The Pantagraph from Bloomington, Illinois • Page 32

PtnMgripti B-II Bloomlnflton-Normil, III. Oct. 14, 1979 Asbestos suit: issue NORFOLK. Va. (AP) A case is under way in federal court here that could establish who faces liability for millions of dollars in damages sought by hundreds of shipyard workers exposed to cancer-causing absestos.

The suit was brought against the federal government by nine asbestos manufacturers, and each side is blaming the other. "The manufacturers dragged their feet coming up with substitutes," said Neil Peterson, a government lawyer. But Michael Montgomery, a lawyer for Johns-Man ville a manufacturer, said the government violated recommended safety precautions when it did not furnish respirators to asbestos workers in naval shipyards, provided inadequate ventilation and did not wet the fibrous substance before it was used. The test case that began Wednesday in the courtroom of U.S. District Judge John A.

MacKenzie was filed by the absestos manufacturers in an attempt to get government reimbursement for $69,000 given to William B. Glover. He received the money in an out-of-court settlement when he developed lung fibrosis and left the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in 1975 after 35 years as a pipe coverer. Though the amount of damages is relatively small, both the government and the manufacturers are concerned because it is believed to be the first case on the asbestos liability issue. In Virginia alone, more than 100 workers are seeking damages of more than $300 million, with more lawsuits still being filed.

The government argues that the asbestos industry is solely liable for damages that it knew of the health danger posed by asbestos for "decades" before it began to deal with the problem in the 1960s. The government said the industry knew of the hazards of asbestos in the 1930s, but the industry says it was not until the mid-1960s that the industry learned that asbestos caused lung diseases, including cancer. Furthermore, government lawyers told Judge MacKenzie, the asbestos manufacturers "dragged their feet" in providing asbestos-free substitutes after the Navy began requesting them. Montgomery, the manufacturers' attorney, quoted a government report as saying the floors in the Norfolk pipe-covering shop were so covered with asbestos dust they "looked as if they had not been swept in 20 years. He read a statement from Edward Cherowbrier, a safety official for the Navy Bureau of Ships, who conducted an inspection of the Navy yards in 1969 after 1 Harvey An Illinois Central Gulf freight locomotive rested atop the wreckage of an Amtrak diesel engine after the two collided head-on in Harvey Friday night.

The four-coach Amtrak "Shawnee" was enroute to Chicago from Carbondale when it rammed the freight enroute from Chicago to New Orleans. train crewmen iiiiuiu it'miiwvuiiim gsetmw nmvmwoym mummu I'M -rC jr- irPZr 'fc-O the Navv became concerned about asbestos safety practices. The statement said safety measures at the eight Navy shipyards varied dramatically. Conditions at the Long Beach, Naval Shipyard were "excellent," Cherowbrier said, with air filters and respirators in asbestos work areas. By contrast, he testified, conditions were "poor" at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, and safety practices were scarcely in evidence there.

The Navy banned certain asbestos products from its shipyards in the late 1960s, Cherowbrier said, but those products still were available several years afterward and apparently shipyards continued to use them. And even though the products were prohibited, he said, the General Services Administration still made them available from stockpiles. The products once were widely used in shipbuilding for insulation, but most now have been replaced by other materials because of links between airborne asbestos fibers and disease, including cancer. Cherowbrier said that he gave the poorest safety mark of all to the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, where he said the floors of one shop were thick with asbestos residue during his visit. Two former safety officials at the yard testified that its management knew of the asbestos hazard, and that the yard had adopted corrective measures in the years before Cherowbrier's inspection tour.

James C. Craig, who headed the shipyard safety office from I960 to 1972, said he even wrote a letter to the Bureau of Ships in the mid-1960s, warning of asbestos dangers and recommending that the Navy search for substitute insulating materials. Navy officials, Craig testified, replied that they had already come up with asbestos substitutes. A former shipyard industrial hygienist, Seymour Levinson, testified that the use of respirators by asbestos workers at the yard in Portsmouth was "recommended, but not mandatory" in the late 1960s. Levinson testified that the shipyard in the late 1960s began programs to inform workers of asbestos hazards, and workers were given periodic X-rays.

