .4 Markets 10 Sports 22-25 By HARRY P. ROSENTHAL Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) Former President Richard M. Nixon says he would have preferred "the agony of a trial" to accepting a presidential pardon that he knew made him look guilty.

But, he said, "there was no chance whatever I could get a fair trial." His mood alternating from bristling anger to turn-on-- turaoff smiles, Nixon spoke about his final days in office the pardon, "contemptible journalism," and Spiro Agnew, in television interview Wednesday night. He described.Agnew as "an honest a courageous man," a victim of liberals' double standard in the political a man who made mistakes. He agreed with interviewer David Frost that "in some ways" resignation was a fate worse than death and that it had been a shattering experience. The fourth interview, winding up the current series, ended with Nixon saying ruefully, "We have to live with not only the past, but for the whatever it brings, I'll "Resignation meant life without purpose as far as I was concerned," Nixon said. "No one in the world, and no one in our history could I felt No one can know how it feels to resign the presidency of the United States Death "Is that punishment enough?" Nixon said with strong feeling.

"Oh, probably not." To the question, "Did you, in a sense, feel that resignation was worse than death?" Nixon said: "In some ways. I didn't feel it in terms that the popular mythologists about this era write; that, well, resignation is so terrible that I better go out and fall on a sword, or take a gun and shoot I wasn't about to do that. I never think in those terms, suicidal terms, death wish and all that. That's all just, just bunk." Without mentioning them by name, Nixon spoke bitterly about reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, authors of the book, "The Final Days With tight-lipped anger, he called their book "contemptible while admitting he had read only stories about the work rather than the book itself. "All I say is Mrs.

Nixon read it and her stroke came three days later," Nixon said. "I didn't want her to read it because I knew the kind of trash it was and the kind of trash they "This doesn't indicate that that caused the stroke because the doctors don't know what caused the stroke the former president added, "but it sure didn't help Nixon almost spat out: "I have nothing but utter cbn- (See NIXON, Page 11) CHARLESTON, WJVa. (AP)'-- Gbv Jay Rockefeller Wednesday told members of the U.S. Senate that traditional wage incentives are not enough to reverse the declining productivity of individual coal miners. In remarks prepared for delivery in Washington before the Senate subcommittee on energy and supply, Rockefeller said, "America's conversion plan must also include programs to improve flfin the coalfields," Rockefeller said if the-coal miner "will to feel that be has a stake in 'all of America we can convert to coal without the fear of America's coalfields ever, holding our country captive through strikes or embargo-type action." Rockefeller, chairman of the National Governor's Conference subcommitte on coal, testified in connection with the nationaTenergy plan proposed by President Carter.

Rockefeller said he was convinced the biggest barrier to achieving Carter's goal of raising national coal production to 1,1 billion tons by 1985 "is neither an economic nor a technological problem; it is more subtle and more complex." He noted West Virginia coal production POT man-day has dropoed nearly 45 "pal 1 Uffll ffi A from 17 tons in 1967 to nine ton lait year: He said West Virginia produced WJ million torn with 43,000 miners in 19G7, but only 109 million tons with 57,000 miners in 1976 Achieving the President's goal "requires West Virginia to return to 1967 production levels," Rockefeller sail He added: "First, we must examine the extreme By ED BLANCHE Associated Press Writer ASSEN, The Netherlands (AP) South Moluccan terrorists shoved three bound and blindfolded hostages from i hijacked train with ropei around their flecks Wednesday night, evidently to establish their "complete power" our the victims, authorities said. The three appeared unhurt when they were pulled hack into the train after standing on the tracks, which ran through open pasture land, for periods ranging from 46 to 63 minutes. Two bands of extremists seeking independence from Indonesia for their Pacific island homeland, once a Dutch colony, seized a train and a village elementary school simultaneously Monday morning in the second South Moluccan terrorist action in two years. They have threatened to start killing the 56 hostages on the train and 106 children and six teachers in the school un- less fellow terrorists imprisoned after the 1975 raid are freed and the entire group is flown out of the country. A deadline for the killing to begin passed Wednesday morning without signs of action on the threat.

