THEWEATHER · NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI - Partly cloudy with slightly warmer temperatures. Slight chance of afternoon or evening thundershowers Saturday. The lows in the 50s. the highs upper 80s to low 90s.
Tel ephone 8 42-2611 Price 10 Cents
Tupelo, Mississippi, Friday Morning, October 3, 1969
Vol 96 No. 159
S. Green St .. East of Hospital
Revised Med icaid Bi 11 Cleared By Legislature Compromise Plan Passes House 76-27, Senate 30-1 6 ·After Heated Debate; To Provide Health Care For 200,000 Needy By ANDREW REESE JR.
FOUR HOSPITALIZED-A few charred timbers-standing stark against a bright blue sky-small tongues of flame still licking at a bedroom floor-smoke drifting slowly into the air. That was all that was left of the J . V. Sheffield family home near Mantachie, after a gas heater exploded there Thursday morning-sending four members of the family to North Mississippi Medical Center, Tupelo, where they were admitted suffering from burns. -Photo by Sallis
4 Burned As Explosion
Levels Mantachie Home By ULDIMA SALLIS Journal Starr Writer
MANTACHIE - An explosion that rocked a wide area near here Thursday morning left a family of five homeless, and four members of the family hospitalized suffering from burns. The home of Mr . and Mrs. J. V. Sheffield was flattened by the blast. Later fire broke out and everything in the dwelling was destroyed. Hospitalized were Angela ,
Senate Kills -fChool Tax Credit Bill I
JACKSON, Miss. (UPI) - A controversial proposal to allow state tax credit for donations to education was killed Thursday night by a Senate committee. The measure, approved by the House several days ago, was part of the package recommended by Gov. John Bell Williams to assist private schools in the face of stepped-up desegregation of public schools. The Senate Finance Committee headed by Sen. Ellis· Bodro~ of Vicksburg, declined to report out the bill but voted instead to indefinitely delay action on the measure . Originally, the bill would r~ve allowed taxpayers to get ' l 100 per cent credit for nations to public or private schools with a maximum donations of $500. The House trimmed the tax credits allowed under the bill to 50 per cent of total contributions not exceeding $500. The legislature gave its approval earlier to a measure providing $200 a year loans to students attending private and parochial schools.
age eight; Tony , age five ; Timothy, age two , and Mr. Sheffield, who is 35. Mrs . Sheffield escaped with minor burns on one hand and leg . Hospital authorities said Angela received first, second, and third degree burns over 50 per cent of her body. Her condition was termed serious. Timothy received first and second degree burns over 40 per cent of his body , including the face , arms and legs. Tony suffered second and third degree burns over 30 per cent of his body. At first it was thought Mr . Sheffield, who suffered first and second degree burns of the hands and arms, would not have to be admitted. However , after staying in the emergency room at North Mississippi Medical Center , Tupelo, for observation
for awhile, he was admitted, also. A member of the family said Thursday afternoon that gas had just been put in at the Sheffield home earlier in the morning and "something went wrong and the heater blew up," A next door neighbor to the Sheffields said he was at a service station east of the scene when the explosion occurred. He said, "The blast shook the ground at the service station , and after the noise had cleared we could hear the woman and children screaming and immediately went to see what was wrong." He said that when he and others from the station arrived at the site, the children were walking around in the yard of Continued On Page 15
Private School Loan Bill Challenge Set JACKSON, Miss. (UPI) - A r ecently-enacted st ate law setting up a student loan program to assist priv ate schools faces its first legal attack by Justice Department attorneys before a federal judge this morning . Government attorney Robert Moore said a motion was to be fil ed before U.S. District Judge Harold Cox asking that a temporary restraining order be granted to prevent the state of Mississippi from disbursing funds under the new program until the constitutionality of the law had been tested. Moore said the motion would be filed on behalf of the government and probably some "private plaintiffs ." Civil rights attorneys moved rapidly to challenge the program after it was signed into
