Chicago Tribune from Chicago, Illinois • Page 1-1

123456 MIDWEST EDITION 156TH CHICAGO TRIBUNE $2.00 By Howard Reich Tribune arts critic In 1923, a brilliant Austrian pianist commissioned a revered German composer to pen a most unusual work: a piano concerto that would be played not with two hands but with one, while a symphony orchestra accompanied. For pianist Paul Wittgenstein, the new left-hand concerto was part of his plan for a dramatic return to the concert stage, after he tragically lost his right arm in battle in World War I and never again could play the great works of Mozart, Beethoven and Brahms. Moreover, his comeback would bring new glory to his family, the Wittgensteins of Vienna, who counted Brahms and Freud among its friends and the celebrated philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein, younger brother, among its brightest lights. But after composer Paul Hindemith finished writing the Concerto for the Left Hand, the score disappeared, never to be performed in public or studied by scholars, who have been searching for it ever since. It stands as the only unknown major work commissioned by Witt- TRIBUNE SPECIAL REPORT Wittgenstein family photo Austrian Paul Wittgenstein launched a promising career as a concert pianist, then World War I broke out.

He lost an arm in the war, and as a prisoner of the Russians he made a crate into an imaginary piano so he could practice with just his left hand. Rediscovered score pianist's last legacy WW I took Paul Wittgenstein's right arm, so he hired the greats of the time to write for him. One away, never has resurfaced along with documents telling a family's tragic story. Tribune file photo would be very sorry if you are not pleased with the it might sound a bit strange to you at Paul Hindemith (above), writing to Paul Wittgenstein about the concerto Wittgenstein had commissioned. Hindemith feared that Wittgenstein would not approve of the modern work.

Wittgenstein never performed it.PLEASE SEE CONCERTO, PAGE12 By Ray Long and Rick Pearson Tribune staff reporters For nearly two years, House Speaker Michael Madigan used taxpayer funds to lease a one-of- a-kind government office to help a select group of south suburban House Democrats whose re-elections were critical to his grip on power, state records show. Republicans told about the Evergreen Park facility, which state real estate experts say was the only satellite office in recent memory rented by a branch of the Illinois legislature. But as GOP officials began making inquiries about it months before the 1998 election, Madigan shifted responsibility for the rent from the state to his political organization, which used the space as a staging ground for Democratic campaign activities. Shortly after the election, in which all of south suburban incumbents won and he retained control of the House, he shifted the rent payments back to the state until the lease expired in early 1999, records show. The cost of the two-year lease, which was signed by office on behalf of the Illinois House of Representatives and went into effect in early 1997, was only within the means of the amply funded political treasury.

But his switch between taxpayer and campaign funds to cover the rent illustrates how political leaders frequently try to maximize the use of public dollars to advance their own agendas and protect their careers before dipping into campaign war chests. While the direct use of taxpayer money for campaigns is barred by law, the example of the Evergreen Park office underscores the blurry line demarcating when public resources are being used for government services or political Taxpayers paid rent for Democrats PLEASE SEE MADIGAN, PAGE9 Madigan Madigan set up satellite state site for his colleagues Chicago Tribune NYAMANDHLOVU DISTRICT, years ago, a bus rolled up the long, dusty track leading to Max Ro- farm, creaked to a stop at his front gate and dumped off a load of squatters. For hours people in the mob danced outside the chain-link gate and screamed death threats, claiming the land as their own and promising to burn down the home of the if they leave immediately. The Rosen- felses refused to go; the invaders eventually disappeared into the sandy bush to begin building their own homes. Sunday, as Zimbabwe celebrates what politicians are calling the near-completion of the controversial land re- form effort, nearly 3,000 families like the Rosenfelses will anxiously gather around radios on their remote ranches, awaiting news on whether their long- promised evictions have finally begun.

A legal deadline for the majority of white farmers to leave their properties passed at midnight Thursday, and the government has promised to move any to enforce the order, despite court challenges. Ruling- party insiders suggest the push may begin Sunday, as the nation marks Day, a holiday in remembrance of fallen black independence fighters. Government papers promised Friday that the holiday would be most significant Day commemoration since because comes at a time when the land reform program is being At the Rosenfels farm, in Jittery Zimbabwe whites await fate PLEASE SEE ZIMBABWE, PAGE8 Sunday may bring farmers' evictions By Melita Marie Garza Tribune staff reporter For the captains of industry, the day they must swear to the credibility of their bottom lines is fast approaching. While willing to personally sign off on their financial statements, which most must do by Wednesday, some executives say the exercise might not be enough to soothe investor anxiety. say questionable.

