The Courier-Journal from Louisville, Kentucky • Page 2

Ad the courier-journal, Tuesday, april 4, 1989 Reagan tapped North as contra fund-raiser Witness says ex-CIA chief conveyed president's wishes -feM ml tr.v al Security Council three times after high administration officials persuaded him that North was needed there. Garwood said she had met North a half-dozen times and that he had briefed her on the contra cause on Aug. 23, 1985, before she signed a check. "Col. North showed me a map of Central America.

He said, 'This is a desperate situation for the freedom fighters. I'm not asking you for money. As a member of the government and the National Security Council, I cannot ask you for she testified. Garwood, who lives in Austin, Texas, said she left North's office in the White House complex with fundraiser Carl Channell en route to a hotel, across a small park. "Mr.

Channell asked me for money after we left," she said. "We were probably a half block away from the hotel. He asked, 'Can you give $75,000 to help the I wrote a check for that amount." When he testified March 8, Channell was asked whether she signed the check in North's office. "Or very shortly thereafter, an hour at the most" Channell said. When the question was asked a second time, Channell said, "I think it was right there in that office." By HARRY F.

ROSENTHAL Associated Press WASHINGTON A witness yesterday quoted former CIA Director William Casey as saying that President Reagan had designated Oliver North to handle the Nicaraguan con-tras' military needs in the event of a congressional ban on official U.S. aid. Vincent Cannistraro, a defense witness in North's trial, said Casey made the statement in the spring of 1984 during a meeting attended by CIA official Duane Clarridge; the CIA station chief in Costa Rica, Joseph Fernandez; and a contra leader who was not identified. Cannistraro said at the outset of his testimony that he was knowledgeable about CIA activities in support of the rebels in the two years before the ban on aid went into effect and intimated that he was with the CIA at the time. He said that in September 1984 he went to work for then-National Security Adviser Robert McFarlane and had an office next door to North's.

It had become obvious, Cannistraro said, that in the fiscal year starting in October 1984 that Congress would cut off funds for the contras, who were fighting to overthrow Nicaragua's leftist Sandinista ASSOCIATED PRESS Cuban President Fidel Castro, light, described Havana's Jose Marti statue to Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev at a ceremony yesterday. Gorbachev, Castro review differences, Cuba's debt government "He, Bill Casey, speaking on behalf of the president of the United States, wanted to assure the freedom fighters that the U.S. government would find a way" to support them after the ban took effect, Cannistraro testified. "He said Col. North would not be subject to those restrictions." Casey died in April 1987.

North maintained in congressional testimony that he acted in the belief that the ban applied only to intelligence agencies and not the National Security Council, where he was an aide. Charges against North include allegations that he concealed from Congress and former Attorney General Edwin Meese his efforts on behalf of the contras. At a subsequent meeting attended by North and contra leader Adolfo Calero, Cannistraro said, "there was more specific discussion that Col. North would be responsible at the White House after October 1984 the only one dealing with the con conformity in return for passage of his plan, Wright said, "That is an accurate reflection." Wright also recalled Wilkinson's suggesting that another option could be other changes in the income tax. One of the other lawmakers said the group also discussed eliminating or reducing some tax exemptions.

Asked how much revenue Wilkinson appeared willing to raise, Wright said the discussion "went from $100 million to $300 million" a year. It has been estimated that conformity could raise as much as $100 million a year. Wright said a 1-cent increase in the sales tax, which would raise about $200 million, was not discussed. Wright said there appeared to be a consensus at the meeting that the state also should raise the minimum tax effort that local school districts must make to qualify for state "power-equalization" funds, which reduce the disparity among districts property-tax bases. Wright said he did not know how Wilkinson hints deal on schools, taxes make a show of support for a developing country by announcing the Soviet Union's willingness to forgive a large portion of Cuba's debt, which has grown to an estimated $8 billion to $20 billion during in the 30 years since the Cuban revolution one of the world's highest per-capita debts.