law by Gov . John Bell Williams Sept. 19. The controversial measure provides $200 a year "loans" to children enrolled in nonpublic secondary schools, including parochial and other churchrelated school. There were elaborate conditions under which most of the loans probably never would be repaid. It would cost about $4 million the initial year to provide loans for an estimated 20,000 students. The federal suit said if funds were allowed to be expended under the legislation before the court could rule on its constitutionality, "as much as $4 million may be lost, with a unconstitutional r esultant encouragement to the racially-segregated schools." Continued On Page 15
JACKSON, Miss. (UPI) -A revised Medicaid plan gained final approval Thursday in the Mississippi Legislature. The compromise proposal , setting up a statewide Medicaid program to provide health services to more than 200,000 needy citizens , cleared the House 76-'l:7 without debate . But it touched off a lively floor fight in the Senate before it was finally adopted 30-16. The Senate had rejected an earlier Medicaid compromise. Adoption of the multi-million dollar _proposal completed action on one of the last remaining bills before the weary lawmakers, paving the way for an end to the 11-weekold special session. The legislature w6rked late into the night Thursday in order to wrap up the special session . The Senate had cleared its calendar and was waiting for the house to finish action on several appropriation bills by 11 :30 p.m. to pave the way for adjournment. The stormy session, which began July 22, was primarily called to consider whether . Mississippi should join most other states in establishing a Medicaid program. It had been expanded to include several other major issues- including a
$300 million highway program and a new plan to assist private school students. The lawmakers gave final approval to the highway program Thursday when both chambers accepted a conference report dealing with the bill to issue the road building bonds. Sen. Bill Corr of Sardis lashed out at the Medicaid bill , warning it was a move toward socialism. He said approval of the hotly-argued measure would be to leave "the last door of conservatism standing wide open to pure, unadulterated socialism." Sen. Ed Pittman of Hattiesburg, one of the conferees who prepared the new com promise measure, said it was his "hope and prayer that this program will work to the best interests of all our people." Another conferee, Sen. Bill McKinley of Jackson , said he originally was against Medicaid. " Finally it occurred to me that this is to give medical assistance to some . people-to the old people, the blind , the disabled , the children ," said McKinley. " I can't see anything wrong with that. We're helping people who can 't help themselves," he said. Sens . Vol Jones of Waynesboro, Merle Palmer of
and about $8 million in state funds. Fisc.a l leaders estimated the revamped program would cost an initial $35.4 million for the first yea r , requiring about $7 million ·in state money with $28.4 million in federal funds. Backers said the $7 million was about that it would have cost the state a nyway to contin ue. present health programs if Medicaid had been defeated, providing services to only 2,800 .persons rather than the 202,000 who would benefit fro m Medicaid. The proposal would provide free hospitalization and other health services to an estimated 202,000 persons on state welfare
rolls. A seven-member commission would be created to administer Medicaid and coordinate the expenditure of state funds for other health programs in an effort to obtain maximum matching money from the federal government. The bill suffered a major setback Wednesday when the Senate rejected the compromise worked out in conference and invited further study. The House approved the compromise but reversed itself Thursday and agreed to allow additional negotiations, pulling the program back from the brink of defeat. The House adopted a motion Continued On Page 15
Trace Completion
Said Years Away Completion of the Natchez Trace link from Tupelo to the Tishomingo County line thirtys ix miles northeastward is years away , Superintendent Bob Haraden of the parkway system told the highway committee of the Tupelo Community Development Foundation Thursday. The Natchez Trace Parkway received no funds for new construction last year and probably will not receive any for the 1970 fiscal year ending next July 1, Mr. Haraden told the committee during a noon meeting at the Natchez Trace Inn . " It has taken thirty .years to build 310 miles of the parkway. How long it will take to construct the remaining 135 miles depends on how much money is appropriated. We just don 't know," Mr . Haraden said. He pointed out that President Nixon's order cutting back federal construction projects seventy-five per cent hit the Natchez Trace Parkway more heavily than some other work even though the parkway is now the most heavily used park in the national park system. From Jan. 1 to Sept. 1 this year 7,930,000 vehicles used the Natchez Trace even though it still exists in seven unconnected links, Superintendent Haraden told the group. The only Trace project now under construction was started
