El Paso Herald-Post from El Paso, Texas • 6

A-6 irk EL PASO HERALD-POST Tuesday January 20rWB1 tfl a vw -w release as the 52 hostages were freed will not be unhappy when that religious government falls to The release was won in 10 days of non-stop negotiations conducted through Algeria with Deputy of Secretary of State Warren Christopher leading the US team and a 30-year-old Moslem revolutionary Bezhad Nabavl working on the Iranian side in Tehran BUT THE IMPASSE was broken in November by the man who observers long said held the key 1 leader for life Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini who propsed a four-point plan calling for return of the wealth and Iran's frozen assets a pledge of non-interference in Iran and dropping of claims against Iran resulting from the hostages' seizure Iran then asked for a 224 billion insurance pledge to cover the wealth and $14 billion for the assets The United States rejected this and the figure was whittled down Analysts say that the Iraq attack on Iran Sept 22 and the start of the Persian Gulf war forced Iran to settle the crisis Other observers said the last-minute warning by Carter that they would have to start all over with Reagan turned the tide REAGAN CALLED THE Iranians their first demands and said he would not want to offer a check" on a deal by Carter that could not be completed bittersweet victory over the dilemma which consumed more than one-quarter of his stay in office kept him awake throughout his last night in office As dawn broke Jody Powell said: president was informed at 8:17 (6:17 am El Paso time) that the government of Algeria has notified the government of Iran the transfer of the previously frozen assets to an escrow account has been completed have done everything that we have said we would do prior to the release of the Powell said Continued from Page A-l -YAHOO!" HE BELLOWED Ward of Houston sister of hostage Marine Sgt Johnny McKeel said is unreal just think it's the most wonderful news in the it's really true wonderful If it's not I think I'll go over to Iran and stomp them The Flights" came at the end of a day of non-stop negotiations in four capitals involving bankers and government officials in the largest financial transaction in history The US Treasury confirmed the $8 billion was transferred to an Algerian account in London to be turned over to Iran THE HOSTAGES' FREEDOM coincided with changing of the guard in Washington giving Carter the engineer of the complex deal that eluded him for 14 months a bittersweet triumph Ironically Carter's crushing election defeat came on Nov 4 the anniversary of the seixure of the hostages in Tehran Reagan while taking the oath of office as the 40th US president did not once mention the hostages in his inaugural address under partly cloudy skies and almost tight-cost weather The US Rhein-Main airbase outside Frankfurt West Germany was transformed into a sea of yellow ribbons by military wives and children to a banner stretched across the base's entrance said AT NEWS OF THE hostages' liberation teen-age military dependents broke into cheers as they stood near the C-9 transports destined for Algiers to bring the hostages to Wiesbaden Base officials said specially prepared meals were put on board the plane along with 80 copies of the latest editions of Stars and Stripes newspaper the US armed forces newspaper Carter's hopes to greet the returning Americans while he was still chief of state were dashed by last-minute hitches that extended the complex negotiations over two days But President Reagan invited Carter to go to Wiesbaden as his personal representative after the inauguration SECRETARY OF STATE Edmund Muskie said he and the former president tentatively would leave for West Germany at 6 pm (El Paso time) tonight The crisis the longest holding of diplomats in modern history resulted in the largest financial transaction and brought about the only loss of American lives in military action since the Vietnam War It also caused the first resignation of a US secretary of state Cyrus Vance since 1915 All last night messages flew back between Carter and Deputy Secretary of State Warren Christopher in the go-between capital of Algiers White House Press Secretary Jody Powell came out to speak to the press five times on the hour-by-hour progress as the clocked licked away on the Carter presidency FOR THE HOSTAGE families the waiting which stretched into months and deprived them of their loved ones on two Christmases and two Thanksgivings was over Many of the hostages' families disappointed by raised and then dashed hopes in the 14 Mi month agony turned to prayer as the release of their kin appeared imminent In San Diego Calif the family of hostage Richard Moreiield attended a special mass of Thanksgiving But caution born of countless frustrations reigned until the last minute The family of hostage Duane Gillette said through a spokesman that Sam is out of Iranian air space not over" THE FREED HOSTAGES can be expected to be bitter Richard Queen the first American hostage to come home from Tehran has nothing but contempt for many of his captors never sympathized with their cause their goals and I sure as hell will not do that Queen said in an exclusive interview with UPI for Students stay abreast of day's events students watched the inauguration and kept abreast of the hostage situation by watching television in class bv upi IN RECOGNITION of the release of the hostages the student association of the El Paso Community College is planning a five-minute period of silence from 11:55 am to noon tomor Presidential kiss Air Junior High said students and faculty at the junior high school on the same frequency of great concern and great relief" over the release of the hostages At Parkland High Schools students who did not have to take exams could go to the cafeteria and watch the inau- K'ion and keep informed about the ge situation Aubrey Cherry principal at Austin High School said students reaction to news of the release is He said students were skeptical un until the end until something did actually happen" THE ASSISTANT principal at JM Hanks High School said an announcement about the release of the