European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 31, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                D 9 Mote deaths linked to Arkansas gunman Page 5 d camping in the soviet Union american style stripes Magazine d Georgia edges razor backs in Liberty bowl sports Page 17 Autho Idieo unofficial full Orion Fob i �. Mio vol. 46. No. 256 thursday december 31, 1987 Ujj. 0 8693 a cafes raising prices 15% for All japanese products  Bureau Munich prices for japanese products sold through overseas echanrc5 and Cata logs will jump 15 percent in january officials said wednesday. The Price hikes in overseas army and air Force Exchange service slurs to Inlo effect Jan. 31, while items ordered through the joint service Exchange Cata log Siart Jan. 16. The Price increase is due id the lower value of the Dollar in relation to the japanese  said Thomas Papst chief of the cafes Catalon sales division. Our suppliers began raising prices shortly after we distributed the Catalon but we held prices As Long As we i u u  in the past year the Dollar has dropped near 25 percent in value against the yen ill is continuing to full. The hike in Catalon prices marts the second straight year that officials have raised prices after the mail see cafes on Page 24 nobody told the roses a Young woman at a Trik flirt s palming arten Smartt la be Nhiep crier a secret to same full blown roses that apparently think it s still summertime. The mild weather saved the Flowers from freezing. Related photos on Page 3. Economic Index tumbles largest decline since 81 Washington a tin govern ment s main forecasting Gautie of eco nomic activity plunged 1.7 percent in november the biggest decline in More than six years the Commerce pc Parl Mem said wednesday. The Steep drop in the department Index of lending economic indicators the first setback since january reflected primarily the sleep Tumble in Slock prices that occurred this fall. 1 lie Index which is composed of 11 Forward pointing business barometers is designed to predict economic activity Sis 10 nine months in the future. The forecasting tool has taken on added significance since the record oct. 19 drop in Slock prices As economists Tryluk determine whether the country is headed for another recession. The department said the setback in the Index was the largest since a 2.2 per cent drop in september i9hi, one of six in a Row thai year As the country fell into the last recession. Three consecutive monthly declines in the Index often but not always have been the signal of an impending recession. However the government said the october Index which originally hid been reported As a 1.2 percent decline had been revised up to show an increase of 0.2 percent. Michael Evans head of a Washington forecasting firm sail the november de Cline was a very substantial sign of  he said in was Likely that in Index would fall further in december and january As Well. Evans is forecasting a recession begin Ning around february of next year. In another sign of a weaker Economy. The Commerce department also reported wednesday that new Home sales fell 1.2percent in november Tel Lovli. A re Vised 2,1 percent oel Ober incr ase analysis blamed jitters Aho it the ? Stock Market and volatility in intern riles for the weakness. The increase in the leading Inisi in october came do Spier the fact that tick prices were a huge negative Force on he october Index. That weakness continued in novem Ber As the average Price for the month of the 500 stocks in Standard & i Oor s 5tlo declined 12.5 percent on top of a 12.1 percent drop in of Lobar Slock prices ast month were 25.6 percent lower than see Index on Page 24 american drives through soviet Barrier in w. Berlin from stuff and wire reports Berlin an american civilian crashed through a harrier Ai the soviet War memorial in West Crlin after a family of car Rel tuesday and was arrested by soviet guards. West Berlin police said wednesday. The 40-year-od am incan who was identified Only As Alunro a. Was held by the soviets about five hours and the released to British military police who turned him Over to Cwm Eleryn police. The police spokesman said he Ameri can drove to the Monument a oui 4 . Tuesday after he ally fed Cut his her Man brother in Law s lace with a knife at a boutique in the i h irent Lynburg  apparently i Houghl tin1 he incr in Law was encouraging his nov to divorce him. The spokesman said the suspect was Noti it before a West Berlin court  where he a is charged with intent m cause Hodil in jury a spokesman for lie West Berlin prosecutor s office sail no decision was made regarding their. Jdant at the War Monument because Allied occupation Laws May come Inlo play he said. A police spokesman said the Man. A new yorker who has lived in Berlin Many years drove his automobile through a Barrier and up 10 Steps to Hall in front of a giant statue of a soviet sol Dier flanked by two of the t-34 tanks used in the soviet capture of Berlin. The suspect has no connection to the official american presence in West Berlin a police spokesman said. The Monument was reeled in i1j45 immediately alter the end of world War ii in the Tiit Earlyn Park in what Laii became part of the British occupy cum sector. Tin1 Neviels remained control of the Monument alter the British arrived and Haxe. M effect extraterritorial rip lits there. The  is on a Broad rond that leads to the Brandenburg Fialco. Sin Jet soldiers guard Tho ear shul he driven up the Steps f taif War Nii Zimria