Authorities have refused to.deal until the children are freed. Two of the three hostages shoved from the train, a man and a woman, were made to stand on the tracks for 46 minutes, a Justice Ministry official wid. The ends of the ropes around their necks were held inside the train through doors jammed almost shut and were used to pull tiiem back inside. The third person was. pushed onto the tracks five minutes later and was left there for 63 minutes, he added.

Dutch authorities said the episode took them by surprise after two days of fruitless telephone negotiation with the terrorists but little other activity. The development came after the train hijackers, believed to be six men and a woman, appeared to settle into an uneasy standoff with authorities. No Stamps Welfare Proposal Would Stress Work disharmony between management and labor in the coal industry. There is simply a. total absence of mutual respect between producer and miner." Rockefeller predicted that in negotiations starting later this year on a new 1 United Mine Workers contract, "agreement on the economic issues, such as wages, will come quickly.

Negotiations are likely to break down, however, when more basic questions are reached, to strike overlocal sues." Rockefeller continueil: "Traditional concepts about, local work stoppage or wildcat strike problems must be analyzed. In a wildcat strike situation which currently touches West Virginia, the coal company has full-page newspaper adds proclaiming that it will not depart from its policy of 16-years standing, which is: the company refuses to negotiate as long as the miners are on strike. "On. the other hand, the miners -dominated by the vocal few refuse to go back to work until the company agrees to "Meanwhile, the strike goes on with both sides doggedly clinging to traditional principles. "I don't claim to have an instant solution, but I do know that traditional principles are not getting the coal mined.

"Battles over wildcat strikes and federal court injunctions have not served either side weU. Both sides need to rethink their relationship. "Increasing individual productivity is the basic goal. Both labor and management must pursue the goal in harmony, for if it is reached both sides will surely benefit." Absenteeism and wildcat strikes are increasing despite the fact miners' wages have almost doubled in 10 years, to an, average of about $290 a week, Rockefeller said. He cited coalfield living as a reason "the traditional economic incentive of higher wages" isn't working.

Can Jump If Coal Goal Met CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) If West Virginia meets President Carter's 1985 coal production goals, state tax rewnues could increase by as much as 40 per cent, according to state Tax Department figures. The four main sources of tax revenues could jump by up to $114 million if coal goes up by two-thirds as the President hopes, accordina'to the figures. Most of the added revenue would come from the business and occupation tax. which brings the state 13.85 for every $100 of coal sold.

Last year operators paid $108 million on 109 million tons of coal sold. The figures'assume that the price of coal would remain about the same with adjustments for inflation, and predict that 1985 business and occupation income would be about $210 million on 170 million tons of coal The state would also benefit from the indirect effects of increased output about 20,000 new coal industry jobs would be created; experts say. That would mean a jump of $8 million in personal income taxes, whicfc totaled $00 million this year. Road-users and consumer sates taxes would also add revenues the study said. The study also predicts a 35 per cent jump in 11 key coal-producing counties.

Koreans Dislike Troop Withdrawal SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -Twenty-four years after the end of the Korean War, the United States has told its South Korean ally it is pulling out the last of its ground troops. Neither President Park Chung-bee nor the political opposition likes it. Park was advised of the withdrawal plans Wednesday during a three-hour meeting with President Carter's special representatives, Undersecretary of State Philip Habib and Gen. George Brown, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Park said he didn't welcome the withdrawal, but would accept what he said was an "established" U.S. policy. Former South Korean President Yun Po-sun, one of the few political opposition leaders not in jail, said he agreed with U.S. Maj. Gen.

John K. Singlaub that the pullout will lead to an invasion by Communist North Korea. Singlaub, former chief of staff of U.S. forces in Korea, was recalled to Washington last weekend and relieved of duty by President Carter. The general had told a reporter the withdrawal would lead to war.

