European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - June 8, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday june a 1988 the stars and stripes Page 3 5,000 join Kennedy for memorial service at grave site of Frk Arlington a. A about 5.000 people joined he Kennedy family monday Al the grave of Robert of Kennedy for a Sunset mass in Joyful remembrance of the senator who was slain 20 years ago while Savouring Victory in he California presidential Pri Mary. This was inc first time since Kennedy s death thai his family opened to the Public its annual memorial service at Arlington National cemetery. The graveside service was not far from where his brother John f. Kennedy inc 35th president is buried. Ethel Kennedy the senator s widow and their 10 surviving children took part in the service. One of Tho a children. Rory Elizabeth Kennedy was not born until six months after her father was assassinated Al the age of 42, by the time inc service began the sleep Hillside under the Cullis Lee mansion was crowded with friends former Campaign aides and tourist who happened to be in the cemetery. It. Col. Robert Mirelson Deputy pub Lic affairs officer for the military District of Washington estimated Atten dance at 5,000. As the service ended with the singing of the Battle hymn of the Republic the people on the Hillside lighted candles they had been Given on their Way to the grave site bathing the scene in a soft glow. Robert Kennedy was always ready to Stop and reach out o others said Joseph p. Kennedy 11, d-mass., the eldest son. Now 20 years after his death my Mother my Brothers and Sisters All of us in our family share with countless others across America and abroad those pre Cious moments of his Public life sen. Edward m. Kennedy d-mass., Robert s younger brother recited the prayer of is. Francis lord make me an instrument of your peace. For it is in pardoning that we Are  Robert 34, who has his father s first name asked inc crowd for a moment s prayer for a policeman who was struck by a Motorist As the Kennedy motorcade headed toward the service. Two bowls of White Flowers graced the altar while a Box in front of the altar held 400to 500 Pink roses. Each of the Kennedy children and a few of Kennedy s grandchildren recited during the service some quoting from speeches their father made others from the Bible. Matthew Kennedy welcomed the Cele brants to the mass on behalf of his Mother Sisters and Brothers and said i in Vite you to join us in renewing the commitment that was his life his spirit and his  Courtney Kennedy Ruhe quoted from a speech that the former senator gave during the Oregon primary Campaign in1968 a week before he was assassinated. Perhaps this world will always be a world in which children suffer she re cited Bui we can reduce inc number of suffering children and if you Don t help us who will and John f. Kennedy jr., the Only son of the late president recited shakespearean words Robert Kennedy liked to quote when he shall die take him and Cui him out in Little stars and he will make the face of heaven so Fine that Al the world will be in love with night and pay no worship to the Garish Sun. The gathering included some important names from the Kennedy Era such As Theodore Sorensen a top aide an biographer to both Kennedy Brothers Ana Byron while a supreme court jus Tice who was appointed by president Kennedy. Neither Jacqueline Kenned Onassis nor her daughter Caroline Ken Nedy Schlossberg. Attended the service. The memorial mass was in the eve Ning As was Robert Kennedy s  reason then was the Large and grieving crowds that slowed the train carrying his coffin from new York after a service in is. Patrick s Cathedral. The funeral was four hours late and in the darkness children held lighted candles. This time the Laic hour was set to accommodate close friends and others who wanted to share the memory with his family. Robert Kennedy then a senator from new York and running for the demo cratic presidential nomination was fatally shot in los Angeles shortly after mid night on june 5, 1968, following a Brief speech at a hotel to 2,000 Campaign sup App no rep. Joseph f. Kennedy ii a mass kneels it his father s grave while Robert f. Kennedy s widow Ethel and brother. Sen. Edward Kennedy d-mass., Aland silently. Porters who were celebrating his califor Nia primary Victory the previous eve Ning. He died the following Day. His last words to those cheering sup porters were it s on to Chicago and let swin  Chicago was the site of the 1968 democratic National convention Sirhan Sirhan the jordanian born As Sassin who insisted he did not know How he was driven to his deed still is in Pris on. He was convicted of first