European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 22, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 the stars and stripes Flora Lewis of a a jew my my w w � my candidates must prepare for decisions on hold Hist cation in the area and Competition for that hug a ,.to .,.� in a Tonar to in to if he wants to Start f rom scratch. A Short of some startling event the prospects Are that foreign policy won t be a significant Issue inthe Campaign. Major foreign governments the soviet. 11 it _ r  ,_11aa a Jimim nllt7 of a univ jul ct7 tiv mv taxed this year As they anticipate a new . Traction. Despite Republican emphasis on Michael Dukakis Lack of foreign policy experience the impression is that main policy lines have been set and won t change drastically whoever wins. It s almost As though a new administration started after the 1986 elections setting the course for several years president Reagan switched from Active com Mie bashing to Active search for negotiated agreements with Moscow on a Long list of issues nato has Broad support and attempts continue to relieve rather than inflame regional hot spots. There have already Bee changes of Many top policy makers achieving a cer Tain consensus Likely to continue even with a new set of people. Nonetheless the wind Down period until the next inauguration is As usual stalling Normal movement. Decisions Are piling up that will have to be made Earl next year at risk otherwise of determining policy by default. It s unlikely that a dramatic breakthrough will per Mit signature of a new soviet-. Treaty sharply Cut Ting strategic weapons or that there can be More than the opening of talks on reducing conventional arms in Europe during Reagan s remaining months in office. But the critical issues will be More clearly identified and the new president will need to make up his mind los he t one pressing decision will be on new Short Range nuclear weapons in Europe particularly to "jp1 obsolete in three or four years. By rni.d-1989 West Germany will be Jeanng up for elections in 1990. Then Bonn is almost sure to Back away from an Issue that Sparks Sharp controversy both within the country and among the allies. Nato has formally agreed that there must be real Progress on conventional cuts before reducing Short Range arsenals but Bonn is in a hurry for both. Washington will need to reach an Early conclusion on its attitude to the United nations. The soviets have done an about face on their policy fax Ping More direct involvement of the United nations in a number of disputes and the creation of More . Forces. It in t Clear yet whether some kind of outside peace keepers will be needed in Afghanistan. There is at Las some movement in the arguments Over Angola and Namibia and Over Cambodia which could soon reach the Point for a . Force to make the difference. The Iran Iraq War has entered a new stage and a Chance for settlement May be possible with in help which would doubtless involve a decision on . Presence in the Gulf. With israeli elections due in november there in much the United states can do about that conflict in the meantime. But then any Chance of Progress will require immediate Washington involvement with a set of policy  Juiia i in a a k i Middle East policy is becoming All the More urgent they approach decisions a a ,_,al4-- key the or inc in tn6 r e arms Market. The United states and the soviet Union agreed to talk about the dangers of spreading missile technology during the Moscow Summit meeting. This will have to be started seriously with other major arms suppliers including China in the near future if there is not to be a breakout that could Lead Israel to think openly m nuclear terms. Negotiations in Central America have broken Down again not Only among nicaraguans but in the Effort to press for a regional settlement. If left to fester hostilities Are Likely to increase throughout the area. It May be harder to accommodate Mexico s position As a re sult of its contested election. Issues Are coming up on Trade technology Transfer credits debt with the East and third world As Well As among industrialized states which won t Call for any big switch in position but also won t sit still for a leisurely Start with the next team. So while they Are working on their immediate priority of trying to win the candidates would do Well to get people they Are Likely to use in a new administration focusing on imminent decisions without waiting for the election. It would ease America s relations with partners in the world who never Stop calling for continuity and fretting about the unpredictability of the . System. And it could help the voters too to see what kind of people each candidate will sweep into office and How 0�pTn3ess can be because of he of escaping weapon so the new York times James j. Kilpatrick Amend convention rules to ban women speakers parties meet in 1992, a major change should readopted. A new Rule would forbid women from Ever speaking from the Rostrum. At first glance that proposition May sound  it is the essence of kindness. Such a bipartisan prohibition would spare a Long suffering nation the