Mt. Vernon Register-News from Mt Vernon, Illinois • Page 1

Temperature Friday high 64, low 51. 7 a.m. today 52. Mt. Vernon Register-News A Non-Partisan Newspaper Square Deal For All Special Favors For None Forecast Fair, cooler tonight.

Lows In upper 30t. Mostly sunny Sunday. Highs in mid or upper 50s. Volume 139 Mount Vernon, Illinois, Saturday, March 12,1977 83.00 Per Month 15 Single Copy Zaire Troops Advancing On Three Towns KINSHASA, Zaire (AP) A battalion of government troops was advancing today toward three towns held by an invasion force from neighboring Angola, Zairean officials said. The Zairean government has identified the invaders only as an "army of mercenaries in the pay of Angola." But informed sources said the attack was mounted by several thousand Angola-based Zairean rebels, including former separatists from the invaded province of Shaba, once known as Katanga.

Angola has not commented on the invasion. State Department and United Methodist Church spokesmen said seven American missionaries and a Peace Corps volunteer were under house arrest in one of the occupied towns, Kapanga, but were unharmed. Another eight Americans in the area of the unoccupied town of Sandoa have asked to be evacuated, the State Department said. A total of 22 Americans were in the general invasion area, it said. Zairean officials said Friday that army reinforcements had recaptured the towns of Divuma, site of a Roman Catholic mission, and Kasaji, a commercial center on a railroad line.

The officials said a regular Zairean army battalion was advancing on the occupied towns of Kapanga, Dilolo and Kisengi in Shaba, the southernmost province in this West African nation. The government said the towns were seized earlier this week when the invaders poured across the border from Angola and plunged up to 150 miles inside mineral-rich Shaba. Well-informed sources in Zaire said the offensive seemed aimed at breaking up a concentration of government troops near the border and seizing the copper-mining center of Kolwezi, about 190 miles east of the border town of Dilolo. In Belgium, which once ruled Zaire as a colony, opponents of the regime of Zaire President Mobutu Sese Seko said the campaign was organized by the National Front for Liberationof the Congo and said it included former Katangan nationalists who were routed by the Kinshasa government in the early 1960s. Sources in Brussels said about 5,000 Katangan secessionists were based in Angola and were being trained by Cuban officers.

Cuban troops helped the Popular Movement (MPLA), a Marxist group, win the Angolan civil war last year against two other guerrilla factions. All 12 May Face Murder Charges Terrorist Leader Has Court Hearing, Turned Loose Again THREAT ON HANAFI LEADER Khalifa Unmans Abdul Khaalis. lender of ho Hanafi Moslems, who was released after leadinu group of his followers who held hostages in three Washington Buildings. Wirephoto) comes to the door of his home Friday to talk to police. The police were responding to caller who threatens to bomb Khnnlis' home.

Promote 16 At Mt.V. General Tire Plant Senate Defies Carter's Plan To Scrap 19 Dam Projects The General Tire and Rubber Co. plant in Mt. Vernon has been expanding production of automobile tires, and has added a new truck tire line, in recent months creating the need for an additional pool of trained supervisors. Rather than hire supervisors away from other industries, or import supervisors from other General Tire plants, the personnel department here began a training program for plant employes to develop supervisory personnel from within.

Certificates of completion were presented to new supervisors at General Tire upon completion of the course. The program, administered by Jackie Wood, employe relations coordinator, was started last August. During the 26-week course, fundamentals of supervision, employe relations, and rubber technology were presented to the participants. Sixteen of the program participants have already been promoted to supervisory jobs in the plant. Commenting on the supervisory program, Dan Pajak, manager of personnel and employe relations said, "all supervisory openings resulting from our passenger tire expansion and the recent startup of radial truck tires have been filled with tions from within.

With the success of providing supervisory training to interested plant employes, we have not had to hire any new supervisors from outside the plant in nearly three years. A second class has already been started to prepare for future growth' James B. Rippy, plant manager, and Tom Bauer, production manager, presented certificates to the new class of supervisors, which included: Virgil Pool, Terry Swan, Al Brookman, John LeGrand, Shirilyn Holt, BUI Newbury, Monty Dodson and Delmar Shorb; Also: Mike McKee, Robert Hicks, Craig Fields, Rick Bailey, David Harrison, Leon Hale, Steve W. Moore, and Duane Re vis. Inside Todav's Register-News R-N Briefs J-A Editorial Page 4-A That's Life Win At Bridge 5-A Growing Older Astrograph 8-A Sports Comics S-B DearAbby S-B WASHINGTON (AP) In President Carter's first major legislative defeat, the Senate is defying his plan to scrap 19 water development projects.

