European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 9, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday August 9, 1991 the stars and stripes a Page 5 r Quot Iowa blast possibly accidental Challenge a file Crew members aboard the battleship Iowa train fire hoses on the no. 2 gun Turret following an explosion in 1989. By the new York times Washington after 15 months of tests and analysis the findings which Navy and Independent scientists plan to present within a few weeks will suggest that the explosion which killed 47 men on the battleship Iowa in 1989 May have been an Accident hot sabotage As Navy experts first theorized. New discoveries pointing toward an Accident include the existence in Navy stockpiles Quot of a Small number of Gunpowder bags that Are prone to ignite Unczer extreme pressure. Of the Gunpowder bags Are used As a propellant in a battleships 16-Inch guns. The Navy previously said us inventory contained none prone to accidental ignition. Investigators say the new findings gathered while they tested theories first raised last year by Independent scientists pose the most serious Challenge to the Navy a earlier conclusion that the blast was probably an act of suicidal sabotage by a despondent Young Sailor. Lawsuits filed by the families of the dead sailors complicate the Case. It is not Clear what action the Navy might take although some senior Navy officers say they expect the service to reverse itself. The explosion erupted from a 16-Inch gun during training exercises about 300 Miles North of puerto Rico. The blast and its investigation comprise one of the most turbulent chapters in Navy history. Involved Are conflicting interpretations of scientific data veiled accusations of a homosexual lovers affair and the Navy a reluctance to concede that a vexing problem May have no Clear Cut answer. The new technical evidence May Only compound the mystery. The data offer no definitive cause of the explosion and some of the findings Are hotly contested. But Many investigators insist that the Navy can no longer Rule out the possibility of an Accident. A a we be demonstrated a realistic probability that this could have been an Accident a said a scientist who spoke on condition of anonymity. Experts in Congress criticized the Navy when it issued its original conclusions in september 1989. But the service never seriously doubted the inquiry a technical findings not even when Navy Secretary h. Lawrence Garrett 111 inc opened the investigation in june 1990. Garrett also suspended firings of All 16-Inch guns after Gunpowder bags similar to those used aboard the Iowa ignited in Laboratory tests. Many top Navy officials now concede that the criminal Side of the investigation which identified gunners mate 2nd class Clayton m. Hartwig one of those killed in the explosion As the Likely culprit was flawed in its Over Reliance on a circumstantial  As Independent experts and senior Navy officials prepare two new and somewhat conflicting technical reports for Garrett and the Navy a senior uniformed officer adm. Frank b. Kelso 11, the chief of naval operations the service faces the decision of whether to seize on the Sliver of technical doubt or affirm a questionable verdict reached  rights lobby asks Senate to reject Thomas by the new  Washington a leaders of a major civil rights lobby on wednesday urged the Senate to reject the nomination of judge Clarence Thomas to the supreme court. The leadership conference on civil rights thus became the latest in a line of Liberal organizations to oppose the Black appellate court  other groups opposing the nomination the group said it disagreed with Thomas judicial philosophy on issues like privacy and affirmative action. It also asserted that As chairman of the equal employment Opportunity commission in the Reagan and Bush administrations he did not enforce civil rights Laws. A we honestly believe that with another right Wing conservative a and Clarence Thomas is firmly ensconced on the right Wing of the Republican party a we could lose overnight fundamental constitutional and civil rights a said Ralph g. Incas executive director of the conference. The White House played Down the significance of the decision. Noting that pub Lic opinion polls currently support the nomination White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said a this predictable opposition simply shows again that they arc out of touch with mainstream  the leadership conference is a coalition of 185 groups representing racial and religious minorities unions women a groups and the disabled. Idaho s Symms to retire from Senate in the stars and stripes by the Washington Post Washington a sen. Steve Symms of Idaho one of the most conservative members of Congress for the past two decades announced wednesday in Idaho that he will not seek election next year to a third term in the Senate. The 53-year-old Symms who served four terms in the House before debating democratic sen. Frank Church in 1980, is the second Republican to announce his impending retirement from the Senate. The first was Utah sen. Jake Garn. Minority Leader Robert j. Dole r-kan., and sen. Warren b. Rudman r-n.h., have not said whether they will run again although Dole has been actively campaigning and raising Money. The Only Democrat who has said he will not run again is California sen. Alan Cranston. Symms decision casts another Cloud Over republicans already dimming Hopes of capturing control of the Senate which is now controlled 57-43 by the democrats. But some political strategists have said controversy Over Symms per Sonal life has become so intense that another Strong Republican might have a better Chance of defeating Tough challenger democratic rep. Richard h. Stallings. Several of the states top gop officeholders indicated an interest in the race if Symms did not run. Earlier this year Symms ailing a wife fran raised questions in an interview about Symms Fidelity during their 25-year marriage saying he persuaded her to remain with him during his difficult 1986 re election fight. After that election he left her. A the duped her then he dumped her a said an editorial in the times news of twin Falls Idaho. Pee wee Herman pleads innocent to charge Sarasota Fla. A Paul Reu Jens better known As tvs pee wee her Nan has mailed in his plea of innocent o a charge he exposed himself in an adult theater his attorney said wednes Lay. Under slate Law the written plea neans neither Reubens nor his attorney Lias to appear in court for fridays arraignment. A the plea has been sent and filed. We wont be there a said Richard Gerstein Reubens Lead attorney. Gerstein said it was Likely that Sarasota county judge Barbara Briggs on Friday would set a trial Date. The defense has asked that the trial be set after oct. 1. Reubens 38, who grew up in Sarasota and whose parents live there was arrested july 26 on the charge of exposing his sexual organs in the movie theater. Re hens who lives in studio City calif., was released on $219 bail. If convicted of the second degree Misdemeanour he would face up to 60 Days in jail and a $500 Fine. 10years ago aug. 9,1981 a air traffic controllers in France and new zealand voted to Block air travel to the United states in support of 12,000 striking . Controllers. 20years ago aug. 9,1971 a the House armed services panel charged1 a handful of Marine corps officials with accepting favors from defense contractors.30 years ago aug. 9,1961 a five men were killed and eight others were injured when a 58-ton Concrete door accidentally slammed shut on the top of a Titan missile silo in Colorado. 40years ago aug. 9,1951 a the perilous ride Over the 168-foot Canadian Horseshoe Falls at Niagara Falls was banned permanently by the Canadian province of Ontario