European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 9, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 24 the stars and stripes thursday March 9,1989 nov. 4 voter turnout lowest Ever recorded Washington up voter turnout in inc 1988 presidential election dropped 3 percent from the previous balloting to 57 percent the lowest level since the census Tureau began tracking it More than two decades ago the government said tuesday. In 1984, 60 percent of voting age population in the United Stales went to the polls inc Bureau noted. The census Survey counts people who said they voted Rathor than than ballots cast however and it divers from earlier estimates that about 91.3 million people or a isl so percent of those of voting age voted in 1988.  Discrepancies of this magnitude arc common to household surveys of voting and registration the Bureau explained and they arise largely because of re Spori Donl misreporting of  still the Bureau asserted that the voting rate slipped for All age groups except for those Over 65 and was the Britain lowest since tracking by a in 1964. At the same time it was the first drop in presidential election turnout since 19 76 the rate had risen slightly i n both 19 to and 1984. The turnout rate was lowest for those aged 18 to 24, dropping from 41 percent in 1984 to 16 percent in 19 so the Bureau said. The report also noted that women outvoted men with 58 percent of women and 56 percent of men saying they had Casl ballots  were Down from their 1984 rates of participation. Among other age groups 69 percent of those Over 65 said they voted about the  in 1984. Among those Between 45 and 64, the participation Rale was 68 percent Down slightly from 70 percent in 19 84, and among those 25 to 44, it Sank to 54 percent from 58percent.the government said the percentage of voters dropped in All racial and ethnic groups with White from pager -y.began. Howe called the iranian government a deplorable regime responding to Calls by legislators to ban Trade with Iran Howe replied we stand ready to take whatever action May be necessary in the Light of  Tehran s Farsi Ian Guage Abrar newspaper called for an end to economic tics with Britain. British colonialism must taste its first bitter experience of insulting the beliefs of More than i billion moslem in the world it said earlier the British Domestic news Agency press association quoted London representatives of the official iranian news Agency Irna As saying the iranian parliament was considering a Bill to Stop All Trade with  in 1987 imported $528 million in goods from Britain. Iran s exports to Britain that year totalled $321 million on a television show former pop sing cat Stevens reiterated his support for Khomeini s death sentence against Salman Rushdie saying the author s treatment of islam was As Good As stabbing moslem in the heart.".  -.-. A a Levant who changed his Narno to Yusuf islam when he became a moslem in 1979, said tuesday that threatening to kill Rushdie was inc equivalent of the United Stales using an atomic bomb. It s got to be seen As a deterrent so that other people should nol commit the same mistake again Stevens said in an interview with the television show world  produced by the Christian science Monitor.  Participation Down to 59 percent from 61 percent in 1984. With the Black rate at 52 percent from 56 percent previously and with turnout among hispanics Down to 29 percent from 33 percent. The report claimed 37 percent of the hispanics in the Survey were not . Citizens however and there fore were not eligible to vote. Regionally the report gave the Midwest the highest turnout rate 63 percent compared with the National average of 57 percent. The South was lowest at 54.5 percent while the West had 55.6 percent and the Northeast had 57.4  categories measured by inc Survey showed people with four or More years of College had the High est Nir nout among educational categories at 78 per cent homeowners voted at a higher Rale 70 percent than renters 40 percent and 58 percent of those employed Casl ballots compared with 39 percent unemployed. Bentsen says hell Back Tower s Washington a sen. Lloyd Benison on wednesday became the third Democrat to support the faltering nomination of John Tower As defense Secre tary but Senate majority Leader George Mitchell claimed he still has the votes to reject the nominee. I will vote for John Tower s confirmation the Texas senator said on the Senate floor. "and.i.hope, that when i get the next Chance to talk with John Tower about the touch  of keeping this country Strong it will be while he s in his new. Office at the pentagon.". -.,  bunt san noted that in january he had introduced Tower to the Senate armed services committee an said he was qualified to be defense Secretary. Since. Then he said he has read the Fri report and heard the accusations against Tower " i found most of the allegations about John Tower s personal life without enough basis to deny n president his Choice said bin Lson the influential is Nale finance committee chairman who had been courted by the while House after the nomination ran aground earlier in the Day Mitchell was asked if Bentsyn s. Decision could  final outcome. Whatever his decision i still have ample votes the Maine Democrat told reporters i a. An associated press Survey found 48 democrats and Republican sen. Larry pics scr of South Dakota either solidly opposed or leaning against confirmation with 40 republicans and three democrats either sup