European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 24, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 the stars and stripes Friday january 24,1986 income Rise is close to 2-year High Washington a americans personal income Rose 1.4 percent in Decem Ber lit biggest increase in almost to years while personal spending shot up 2 percent the of Neil we in Mure i a n n decade. The Commerce department Slid thursday thai the Rise in personal consumption spending was its Best performance since a 2.5 percent Rise in May 1975. While the big gain in spending outpaced the Rie in income the 1.4 percent earnings in crease was still the Best performance re Contd since a  percent Rise in january 1984. The report on personal finances served to underscore the fact thai Ilic Economy stated ii major revival in december. The government earlier had reported that unemployment in december dipped to its invest level since Early 980 while retail sulcs Industrial production and housing constructional posted big gains Scono miss arc divided however Over whether these economic barometers signal Only a temporary upturn in the country s eco nomic fortunes or work the Long awaited Revi Val from the sluggish growth the country has been mired i n since the summer of i9b4. The Commerce department reported wednesday that economic growth As measured by the Gross National product slipped to a 2.4 percent rate in la final three months of he year. Many analysts Belicic that accurately reflects the underlying strength in the Economy. The Reagan administration however is confidently predicting that growth his year wiil hit 4 percent Well above the 2,3 per cent turned in Tor All of 1935. Political machine to show his extreme displeasure with president Reagan s farm policies Tim or Avon Iowa put together in one Day i Raga nordics  the machine includes Rose coloured glasses and a social program  f a seeks to phase ouf All Asbestos products Washington a the environmental Protection Agency saying that no amount or Asbestos is Safe for humans announced thursday it intends to immediately ban five product categories containing the cancer causing sub stance and phase out All other Asbestos use Over 10 years. We arc taking this action because of the significant and Well documented threat id health that Asbestos represents Epa administrator Lee m. Thomas told a news conference. No level of exposure is with out  Thomas estimated however that it could take taif Agency As Long As a year to com plete  on Banning the five product categories which he said account for about one third to one half of the estimated 300,000 tons of Asbestos used in the United Stales. Fou of the product categories arc used in construction saturated and unsaturated roofing Felt flooring Felt and Asbestos fell backed Sheet flooring Vinyl Asbestos floor tile and Asbestos Cement pipe in fittings. The fifth category is Asbestos clothing used by firefighters and people working in High temperature environments. The Rule also would eliminate All other uses and importation of Asbestos Over the Neil decade. Thomas said that some products not immediately banned could be eliminated earlier than 10 years if substitute la them Are available these products include automotive Brake and clutch linings and Asbestos containing plastics adhesive sealants paints and other types of coatings. Report says Blacks slipping economically Washington a Black Ameri cans in 1985 slipped further and further to the rear of the Parade while most of the United Stales enjoyed an economic recovery the National Urban league said in a report released thursday. White America is getting Bock on its feet while much of Black America is still struggling just to Start rising off the floor National Urban league president John e. Jacob said in the league s filth annual re port titled an overview of Black America in 1985." the Urban league is a private Organiza Tion dedicated to improving the Standard of living for Blacks. Jacob noted that unemployment for the nation s 27.9 million Blacks was still 14,9 percent at the end of last year compared with 5.9 percent for Whites. And he said the median Black family had Only 56 cents to spend for every ii available to White families 2 cents less than Blacks had in 1980 and almost 6 cents less than in 1970. Indeed racial economic inequity As measured by the ratio of Black to White per capita income is increasing and is greater now than it has been at any time since 1970," Jacob said. The signs of a nation moving toward a state of being permanently divided Between the haves and the have not were Plain to Sec Over the past  the Urban league s assessment differs greatly from that of president Reagan who said saturday that Blacks have enjoyed a measure of Prosperity since he took office in 1981. Messenger pleads guilty to spying Washington up Randy Miles Jeffries a messenger for a Washington company that transcribes official congressional proceedings pleaded guilty thursday to one count of espionage involving the so Viet Union the . Attorney s office said. Jeffries who was scheduled to appear for arraignment in . District court sur prised prosecutors with a guilty plea to the lesser of two espionage counts be was charged with earlier this month a spokes Man for the is. Attorney s office said. Earlier this month a Federal grand jury charged Jeffries 26, with one count of de livering and attempting to deliver National defense documents to soviet agents and an other count of delivering and attempting to deliver National defense documents to a per son not entitled to receive them. Jeffries pleaded guilty to the second count one that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $10,000 Fine. The us. Attorney s office said the. First count which carried a sentence of life in prison will be dropped against Jeffries and sentencing will beset in about four weeks. The dec. 20 arrest of Jeffries who worked for uie Acme reporting co which Tran scribes closed hearing of the House of representatives has raised questions about the Secu Rity procedures at the House and the select committee on intelligence has begun 3 study of whether changes Are needed Jeffries accused of smuggling the Sensi Tive documents some shredded was arrested after he allegedly offered to sell three classified documents for $5,000 to an Fri undercover agent posing As a soviet official. According to an Fri affidavit Jeffries told the agent that he had already Given the soviets More than 60 Sample pages of the documents. Cartoonist Hurt Bloom county May be interrupted Albuquerque . A the cartoon strip Bloom county May be interrupted while cartoonist Berke breathed recovers from n fractured spine he buffered in the crash of an ultralight aircraft i father says. Breathed 28, was in satisfactory condition wednesday night and was scheduled to undergo surgery Tburg Day for what St. Joseph hot Tou spokeswoman Lillian Patterson said a a compression fracture in i lower Back. The ultralight which resemble a glider with an engine crashed wednesday North of Albuquerque on the Santa Pueblo Indian Reser vation said a dispatcher with the Bernalillo county sheriffs depart ment. Police on the reservation re fused to release any information about the Accident. Police said breathed and a com Panion identified As Thomas Zanotti 37, were Riding in the two seater ultralight. Zanolli was not injured