hostages was made over the public address system at about 10:20 am To remind students of the hostage situation students at Eastwood High School tied yellow ribbons on a tree outside the school in December Activities Director Mark Hutman said these ribbons will now be taken down At Bowie High School social studies row Rona'd Reagan and wife Nancy kiss after he takes the oath of office as the nation's 40th president Director of College Relations Sam Sarmiento said a number of students brought television to the school today to get word of the hostage situation Reagan issues call for renewa By SONDRA LEVIN hnUMIMlWritar They may have been in classes but students were aware the events" were occurring today principals and other faculty members said Principal Harry Brown of Andress High School said the release of the hostages and the inauguration of Ronald Reagan is a "very big event universally in the ALTHOUGH MOST high school principals said no special activities were planned in recognition of the release of the hostages they said announcements were made over public address systems keeping the students informed about new developments in the situation High school principals said no special activities were planned because students were taking tests today Many Ysleta Independent School District students were taking semester exams and many El Paso Independent School District students were taking their six-week exams PRINCIPAL LEO Pleasants of Bel El Paso's star shines its last El Paso Electric Co will switch off the lights to the Mount Franklin star tonight marking today's release of the 52 American hostages from Iran The ceremony will begin at 6 pm in the parking lot of the Chamizal National Memorial Theatre 800 San Marcial St El Paso Mayor Tom Westfall EPEC Senior Vice President Holland York and the Rev Robert Young of the First Presbyterian Church have agreed to participate in the ceremonies said Larry Trejo EPEC spokesman Trejo said the mayor's staff and all city alderman have been invited to the event Trejo said the lighted star will be darkened by remote control from the Chamizal parking lot at the close ot ceremonies El Paso's five-point Christmas star gained national attention when the City Council voted to have the star lighted each evening until the hostages were freed from Iran Since Dec 21 1979 the five-point star has shone on the south face of the Franklin Mountains On only four occasions once because of a power outage and three times because of bad weather has the star been dark Itwaslii sunset and 11 pm 9 The Christmas star's lights are reflected by El Paso's recent snow EPEC changes its story admits customers paying cost of star tention with the bloodless end to the captivity of 52 Americans held hostage for 14V4 months in Iran Carter spent his remaining hours in office watching the crisis that had bedeviled him for the last 14 months staying up all night as the give-and-take with Iranian authorities pushed the? hostages into their 444th day of captivity He was not showing his disappointment one aide said Across the street in Blair House Reagan spent his last night as a private citizen It was believed he was not informed of developments in the hostage situation until he got up IN AN UNPRECEDENTED gesture to a retiring president Reagan named Carter to be his special envoy if and when the hostages are released and sent to West Germany for medical examinations and debriefing The Iran crisis a national humiliation that was heightened in its impact by long-running television coverage fueled doubts about Carter and led many voters to abandon him in favor of Reagan An economy dragged down by high inflation and high unemployment further plagued political fortunes In November Carter carried only six states as the voters gave a landslide victory to the conservative Reagan George Herbert Walker Bush 56 former UN ambassador liaison to China and once Reagan's strongest foe for the GOP nomination succeeds Walter Mondale as vice president A senior adviser said Reagan's inaugural address penned by the man himself on a flight this month from Washington to California is a call to era of renewal vintage be said Continued from Page A-l with all the creative energy at our command let us begin an era of national The oldest man ever to take the oath of office he will be 70 in 17 days voice cracked at times during his delivery as the drama of the moment overcame him It took just 19 minutes and 58 seconds to reach his fins! words: can and will resolve I he problems which confront us Why we believe that? After all we are REAGAN LEFT no doubt he will attempt to be an activist president must act he said order to preserve tomorrow And let there be no misunderstanding we are going to act beginning Security was tight for the ceremony with police fanning out all along the gaily decorated Pennsylvania Avenue parade route Temperatures neared the spring-like 60-degree mark as Reagan was sworn in Immediately after the ceremony Carter left the stand with his wife Ro-salynn and headed to a waiting limousine a flight south to Georgia and private life Reagan's first official act on his Inauguration Day was to call on Carter at the White House for an update on the hostage situation Together with their wives the at times bitter political foes ate danish pastry and drank coffee as the inauguration drew near JUST AS Reagan's films found him sharing the limelight with bigger stars the new president at the apex of his rocket ride from the late show to the White House competed for at- I 4 El Paso Electric Co has changed its story and now says customers not flie utility are paying the cost of illuminating the Mount Franklin star EPEC spokesman Larry Trejo said the cost is passed on to customers as a addition to the rate" on electric bills EARLIER THE company said it would pay the cost of lighting the 459 bulbs that make up the famous star Cost was estimated at $8 each evening During an interview yesterday Trejo said that EPEC has added the cost of the star to its operating expenses Those expenses he said are passed on to electricity consumers in base rate charges He said the lighting is charged to customers by dividing the daily fuel costs