European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 1, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 2 the stars and stripes May 1985 bit burgers proud of relations with base More concerned with Friendly ties than world issues by Jean Albright Pitburg Bureau chief Pitburg Germany world issues and strictly local issues intruded into a sometimes emotional Dis but the main concern was preserving the Friend ship Between local americans and germans when Ger Man citizens met in Pitburg monday we Are not Here to discuss whether or not president Reagan will or should Werner pies reminded the members of citizen action for German american he is we arc Here to support German american Friend we Hope that Pitburg will continue to be a name for this Friendship and will be As quiet and Friendly after May 5 As it was pics is chairman of the group and a City Council townspeople arc protective of a cooperative relation ship with the base that goes Back to when it was built and the first base Community Council was mayor Tho in his weekly address to newcomers to the air boasts of american children born Here since that in recent years he has welcomed Back some of those now grown and stationed in Pitburg with the air Hallet also Speaks of the Many relatives bit burgers have in the thanks to marriages that began the group planned to gather again tuesday this time at the they said they would Pray for the continuation of a Long and productive cooperation Between the base and the town after president reagans visit and Media attention to the City of and its cemetery have the group has printed fliers that members say explain the feelings of most bit burgers toward americans associated with the the flier urges continuing As partners and friends by not Only living together but seeking to make contacts and developing the flier also addresses recent ant american slogans painted on a few Road signs and while we respect the rights of people to think differently than we we reject the manner in which some of these people articulate their such As vandalism of private and Public property and other hostile acts against the of two types of stickers also sponsored by the one has been so popular that too few will be available for distribution on the Day of reagans unless a second printing can be rushed germans and americans who live Here or have visited during the planning for reagans visit have already claimed and will be wearing Many of the stickers that Bear the flags of both nations crossed inside a Circle composed of the German words for German american stickers with a heart for America Are in greater Supply and will be distributed some members of the citizens group Are also Active in he several German american clubs the american and French wives club has been Here since before the air base was according to Lydie chief of Community relations for the the International Friendship club for 11 1j brought americans and germans together with Luxem burgers and belgians for dining and cultural and athletic clubs Welcome including a hockey team that is half american and half when pies expressed the wish that the entire episode could be a building Block for German american Friend a Man reminded him that we already have a Friendship with the the Point is not to mess it pies said that Many americans stationed Here Are confused and Dis comforted by the other germans at the meeting were concerned that Many americans Here May be unsure where they stand with their German neighbors and that a primary aim of the group is to let them criticism of Pitburg visit termed vet news updates Bonn a the critical barrage against president reagans planned visit to a German military cemetery is an evil assault on the foundations of our Civ a top foreign ministry official said Alois state Secretary in the foreign lashed out bitterly at the american uproar led by jewish groups and members of Congress Over reagans intention to Lay a Wreath at the Pitburg military where 49 is troopers Are buried along with some other German it is a perversion of thought when critics attempt to equate the dead with is massacres of jews and prisoners of War in world War Mertes said in a radio a grave is a said retroactive suppositions of guilt against men whose bodies have rotted for 40 years has become an evil assault on the foundations of our these attacks on president Reagan and Chancellor Helmut Kohl have be come a festival for the Mertes Strong words reflect growing distress and anger within government and Media circles Here Over heavy criticism of the planned Pitburg commentators have charged that the controversy has wrongly portrayed the German people As insensitive to their brutal nazi Reagan and Kohl have defended the Pitburg visit As a Symbol of reconciliation and partnership of two nations that once were War foes and Bonn officials have said it would Honor the War casual ties of All the association of War and military service victims expressed its enormous respect and deepest thanks tuesday for Kohl and reagans rejection of pressure to scrap the the association claims million among them War wid Reagan was to arrive in West Ger Many wednesday after meet Ings thursday morning with president Richard von Weizsaecker and Rea Gans state visit