The Senate took one of Carter's economic proposals Thursday and attached a requirement that he spend all of the water project money Congress has appropriated. Democrats joined Republicans in telling Carter also that "such projects should not be discontinued" unless Congress specifically votes to end them. The public works jobs bill, containing the amendment, was sent to a conference with the House, which did not mention water projects in its bill. But the cutbacks in water projects have drawn opposition in speeches and committee hearings there too. The bill passed 74 to 11.

The vote on the amendment was 65 to 24. A spokesman for Carter, asked if the President regretted the Senate action, said, "I would say the greatest regret would be by the people who have to pay for them." The spokesman said Carter still may decide to cut back the projects if the House agrees with the Senate but he added that the President might also consider projects individually. The projects that Carter cut from his budget would have cost 1289 million in the next fiscal year. He has said their elimination would save up to $3.1 billion in the long run. In addition, he said this week that 27 more water projects have failed initial screening and may also be in jeopardy.

Congress has voted to authorize the projects and has. already appropriated money for some of them for future years. Sen. Edmund S. Muskie, D-Maine, chairman of the Budget Committee, said, "I don't take exception of a President reviewing projects but I violently disagree with the process used." For five administrations "the executive has been holding us hostage" by refusing to spend appropriated money, said Sen.

Jennings Randolph, "My amendment undoes the President's plan on water projects," said Sen. J. Bennett Johnston, D-La. "It is saying that the Senate reaffirms the tinding nature of the public aw of the United States." The remainder of the public works jobs bill provides $4 billion in the first year in an attempt to stimulate the economy by creating up to 184,000 jobs on the public payroll. The program is a renewal of a $2 billion emergency program developed to ease unemployment.

Mayors and urban groups argued that too much of the money last year went to areas with low unemployment. The Senate bill distributes 35 per cent of the money only to states with unemployment over 6.5 per cent. Name State Office Chief In Capital SPRINGFIELD, Paul B. Simmons, a former employe of the federal Department of Health, Education and Welfare, has been named by Gov. James R.

Thompson to head Illinois' office in Washington, D.C. Simmons, 35, of Alexandria, worked for HEW from January 1975 until last January, primarily as a congressional liaison, the governor's office said. At Opdyke-Belle Rive Vote March 19 On School Bond Issue COMING UP ROSES Rose bushes will be available for shoppers in Mt. Vernon's central business district March 17 members of the King City Downtown Retailers Association celebrate St. Patrick's Day with a spring opening sale, that will continue over the weekend.

Jessie Martin of the Lvnn Ann Shop is the chairman of the event, assisted by Phil Bauer of Mt. Vernon Warehouse of Furniture and Appliance (Anson Myers Photo! store, and Norma Davison, Factory Outlet, according to the Greater Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce. The retailers also are donating a number of the bushes for planting, on the courthouse grounds and at Citv Park. Pictured are, from left: Bauer. Diane Mills, WMIX.

Sheriff Bill Hill. CUV Park and Recreation Director Bruce Janken, Mrs. Martin, and Rose Hirons. president of the KCDR A. Voters in the Opdyke-Belle Rive Grade School District will go to the polls Saturday, March 19, to decide whether or not to approve a $150,000 bond issue, which school officials want (or additional construction, remodeling, and completion of life safety code work.

District Superintendent Charles Thierry said the construction would include a new classroom at the Opdyke attendance center and one at the Belle Rive center. "The Opdyke classroom would be a multi-purpose room," Thierry said. He ex- ained that it could be used band, music, outside activities for groups within the district, as a place for sports participants to change clothes, ana as a ticket-taking room for sports events. "The Belle Rive classroom addition would be used for kindergarten, Thierry said. "The fourth grade could be moved and the present fourth rade room would be used for brary, conference, and office apace." Thierry said remodeling priorities include: the repair or replacement of the heating systems at both schools; the completion of life safety work at the installation of new windows at both schools; and the lowering of classroom ceilings.

