European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 01, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday september 1,1977 the stars and stripes Page 7 Gao claims filipino vets living High Washington a Congress was told wednesday that thousands of filipinos who served in or with . Armed forces live a life of luxury on veterans administration benefits. If americans in the . Were paid equal benefits on the same ratio to median family income As a filipino Veteran a to tally disabled Veteran with a wife and two children would receive about $102,750 per year said Gregory j. Ahart of the Gener al accounting office. His testimony prepared for a Senate appropriations subcommittee said filipino veterans Benefit from devaluations of the peso which make their . Government checks Worth More at Home. He also said there were numerous exam Ples of abuses found in applications for benefits. He cited these a cases a single Veteran 68, obtained benefits for dependents by adopting four great grand nieces and grand nephews even though two of the children never lived with him. Since illegitimate children can be listed As dependents a 100 per cent disabled Veteran claimed he fathered 26 Chil Dren 11 by his wife and 15 by his wife s sister. Veterans dependents earn about As much from their educational assistance payments As the average filipino College professor with a master s degree $118 per month and a Veteran earns almost twice As much As a College Dean $179 per month Ahart said. A Large number of veterans receiving 100 per cent disability compensation in the Philippines either no longer Are totally disabled or remain disabled by not cooperating with medical treatment plans furnished by the a. Claims fixers used the use of claims fixers persons who prepare and submit claims on behalf of veterans and their beneficiaries and who often work on a contingent fee if the claim is successful is widespread Ahart said. He said benefits for american veterans increased by about 125 per cent Between 1966 and 1977. But because of peso devaluation Over the same period the increase to filipino veterans has been 700 per cent. Ahart said the a is frustrated in hand Ling the problems since it cannot reclaim overpayment or assess penalties As it can in the . In addition he said the . Embassy has directed american agencies operating in the Philippines not to engage in court actions against filipinos to protect immunity for americans. Sizing pm up Edward weeks shows off one of his bigger than life peanuts and a regular size one. The Tarboro n. C., Farmer crossbreed seeds that produce giant peanuts As Well As watermelons Canta loupes and tomatoes. Up photo n. Carolinian growing whopper sized crops Tarboro . Up can you to this Texas watermelons the size of Wash tubs. Pumpkins As big As armchairs. Carrot size peanuts. Volleyball size Toma toes. No brag just fact. Edward weeks can Back it up. He Calls his watermelons monster melons and rightly so they tend to grow the size of Washtub. In fact the folks at guinness Book of world records in their 1978 edition have certified his 197-Pound Watermelon As the biggest grown in the world. Yep the county agent and Congress Man . Fountain stood right Here and weighed it on official Scales weeks said proudly. Somebody tried to steal some of weeks melons but dropped them in the Field. Too Doggone heavy for pm he said. Dozens of Gargantuan melons have Over taken weeks Back pasture and they sell Aspin will seek pension of forthe catch-22 reservists by John Hart Washington Bureau chief Washington is when Congress returns to work this month rep. Les Aspin d-wis., will introduce legislation to give pensions to a number of aging reservists who have been deprived of their Mili tary retired pay according to the congressman. Aspin said tuesday that under a catch-22" provision in the Law no reservist can collect a pension if his 20 years of serv ice included the world War ii years and he failed to serve on Active duty during those wartime  logic for this Law was quite simple Aspin said. If a Man was in the reserves during peacetime and avoided Active duty service during our biggest War it was thought he should t be allowed any pension  Aspin said there was a hitch. After the Pearl Harbor attack Hawaii was put under martial Law and workers were Frozen in the jobs they held on dec. 7, 1941, he said. He added that the freeze applied to employees of the Federal government and its contractors into late 1944. He said that in another Case members of the naval Reserve were required to stay on in the merchant Marine during the War. Reservists who used the easiest Means to avoid wartime service ought not to be eligible for pension benefits Aspin said. But that is no reason to punish those who were ordered by the government to stick with their prewar jobs and not go