European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - June 14, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 the stars and stripes sunday june 14,1987 Flora Lewis no leadership displayed at Venice Summit the seven leaders left the economic Summit conference in Venice proclaiming How pleased they were with themselves and in a Way it was True. They had come with thunderous warnings of Tough talk especially from the United states. But no one s Arm was twisted no one s toes were trodden on. They came up with banalities and ambiguities to address the is sues before them with the least possible friction and with the least possible Content. Reagan was a pussycat said one senior Delegate. He never gets  All the american noise about bashing the iranians if they Don t behave in the per Sian Gulf bashing the allies if they Don t help bashing the West germans and japanese if they Don t Pep up their economies faded away in amiability an agreement not to mention the real disagreements that exist among them. President Reagan produced a classic quote about the meaning of the harsh noises on what the United states would do if Iran fires on american ships saying i be never bluffed since i be been  but the Oiler leaders said they had t even been asked for support of what they clearly considered an undefined . Policy in the Gulf. No Blank Check was asked none was Given said Canada s prime minister Brian Mulroney. Secretary of state George Shultz defined . Interests in the Gulf As though it were a private american Lake from which the russians have to be excluded. But be rested american Hopes to end the War on the United nations Security Council the same United nations to which one of his ambassadors wanted to wave Bye Bye from new Yor where any attempt to impose sanctions on Iran would be impossible without soviet and chinese approval. After announcing that a main purpose of american intervention ii to keep the russians out Reagan now says that he would Welcome soviet cooperation in the area. On again off again. Which is it there is a strange idea that relations with Moscow can be divided up in categories that do not affect each other. In one area the United states is looking for alarms reduction agreement that could change he East West atmosphere and create Many possibilities for easing tensions. In another it is deliberately moving the Iran Iraq War from a very Nasty but local conflict that both superpowers would like to see ended to a possible new East West confrontation. All this hot and cold whether among allies or be tween adversaries makes for an air of rudderless indecision. There is a sorry contrast with the atmosphere in Moscow which has much worse problems but a Lead James j. Kilpatrick Reship that knows where it wants to go and can stimulate Tome exhilaration in trying to get there. When the russians say they Are apprehensive about the buildup of an american Fleet in the fenian Gulf their anxiety does t seem so much to be about the expression of America � determination to defend the West s interests there but about the danger of spreading hostilities and developing a new hot Point of superpower tension. They realize that could make it harder to Complete the promising new arms agreements. They Are eager for a Western response on their new proposals to Dis cuss military doctrine and restructuring of forces in Europe so As to reduce the risk of War and nothing has been forthcoming. Now they Are showing foreign policy initiative and the West is dithering. With the exception of prime minister Margaret Thatcher of Britain who stayed overnight and rushed Home in a successful attempt to get herself re elected All the leaders present were in some Way lamed and it showed in their determination to put Good appear ances ahead of everything else. Canada s Brilliant economic adviser Sylvia Ostry analyses the difficulties that the Western nations Are having in taking the moves they know Are essential to bring health to the world Economy As a period of  the United states can no longer manage Italy but a system for cooperative management Oast yet been achieved. Something similar is going on in Inteman Moinal Polit ical affairs. The Western leaders know they have to get together but nobody is really in charge nobody is setting a dear course. No doubt it is better in the circumstances that the Western leaders choose to spare each other at Leas face to face than if they were openly quarrelling. Per haps that in itself justifies filling the Summit meeting with protocol and emptying it of substance. But it in t enough to move the world on to a Cohe rent approach to real and urgent problems or to Deal wisely with the opportunities and snares presented by new soviet policies. Nothing bad happened in Venice except that nothing much happened. C new York Tinei audit of inaugural suggests waste illegalities Trust the auditors egged on by William Proxmire to rain All Over a National picnic. The Gen eral accounting office at the senator s request recently released an auditor s report on the presidential inaugural of 1985. The ceremonies Cost the government a bundle and the Gao thinks much of the outlay was illegal. The senior senator from Wisconsin generally is recognized if not always acclaimed As the pre eminent congressional Penny Pincher of All time. He is even tighter than the late sen. Harry f. Byrd of Virginia which is saying a Good Deal. Back in january 1985, just before president Reagan s second inaugural Proxmire asked the Gao to put its Eagle Eye on every dime of Public funds that would be spent on the occasion. Proxmire wanted to know everything right Down to an audit of the use of military photographers video or motion pictures taken and a breakdown of the final disposition of All such photographic prod  it took the Gao a considerable time to pull the facts together but now we know through seven different agencies principally the department of defense the taxpayers spent a net of $15,512,339.59 to get or. Reagan suitably reinstalled in the White House. It would have been More but the great Parade had to be cancelled because of the bitter cold. Despite that disappointment the festivities were extensive. The Gao noted that inaugurals tend to get More social All the time. James Madison s inaugural in 1809 saw the first official Ball. Martin Van Buren s inaugural in 1837 was highlighted by two inaugural balls. William Henry Harrison in 1841 raised the num Ber to three. The Kennedy inaugural of 1961 saw five and the Reagan Celebration in i98s raised the number to nine. In addition to the Post inaugural balls we now have pre inaugural galas. State societies sponsor receptions brunches and breakfasts. In 1985 Arkansas staged a wine and cheese party Nebraska served Champagne. The teamsters Union opened a hospitality suite. Amer ican indians held a Ball. These things went on for four Days before the actual swearing in ceremony and for four Days thereafter. And they All had to be coordinated. As in other years the task of management fell primarily to a presidential inaugural committee Picard the tasks of execution devolved principally upon the armed forces inaugural committee Wafic. What troubled the auditors is that in their View Pic is a private outfit and under the general Law the af1c had mighty Little authority for assisting it with Public funds. Still tradition must be served and the department of defense dug into its pocket for $10,027,045.11, of which Only 152,468.22 was reimbursed by Pic for a net outlay of $9,974,576.89. Where did the Money go mostly for manpower. Wafic assigned 1,826 officers and men to inaugural duties. They put in 81,603 staff Days. The corps included 560 Drivers 244 Ushers Iso doctors and corps men 74 Public relations people and two lawyers presumably assigned to figuring out How to spend the Money legally. Like every auditor s report the Gao s report to sen. Proxmire is crammed with mystifying details. On Jan. 18, 52 members of the Marine corps drum and Bugle corps performed at an auditor s Cost of $520, or $10 a musician. On the following Day 40 members of the same outfit performed at Constitution Hall for $300, or $7.50 per head. Meanwhile at the washing ton convention Center the army s drum and Bugle corps 26 members was playing for $390, or $15 per head. Maybe they were louder. Some color guards Cost $5 per member some $6.66, some $22.50. The gun Salute on Jan. 21 required 35cannoneers their time and ammunition went on the books at $1,050. The Marine corps seven Man silent Drill team Cost Only $140, which is dirt cheap. Those marines Are fantastic. Ponder the meaning to be read into these figures the army provided 16 Herald trumpets at $27.50 each and a string quartet at $28.75 per fiddler but the coast guard charged Only $23 for each member of a Wood wind quintet. What invidious discrimination against the clarinet have the auditors Here revealed of yes. The photos. Sixty photographers turned out 3,233 prints and slides the air Force alone used 160 Rolls of film but the Gao could account for the disposition of Only 2,525 of these. Until the missing 708 Are fully accounted for this audit must be regarded As critically flawed. Onward to 1989 c Universal press Syndicate