will be interrupted by the world economic Summit being held in Bonn thursday through he will visit a former concentration Camp at Bergen Belsen and the Pitburg the Bergen Belsen visit was arranged in response to criticism of the Pitburg some government leaders Here said tuesday they thought both germans and americans had overreacted to the bit Burg finance minister Gerhard Stoltenberg said he thought the debate and headlines Over the visit had been completely out of on government spokesman Juergen Sudhoff told reporters Kohl had delivered a statement to his Cabinet ear Lier in the Day calling reagans visit a great service to German american the future will show that this will finally be understood by those who have been critical of the Sudhoff jewish War veterans and members of Congress have pressed Rea Gan to Call off the visit to Pitburg be cause of the is troops buried the soldiers at Pitburg were in the Waffen the combat Arm of the organization which operated concentration Camps where millions of jews were Peter the chief government said Reagan and Kohl were going to Pitburg to Honor the dead of All nations and not just the soldiers of the if someone lying there is guilty of War then there was no worse punish ment for him than these people Are and one should realize and re Spect he Reagan will also have lunch with Ger Man and american families at Bonn government officials about of bit burgs residents Are americans attached to the local air Boenisch said monday that a jewish group had suggested a Remagen Stop to the White but he could not identify the Stockman says Amtrak poses litmus test Washington a budget director David Stockman on monday said the elimination of Federal subsidies for Amtrak rail passenger service is a litmus test of congressional resolve to re Duce the there Are few programs that rank lower As far As the Good that they Stockman told the Senate subcommittee on surface which is considering the Amtrak but other including the chairman of suggested that if Amtrak is shut Down As they said it will be without Federal assistance the Cost to the Goyer ment might be just As great As if subsidies were to John the com Merce committee asked Why the administration is putting so much emphasis on the Amtrak he noted that president Reagan has often singled out the Amtrak cuts in private and Public Amtrak appears within the administration to have assumed a significance beyond the dollars he Amtrak is the litmus if we cant get this were headed toward major economic Stockman if the Amtrak assistance is he other proposed budget cuts might also fail to get past Capitol the Railroad is asking for million in Federal assistance next but am Trak chairman Graham Claytor said he could survive with just under any cuts beyond 10 percent would Force Amtrak into liquidation be cause of labor Protection and other costs associated with any Large he Stockman reiterated a Litany of arguments the Reagan administration has Given in support of its elimination of am Trak subsidies beginning next he said Amtrak carries Only a Small number of costing the taxpayer an average of per and has no Chance of becoming while Claytor and other supporters of Amtrak argued that the railroads shut Down would bring chaos to transportation in the Northeast and problems for some travellers in isolated Stockman said the ramifications would be he said 60 percent of the communities that would be left without Public transportation Are within 10 Miles of a Community with bus and 90 percent Are within 20 along the Northeast where Amtrak carries passengers a travellers will find alternate transport including air and bus service As Well As private Stockman judge oks libel suit los Angeles a a judge has refused to dismiss a doctors libel suit against author Bob Woodward for alleged inaccuracies and untruths in his Book about the late comedian John District judge William Kel Ler denied the motion by woodwards lawyers to dismiss the suit filed by Robert Feder of Beverly Allan feeders claims in the suit that Woodward was wrong when he asserted that the doctor had Given Belushi and other celebrity patients amphetamines on demand when they needed the drugs to peking Satin ends peking a a Satin at City Hall by rusticated youths demand ing a return to the capital ended after City Bosses gave them a severe talking to and told them to go Back to the More than 300 protesters from Rural Shan i about 200 Miles West of occupied the Steps of the municipal government and communist party Headquarters for a week to demand Urban Resi Dence they were sent to the Countryside As teenagers at the height of the cultural revolution in 1968 to learn from the but sought to return to their old insecticides banned up District judge James Redden has banned the use of synthetic chemical insecticides to Spray for Gypsy stopping their use immediately in Oregon and nationwide next Jan Redden ruled in favor of Environ Metal groups that challenged the Validity of an environmental Impact statement prepared by the Agri culture department on Gypsy Moth spraying Redden said the main text of the document was legally but the worst Case analysis of what could happen from using the Chemi cals fails to meet the requirements of the National environmental policy