THE BATTALION
National
WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 1981
Page?
Page 5
au
Talks may have been secret
Future benefits won t be paid
United Press International
^WASHINGTON — Cuba and the United
a States negotiated secretly during Jimmy Car
ter’s presidency through a back channel Fidel
“■ Castro wanted kept secret from the Soviet Un
ion, a former top administration official says.
:tty muclna|On Castro’s initiative, top-level meetings
need som aimed at the eventual goal of normalized rela-
e said, tions were held in New York, Washington,
• $1.4$ antAtlanta and Mexico City in 1978 and 1979, the
[ning. former official told United Press International,
ul the slew g ut jgg ta |k s floundered after less than two
iitelace,«y ears when the Castro government refused to
" " curb its support for Latin American and Afri-
and Carter considered the question moot.
Former Carter aides expressed concern that
disclosure of the meetings now might under
mine U.S. credibility in future negotiations.
CBS News first reported the meetings, and
said, “The impression in Washington is that
Moscow didn’t know what Castro was doing. ”
The contacts began in March 1978, when
Castro sent word through law enforcement
agencies involved in airplane hijacking cases
that he wanted a secret negotiating channel.
he was sat™
can revolutionary movements.
r thejud™ “ They didn't go anywhere because the
fijlbans were not willing to address improving
' 1 111 their behavior, said the former Carter admi-
s ^ s C0M nistration official who asked not to be identi-
ghtonefo ged
David Aaron, deputy to White House na
tional security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski,
was put in charge with Undersecretary of State
David Newsom working with him. Carter
“closely followed” the developments, the for
mer official said.
out anytU
ISources said Cuban emissaries asked the
lationallyij
talks be kept secret and the Soviets not be
” ' the ex-official said it was never really clear
whether the Soviets knew what was going on
tag — tiff
informed. The United States agreed, although
In early 1977, Carter spoke of possible im
provements in ties with Cuba, but expressed
concern about Castro’s policies on human
rights and political prisoners and Cuban be
havior in Latin America and Africa. Castro
released some political prisoners and Carter
lifted a ban on American travel to Cuba.
“The message from the Cubans in early
March (1978) was they were prepared to dis
cuss movement toward normalization consis
tent with the president’s public statements.
That’s what got the thing rolling,” the former
official said.
“We had indications prior to that point the
Cubans might be uneasy — their casualties
kept coming in from Angola and they they
might be looking for a way to move toward a
more non-aligned posture,” he said.
But the negotiations collapsed after a Mex
ico City meeting over the foreign subversion
issue, he said.
“After a series of meetings, we became con
vinced Castro was not prepared to take steps
we felt necessary for substantial improvement
in relationships. So for all practical purposes
those discussions went into limbo,” he said.
Social security in danger
Lower-level contacts were maintained, but
were not substantive.
In a gesture last year, Castro agreed to stem
the flow of Cuban refugees from Mariel Har
bor. But the Carter administration saw that as
too little, too late.
United Press International
WASHINGTON — The annual government re
port on Social Security paints a bleak picture —
predicting bankruptcy next year if nothing is done
and offering a cut in future benefits as the only
realistic way to prevent it.
Congress, which balked at the administration’s
plan to rescue Social Security by penalizing early
retirees, Tuesday resumed its review in the after-
math of Monday’s pessimistic report.
Sen. William Armstrong, R-Colo., chairman of
the Senate Social Security subcommittee, said, “dis
believers, avoiders and procrastinators can no longer
deny that the system is on the brink of disaster. ”
Although its prediction of bankruptcy was not
new, Social Security Commissioner Jack A. Svahn
said the latest report proves the Social Security re
tirement fund “will not be able to pay benefits next
year.
“That’s not a prediction, that’s a certainty.”
The report makes it clear the only hope of saving
the system rests with two alternatives — benefit cuts
or higher taxes.
“Congress has been promising benefits it just can’t
deliver,” Armstrong said.
Because of the ailing economy, some 35 million
retirees now get about $10 in benefits for every $9.50
the system receives in taxes from some 115 million
workers.
The report by the secretaries of labor, treasury and
health and human services said the idea of borrowing
from the disability and Medicare trust funds to con
tinue paying retirement benefits will not work.
It also said Social Security faces major problems
next century as more retirees draw benefits from a
system supported by fewer workers.
“To finance the benefits scheduled over the long
range, much more income to these programs will be
needed from taxes unless benefit outlays are substan
tially reduced,” the report said.
“Action to remedy the short-range financial crisis
by lowering the benefit outgo could well carry over
to the long range and solve its problems as well,” it
said.
costs if ill
cs
Offshore leases
HflfttHMfttlHIlHlimnlllIlM
vn
Plan to offer 200 million acres per year unchanged
t- ilg United Press International
, • “IWASHINCTON — Interior
town ran
i^^-etary James Watt won’t
nidge “one iota” from his pledge
; Ojoffer 1 billion acres of federal
'-I-fcd for offshore oil leasing by
V : .986, despite reports he was ready
e streets
o compromise, an agency official
ays.
