European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 25, 1969, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 8 the stars and stripes saturday january 25, 1969 of praises shift in strategic bomber1f 1 Washington a be fore he left office former de sense Secretary Clark m. Clif Ford ordered major changes in earlier plans by his predecessor Robert s. Mcnamara to phase out hundreds of nuclear bombers. Under the revisions ordered by Clifford the air Force will retain the 80 b58 Hustle supersonic strategic bombers which Mcnamara ticketed for Mothballs beginning in mid 1970.keep for a few years longer three older b52 squadrons over45 planes in All part of 210 Early b52 c through f models which Mcnamara planned to sideline completely by mid-1973.cut approved production of the incoming swing Wing fb111nuclear bombers from 210 to around 120. The fb111 is an off shoot of Mcnamara s controversial tfx sources say Gen. John p. Mcconnell air Force chief of staff will make a Case before new Secretary of defens Emelvin r. Laird for retaining a dozen or so other older b52bomber squadrons that Are Des tined for oblivion under the old Mcnamara policy. The revisions Are being greeted As Good news by air Force bomber advocates who have contended the Mcnamara re Gime was Basing too much of the nation s Security on unmanned Long Range air Force once had Over 600 intercontinental Range strategic bombers but is now Down to 445. Hundreds of b47 medium bombers also were phased out Early in the Mcnamara is a Victory however minor one air Force office who is familiar with the Strate Gic bomber program commented. We be got our foot in the arguing for retention of the b52, air Force officials maintained that the older c through f models should be held As a re serve conventional bombing capability for other Vietnam Type wars in the future. The slash in planned fb111production represents further erosion of the Mcnamara planto turn out one Baste plane de sign which could meet the needs of the services. The Navy Carrier based counterpart the f111b, was junked months ago because of soaring technical and production costs. Capital still trying to figure out what course Nixon will set for . By Elizabeth Wharton Washington up be fore his inauguration Richard m. Nixon was something of mystery Man around politics Wise Days after his inauguration he is still something Ofa mystery Man. Nixon has moved into the White House made his inaugural speech met his Cabine tand consulted with the National Security Council and still has not tipped his hand on Many it May continue for some time. If the two month hiatus Between the election and the inauguration seemed interminable the next few weeks could be even is unreasonable to expect a Man to Start producing de tailed programs and proposed legislation immediately after taking office. But never in mod Ern history has a new president been so close mouthed As to his general plans and policies. His critics Are beginning again to question whether he has any. One critic for instance referred with some bitterness to the inaugural address which called for National Harmony for lowering our voices and among other things building Nixon handbook guiding Mushie Washington a Muskie lifting a Page from the Nixon handbook of political campaigning has launched a meat and potatoes banquet Blitz he thinks could Lead to the White House in 1972.speeches to the democratic party faithful in Dallas and for Worth were the first stops on a tour that by March will have taken him to 12 states with time out for prestige building visits to Japan and England. The Maine Democrat and Defeated 1968 vice presidential candidate says of course that he has t decided at this Early stage whether to seek his Par Progress to s presidential nomination in the. Mined to make the banquet Cir Cuit his main platform instead of the Senate floor. But he has some misgivings. I have decided to postpone for the moment at least strengthening my position in the Senate he said. In time 1may regret that i put aside an Opportunity to Advance in the Senate. But if that is True i May even regret having run for vice president. But i Don t think so. Think that in this business you have to go where the fates take you As Long As you make cathedrals of the he going to pass a Law requiring Harmony this understandably Anonymous con Gressman asked. Is he pre paring a Bill setting a Decibel level for voices does he wan congressional approval for a Federal program to build cathedrals of the spirit his remarks were of course exaggerated but it is hard to fault his curiosity about just what Nixon does want. The Constitution requires president to report annually on the state of the Union. Johnson fulfilled this requirement Only personal inclination dictate whether a new president makes his own such report after taking office. Customarily this speeches used to outline in general terms the shape of specific legislative proposals made later to Congress. Most incoming residents in recent years have made such a speech. It is no yet known whether Nixon will. If he does not his program will emerge Only in bits and pieces As he sends Congress specific messages on various proposals. The course he decides upon May provide an indication of his policy. If he plans a bold and innovative approach to government the outline of his program in a televised speech would have great and immedi ate Impact. So a decision against a speech May indicate a slow and cautious approach with no startling reversals of present policy. But he admits interest inthe idea and readily acknowledges that hell be testing the winds and stashing away ious from local democrats As he ranges from coast to coast. That is what Nixon did so much of and so Well during the years the republicans were out of office Muskie told an interviewer. Whether there will be a per Sonal payoff for me As there was for him 1 Don t know. But think the Effort is Muskie sees his role As open ing a dialogue Between local democrats and the National organization and giving party workers the feeling that their efforts Are recognized by the National taking the Nixon route Muskie