Craig's testimony indicated that ventilation systems in asbestos areas sometimes emptied into other rooms, possibly work areas. Respirators, he said, were "freely available to workers. They were checked out just like tools." Asked whether shipyard workers used respirators, Craig replied, "There was some acceptance, some rejection and some misuse." had ever heard of the law. Jim Mountford, editor of the Washington County News, said his weekly had never heard of the law and did not intend to stop publishing because of it. And Robert Lehigh, publisher of Common Sense, said he would ignore the warning, too.

"Obviously, the law is an abridgement of the constitutional freedom of the press. We intend to continue our political coverage and accept political ads." said John Rogers, manager of the Spectrum. Graf, who was attending a convention in California, could not be reached for comment. as his homestate of Massachusetts. He also narrowly topped Carter in California, where county chairmen placed their own governor Brown a distant third.

Carter was particularly strong in the South and Southwest, but also led in early primary-election states such as New Hampshire, Florida, and Vermont, where a strong showing could boost his candidacy. "Right off the bat, I'd don't think Kennedy would carry a state in the South." said Harry Rhoden, Democratic chairman for Toombs County in southeast Georgia, Carter's homestate. GOP officials in several states indicated they are more interested in putting a Republican into the White House than a specific candidate. In the words of Ben Vidricksen of Salina, "I could live with about six or seven of the Republicans." Reagan, who narrowly lost the nomination to Ford in 1976 but has kept a high profile as a newpaper columnist and radio commentator, is strong throughout the country, the survey indicates. However, chairmen rated ConnaHy first in his home state of Texas, as well as in New York, Ohio, Michigan and New Mexico.

In most states, county chairmen of both parties say they are not yet actively working for a presidential candidate. "Who the hell's worrying about a president. I'm not." said Cape May County, N.J.. GOP chairman Philip Matalucci. "We've got an election this November, that's important now." Utah newspapers to ignore gag warning An unidentified University of Illinois student is comforted by relatives at Chicago's Union Station after she was bused from the crash.

(AP Laserphotos) crew man stood on overturned Amtrak Superline passenger car and looked over the crash scene. The ICG freight was carrying trucks piggyback. Death to Snrac crana Ul VCyj JLClIC Carter WASHINGTON (APt President Carter holds better than a 2-1 edge over Sen. Edward Kennedy in support among grassroots party leaders for the Democratic presidential nomination, an Associated Press survey shows. On the Republican side, Ronald Reagan commands a substantial lead for the GOP nomination, followed by John Court defied Laetrile 3 year BOSTON (AP) Chad Green, the leukemia-stricken 3-year-old whose parents defied a court order and took him to Mexico for treatment with the banned substance Laetrile, has died, a spokeswoman for the Central Medical Clinico Del Mar in Tijuana, Mexico, said Saturday.

Chad died at his Tijuana home at 5:10 p.m. Friday, according to Marisa Terri-quez. His parents, Gerald and Diana Green, had reported that Chad had not been feeling well Friday afternoon, she said. The Greens reportedly have decided to stay in Mexico to consider the possibility they may be prosecuted if they return to iiiiii mil 53ts. A has advantage among chairmen ST.

GEORGE, Utah (AP) Three southern Utah newspapers say they will ignore a warning from the Washington County prosecutor not to publish any political stories, editorials or ads between now and the November municipal elections. Prosecutor Paul Graf said in a letter to the papers that they had failed to comply with a little-known state law requiring them to file ownership declarations with the Secretary of State three months before any election. Dan Croft, editor of the Color Country Spectrum, said no one at his newspaper 164. followed by Brown at 107 and Moynihan with 76. The number of chairmen expressing support for "others" persons not included in the survey rose from 90 in the first choice balloting to 286 when asked their second choice.

