The Courier-Journal from Louisville, Kentucky • Page 1

Taking on the Cobra 1 5 Golf 15 On the Town 15 Movie capsules 16 Fare Comment 18 25C rfiuiiiirnrfcrirr nsnritiftrtrnriw- i in rtrraftrt'rtwii'wiaiitf Mxriiirir-frtLuiifl iinTinintirTfifcrtiriMMniLpMMinwii'daiir nh INDIANA EDITION Louisville, Friday morning, May 11, 1984 72 Pages Vol. 258, No. 132 Copyright 1984, The Courier-Journal EE253S2 it ouse grants Reagan's request for Salvadoran military aid By MARTIN TOLCHIN Now York Timtf News Service WASHINGTON The Democratic-controlled House gave President Reagan a major victory yesterday by narrowly approving an administration request for military aid to El Salvador that would give the president broad discretion in spending the money. The measure was approved 212-208 as the House heeded those who argued that the United States should support the newly elected government of El Salvador with a significant infusion of money, without imposing conditions that could not be met by a struggling new democracy. "EI Salvador should not be allowed to slowly bleed to death.

The president must have flexibility in conducting foreign policy." Opponents contended, however, that the Salvadoran government's fate will be decided not on the battlefield but by its ability to promote social justice and make progress on human rights, judicial and land reforms, and negotiations with the rebels. They evoked memories of U.S. involvement in Vietnam and warned that yesterday's vote could be a first step in a stubborn progression that could end with U.S. combat troops involved in Central America. "The American people don't want any more Cubas in Central America, but neither do they want any more Vietnams," said Rep.

Stephen J. So-larz, who opposed the measure. The vote came less than 24 hours after Reagan made a television address urging adoption of the measure, a performance that some believed swayed some votes. "The president's a factor when he's on television, no question about it," said Speaker Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill, D-Mass.

He also attributed the president's victory to members' fears of being blamed for a collapse of the Salva The World Court urges the United States to respect Nica-raguan sovereignty and stop mining its harbors. Story, Page A 8. They contend that the loss of El Salvador to a Marxist regime would be an intolerable blow to the hemisphere. "We are facing a communist revolution in our own back yard," said Rep. William S.

Broomfield of Michigan, ranking Republican on the Foreign Affairs Committee and sponsor of the amendment. doran government and its replacement by a communist regime. Although it is an authorization bill that sets policy rather than appropriates money, the measure established the House position on the issue and is expected to influence a House-Senate conference, scheduled for next week, on a $61.7 million emergency military-aid bill for El Salvador approved by the Senate. The debate divided the House Democratic leadership. O'Neill opposed the increased aid to El Salvador and urged imposition of conditions for any additional money.

But Rep. Jim Wright of Texas, the majority leader, told the House that the money sought was less than 0.1 percent of the country's military spending and only 5 percent of what the Soviet Union spent in the region. The proposed conditions, he said, "set up a standard we don't require of any other country in the world." Fifty-six Democrats joined 156 Republicans in supporting the measure, which was opposed by 200 Democrats and eight Republicans. It was part of a $10.5 billion foreign-aid bill that was approved 211-206. The measure approved by the House would give the president sole See HOUSE Back page, col.

1, this section is told to cut its long-distance rates 6.1 percent this month eit fiCAii St 1 i s. tar By ROBERT FURLOW Associated Press WASHINGTON Long-distance telephone rates paid by most Americans must drop 6.1 percent by the end of this month, federal regulators said yesterday. In what it proclaimed "a landmark decision," the Federal Communications Commission set a May 25 deadline for American Telephone Telegraph Co. to begin charging the lower rates nationwide. At the same time, the FCC said the company could soon begin charging 50 cents each for long-distance directory-assistance calls after two free calls per month.

And it substantially reduced the amounts must pay local phone companies for using their lines in long-distance service. Pic Wagner, an spokesman said, "We welcome the commission's action, which enables us to cut long-distance rates. This is something we've wanted to do for a long time." However, he said his company is disappointed that the FCC made no move to eliminate rules under which its long-distance competitors pay less than for using local telephone lines. Long-distance rates charged by those competitors including MCI Communications Corp. and GTE GTE-Sprint are not controlled by the FCC.

How much the new order will save customers, who still make up a majority of all long-distance callers, will depend on how many calls are made. On a monthly bill of $20, for example, the saving would be on a bill of $50, it would be $3.05. The commission said that after the main changes take effect, both and local companies many of them Bell companies split off in the recent divestiture will be able to earn the 12.75 percent rate of return that the FCC has authorized. Wagner disputed that in case, but he gave no indication that the company would fight the order. The main points of the FCC order include: Estimated long-distance sav- See Back page, col.

