Daily Tribune, The (Newspaper) - June 29, 1977, Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin THE DAILY TRIBUNE INFORMING THE SOUTH WOOD COUNTY AREA OF WISCONSIN Sixty-Third 18831 Wisconsin Rapids Wisconsin 24 Pages Two Sections Wednesday June 29 1977 Plus Supplement A- Under the tutelage of golf pro Robert Ness youngsters get into the swing of their golf lessons at Bull's Eye Country Club Tuesday Tribune photo by Wayne Martin Court forbids death for rapists WASHINGTON AP The Supreme Court ruled today that states may not impose the death penalty for the crime of rape The court said the death penalty is a dis- proportionate punishment for rape It is difficult to accept the notion and we do not that the rape with or without aggravating circumstances should be punished more heavily than the deliberate killer as long as the rapist does not himself take the life of his the court said in an opinion by Justice Byron R White The court's action decided by a vote struck down the death sentence a Georgia court imposed on Ehrlich Anthony Coker convicted for the 1974 rape of a Waycross Ga housewife who three weeks before had given birth to her first child Although Georgia's law concerned the rape of adult women the court decision's wording indicated that states may not impose the death penalty even for the rape of children Joining White's opinion were Justices Potter Stewart Harry A Blackmun and John Paul Stevens Justices William J Brennan Jr and Thurgood Marshall who oppose the death penalty under any circumstance for any crime filed concurring opinions Justice Lewis F Powell Jr voted to strike down Coker's sentence but said he did not think the death penalty for rape was cruel and unusual punishment in all circumstances Although rape invariably is a ble crime there is no indication that offense was committed with ex- brutality or that the victim sustained serious or lasting Powell said Chief Justice Warren E Burger and Justice William H Rehnquist dissented saying that the death penalty for rape can be a justified punishment In a separate related action the justices struck down the death sentences of two other convicted Georgia rapists who had appeals pending before the court The justices sent the cases of John Wallace Eberheart Jr and John Wesley Hooks back to the Georgia Supreme Court for the tion of new sentences Presumably Coker and the two others will be sentenced to life imprisonment Eberheart and Hooks had been sentenced to death for the 1973 rape of a woman whose car had broken down on a highway The court's decision dealt only with the crime of rape but it may have a profound im- pact on the history of capital punishment in the United States Had the court ruled that states may impose the death penalty for crimes in which the life of the victim was not taken it could have opened the door for future rulings that capital punishment may be valid for crimes such as treason espionage kidnaping hijacking and terrorism Of course the court still could rule in favor of the death penally for such crimes but that prospect is less likely after today's ruling The court's decision affects only six of the 350 death row prisoners across the nation If the justices had ruled the other way states that do not use the death penalty for rape could have come under pressure to enact such legislation Congressional cutoff of abortion funds delayed WASHINGTON AP The Supreme Court today refused to let Congress im- mediately cut off all federal Medicaid funds for abortions deemed not necessary to save the lives of mothers At the same time the justices ordered a lower court to review the constitutionality of die abortion funding ban the so-called Hyde amendment The court's action means the federal government must for the time being con- spending Medicaid money for abortions sought by poor women The court turned down a request by Rep Henry Hyde whom the amendment was named and others asking it to authorize an immediate end to federal funding for most abortions The justices without comment sent the federal funding for abortions question back to U.S District Judge John Brooklyn for study in light of the high court's re- cent ruling that states have no legal tion to pay for medically unnecessary tions Last Monday the court ruled that states have no legal obligation to pay for the tive abortions of poor women Antiabortion forces have interpreted that ruling to apply to federal funding as well But proabortion attorneys have argued that the 1976 Hyde amendment went beyond the rationale used in the court's decisions on state funding Congress last October tacked oh the Hyde amendment to an appropriations for the Departments of Labor and Health Education and Welfare It prohibited the expenditure of federal Medicaid money for any abortion therapeutic or elective except in those in- stances in which the life of the mother would be jeopardized by the childbirth Judge Dooling immediately blocked en- forcement of the law ruling that it was un- constitutional because it effectively took away abortion as an alternative to poor women while wealthier women continued to enjoy the alternative The Hyde amendment declared un- constitutional by Dooling was included in a funding package that expires at the end of this September Congress currently is ing up a new spending package for Labor and HEW and is considering cutting off federal funding for all abortions even those essary to save the lives of mothers Such a was passed by a big majority in the House but has run into trouble in the ate It was not immediately apparent how the court's action today will affect the current congressional action The Supreme Court in 1973 