European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 25, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 6 the stars and stripes wednesday january 25, 1989 poll in conservative bastion finds new views on soviets by the los Angeles times Irvine. Calif. Soviet Leader Mikhail Gorbachev ranks slightly higher in popularity than president Bush in Southern California s largely Republican Orange county which handed Bush and Ronald Reagan their greatest margins of Victory in the last three presidential elections. In this bellwether conservative Region the los an Geles times poll found signs of new thinking on both foreign and Domestic issues. Nearly half the people think that the cold War is coming to an end and that Japan and the third world Are greater threats to the United states future than the soviet Union or China. Twice As Many people favor decreasing the . Mili tary presence overseas As support an expanded role. Leading Republican consultant Stu Spencer a Long time Reagan adviser sees such Orange county attitudes As part of a National trend. The message is that Orange county is More in the mainstream of american thinking than the perception he said. Thinking on the cold War undoubtedly is changing due to Ronald Reagan s policies. His handling of the soviets has an 80 percent National approval rate with Only 8 percent negative. So a conservative Leader s accomplishments have affected conservatives at Home said Spencer whose office is in Irvine a major Orange county Community. Sure there s a shift. You can prove there s a shift by the num Bers these numbers Are in line with what i  the results of the times poll underscore the dilemma Bush faces this week As he officially begins work in the Oval office. On sunday for example Brent scowcroft the new National Security adviser declared flatly that the cold War is not  if As Spencer believes National conservative think ing on the soviets is shifting under the influence of Reagan s successful policies. Bush May face As much difficulty with this important Domestic constituency As his administration apparently feels it does with the Western european allies. Scowcroft said sunday that one of Bush s first foreign policy priorities will be to persuade the europeans not to be blinded by Wishful thinking about soviet intentions. Responses among Orange county residents also Sug Gest Bush will have something less than overwhelming backing if he tries to act on his conservative social Agenda. On monday for example the president Tele phoned a message of support to anti abortion protes ters marking the 16th anniversary of the supreme court s historic Roe is. Wade ruling. However some 60 percent of the polled Orange county residents oppose a supreme court ruling that would outlaw abortion. By an almost 3-to-l margin they also reject further cuts in Federal social and health programs As a Means of reducing the National deficit. Regarding family values the majority 56 percent opposes a ban on a rated video rentals in their communities. And a stunning 82 percent majority favors educating adolescents in Public schools about condoms to control the spread of aids. Top Republican pollster Richard within who con ducted Reagan s Public opinion research said the findings of the times poll reflect changes in the Politi Cal and demographic makeup of Orange county. But More important they Are consistent with what i find nationally which is a tremendous change in attitude. The cold War generated a lot of worry and con Cern about the soviet threat. It is dramatically lower than during any other time in the past 20 years. During the cold War period the feeling that the soviet threat was the most important problem facing the United states ranged Between 25 percent and 50 percent. In my poll which we be been conducting for 15 years it is at an All time Low of 8  report says Reagan failed to ease disparities Between Blacks Whites Washington a the nation made no Progress in reducing economic disparities Between Blacks and Whites during the Reagan years the National Urban league reported tuesday. The report is the league s 14th an Nual assessment of the status of Blacksin America. The new Bush administration will need a Clear understanding of the Large magnitude of the problem of economic disparities As a precondition to finding effective remedies David h. Swinton said in the report s summary of economic conditions. No Progress has been made in reducing the longstanding economic disparities faced by Blacks during the Reagan administration. In fact racial inequality in american life actually increased by Many of the Standard  Swinton is Dean of the business school at Jackson state University in Mississippi. In a grim assessment of the Outlook for Black children in America Marian Wright Edelman wrote that compared with 1980, Black children Are More Likely to be born into poverty Lack prenatal care have a single Mother have an unemployed Par ent and fail to attend College. Millions of Black children today live in a desolate world where physical survival is a Triumph where fear and