/era! theor#D° u gl as Baldwin, the Interior
lemolita department’s director of public
thatwilh s 3 * 1 ! Monday that Watt’s
ts are ton ) l an ,0 °ff er 200 million acres a
Mr for lease “has not changed
lergoing d me *°t a ’
ad for pyrei,Earlier in the day, an agency
pokesman said Watt probably
by the ai vould issue a modified leasing
■troitford >lan offering substantially less
ately awai and, partly because of opposition
mt which Toni the oil and gas industry,
home. The spokesman, Ed Essertier,
indherbr aid th 6 modified plan could be
rity guards-B
lights ontli#,(
issued as early as the middle of the
week.
"That is completely in error,”
Baldwin said later. “The fact is we
have not backed away from this
billion-acre figure by one iota.
There is no revised plan coming
out in midweek.”
Although public comments on
the Watt proposal were over
whelmingly critical of the vast
tract slated for leasing, Baldwin
explicitly denied it was being wa
tered down.
Baldwin said he had no idea
why Essertier had provided con
flicting information.
Essertier had said the revised
plan was likely to include “a lot
more than what would have been
offered under the (Carter adminis
tration) program but it’s still a lot
less than 200 million acres a year.
i Catholic priest now
. a bona fide father
ion
ionth wit
United Press International
CHICAGO — The Rev. George Clements has become the first
. Ionian Catholic priest in the United States to become a bona fide
ather. He and a 13-year-old orphan are now a family,
mzation Clements, once chaplain for the Black Panthers organization and
11 1 bowii for his crusades on behalf of the underprivileged, Monday
g member igjjgj t ] le ac ] 0 pti 0 n papers officially making Joey Clements his son.
ejected MBpt’s fl na fly happened, ” the balding priest said, hugging the youngs-
ersonally er \vli 0 had spent two years in an orphanage before coming to live at
loly Angels Church rectory. “Joey is now my son.
is with ttif 'The boy, who will be a freshman this fall at Hales Franciscan High
Iministrati !cij 00 }, moved into the church rectory last month but the formal
contract is doption was held up pending a routine 30-day waiting period.
“I had given up hope of finding a family,” he said. “I am very proud
■e mailed 0 have him as my dad.”
member!, “l d on ’t advocate priests adopting children,” Clements said in an
d they nterview after he signed the adoption papers. “I advocate couples
ily 28. dopting them. There are hundreds of black children just waiting to be
ct calls fc dopted in the Chicago area. ”
) hourwtf; Clements rocked the religious community in November when he
night shil nnounced he would adopt a child to call attention to the plight of black
of the linArphans.
; may be e)». Officials of the Chicago Roman Catholic Diocese initially indicated a
i in sev6 ; priest j s no t free to adopt a child,” but did not stand in the way of the
ontroller! doption proceedings.
jualified “If the church had blocked me, I would not have defied them,”
embers apIUements confided. “But they didn’t. Thank God they didn’t,
tisfied will 1 !“On May 3, 1957, I was ordained into the priesthood. That was the
to redutf iappiest flay of my life. Today ranks with that day. I’m proud to have
address c oey as my son.”
Joey said his new father “changed my life a lot from two years in the
anage,” but said he had no plans to follow in his dad’s footsteps.
“No, thank you!” he replied when asked if he was going to be a
iriest, adding, “If I do something wrong, the kids say, “Oh, oh, oh,
nd you’re a priest’s son?”
:45 PM
Steaks, Oysters
Salads, Sandwiches
Daily Lunch Specials
Happy Hour — 4:30-6:30 p.m.
(Mon.-Fri.)
woodstone commerce
center E
on hwy. 30
“Industry did not accept our
plan. They couldn’t handle analyz
ing all that acreage to see if they
should bid on it.
Phil Clark, deputy director for
exploration at the industry’s
American Petroleum Institute,
said 200 million acres of potential
leases represented “an enormous
change” for the industry.
“The last five years, we’ve aver
aged five or six sales a year with a
couple of million acres leased, ” he
said. Of the report that Watt in
tended to scale down his 200 mil
lion acre-a-year plan, he said, “I
just don’t think they (Watt) plan
ned to offer anything there wasn’t
any interest shown in.”
Since the first federal offshore
oil and gas leases were offered in
1953, only 42.8 million acres have
been leased, about 22 million of
which are leased to oil and gas
exploration and production firms.
Clark said the industry was con
fused as to whether Watt’s initial
proposal contained some device to
narrow down the 200 million-acre
offering.
“It wasn’t clear,” he said.
“You’ve always had about a four-
step winnowing process that took
a large amount (of acreage) way
down.”
He said he did not think a mod
ified plan signaled a retreat by
Watt from his pro-development
stance, as one published report
suggested.
During Cecil Andrus’ tenure as
Jimmy Carter’s interior secretary,
some firms complained that not
enough choice federal land was
being offered for lease.
