'J _
The Michigan Daily
Vol. LXXXVI, No. 35-S Ann Arbor, Michigan-Wednesday, June 23, 1976 Ten Cents Twelve Pages
If the world ends today, it's OK
GRANNIS, Ark. (4') - Twenty-four
persons waiting for the second coming
of Christ aren't worried about a threat
to repossess the home they live in. They
believe they will be gone-along with the
rest of the world-before marshals come
to evict them.
"We don't think God will let us be
broken up, so we don't believe we'll be
here when they come to take the house,"
said Elizabeth Nance Bard.
THE DEADLINE for them to appeal
the repossession of their home is today,
but it's not certain yet when eviction will
be attempted.
The U.S. attorney's office in Fort
Smith has filed suit against Bard's
brother, Gene Nance. They say he de-
faulted on a $15,000 loan to buy the house
where the vigil began last Sept. 29.
In April, the Farmers Housing Admin-
istration took legal possession of Nance's
home. But the vigil members-who have
been waiting for redemption for nine
months-refused to leave, and legal pro-
ceedings were started.
COURT OFFICIALS say that if Nance
fails to respond by today, a default judg-
ment probably will be handed down. U.S.
Atty. Robert Johnson says that would
probably result in marshals traveling to
this southwest Arkansas community and
evicting the vigil members.
Bard said the group won't fight evic-
tion.
"The sooner the better," she said.
"Maybe something will happen. Our
great hope is that the end will occur
before they come.
"WE DON'T think God will let them
split us up," she added.
Bard said the vigil members have no
idea what they will do if the second
coming hasn't occurred by the time the
marshals arrive.
"We have no plans at all," she said.
"It would be foolish to resist physically.
We wouldn't scatter very far . . . We
don't know, we just haven't made any
plans to move anywhere else. It is pos-
sible."
SHE SAID the group is impatient, but
not tired of waiting for the second com-
ing. "We wouldn't have been able to do
it without God's help-that's one way we
know we're right."
The vigil began at a family prayer
meeting when one member of the group
said she received a message from God
that the second coming of Christ was
near and that they should remain in the
house until Christ arrived.
Seven children have been removed
from the house by two court orders under
truancy laws. In addition to Nance's
house, three other homes owned by vigil
members have been repossessed, as have
a half-dozen automobiles.
CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATS LACK POWER
italian political crisis swells
ROME (A) - Italy faced an intensified political crisis yesterday
after national elections Sunday and Monday that kept the Chris-
tian Democrats on top but gave them little power to maneuver in
the face of increased Communist strength.
The Communists also appeared to be increasing their strength
in Pope Paul's backyard, emerging as the leading party in the
Rome municipal elections with two-thirds of the votes counted
yesterday.
4y THE VATICAN-BACKED Christian Democrats retained their
plurality in both houses of parliament. 1owever, the Communists
made gains at the expense of smaller parties whose support the
Christian Democrats have needed to govern in the past.
AThe Christian Democrats kept the same number of seats in the
Senate, 135, with 38.7 per cent of the vote and lost three of their
266 seats in the Chamber of
" Deputies, with almost 39 per
cent of the vote.
The Communists picked up 25
new seats in the Senate for a
total of 116 and 48 new seats in ''.
the Chamber for a total of 227,
an increase in their popular sup-
port in both houses from 27 per
cent to some 34 per cent of the
ify4vote.
THE COMBINED vote of the
Communists, Socialists a n d
other leftists parties increased
by 10 per cent, from 37 per cent
in 1972 to nearly 47 per cent.
The Socialists lost four seats
in the Senate, leaving them with
29, and six seats in the Chamber.
for a new total of 57, with only
10 per cent of the popular vote.
But they remained the No. 3
party in the country with zhe
power to block any majority of
the Christian Democrats without
their participation. 1
This gives the long-time ruling
party no new options as they
maneuver to form their 35th
government since World War 11,
Diplomats say it may take up to
two months to shape a govern-
ment.
ONE OPTION is for the Chris-
tian Democrats to try to rebuild
the center-left coalition with the
Socialists, Social Democrats and
AP Photo Republicans which collapsed in
*rJanuary. But the Socialists saidya n sr ty o o
Ort O O my e~ msagain yesterday they w uld not
return to tht coalition without
A potential candidate for the Simian Cinen a Academy Awards, this styrofoam King Kong, the Communists. The Christian
covered with horse hair, gets some finishing touches by prop men Chuck Schulthies (left) Democrats can also try to gov-
and Michael Dino at the plaza in the World Trade Center in New York. They are preparing ern alone, but without a major-
moviedom's famed gorilla for more filming of the remake of the 1933 classic chiller. ity the Chamber of Deputies
there would be a constant
See ITALIAN, Page 7 :Be ln uer