The Salina Journal from Salina, Kansas • Page 1

Salina 1 1 he Journal 115th year No. 324 Salina, Kansas SATURDAY November 19,1988 25 Cents Reagan's pen creates 'sword' to fight drugs President Reagan gives Nancy the pen he used to sign major anti-drug legislation. WASHINGTON (AP) the nation one step closer to being drug free, President Reagan signed major legislation Friday that creates a Cabinet-level drug czar and gives police and the courts "a new sword and shield," including the death penalty for traffickers who kill. During an emotional ceremony in the East Room of the White House, Reagan dedicated the moment to his wife, Nancy, who made the "Just Say No" anti-drug campaign for youngsters the centerpiece of her tenure as first lady. "And now in the eleventh hour Of this presidency, we give a new sword and shield to those whose daily business it is to eliminate from America's streets and towns the scourge of illicit drugs," Reagan said.

"Our battles aren't fought by any single person, nor can they be won by any single bill." But the president lauded the bill's tough approach toward so-called "recreational" drug users, as well as its federal death penalty for anyone convicted of drug- related killings. "We are one step to an America that is drug free," the president said as he stepped forward to sign the bill. The chamber was packed with members of the Cabinet and military, congressional supporters, and police officers and private citizens involved in several national anti- drug education programs. Vice President-elect Dan Quayle was in the audience, seated next to House Speaker Jim Wright. Although President-elect George Bush made a campaign pledge to put Quayle in charge of the nation's battle against drugs, the bill forbids the "drug czar" from having another federal post.

Bush, in Florida Monday, indicated he might ask the new drug official to report to Quayle on his activities. In his remarks, Reagan praised the members of Congress for their efforts, noting that the bill was the product of many days of intense debate in the waning days of the session. But he injected a personal note when he asserted that the measure also represented a victory for his wife. "This is a very special occasion for every one here, especially Nancy," he said. "For eight years, she has led the fight to not only rid our society of drugs, but to banish any lingering tolerance of the notion that drugs are cool or hip.

The nation now acknowledges what Nancy has been saying for the past several years, that drugs give a false high." After giving his wife a big hug and kiss on the mouth, the president presented Nancy Reagan the pen he used to sign the four- inch thick bill. Overall, the bill aims to battle the use of illegal drugs through stricter law enforcement, tougher penalties, and increased treatment, rehabilitation and education. It also outlines a fund to help drug- producing countries suppress illicit substances. But it actually provides only about $500 million for spending, which barely covers a third of the $1.4 billion in first-year costs envisioned by the bill. The bill calls for the new president to name the Cabinet-level drug czar, a post that pays $99,500 a year and must be confirmed by the Senate.

The czar, officially known as the National Drug Policy Director, is required to develop a document outlining an overall plan for enforcement and treatment programs. B-1B jet crashes; crew OK Bomber was second in 9 days to crash RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) The second crash of a B-1B bomber in nine days probably will not force another grounding of the nation's fleet of advanced jet bombers, an Air Force general said Friday. The four crew members parachuted to safety Thursday night, but the $280 million plane was destroyed after smashing onto a runway at Ellsworth Air Force Base during a routine training flight. The crash came two days after officials reported that the Air Force had inspected and cleared more than two-thirds of the 98 B-1B bombers, which were grounded briefly following a crash Nov.

8 that destroyed a plane in Texas. The plane involved in Thursday's crash underwent a three-hour inspection Monday and was cleared for flight, Air Force officials said. "I see no reason to believe we will ground the fleet. I've talked to my bosses, and there is no intention at this time to ground them," said Brig. Gen.

Robert Marquette commander of the 12th Air Division at Ellsworth. The Ellsworth crash and a B-1B crash last week in Texas do not appear to be linked to the same cause, Marquette said after a tour of the crash site. "We have evidence there was an engine fire" in the Texas crash, he said. It will take a team of military and civilian experts at least 30 days to evaluate crash evidence, he said. The ejection system can propel crew members 100 to 150 feet into the air, allowing them to parachute safely to the ground, he said.

(See Bomber, Page 6) Inside MAYBE SOME YEAR the Big Eight football title won't be decided by the Oklahpma-Nebraska game. This isn't the year. See Sports, Page 17. AS A CONDITION of her 'probation, Dorthea Puente was ordered to stay away from the elderly. Now she's suspected of killing seven elderly people.

See Page 7. 12 Classified 20-25 27,28 Living Today 10,11 3 5 On the Record 13 Opinion -4 Religion 19 Sports 15-18 Television 25 Weather 13 Weather KANSAS Snow west and rain changing to snow east today, highs in the 30s. Clearing west with snow east tonight, lows around 20 northwest to the low 30s east. Clear west and mostly cloudy east Sunday, highs in the 40s west and the 30s east. School goes ape for reading books ByALANSTOLFUS Staff Writer Give students a chance to make a monkey out of their principal and they'll do whatever it takes.

This week, Heusner Elementary School students read 1,776 books in order to see Principal Ted Roberts wear a gorilla suit as part of American Education Week and Children's Book Week activities at the school. The goal was for students to read 1,000 books, which they surpassed early in the week. Students who read the most books and the class that read the most books were honored during a school assembly Friday and all students were given a banana. "The students really got a big kick out of hV' Roberts said about his monkeying around. He wore the suit to visit each class in the morning, at lunch and again for the assembly.

For sixth-graders John Devins, 11, and Amy Willett, 12, reaching the student goal of reading three books each was easily done. "I like to read a lot," Willett said. She read five books during the week. Devins read four books, including three from the "Encyclopedia Brown" mystery series. The books about a boy detective contain mysteries that the reader solve.