To forgive a debt unlikely ever to be repaid would actually cost Gorbachev very little, one diplomat said, while raising the ante for Western industrialized countries that hold most Third World debt. Gorbachev told the United Nations in December that the Soviet Union was prepared to offer the least-developed countries a moratorium on debt service, and "in quite a few cases to write off the debt altogether." Castro has campaigned for years for cancellation of Latin America's $420 billion foreign debt declaring that it is unpayable and has contributed to economic decline throughout the hemisphere. Continued from Page One North America while increasingly becoming drug consumers. The debt is only one aspect of the economic ties between the Soviet Union and Cuba. Soviet economic aid to Cuba is estimated by Western sources at between $4 billion and $7 billion annually, substantially more per capita than U.S.

assistance to any Latin American country. There was speculation both inside and outside government circles that one issue in the talks is the question of Third World debt Diplomats in Havana and in Moscow, speaking on condition they not be identified, have said the Soviets already appear to have reduced the subsidies they pay by buying Cuban sugar at higher-than-world-market prices. Some said they expect Gorbachev to tell Castro bluntly but in private that Cuba must put its economic house in order. They said that in public, he may Continued from Page One will do them any good. Two legislators, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of damaging their relations with the governor, gave somewhat different accounts of Wilkinson's stance.

One said Wilkinson did not say flatly that he would be for conformity, but "indicated that it was an option." But the other said, "It was about as definite as I've ever heard him that he'd be for it (conformity) if that's what it took" to pass his program. Tom Dorman, Wilkinson's chief legislative aide, said, "I think the governor expressed a real desire to get on with" improving schools. "He was told that we need money and he agreed that in some areas we do need money." Wilkinson has said that before. Wright declined to specifically characterize Wilkinson's position. Asked to confirm an account of the meeting that had Wilkinson favoring All appears Continued from Page One ther retailer's ticket-selling license.

Keener said lottery officials would decide this week whether to do so. News reports over the weekend said that Robert J. White, owner of The Bait Shop In Lexington, had sold 1,000 tickets. White told WLEX-TV in Lexington that he hadn't known the tickets weren't supposed to be sold until today. Vickie Dennis, a spokeswoman for the lottery, said yesterday that lottery officials had given White "a stern warning." Keener said a Jefferson County retailer also sold tickets last Friday, but he said he could not remember the name of the store.

He said the retailer had promised not to sell any more before today. Lottery retailers were required to ready for lottery launch tras on paramilitary support." Cannistraro, asked by U.S. District Judge Gerhard Gesell who had given authority for that arrangement, quoted Casey as having said earlier that "he had discussed this with the president of the United States and agreed with the president this is how it should be handled." Earlier yesterday, a Texas woman who contributed more than $2 million to help the Nicaraguan guerrillas asserted firmly that North never directly asked for or received money from her while he was a White House aide. "That was a lie," Ellen Garwood testified when told of a fund-raiser's earlier testimony that she may have signed a $75,000 check in North's office. She said North did describe "desperate" contra needs to her, but the fund-raiser didn't ask for the money until after they had left Garwood was the second defense witness.

She followed former Marine Corps commandant Paul Kel-ley, who testified that he reluctantly extended North's tour at the Nation the rank and file of the General Assembly would respond to the developments. "There was some concern expressed afterward that if you give the governor what he wants, it leaves the legislature and the issue of raising funds up in the air," Wright said. If the legislature agrees to some kind of deal, Wright said, it needs "a very clear understanding of what's going to be done." House Speaker Don Blandford said the discussion with Wilkinson was encouraging. "Certainly it's frustrating that you don't quote, have a breakthrough," Blandford said. "But I think as long as we're talking and discussing the issues like we did today, like we did last week, that's got to be positive.

Something will follow from that I think we will eventually get there." Wilkinson was not available after the meeting at the Governor's Mansion, but his spokesman, Doug Alex game's 30 million tickets will feature the word "Derby" printed three times. The winning "Derby" tickets net a $5,000 prize and the chance to win one of 25 expense-paid trips to the Kentucky Derby. Those 25 winners will be winnowed down to the number of horses in the Derby; each winner will be assigned a horse, and the person with the winning horse wins the $1 million jackpot Also yesterday, state Auditor Bob Babbage released a management audit of the lottery corporation that was largely complimentary of the organization. The 13-page audit which cost $15,300 and was conducted by the accounting firm of Coopers and Ly-brand, pointed out that the corporation had no contingency plan for dealing with emergencies such as "Almost invariably what's happened is we have lost more experienced nurses and have replaced those nurses with younger nurses with less experience," Malangonl said. "As in any job, experience counts for a fair amount There Is no doubt that an operating-room nurse who has experience is a much more efficient employee." Having inexperienced nurses in the operating room "might slow the operation down a little bit" Malan-goni said.

