Wednesday February 6, 1985 Vol. SOB, No. 92, 16 pages Duke University Durham, North Carolina Free Circulation: 15.000 THE CHRONICLE Newsfile Meese receives Senate confirmation Military pensions criticized: Military pensions were assailed as a WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee "scandal" by David Stockman, the Tuesday voted, basically along party lines, to approve the Federal budget director. Stockman, in nomination of Edwin Meese III to be attorney general. sometimes blunt testimony before the In the 12-6 vote, coming almost a year after the panel Senate Budget Committee, said the first began considering the nomination, all 10 Republican military would "give up on security members gave their support to Meese, who has served since before they'll give up on retirement." He 1981 as President Reagan's counselor. Two of the panel's asked Congress to help curtail the spiral- eight Democrats also voted to refer the hotly debated ing cost of the military retirement pro­ nomination to the Senate floor. gram. See page 2. But one of them, Howell Heflin of Alabama, joined a Republican, Charles Mathias Jr. of Maryland, in leaving open the possibility of opposing Meese's confirmation at State of Union tonight: An that stage. The full Senate will not take up the nomina­ upbeat State of the Union Message tion until after Congress returns from recess Feb. 19. tonight is planned by President Reagan, Reagan, asked whether he had a reaction to the vote, according to White House officials. They said, "Yes, a happy one." said he planned to set legislative The vote on Meese, which several panel members des­ priorities for his second term with an ad­ cribed as one of the most difficult of their careers, con­ dress that reaches out to minority trasted with the swift, unanimous approval given Tues­ groups, emphasizes deficit reduction and day to two other nominees for the Reagan Cabinet. tax simplification and stresses his desire The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to ease the threat of nuclear war. See voted 20-0 in favor of confirming Donald Hodel, now energy page 2. secretary, as secretary of the interior, and John Herr­ ington, now White House chief of personnel, as Hodel's replacement at the Energy Department. Both nominations Westmoreland fudged figures: are to be considered on the Senate floor Wednesday. Gen. William Westmoreland imposed a The Judiciary Committee vote, coming after a six-month ceiling on enemy strength estimates in inquiry by a court-appointed independent counselinto Vietnam in 1967 that led to a "corrupt" allegations of wrongdoing by Meese, showed more senators report for President Johnson, according opposing him than were expected last year. to Col. Donald Blascak, an Army in­ Last year, only Howard Metzenbaum, D-Ohio, said he telligence officer who is still on active would oppose confirmation. Hearings then were inter­ duty. Blascak testified at Westmore­ rupted, however, by the Justice Department's decision to land's libel trial against CBS in Manhat­ SAM WANG/THE CHRONICLE investigate Meese's failure to report a $15,000 interest-free tan that the 25-page report should have loan to his wife on his financial disclosure forms as well put enemy strength at 500,000 to Deja vu? as charges that he had arranged federal jobs for s 600,000, twice what it reported. This graduate student was one of many who Tuesday scraped ice off people who had helped him financially. their cars as Durham again suffered the effects of freezing rain. See ATTORNEY on page 5 Weather CBS head discusses Helms takeover bid FLOOD FIGHT!: OK, it worked last night in the Pits, let's try it again - this By SUSAN TEITELBAUM responsibilities that are ours so well that "We couldn't be very much more s time on the quad. Everyone go out (any Thomas Wyman, chairman and chief ex- the idea of anyone seeking to acquire The trial has reinforced the importance of time of day is fine) and (are you ready ecutive^efficer of CBS Inc., said the values ownership in our company because they being as careful and thoughtful as possible for this madcap idea?) OPEN YOUR of democracy are more important than the want to mold the management of our news in exercising journalistic responsibility, he UMBRELLA! ! Yep, it's a 70 depressing corporate stability of CBS, in a press con­ division would not be very rational. Our said. percent chance of rain today with a high ference Monday before his speech for the best defense is our performance." "It has also reinforced a commitment on in the lower 40s. Tbnight, low around 30 Sloan Colloquium in Communications. In response to a question about whether our part that it is one of our crucial roles so you can slip slide away. Tomorrow, If people believe democracy relies on a CBS news would be more careful in its to examine the performance of people in more rain probable. well-informed public that can exercise