1, this section Jeff publisher names employees, churches and hospitals in will Dedication gets a lift with balloons and bands The gifts to the churches and hospitals are "of great significance," Fresh said. The will specifies that Voigt's stock in the newspaper company and his other property be sold. He left no directives about the sale, except to say that the newspaper stock should be sold "as may be feasible, with the understanding that it is not to be sacrificed for less than its full value, that it be appraised by persons familiar with the newspaper business and that an attempt be made to sell it for its full value." Several sources in the newspaper publishing business yesterday described the Jeffersonville paper as a lucrative investment. One broker, with experience handling the buying and selling of medium-sized newspapers around the country, estimated that Voigt's paper could be sold for $5 million to $7 million. If an independent appraisal of the newspaper's market shows it to be strong, he said, it could go for as See PUBLISHER Back page, col.

1, this section Balloons and bands marked the noontime dedication of Jefferson Square In downtown Louisville yesterday. Nearly 1 ,000 people checked out concrete walkways, elevated landscaped areas and a fountain at the park at Jefferson and Sixth streets. The trees and shrubs planted In the park Include sourwoods, ash and lindens. At left, Larry'-; Breit one of eight people from a modeling agency dressed in early American costumes handed out balloons to the visitors. By MARY DIETER and MIKE KING Courier-Journal Staff Writers JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind.

Two Jeffersonville Catholic churches, two Louisville hospitals, and employees of the News and Journal Inc. in Jeffersonville are among the beneficiaries named in the will left by Owen Voigt, a prominent Clark County newspaperman. Voigt, 72, owner and publisher of The Evening News, was found dead April 29 in his Clarksville apartment. He apparently died of natural causes. An attorney, he prepared his own will, which is dated Oct.

17, 1975. It is on file in the Clark County clerk's office. No estimate has been made of Voigt's estate, which includes the newspaper company, a law office at 207 Spring St. in Jeffersonville and an adjacent lot. Douglas Fresh, one of Voigt's attorneys, said yesterday that he can't yet provide even a ballpark figure, but that Voigt "left a substantial estate." On a clear note National Weather Service IOUISVIILE area Partly sunny, breezy and mild today.

Partly sunny and mild tomorrow. High both days, upper STAFF PHOTOS BY KEITH WILLIAMS $2.6 million awarded to fallout cancer victims inside In the largest transaction ever involving a Louisville company, ICH Corp. agrees to buy Bank- ers Life Casualty Co. of Chi-. cago for $382 million 9 Accent 15-23V Classified ads 12-18 Comics 19 VS Deaths 10 VO" Marketplace 9-11 By JAY MATHEWS The Washington Post SALT LAKE CITY In a landmark decision taking American law into the nuclear age, a federal judge ruled yesterday that fallout from poorly supervised U.S.

atomic bomb tests in the 1950s caused cancer deaths in unsuspecting rural communities of Utah and Arizona. In a 489-page opinion by U.S. District Court Judge Bruce S. Jenkins filled with equations and essays on probability, physics and medicine the federal courts for the first time recognized a clear link between U.S. nuclear testing and neys for the government and the victims to argue out several different kinds of cancer and their relationship to radioactivity.

He decided that the fallout was to blame in only 10 of the cases, including all deaths from leukemia and a breast cancer and a thyroid cancer case. He agreed with government attorneys that lawyers for the other 14 victims had not established enough evidence of links to fallout. Of the 10 cases in which damages were awarded, only a thyroid cancer patient, Jacqueline Sanders, 38, of St. George, Utah, is still alive. A breast cancer victim, Norma J.

Pol-litt, 41, of Cedar City, Utah, died in August while Jenkins was still writing the opinion. The other eight victims, whose relatives received damage awards, were four children aged 12 to 15 and four men aged 37 to 53. Jenkins concluded there was not enough evidence of a link between the fallout and victims of cancer of the prostate, kidneys, abdomen, ovaries, lungs, skin, colon, bladder, lym-pathic system, stomach and pancreas. "It's been an awfully long battle," said Mary Dawn Dalton of Parowan, Utah. She said she never expected See $2.6 MILLION Back page, col.

4, this section Jenkins' opinion, which took 17 months to prepare, awarded at least $2.66 million for 10 victims of nuclear fallout and opened the door for damage suits by 1,600 other alleged victims or their relatives. That could cost the government more than $200 million. "I've never been so elated in my life," said Dale Haralson, a Tucson attorney who represented several victims of the fallout. He called the fallout "the greatest civilian tragedy that has ever been experienced by U.S. citizens since the Civil War." Jenkins ruled on 24 cases of cancer-related deaths or disease, a sample carefully selected to allow attor- 70s.

Low tonight, upper 50s. KENTUCKY Mostly sunny today. Partly sunny and mild tomorrow. Highs today, mid-70s to low 80s; tomorrow, upper 70s to low 80s. Lows tonight, mid-50s to low 60s.

INDIANA Partly sunny today. Mostly cloudy tomorrow with a chance of thundershowers. Highs today, to low 80s; tomorrow, mainly 70s. High yesterday, 72; low, 44. Year ago yesterday: High, 70; low, 42.

Sun: Rises, 6:36 EDT; sets, 8:43. Moon: Rises, 4:51 p.m.; sets, 4:44 a.m. Weather map and details, Page 3 8. a Opinion page A 10 People A 2 Racing entries 8 Show clock 16 19 l-O TV, radio 2, Zr.