But "it's not really going to cause any direct harm to the patient" because of surgeons' expertise. Holtzman said: "What tends to happen here Is that we get younger nurses coming here, to get experience. And then they become very marketable people to other hospitals here in town, once they get that experience, and we see that turnover." Often, Holtzman said, the nurses who leave are being offered daytime work hours or supervisory positions at other hospitals. Most nurses at University frequently must work overtime, nights and weekends, he said. Gemma Ziegler, a nurse involved in recent efforts to organize unions for Louisville-area nurses, said operating-room nurses have cited under-staffing, long hours and stress as reasons for leaving University Hospital.

Miller, the trauma director, said, "I see morale (among operating-room nurses) as a big problem. Before Humana took over operation of University Hospital, "the conditions were bad," he said. "The nurses ASSOCIATED PRESS President Bush and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak shared a light moment yesterday in the Oval Office. Bush says occupation by Israelis should end ander, said the governor was pleased with the gathering. Lawmakers hope to reach a consensus on an approach to education that may be taken up during a special legislative session this year.

The essential differences between Wilkinson and the lawmakers involve timing and emphasis. Wilkinson has said repeatedly that he believes nothing short of a complete restructuring will improve Kentucky schools. Legislators back some more concrete proposals, such as reduced class sizes and more money for poorer districts. "The question as to whether you only consider restructuring or include other items along with restructuring would be the basic disagreement" if a disagreement exists, Blandford said. The negotiations will continue.

At the suggestion of the legislators, Wilkinson will meet with members of the House and Senate education committees within the next few weeks. Information for this story was also gathered by staff writer John Voskuhl and The Associated Press. power failures. Because the lottery relies heavily on its computer, a "a prolonged interruption in computer services may have a serious impact on the business performance and image of the corporation," the audit notes. Keener said be hopes to develop a joint contingency plan with the Virginia state lottery, which uses the same equipment Also yesterday, a state Revenue official said the lottery had already brought about $31,000 to the state treasury.

Reed Rhorer, a principal assistant to Revenue Secretary Emmett Calvert said the money came from tax checks that were routinely conducted on each store owner who applied to be a lottery retailer. The lottery must devote 35 percent of its gross sales to the state treasury if the first two games sell out completely, the state would receive $35 million. worked hard," but they also had "this sense of altruism Now they see this as just Humana turning a profit" Miller and others said they also are concerned about what will happen if the shortage of operating-room nurses persists. "When the weather gets warm we begin to see a lot more" accident and trauma cases, Polk said. "We've got our head halfway above water now, but if we were to get busy, the way we always do in the summer, I don't know how we'd manage." The hospital probably could cope, Miller said, but only if the operating rooms were used almost solely for emergency cases.

A long-term shortage is "going to have a huge impact on the teaching function, and a big impact on the patients who are sort of locked into this hospital," be said. Israel seeking to halt pedestrian 'roulette' New York Times News Service JERUSALEM The Israeli government is trying to stop the spread of a deadly new game that has taken hold among the nation's youth: a bizarre variant of Russian roulette in which young boys take turns running In front of speeding cars. The "game," popular among 11 and 12 year olds, was born about six weeks ago in Herzllya, a wealthy suburb of Tel Aviv. It spread north to Haifa, where an 11-year-old boy was killed playing it two weeks ago. Last week the police reported a new variant two incidents in which young boys leaped in front of moving trains.

In both cases, the engineers managed to stop time. Nurse shortage to shut operating rooms attend training sessions, where they were told that the penalty for early sales was the possible loss of their ticket-selling license. Today, lottery players can buy tickets for two games, "Beginner's Luck" and "Kentucky Derby DreamStakes." Both games use tickets with a waxy coating over six dollar amounts. Tickets that reveal three matching dollar amounts win. Each "Beginner's Luck" ticket will cost prizes will range from $1 to $1,000.

Lottery officials hope to sell 40 million tickets for the game. The odds of winning at least $1 are about 1 in 5. "DreamStakes" tickets will cost the game's biggest prize is $1 million, paid in 20 annual Installments of $50,000. The game will pay prizes of between $2 and $500, and 200 of the said he didn't know how long patients with no other options would have to wait for surgery. "I'm extremely concerned about it" Polk said.

