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Show Memorial Day Memorial Day Salt Lake City, Vo!. 213, No. 48 0 0 Itah Mondav Morning May 26, 1W6 Americans Join Hands Against Poverty By Robert Barr Associated Press Wr iter M.lliuns of volunteers extended hands to the hungry, the homeless and each other on Sunday, joining Hands Across America in a broken line over mountains and plains, through pock ets of poverty and to the porch of the Reagans Link Hands for The Homeless White House "This is just the beginning." top organizer Ken Kragen said in New York "When today is over, roll up your sleeves and go out to work in your community We have to move from the big event to the person on - WASHINGTON (AP) President Reagan stood in front of the White House, held hands with two children and sang "Hands Across America Sunday as he joined in the nationwide human chain on behalf of the hungry and homeless. The president, first lady Nancy Reagan and about 30 others stood on a wooden platform erected in front of the marble North Portico of the executive mansion. About 225 aides. Secret Service agents, news media representatives and family members completed the number needed to fill the semicircu- the street hite ropes and ribplaces, bons substituted for humanity. "America, you look beautiful today," said actor Ben Vereen. "I'm here because I m making history." said Bobby Conner in Clinton, Ky. "1 wouldn't miss it for the world. Organizers had said they needed more than 5 million people to form the chain, and hoped to raise $50 million or more for the hungry and the homeless. Despite frantic work up to the final minute, not all the gaps were closed by 3 p.m. EI)T when the line formed. Marty Rogol, the executive director for USA for Africa, the parent foundation for Hands Across America, declined to estimate how much money was raised or how many people participated "It may take as long as most of the summer" to tabulate it, he said in Los Angeles. New Jersey organizers said that 200.000 people 80,000 more than needed completed the state's red-and-- lar driveway that stretches between two gates on Pennsylvania Avenue and passes in front of the White House. The two gates were thrown open for the event, with members of the White House chain linking hands with those outside. A solid line of police cars and motorcycles stretched along Pennsylvania Avenue in front of Lafayette Park, where more than 100 members of the Community for Creative Nonviolence staged a demonstration protesting Reagan's policies on homelessness and hunger. A wood, metal and canvas platform erected to accommodate members of the news media blocked the president's view of the demonstration and prevented the crowd gathered See Column 1 A-- United PreiS international Statue of Liberty provides fitting backdrop for the multi- that gathered in New Yorks Battery Park Sunday to Photo join hands for the hungry and homeless. Millions of volun-tud- e teers joined to form a broken chain across United States. line. Kentucky organizers claimed they filled their segment, Illinois at one point reported a solid 65 miles of people in one stretch but later retracted the claim, and the link through Manhattan was nine-deein some places. In the California desert, gaps as long as five miles were seen. Dennis Walto, operations director for New Mexico, said the turnout of 238.000 people including some from out of state amounted to 17 percent of the state's population. There were gaps, he said, but none longer than a mile. There were no reports of injuries or other incidents m the line. The route was marked by balloons, flags and clanging church bells, and weddings, and even a couple of killer See Column 2 D.C. Needy Join Chain Hoping Tomorrow Brings Results players are Thurman Long, Earl Hancock and Constance Gaylord. While the celebrities queued up for in such lofty settings as the crisply, manicured White House lawn and the Mazza Gallerie, a fancy shopping center near the Maryland line, the organizers in Anacostia set up in a parking lot of an old furniture factory. For Thurman Long, perched on a ledge in front of a boarded-uliquor store, this Hands Across America business was just another "project outreach. and he's heard that before. "The only thing I'm going to hold hands with he boasted. today is a half-pinBut a few blocks up the street. Earl Hancock was on cloud nine. WASHINGTON (AP) Along Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, not too far from the capital landmarks that tourists frequent, the question Sunday was whether the compassionate outpouring of the Hands Across America event would stretch across the Anacostia River to the homeless, the hungry and the downtrodden. For many people who live in the city's poorest section, the uppermost worry was whether hearts of gold on Sunday would turn to hearts of stone by Monday, and for countless tomorrows hand-claspin- g p to come. On this stage, the players are Reagan, Billy Graham, Sugar Ray Leonard, Mary Lou Retton and Coretta Scott King. Along the street named for her slain husband, the not Ronald t, :m Itahns Get Involved: Sport Aid: B-- 8 - as-Saf- ir pro-Liby- Mitterrand's source said. H- -l Across the city, the level of hunger is hard to measure, and what feeding programs exist are run largely by church and community groups working with volunteers. A study prepared for the city by the University of the District of Columbia last year estimated there were at least 6,500 homeless in the nation's capital, a city of about 628,000 that is two-third- s breakthrough early last ported week in backstage contacts in Syria, Lebanon and Iran to free the French hostages. The newspaper has not said who is involved in the contacts. It said, however, that the efforts excluded the five American hostages because of the U.S. raid on Libya on April 15. The use of PRINCETON, N.J. auto seat belts has doubled in the last two years. Currently, a 52 percent majority of adults report having worn a seat belt the last time they rode in a car, twice the 25 percent incidence recorded in Gallups 1984 audit and higher than last year's figure of 40 percent. As recently as 1982, only 17 percent used their seat belts. Not coincidentally, 24 states and the District of Columbia now have laws. At this mandatory seat-betime last year, only New York and New Jersey had compulsory seat-belaws, while five additional states had enacted legislation that has since gone into effect. The recent spate of seat-bel- t legislation doubtless reflects Transportation Secretary Elizabeth Dole's 1984 order requiring all new automobiles to be equipped with passive