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The Red and Black
Athens, Ga. Friday, April is, 198a V0I.8O, No.91 An independent student newspaper serving the University of Georgia community News 543-1809 Advertising 543-1791
Fleets converging as Haig resumes talks
Reclassification alters Athens’ aid
By MARK B. FLEMING
Rrd and Black Aaaialant Nrwi Editor
An official in the state fire marshal's
office said Thursday the office was ten
tatively satisfied with University plans
to alter the current fire-alarm system
in Russell Hall.
Raymond Hall, assistant state fire
marshal in charge of engineering, in
spected the recently installed heat and
smoke-detector system in Russell Hall
on Tuesday. According to the fire mar
shal's office, Hall has sent a letter to
Acting Director of Campus Planning
Dave Lunde, approving proposed
changes to the system that should
alleviate the problem of repeated false
alarms that have plagued Russell Hall
since the beginning of spring quarter
The current system — part of a $390,000
overhaul of the fire alarm in Creswell,
Brumby and Russell Halls — was shut
down by housing officials several times
last week after the rash of false alarms.
"We have sent a letter telling Lunde
that we have no objection to the propos
ed pre-signal system," said Max
Busbee, a spokesman for the state fire
marshal's office. "We do want to see
the plans to make sure that the planned
system would not lessen the efficiency
of the manual system.”
staff photo/( liarlk K*Kl«ter
Puppy love
Isn’t this the stupidest looking cannister you've ever seen? But it's lor a good
cause. While the Circle K club was searching for homes tor this kitty and his
friends, this ugly plastic dog was hounding passersby lor donations lor the
Humane Society. This tail doesn't exactly have a happy ending, though. Out of four
kittens, only two found homes, and two of the six puppies Circle K had still don't
have a place to live. If you would like to adopt one of them, call the Humane Society
at 353-CATS.
By LAURA OTTO
Krd and Hlack Stall Writer
Beginning July 1, Athens will be in a more secure
position for receiving federal aid for urban renewal
even though the amount of grant money will be less
than the city has previously received, according to
Mayor Lauren Coile
Because of a recent federal classification change,
Athens will now be in the same category as larger ur
ban areas The city supports a four-county economic
region of over 50,000, making it a Standard
Metropolitan Statistical Area, or an entitlement city,
said Steve Martin, assistant director of the Athens
Community Development Center
The city was previously elibigle for a small-cities
grant, but it had to apply for and compete with other
small cities for varying amounts of urban renewal
aid. In 1981 Athens was granted $3 million to be
dispersed over a three year period under the small-
cities grant
But some city officials were pessimistic about
Athens' chances of getting its full allocation In con
trast, the federal community development grant pro
gram assures that Athens will receive a certain
amount of money
Under its new classification, Athens will receive
$876,000 per year from the new community develop
ment grant - $124,000 less per year and $372,000 less
over three years — than it received under the small
cities grant
However, Athens will no longer have to compete for
funding, and is guaranteed the federal money
through at least 1984 In addition, the outlook for fun
ding after 1984 is much more positive under the com
munity grant program than it is under the small
cities grant program, Martin said.
Like the small-cities grant, the community
development grant will he used to upgrade old
buildings and substandard parts of the city
Under the new federal grant program, Athens joins
larger cities such as New York and Chicago in its
classification as an entitlement city As such, Athens
has the right to legally protest any federal funding
cuts.
"There's legal status attached to entitlement
cities," Martin said "The chances of the grant being
cut are not even worth considering "
The community development grant may increase,
but it will not decrease unless the population or other
growth factors change drastically. Martin said
Since community development will be losing some
of its aid, the mayor and council will decide where the
budget trimming will come, but Martin said he would
recommend that all projects lose 15 percent of their
funds since the entire grant has been cut by that
amount
“I'd rather see everything pared down propor
tionately and fairly than any building being left out,"
he said "That's the recommendation I II make to the
council.
"The advantage of having SMSA status is that the
city will get the same amount of money every year,"
he said "We can count on it."
The city still has two years and $2 million left on its
small cities grant money, but it cannot receive both
grants, Martin said.
"We just have to forfeit those last two years of
small cities money," he said. “We can only have one
or the other "
Coile said that over the past 20 years the federal
government has spent millions of dollars on
rehabilitation of substandard housing in Athens He
predicted federal urban renewal funds would pro
bably be cut considerably over the next few years
“Athens has been fortunate; it got in early and got
all this done," he said "We re not in a bind Other
cities that are right in the middle of urban renewal
programs are not so lucky."
Athens Transit System will also see a similar
change in its federal grant money because of the ci
ty’s new status, said ATS director Jerry Mooney
The system previously applied for an operating
grant from the Department of Transportation, which
covered about half of ATS's yearly deficit, or
$200,000.
In July, however, the amount of the grant will be a
new one based on the system's ridership, population
and revenue
Mooney said he does not know what the new figure
will be but expects no problems meeting the new
limit.
