The Iola Register from Iola, Kansas • 1

00 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 0 VOLUME 80, NO. 255 IOLA TEN PAGES -FIFTEEN CENTS REGISTER IOLA, KANSAS 66749 WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON, AUGUST 17, 1977 Bennett favors revising the state's tax lid law TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Gov. Robert F. Bennett said today his position is the legislature ought to keep the state's property tax lid law, but revise it so local units of government can exempt themselves from its provisions to pay for any of their costs of operation, subject to votes of the people.

The governor reiterated his longstanding opposition to the constrictions the lid places on local units of government, but said he still considers it politically impractical to expect the legislature to repeal it. Bennett said he likely will recommend again to the 1978 session that the seven-year-old tax lid law be reworked, and provisions added so local units of government could adjust it to meet their needs, subject to public approval if they vote themselves out from under the lid. The original tax lid law limited local units of government to annual 5 per cent increases in their budgets. It has since had so many exemptions attached to it that some consider it no longer effective. The exceptions voted over the years prompted Atty.

Gen. Curt Schneider last week to issue a legal opinion declaring the tax lid law virtually worthless because it does not apply House committee tee cool to treaty WASHINGTON (AP) Members of a House committee assailed the Carter administration's proposed Panama Canal treaty today, calling it a potential giveaway that is opposed by a majority of the United States. But treaty negotiators Ellsworth Bunker and Sol Linowitz argued that the agreement will guarantee "the uninterrupted efficient operation and security" of the canal until the year 2000. During that time, Bunker told the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries committee, Panama will have a chance to develop the expertise to take over the canal's Temperature High yesterday 88 Low last night 67 High a year ago today 90 Low a year ago today 69 Precipitation 24 hours ending 8 a.m. .11 This month to date 5.04 Normal for this month 3.58 Total this year to date 31.42 Excess since Jan.

1 7.44 AREA FORECAST Mostly cloudy through Thursday. A chance of showers and thunderstorms tonight and Thursday. High Thursday in upper 70s to low 80s. Low tonight low to mid 60s. Winds northeasterly 5 to 15 mph.

Chance of rain 30 per cent tonight and Thursday. Kansas extended outlook Friday through Sunday: Seasonally warm through the period with a chance of thundershowers by Sunday. Lows mostly in the 60s. Highs mid 80s to low 90s. uniformly to all units of government statewide.

"I think it is something we all thought probably was the case," Bennett said of Schneider's opinion. "I recommended last session, and I felt very strongly, that the lid ought to be Bennett told his news conference. "'The last legislature did not see fit to make these adjustments. As a result, the attorney general's opinion was expected." Bennett said the key is to keep the lid intact, but provide that local units of government can try to exempt themselves from its budgetary limitations, if their local voters will go along with it. Without the option of voting themselves out from under the lid, Bennett said, his opinion remains that the lid "would obviously be disastrous on local "Our recommendations would make it uniform, let local units adjust to meet their needs, and let the people have a say on it," Bennett said.

On other subjects, Bennett said: -He supports Sen. Mike Johnston's proposal that the state pay the parents of Sherri Janssen, 5-year-old Parsons girl, killed by a state hospital patient last year. Bennett said he also supports payments to the parents of two state park rangerettes murdered while on duty. Bennett said his philosophy is that in such cases the state should do what justice dictates, and forget legal concepts. -He doesn't know enough about the laetrile controversy to comment whether it should be legal in Kansas for cancer treatment.

But he said his general philosophy has been, "If there is adequate warning, then people ought to be able to take any poison they want." -He believes use value appraisal on state agricultural land, which the 1978 legislature may implement, will be helpful in bringing about more uniform real property assessment throughout the state. All-out effort is promised TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Gov. Robert F. Bennett said today he intended to do whatever was necessary, including going to the legislature for more money, to stop a string of escapes at the Kansas State Penitentiary which have embarrassed corrections officials and caused concern in many communities.

Bennett, who called before him last Friday top corrections officials and the heads of every state penal institution, said he was confident steps he ordered would stem the escapes. But he told reporters no prison is escape-proof. "An institution has not been built where a prisoner has not tried to escape," he said. "And none has been built to my knowledge from which no one could escape. What we can do, however, is assure that no escapes are the result of negligence on the part of Bennett said his talks with prison chiefs convinced him that with the exception of two cases, no employes or officials were culpable in a series of 10 escapes which have plague the institution since July 4.

