Predict early peace in novitiate takeover

              Predict Early Peace in Novitiate Takeover Negotiations between the Menominee Warrior Society and the Alexian Brothers are continuing and the head of the National Guard again indicated confidence that the takeover of the novitiate near Gresham will end soon. COL. Hugh Simonson of the Guard said Friday he thought it would be an orderly evacuation of the abbey and thought it could come by this weekend. Simonsin indicated that he was ""sure' the Indians holding the abbey would surrender their arms. The negotiating team met with the Indians again Friday and there was an air of peace in the near future. COL. Simonson has been heading up the National Guard unit in the area after taking over from the local sheriff's department six days after the abbey was taken over by the armed Indians. There have been no reports of injuries in the 18-day takeover according to Simonson. ""We are still extremely optimistic an end to the occupation of the abbey can be brought about in the immediate future,"" he said. About 45 Indians seized the Alexian novitiate early New Year's Day and vowed they were willing to die to keep it. They demanded the Alexian Brothers give it to them outright for use as an Indian health care center. They claimed it was on land taken from the Menominee. The Alexian Brothers have maintained they would not give away the property but were willing to negotiate an agreement to sell or lease the property to the Indians or an agency which could help them set up a hospital. The Alexians have not used the building since 1968 but had a caretaker on the premises. He and his family were driven from the abbey when the Indians took over. BULLETIN The evacuation of the Alexian Brothers Novitiate has started. At l0:15 a.m. today, Col. Hugh Simonson reported that twenty-eight women and children had left the novitate. The head of the National Guard here said the women and children were taken by the National Guard bus from the abbey and were dropped off at the Drop In Center at Keshena. The bulletin said the women and children were of various ages. Col. Simonson announced that the women and children left the abbey, but he did not say anything further. There was no indication whether the others in the abbey would be coming out or if the Indians holding the novitiate would come out peacefully.