University Hospital has tried to attract more nurses, Holtzman said, advertising a $1,500 bonus for new hires and bringing in some workers from a company-wide nursing pool. But so far University Hospital has not been able to replace nurses as fast as they are leaving. Moreover, new nurses tend to be less experienced than the ones who left conference. The Nissan jobs, which are highly sought, pay $11.50 to $13.50 an hour in addition to a base salary bonus of $1.45 an hour and other incentives. Benefield said worker satisfaction is high and it is unlikely that the United Auto Workers union, which has tried to organize the plant before, would take root The company preferred to hire workers without previous car-making experience, he said.

Therefore, Nissan would be unlikely to entice workers away from the UAW-organ-ized GM Saturn plant which is expected to be operating by 1991 in nearby Spring Hill, the president said. Continued from Page One blocks of time for non-emergency surgery in the University Hospital operating rooms. Doctors have been told "this is now a first-come, first-served basis, and we're going to be limited for a period of time," Kutz said. Doctors who don't want their patients on a waiting list for operations might move them to other hospitals, Holtzman said. But University is the primary hospital serving poor people in Jefferson County, and Polk Continued from Page One peace treaty" (with Egypt).

Yossi Ben Aharon, Shamir's chief of staff, indicated the prime minister was willing to listen to U. S. proposals for easing tensions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, such as releasing some of about 5,000 Palestinians held in Israeli jails. "We have no problem with such measures as long as they are not one-sided, which would compound the problem and give the impression we were knuckling under to pressure," Ben Aharon said. Mubarak, standing alongside Bush at in the White House Rose Garden, said, "We found ourselves in agreement on most issues at stake." Bush did not specify whether his administration was demanding total Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

Nor did he define what he meant by a "properly structured" International conference, although senior U.S. officials said Bush emphasized "the key factor of direct negotiations in any peace process." U. S. policy on the occupied territories has been to urge Israel to trade land for peace while leaving open the possibility of Israel retaining some of the territories for security reasons. In his talks with Bush, Mubarak rejected Shamir's suggestion for elections among Palestinians to find leaders who would negotiate their future with Israel, according to a senior U.

S. official. Mubarak asserted that elections under Israeli supervision were unacceptable to the Palestinians, the official said. Rather than let the idea drop, Bush asked Mubarak if other forms of supervision would be acceptable, said the official, who refused to elaborate. The 15-month Palestinian uprising and Israel's harsh tactics In dealing with it have created pressure to reach a peace settlement.

"We share a sense of urgency to move toward a comprehensive settlement through direct negotiations," Bush said. "A new atmosphere must be created where Israelis and Arabs feel each other's willingness to compromise so that both sides can win." "Violence can give way to dialogue once both sides understand that the dialogue will offer political gain," he said. "Egypt and the United States share the goals of security for Israel, the end of the occupation and achievement of Palestinian political rights." Endorsing one of Mubarak's principal proposals, Bush said that a "properly structured international conference could play a useful role at an appropriate time." Mubarak wants a peace conference to be convened by the end of this year or the beginning of 1990, the U. S. official said.

The administration's position, he said, is that "there's a lot of ground that has to be covered before there could be a possible useful role for an international conference." Mubarak said he and Bush shared the belief that any peace settlement "should be a comprehensive one that addresses all aspects of the dispute, particularly the Palestinian problem." "That settlement should be achieved through direct negotiations between Israel and all Arab parties within the framework of the international peace conference," he said. Mubarak said that U. S. talks with the Palestine Liberation Organization represent one of the "breakthroughs" in the Middle East peace process. Moreover, he said, the PLO "has accepted unequivocally the requirements for peace." i Nissan plans to expand plant, add new car line, 2,000 jobs Continued from Page One scratch," Benefield said.

The new car is scheduled to roll off the line in the summer of 1992, in time for the 1993 model-year introduction. The company, which employs 3,200, will hire 1,750 production technicians and about 250 administrators beginning next year. Nissan said it will spend $90 million on a training program and has asked the state to chip in $9 million for the program. "We have training money available in Tennessee and naturally we will go to the legislature and discuss it with them," said Gov. Ned McWherter, who attended the news.