The books are "sort of easy to read" and are about 100 pages long, he said. Primary special education teacher Mary Beth Nelson, who chaired the "Go Bananas Over Books" campaign, said the idea for the campaign and for Roberts to dress as an ape developed from a brain-storming session by teachers. "It just started with the gorilla suit and we left it at that," Nelson said. But the teachers kept toying (See Ape, Page 13) Tom Donay Heusner Elementary School Principal Ted Roberts, dressed in a gorilla suit, hugs two students Friday. Activists convicted of treason Verdicts set back anti-apartheid forces PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) In a severe blow to the anti-apartheid movement, four prominent black activists were convicted of treason Friday and seven were found guilty of terrorism after a trial.

The 11 could receive the death penalty. A sentencing hearing begins Dec. 5. The trial, the longest in South Africa's history, focused on the United Democratic Front, a huge multiracial coalition formed in 1983 with the goal of campaigning militantly, but peacefully, for black political rights. Eight of the 19 defendants were acquitted on all charges.

The trial judge ruled the United Democratic Front was a "revolutionary organization" that incited violence in black townships in 1984 in a bid to render South Africa ungovernable. "I'm shattered by the verdict," said Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a patron of the United Democratic Front. "If any of these people are sent to prison, I will not rest until I get them out. If this is treason, then I am guilty of treason." Defense lawyers are expected to file an appeal after sentences are issued. If the appeal fails, blacks might respond with a "wave of rage," said the Rev.

Allan Boesak, another prominent patron of the group. Three of those convicted of treason were senior leaders of the United Democratic Front who had spent 40 months in jail without bail Popo Molefe, 36, the coalition's national secretary; Terror Lekota, 40, its (See Treason, Page 13) Justice agency comes to defense of North WASHINGTON (AP) The Justice Department came to Oliver L. North's'defense Friday by challenging the Iran-contra prosecutor's argument that the former presidential aide undermined Congress' foreign- affairs authority. In a friend-of- the-court brief filed in federal court, the department attacked independent counsel Lawrence E. Walsh's theory that' North and three co- North defendants obstructed congressional oversight "through deceit and concealment" of their clandestine support of the Nicaraguan rebels, known as conlras.

The department said it "does not seek to argue for or against the dismissal" of the conspiracy count charging that North, former national security adviser John M. Poindexter and two arms dealers defrauded the government by illegally diverting U.S.-Iran arms-sale profits to the contras. But the department disputed Walsh's theory that the Iran-contra defendants can be prosecuted for deceiving Congress about the clandestine arms-supply operation set up to help the contras at a time when the so-called Boland Amendments banned U.S. military aid to the rebels. "This case, in fact, arises in the context of a profound policy dispute between the executive and legislative branches with respect to foreign affairs," the department said, echoing statements by North and his lawyers.

"A prosecutor acting in the midst of such a dispute must exercise great caution first, to distinguish violations of law from policy disagreements which are the expected and natural by-product of separated powers, and to make certain that the laws are applied consistently with the scope of the president's substantial constitutional authority in the area of foreign affairs." Assistant Attorneys General Edward S.G. Dennis head of the criminal division, and Douglas W. Kmiec, from the office of legal counsel, said Walsh's position "does not demonstrate sufficient caution in either respect." Dennis said the Justice Department's position, if accepted by the court, would "not necessarily" result in dismissal of allegations in the indictment's first count that the defendants covertly gave military aid to the contras. "Clearly, count one can stand even if the judge takes all of our arguments and credits them," Dennis said. Mickey's sixty It's a small world' for Mickey-Mouse's birthday LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla.

(AP) Some kids tweaked Mickey's nose Friday and others sang "It's a Small World" in Russian, German or English when more than 4,000 children joined in celebrating the 60th birthday of the famous Walt Disney mouse. "Next to winning the hockey championship at school, this is the best thing that's happened to me in my life," said 10-year-old Christopher Leitao, Boston. Vitaly Yakimov, 9, from Moscow, said the best part was that "everybody smiles, the children and adults, everybody." Shortly after noori, in groups of 10 to 100, specially invited children many of them poor or from foster 116 U.S. cities and several nations assembled for a parade from Cinderella's Castle down Main Street to town square in the Magic Kingdom. Decked out in brightly colored Disney T-shirts and mouse-ear hats, youngsters ranging in age from 8 to 12 marched behind Mickey and Minnie Mouse.

They waved and sang "M-I-C-K-E-Y" along with the band as they became the center of attention for the tourist crowds in sunny, 80-degree weather. Mickey and Minnie Mouse lead the birthday parade. Mickey Mouse's daylong party celebrated the squeaky-voiced character's debut Nov. 18,1928, at the Colony Theater in New York City in "Steamboat Willie," the first cartoon to have sound synchronized with the pictures. "People who saw Mickey Mouse in his heyday during the Depression saw that he had so many of the foibles that they had, and was striving to get ahead in the world just like them," said Disney archivist David Smith.

"People looked up to this Friday's festivities also included a global sing-along of the "Mickey Mouse Club March," the famous theme song that spells out Mickey's name, on radio stations around the world. Disney said broadcasters on every continent and at the North and South poles played the 12-line classic at 8:50 a.m. Central time. Most of the children were selected by mayors or officials of social service organizations in their communities. Some were from foster homes, many came from poor families and most never had an opportunity to visit Disney parks or similar attractions.

Disney threw a similar party for an equal number of children at Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif. After their march, the youngsters became the spectators for a special Mickey's Birthday Parade of Disney characters, bands, horses and floats. A favorite was Goofy riding a Palomino pony. Mickey was on a riverboat float..