Slegian'iooyears April 1887-April 1987 House passes $ 100-million Contra aid bill By TIM AHERN Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON, D.C. (AP) The House heeded Presi dent Reagan’s pleas last night and approved $lOO million of mostly military aid to rebels fighting to overthrow the government of Nicaragua. The Democratic-controlled chamber approved, 221-209, a plan for $7O million worth of military hardware and $3O million in non-lethal aid. That reversed the House’s 222- 210 defeat of a similar package three months ago. The Contra aid proposal was attached to a bill appro priating $B.l billion for military construction projects and that measure was passed 249-174. The Republican-con trolled Senate must pass the bill before it can reach Reagan. Under the plan, the U.S. government for the first time would openly give military support to the rebels known as “Contras” and permits the CIA and Pentagon to manage the contra program. The rebels had been co vertly supported by the CIA from 1981 to 1984. The House approved, 215-212, an amendment by Rep. Robert Mrazek, D-N.Y., to bar any U.S. military person nel in Honduras or Costa Rica from getting to within 20 miles of the Nicaraguan border to help the Contras. The administration said it had no intention to use combat forces against the Contras. The Nicaraguan embassy in Washington issued a statement saying approval of the funds, “moves the U.S. closer to the ultimate military solution, that is the deployment of U.S. armed forces to the region.” “The contras can win their battles in Washington but they are being defeated by the people in Nicaragua,” said Nicaraguan ambassador Carlos Tunnermann. As he arrived at Point Magu Naval Air Station near *' ‘ * If you were planning go to the Train Station for nachos this weekend, forget it. The one. Former Train Station employees said Herlocher told them that the building will house a restaurant, which opened in 1974, closed its doors Monday. Train Station owner Charles Burger King. Herlocher said he had planned to close the restaurant for renovations after the Herlocher said he is leasing the building to an national food franchise, but won’t say which Arts Festival, but the franchise wants to move in as soon as possible so he closed Monday. 'Herb' might be getting off at the Train Station By JILL A. BEDFORD Collegian Staff Writer Instead of getting off at the Train Station, State College residents may soon be getting it their way at Burger King. The Train Station, 418 E. College Ave., closed its doors for the last time at 3 p.m. Monday putting about 65 people out of work. Charles Herlocher, owner of the Train Station, said yesterday that he had reached an agreement with a national food franchise 'to lease the building that formerly housed the Train Station. He would not confirm which franchise it was, but former employ ees said Herlocher told them Monday the franchise was Burger King. Herlocher said he had planned to reno vate the restaurant and bar, which opened in 1974, to make way for a new style restau rant and had negotiated with several nation al food franchises to rent space in the newly renovated building. The Train Station was originally sched uled to close for renovation for 3 to 4 weeks starting July 14 after the 20th annual Cen tral Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, Herlocher said, but the national franchise was interested in moving into the restau rant right away Negotiations were finalized Friday and the daily Santa Barbara, Calif, to start a vacation, Reagan was asked whether he thought the Contras would now be able to win their battle against the Sandinistas. “I think so,” Reagan replied. A senior administration official traveling with Reagan said the presidential party was unsure it had the votes in hand to win before they left Washington. In addition to the $lOO million Contra aid, the House vote apjproved $3OO million in economic aid to four Central American democracies Guatemala, Honduras, Pana ma and El Salvador. House Republican leader Bob Michel of Illinois said one of the reasons he thought the package was approved this time was because it also contained that money, giving some members of the House a reason to change their position. The House disapproved, 245-183, a proposal by Rep. Lee Hamilton, D-Ind., which would have eliminated all Contra aid money from the bill. Hamilton’s proposal would have only provided $32 million to resettle Contras who stop fighting Nicaragua. . The House also voted down, 225-198, an amendment by Rep. Michael Barnes, D-Md., which would have barred the administration from spending any money until Rea gan could assure Congress that the Contras had ac counted for how they spent previous funds. During the debate, much was made of $27 million in non-lethal aid previously provided, the Contras. Oppo nents of further aid said large amounts of that money ended up in the pockets of the Honduran military and in