Bennett said there was nothing significant in the fact that Corrections Director Robert Raines was not at last Friday's meeting to discuss the rash of escapes. Noted IHS athlete dies in Wichita hospital Alva "Ike" Baker, 60, Wichita, a standout athlete during his high school career at Iola High School, died yesterday, August 16, at the St. Joseph Medical Center in Wichita. Baker was the co-holder of the 100- yard dash record at IHS at 10 seconds flat. He set the mark in 1936 and it has remained unbroken for 41 years, the oldest track record on the books at the local high school.

Mike Irwin tied the record a year ago. Mr. Baker was born December 20, 1916, in Iola and attended schools here. He served in the Army during World War II and was married to Bernice Bynum Booth September 20, 1947. He had been an employe of Boeing Aircraft for 20 years and for operations and defense.

Expressing fears that the treaty might allow the waterway to fall into irresponsible hands, committee members said that Panamanian President Omar Torrijos has consistently violated existing treaties with the United States. Chairman John M. Murphy, D- N.Y., said he has received 10,000 letters opposing the canal treaty in the last three months and "literally a handful" supporting it. "While some antitreaty correspondence may be passed off as an organized letter writing campaign, the depth of feeling of the American people on this issue cannot be dismissed," Murphy said. Carter evidently has decided to press for Senate ratification of the treaty after the August recess.

The President also faces stiff resistance in the House, where opponents charge the treaty would be a "giveaway" of U.S. property, and risks letting the canal fall into communist hands. Murphy's committee exercises control over budget authorization and appropriations for operating the canal. Committee sources said some objections to the treaty were based on fears that it would increase sharply the amount of money the United States pays Panama annually. Some committee members reportedly also fear that the pact would give Panama too large a voice in running the canal before the year 2000, when the waterway is to come under Panamanian control.

Opponents also object to turning over the Canal Zone, with its numerous U.S.-built facilities, to Panama. They disagree with the Carter administration's position that the United States enjoys property "rights," but not ownership, in the 10- mile-wide zone. the past six years he had been employed by Cessna Aircraft. He was a member of the Epworth Methodist Church in Wichita. Survivors include a step-son, Russell Booth, Melbourne, Florida; a step-daughter, Marilyn Van Valkenburg, Oakland, California; three brothers, Ray Baker, Wichita, Edgar Baker, Mission Viegjo, California, and Hilton Baker, Ponca City, Oklahoma; two sisters, Mrs.

Irene Erickson, Hammond, Indiana, and Mrs. Aleene Wood, Pittsburg; 10 grandchildren and nine greatgrandchildren. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at the Waugh-Yokum Funeral Home. Burial will be in the Lone Elm Cemetery.

To head FBI Alabama judge Carter's choice WASHINGTON (AP) President Carter plans to nominate Frank Johnson, a deep South judge with a strong civil rights record, as the next director of the FBI, knowledgeable administration sources say. The White House was expected to announce today that Carter will send Johnson's name to the Senate, which must confirm his selection. The choice ends a seven-month search for a director to take charge of the bureau and its 8, agents. Carter and Atty. Gen.

Griffin Bell chose the 58-year-old federal district judge to succeed Clarence M. Kelley after rejecting four candidates recommended by a presidentially-ap- Rock 'n' roll fans mourn their king roll fans MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) Fans of yesterday and today, old and young, teenyboppers and their middle-aged mothers, gathered today on Elvis Presley's doorstep, not to scream and cheer but to mourn. Their king is dead. Elvis Aron Presley, the Mississippi truck driver whose hipgrinding performance style helped launch the sexual revolution as he became America's greatest king of rock 'n' roll, died Tuesday afternoon of a heart ailment.

He was 42. A crowd of more than 200 mourners had gathered by midmorning outside the gates of Graceland mansion, where Presley's body was to be on public view from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. CDT today in a special solid seamless copper and steel casket. Jim Stewart, night supervisor at the Memphis Funeral Home where the body was taken after Presley died, said the casket was similar to the one the singer chose for his mother when she died in 1958.

"We don't even keep this casket in stock. They are very expensive," Stewart: said, adding it had been flown in from Oklahoma City late Tuesday night. Outside the mansion, a special police security detail was assigned to direct traffic and keep watch over the crowd, which ranged from young children and teenagers to people in their 40s and 50s. At one point during the night, the gates opened, several cars came out, and the crowd swarmed around taking pictures and trying to get auto- graphs. One of the cars carried Vester Presley, an uncle who was chief of security, and his wife.