ruled thai most abortions are not illegal OPEC cancels oil price boost plans VIENNA Austria AP A majority of members in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries OPEC have ed to cancel plans for a 5 per cent increase in the price of crude oil July 1 the OPEC secretary general announced today The oil cartel has been split over prices since last December when 11 members called for a two-stage 15 per cent price hike for 1977 The other two members Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates opted for a 5 per cent increase for the whole year The 10 per cent increase imposed Jan 1 by the cartel majority raised the price of their crude oil to a barrel The second stage of the increase was to have gone into effect July 1 Ali M the said in a brief statement that the decision to cancel the increase was made in the interest of uni- ty and solidarity of OPEC The following countries of the tion Algeria Ecuador Gabon Indonesia Iran Kuwait Nigeria Qatar and Venezuela have resolved to forego the application of the additional 5 per cent increase in the price of oil as of July 1.1977 the statement said The other two members are Libya and Iraq Economic slowdown hinted WASHINGTON AP The government said today its index of economic indicators declined in May for the first time in four months possibly indicating some slowing in the rate of economic growth in months ahead The Commerce Department said its called composite index of leading indicators decreased of 1 per cent in May While that was a small decline it followed in- creases of of 1 per cent in April 2 per cent in March and of 1 per cent in February The index which is a composite of 12 in- dividual economic statistics is designed to foreshadow future trends in the economy The May decline however will not be taken too seriously by government and private economists since most feel it takes at least three months of upward or downward movements in the index to establish a trend There has been other evidence that the steady economic growth under way since late winter may be slowing somewhat Steel producers have reported a decline of orders in recent weeks and retail sales by major department stores have been disappointing in Six of the 10 individual statistics in the in- index were negative in May Con- most to the decline was a drop in the money supply Also negative during the month were the job layoff rate up to per cent from 1 per cent in April sales changes in cash and other liquid assets changes in prices and stock prices Partially offsetting these declines were gains in the average work week to 40.4 hours from 40.2 hours in April contracts and orders for plants and equipment new orders for manufactured and consumer goods and building permit The over-all index stood at 130.6 per cent of 1967 average of 100 The high for the index was 133.7 in June of 1973 Human Services Board is running out of money By David Kauffman Tribune Staff Writer If services are provided at the existing level we will come up short of needed ding by approximately for the year's rest of 1977 operations That gloomy assessment was made day by Michael Schilleman business manager and acting director of the Wood County Human Services Board The board decided to meet with the Wood County finance and budget committee to ask for the money Should county board members balk at the subsidy human services has gone through its accounts and made trims A proposed cut in the Opportunity Development Centers Inc ODC contract could mean closing one center says Gary Gilbert ODC director In his final report May 27 outgoing human services director Michael Birkley had a zero county subsidy for this year Between 1974 and 1976 the annual county sub- sidy ranged between and Schilleman said his expenditure and revenue projections are based on all the financial in- formation available to me plus input from the state Department of Health and Social Services Gilbert said ODC already has terminated an assessment unit to cut expenses by 000 On June 1 ODC discontinued two vans to save another annually Staff salary in- creases have been held to 3.5 per cent he noted Referring to a March letter from Birkley in which Birkley said only was available 10 ODC for the last six months of the year Might not rights will settle SALT WASHINGTON AP Secretary of State Cyrus R Vance says military considerations and not human rights will determine whether the Soviets agree to a new arms treaty with the United States He told a group of editors Tuesday that the administration's rights campaign had not much effect on the arms negotiations In this view Vance differed somewhat from President Carter who said last week that his human rights stand apparently is more of an obstacle to Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty talks than he had thought I believe Vance said that the Soviets will make decisions on the SALT talks on the basis of what they consider to be their national interest in terms of military and strategic purposes He said he could not predict when an ment will be reached Privately tration officials have ali but abandoned hope of an accord to limit strategic weapons before the current five-year treaty expires Oct 2 Vance preparing for that eventuality said deadlines were not as important as arriving at an understanding without loopholes and one that is considered to be in the national in- terest of both powers Regarding human rights he said the ad- campaign struck responsive chords in a number of countries but it is too early to assess the global impact I do not think you can measure progress insofar as human rights is concerned over the short he said I think we must