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THE BATTALION
TUESDAY, JUNE 11, 1979
PRESCRIPTION STEREO
3602 OLV COLLEGE ROM)
BRYAN, TEXAS 7780J
Page 5
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United Press International
■OKLAHOMA CITY — The fam
ily of contaminated nuclear worker
Karen Silkwood would have been
■isfied with a $5,000 out-of-court
settlement from Kerr-McGee
Brp., but the energy company re
fused to pay the amount, an attor
ney said Monday.
■Silkwood lawyer Jim Ikard said all
tie family wanted after Ms.
Silkwood s death in 1974 “was to be
jRmbursed for Karen’s property.”
WKerr-McGee removed most of
\f Silkwood s belongings from her
(apartment when they determined
both she and her residence had
been contaminated with plutonium.
The Silkwood family last month
won $10.5 million from Kerr-
McGee for the contamination. The
damage amount was set by a federal
jury after a lengthy court battle.
“The whole thing could have
ended in January 1975 if they
(Kerr-McGee) had paid the $5,000,”
Ikard said. “They could have got out
of it cheap.”
Ms. Silkwood, an employee at
Kerr-McGee’s plutonium plant
north of Oklahoma City, died in a
car accident November 1974,
shortly after her contamination.
Her survivors sued Kerr-McGee
for $71.5 million for the contamina
tion, but a federal jury awarded
them $1,505 million for her injuries,
mental anguish and the confiscated
property. The jurors assessed
Kerr-McGee $10 million punitive
damages for the corporation’s negli
gence.
Ms. Silkwoods father Bill
Silkwood said he asked Kerr-McGee
for $5,000, but the corporation sent
him a check for $1,500.
“It was pitiful,” said Silkwood, a
Nederland, Texas, resident. “In mv
opinion KerrMcGee was arrogant.”
Silkwood said his attorneys advised
him to return the check.
He did so, and in November 1976
he filed suit against Kerr-McGee
seeking $160,000. The original suit
sought $15,000 for her contamina
tion. The remainder of the damage
prayer was for two civil rights
"ounts, which were dismissed by a
federal judge last fall.
The two counts, which are on ap
peal at the 10th Circuit Court of
Appeals in Denver, allege Kerr-
McGee, the FBI and several other
named defendants conspired to de-
Bn God We Trust’ survives
prive Ms. Silkwood of her civil
rights.
The damage prayer for the con
tamination count was amended sev
eral times before the case went to
the jury in the 11-week trial. The
presiding judge allowed Silkwood
attorneys to argue for $71.5 million,
but jurors were not limited by that
amount.
Now you know
United Press International
The 21st century does not begin
in the year 2000; it starts Jan. 1,
2001.
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United Press International
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court Monday rebuffed an at-
I tempt by atheists to challenge the national motto, “In God We
iTrust,” and its use on dollar bills and coins.
The justices let stand a lower-court opinion that government use of
I the national motto does not advance religion.
I In September 1977, atheist Madalyn Murray O’Hair and John
iGarth Murray challenged the statute making “In God We Trust” the
[national motto, claiming it violates the Constitution’s guarantee of
[religious freedom and free speech.
| They also challenged on the same grounds statutes ordering the
I motto imprinted on bills and coins and laws making it a criminal
■ offense to remove the phrase from currency.
I A federal trial judge in Texas dismissed the case, noting the motto
■ ‘has nothing whatsoever to do with the establishment of religion. Its
■ use is of a patriotic or ceremonial character and bears no true re-
Isemblance to a governmental sponsorship of a religious exercise.”
| “Moreover,” said Judge Jack Roberts, “it would be ludicrous to
■ argue that the use of the national motto fosters any excessive govern-
Iment entanglement with religion.”
FAA defends delay
Iti grounding DC-10s
While an appeal was pending before the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of
Appeals, President Carter signed a bill authorizing replacement of
the current dollar coin with a new Susan B. Anthony dollar, bearing
the motto “In God We Trust.”
O’Hair was joined by 38 atheist organizations and 200 individuals
in asking that the Treasury Department be barred from minting and
distributing the new coin.
A three-judge panel denied the request and on Jan. 18, 1979,
affirmed the ruling of the lower-court upholding the use of the na
tional motto.
Mrs. O’Hair and Murray appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing
the district court heard no evidence “as to the impact upon the free
dom of conscience of atheists who are compelled to carry upon their
body, in their clothing, or in accompanying purses, government
sponsored religious sloganing which they abhor.
“In the ordinary course of daily life they are, many times each day,
forced to broadcast a trust in God in their unavoidable handling of the
coin of the realm," Mrs. O Hair and Murray argued.
Mrs. O’Hair brought the suit that resulted in the Supreme Court
banning prayer from public schools.
United Press International
■WASHINGTON — Federal Avi
ation Administrator Langhorne
H>nd Monday defended the 13-day
delay in his grounding of DC-10 jets
Her a fiery Chicago crash despite
■rlier hints of design problems in
the aircraft.
■deferring to the June 6 grounding
o| DC-lOs for thorough design
checks. Bond told a House transpor
tation subcommittee headed by
Rep. John Burton, D-Calif..
■“We have acted responsibly and
promptly to assure the safety of the
Jtying public. We have not been
hesitant to take those actions mer
ited by our assessment of the infor
mation made available to us.”
■ But Burton criticized the FAA for
not taking decisive action in 1975
against the controversial jet made
by McDonnell Douglas Corp. In
addition to the DC-10s, Bond over
the weekend ordered inspections of
pylons on the Boeing 747, Lockheed
L-1011 and the A-300 jets in domes
tic fleets.
FAA official Greg Beard told the
committee the 1975 bulletin that
cited 11 instances of cracks was re
viewed by the agency’s technicial
staff, which decided it was not
necessary to withdraw the plane’s
airworthiness directive at that time.
Shortly after Bond testified, the
Airline Passengers Association ap
peared before the committee to
demand that President Carter fire
Bond.
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846-4156
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