Atkinson cut its dividend and blamed the U.S.

Guy F. Atkinson Co. of San Francisco, involved in a dispute with the federal government over several construction projects, has cut its quarterly dividend for the first time--to 16 cents from 21 cents, payable Feb. 15 to shareholders of record Jan. 20. “The government,” said an Atkinson spokesman, “is being irresponsible in failing to recognize the validity” of claims the company has made for additional compensation for changes required by the government after the projects were started. The projects include a dam in Utah and a Trident submarine missile base in Georgia.