He noted that the buildings at both Opdyke and Belle Rive use steam radiators which are outdated. "Upgrading the heating systems is the Board of Education's number one remodeling priority," Thierry said. He said the life safety code work includes replacement of several doors at the schools and the installation of some additional electric outlets. The life safety code is a code of state regulations with which schools must comply. "The school must comply with the code requirements regardless of the outcome of the election," Thierry said.

"If the voters approve the referendum they in effect will save the that will have to be spent during the next two years to bring the buildings up to code," he added. Thierry said that lowering ceilings and installing new windows will enhance building appearance and conserve fueT He noted that the $150,000 bond Issues should cost the district taxpayers about $3.50 per $1,000 assessed valuation. "The average Pendleton township assessed valuation, excluding extremely large rms and corporations, is $89 acre and is less than $2,000 in the Village of BeUe Rive," Thierry said. "As assessed valuation increases the tax rate would He said the bonds would be repaid over a 15-year period. Thierry said the election will be held at the Belle Rive Grade School gym, and the polls are to be open from 12 p.m.

to 7 p.m. The entire district will be one precinct. He reminded voters that they must be at least 18- years-old, a registered voter, and a resident of the Opdyke- Belle Rive Grade School District in order to cast ballot. By ROBERT B. CULLEN Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) Federal prosecutors say they will seek felony murder indictments against the small band of Hanafi Moslems who held 134 hostages during a 38- hour siege that terrorized the nation's capital.

Four of the gunmen, including their leader, are free without bail. All 12 were charged with armed kidnapping Friday after they laid down their swords and rifles and released unharmed the hostages held at three locations since Wednesday. Hamaas Abdul Khaalls, 55, the leader, as part of the deal he struck with authorities, returned home after a predawn court hearing. "It was only done to save human lives," said U.S. Atty.

Earl Sllbert. The District of Columbia's liberal bail law won the release later of three more of the Moslems. The eight others were held in lieu of surety bonds of $50,000 to $75,000. Despite cuts and rope burns, none of the hostages released at the siege's end was hospitalized. But four persons wounded when the violence began Wednesday remained hospitalized, including a gunshot victim doctors say may be paralyzed from the waist down for life.

Funeral services will be held Monday for Maurice Ponder Flu Problems For 1978 WASHINGTON (AP) HEW Secretary Joseph Califano today referred to the national swine flu vaccination program as "the tragedy of the past year" and called on a panel of experts to advise him what to do about flu next year. The secretary summoned representatives of the scientific, medical, business and public interest communities to discuss the issue with government officials to reach a consensus on the next step for the Department of Health, Education and Welfare "I know that the 1977-78 flu season seems distant," Califano said. "But we must resolve these issues now so that the process of manufacturing and distributing the proper vaccines can begin." The flu season generally begins in late summer or early fall and runs through the winter. Califano said it would be a mistake to combine two or more types of flu vaccine again, as happened this year when the swine and A-Victoria serums were combined into a single shot. When an outbreak of A- Victoria flu was reported in Miami a month ago, people who wanted a Victoria shot had no choice but to get the combined vaccine.

Few did so, probably because of widely publicized safety questions regarding the swine vaccine: It was in his remarks about combining vaccines that Califano referred to "the tragedy of the past year." The national campaign to immunize the public against swine flu and the elderly and chronically ill against both swine and A-Victoria strains was suspended in December when experts discovered an apparent link between the vaccine and cases of Guilllan-Barre Syndrome, a rare but occasionally fatal form of paralysis. After the outbreak of A- Victoria flu in a Miami nursing home, Califano summoned a group of experts to Washington and took their advice to lift the moratorium against the combined vaccine but continued the suspension of the single-purpose swine flu shot. With the flu season almost over, flu-related deaths are running not qnly below epidemic levels but below what experts consider normal. Before the moratorium, more than 46 million people had been vaccinated against one or more influenza strains. Williams, 24, the radio reporter shot down in the district's city hall who was the lone fatality.

