European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 06, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Russell Baker tuesday september 6, 1977 the stars and stripes Page 11 new York for years congressmen unable to get the truly vital news of their activities Back to the Home folks because of intransigent stupid or vicious reporters have been solving the problem by writing their own newsletters to constituents. President Carter is now having their age old problem with the press. You May receive his first newsletter any Day How. Twill read More or less As follows China Secretary of state Vance came by the White House this week right after getting Back from China where he attended very important meetings and ate several meals with chopsticks. The National press which spends most of its time swatting a gnats chose to play Down his trip by saying that nothing was accomplished. This is incorrect. Not Only did Secretary Vance prove to the chinese that he could use chopsticks just As capably As former Secretary kiss Inger thereby preventing a serious loss of face for the administration but he also completed the trip without incurring a serious outbreak of War. This follows the pattern established by his trips to Israel and the soviet Union Nei ther of which produced War. These important diplomatic missions have shown the world that Secretary Vance can travel anywhere without leading to War. Moreover Secretary Vance is always pleased Roget Back Home after his vital missions fail to produce War. As he said on returning from China in a statement largely ignored by the gnat swatting National press it s Good to be  Energy the most important Issue that will face my administration is not Bent Lance s banking habits As suggested bythe gnat shatters of the National press corps who by the Way Are interested Only in the most trivial matters but Energy. As i said the other Day to Jim Schlesinger a truly Brilliant Energy expert this Energy Issue in t just for our Benefit it s for our grandchildren and our grandchildren s  Jim said it brought a Lump to his Throat to hear me say that. This struck me As realness. After All Jim has been Secretary of defense head of the atomic Energy com Mission and chief of the Cia. When a Man with that background has a Lump brought to his Throat it s news. Did any investigative reporter bother to ferret it out an print it on Page one did anybody in the National press corps show the slightest in Terest even when the Story of Jim s Lump was leaked All Over Georgetown no " european edition col. Billy e. Spangler Usa. Editor in chief it. Col. J. C. Taylor Usan. Deputy editor in chief Mert Proctor. Managing editor Elmer d. Frank. Production manager Henry s. Epstein. Circulation manager this newspaper is an authorized unofficial publication for . Armed forces overseas. 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Is it any wonder that Congress continues to be More concerned about next year s elections than its grandchildren s grand children music As you know i have Bee taking advantage of the White House s Many self improvement facilities to expand my knowledge of classical music. Last week i was listening to Bach s fifth Brandenburg concerto during my regular meeting with the congressional Leader when i noticed that several of the most Savage beasts in the Congress seemed Tobe unusually soothed. Afterwards speaker tip o Neill took me aside and said or. President if you would just play that concerto for musical saw to your next news conference those reporters would be too Glassy eyed to think of any trivial questions about Bert Lance banking  tip was just joking of course. He is areal Lover of Bach As Well As Haydn Berlioz Scarlatti and Purcell As Are All the democratic congressional leaders. The deep Wells of culture in Washington Are constantly ignored by a National press corps whose idea of a classic is Waylon Jennings singing  Waylon of course is a splendid musician and a Fine citizen As is Bert Lance and there is Noth ing i enjoy More after a hard Day at the handle than a Fine evening of country an Western music. Regional editors a Fine group of regional editors dropped by for a visit. These unspoiled men and women Are the tru Backbone of american journalism As they illustrated by the questions they  of harping on such pointless trivia As Bert Lance s banking habits they wanted to know about the great issues How i Felt about Energy for our grandchildren whether Secretary Vance could travel without leading to War whether i found Brahms or Mozart More effective background music for making vital nuclear policy. What accounts for the difference be tween these Fine distinguished journalists and the gnat shatters of the National press corps the explanation is easy. They have not been corrupted by Washington. As i pointed out in my Campaign there is no place like Washington for taking perfectly decent hard working americans and turn ing them into Rotten apples. The place does terrible things to people. Except to me naturally. And the democratic congressional leaders of course. C new York times British  farm pulls neat sales feat London a Britain s biggest  farm has a toehold in Asia because it decided to give British housewives More value for their Ramey and wound up with too Many feet on its hands. Cherryvale  farm used to sell ducks which still had the feet attached to the car Cass. But the women complained they were paying for parts of the Birds which they did t eat. So said the managing director Joe Buckner the feet were removed. But something still had to be done with All those extra  heard a Story that the chinese ate ducks feet As a delicacy so we decided tory to Export them he said. A shipment of ducks feet were sent to Hong Kong and the