European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - October 18, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Pain 4 the stars and stripes Friday october 18, 1985 Dod urges halt to spending reforms Washington Al l in narc has passed is  Ric slav s aimed at ending defense spending abuses  it us put to  a while be arc ordering any More changes a Tup Pentagon of tibial told the Senate on thursday. I can understand the congressional frus Trafinna that Sorn cling Ftp fir  needed because of the seemingly daily horror Sto Ries on hammers Coffee pots or other spare parts said Lames p. Wade assistant Secre tary of defense for acquisition. But there have been so Many changes ordered that Congress should resist fur ther Primou rement Reform legislation until we have had a year or two to assess the Impact improvements and deficiencies of the legislation enacted he told the Senate armed services procurement policy sub committee. The Pentagon has problems. Wade said but they arc not As severe As Many people believe after two years of revelations about abuses including High prices for spare parts. With almost 15 million procurement transactions a year even if we were 99.9 percent perfect we would still have 15,000 actions we would like to do Over he said. He detailed a number of Steps the Penta gon has taken in the past two years to try to end the abuses. Wade complained As have other of Pentagon officials that it is the defense department itself which has uncovered Many of the problems and thus the Pentagon should get credit. The situation reminds me of an old say ing Don t clean the skeletons out of the closet. They la accuse you of murder " said Wade. We be ignored that advice in this administration he said. Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger went straight for the skeletons in the closet and there were Many. Despite Wade s complaints another series of procurement reforms would be or dered by the Bill authorizing the Pentagon s current budget. The measure has passed the Senate and is awaiting final 1 Louse action. In All likelihood we will Sec further legislative initiatives in 1986," said sen. Daniel Quayle r-lnd., As he opened the hearing. Quayle s panel plans to hold a series of meetings on the Best Way to end contracting abuses. A White House commission is Abo reviewing the defense department and is expected to recommend a series of changes next summer. Marines Navy recruits isolated after aids test san Del Xio aim a Leven Marine corps recruits and an undisclosed number of Navy recruits arc in quarantine and facing medical discharges after preliminary tests spotted they have been exposed to the aids virus officials say. Maj. Stuart Wagner said wednesday blood samples of the 11 Marine recruits were sent to a civilian Laboratory in Hettie sea my. Where he Western hot lest would be performed. Western blot is considered the definitive test fur presence of the aids virus. If thai conies Back positive the recruit will be medically  Wanner said. If it conies Back negative he will be allowed Twig be " if a to Raj c of a re s5 i Jiar--x2i.  a a is the muddied the merrier students it Mohawk regional High school in Buck land mass., take a dive into the mud during a Post practice Romp of the Rainy Day pastime they Call mud  from left arc Brandon undue Ais of Ronnie Bourasso of shul Hornc and Michae Plainfield. Mauley Kina of economic upturn slower than predicted Washington a the Economy after six months of disappointing growth picked up steam during the summer but the puce still remained below the rebound predicted by the Reagan administration the government reported thursday. The Commerce department said the Gross National product the broadest measure of economic health grew at a 3.3 percent annual rate from july through september. This represented a three fold increase Over the anaemic 1.1 percent growth rate turned in during the first sin months of the year. It also represented an upward revision from an initial hash estimate made last month which put third Quarter growth at 2.8 percent. However the administration was predicting that growth in the second half of the year would Post a five fold in crease. On the basis of this optimism the administration forecast growth for the entire year of 3 percent. But most private economists Are predicting growth will average Only about 2 percent this year a sluggish rate that would qualify As a growth recession a period when economic activity picks up so slowly that unemployment rises. The weakness in manufacturing has dampened Overall growth As both income and employment have shown Little improvement this year. Adding to the pessimism the government also announced thursday that new housing construction fell 9.3 percent in september the biggest drop since May. The on report showed that inflation remained Wen under control during the summer. An inflation measure lied to the Gnu that measures a fixed group of items Rose at an annual rate of 2.9 percent in the july september Quarter Down from a 3.9 percent rate of increase in the second Quarter. That had been the Best inflation performance in More than 1 3 years. The third Quarter increase followed a barely perceptible 0.3 percent growth rate in the first three months of the year and a slightly better 1.9 percent rate in the second. The upturn in economic activity was due to a big jump in final sales which increased 5.9 percent in the third Quarter compared to a 4.6 percent Rise in the second Quarter. The increase in sales came primarily from purchases by Consumers who went on an automobile buying spree in August and september spurred on by attractive Cut rat financing deals. By contrast business investment spending fell at an annual rate of 4.7 percent in the third Quarter. Many firms capital spending plans have been Cut Back by the weakness in profits this year. The United states trading performance worsened Dur ing the summer but the deterioration was at a slower rate. The difference Between exports my imports grew at an annual rate of $200 million in the third Quarter compared to a $5.4 billion annual growth Rale in the second Quarter. While the Economy strengthened in the july september Quarter Many private economists Are worried that growth will Slacken again in the final three months. They base their concern on the belief that Little Lias been done to solve the country s biggest problem i  of foreign imports robbing american manufacturers of sales. The weakness in manufacturing has dampened Overall growth As both Inonu and employment have shown Little improvement this year. Before inflation was removed the Gnu grew at an annual rate of 6.7 percent in inc third Quarter after a 4 5percent second Quarter Rise. Private analysts Are split on what the Economy will now do. Some have predicted further strengthening based on continued Strong consumer demand during the Christmas buying season. But other analysts arc calling for a slight drop from the third Quarter level based on the belief thai Consumers will begin cutting Back on purchases because of the Large debts Many Are carrying