Sword-and machete- carrying Hanafi guards continued to patrol outside the northwest Washington home that a co-reHgionist, basketball star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, purchased for the group in 1971. Meanwhile, theaters in New York and Los Angeles planned to resume showing the film "Mohammad, Messenger of God" today. The theaters stopped showing the film Wednesday at the demand of Abdul Khaalis, who said it insulted his religion. Also released without bond were three Wheaton, brothers, Abdul Al Qawee, 22, Abdul Rahim, 27, and Abdul Rahman, 37. Before becoming Hanafi Moslems, they were known as Sam, Clyde and Phillip Young.

Superior Court Judge H. Carl Moultrie said local law gave htm little choice but to tree them, since they had no criminal records and had stable employment histories. There was no evidence they were likely to flee, said Moultrie, adding, "The judges don't make the laws." The brothers were arrested at the Islamic Center, where no hostages were seriously harmed in the takeover. But Silbert and assistant U.S. Atty.

Martin J. Litsky said the government would ask a grand jury for felony murder indictments against all 12. There was no indication when the grand jury might begin sifting through the possible charges, ranging from trespassing to murder. Armed kidnaping, punishable by 20 years in jail, was the only charge leveled at the arraignments. The defendants could be charged with separate counts for each hostage taken.

Under the district's law, anyone who participates in a felony during which a murder is committed can be charged with felony murder. The two arrested at the District Building, where the slaying took place, were held on $50,000 bonds. They were Abdul Muzikir, 22, and Abdul Nuh, 28, both of Washington. Whatever charges are brought against the 12, they do not face the penalty they said they wanted to exact: death for the people who killed seven women and children in the Hanafi residence in 1973. Four Black Muslims have been convicted in those murders.

The District of Columbia does not have capital punishment. Moultrie warned each defendant not to talk about the case except to his lawyer and not to do anything to change his appearance by shaving a beard or growing a mustache. News Shorts Stop Train, Save Truck An unnamed truck driver can thank the employees of two Mt. Vernon firms for saving his truck Friday afternoon. A large semi-tractor-trailer got caught over the Southern Railway tracks which run past the Sturdi- Built Farm Building Company, just east of Mt.

Vernon past the Mt. Vernon Outland Airport at about 4:30 p.m. Friday. Unfortunately, a Southern train was approaching the crossing, just as the semi's trailer became high centered on the crest of a hill in the road over which the tracks run. Employees from Sturdi-Built and the Agrico Chemical Company attempted to move the semi by pulling and pushing it with smaller trucks.

R. C. Jennings, an Agrico employee, managed to flag down the train, which stopped short of the crossing, and a wrecker was called to remove the semi. Witnesses at the scene did not know the name of the truck driver, according to Sturdi-Built owner Everett Atkinson. A panel on the truck's side identified it as being owned by the Hennis Freight Lines, of Decatur.

Anti-Pornography Meeting A group known as Citizens Against Pornography will conduct an informative meeting, open to the public, at the city park community building at 7:30 p. m. Monday, March 14. Only persons 21 years of age or older may attend. Jerry L.

Merritt, who will be in charge of the meeting, said citizens will be invited to join a movement, already started by 21 churches, to ban pornographic magazines and materials at Mt. Vernon stores. He said that guest speakers will appear and that objectionable literature and material will be displayed. Junior High Title I The Casey Junior High School Title I Advisory Council will meet Wednesday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. The meeting will be in the library annex.

The main purpose of the meeting is to review the program and hear progress reports from Mrs. Callaman and Mrs. Toney. Any parent or anyone with an interest may attend. Truck Burns On 1-57 Fire completely destroyed the tractor on a semi- tractor-trailer Thursday afternoon on 1-57 at milepost 91, near the Mt.

Vernon exit, but firemen from the Jefferson Fire Protection District were able to save the trailer of the rig and its cargo of farm tractors. Sheriff's deputies said the truck was driven by Eldon Etherldge Cuchens, who said he lost personal items valued at over $812 in the blaze, including, two CB radios, clothing, and a radio antenna. The truck was owned by Poole Trucking Lines of Evergreen, deputies said. Funeral For Professor CHICAGO (AP) Private memorial services were scheduled today for John G. Hawthorne, 61, associate professor of classics at the University of Chicago.

He died Tuesday at Billings Hospital, where he had been a patient for six months. Hawthorne was born in Newcastle, England, and became a United States citizen in 1952. He had been on the university's faculty for 31 years. He served as chairman of the classics staff-from 1947 to i960. He held degrees from Cambridge University In England and from Harvard University, where he also taught..