in 1968, he said. lt involves eight miles from the Tishomingo County line to Highway 25. This project will be completed by the end of next year and there is no expectation of additional construction funds before 1971, he told the committee. Mr. Haraden gave this rough picture of construction priorities on the remaining 135 miles of the Natchez Trace : 1. Close a 11-mile gap in the Trace between Jackson and Natchez a round Fayette. 2. Construct the 12-mile link needed to tie the Tishomingo County project into the Alabama -Tennessee work already completed. 3. Tie in a link around Duck River in Tennessee which now ends in a field to some nearby highway. 4. Tie into some highway the southern end of the Tishomingo County link which now ends in a field. 5. Construct the 36 miles from Tupelo to the Tishomingo County project. 6. Extend the Trace on into Natchez. 7. Finally, extend the parkway on into Nashville, where some expensive right of way still has not been purchased. AIi right-of-way in Mississippi has been purchased with the exception of very minor items, Mr. Haraden said. ·
BOTH CHAMBERS APPROVE REPORT
Highway Bond Gets Final OK approval of a massive $650 i ACKSON, Miss. <UPIJ The Mississippi leg isla ture million program during the gave final approval Thursday to regular 1968 session. Im provement of highways Gov. John Bell Williams' highway improvem ent progr a m had been a key plank in . with agreement on a $300 Williams' 1967 guber natorial campaign and the clarion call ·million bond bill. The key one cent state for better roads carried over gasoline tax increase to finance into almost every statewide the bonds and a bill that would race. Three candidates who set out priorities for the roa d promised better highways won work already _had won final election to the highway com approval. The gas tax hike goes mission to give that body an into effect Jan . 2, 1970, with the entire new membership. The 1968 program died when tax on gasoline increasing from the present seven cents per the Senate failed to pass the 1.5 cent gasoline tax increase, gallon to eight cents . The highway program was killing the bond measure. The the first major road building .governor la ter proposed a progr a m a pproved by the ·reduced program and held lawma kers since the mid-1930s conferences with lawmakers and passage of the program around' the state to see if there j · reversed a previous setback was sufficient support to call a !when Williams failed to win special session .
Pascagoula, Ollie Mohamed of Belzoni and Bill Alexander of Cleveland also spoke against adoption of the plan. " All of us have compassion for the poor," said Alexander, "but it is my firm conviction this type bill is going to bring America to its knees. I can't vote for it." The release of the bill to the governor was delayed by a motion to reconsider. The state faced a Jan. 1 deadline to act on Medicaid or lose federal matching funds available under Title 19 of the Social Security Act. The original plan, endorsed by Gov. John -Bell Williams, called for a $41 million program including $33 million in federal monev
However , he declined to call a conference committee to work the session immediately a fter out agreement on a score of the conferences and said this House amendments and several was to allow additional time to Sena te changes. The committee study th e s tate 's econom ic report won Senate approval 36conditions at the end of the 12 Thursday after an hour 's fiscal yea r. The highwa y debate and minutes later the · program w,as submitted shortly House, without debate, voted 98after the special session con- 8 to accept the committee vened July 22. report. Much of A conference committee the Senate earlier in the session recom- arguments centered around the mended a compromise version highway commission revolving of the priorities bill, giving the fund . The old $95 million hi ghway commission the . revolving fund was eliminated authority to determine road in the Senate version, but the building prioriti es · without House put the fund a ccount regard to the 1968 Highway back in the bill. The conference Designation Act , The penny gas committee agr eed to keep the tax increase won final approval revolving fund in the bill , but last week when the House reduced the size of the fund to agreed to go along with the $25 million . Senate version. Sen. Marion Smith of NatThe bond bill also wound up in chez, a Senate conferee, refused