In several states. Carter supporters criticized Congress for not doing enough to help the president. "We feel if the Democrats in Congress had supported Carter's program to even an average amount that a president would expect from his party, he would be known by now as one of the oustand-ing presidents," said Melvin Yager of Spirit Lake, Iowa. On the Republican side, GOP chairmen picked Connally when asked their second choice. But like Kennedy, Connally was not able to muster the margin of support that Reagan had when the chairmen were asked their first choice.

However, the size of Connally's support indicates that his credentials as a one-time Democrat will not hurt him as much as has been predicted by some. Republicans chose Connally 474 to 361 over Reagan as their second choice. Baker followed with support from 273 county officials, then Ford with 231. Bush 195 and Crane. 104.

Haig was the second choice of 58 chairmen, and Dole was the second choice of 54 officials. As might be expected. Kennedy's greatest strength was in the Northeast, including such electoral-vote rich states asNew York and Pennsylvania, as well Reunited the White House. Carter's standing in the survey indicates the president's support among the party hierarchy has held up thus far, at least in the pre-primary jockeying. Neither Carter nor Kennedy has announced his candidacy.

County chairmen, Democrat and Republican alike, generally occupy middle rungs of power in the party establishment, and to some degree are not as tightly tied as state chairmen to the preferences of national party leaders. Carter was picked as the first choice of 1.233 county Democratic officials, compared with 574 for Kennedy. Some Democratic officials said they were reluctant to come out yet for an undeclared Kennedy candidacy. "If Kennedy became a candidate in the middle of November, you'd see a lot of chairmen for his candidacy," said Jack Keehan, head, of the Democratic party in populous Hillsboro County, New Hampshire, home of the first presidential primary. "I would like Carter," said Michael McNamee, chairman in St.

Clair County, Michigan, and a Carter backer. "However, there is no doubt that the vast majority of members in our party want Kennedy. He is most likely the stronger candidate." No Democrat emerged with strong backing as an alternative to Carter or Kennedy. California Gov. Edmund G.

Brown Jr. was the first choice of 25 county chairmen. Sen. Patrick Moynihan of New York was picked by 19 and Sen. Adlai Stevenson of Illinois was endorsed by 15.

While Reagan is the solid Republican leader, the race is closer than among the Democrats. Connally, an ex-Democrat, polled surprisingly well among party faithful. Reagan, the former California governor, was the first choice of 861 officials while Connally, a former Texas governor, was picked by 458. Baker, the Senate minority leader from Tennessee, was picked by 213 and Ford by 196. Bush, a former GOP chairman, polled 157 and Crane, a congressman from Illinois.

78. Dole, the GOP's 1976 vice presidential candidate, was the first choice of 39 party officials most of them from his home state of Kansas while Alexander Haig. former supreme commander of NATO, was endorsed by 28. In several states, the 68-year-old Reagan lost support because of his age. "I'd like to support Reagan but his age scares me to death." said Kathrena Franks, who heads GOP in Craig County in far northeastern Oklahoma.

"He wears two feet of makeup now trying not to show it Democratic politicians, when asked to give their second choice, selected Kennedy, but not by as wide a margin as they picked Carter in the first-choice balloting Many who picked Carter as their first choice refused to pick Kennedy as a second choice, deciding to swing their support elsewhere. Kennedy led second-choice balloting with 571 votes, while Carter received 366. Next highest was Stevenson, with Connally, Howard Baker, former President Gerald Ford, George Bush, Philip Crane and Bob Dole. The survey, completed Saturday, canvassed Democratic and Republican county chairmen throughout the nation about their first and second choices for their party's nominee in 1980's race for treated old dies Massachusetts. The Greens fled their Scituate, home on Jan.

25 after a judge ordered them to stop treating Chad with Laetrile and a special diet they claimed can combat leukemia. The judge also ordered them to resume chemotherapy treatments for Chad at Massachusetts General Hospital. The Greens insisted that chemotherapy was causing Chad more harm than good. Laetrile is a trademark for a substance derived from the chemical amygdalin, found naturally in the pits of apricots and peaches and in bitter almond.