on Active  said my Bill will Correct a wrong done to a Small body of men who have been deprived of All the military pension rights through no fault of their  Aspin said it is not known exactly How Many men would fall into the category Cov ered by his Bill. For $20 to $75 each. But that s not How weeks makes a living. He Sells seeds. The 197-Pounder pro i diced 1,717 seeds. Weeks Sells them and thousands of others in 100 seed stores across North Carolina and by mail order to 49 states. Since weeks began Crossin up seeds Back in 1964, his Fields have drawn crowds from new Jersey and Chicago. They come to look at 160-Pound pump Kins the size of armchairs ears of Corn 15 inches Long a Peanut the size of a Small Carrot a 39-Pound Cantaloupe and three Pound tomatoes the size of volleyballs. Weeks started crossing seeds As a Hobby after watching his father develop the pro Cess. Daddy was never interested in seeing How big he could go weeks said. He just had fun with  but weeks is fascinated with his ability to grow giant plants. He saves seeds from year to year strategically planting larger and larger strains which Are pollinated by bees. He mixes his own special Brand of fertilizer and adheres to a few simple growing secrets. Watermelons grown from weeks seeds have set records in Florida and Alabama. 2 refrigerator deaths now called accidental Bridgeport Conn. A Bridge port police said wednesday the deaths of two girls found in a refrigerator probably were accidental although they had earlier said the Case was definitely a  the victims who were found late tues Day night were identified As Jaime Ria Croom 2, and Michele South 5, both of Bridgeport. Police inspector Anthony p. Fabrizi said police had first thought the girls had been killed because of Marks on their bodies. But he said authorities Learned Early today from an 11-year-old neighbor that the girls had been playing in the refrigerator tues Day afternoon. We believe any injuries they sustained came in struggling to get out of the ref Rig error said Fabrizi. . Wants to help n. Ireland Washington a skirting the Issue of any direct intervention there president Carter called tuesday for a peaceful settlement to the violence Ridden troubles of Northern Ireland. He also said the . Would join others to explore Job creating projects if a settlement i reached. Carter s statement was hailed in Ireland and England As a constructive  in a formal statement Carter emphasized ". Policy on the Northern Ireland Issue has Long been one of impartiality and that is How it will remain. We support the establishment of a form of government in Northern Ireland which will command widespread acceptance throughout both parts of the Community. However we have no intention of telling the parties How this might be  government comment president Carter s statement is a constructive development in american relations with Ireland and Britain and reflects the traditional generosity of the american government and people and their interest in Ireland the Irish government said in Dublin. In London British prime minister James Callaghan said he was glad to have his Carter s support for the establishment of a government there which will command widespread acceptance throughout both parties of the Community. I Welcome especially the president s rejection of violence and his support of peaceful Means to find a solution political leaders in Northern Ireland called Carter s offer generous Especial Fly his proposal to help create Job opportunities there. One Presley Bod Naper was informant Memphis Tenn. A one of the men arrested in what police said was an at tempt to steal Elvis Presley s body was the informant who tipped them to the plot a police official said tuesday. Police director e. Winslow Chapman called Ronnie Lee Adkins 26, a usually re liable informant who has worked with the department on other cases for More than year. He said charges against Adkins would be dropped. A preliminary hearing in City court for Adkins and two other men charged with criminal trespassing was continued tues Day until oct. 4. Charged with Adkins were Raymond m. Green 25, and Bruce Eugen Enelson 30. Adkins did not appear at the hearing. After the hearing defense attorney j. Fred Friedman said he did not know what evidence police have against his clients. Sure they were at the cemetery because they were fans but so have hundreds of thousands of other people been there. The whole mess is a mystery he said. The trespassing charges were brought monday after police arrested the men who officers said were seen fleeing from the mausoleum at Forest Hill cemetery shortly after Midnight. Chapman said the three conspired to break open the sealed crypt take pres Ley s body from the coffin and hold it for Ransom. A fourth Man was released monday without being charged police said