European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 6, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday january 6, 1993 . The stars and stripes Page 5 left behind report says by new Sony Washington a american prisoners of War prob ably were left behind in Southeast Asia when the United states pulled out of the Vietnam War in 1973, says a draft report of a special Senate committee. The draft report prepared by the staff of the Senate select committee on pow Mia affairs after More than a year s investigation said the panel found no hard evidence that specific prisoners were a consciously left  nevertheless it asserts that the committees review of data compiled by consecutive administrations Over the past two decades found information supporting the likelihood of the Quot survival at least for some Post least for a while after the repatriation april 12, 1973, of 591 american prisoners. Vietnam has insisted it returned All pos. The draft report concludes a there remains the troubling question of whether the americans who were ex1 petted to return but did not were As a group shunted aside and discounted by the government and population alike. The answer to that question is essentially yes it is in this sense that a form of abandonment did take  the committee bases its conclusions of these indicators a intelligence reports of americans known to be in Captivity before the repatriation but not among the 591 returnees a claims until recently by officials of the Patchet lao the Hanoi linked communist rulers of Laos that they were holding american prisoners. A a Pentagon estimate prior to repatriation that 40 americans were held in Laos twelve were  the debriefing of returnees who identified More than 70 fellow prisoners who were not repatriated. Nevertheless the document concludes that there is Only a slight Chance that americans  being held against their will in Southeast Asia. The report lays much of the blame for the claimed abandonment of pos on former president Nixon who signed the peace treaty that ended . Involvement in the War and led to the return of the 591 american prisoners including sen. John Mccain r-ariz.,. Who is on the panel. The document noted that Nixon was told by his National Security adviser Henry a. Kissinger that . Intelligence believed that the list of american pos provided by Laos shortly before the prisoner Exchange was incomplete but ordered the pow Swap to go ahead anyway. It said Nixon told Kissinger that Laos Quot failure to account for the additional prisoners after the prisoner Exchange would Lead to a resumption of  but Kissinger told the panel that Nixon Quot was later tin willing to carry through on this threat a the document which is now being reviewed by committee members and is expected to be released in final form next week is unlikely to please pow activists. They contend that neither the panel nor the Pentagon has been diligent in pursuing reports of so called live sightings of pos in Southeast Asia. Ted Sampley the head of Homecoming ii a militant pow organization that publishes a monthly newspaper said Quot we be already been getting various titbits about the report and most of us arc devastated right now. We trusted the committee to do just one thing Tor us a give us the truth a and they  / in the stars and stripes 10 years ago Jan. 6,1983 a the 3.7 million veterans of world wars i and ii and the korean War with go life insurance policies still in Force will share $637.2 million in dividends in 1983, the veterans administration said. 20 year Sago Jan. 6,1973 a president Nixon told congressional leaders that he is not optimistic about the new round of Vietnam peace talks in Paris but is going into them with some Hope sources said. 30 years ago Jan. 6,1963 a Rogers Hornsby often called baseball a greatest right handed hitter died in a Chicago Hospital at 66. 40 years ago Jan 6,1953 a British prime minister Winston Churchill arrived in new York for historic conferences with president elect Eisenhower saying chances for a world War had Quot receded but not  50 years ago Jan. 6,1943�? a . Submarine operating under cover of darkness rescued 29 persons including 20 women and three children hiding on a japanese held Island in the Solomon group. World War 50 years ago today Jan. 6 1�9�43 american fighter planes and dive bombers repeatedly attack a japanese Convoy trying to gel supplies to the besieged japanese beachhead on new Guinea s North coast. In Burma Britain s 14th Indian div Renews its offensive against stiff japanese resistance in the a akan Region mostly to boost Allied morale in that Region source 2194 Days of War w. H. Smith publishers inc. A a map Banner carrying demonstrators on Capitol Hill urge the Senate to refuse to seat sen Bob Packwood who has admitted making unwanted sexual advances to several women. To bar of Packwood Washington a More than two dozen sign carrying chanting demonstrators asked monday that the Senate refuse to seat sen Bob Packwood and vowed to keep up the pressure if he a sworn in As expected As a member of the 103rd Congress. The Oregon Republican has admitted making unwanted sexual advances to his Senate employees and others. But he has resisted Calls for his resignation. Quot the National organization for women organized the demonstration outside the Russell Senate office building. Now leaders asked the Senate to agree to petitions previously filed by Oregon residents asking that Packwood not be seated  petitions contend that Packwood defrauded the voters and submitted derogatory information about his accusers that delayed publication of a nov amp Story about his conduct until after the nov. 3 election. Packwood was narrowly elected to his fifth term now president Patricia Ireland told the rally that Quot it would be unrealistic to expect the Senate to refuse to seat pack Wood. But she promised to build Public pressure to Force his resignation. Senate majority Leader George j. Mitchell a Mainc asked Senate counsel to review the Oregon petitions a Mitchell aide said. Packwood spokeswoman Bobbi Munson said the senator Quot plans to be sworn in. I done to see any obstacles to  the Senate select committee on ethics has begun a preliminary inquiry into Packwood s  bars rebel Flag from Alabama Capitol Montgomery Ala. A Black legislators have won a court fight to remove the Confederate Battle Flag from atop the state Capitol dome. In a defeat for Goy. Guy Hunt circuit judge William Gordon ruled monday that an 1895 Law allows Only the state and american flags to Fly. There Quot i am very very Happy and thankful to All the people Black and White who helped in this Effort a said state rep Alvin Holmes who led the fight against the rebel Banner. Black leaders had argued that the Flag is a Symbol of racial oppression and should not be flown atop the seat of state government. They were joined by Alabama business groups who said the Flag tarnishes the slates image. Quot we done to see it As a Black White Issue. We see it As an Issue to usher the state into the 21st Century a said Johnny Hardwick a lawyer who helped argue the Case for the legislators. The Flag went up on the Capitol dome during the 1961 civil War Centennial and again during pro segregationist gov. George Wallace a first term in 1963 in an act of Defiance just before a visit by then attorney general Robert f. Kennedy. At the time the state was locked in a court Battle Over integrating the University of Alabama. In recent years the Banner flew below the . And state flags but no flags have flown since Spring when All three were removed during building renovations. The building reopened dec. 12, and the governor planned to hoist the Confederate Battle Flag anew once the state acquired the proper safety equipment. Gordon a ruling was the first against flying the rebel Flag since the Issue was first taken to court in 1976. Hunt press Secretary Terry Abbott said the governor was out of town and had no immediate comment Hunt has said that the Flag has historic importance and that most Alabama residents want it. Atop the Capitol. Lawsuits challenging the Flag were filed twice before in Federal court and both were rejected. Holmes said the legislative research office this fall uncovered the 1895 Law giving him new grounds to return to court