European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 20, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 6 the stars and stripes wednesday August 20,1986 b-52 to carry cruise missile despite limits of Salt Accord by Norman Black a military writer Washington the air Force has begun the process of modifying its 131st b-52 bomber to carry cruise missiles a step that will carry the United Stales beyond the limits of the Salt ii arms Accord the air Force s new chief of staff said monday. Gen. Larry d. Welch in hrs first meeting with Pentagon reporters since assuming command of the air Force on july 1, said the modification work on the bomber would be completed sometime within the next three months. White House and Pentagon officials had said previously the United slates would surpass la Salt ii limits on nuclear weaponry this fall in the course of modernizing its b-52 bombers. Welch s comments however were the first to confirm that modification work on the particular bomber had already begun. The 131st aircraft is in mod modification right now Welch said adding that the work takes about 90  Reagan in a decision that has drawn intense ii licit from democrats announced in May he was prepared to abandon the 1579 Salt ii Accord because of soviet violations of the pact. Reagan said at the time that he was ordering the dismantling of two old Poseidon sub marines to remain in compliance through the summer but thai he would allow the air Force to continue modify ing its b-52s to carry cruise m is Silas cruise missiles arc unmanned jets that hug the ground to avoid radar. They can carry either conventional or nuclear warheads. The Salt ii Accord was signed by former president Carter but was never ratified by the Senate. Until Rea Gan s decision last May however the United slates and soviet Union had nonetheless pledged to abide by its terms. Among other restrictions the agreement Lim its 10 1,310 the number of multiple warhead weapons that each Side can possess. In the Case of the . Arsenal a bomber equipped with cruise missiles counts against that limit. The modification of the 13lst b-52 to carry cruise missiles unless offset by the retirement of other submarine or silo based missiles would push the United states Over the 1,320 limit. The Reagan administration maintains the Salt ii Accord was flawed from the Stan because it did mandate deep reductions in nuclear weapons and that soviets have violated it in any event through such actions As deploying a new ss-25 land based missile. House democrats counter that the United states should not break out of the agreement when there Are still prospects for negotiating a new arms control agreement. Indeed the House version of the Penta gon s fiscal 1987 budget authorization includes a specific ban on violating Salt ii the Senate s version of the Bill does not contain such a provision meaning that the administration is free at the moment to pursue the b-52 modification program. Welch in discussing the matter monday stressed that he president would still have the flexibility this fall to remain with the Salt ii limits if the soviets took Steps to Correct their own violations. But he made it bluntly dear what his advice to the president would be. Almost no one suggests that there should not be some . Response to soviet violations of Salt Welch said now there Are some who would characterize those violations As on the margin 1 Don t re Gard Fielding a second new icbms in violation of Salt As being on the margin. So the real Issue is when we arrive at that position this fall and we see whether or not the soviets have responded in any Way. The real Issue is what is the proper , response. And in that context i would certainly argue that continuing the modification of b-52s with cruise mis Siles is not an inappropriate  Welch added he considered it a great Deal Lew provocative to modify the aging b-52s than to violate the agreement by Fielding another land based ballistic  f  r agreement ballistic i army engineers ready to help Southeast manage water Supply Atlanta api the army corns of engineers minimum water now remains the same. Prince is y corp expects an extended drought in the Southeast As the Region enter the three months that traditionally have the least rainfall. The Southeast is already suffering under one of the driest years of the Century. Corps officials along with officials in Georgia Ala Bama and Florida have established  to manage water resources in the Chattahoochee. Flint and Apalachicola River basins a 19,600-Squane-mile area that stretches from Northern Georgia to the Gulf of Mexico. Corps officials discussed those plans and the condition of its water resources at a Public hearing monday night. U. Col. Roy Prince Deputy District Engineer Tor the corps office in Mobile ala., detailed the condition of three major lakes in the system Lake Lumier Northeast of Atlanta West Point Lake most of which is in Troup county on the Georgia Alabama Border and Lake Waller f. George which forms the Georgia Alabama Border for Many Mes in the