European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 15, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday april t5,1988 the stars and stripes pages panel May decide on base closings b William j. Baht a Washington Bureau Washington the longstanding problem or get Tingle Gid Aiumu Jece to close Unnic did military bases m i hair Home districts is leading so an unlikely Alliance House armed seniors c Tummin chairman rep. In  n and in fens Secretary Frank c Allucci. Both arc working on plans in cd Hulish a bipartisan commission designed 10 Lake inc politics nut of base closures which translate into com join in some Law maker s if Gislain f districts Aspin who detailed his plan at j breakfast meeting with reporters this week plans to propose the commis Sion As 3 major amen Domeni to the 1u89 defense Aulhorn alien Hill. There is significant support Tor that Hyrc in the build  a pc lagon official said of Asp s plan. In addition to Strong support from Carlt Icci. Aspin said he i pacts cooperation in the Senate. Aids in c Allucci however said he would prefer to appoint his owl commission. Savings from closing All the unneeded military base in the  United stain has been estimated at 52 billion. However initial costs Rise when a base is closed and troops arc relocated to Cautz the receiving Sites May require new Barracks and other improvements. Savings therefore arc nol realized immediately. Aspin said inc proposal involves a commission of seven people to review base Structure and recommend which ones should be  the commission would be composed of a variety of Citi ens with an under standing of military issues. Who will sponsor the amen Domeni in inc House has nol been decided Aspin said indicating it will not necessarily be him. It s easy for me to be for it. I be Jot no bases in his Wisconsin congressional District rep los Aspin legislation for a similar commission was proposed list year by rep Richard Armey a to As but Defeated. Rep. Ron a Drums. D-callf., and other members of the military installations and facilities subcommittee have urged colleagues to seek a workable method for closing Unnic Cdcil installations. They blame sensitivity about lost jobs thai a closed installation would mean for individual congressional districts As inc source of decades of frustration for sonic lawmakers. Aspin explained thai politics always has entered into the equation because you have to decide should we close base a and consolidate everything at base a or close b and consolidate everything at a " and the Silas involved often Are in different congressional districts. Bui Aspin said Congress has been getting a bum rap recently. He said the  administration has never formally requested any base closures. The last administration to close any bases was president Carter s in 1977, he said. A spokesman for Carlucci took exception to Aspin s comment noting that inc president s 19s8 budget request proposed the closure of California s Mather fab and he naval Hospital in Philadelphia As far As we re concerned that s a formal request he said. An aide to Aspin said the administration had failed logo through formal channels in seeking the closings which entail complicated official procedures which have brought complaints from the Pentagon. In february 1986, inc defense department recommended the closing of Mather inc Philadelphia Hospital and an army Laboratory in Watertown mass. Congress prevented the closing of Mather and postponed a decision on the Hospital pending further study. The Walc town facility reportedly was saved through political pressure on the army. Aspin told reporters he is optimistic about his commis Sion proposal but is making no predictions fur its Success. . Trade deficit reached $13.8 billion in february Washington up the . Merchandise Trade deficit Rose to si3.8 billion in february an 11.2 percent increase Over january and inc largest since october. The increase from the january deficit of s12,4 bit lion came on the strength of greater imports of manufactured goods the Commerce department s census Bureau said thursday. The february deficit is the largest since imports exceeded exports by a record $17.6 billion in october. From january to february imports Rose 7.5 percent to j37.4 billion White exports climbed 5.5 percent to s23.6 billion. The deficit with Japan in february Rose to j4.5 Bil lion from j3.9 billion in january. Manufactured goods especially machinery accounted for the monthly increase in imports along Wilh higher Petroleum and agricultural imports. Manufactured imports totalled s2b.9 billion or �2.3 billion More than in january. That reflected an in crease of electrical machinery motor vehicle and