bank accounts in the Bahamas and the Cayman Islands. Otherwise the debate covered familiar ground. Rea gan’s supporters said military aid was essential to curb communism and restore democracy in Nicaragua while opponents said the administration had failed to pursue a peaceful outcome through negotiations. Herlocher began to notify employees Sun day night. Bill Doscher, an assistant bar manager since last November, said he discovered Sunday, night the Train Station was closing when he read an auction advertisement in The Pittsburgh Press. “I had an idea something was up,” Dosch er said. “I knew that some of the Train Station memorabilia was about to be sold because of the renovation and I just put two and two together (concerning) the stuff he was selling.” Doscher and former waitresses Annette Thomas, Liz Poppert and Barbara Ruse said they were not notified of the closing until Monday afternoon after the lunch shift. “(Herlocher) called a meeting because he said he wanted to clear up any rumors about the restaurant closing,” Poppert (junior health, physical education and recreation) said. “(Herlocher) told employees he was negotiating with four different restaurants since November and this deal (with Burger King) just came through last week.” Doscher said the staff knew of Herloch er’s plans to renovate the restaurant later in the summer and replace it with a chicken and ribs place, but the restaurant’s closing had been rumored for months. “Food orders had been canceled, not by people who order the food, but by Herlocher himself. (Herlocher’s) explanation was that, because of the renovations, he wanted the kitchen manager to order the food bit by bit, week by week,” Doscher said. “(Her locher) had been confronted multiple times since April about the rumored clo sing. . .and (the staff) was pretty much left in the dark.” Herlocher said he was “very concerned” about the employees. “It’s not like we were going to close (the Train Station) without being concerned about anybody,” he said, adding that he notified the unemployment office and six area bars and restaurants of the closing of the Train Station. Ethel Hall, unemployment compensation supervisor at the State College Job Service Office, confirmed that Herlocher had noti fied the office of the restaurant’s closing. Only four former employees signed up for unemployment, she said. Poppert said Herlocher presented the employees with several applications for other area restaurants and bars that were looking for employees, including Burger King. “I walked the streets Tuesday and ap plied for jobs everywhere,” said Ruse (ju nior-elementary education). “I may have to go home.” ' In summing up the opposition, Rep. Thomas Foley, D- Wash., said that by approving military aid the United States would be “embarking on what would be a virtually unprecedented action the United States would be undertaking ... a proxy war (against) a government with which we technically are at peace and technically have diplomatic relations.” Michel urged his colleagues to abandon partisanship. “Let’s have the guts to nurture democracy and fight communism in our hemisphere today, not tomorrow.” The battle took on a personal quality this week when House Speaker Thomas P. O’Neill Jr. rejected a White House request to permit Reagan to make a pitch fron the House rostrum. O’Neill said such an action would be unprecedented and unorthodox, and offered to give Rea gan a forum if he would submit to questioning from House members or address a joint congressional session in stead. Those terms were rejected and Reagan made a noontime speech Tuesday in the White House, which the three major television networks declined to carry. The administration-backed plan was sponsored by Reps. Ike Skelton, D-Mo., and Mickey Edwards, R-Okla. The $lOO million in non-lethal and military aid would be released in three installments. The first $4O million would be made available upon enactment of the bill with an additional $2O million being made available on Oct. 1. The funds could be used only to buy “light” weapons. The final $4O million would be released on Feb. 15,1987 and could be used for “heavy” weapons. Congress could block the release of the final $4O million by taking another vote. Reagan lobbied until the last minute to win support and reverse the earlier defeat. He even made calls from Air Force One while flying West. iglan Photo/Yiannos Nicolaides Doscher said Herlocher tried to be as fair as he could to the employees. “He spoke to restaurant owners and got applications and wanted to tell the staff (of the closing) himself,” he said. “The only unfair thing was the lack of information.” Doscher added that most of the Train Station employees were students putting themselves through school. “I’m bummed about the closing, mostly because there was a good social atmosphere and (the staff) all got along well,” he said. “People have to pay rent and bills. There were people who scrubbed