The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, February 23, 1979, Page Page 2, Image 2
^ ? ' ?* / ?^
WORLD
China 'nunishinn'
I o
BANGKOK, Thailand ? Three Chinese infantry
divisions fighting for every mile against tough opposition
have pushed 12 miles into Vietnam's northeast
corner and may be poised to cut a highway link to
Vietnamese troops concentrated in Lang Son, in
telligence sources in Bangkok reported Thursday.
In Peking, a Chinese government official said
China's "punishment" of Vietnam is not finished,
Japan's Kyodo news service reported. The source said
China wil not back down, Kyodo said.
Referendum promisee
TEHRAN, Iran ? Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini has
promised a national referendum in two weeks to
determine whether Iranians want the Islamic republic
he promised them as the goal of their revolution.
An announcement by Prime Minister Mehdi
Bazargan's provisional government said the voters
would be asked one question: "Do you favor an Islamic
republic?"
Bazargan said earlier the referendum would be
followed by the election of a constitutional assembly to
approve a new constitution abolishing the 2,500-yearold
monarchy and establishing the republic.
Increase considerec
KUWAIT ? Several Persian Gulf oil states are
trying to persuade Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest
producer, to agree to another increase in the price of
oil but the Saudis are resisting, the Kuwait magazine
A1 Hadae reported Thursday.
According to the magazine, oil ministers of the
VCmnllor cfofoc ore moofinrt iififrVi Cuirl! ~ -1
uvuwk> ui v mwiiug mil1 oauui niauid s un
minister to get him to agree to an increase to prevent
the international oil companies and other middlemen
from making huge profits as a result of the shortage in
world oil supplies caused by curtailment of Iranian
production.
\
Pone nlnns mturn
VATICAN CITY ? Pope John Paul II will return to
his native Poland in mid-May, the Italian news agency
ANSA reported today.
The pope's first trip back to his homeland since his
election last October will coincide with celebrations in
f/ i - r it. -
rvraKow 01 ine worn anniversary 01 tne death of
Poland's patron saint, Stanislaw, the agency said.
Pope John Paul has called his return "a duty."
i mi
i iss>
I
Ammunition
Butch Carr of Columbia replenishes
his snowball supply In preparation for
another volley. This skirmish, one of
manu rannrinri thrnunhnut thn r.itv.
took place behind the Russell House.
I
j Pavo Robick ? OAMKCOCK
NRTION
Cutbacks announced
NEW YORK ? Citing the cutoff of Iranian oil ex:
ports, several U.S. oil companies have announced
cutbacks in production to conserve available crude oil,
i a move that could further reduce the flow of gasoline to
neighborhood pumps.
Shell Oil Co. said Wednesday the cutback will involve
all refined products. Shell announced a five percent to
eight percent cutback in the amount of crude oil going
into its refineries, beginning March 1.
I Aid program slashed
WASHINGTON ? President Carter has ordered the
U.S. Government to "severely reduce" its $15-million
foreign aid program in Afghanistan, a White House
spokesman said Thursday.
Presidential press secretary Jody Powell said a
proposed $250,000 military aid program is being
cancelled.
Powell said the move resulted from a review of U.S.
relations with Afghanistan that began last year when a
Soviet-backed regime seized power.
Despite Soviet denials, a confidential State Department
cable has said Soviet advisers played a large role
in the events which led to the fatal shooting of U.S.
Ambassador Adolph Dubs in an Afghanistan hotel
j room, according to a published report.
I Strike continues
NEW ORLEANS ? With Mardi Gras written off as a
loss, the city has turned tough in negotiations with
striking police, rejecting a union pay raise proposal
that might have ended the six-day-old walkout.
Thursday, city garbage collectors decided to honor
police picket lines at sanitation facilities.
"The men individually are honoring police picket
lines all over the city," said Bill Cole, business agent
for Teamsters local 260, which represents New Orleans
sanitation workers.
Smokers safer now
BOSTON ? Newly discovered microscopic evidence
I shows the death rate from lung cancer will probably
decline in coming years because smokers have switched
to cleaner cigarettes, researchers say.
Their study found the cigarettes being smoked in the
1970s cause far less cancer-linked lung damage than
those of the 1950s, which contained more tar and
nicotine.
Cells in the lungs of recent smokers had at least 20
times fewer pre-cancerous abnormalities than those of
smokers 15 years ago, they said.
"i*i pi " 'I ,11111 in mini iiim i nun I- U.injpj>
' at-:-:-:.,-.-:-:-,: ^ fcj-ytfv:-:-:
: * * '
Qtnrm r*r\cfc nir^ih
\JIWIIM V^UJIO MIHM
Judging from preliminary estimates, utility officials
say the ice storm that struck South Carolina's
midlands two weeks aeo will cost several million
dollars.
Stockholders will pay for much of the cost in smaller
dividends, but customers' bills also will reflect the cost
of the repairs over a longer period, they said.
Rudy Coward, spokesman for South Carolina
Electric & Gas Co., said that utility anticipates the
final cost of its operation to range from $1 to $4 million.
PSC bill approved
A South Carolina house subcommittee Thursday
approved Gov. Richard W. Riley's bill to change the
way members of the state Public Service Commission
are selected.
Before approving the bill, the subcommittee
amended it to specify what is meant by "merit
selection," a term frequently used by the governor and
! i i? ? a r
uiicu cnucucu uy uppiuieuis 01 uie uni.
The amendment requires the selection panel to
"consider the special knowledge or expertise of the
potential nominees in such fields as finance, accounting,
law, engineering, consumer affairs and
business."
Release discussed
CHARLESTON ? Negotiations for the release of a
Charleston man being held in the Maldive Islands in
connection with an incident on an ocean survey vessel
will begin Friday, according to the man's sister.
Connie Wiemken, sister of the ship's medical officer,
Thomas Wiemken, 27, said Wednesday she talked with
him by telephone.
wiemKen and two other men, ship Capt. Kenneth
I Leonard of Winter Haven, Ala., and chief engineer
t Craig Williams, were taken into custody after an incident
on the ship.
Raises suspended
The House Ways and Means Committee Wednesday
suspended merit an^l longevity pay raises for state
employees for fiscal 1979-80, and declined to set aside
funds to reinstate the programs later.
Suspension of the merit and longevity raises is one of
SPVPral rwnmmon/loti/???n ~ ?1 ? ' "? ' * ** *
? . v,w,....iivuuauuiia iimut; uy me siaie jtsuagei
and Control Board to bring state employee pay raises
in line with the average 7 percent maximum recommended
by President Carter.
Tuesday, Ways and Means adopted a recommendation
that 80,000 state employees be given annual
pay j^es t^e ^afd
jBHH ||m