Treaty’s fate rests with key Demos
WASHINGTON (AP) — A new survey
shows that 31 U.S. senators are either op
posed to the Panama Canal treaty or are
leaning against it, only three votes shy of
the 34 needed to block block ratification.
A questionnaire sent to all senators by
the Associated Press also shows 41 favor
the pact and eight are leaning toward ratifi
cation. Twenty-four senators indicated they
are opposed to the treaty, while seven
others said they were leaning against it.
That means the fate of the pact—a major
Carter administration foreign policy objec
tive — may rest with 20 senators who are
not ready to take a public position.
Among them are some of the Senate s
most influential and senior members Most
of them are Democrats, some of whom
chair key committees and key subcommit
tees and often decide the fate of legislation
They include Henry Jackson and Warren
Magnuson, both Washington Democrats;
Howard Cannon. D-Nev.; William Prox
mire, D-Wis.; Thomas Eagleton D-Mo.;
Thomas McIntyre. D-N.H.; Jennings Ran
dolph, D-W. Va., and Herman Talmadge,
D-Ga.
A two-thirds majority of the Senate — 67
members, if all are present — is needed for
ratification.
Most treaty foes are believed to have de
clared themselves already, and Senate ob
servers suggest that most uncommitted
members are potential backers of the treaty
who are not willing to promise Carter their
votes without getting something in return.
Sen. Russell Long. D-La., the Senate Fi
nance Committee chairman who has fought
the administration on energy tax legislation
said he was 'leaning against" the treaty.
The pact would gradually turn the interna
tional waterway over to Panama until that
country is given full control in the year 2000.
The treaty debate is expected to begin
after the Lincoln Day recess, Feb. 13-20
and last from two to five weeks. Senate
Majority Leader Robert Byrd, D-W. Va.,
said Saturday the pact faces an uphill fight
but. I believe it's winnable.”
Byrd and Senate Minority Leader How
ard Baker are asking senators to support
two essential and fundamental' amend
ments to enhance passage of the treaty.
The changes would guarantee a U S.
right of priority access to the canal and the
right to defend the waterway militarily after
the turn of the century.
Poll finds respect dwindling
WASHINGTON (AP) — Ameri
cans don't think very highly of the
business community, the news
media and the federal bureauc
racy, but many feel the need for
government protection, a survey
sponsored by U.S, News & World
Report shows.
All 25 areas of the public sector
identified in the magazine poll, in
cluding professionals, labor and
education, scored less than 50
percent when respondents were
asked about their ability and integ
rity.
While most persons surveyed
opposed excessive government
regulation of business and tinker
ing with the profit motive, 68 per
cent said government regulation
is needed to guarantee safe work
ing conditions.
rWorld at a glance
From Associated Press Reports
Bench research facilities poor
WASHINGTON—The typical federal judge has poorer re
search facilities available to him than a beginning law student—a
predicament that can cause delays, errors, retrials and additional
expense, an unreleased government study shows.
The study, conducted for the Federal Judicial Center, con
cludes that if the information deficiency could be cleared up there
probably would be no need for many of the 100 or more new
federal judgeships about to be created by Congress to relieve
overworked courts. The center is an administrative amn of the
federal court federal court system.
House to consider welfare plan
WASHINGTON—A House welfare panel makes its final ad
justments this week to Pres. Carter's S32 billion welfare plan and
then will decide whether to scrap it in favor of a more limited
approach.
The House Ways and Means' subcommittee on public assis
tance and unemployment compensation will choose Wednesday
night between Carter's sweeping consolidation of welfare prog
rams and the scaled-down changes proposed by Rep. Al Ullman,
chairer of the House Ways and Means Committee.
Among other things, Carter’s plan would eliminate food
stamps as a separate welfare program while Ullman’s proposal
would retain the program as a separate entity.
V.
J
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But throughout the years one constant
remains. Your Balfour ring. It will never
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you shared with your classmates.
Wear it with pleasure.
Meet the Balfour Representative Monday and Tuesday,
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The survey, released Sunday,
also shows 58 percent of the re
spondents believe government
regulation is the best way to insure
safe products. Fifty-four percent
say the government should ban
the sale of products causing
cancer in animals, and 46 percent
want a federal consumer prtection
agency.
The study was conducted by
Marketing Concepts Inc., a
Washington firm, which compiled
5.900 returns from a scientifically
selected sample drawn from a
computer list of 65 million house
holds.
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