look at the long-range and see what happens five or 10 years down the road Gilbert said this is less than needed This agency ODC would need to dis- charge seven staff positions which would be the only means to cut any additional he said Work activity clients would have to be sent home since there would be no one to train them The end result would be to shut down either the Wisconsin Rapids or Marshfield center he said recommendations also call for a reduction in the mental health services budget In a letter to Schilleman Gary Gustafson mental health ad- ministrator said cuts could be made which would not result in marked problems in terms of service delivery in the Wisconsin Rapids area How to make mental health service cuts was discussed Some board members felt cuts should be equitable between Wisconsin Rapids and Marshfield others felt no cuts should be made here In the end the board agreed to reduce without 000 the mental health budget for the next six months More heat Tuesday's rainstorms chased some of the hot muggy weather away and the National Weather Service says the warmer temperatures won't return until Thursday By that time a deep South cold front will push warm winds and a chance of more thunderstorms across the state Today's sunny weather will turn partly cloudy by tonight Lows should be in the per 50s and low 60s Thursday's high temperatures will be in the 80s The extended outlook lists possible showers both Friday and Saturday accompanied by a general cooling trend Highs in the 80s are slated for Friday and mostly in the 70s both Saturday and Sunday Lows are expected in the high 50s Tuesday's high in Wisconsin Rapids was 91 and the low at midnight was 57 Rainfall Tuesday was It was 56 degrees at today Today's chuckle A garden is something that dies if you don't water it and rots if you do City panel is handed new POC fire fighter proposal By Vemon Borth Tribune Staff Writer A renewed proposal for a POC firefighter system for Wisconsin Rapids surfaced Tuesday night at the hall annex The personnel committee of the Wisconsin Rapids Common Council was considering the matter again after the full council with one member absent defeated another POC proposal earlier this month The new proposal differs from the original in that the full-time firefighters would work a day and have two days off as they do now The defeated proposal called for the men to work eight-hour shifts for six days and have two days off While the old proposal called for four talions or shifts each with six full-time sons the new one calls for three battalions of full-time persons In both cases part-time firefighters would supplement the full-time contingent The existing full-time staff would be ed by retirements of four persons would be on call for a week and have two weeks off call A minimum of 27 is to be sought would have to pass the same testing as full-time firefighters and would be eligible for vacant full-time positions after two years as a POC Pay would be per hour worked and would get Social Security Workmen's Compensation and paid life insurance They would go through a basic training period followed by advanced in-service and first aid training Emergency medical technician training would be promoted but not required for and full-time persons would have to have the training City Personnel Director Patrick Costello provided responses from 15 communities to concerning their POC programs Costello said that call-time and standby pay now received fay firefighters would have to be dealt with in negotiations with Local 1054 International Association of Fire Fighters Most of the other communities began with volunteer departments and went to the programs Costello said He said he does not view a move by Wisconsin Rapids from all full-time to a mixture of part-time and full-time as a step backwards as had been suggested by firefighter James Nelson Fire Chief Donald said the combination program would offer manpower flexibility Oiher members of the fire department were not convinced of the merits of the POC program Assistant Chief Ronald called if a farce In the other communities It's much better than what they Nash said but in Wisconsin Rapids it's much less than what we have I will admit that the program he said A bucket brigade You're stepping down any way you look at he said The existing full-time system could result in a fire department budget by 1980 Jayne Deering council president and committee member said The POC program is a way to effect savings she said Nash questioned whether there would be savings and said How can you put a price on life and The POC program will cause men to leave the department because of decreased job security he said Officers will not be familiar enough with to know their capabilities Nash said You're going to be giving com- plete training except for an he said Mrs Deering said the fire department like a business must change with the times Nash said the department has changed with new equipment new men and an upgraded program Michael Nash a firefighter said that an often referred to POC system in West Bend was adopted because that city could not ford a full-time department Glenn 3rd Ward alderman questioned a from a Wausau law firm for services of studying a POC program He said the of was for services performed before the council authorized a study of the fire department April 19 The committee made no recommendation for or against the POC proposal but voted in- stead to request a committee of whole meeting on the it One or more of either the West Bend or Franklin fire departments would be invited to that meeting to discuss those communities ex- isting POC programs