restraints, such as air bags or automatic seat belts, by 1989. The require lt as-Saf- ir Today's Forecast ConSalt Lake City and vicinity tinued sunny and warm. Highs in mid-80lows near 50. Details: B-- d lt cent). Following is the question on seat-beuse and the trend, showing a decrease in use between 1973 and 1982 and a sharp increase since then: lt Thinking about the last time you got into a car, did you use a seat ment would be waived if states with of the U.S. population pass laws by then. mandatory seat-bel- t belt?" two-thir- Seat-Bel- Although states with mandatory seat-belegislation report fewer traffic fatalities since their laws took effect, auto accidents remain the third leading cause of death in the U.S., trailing only cancer and heart disease. More than 44,000 people die each year in auto accidents. l Use lt The latest Gallup Poll dramatic increases in use since 1984 are recorded major population groups, See Column Although seat-bel- t in all reveals a far 1 A-- day. Vice President George Bush was to visit his vacation home on the Maine coast and give a Memorial Day French-languag- speech during ceremonies at Square. When his boss, President Reagan, announced he would come outside the White House to join the Hands Across America line, even more attention was focused on the human chain, which stretched, with some gaps, to form a helping hand. Organizers hoped to raise at least $50 million, with such lures as and buttons, Bill Cosby, Don Johnson and Raqnel Welch. In New York, Hands organizer Ken Kragen Kenne-bunkpo- re- - Today's Chuckle pieces lt y not Reports in Beirut on Sunday said the French hosconfirmed tages were moved to a secret location in east Lebanon pending their release in Damascus. A Western news agency quoted Beirut's e daily L'Onent le Jour as saying the French captives were taken to Lebanon's Bekaa Valley, but the newspaper did not carry such a report. Hotels in Damascus were filled with European reporters and television crews awaiting the release of the Cocktail party where sandwiches and acquaintances are cut into small use higher level of reported seat-beby residents of states with compullaws (58 percent) than sory seat-beby residents of other states (38 per- By Mary MacVean Associated Press Writer Millions of Americans moved outside Sunday for Memorial Day weekend observances, heading for campgrounds and beaches, joining hands to help the homeless or commemorating the loss of loved ones to wars. The three-daholiday weekend mingled hope for the needy through Hands Across America, with the solemnity of war and its toll, including the dedication of a "living" memorial to Vietnam veterans in California. Rain drenched the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, and the 70th Indianapolis 500 was delayed a said. as-Saf- ir in Cars 3 -- Day Holiday Mixes Memories, Outings, Aid to Needy Elysee Palace, the hostages. The influx began after A-- lt "When he did, he was surprised that the Elysee asked him how true were the reports about the imminent release of the hostages. He said he knew nothing of the sort," the source Syrian-controlle- black. Strapped Majoritys - a On Saturday, quoted unidentified sources as saying eight Frenchmen would be released, four within two days and four a week latcurried a er. report saying that an informed political source has disclosed that six hostages, three Americans and three French, will be freed shortly. Neither publication identified the hostages to be released. p Columbia, home of about 80,000 mostly poor people and of St. Elizabeth's Hospital, the mental institution. This community is where, the statistics show, a large number of people are on the Aid to Families with Dependent Children welfare program. This event is for us. I feel like I can reach the hand of that guy way out their in California. he said. "This day is for us, for our neighbors. This day tells me, If I'm hungry, do something about it, he said. Constance Gaylord pointed proudly to a banner proclaiming: "First Annual Parkchester Community Day of Work & Reunion. This is Anacostia, Ward 8 in the District of Source Says Hostages Wont Be Released A BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) French hostage negotiator was in Damascus, Syria, on Sunday, as reports swirled out of Lebanon that some of the 14 French and American hostages held in Lebanon by Moslem extremists soon would be released. But an informed source, who insisted that he remain anonymous and that his location not be disclosed, said, I am in a position to assure you that all the gossip about the release of any hostage is without foundation at all." The Beirut newspaper said Saturday that eight Frenchmen would be released over the next nine days. The same day, the said three Beirut magazine American and three French hostages would be freed soon. The source said, however, that although French hostage negotiator Omran Adham was in the capital of neighboring Syria, he was on a "private business visit this time." In the last six months, Adham made frequent trips to Syria to help free the hostages. When Adham checked into his Damascus hotel, he found four messages asking him to call President Francois " The line was thick with people, swaying to the strains of "We Are the World" and holding clasped hands aloft, at its terminals in New York and Long Beach, Calif In other Associated Cub Scouts place flags on some of the 26,000 graves at San Franciscos Presidio Press I user photo cemetery. zbout 150 Scouts helped prepare park for Memorial Day activities. I rt estimated take part. 6 million people would "1 think the whole event is uniquely American. I can't envision any other country in the world doing this today, Ron Nota said in Chicago. Memorial Day officially is celebrated in most states Monday, when thousands of local observances are scheduled. But festivities and ceremonies began Saturday. In Monterey, Calif., vendors hawked squid pizza and squulburgers to thousands of people whose stomachs could handle the third anuual Great Monterey Squid Festival. Precision parachuters planned the largest freefall formation ever in the Northwest in the skies over Issaquah, Wash. They hoped 40 people would take part Sunday afternoon, but weather could delay the stunt. On Monday, the president will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery across the Potomac from Wash- ington. Hundreds of people were expected at the Presidio of San Francisco on Sunday for the dedication of a "living memorial" to Vietnam veterans. Behind the monument are the U.S. anil military flags, with a semicircle of Italian cypress trees. I |