porting or leaning in favor of the nomination democrats control the Senate by a 5 s-4s margin. In motion after Bentsyn made his announcement sen. Sam Nunn  the chairman of the Senate armed serv ices committee who has led the fight against Tower s confirmation walked Over to the Texas senator and Shook his hand. Senate democrats pushed for a Quick vote on the nomination with Mitchell predicting Victory and re publican Leader Bob Dole claiming that the final out come remains in doubt. Republicans now Hope to convert other undecided do morals Concan Raling their efforts on a handful of lawmakers. These include Sens. Joseph Lic Barman d Conn. Charles Robb a a and Bennett Johnston a la Mitchell told the Senate on wednesday that the Cen trial focus of the debate is the claim by republicans " that Tower should be approved because the president is entitled to have his own  hut he said Tower while serving in the Senate repeatedly voted against presidential nominees simply because lie disagreed with some of their  repeated his claim that the nomination will be Defeated and Dole did not directly dispute him. We re not certain he said it  to be a very close  Dole  he had talked by Telephone ear Lier wednesday with president Bush who continues to support Tower. He said he would continue the Effort to attract enough republicans and democrats to sup port the  police from Page Gates others to do so will be severely punished the official Xinhua news Agency reported. It was the fint Lime China has publicly imposed martial Law anywhere since the cultural revolution which began in the 1960s, and marked an escalation in the Bat the against tibetan protesters who demand Freedom from China and the return of their spiritual Leader the Dalai Lama. Troops were not deployed in three previous outbreaks of violence Over the past in months thai claimed the lives of about 40 tibetans and police. Done Cering head of the Tibet autonomous government was quoted on nation Al radio  saving separatists had taken China s restrained stance toward past demonstrations As a sign of weakness. Now is the Lime for a Radical solution. I we Don t adopt that now it will seriously influence our social stability he said. Travellers said police entered one hotel at 2 30 . And another an hour later announcing that All foreigners Musl leave Lhasa by noon thursday about 80 for Eigners were believed to be in the City. It s basically a Choice Between head ing for the Nepal Border and flying to Chengdu the provincial capital of Sichuan one traveler said. But they won let us out to go to the Bank or  one american traveler said most of the tibetans wounded in the clashes have been hiding in their Homes. Us presumed that anybody who got Sho Musl be guilty he said. There were no reports of demonstrations or gunfire wednesday three swedes who took photographs of sunday s initial clash in the Centra Square were Given Back their cameras and passports tuesday after paving fines of about $54 each. An american who took More pictures was fined the equivalent of $135, a fellow american said. However one Swiss Man who refused to turn Over his film sunday said police beat him and pointed a gun at his head. He said police still have his camera an passport and say they will not return them until he hands Over the film and pays a Fine. He said he was nol injured. China has not said How Long martial Law will remain in effect although it ascertain to last through Friday the 30lh anniversary of a failed uprising in 1959 that led to the flight of the Dalai Lama who now lives in exile in Indian China and the Dalai Lama have agreed to meet to discuss inc tibetan situation but have been unable to agree on a location. China also says it will not discuss the Dalai Lama s proposals to acknowledge chinese control Over Tibet an defense and foreign policy if Tibet is granted greater regional autonomy. Rail from Page 1 to hear arguments wednesday on whether to make permanent his ban covering am Irak Long Island rail Road metro North commuter rail Road and new Jersey transit. The railroads carry hundreds of thousands of commuters. Eastern lawyers were expected in Federal appeals court in Atlanta to continue its Effort to Force pilots to work. In Philadelphia the Southeastern Pennsylvania transportation authority which carries 100,000 passengers daily asked a Federal judge to extend an in Junction barring Septa workers from joining machinists Union picket lines. The air line pilots association whose contract with Eastern expired in june said the airline has asked 10 my up talks. Union spokesman . Stokes said a meeting was set for thursday some Union officials have said throughout the 17-Momh dispute that Eastern and its chief Texas air corp. Chairman Frank Lorenzo want to Dis Mantle the airline. Our people have recognized from the very earliest Days of this dispute that thai kind of a result bankruptcy could be forthcoming said William Winpisinger president Orthe machinists Union. They Are so fed up with the Way the have been treated so fed up Wilh the environment of the  that they re will ing to walk away and if thai is inc result. They la accept a he said on the lbs program airports reported no problems on inc second Day of a work to Rule action by Union pilots around the country. We re operating close to Normal said Mort Edelstein spokesman for the Federal aviation administration. There have been sporadic requests for special handling by flight Crews such As having instructions repealed