European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 29, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 16 the stars and stripes i sunday. December 29, 1985 vendors in housing areas hard to control t of Vendor argued vehemently Lor a Hance to peddle his product at american communities in Germany army officiate denied the request Rui Iny there was no need for the product that it , in bad me and tha it could to Diu Sorou. The Vendor s product a ujan Python his proposal to visit american housing areas with the pet Snake and pose it with children for souvenir pictures the Vendor s application Lor a solicitation permit was turned Down by capt. Elton r Manske and Mark Austin who Monitor commercial solicitation Lor the Usa eur adjutant general. Ii was determined that this act belonged better in a circus Austin Sard when we receive an application we look at the worthiness of the product Manske said. Taste and need Are important criteria in determining in a product is acceptable. We simply had to turn this one  the Permil application was one of 10 rejected in the past year a modest number compared with the 2.000 vendors holding commercial solicitation permits to sell in Usa eur. Soliciting business at military communities in Europe is nothing new it s been a profitable undertaking since world War ii. In Britain some vendors lipid in Dill cull to sell b Ause there is no language Barrier to inhibit americans from patronizing Well locked shops on the Economy in Italy vendors push such everyday household products As soaps and detergents carpets dishes Kitchen utensils and tablecloths Germany with its heavily populated troop areas receives the biggest play. And much of the action is directed at military housing. Housing areas Are targeted because they present salesmen with identifiable audience1, that turn Over frequently Austin said. What this Means is a Iresh group of Consumers every couple  despite regulatory efforts to control solicitation in most countries it is Dill cull to keep vendors out of open housing areas. Salesmen Are chased by housing residents or military police Only to reappear in an adjacent building or stairwell. Discouraged in most countries such solicitations Are against regulations in Germany. But dedicated Sellers remain unimpressed by efforts to curb their activities. We re seeing lots of vendors now and we saw a lot in Numberg 10 years ago said Alison Huther of Kaiserslautern. There seems to be More door to door solicitation at military housing in Europe than in the  the Python Case raises questions about the solicitation program which often is misunderstood. We do not and cannot operate a watchdog Agency Manske said. We do no endorse sales personnel. We do not have the resources to verify tester & Rosemarie " i Doucette Jason a caller knocks on the door of a housing area rat ident. Product reliability. We simply serve As a Central repository. Our role is  under the Usa eur program insurance agents receive one Type of clearance and agents Selling All other products receive miscellaneous clearances. As a condition of clearance All sales applicants must submit to background checks and must sign a pledge not to break military regulations. Insurance applicants must meet additional qualifications. They must present a valid stateside License and prove a year s Selling experience in the United states during the previous five years. An insurance applicant also must have paperwork submitted by his general agent. Product acceptance is granted by Usa eur Only after receipt of a letter of responsibility from the president of the producing company or an Independent agent. All clearances limit vendors to solicit by individual appointment and forbid door to door solicitation. They also require separate Community clearances wherever agents sell. A recent change in clearance procedures is aimed at reducing abuse of permits that formerly were issued to miscellaneous vendors. Too often these permits have been perceived As Access documents Austin said. Because they contained pictures of sales personnel and looked quite Foll Cal Gate guards have been inclined to permit vendors on installations where they had no business. And once inside facilities they have sold their products is photo by la nil w. Spark in violation of regulations. One Vendor boasted that he used his permit to enter Spanish bases. That certainly was nol the reason the permit was  the revised regulation has eliminated miscellaneous permits for future applicants. Instead they Are receiving from Usa eur a stamped application that is needed when applying for separate Community clearances. Well still acting As a Clearing House. But we re making sure applicants Don t have a document they can abuse Austin said. Elimination of the miscellaneous permit does nol sit Well with All vendors. They Point to an earlier decision rat eliminated permits Lor vendors who sell Only at bazaars. This ruling specified that permits would be needed Only for solicitation As a result of this change we had a Vendor Selling switchblade knives at a Community Bazaar " one merchant complained. Under the change this Man did not need a Usa eur clearance. I can t imagine Usa eur Clearing the Sale of  despite such complaints Manske and Austin said communities Are capable of implementing controls Over All vending activities. I think the communities Are perfectly capable of screening vendors who sell at bazaars Manske said