hopelessness reign and where the future holds no promises and few opportunities said Edelman president of the children defense fund. In another Section the report said the number of Blacks enrolled in four year colleges has declined since 1980, while other minority groups showed increases. The report said Black families experienced Sharp social and economic setbacks during the 1970s and 1980s" after unprecedented gains during the 1960s. It said the poverty rate for Black families in 1987 was higher at 30 percent than the rate in 1969, 28 percent. The number of Black families in poverty was up 700,000, it said. Three times More Blacks were unemployed in 1988than in 1969, the report said. Increases in use of drugs drug related crime and gang minorities living in suburbs new York Chicago san Francisco los angelas Miami i pm wit of ctr Opolean area population of Mctie group i 1080 Blacks hispanics asians Sas Chart 0 10 20 30 4o 50 60 70 80 90 100 violence have destabilized Many Black families and caused homicide rates among Blacks to reach record Levels according to a chapter written by Robert b. Hill a consultant to the league. The disproportionate surge in deaths among Blacks has resulted in the first declines in Black life expectancy since 1962," Hill wrote. He said life expectancy at birth Rose among Whites from 75.3 to 75.4 years Between 1984 and 1986, but for Blacks the corresponding figures declined from 69.7 to 69.4 years. The report also said Black families have been disproportionately devastated by the declining Stock of afford Able housing. Blacks Are 9verrepresented among the thousands of families and children living in welfare hotels and shelter for the homeless he said. Stateside Mary mount College to close after 66 years Salina Kan. A Mary mount College has Given up efforts to stay open amid financial problems and will close june 30, officials announced. Students faculty and staff were told the news at a private meeting monday. Some emerged from the session in tears and one student later played taps on the front Steps of the administration building. The College founded in september 1922 by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia was for women Only until 1967. The roman Catholic diocese of Salina took Over the school in 1983, in a move intended to broaden the College s base of financial support and enrolment. The most Rev. George Fitzsimons Bishop of the diocese said the primary reason for the Clos ing was financial. Customer who complained stabbed to death by Cook Philadelphia a a Cook at a Branch of a Sandwich shop fatally stabbed a customer who had complained about poor service authorities said. Herbert Saxton who worked for Pat s King of steaks in Northeast Philadelphia was being held without bail on murder and weapons charges police said. Saxton 44, was taking orders at a walk up window when he and Henry Griffith 24, began quarrelling about the service according to Detec Tive sgt. Dennis Murray. About a dozen other customers were standing at the window. Police said Saxton picked up a knife inside the window reached across the counter and stabbed Griffith once in his Chest. Students Start new drive against athletes drug use Boston a the group that raised a student voice against Drunken driving announced a similar program monday to combat illegal drug use by student athletes. Student athletes Are natural leaders and trend setters in our High schools and universities. When they stumble everyone Falls said Robert Anastas founder and executive director of the 4 million member students against driving drunk. Anastas said the new voluntary program being promoted by the Marlboro based Sadd is called student athletes detest drugs and will use the same technique of students signing pledge cards against substance abuse. Student athletes in the program also will Wear the program s logo on their uniforms As an inspiration to others he said. Anastas said he has already tested the program with Success at schools in Missouri Ohio and Iowa. Among those joining Anastas in announcing the program were several student athletes and High school coaches and Patrick Sullivan Gener Al manager of the new England patriots football team. Police arrest 4 streakers in Purdue nude olympics West Lafayette ind. A Campus police arrested four people who ran nude around a Purdue University quadrangle in the annual nude  two spectators in the estimated crowd of 1,000 at Gary quadrangle also were arrested on suspicion of Public intoxication and resisting Law enforcement police said. The names of the four streakers who were treed after being arrested on suspicion of Public indecency were not released but sgt. George Bittles said if any were students they would fac University disciplinary action. Purdue president Steven c. Beering banned the race in 1985, citing health hazards. Nonetheless the event which is about 25 years old has continued annually. In 1988, 10 men and woman ran. Organizers try to stage it on the coldest night of the year. For the latest race West Lafayette recorded an overnight Low of 26 degrees