to sign the conference r eport and urged that the conference committee report not be approved and that the committee be asked to continue study of the bills. His motion failed 19-29. Smith argued that the Highway Commission had told the Senate hi ghways committee that the revolving fund actually was not necessary. Sen. R. B. Reeves of McComb, highway committee chairman, however said he was "convinced that they need some cushion" and that the $25 million was a " reasonable compromise." Sen. Ollie Moham ed of Belzoni, the third Senate conferee, said the fund was needed in case some federal or interstate money became available the state · could take · Continued On Page 15
FOLLOW THROUGH GIFT-Tupelo First Presbyterian Church donated $2,000 to the Tupelo Public Schools Follow Through Project Thursday as part of the $54,000 local share of funds necessary to maintain the program. Presenting Follow Through Director Mrs . Juliet Borden with the check are Church Elders C.R. Godwin (left) and Dr. Tom Wesson. The money was raised from the church at large as part of the church's witness season. Other churches will hopefully participate in the local funding of Follow Through for deprived youngsters in Tupelo . -Sta ff photo by Dwight Gentry
Yellow Creek Funds Included In House Appropriations Bill WASHINGTON , D.C.- The House Appropriat ions Com mittee Thursday r eported out a bill -which includes funds for beginning work on Yellow Creek Port, continuation of engineering and design on Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, flood control on the Bear Creek Watershed and several other projects in North Mississippi. Congressman J amie L. Whitten said the bill will be taken up on the floor of the House next week. The funds were included in Whitten 's subcommittee repor t. Included in the bill are appropriations of : - $450,000 for beginning work
on the Yellow Creek Port on the Mississippi side of the Tennessee River ; - $500;000 for continuation of engineering and design on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway; - $1 million fo r flood control on the Bear Creek Watershed in Mississippi and Alabama ; - $650,000 for flood control work on the Tenn esseeTombigbee Watershed ; - $50,000 for continuation of the survey on the Hatchie River in Alcorn and Tippah Counties ; - Funds for development of facilities at Arkabuttla, Enid, Grenada and Sardis Reservoirs ; the Upper Auxiliary Channel through Leflore ,
War Toll Lowest For U.S. Troops In Two Years SAIGON <UPl)-Ninety-five Americans died in combat last week in South Vietnam, the fewest in the weekly toll in more than two years, the U.S. Military Command announced Thursday. The dead plus 1,315 wounded last week r aised total American casualties in the war to 38,823 dead and 253,374 wounded since Jan . 1, 1961, the official starting date of war casualties. Prior to last week, the prev ious low number.in American com bat deaths was during the week ended Aug . 12, 1967, when 82 died. The toll last week compared with 135 killed during the previous week, ended Sept . 20. In addition to fewer American casualties. the South
Tall aha tchie and Quitman Counties; and the AscalmoreTi ppe and Possum Bayou Projects . Whitten said Thursday he is highly elated that the Appropriations Committee backed his subcommittee on projects for the Second Congressional District , along wit h other sections of the state. "Particularly am I pleased," he said , "that we got funds for beginning work on the Yellow Creek Port on the Mississippi side of the Tennessee River. Tht) a mount of $450,000 Continued On Page 15
New A lbany Na tive Bonker
Group Preside nt
HONOLULU, Hawaii- Nat S., Rogers of Houston , Texas, a New Albany native who is the Vietnamese losses last week newly elected president of the were the lowest -in one month . American Bankers Association, The lower casualties among the said banks m1·st pay more allies reflected a general lull in battlefield action during the attention to publ'.c relations now than ever before. past several weeks. Rogers, who was president of Government officials said South Vietnamese losses last a Jackson bank before acweek totaled 308 dead and 806 cepting a similar position in the wounded , the fewest dead since Texas city, told the national the week ended Aug . 30 when convention of the ABA ther e 354 government . soldiers were was a "compelli'ng need for us to improve our rapport with killed. Communist losses in the Wa shington and with the fighting r emained at the level public. " The Houston banker said of recent weeks, the U.S. Command said. A total of 2,382 bankers must achieve in voice were killed last week, com- and action ,a unity which is . pared with 2,696 the previous difficult to achieve for such a highly fractionalized industry. week. The Americans killed last He said a new master plan for week raised to 8,280 the number bank public relations is in the making. of dead in fighting this year .