Vester Presley said Elvis' former wife, Priscilla, whom he divorced in $1973, arrived at the mansion at about 3 a.m. "She is taking it hard. She is in a total state of shock." he said. Stewart said the switchboard at the funeral home received calls from all 50 states and from as far away as Guam and Johannesburg, South Africa. "Everybody wanted to know where to send flowers," Stewart said.

Vester Presley said the decision to open the casket to public view was made by the singer's father, Vernon Presley. Kansas still paying for some abortions TOPEKA. Kan. (AP) Gov. Robert F.

Bennett said today his administration is seeking more information about federal reductions in payments for abortions before deciding whether to limit state participation in programs to pay for the medical procedure for welfare clients. Bennett emphasized that Kansas has not trimmed abortion payments as of yet, contrary to one erroneous report. "We are checking into it," Bennett said. "It is confusing on the federal level." Long-time owner sells Midwest Auto Stores After almost 33 years in the auto 1952 from Springfield, Missouri. parts business Dean Duncan has "It has really been the great people decided to quit and is turning over his that have been the customers," Midwest Auto Store to Mike Sigg, Duncan added, "that have made assistant manager for the past two these years successful and inyears.

teresting." "After 33 years it's time to let the He said that he was undecided as to younger generation take what he would do now that he had left Duncan said. the store, but he added he would be Duncan started in the business "very hard to find the next few when he was 14 years old. In 1952 he opened Midwest Auto Stores at 1 N. "I hope to catch up on some fishing Jefferson. Thirteen years later he and other things that require very expanded and moved across the little energy," he said.

street to 1 S. Jefferson where he Sigg said he doesn't anticipate any remained until 1970. In 1970 Duncan immediate changes in the store. moved the store to its present location Sigg was born and raised in Iola. He at 207 S.

Jefferson. spent several years in the Navy "From 1965 to 1970 we were pretty before returning to work as assistant much just automotive, lawn and manager of the store. gardening supplies," Duncan said The store specializes in custom "Then two years ago we added the exhaust systems which Sigg said were electronics end and television." unique to southeast Kansas. He added Sigg, the new owner, added that that he is proudest of the Radio Shack actually five stores operate out of the franchise section of the store which main building. includes radio and CB equipment.

"We provide automobile and The change of ownership became television service," Sigg said, "and effective this week. Sigg said he had we have the electronic, auto parts and added one employe and now has a tire parts of the total of five. Duncan noted that he thought some "I guess the store is really in a of the finest people around were in never -ending slow process of Iola and that had made his work change," Sigg said. "We are always enjoyable. Duncan moved to Iola in improving or trying to improve." RAIN pointed search committee, the sources said.

By choosing Johnson, a Republican, Carter and Bell may have a candidate who can sail through the Senate hearings with little, if any opposition. But Sen James O. Eastland, D- chairman of the Judiciary Committee that will first consider Johnson's nomination, would not comment Tuesday night. "I know the whole score," Eastland said, "and I don't leak stories. I have no comment." Johnson's nomination is certain to please civil rights groups who assailed the bureau in the 1960s for allegedly ignoring beatings of black being too weak to control the old Hooactivists in the South.

ver hands still holding powerful FBI That charge came while J. Edgar jobs. Hoover, the director, was carrying Kelley is retiring Jan. 1. His anout a secret campaign to discredit the nouncement last winter that he would movement's chief leader, Dr.

Martin step down followed criticism by Luther King Jr. Carter during his campaign for the Johnson's record seems to show a presidency. quality Bell particularly sought in an Appointed a federal judge in FBI director. The attorney general Alabama in 1955, Johnson has handed had said he wanted someone strong numerous victories to civil rights enough to control "the dominant per- activists pressing suits before his sonalities" in the bureau's hierarchy. court.

While Kelley was respected for his His judicial record has earned him sincerity and good intentions, he was bitter enemies in his home state, chief often criticized by congressmen and among them Gov. George C. Wallace, others who deal with the bureau for his one-time law school classmate. Change hands Mike Sigg (left) took over this week as the new owner of Midwest Auto Stores, 207 S. Jefferson.

Dean Duncan leaves the store after 33 years in the auto parts business. He opened this store in 1952. (Register Photo).