the kitchen floors to earn money for their families,” Ruse said. Herlocher also owns the 12-Week Bar and the Thrifty Bottle Shop, adjacent to The Train Station, and three CC Peppers restau rants in State College. He plans to relocate the bottle shop on the corner of Calder Way and Sowers Street and open a new bar called Taps on Sowers Street July 23. In addition to the 50 to 75 jobs created by the new food franchise, Herlocher plans to create 75 to 100 new jobs by constructing a new building, which would house 15 com mercial rental spaces and three floors of apartments. The new building, which would replace the one that now houses the 12-Week Bar, is scheduled for completion in May 1987. Thursday, June 26,1986 Vol. 87, No. 9 12 pages University Park, Pa. 16802 Published by students of The Pennsylvania State University ©1986 Collegian Inc. ‘lt’s only round one, but, oh boy, what a round.’ Several congressmen who switched their votes said they supported Reagan this time because they felt deci sive action was needed to force the leftist Sandinista government to negotiate in good faith with its opponents. Some Democrats backed an alternative package of $lOO million which would give the Contras $3O million now for non-lethal items like clothing but which would hold off the military items until after another House vote Oct. 1. The delay was intended to give peace talks a chance to work. As in previous debates, supporters said the Sandinistas are a danger to their Central American neighbors and eventually may even threaten the United States, expo nents contended the rebels are not a military match for the Sandinistas and have wasted much of the past U.S. aid. Rep. Matthew Rinaldo, R-N.J., said that “if we fail to assist them (Contras), we will witness the collapse of the only armed resistance to the Sandinista domination of Central America.” Rep. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., noted reports that the Contras have been involved in drug smuggling and said providing more money to them would not help free Nicaragua’s people. However, Rep. Henry Hyde, R-111, turned to Boxer and said, “If you need a rationale for helping the freedom fighters, read our Declaration of Independence.” Senate OKs 6% increase to Penn State By JILL A. BEDFORD Collegian Staff Writer Penn State could receive $181.9 million in general appropriations according to a budget plan approved by the state Senate yesterday, a legislative aide for Sen. J. Doyle Corman (R-Bellefonte) said. Elizabeth Sarge Voras said House Bill 2509 would allocate almost $2 million more to Penn State than Gov. Dick Thornburgh had proposed. The bill, approved earlier by the state House of Representatives, would be an in crease of 6 percent over last year’s general appropriation of $171.6 million. However, it still needs Thornburgh’s approval. “(The University) appreciates the work of the House and Senate Appropriations Com mittee in fashioning this budget and in taking into consideration the needs of Pennsylva nia’s largest comprehensive university,” President Bryce Jordan said yesterday in a prepared statement. “We hope the governor will sign the (bill) as soon as possible so that Penn State can plan for the coming year in an orderly fashion.” Other state-related universities included in the bill were the University of Pittsburgh (appropriated $100.3 million), Temple Uni versity ($110.2 million) and Lincoln Universi ty ($7.5 million). The bill will allocate $135.9 million for education and general expenses; $ll.B mil lion for research costs; $3.7 million for in struction of medical doctors; $14.1 million for agricultural research; $11.9 million for agri cultural extension services; $3.9 million for operating Elizabethtown hospital; and $200,- 000 for enhancing recruitment and retention of disabled students. Voras said Penn State could receive an additional $2.85 million in the general fund’s educational equipment grant program, but the general budget fund had not been ap proved yet. Thornburgh originally budgeted $l7B mil lion for Penn State. The University had asked for $203 million in appropriations. “We believe that Pennsylvania’s legis lators are increasingly aware of Penn State’s special role as the Commonwealth’s land grant university in providing comprehensive programs of instruction, research and public service to the state’s many diverse constitu encies,” Jordan said. inside • USG Vice President Sue Sturgis said three student representatives are prepar ing alternatives to a tuition increase which they might present at next month’s Board of Trustees meeting. Page 12 index comics weather This afternoon, abundant sunshine ac companied by a few fair-weather clouds. High 78. Tonight, mostly clear with more seasonable conditions. Low 57. Tomor row, summer makes its return with in creasing humidity and lots of Hazy sunshine. High 85 Heidi Sonen President Reagan
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