its reporting after the Helms affair and the large government agencies," Wyman said. democratic rights intelligently, then "it William Westmoreland trial, Wyman said, See WYMAN on page 5 strikes me that you are absolutely driven to a commitment that the role of press has Inside been and remains crucially important to make that process work," Wyman said. Booking it: The University librarian Wyman rejected the description of Sen. Potatoes hurled in Pits search committee has narrowed a list of Jesse Helms' proposal to engineer a conser­ 40 candidates down to their top four vative takeover of CBS as "intimidation." By ELISA DAVIDSON Before 6 p.m., Suzanne Wasiolek, dean choices and expects to have the position He said, "It had not occurred to us that the Mashed potatoes hit the floor, the for student life, and DUFS Director filled by early March. See page 3. pursuit of unbiased news might best be tables and the students Tuesday night Barry Scerbo both said they did not ex­ served by this kind of supervision and when a food fight erupted in the Blue pect the fight to take place. Wasiolek, monitoring in the performance of our news and White Room. Other foods, including who entered the cafeteria shortly before About the town: Public Policy pro­ division." chicken nuggets, spaghetti with sauce, the fight, said she come to the Blue and fessor Catherine Hawes, recently named Helms' law firm contacted CBS and re­ home fries, carrots and broccoli, also White Room because a DUFS staff an outstanding professor by Lisa Birn­ quested a meeting with Wyman to discuss served as projectiles. member thought she should be there just bach's "The College Book," can be found the news division. The same day a mailing in case. at Bruce Springsteen concerts, on the Just before 6 p.m. the cafeteria was was sent out enlisting support for the filled to capacity - about 450-500 peo­ Droves of students left the Blue and beaches of Mexico and inside today's newly-created Fairness in Media Chronicle. See page 7. ple - according to Joseph Pietrantoni, White Room after the fight, leaving organization. assistant University business manager trays on tables in their wake. Carts were Although Wyman agreed to the meeting, Some students clanked glasses with brought out and DUFS members began All the King's Men: Forceps, Presi­ Helms' group "issued a press release down their utensils to signal the first round piling up almost 100 trays. Students dent Sanford's 'cabinet' of administration here saying that I refused the meeting, sug­ as others fled to the serving area and were allowed to leave the cafeteria, leaders, gathers weekly to consult with gested they hold it with other people, and under tables to avoid the flying food. though no one else was allowed to enter. as a consequence . they would be pro­ him on major university policy decisions. Still others opened umbrellas to avoid "I find it impossible to take any action ceeding accordingly." See page 11 the shower. against students ia this situation," As a basis for his charges, Helms cited a This week's "Monday, Monday" - Wasiolek said, adding that she would ShOOt-OUt: The fifth-ranked Blue TV Guide survey which claimed that CBS a column which appears weekly in The probably talk to "Monday, Monday's" is the most anti-Reagan network. Wyman Devils take on tenth-ranked Georgia Chronicle under the initials BCG - Sug­ author. rejected the survey as a standard for judg­ Tech tonight in Atlanta. For preview see gested the food fight, which lasted less ing network newscasts. He said the network than 10 minutes. See FOOD on page 4 page 13. will prevent a takeover by performing "the Stockman hits military pensions World & By JONATHAN FUERBRINGER bative remarks about farm price supports. N.Y. Times News Service In three hours of give-and-take with the senators, WASHINGTON - David Stockman, the budget director, Stockman made his most spirited appearance before Con­ Tuesday called the military pension system a "scandal," gress since 1981. The senators were occasionally stunned National and he said that the military would put its pensions ahead into silence by his bluntness. of national security. "We now have a budget that is a trillion dollars in its Page 2 February 6, 1985 "Institutional forces in the military," he said, "are more dimension," Stockman said in one extemporaneous answer, concerned about protecting their retirement benefits than they are about protecting the security of the American "that is a blooming, buzzing mass of programs, projects, people," commitments and purposes responsive to the needs of our society." THE CHRONICLE Stockman told the Senate Budget Committee that rather than slowing the president's proposed military budget to Stockman was apparently venting his frustration with reduce the deficit, Congress should move to curtail the the Pentagon's resistance to consider any changes in the Assistant news editor.