European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 5, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 the stars and stripes saturday december 5,1987 App Hob mayor eur one Sawyer answers copies tons at a Chicago press conference. Sawyer insists he s the mayor Chicago a Eugene Sawyer insists thai the mayor s of fice u rightfully his despite claim by a rival thai he forfeited the Job by resigning As an Alderman i am the acting mayor of the City of Chicago period Sawyer said late thursday when asked about Alderman Timothy Evans Call earlier in the Day for him to resign immediately. Evans said he had no plans Thrush to court with his Legal Conten Tion that Sawyer effectively forfeited the Job because he Steppe Down As an Alderman when it was Clear he was to succeed the late Harold Washington who died of a heart attack last week. Evans who lost the Job to saw yer in a 29-19 City Council vote during a raucous meeting that ended Early wednesday said stale Law shows that an acting mayor must also be an Alderman. Meanwhile reports published Friday in two Chicago newspapers said that in july a brother and son of Sawyer bought two trucking companies which do at least1300,000 annually in City Busi Ness. The City ethics ordinance does not clearly prohibit officials relatives from receiving City Busi Ness but does prohibit officials from exercising authority Over contracts involving relatives. In the Legal dispute Over saw yer s position Evans said one Way to clarify the question would be second City Council election but Judson Miner the City corporation counsel said Sawyer is legally the acting mayor despite his resignation As Alderman. Alderman Lawrence Bloom who supported Evans for the Postof acting mayor also said Evans has Little Chance of successfully challenging Sawyer s election be cause courts probably would up hold the City Council s interpretation of its own rules. Unless stale Law is changed or Challenge from Evans is successful. Sawyer will serve until the april1989 municipal election when voters will elect a mayor to serve until 1991. Demo chief says party aim should be positive platform Washington a democratic chief Paul Kirk Friday declared the party s1988 platform should not be a Litany of social cultural or ideological litmus test buzzwords suggesting such issues As Abor lion and the nmn Sunj equal rights amendment might be dropped. Kirk said a Brief positive platform could help end the voodoo politics of demo cratic candidates particularly those in the South who run away from or against the party in stale and local races. The democratic National committee chairman got immediate support for his latest step aimed at controlling the Tenor of the 1988 Campaign from the two to democrats on Capitol Hill Senate Leader Robert Byrd of West Virginia and House speaker Jim Wright but Black activist Maynard Jackson said he was reserving judgment if you arc silent on major issues and by silence implying rejection of them we May have to get into a debate about that the former Atlanta mayor said Kirk said this is an Opportunity. To construct a positive political asset which could mean the margin of Yitoi y for our party in what i predict will be a very close  19s8 platform should reflect the timeless truths and unifying principle which Moke us proud of our political heritage and on which we base our assumptions and our aspirations for the  said the platform must be Broad enough to Appeal to millions of Ameri cans who have been voting for Republican presidential candidates but still Short enough to be an open ice tar that Volen might actually read. The politics of inclusion must not be confused with the politics of including a line Here or a word there to attempt to satisfy every disparate group in our society. A Litany of social cultural or ideological litmus test buzzwords May be a source of Comfort to narrow Issue pres sure groups but it is not a winning National party platform Kirit said. In a move certain to draw opposition he said that traditional platform inclusion of abortion and the Era might have to end."1 would consider it a narrow Issue Kirt said to reporters about abortion. Reagan conf Rad cos Baker on Issue of us. Dollar during press conference Washington a president Reagan and Treasury Secretary James Baker Iii appeared to be talking at Cross purposes on the . Dollar until a presidential spokesman Laid Reagan had got ten things backward. In an interview Wilh four television networks broadcast thursday night Rea Gan temporarily baffled economists and probably Baker As Well by appeasing to blame declines in the value of the Dollar on recent interest rate cuts by . Trading partners. Said Reagan a sudden surge of Cut Ting interest rates in some of our trading allies abroad did have the effect of again making the Dollar fall but that was their doing not  White House spokesman Marlin Fitz Waler said afterwards thai Reagan did t mean to say the Dollar had fallen further when in fact on thursday it had actually strengthened. It should be making the Dollar Rise filiater said he meant to say  Reagan commented after being re minded by an interviewer that the Dollar had fallen even after be suggested last month that it had dropped enough. Reagan s comments came the same Day that the West German Bundesbank and six other european Central Banks agreed to lower key lending rates. The move Drew expressions of Delight from Baker who had Long pressed for such action. Commerce Secretary William Verity also strongly praised the european moves Friday. What Germany and other countries of Europe did yesterday was very very bullish. A very very Good move ver Ity said on Abc tvs  he said the Dollar is headed toward  Baker has contended that lower inter est rates abroad would stimulate demand for More . Goods and ease the . Trade deficit while also helping to Stabi Lize the Dollar. International currency traders said the interest rate cuts helped fuel a Dollar rally in Exchange markets particularly in Europe the opposite effect from that suggested by Reagan s initial remark. Alter Reagan s remarks in the television interview David Wyss senior economist for data resources inc. Said what be said does t make sense. The administration wanted the other coun tries to lower their Rales. Maybe he Means hat they waited too Long to do it. 1 just can t understand what he Means. It was t the first time Reagan Ansbaker have appeared to be saying contradictory thing about the Dollar. Two weeks ago Reagan told reporters the Dollar bad fallen enough. Those com ment came on the heels of Baker s suggestion in a Wall Street journal interview thai the administration would let the Dol Lar fall rather than risk a recession with stringent monetary policies to prop it up. And like thursday s presidential re Marks Reagan s earlier comments also produced a later clarification from Fitz water. The spokesman said the administration we not seeking a lower Dollar a statement consistent Wilh that of the Treasury Secretary. Panel chairman acknowledges plea in America for fast action on aids Washington