Wednesday, August 11,. 19761
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Page Three
Ford, Reagan forces
battle it out in K.C.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. O The Pre-
Republican Convention war of nerves
between Ronald Reagan and President
Ford centered yesterday on the GOP
platform committee where party con-
servatites vowed to fight for a document
that would reflect their views.
The move av led by Reagan backers
who pressed for planks that would mirror
the former California givernor's positions
on the Panama Canal, detente, school
basing and abortion.
And, in an unexpected move, Reagan
representatives at the platform comit
tee asked for time for an appearance
before the panel by Sen. Richard Schwei-
ker of Pennsylvania. Gov. Robert Ray
of lova, the Ford supporter whi is chair-
man of the committee, ujiickly agreed.
ThEN, AS SD t)tENLY as the request
tad been made, Schweiker's staff nti
fied Rav that the senator htd a schedule
conflict and would be tunble to appear.
They said Schweiker, a liberal Reptiblh
can Reagan has tagged as his choice
for a riuinning tmate, wouldlk submit a state-
nietit utning his views
A spokesman for Schweiker, reached at
his office in Washington, said, "At no
time did he (Schweiker) plan to go out
there."
He said the possibility of a Schweiker
appearance before the platform com-
mittee had been discussed and it was
decided to make a tentative overture to
Ray to see if arrangements could be
made. The spokesman said plans never
went beyond that, and finally it was de-
cided Schweiker could better spend his
time continuing to telephone delegates
in the Northeast to urge them to support
Reagan,
TREASURY SECRETARY William Simon, who is on President Ford's list of
possible vice-presidential nominees, wipes his brow during testimony before the
Republican platform committee yesterday in Kansas City.
BILL ,NOW GOES TO FORD:
THE SPOKESMAN said Schweiker
written statement wold focus primarily
on detente. Both Schweiker and Reagan
oppose the tord a ministration policy of
deente with the Siet Union.
Al te same tne, turd strategists
scored a preliminary victory when the
party rules connittee voted to reutire
delegates to abide by state laws reutir-
ing them to support primary election
winners. Reagan had opposed the rule.
His strategists hoped to convimce some
delegates bound to Ford to abstain during
early balloting The issue will comte up
again before the cotenion rules com-
mittee where Reagan his moe support
Since the convetion vangard inrte
in Katitsas Cits on Sundav, the lieagan
forces have sprtns a rapid-fire series of
surprise modvs esignes to keen Iord
off rud and to weaken the lPresient's
holdi t l a andco -ienion nalciteryn
JOHN SEARS, Re ii's campu;;, l
manager, aske the party rule iiumtt
tee tn M""aito lreir Itr id toiue
his choi-e for i a resileid t before the
balloting begins for tie presiential no
ination.
Ford strategists restlnded that tie
President still might ask Resigan to be
his running mate, an offer he ois uld t
make until after the presidenttl ballot-
Sen. Jesse Helms of Nor'h Ctroiua, a
conservative and strong supporter of
Reagan, was scheduled to appear before
the platform committee today, and mem-
bers of his staff prepared planks ec-
pressing conservative stands on issues
ranging from abortion and busing to
detente and the. Panama Canal.
SOURCES CLOSE to Ielms said the
conservatives were prepared to carry
their fight to the convention floor if the
platform committee refuses ti go along
with their views.
A spokesman for Ray said the request
for time for Schweiker came from Rea-
gan's representatives at the platform
hearings.
C
Fleecing the public
A few months ago Se'n. William Pro-
mire (1-Wis. awarded Roland IHutch-
inson his ''fleece of the month award"
for getting the government to finance
a study of why rats, monkeys and hu-
mans bite and clench their jaws. Hlutch-
inson is sing the senator for libel and
slander, to the tune of $6 million. Now'
the Senate has voted to pay Proxmire's
legal expenses, by a vote of 56-20. The
award in question is given to for waste
of public money. Maybe the Senate will
be in line for a fleece this month.
Happenings...
the Ann Arbor Tenants Union will
hold a meeting at 7:00 p m. to discuss
their proposed constitution, in rm. 411
of the Union.
Weather or not
Expect mostly cloudy skies today
with temperatures in the mid to upper
80's. There will be a chance of thunder-
showers in the late afternoon or eve-
ning.
Congress. OK's swine flu bill
WASHINGTON IP) - Legislation that,
revives the government's falteringswine
flu immunization program was passed
by Congress and sent to President Ford
yesterday.
The House adopted the bill, 250 to 83.
Senate passage came by unanimous
voice vote just hours before.
CONGRESSIONAL leaders
moved with unusual swiftness to get the
bill out before adjourning their houses
last night for the Republican National
convention.
They expressed concern that the mass
immunization plan, described by Secre-
tar- of Health, Education and Welfare
David Mathews as in a state of col-
lapse, would be further jeopardized by
any more delays.
President Ford made personal ap-
peals to House leaders earlier yester-
day to get the legislation passed before
the recess. If the vaccine were not dis-
tributed to the public and swine flu
did erupt, it would cause many deaths,
Ford said.
THE SENATE PILL., passed unani-
mously by voice vote, would make the
government responsible for defending
any lawsuit arising fron alleged in-
juries or deaths resulting from the
inmuniation program, and paying
judgments and settlements.
The 'government, in turn, could seek
to recover its costs from any manufac-
turer or participant in the program if
the injiry resulted from negligence.
In addition, the bill provides that
manufacturers must sell regular swine
flu vaccine to the government without
profit, and will be limited to a "reason-
able profit" for special swine flu vac-
cine intended for the elderly and per-
sons with chronic health problems.
A TWO-YEAR statute of limitations
would be imposed on anyone making an
injury claim. The bill, substituted for
the administration's version, also
strengthens informed consent provi-
sions.
It directs IIEW and the National Com-
mission for the Protection of Human
Subjects of Biomedical and Behavorial
Research to prepare a form before
Sept. 1 explaining the benefits and risks
of swine flue vaccine for every person
getting a shot.
The four drug companies, which al-
ready have produced 120 million doses
of vaccine, have refused to sell any to
the government until. they have protec-
tion against liability claims.
THE ADMINISTRATION
agreed to shoulder the burden after pri-
vate insurance carriers failed to pro-
duce an insurance package acceptable
to the manufacturers.
Anti-Postill testimony heard
By LANI JORDAN
teuta 'FtO Te unaty
CIELSEA -- The pieces of a puzzle
began to fall together yesterday, the
second day of Sheriff Fred Postill's pre-
liminary hearing on felonious assault
charges stetmting frpm his involvement
in a wedding reception brawl in Chelsea.
Witnesses for the prosecution, includ-
ing the groom - Sheriff's Department
Lt. Leonard Dexter - and several re-
ception guests testified before Judge
Henry Arkison in the 14th District Court
about their observations and pat-ticipa-
tion in the July 11 incident,
WHILE NONE of those called to tes-
tify yesterday had witnessed the actual
fight from its inception, most provided
detailed descriptions of events occuring
after the disturbance moved from the
parking lot into the reception hall.
The primary participants in the brawl
were Postill, Jail Administrator Frank
Donley and sheriff's deputy Basil Bay-
singer and his wife Shirley.
Dexter testified that he became aware
of the disturbance when the Baysingers
rcun in the front door of the reception
hail and Deputy Iaysinger screamed,
'Are you supportin that suin tif a bitch
who hit my wife
TIlE IIAYSINGERS were follwed into
the hall by Postill, who had blood drip-
pings from his nose, Dexter stated, add-
ing that he then approached Postill and
accompanied hin to the sheriff's car
See WITNESSES, Page 10