among the approximately 170000 customers The result has been the addition of about 2 cents to each bill within the last 14 months The cost has been divided equally among the company's residential commercial and industrial customers Trejo said The company serves El Paso Las Cruces and the rural areas surrounding the two cities "WHEN YOU figure it out" Treio said cost to everyone each month has been He described news accounts stating EPEC would pick up the lighting costs as misunderstanding of the situation cost of the star" he said not been a separate fee or anything like that We have just incorporated it into the The five-sided "star on the mountain" has been illuminated almost every evening since Dec 21 1979 as a patriotic reminder of the 52 Americans taken hostage in Iran On only four occasions has the star been dark: Once because of a power outage and three evenings because bad weather prevented workers from ascending the mountain to switch on the lights THE STAR which dates back to 1941 originally was illuminated as a symbol of Christmas The lights were turned on a few days each December EPEC officials have planned a star lighting ceremony at sunset on the day the hostages are released Officials are expected to switch the lights on and then off Mayor Tom Westfall his administrative assistant Leon Metz and a representative from a religious congregation are expected to participate in the event The star is formed from lights strung over cables that are attached to 12 to 15-foot poles The star is 459 feet long and 278 feet wide and is visible for 100 miles from the air and about 25 miles from the ground It has been lighted between sunset and 11 pm for the hostages Glittering Washington galas abound for Reagans By ANN MCFEATTERS SciWsHwrrS Stall Writar WASHINGTON The Republicans are back in town and so are minks millionaires movie stars and liquor At the Inaugural Gala last night local men and women were called in to help sell crab claws and white wine to more than 19000 guests who paid $100 and $150 for seats and were agog at all the celebrities JUST SAW Johnny said one young woman working as a bartender She was so flustered she could not properly measure a vodka drink the "in" beverage now Carson good-naturedly grinned as a would-be local comic asked him if he were black actor Ben Vereen who appeared with such stars as Bob Hope Debbie Boone gala director Frank Sinatra Dean Martin Rich Little and Donnie and Marie At a ladies" reception at the Kennedy Center Nancy Reagan in red her favorite color greeted about 6500 well-dressed women who paid $10 each to see her and drink champagne in tiny plastic glasses many took home MOVIE ACTOR Efrem Zimbalist Jr introduced her saying have known Nancy Reagan for years and shared her hurts some of them enough to know be a great First Lady" Here I Come" has been the theme song nearly everywhere the Reagans have gone an odd choice since they are leaving California but the dozens of bands playing throughout the city for the inaugural events seemingly had no other theme until they could play to the Chief" A Cuban-born waiter Gonzalo Mendoza is here solely because he played that theme on a kazoo prematurely Impressed by the size of the crowd Carson told Ronald Reagan your movies had drawn crowds like this you wouldn't have had to go into politics" Reagan smiling from a blue velvet wing chair waved at him FERRIED BY parades of limousines the great and near great of the new Reagan era the Edwin Meeses the Walter Cronkites the Alfred Bloo-mingdales the James Stewarts the Walter Annenbergs the Justin Darts the Holmes Tuttles made their way to the Capital Center for the traditional pre-inaugural gala The new First Family has gone to at least 25 parties over the last few days not counting the inaugural balls tonight Quipped Maureen Reagan 40-year-old daughter: "It will take four years to pay for all this (her clothes) I've never had so many new clothes at one time in my life" last year and caught the Reagans' ears when they were campaigning in Florida Gainesville residents raised the money to send him here and buy a tuxedo ASIDE FROM tuxedos ball gowns and furs have been required dress at dozens of parties' One GOP seems to be a full-length fur and a cowboy-styled hat with rhinestones Judy Sabel a Republican chairwoman from Dade County in Miami wore a red fox fur and black rhinestone-studded cowboy hat Leaving one reception to attend another she said get a wonderful feeling of unity at this inaugural And now with the hostage situation it looks like President Reagan will go in on a totally new slate Everyone is so happy" Elizabeth Roberts and her daughter Regina of Poughkeepsie NY i agreed wholeheartedly Swathed in mink and getting mere intense as she drank Almaden champagne Mrs Roberts said wanted to be here more than anything else in the world more than a cruise or a vacation in Mexico feel very very safe with Ronald Reagan I waited for him for four years and not just political although I am a dyed-in-the-wool Republican I felt secure with John Kennedy 20 years ago and this is not champagne talking It's my deepest belief and if anything should happen God forbid to President Reagan I'd feel very very good with George Bush and Barbara" MRS BUSH WIFE of the new vice president has won many hearts here this week She stayed at a reception one hour before going to the hospital after seriously cutting her foot on a metal rim on a flight of stairs was gushing out all over the place but there she was charming everybody" said one woman Mrs Bush also carefully praised Mrs Reagan doing her best to erase any doubt that they are friends after rumors of rivalry surfaced in thej campaign have grown to really respect and love Nancy Reagan' Mrs Bush told everyone is just as beautiful on the inside as she is on''! the outside and that's saying a whole tot" Zimbalist said after meeting Mrs Bush a great lady" Not just Americans came to the in- augural Australian businessman John Young and his wife Dulcie came all the way from Melbourne to enjoy in the "frolic" Sobering up he said well worth it I think the world is very interested in your 40th president A lot of us think you really need a I I I.