Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (March 13, 1978)
French leftists hold election margin PARIS (AP) — A socialist-Communist al liance challenging 20 years of Guallist rule was wirminq a slim popular majority Sunday in the first round of French legislative elec tions, computer projections showed. The combined left was given just over 50 percent of the vote, short of pre-electoral opinion poll predictions that ranged as high as 56 percent. The ruling center-right coali tion was projected to be winning 45-46 percent. The rest was scattered among minority groaps whose votes could prove decisive in the second, run-off round of elections next Sunday. Analysts said the leftist bloc — the Socialists, Communists and the small Left ist Radical Party — would need solid sup port from minority parties, such as e cologists and extreme leftists, to turn a nar row popular victory in the first round into a parliamentary majority in the second. The preliminary projections, based on results from key voting districts, were made for France’s government-owned television stations. As predicted, the turnout at the polls was massive. The Interior Ministry said 36 per cent of the 34.4 million registered voters had cast their ballots by noon, sharply up from the pace in the last national legislative elections in 1973. At least 80 percent were expected to vote by day’s end. They were choosing from more than 4,250 first-round candidates for 491 seats in the National Assembly, the lower house of parliament. The less powerful Senate is chosen in separate indirect elections. Pre-election opinion polls gave the shakv leftist alliance a better-than-ever chance of taking power after 20 years of center-right rule. Pres. Valery Giscard d’Estaing made a last-ditch televised appeal to the nation Saturday night to head off defeat. “I am preoccupied by the destiny of France,” he declared. ‘This destiny you are going to hold in your hands.” A leftist victory after the second round would mean sweeping nationalizations and higher taxes for the rich. It would bring Communist ministers into government for the first time since just after World War II, jeopardizing U.S.-French relations. Giscard d’Estaing would be forced to name a left-supported premier even though he firmly opposes the leftist program. eWorld at a glance-^ From Associated Proas Reports Rhodesia may meet Cubans WASHINGTON — State Department African experts think Cuban and Soviet troops, fresh from victory in Ethiopia, are increasingly likely to become involved in combat in Rhodesia. The officiate, speaking privately, are pessimistic that Ameri can diplomacy can help bring a moderate and stable black gov ernment out of the Rhodesian cauldron of competing black nationalists, white colonialists and superpower rivalry. Despite personal efforts by Secretary of State Cyrus Vance last week, the administration could not arrange a conference of the competing nationalist groups. Chile to allow investigation SANTIAGO, Chile — The Chilean military regime is allowing an investigation to go forward that some say will implicate its agents in the mysterious assassination of socialist exile Orlando Letelier in Washington 18 months ago. The government claims these suspicions are part of a Communist plot. The United States has asked permission to question two men, one reportedly an American, who it suspects of involvement in the killing. U.S. investigators think Chilean agents may have hired Cuban exiles to carry out the killing, according to American press reports. ‘Monster’ avalanche buries 14 LES MOSSES, Switzerland — An avalanche rumbled down mountain slopes near this village in western Switzerland Sunday, burying at least 14 skiers under a deep blanket of snow, authon ties announced. First reports said between 15 and 60 skiers might have been trapped. Police later said they knew of only 14 persons missing but they acknowledged there could be more, more. “It was a huge, horrible monster,” a police spokesman said. “We can safely say that we are looking for 14 victims, seven Swiss and the rest French, but there may be more.” He said two skiers were quickly rescued but “there are others in there somewhere — we just don’t know how many or where.” V Coal negotiations recess; court order in effect today WASHINGTON (AP) — Negotiators for the striking United Mine Workers (UMW) and the coal industry recessed their main contract talks Sunday, eliminating hopes for a tentative contract set tlement before a back-to-work court order takes full effect on Monday. Officials on both sides of the 97-day walkout stressed that the recess did not indicate a break down of the talks, and said bar gainers would continue to meet in small groups to discuss remaining issues. But with federal marshals com pleting efforts to sen/e back-to work orders in the coalfields, they conceded that no agreement ap peared imminent in the long dis pute. Israeli forces hunt for Arab guerrillas TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Sec urity forces combed suburbs north of Tel Aviv for three of 11 Arab guerrilas still at large Sunday after the bloodiest terror raid in Israel’s history. Prime Minister Men achem Begin vowed the terrorists “cannot enjoy impunity.” In Beirut, the Palestinian guer rilla command reported fighting north of here Sunday, but this could not be verified. Saturday’s terror rampage left 37 Israelis dead and 76 wounded — most of them sightseers on a tour bus hijacked by the guerrillas on a seaside highway linking Tel Aviv and Haifa. Six of the terrorists were re ported killed in the gunfight that broke out when troops blockaded the careening bus. Two others were captured Saturday. Both moderate and hard-line Arab governments hailed the at tack. The United States and other Western nations condemned it. A 25-mile stretch of the coastal Plain of Sharon was under curfew Sunday as combat troops and police bolstered by hastily mobilized reservists, hunted the three missing terrorists, who Begin said ‘‘probably are still in the area.” The Palestinian General Com mand said in the Lebanese capital that guerrillas clashed twice Sunday with Israeli forces north of Tel Aviv “inflicting heavy losses on enemy ranks.” “There’s not going to be any thing for you to hang around for today," top industry bargainer Nicholas Camicia told reporters as he left the hotel where talks were being held. UMW Pres. Arnold Miller also said it was not possible to predict the outcome of the talks. Camicia confirmed the industry had offered a revised contract proposal that was being used as the basis for further negotiations. “It’s our proposal they’re look ing at,” he said. “We re getting down to the brass tacks," said Camicia. He added, “We still have a lot of work to do” before reaching a set tlement, but said he was encour aged by the talks. An industry spokesman who declined to be identified said, “at some point you nave to start flush ing ideas out, and that takes time. ” Miller said, “I think we’re mak ing progress,” but he refused to speculate on whether a settle ment could come within a few days. “We could go two, three days and make significant progress and then have a breakdown,” Mil ler said. "...You don’t really know till you get down toward the end.” The two sides both had re ported making some progress after meeting Saturday, and a top administration official expressed optimism on Sunday about the talks. Student Employees The State Board of Higher Education meets at Portland State University Friday, March 24. Members will discuss your minimum wage issue and need to hear YOUR VIEWS. for more information, call: State Board Office 686-4154 or ASUO 686-3724 s* EMU Spring Vacation Hours Skylight closed March 17 Reopens Wed. March 29th Cafeteria open 9-4 p.m. Deli 11:30-1:00 p.m. March 20-21-22-23-24 and 27th March 27 Soda Bar open 5 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Regular hours March 28th Next EMU Beer Carden Friday March 31st <t jW "ZMitUuf! mm'i 4*