has definitely deter new administration seeking executives Washington up president Nixon is having Trou ble finding the kind of Mene wants to fill some of the top positions in his administration. As a result Holdover democrats and career civil servants Are in charge in Many High level posts in the government. Only about a third of the administration s highest jobs have been filled and the going i slow in filling the rest. Fewer than 100 of the 300-plus top Obs Cabinet sub cab have been Overly optimistic on dec. 31 when he expressed the belief that most if not All sub Cabinet posts would be filled by Jan. 20.the new administration is Dis covering that it is not As Esayas expected to find a Man who has just the right qualification for a particular Job. Another Nixon aide explained that a tight timetable prevented Nixon from reaching his tar get. The staff member also pointed out that in addition to time con suming Security checks for the orders for the air Force s fighter version the $7 million Folia Are being stretched out tease the financial Burden. Some air Force leaders have Long Felt Mcnamara was forcing the air Force to take the fb11ias a Means of stalling off a Deci Sion on an All new advanced manned strategic bomber Amsa which would replace the mainstay b52. Mcnamara argued the fb111had better Range than the b52 on typical nuclear in a final report to Congress Clifford said the Bill was not Only becoming too expensive but lacked sufficient nuclear payload. " the b52/, developed in the1950s Are being modified at a Cost of billions of dollars to keep them flying into the late 1970s arts Are being equipped with advanced missiles and electronics for penetrating soviet air de ,., the exact mix of strategic bombers for the United statesov6r the next few years is not Clear mainly because the air Force for Security reasons will not announce Squadron phase outs far in the future. By 1973, however it appear the bomber Force will include 255 of the most recent b52 Gsand Fis 120 of balls and per haps the 80 existing b58s.at that time the Pentagon is expected to have design an Cost information available to launch production of an a Safor the late 1970s. This year s defense budget includes $77 Mil lion for Amsa work up from last year s $25 million. Letters to the editor code of conduct from the Praise heaped upon commander Bucher by William Buckley and others including our government it seems that surrender has become an Honor Able act. However Bucher s conduct was not exemplary As Buck Ley says. The commander s sur Render of his signature was unpardonable. Does not the Nav also subscribe to the code of conduct is the commander not an american fighting Man sworn never to sign anything for use against the unite states the code of conduct explicitly states i will make no Oral or written statements disloyal to my country and it sallies or harmful to their cause. I will never forget that i am a american fighting Man.". How can we make heroes 01men who have ignored this most Basic principle of the american military Ideal 2nd it. Richard r. Kani Aberlin blame North Ever since president Johnson halted the bombing of North Vietnam South Vietnam has been blamed for the bogged Down peace should the South Viet namese be blamed when North Vietnam has set one condition after another for starting the talks and these conditions Are in addition to the original one stopping the bombing spec. 5 Howard s. Mad a Naples Italy country music Lover i would like to Tell is dec 30 that he in t the Only person in the world. So what if you Don t like country and Western music Schreiber if you would do some researching you would find that a Good majority of the pop songs today started out As country Western. For example the Green Green grass of Home was written by a coun try songwriter and first re corded by a country Singer Porter Wagoner. It s a shame that most people today listen to music for the beat instead of the Story or the simple Beauty of the . 4 Ronnie g. Cowns Stuttgart Germany Exchange plan we Are a German couple 35,who would like to meet an american couple to improve our English and help them speak German write or visit a. Drothen6081 butt Caborn Gar tens Tasse 6 these is positions have been filled. A White House staff Mem Ber acknowledged Nimori May Are being examined at Nixon orders from the Point of View of avoiding conflicts of interest. European edition it. Col. F. S. Michael jr., Usan editor in chief Mert Proctor managing editor Elmer d. Frank production manager Henry 8. Epstein circulation manager thai newspaper it a authorised publication of the department of defence for . Armed Force overseas. The Star and Stripe i published by the com Mander in chief . European command in support of the command internal information program of the department of defence. Content of the Star and Stripe do not Nec Arlly reflect the official View of the . Government or the department of defence. The appearance of display in Thi newspaper con Corning commercial publication Doe not constitute an endorsement by the department of defense or any of its component. Military address the Star and Stripe Apo 08176, International mall the Star and stripes Postrach 1034, is Darmstadt Germany. Tel or Eshelm c prefix 08165 811 m Darmstadt Airstrip prefix 8376 741, telex 0419-332. New York office 641 Washington St. New York 10014, Tel area cod 218 620-5771. Second class postage paid new York , news bureaus London Bob Hoyer 3rd of he South Ruislip South rules ii military 2067 or Viking 8428 aug Burg Germany Glenn May he sued Bayern sup Ditt pad Reese Cavern Augsburg military �t48, Nuernberg Germany Jay Ligen .army hotel Nuernberg military 8123 or Friob. Circulation offices Germany Berlin Civ 738368. Bremerhaven Civ 46341, Mil 764 Frankfurt Civ 0108-2047, Mil Offenbach 820 Kalier Slauter. Civ 5717, Mil Vogel Weh 70601 T no l616f a3 a 73m a web. Civ 77m47, Mil 6613 Stuttgart Civ 864228,Mil 7230 Wiesbaden Civ 420779, Mil 28698, Athens Civ 985189. Italy leghorn my Camp Darby 1w. Spain i Madrid Civ 222290, ext. 71t8,or 70hi United Kinf Domi London a it , Civ 7j198, by lip fab Mil 32m, ext. 127,