But when Watt unveiled his bil
lion-acre proposal in April, he
drew fire from the industry as well
as conservationists, state govern
ments and federal officials.
“It is a measure of the out
rageousness of the plan that we
find so much common ground be
tween ourselves and the oil com
panies,” said Michael Weber of
the Center for Environmental
Education.
IHMHI
PROBLEM PREGNANCY?
Are you considering
abortion?
Free counseling and referrals
Call
(713) 779-2258
Texas Problem Pregnancy, Bryan, Tx.
Rur.sm.TWAPe on newr rnnoocn the
z M-HI d L=l zMZSE
oooooooooooooooooo oooooooooo
CAMPUS THEATRE
846-6512
HELD OVER
SECOND BIG WEEK!!
Hollywood bull—
at its funniest
and sexiest.
BLAKE EDWARDS'
LORIMAR PRESENTS
IULIE ANDREWS WILLIAM HOLDEN
BLAKE EDWARDS "SOB.
!R
17 REQUIRES ACCOMPANYING
RICHARD MULLIGAN STUART MARGOLIN LARRY HAGMAN ROBERT VAUGHN MARISA BERENSON
ROBERT WEBBER SHELLEY WINTERS ROBERT PRESTON LORETTA SWIT - HENRY MANCINI
"“.. BLAKE EDWARDS TONY ADAMS BLAKE EDWARDS A PARAMOUNT PICTURE
hutwicmp -jfe. 1QRIMAR
Thursday Night is Aggie Night!
ALL TICKETS s 1 50
Midnight, Fri. and Sat.
ROCKY HORROR
PICTURE SHOW
ooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
WE’LL GIVE YOU HAIR THAT’S
EASY TO LIVE WITH.
You want a trouble free style
that won’t slow down your
active pace. We’ll give you
that styling ease with new
Soft by DesignTM Permanent
Wave by Redken®. Its
GlyprogenicTM System and
Moisture Control leave your
hair with lasting, soft curls
that flow naturally from end
to end
For hair that’s carefree and
really easy to get along with,
stop into our salon today.
REDKEN
GIVE YOUR HAIR SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL
BEAUTIFUL BY DESIGN
CALL 696-3003
MON.-SATURDAY OPEN AT 9
WOODSTONE CENTER
Simply Great
Mexican Food.
THE WEDNESDAY SPECIAL
MONTEREY DINNER
1 Q/ REG
$4.75
FIESTA DINNER
£ IT OA/REG.
•057/ $4.35
ENCHILADA DINNER
rz /\Q/REG.
«PO»\/57/ $3.55
v —^ v Mexican v -k-^restaurants
1816 Texas Ave. • 823-8930
907 Highway 30 • 693-2484
Now Better Than Ever. You Will Be Pleased With
These Carefully Prepared and Taste Tempting Foods.
Each Daily Special Only $2.13 Plus Tax.
“Open Daily”
Dining: 11 A.M to 1:30 P.M. — 4:00P.M. to7:00P.M.
MONDAY EVENING
SPECIAL
Salisbury Steak
with
Mushroom Gravy
Whipped Potatoes
Youi Choice of
One Vegetable
Roll or Corn Bread and Butter
Coffee or Tea
TUESDAY EVENING
SPECIAL
Mexican Fiesta
Dinner
Two Cheese and
Onion Enchiladas
w chili
Mexican Rice
Patio Style Pinto Beans
Tostadas
Coffee or Tea
One Corn Bread and Butter
WEDNESDAY
EVENING SPECIAL
Chicken Fried Steak
w cream Gravy
Whipped Potatoes and
Choice of one other
Vegetable
Roll or Corn Bread and Butter
Coffee or Tea
THURSDAY EVENING SPECIAL
Italian Candle Light Spaghetti Dinner
SERVED WITH SPICED MEAT BALLS AND SAUCE
Parmesan Cheese - Tossed Green Salad
Choice of Salad Dressing - Hot Garlic Bread
Tea or Coffee
FOR YOUR PROTECTION OUR PERSONNEL HAVE HEALTH CARDS
FRIDAY EVENING
SPECIAL
BREADED FISH
FILET w/TARTAR
SAUCE
Cole Slaw
Hush Puppies
Choice of one
vegetable
Roll or Corn Bread & Butter
Tea or Coffee
SATURDAY
NOON and EVENING
SPECIAL
Yankee Pot Roast
(Texas Salad)
Mashed
Potato w
gravy
Roll or Corn Bread & Butter
Tea or Coffee
(“Quality Firsf’i
SUNDAY SPECIAL
NOON and EVENING
ROAST TURKEY DINNER
Served with
Cranberry Sauce
Cornbread Dressing
Roll or Corn Bread - Butter -
CoffeorTea
Giblet Gravy
And your choice of any
One vegetable
Is
> a com- |
inybody
i (redis- K
oon and 1
tomor-
as the