Southern sections of the states. If the drought continues at its present Pace and the minimum Wate Flo in said lakes Waller f. George and West Point could fill to their Normal Levels by Early 1987. But by december 1987, Lanier would be at 1,004 feel and that scares us he said. If the drought were to continue another year and a half. There would still be plenty of drinking water in Lanier but most of the other uses would go by the  one casualty of conservation measures already taken is navigation in the Apalachicola River the corps tries to maintain a nine fool Channel for nver traffic but that has been reduced to four feet and for All practical purposes halted navigation Prince said. The lower late Levels also have Hurt recreation and the Economy built up around it. If the drought continues. Prince said the corps next step will be to attempt a reduction of the water it allows into the Rivers to maintain water Quality. A problem there is the 65-mile stretch of the Challa Woochee River from Buford dam to the Lai Waters of West Point Lake a stretch already prone to poor water  fort Hood offers phone number to report possible espionage fort Hood Texas up incidents of Ameri cans Selling military secrets to inc soviet Union have prompted officials at several army bases to ask sol Diers to report suspicious behaviour an army official said. In a Nole attached to their july paychecks soldiers Al fort Hood were asked to report anyone carrying miniature cameras or Small tape recorders making unexplained Short trips out of the country or showing unusual interest in other people s work. Similar programs have been initiated at fort Bragg n.c., and fort Lewis. Wash., said Cape. Michael Mon net a spokesman at fort Hood. Military personnel were Given a toll free number to Call if they have anything suspicious to report. So Many people were arrested and prosecuted for espionage last year that the news Media called 1985 the year of the spy " said the fort Hood newspaper the Sentinel in a Story about the program the article written by counterintelligence agent Ste phen Hammel contends that everyone at fort Hood from tank Drivers to clerks and Cooks Are Poten tial targets for espionage. In the article Hammel asks soldiers to look out Forlong distance Calls from people with foreign accents who refuse to leave Call Back messages. Stateside 10-year-old Dies in crash 12-year-old Driver injured Kansas City to. A a 10-year-old boy was killed when his 12-year-old compan Ion lost control of a stolen car while being chased by police at speeds up id 100 Mph the boys both of Atchison Kan were thrown from the car monday night when it ran off interstate 29 near Kansas City International Airport and nipped several times according to a report by the Missouri Highway patrol the younger boy James a Gorrell was declared dead at i he scene. The Driver was treated for cuts and bruises ill Spelman Hospital in Smithville. He was then released Atchison police chief Ron Pickman said the boys parents reported them missing about an hour before the Chase. The patrol said the boys had been punned by the  for about three Mil when their car crashed. The 1986 Oldsmobile Cutlass in which they were Riding was reported stolen from leaven Worth kan., police said. Engine fire forces 38 to exit plane via Chute Memphis Tenn. A thirty eight peo ple aboard a Republic airlines dc-9 Slid use by Down emergency exit chutes after an engine caught fire As the plane landed at he Mem Phis International Airport. We heard the Captain say move ill in i real loud voice and we did Down the Chute said Francene Gafford of Memphis passenger aboard flight 478 from Dillu fort Worth International Airport. The plane had made a scheduled Landing at 9 50 . Monday when the Tower noticed flumes from the left engine Piid Jack Barker a spokesman for the Federal aviation administration in Atlanta. Chicago mayor s backers oppose referendum Chicago a supporter of mayor Harold Washington say a drive to make the City s mayoral election non partisan u racially Inola rated. This whole thing sends up an odor Washington said monday. Supporters of Washington the City s first Black mayor have criticized the referendum drive As an attempt to make the mayor face a single White challenger in the april mayoral elec Tion. Washington was elected in 1983 when two White Democrat split the vote in the primary allowing him to inn the nomination with 36,5 percent of the vote. Boy with aids to begin first Grade next month Overland to. Dpi school official said monday a 6-year-old boy whose Parent took him out of classes last Spring because he suffers from acquired immune deficiency syn drome will Stan first Grade next month. John Dearman superintendent of the rite Nour school District in is. Louis county said the boy is scheduled to begin classes sept. 2 at the Wyland elementary school in Overland. Dearman said he expected no problems be cause most of the District s parents got their questions answered about the disease in april. He said they no longer object to the boy s presence at the school