The mathematical phrase but not comes to said Michael Birck, chief executive and a cofounder of Tellabs whose autograph now is on the filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The new oath is designed to clean up corporate financial reports and restore market confidence in the wake of recent high-profile accounting fiascoes like Enron Corp. and WorldCom both of which have filed for bankruptcy protection. Whether a signature will prevent future meltdowns is debatable. For one thing, the accounting process is a subjective exercise.

Some firms may very well comply with the letter but not necessarily the spirit of accounting principles, and continue to mislead investors. Still, a step in the right direction, regulators, executives and investors say. The process is expected to expose reporting holes and strengthen corporate governance, they add. after World- Com we decided we wanted to go back to the largest domestic companies and have them say, what we filed was true and said Christi Harlan, SEC spokeswoman. Although firms can apply for a deadline extension, the penalty for an untimely filing could be stiff in the court of investor opinion, which, in the current skittish climate, is inclined to sell first and ask questions later.

Consider the experience of In- terpublic Group of one of the largest advertising firms. It announced Monday that it would delay its second-quarter earnings report by a week so that the audit committee could complete due diligence for SEC certification. Jarred investors quickly took note and sent shares tumbling almost 25 percent that day. For some chief executives, particularly those in the insurance business, certifying results is old hat and a requirement to do business in the state. Al Zucaro, chairman and chief executive of Chicago- based insurer Old Republic International Group, which filed its certification Friday, think the SEC requirement will make much difference.

Markets looking to CEOs for sign SEC certification rule takes effect PLEASE SEE SEC, PAGE11 By Tim Jones Tribune staff reporter CHESHIRE, by yard and house by house, Scott Lucas has watched the sprawling Gen. James M. Gavin electrical generating plant swallow half the tiny village of Cheshire. Now it is just a matter of waiting for the final big gulp. 30 years ago somebody said take the whole village, and I never thought it would said Lucas, who served 28 years as mayor of Cheshire, population 221.

Nodding his head toward the twin 830-foot-high smokestacks and two cooling towers that dwarf the Ohio River village, Lucas added: finish the job this an odd way for a little town to say so long. Most die slowly from terminal economic decline. Some are wiped out by floods. Others, like Times Beach, and Love Canal, N.Y., are done in abruptly by environmental catastrophe. The end of Cheshire, a pleasant bedroom community with roots dating to the late 18th Century and the settlement of the Northwest Territory, is a demise negotiated by out-of-town lawyers.

Columbus-based American Electric Power one of the largest utility companies and owner of the massive Gavin plant, is offering to buy Electric plant finally overtakes small Ohio town AP photo by Amy Sancetta An electrical generating plant spews sulfuric acid plumes over Cheshire, Ohio, as two girls swing in the park in July. PLEASE SEE CHESHIRE, PAGE10 INDEX ARTSSEC.7MAGAZINE SEC.10 BOOKS SEC.14METROSEC.1 P.15 BUSINESS SEC.5NATION SEC.1 P.6 CAREER BUILDERSEC.6OBITUARIES SEC.1 P.17 CLASSIFIEDS.3,6,12,16PERSPECTIVE SEC.2 COMICS SEC.9REAL ESTATE SEC.4 CROSSWORDSS.10,14SPORTS SEC.3 EDITORIALS SEC.2 P.8TRANSPORTATIONS.3 HEALTH FAMILY S.13TRAVEL SEC.8 HOME GARDEN S.4TV WEEK SEC.11 HOROSCOPES SEC.7 P.12WEATHER SEC.1 BACK LOTTERY SEC.1 P.4WORLD SEC.1 P.3 Weather: Sunny; high 90, low 70. 24 hours a day go to chicagotribune.com NATION A party fit for The King Memphis expects 75,000 fans to come celebrate Elvis Presley Week for the 25th anniversary of his death. PAGE 6 INSIDE MAGAZINE To spy or not to spy The CIA, once reviled on some college campuses, is experiencing an unprecedented surge of interest from students. SPORTS College football preview Oklahoma is the top choice in the preseason college football poll..