"This amount will be the same over three yeais,"
he said. "At least we can use the sum for planning
purposes ”
By I'liifd Prrsa International
U S. Secretary of Stale Alexander
Haig flew back to Buenos Aires
Thursday as both Britain and Argen
tina intensified preparations for war
over the Falkland Islands Argentine
warships, including its sole aircraft
carrier, reportedly sailed toward the
area of the British naval blockade.
In London, Prime Minister Margaret
Thatcher met with defense chiefs who
said the 40-ship British war fleet sent
last week was nearing Ascension Island
in the South Atlantic — about midway
in the 8,000-mile journey to the
Falklands.
In Buenos Aires, two Argentine news
agencies said several Argentine
warships left the naval base at Port
Belgrano, 425 miles south of Buenos
Aires, and headed south toward the
disputed islands.
A British television report said
Argentina's only aircraft carrier, three
submarines, a cruiser and at least two
destroyers left the base.
Argentine Navy spokesmen in
Buenos Aires could not immediately
confirm the report. British officials
said they expected Argentine vessels to
leave their mainland ports, but doubted
they would try to break the 200-mile
British blockade, now in its fourth day
around the Falklands.
Argentine Foreign Minister Nicanor
Costa Mendez warned earlier that
Argentina "would not tolerate” U.S.
support for Britain in the event of war.
Before leaving Andrews Air Force
Base, Haig said he had discussed some
new proposals with Argentine officials
by telephone Wednesday.
"Based on these new ideas, the
Argentines have invited me to return to
Buenos Aires," he said.
However, Costa Mendez made it
clear that returning to Buenos Aires
was Haig's idea — not Argentina’s
"Faced with the offer of Haig to
travel to Buenos Aires, he has been
given the corresponding invitation,"
Costa Mendez told reporters.
Asked about possible U.S. support for
Britain in the event of war, Costa
Mendez said Haig assured him Wed
nesday that "the United States does not
give nor will it give support to Britain."
However, he added, "We will not
tolerate (U.S support for Britain) by
any means. Nor will we tolerate the
intervention of third parties because
they take on a partial function.”
There have been reports the Soviet
Union was giving Argentina in
telligence information on the progress
of the British fleet, while the United
States was giving Britain spy satellite
information.
Costa Mendez said the approach of
the British armada, less than 10 days
from the Falklands, is “like a chapter
of a science fiction novel " He said he
could not say "publicly" what he thinks
of Thatcher.
Thatcher said the latest leg of Haig's
Lunde said the proposed system is ac
tually a "delay system" under which no
general alarm would sound until a fire-
alarm pull box was activated. Plans
call for the smoke and heat detectors to
activate a continuously-monitored
enunciator panel in the Russell Hall lob
by after which officials in the alarm
area would investigate and sound a
general alarm in case of fire. Lunde
said the delay system would sound the
general alarm by itself if no other in
formation was received by the system
within a two- or three-minute period.
"The important thing is that the pull
alarms will be active to the bells at all
times," Lunde said, "and we will be
much safer in the building than we were
before.”
“We'U be able to give people the best
possible protection with the least
amount of inconvenience," said Univer
sity Fire Safety Officer Clint Almond
Lunde said the current system would
need to be reprogrammed by the fac
tory. “We don't think it will be an ex
pensive or time-consuming operation
It could be a matter of days to outside of
two weeks until the factory can do it
and have it installed," he said.
“Something needed to be done and
I'm glad they're doing something about
it," said Russell Hall resident assistant
Chris Schleier "Now the alarm is going
off two or three times a day and if we're
lucky six to 10 people are leaving the
building," he said.
An interesting element In the crisis,
Rusk said, was the impending passage
of a law of-sea treaty in the world court
in which any nation would have an
economic zone extending 200 miles off
shore from any area in which it is
sovereign. "The Falkland Islands
would generate a rather large
economic zone," he said.
Judge declares Williams indigent
ATLANTA (UPI) — Georgia taxpayers must hear the cost
of appeals for Wayne Williams, convicted in the slaying of
two of 28 young Atlanta blacks and linked by police to 21
others, a judge ruled Thursday.
Superior Court Judge Clarence Cooper ruled Williams was
indigent and would not have to pay future court costs, which
include a $10,000 transcript from the convicted murderer's 2-
month-long trial.
The transcript will be used by Williams' attorneys to
support their claims for a new trial
Williams, a black 23-year-old freelance photographer and
talent scout, was convicted Feb 27 of killing Jimmy Ray
Payne, 21, and 27-year-old Nathaniel Cater — two of 28 young
blacks whose deaths were investigated by a special police
task force.
He was also linked by court testimony to nine of the other 26
slayings and a 10th never added to the task force list Police
linked Williams to a total of 23 slayings in the aftermath of his
trial and promptly closed the books in those cases.