trac Tor parts office machines Power generating Machin Ery telecommunications equipment and general Industrial machinery the department said. The United states imported 233 million barrels of Petroleum products at si6.42 per barrel for a Bill of 118 billion s0.2 billion higher than in january. Imports of farm products included an increase in Coffee the department said and decreases in vegetables fruits and nuts. February Eirons were si-3 billion higher than in january. Manufactured goods and farm products accounted for the monthly increase. Manufactured exports Rose j 1.2 billion to s 16.1 Bil lion in february reflecting increases in new passenger cars air planes automobile and tractor parts electrical machinery specialized Industrial machinery and scientific instruments. Form exports Rose in soybeans animal feeds Cotton and undressed hides and skins. The Trade deficit with Western Europe increased in february to j1.6 billion from s 1.3 billion in january. Canadian imports were up to s1.5 billion from is. I billion. Imports from open nations Rose so.3 billion to si-3 billion. Imports from South Korea Al $0.9 billion and mexi co at $0,6 billion were virtually unchanged from Jan uary to february the department said. Brewery settles suit filed offer mouse found in Beer Austin Texas up lawyers for Adolph Coon co. Announced thai a settlement has been reached in a lawsuit hied by a to by police offi cer who found a headless mouse in hit Beer. The Texas supreme court had agreed earlier to hear an Appeal of the product liability Case after a disputed $550, Edo judgment was assessed against Coors by a Dallas county District court jury. But the supreme court was later notified by a Coors lawyer hoi a settlement had been reached and details of the agreement would be filed within two week Ted Yerardi a police officer in North Richland Hills filed suit against Coors after he found a decapitated mouse in a bottle of Beer he was drinking at his Home on april 3,1982. According to testimony Gerardi Lead consumed about half of the Beer when he Felt something pull in Between his  he said he then held inc Bolus up Toa Light and raw the mouse Gerardi was drinking a Coors Brand called Herman Joseph 1869," which it brewed and touted in Golden Colo. Gerardi said he Felt nauseated for a month after the incident was unable to Deal with drunker driving or Public intoxication suspects on his Job was unable to watch Beer commercials on television became terrified of rodents and was forced to give up Hunting. . Jets intercept Shadow 2 Bear bombers off Alaska Anchorage Alaska up two . Jet lighters intercepted a pair of so Viet bombers and followed them for More than two hours on a flight that paralleled the length of the Alaska coastline the air Force reported. Two air Force f-15 eagles which required in slight refuelling shadowed the soviet Bear 11 bombers cast to Canada then escorted them West until the rus sians left the . Air defense identification zone and were on their Way Back toward Siberia air Force sol. George Crawford said. The intercept occurred tuesday and was the third air Force encounter with soviet planes olt Alaska in liitle More than a week said Crawford spokesman for the Alaska air come at Elmendorf fab in Anchorage. Crawford said the f-l5s, liking off from Galena in Central Alaska flew far North of Alaska to reach the soviets Fly ing on a Wisl to Casl route Over the arc tic Ocean. The f-15s met Ibe Bear bomb ers 463 mites North of Point Barrow. Alaska the northernmost Point of land in the United slates. Then the f-15s followed the two so i it planes East toward Canada s Yukon territory until the soviets turned around 137 Miles North of Shingle Point Yukon territory which Wai their closest approach to land. Crawford said. Sanas or time in the stars and stripes 40 years ago foe a ,. April i a 1948 Harold e. Stassen of Minnesota became the leading candidate for the Republican presidential nomination Wilh a Victory in the Nebraska primary 30 years ago foe a. April 15, 1958 the untied slates Britain and France won backing from in trip nato allies to open talks in Moscow on the Summit conference of East Weil leaders proposed by soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev. 20 years ago today. April is 1968 Pope Paul i in his Vatican City easter message called for a military truce in Vietnam and a peace settlement that would guarantee Freedom for both North Vietnam and South Vietnam. Of years ago today april is 1978 unions representing 1.4 million Federal while Tollar worker resigned from a government wage negotiation Board to protest president Carter s 5.5 percent ceiling on pay raised for military and Federal workers