degree Mur Der but his death sentence was lifted when California abolished the death pen ally. Kennedy s grave site is marked with a simple Cross and a Small Pool in Stark contrast o inc More Omale grave of his brother. There an eternal flame bums that can be seen from Washington across the Potomac River and the areas bordered by a Wall inscribed with quo la Lions from preside no Kennedy speeches. The fourth of the 11 Kennedy Chil Dren David Anthony Kennedy was found dead of a drug overdose in West Palm Beach fla., in april 1984. The others arc Kathleen Townsend 36. Who Heads a Maryland youth corps program and was an unsuccessful Candi Date for Congress Joe 35 Robert jr., 34, who leaches environmental Law at Pace University Courtney Ruhe. 31, a fund Raiser for the Frk foundation Michael 30, who Heads citizens Energy corp. In Boston Mary 28, who runs Frk Center for human rights in Boston Christo Pher 24, works for the family owned merchandise Mart in Chicago Matthew 23, a senior Al Harvard Douglas 21, a Sophomore Al Boston College and Rory,19, a freshman at Brown. Offshore California Oil leasing plan postponed san Francisco a Interior Secretary Donald Model on monday suspended plans to lease 1.1 million acres off the Northern California coast for Oil drilling removing a thorny Issue from presidential politics. The action came on the eve of the California Pri Mary and a Day after vice president George Bush softened his pro drilling stance and called for the controversial offshore drilling plan to be delayed. The two major democratic presidential Candi dates Massachusetts gov Michael Dukakis and Jesse Jackson have advocated slopping All offshore drilling activity. Hodel said in a statement released monday night in Washington that in appears that no valid Public purpose would be served by preparation and publication of a final environmental Impact statement containing a pro posed course of action for lease Sale 91." Interior department spokesman David Prosper said the environmental report could have been pre pared As soon As August. The proposed lease Sale of tracts offshore from Mendocino and Hur Boldt counties had been tentatively scheduled for february 19b9, pending a Deci Sion by the next administration. Bui the change in positions by Bush a one Lime Texas oilman no previously had expressed unconditional support for drilling effectively meant the Sale would at least be postponed until More Impact studies Are done. Bush campaigning in Southern California when informed of Hodel s decision said i take thai As Good  Model indicated he was reluctant to take the action. I know that the coast of California contains Garcal natural and Scenic Beauty Hal should be protected for future generations. I also believe that America needs to know whether there Are future Energy re sources offshore California he said. I believe we do not have to choose Between development of offshore Oil or Protection of the Cali fornia coast he said. Experience shows we can have  opponents hailed the action while Oil Industry officials shrugged it Oftas inevitable. We be succeeded beyond our wildest dreams in making his an Issue of importance to the National Campaign said Hur Boldt county supervisor Wes Ley Chesbro an outspoken critic of the Interior department s plans. However he added temporary political delays Are great but they re not what we re looking for Dukakis had criticized Bush earlier monday for coming around to his Lac so position kind  and the democratic front runner said it s easy to say Well delay it until Afler the  does that mean1?" the Western Oil and Gas association said it sup ports Hodel s decision for a reasonable  we re political realists said crate Hume spokesman for the Industry group. Right now in is Clear that the people of California especially the people of Northern California Are not comfortable with the environmental studies that now  Interior department estimates that the area proposed for lease Sale 91 could contain As much As 790 million barrels of Oil a two month Supply for the United Stales and Between 820 billion and 1.5 trillion cubic feet of natural Gas. In says there is a 50-50 Chance of finding the Petroleum. Environmentalists fishermen and Many coastal residents voiced Strong opposition to the plan at raucous hearings earlier this year. They contend it poses severe environmental and economic risks an would mar the picturesque coastline. Bush s aides acknowledged that his statement on sunday represented a major Concession to Strong bipartisan environmental sentiments in the slate. George Bush recognizes the importance of environmental and Quality of life issues in California said his chief of staff. Craig Fuller