Bathhouse Blaze Kills 8, Hurts Many WASHINGTON (AP) The Carter administration is tentatively planning a new welfare system that would classify poor people on the basis of whether or not they are expected to work, HEW Secretary Joseph A. Califano said Wednesday: Those expected not to work, the aged, disabled and single parents with young children, would be given a single cash payment by the federal government which the states or local government could supplement if they wished. A typical federal payment for that group would he $4,200 for a family of four, at least as high as what the government now pays welfare families in cash or food stamps. The stamps would be abolished under the new system. Those expected to work would he eligible for public service jobs at the minimum wage and would receive cash supplements to help raise them over the poverty line.

A family of four hi that group could receive up to $2,300 in addition to wages. As explained by the HEW secretary, the welfare reform plan outlined in broad terms by Carter on May 2 to beginning to take shape, although some changes are ukery before the proposal goes to Congress in August. Some details of the plan, such as the definition of young children, are still to be worked out, Califano told reporters. And he emphasized that the figures are tentative and likely to change as, officials of the Department of Health, Education and welfare, the Labor Department and the White House discuss the impact of the proposal with state officials and congressional leaders. The payment schedule under the new plan was not spelled out but most government aid plans are paid on a monthly basis.

Califano said the plan is designed to reward those, who work by insuring that they get more money than those who don't. Those who are expected to work but who don't would not make as much as those not expected to work. The plan also provides incentives to encourage people to take jobs in the private sector rather than public service jobs. It envisions the creation of 1.4 million public service and private sector jobs in the hope of providing employment for all those required to work and anyone else who wants to. The current welfare system administered by the states and some cities and counties with federal matching funds provides A patchwork of benefits that differ in each state.

By JOHN MULLIGAN Associated Press Writer Fire Kills Eight Flames Leap from the windows of a midtown New York sauna bath and rooming house Wednesday as firemen use aerial equipment to control the fire At least eight person died in the building, which an employe said catered to homosexuals (AP Wirephoto) NEW YORK (AP) Eight men perished Wednesday morning in flames and smoke that enveloped a 70-year-old bathhouse frequented by homosexuals, about six blocks south of the Empire State Building. Fire officiate said the occupants of the four-story building containing the Everard Baths had tried ineffectually to fight the fire themselves, and flames were roaring through two floors when firemen arrived shortly after 7 a.m. An unreported mattress fire about an hour earlier was suspected of being the cause. More than a dozen personj were taken to hospitals, including two firemen treated for smoke inhalation. Two of the injured Were in critical condition.

One of the survivors, a 26-year-old actor, declared bitterly that the city allows hazardous conditions to exist, where homosexuals congregate. are given a certain amount of liberty in New York City and most of that is to hang out in sleazy sorts of low places that are. substandard. At a straight health spa you wouldn't have rooms partitioned halfway up the walls so the fire could spread," said the actor, Michael Rhone of Manhattan. Rhone described the scene as a "thick, smoking hell, but the people were very together.

No one went crazy or haywire." The flames were brought under control by 200 fire fighters after about hours, but Fire Commissioner John O'Hagan pulled his men back from searching for bodies for fear that the weakened, partially collapsed structure might come down on them. He said a search for bodies would continue using a crane to pick at debris. "We now have the job of searching 135 cubicles," he said. The owner of the baths, Irving Fine, 62, estimated that between 80 and 100 customers were in the building, but an exact number was not determined immediately. Deputy Chief Fire Marshal John Barracato said sign-in procedure at the for- men-only establishment was "informal or nonexistent." Customers were charged for 12 hours for a 4-foot cubicle, and for just a locker, on weekdays.

Weekends the prices were $9.25 and $6 for eight hours, according to baths manager Nat Pressman. Rhone described the clientele as "your old men, young georgeous men, your models and your successful businessmen." The commissioner said the operators of the bathhouse had been ordered last year to install sprinklers. He said this was done, but the system had not been hooked up. Death In Paradise MATTOON, 111. (AP) Charles William Eaton celebrated his 100th birthday Tuesday and died Wednesday in his smoke-filled rural home in the hamlet of Paradise near Mattoon.

Authorities said Eaton suffocated from smoke pouring from a coal- burning cook stove in which he was disposing of trash. Neighbors saw the smoke and summoned help. Firemen said they found a birthday card on the kitchen table. They said it had been sent to Eaton by President and Mrs. Carter..