Cooper, the presiding judge in Williams' trial, made his
ruling after prosecutors dropped their challenge to the in
digency request made by defense attorneys Lynn Whatley
and Alvin Binder
Prosecutors said they originally opposed the request
because they felt an affidavit filed by Williams' attorneys
failed to show he deserved poverty status. But a subsequent
affidavit satisfied prosecutors
Joe Drolet, assistant Fulton County district attorney, told
Cooper the second affidavit appeared to have been made in
"good faith" and that he had no objections to the indigency
request.
But Drolet asked that the prosecution "be given the right at
some future time to reopen the question of indigency" if
Williams gets any money Binder told Cooper he had no
objection to that.
"The court is going to grant the defendant’s motion to have
himself declared indigent," Cooper ruled
Cooper said he would rule Friday on other defense motions,
including one asking that Binder and Whatley be appointed
Williams' attorneys and therefore paid by the state Another
asks that evidence taken from Williams' home and car and
not introduced in court be returned to him
Williams is “doing fine" in his isolated cell at the Fulton
County jail, Whatley said after the hearing He indicated,
however, that the convicted murderer has complained about
not getting exercise
Whatley said officials are not allowing Williams to go
outside because of security problems.
The attorney said Williams is spending much of his time
writing music.
peace mission was "crucial," but
British officials conceded they also
were pessimistic about its outcome.
Both sides continued to beef up their
forces for a war over the Falklands, the
British colony seized by an Argentine
invasion force April 2.
Britain said it was doubling the force
of about 20 Harrier jump jets it has sent
to the Falklands aboard two aircraft
carriers with the fleet.
In Argentina, Gen. Americo Daher,
commander of 9,000 Argentine troops
now on the Falklands, said the British
“do not know what is waiting for them"
if they decide to invade the windswept
islands 450 miles off the Argentine
coast.
A steady flow of Hercules C-130
transport planes flew supplies to the
islands and Argentina sent another
2,000 troops to Rio Gallegos, 1,740 miles
south of Buenos Aires, on their way to
the Falklands
On Wednesday, the Argentines said
two of their patrol boats slipped
through the 200-mile British blockade
zone around the islands and arrived at
the Falklands' island capital of Stanley.
Defense Ministry officials in London
denied that, saying that since the
blockade was declared Sunday, "no
Argentinian major warship or naval
auxiliary has entered the zone."
However, the ministry added there
"are some indications that some
elements of the Argentinian fleet may
come out of harbor, and in that case we
would expect them to sail southwards.
“If they put ships to sea we can only
speculate on their intentions in the
present dangerous situation. But in the
light of their undoubted knowledge of
British resolve and military
capabilities, we do not believe they
would risk breaching the Maritime
Exclusion Zone," a ministry statement
said.
Britain has warned repeatedly that it
will sink any Argentine ship found
violating the blockade.
Rusk says United States
should keep neutrality
in Falklands brouhaha
•Staff photo/Sit lie v Shrplirrtl
Rusk: U.N. settlement might be possible
By KEVIN BICKNELI.
Itnl and Hlack sun Writer
The United States will probably con
tinue to remain neutral in the Falklands
Islands conflict, according to former
Secretary of State Dean Rusk
Rusk now heads the University's
Dean Rusk Center for International
Law
Rusk, who was secretary of state
under Presidents John Kennedy and
Lyndon Johnson, said Wednesday the
United States was not bound by any
treaty to aid either Britain or Argen
tina.
Rusk said the U.S. alliance with Bri
tain extended only to the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization, dealing only with
relations between NATO's member na
tions. “The Falklands are thousands of
miles away from any member nation,"
Rusk said.
Rusk also said that since Argentina
took the islands by force it also cannot
count on its alliance with the U.S.
"Typically, countries try to get us to
take sides," Rusk said, "and if we don't
take their side 100 percent they go away
mad at us."
Rusk said the United States would
probably continue to act as a mediator
between the two countries, "If there is a
way to diffuse the crisis it would be to
our advantage to do so," he said.
Officials modifying fire-alarm system
Finding a solution that would be ac
ceptable io both governments would be
difficult, Rusk said.
"It's an either-or situation," he said,
in that one of the countries would have
to back down for a settlement to be
reached "Either government could fall
over this issue," he said, meaning the
political parties in power in each coun
try could be thrown out over the con
flict.
Rusk said that if shooting actually
starts, further diplomatic action should
be taken by the United Nations Security
Council. In instances “where the Soviet
Union and the United States were not at
each others throats, the U.N. has found
many ways to stop small conflicts from
becoming big ones. They just might be
of some assistance in this situation,"
Rusk said.
Rusk also said it was unlikely that the
Organization of American States would
lend much support to Argentina despite
the Rio treaty of 1942 The treaty, sign
ed by major nations in thd Western
Hemisphere, including the United
States, pledged all member states to
aid the others in case of attack. “Argen
tina's actions have gone against the
treaty," he said.
Argentina's seizure of the islands also
violated the UN’s 1970 declaration on
friendly relations which stated that ter
ritorial disputes between two nations
should not be resolved by force. "I'm
sure they’re thinking about that in
Buenos Aires."