kind of quadrennial pain that was inflicted upon spectators in the Omni Arena monday evening. Mercifully most of the country the part of the country that relies upon network television was spared the experience. Those who were physically present in the Hall had no such Luck. The keynote speech by Ann Richards of Texas Wasin most respects an excellent speech. It read Well in the Advance texts. The gentlewoman we Are told wrote the address herself and she wrote with a pen dipped in acid. No complaint about Content. When she drafted theline about George Bush born with a Silver foot in his Mouth the judges gave her 10s across the Board. The Shaft was calculated to leave Bush bleeding and the crowd laughing. No critic could ask for More. But the gentlewoman began by promising to Send Usan authentic Texas accent and she delivered the goods superbly. Hers was a sonata for the unaccompanied jew s Harp opus 88. Every twang set the bicuspid grinding. It perfectly suited the evening s program. Before this comely grandma took the stage we hear from Dorothy Bush Secretary of the democratic National committee who read the Roll of delegations in the gentle cadences of a machine that crushes cars. Shews followed by Polly Baca vice chair of the dec who came at us in the spirit of a Hammer attacking a Anvil. She yielded to another vice chair Lynn Cutler who yielded in turn to the dec s treasurer Sharon Pratt Dixon. One had the voice of a Chain saw the other the voice of a Wood rasp. Before the convention went on the air thus making the proceedings official two other ladies assaulted the attendant eardrums. Forlornly we thought of Lear s remembrance of Cordelia her voice was Ever soft gentle and Low the Monarch said an excellent thing in  All this was in the traumatic tradition. Some years ago it must have been 1952 or 1956, i heard her voice had an unusual pitch somewhere in the Vicinity of a and a half Sharp minor a key unknown to Western composers. Her voice entered the left ear with the whine of a dentist s Drill without Benefit of aesthetic it screwed through the cortex the cerebellum and the thalamus and after a trip marked by winding roads it emerged through the Medulla an thus to the spinal Cord. Every particular hair stood on end. In fairness for one must always strive to be fair my proposed amendment to the rules should allow a Jor Dan exception. Barbara Jordan of Texas who keynote the democrats 1976 convention had the Rich and sonorous tone of a Fine italian cello. She could have read a treasurer s report to that unruly crowd and kept her audience enthralled. No other exceptions come to mind. Monday s proceedings were otherwise unremarkable. Jim Wright of Texas speaker of the House has away of speaking As if he were constantly saying cheese. Former president Carter who is aging quite Handsom Ely by the Way Laid a Small egg but not a Large one. Garrison Keillor the chronicler of Wobegon Days led the crowd in the National Anthem. He dragged the Tempo and the rendition was not greatly aided by a Gaggle of Darling children but it was a Cut above the violence done to the Star spangled Banner by coun try crooners in years gone by. The invocation by Bishop Bevil Jones came at 9 05,after the convention had proceeded for two a blessed hours and was timed at 2 57, a respectable time but far off the record. The Bishop had a poignant prayer. Save us from cynicism he urged. To which one has to respond lord that is a vast Deal to ask of thy servants at apolitical convention. Consider the reasoned and Judi Cious pronouncements of the evening. By inference and implication implicitly or explicitly the speakers charged Ronald Reagan George bus hand the Republican party with 158 felonious offences against the peace and dignity of the american Republic. I kept count. The orators blamed the gop alone Andu abetted for the High Cost of insurance the High Cost of food the High Cost of a College education and the High Cost of Tennis shoes periodontal braces and sum Mer vacations. It is All the republicans fault that clothes fray stretch and  Only the opposition we were assured is responsible for farm foreclosures the dissolution of families dead end jobs a trillion Dollar deficit planes that won t Fly and tanks that won t fire. We talk straight said mrs. Richards. Democrats she said do not lie to  lord hear the Bishop s prayer. It remains to be said for such is the nature of things that we will swim in similar Bilge when the republicans Convene next month in new Orleans. There Weill hear Michael Dukakis attacked As a pro commie bleeding heart who delights in freeing convicted murderers to prey upon the fair White bodies of american  democratic nominee will be portrayed As soft on defense Wishy Washy on a budget a captive of labor Gays lesbians Blacks and native americans. It will be time to bring the Bishop for an encore. Let the gentleman try again. Universal press Syndicate the opinions expressed in the columns and Carton is on this Page represent those of the authors and Are in noway to be considered As representing the views of the stars and stripes or the United states government