Trade soon established itself on a regular basis. Yugo held in fatal shooting of two British soldiers  Germany up West German police Are holding a yugoslav in connection with the fatal shooting of two British soldiers in a nightclub. A police spokesman said a Young girl was seriously wounded in the gun attack. Letters to the editor reply to Graf housewife s Gripe in reply to the fed up wife at Grafen Wohr show me a wife that has government i on her Chest and i la show you a wife that has a Legal Gripe. I agree with you about the Yelling touch ing and saying things that Are disrespect Ful it should not be. When it does happen the proper thing to do is get the name unit and any other information that can be obtained and report it to the military  As far As shopping and using the Post facilities i think the training men that come to Graf have ust As much right to shop As the wives if not More because the facilities out at the training Camps Are very limited therefore the main Post facilities Are needed More. Furthermore we. Servicemen and women Are the ones who Wear the u.  on our uniforms and i think we servicemen and women should be allowed to shop in the main Post facilities. I am not discriminating against wives of the servicemen but most wives seem to think that once they become dependents of servicemen they have rights unlimited. What you gripping wives need to do is sit Down with your husband and learn what your rights and privileges Are. I Don t Ever remember seeing a nonmilitary non uni formed wife in Vietnam carry As much As one single round of ammunition to Possi Bly some of the same Guys who Are Here in Graf training. You must remember the Exchange facilities were primarily set up for the use of servicemen and i say this with respect to you and All the wives of servicemen. Mrs. One fed up housewife at Graf we wait in line for a lot of services and Privi Leges that we As servicemen should get first but because of respect not All but most of us we have for women period. Husband of a sometime gripping wife in or Afenko or. A. Sgt. Gussie Williams or. Graf Newt the Germany stamping on an answer to letter several months ago a stripes Reader wrote to ask Why it took so Long for new commemorative Stamps to reach the Apo s. The response from a colonel Curtis was apologetic to the effect that regulations required the Apo s to place them on Sale on the same Date they became available in stateside Post offices. That s Fine and Dandy but the Apo s can t sell what they Don t have. As of today the ones in Augsburg have yet to see any of the Bicentennial Stamps issued in the states on the fourth of july and have been advised that two others Issue the first week in August would hopefully arrive  Are we stamp collectors supposed to do if colonel Curtis is powerless who can we go to to get some action As of now even when the new Stamps arrive they rein such minute quantities that they Are in variably sold out in a couple Days. I Veman aged to keep up Only because a clerk held Back a Sheet of the recent Issue for me and i know several other collectors who weren t so Lucky. Incidentally if the upper level officials of the Apo system and More especially the . Postal service were half As conscientious helpful and hardworking As the enlisted personnel in our local Apo a we would have the Best mail service in the world. Spec. 4 Ray Compton Augsburg Germany Stone casters draw criticism i have read All the articles in the stars and stripes concerning the death of Elvis Presley and would like to comment. There were Many Nice things said about him and Many interesting facts about his career but in t it a shame that someone always has to dig up dirt about a famous person after he s gone and make sure the whole world hears about it i m referring to the article which stated that Elvis had a drug problem and was very overweight. All human beings have problems and faults but if others would look for the Good maybe people would overcome some of their problems and the world would be a better place. Elvis Presley gave the world a lot of happiness through his music and whatever his personal problems were they were his business. Seems like there s always someone around throwing stones at the Way a famous person lived his life be it a Singer or a former president of the . Everyone should try and look for Thebes in a person not Point out their faults. Like the Good Book says. He who i without sin cast the first  mrs. Chris Baddeley Sembach Germany 33rd army band draws Praise recently i was a guest of the Walldorf Section of the reservists association which celebrated its 10th anniversary. I witnessed the performance of the 33rd . Army band which provided the musical Frame for the event. Now it is not my intention to highlight the first class professionalism of this band which could compete in this form in any nato Competition. What i want to emphasize is the manner in which this band presented itself to the Public invigorating effortless thoroughly at ease in a natural Way spirited relaxed and yet soldierly and disciplined. And this was not Only my own personal impression. This band was just great and has quite incidentally produced under the Baton of band Leader sgt. Maj. George Hudson a considerable awareness of the Bonds existing Between nations. Alfred Eichberger Naiberg Germany reminder All letters to the editor most con Tain full printed name and address of the writer awl must be signed. Unsigned letters will not he considered for publication. Writers Are encouraged to include phone number and Economy address especially if they desire a fast reply. Because of the Large volume of mail this column receives daily letter that Are Brief and to the Point have a much better Chance of being published