European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 12, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday August 12, 1988 the stars and stripes Page 5 Aspin wants to ditch by b bomber suggests diverting funds to nuclear weapons Washington a the b-1b bomber has such serious problems that the Pentagon should consider halting spending on the plane and use the Money for other nuclear weapons a key con Gressman said wednesday. Is it really Worth it to spend any More Money on the b-1b" said rep. Les Aspin d-wis., chairman of the House armed services committee and a Lead ing critic of the plane that president Rea Gan resurrected in 1981. We have a very serious problem on our hands Aspin said. If a Case cannot be made for the b-1b, i do not see How we can spend any More Money on  Aspin s questions and criticisms were posed in a letter to defense Secretary Frank c. Carlucci and in a speech Aspin planned to deliver to the House thurs Day. The air Force continued to defend the bomber although admitting in a statement that it has been unable to fix the problems with the bulb s electronic countermeasures equipment which is the computer driven system designed to keep the bomber from being shot Down by enemy planes or missiles. The by originally was killed in 1977 by president Carter but Reagan reversed that decision four years later and approved the Purchase of 100 a is for $27.3 billion. The chief contractor is Rockwell International which already has built All 100 planes. Reagan said the plane was needed to replace the aging b-52s in the nation s Long Range bomber Arsenal until the stealth bomber becomes available. That plane named after its intended capability to evade enemy radar will be rolled out publicly in november. The b-1b has run into a several highly publicized problems which the air Force first said were the types of prob lems associated with any new plane. But fixing the electronic countermeasures problem in t easy the service said. Here the solutions Are not so Well defined and the uncertainties were much greater its statement said. Two months ago the statement said the air Force determined that work was behind schedule and the solutions being pursued would not provide for the full eco system maturity the air Force de  there has been Progress in the eco system and it adds significantly to the aircraft s capability. However that Prog Ress has not been satisfactory and the management of the eco system has not met 9ur expectations. We Are currently working out the most appropriate action in the face of those  Aspin asked Carlucci to Tell Congress How much it will Cost to improve the bib whether the additional Money will provide additional capability and How the plane s Mission can be changed if the Money in t spent. Unless the questions Are answered we May Well be faced with the Prospect of parking the by a Aspin said. He suggested that perhaps the Money to be spent on the b-1b could be better used for other Long Range atomic weapons such As land based nuclear missiles. From now until the year 2004, the United states will spend a projected $425 billion for strategic weapons with $242 billion or 57 percent going for bombers he said. We need to ask ourselves if this Money would not be better spent on sys tems that do not have As Many uncertainties As the bib program he  by the los Angeles times Washington weeping openly under a broiling Sun outside the White House wednesday 81-year-old Susumu Emori said quietly it brings Back the old  moments earlier at an emotional ceremony at tended by Emori five family members and More than 100 other japanese americans interned during world War ii president Reagan signed legislation providing $1.25 billion in reparations and a formal apology from the government for the Federal order More than 40 years ago that placed the citizens in detention Camps. We gather Here today to right a grave wrong Rea Gan said in acknowledging that a mistake was made in the forcible relocation of 120,000 japanese americans on the West coast after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The president cited the hardships endured by rep. Norman y. Mineta d-Calif., whose family first lived in converted stables at the race track in Santa Anita Calif., and then was housed in a tar paper Barracks at a Camp in heart Mountain Wyo. Reagan also paid tribute to the immense Dedica Tion of the 442nd regimental combat team a world War ii army unit made up entirely of japanese Ameri cans including Daniel k. Inouye now a democratic senator from Hawaii who lost an Arm on a Battlefield in Italy 44 years ago. Both Mineta and Inouye stood with other key Mem Bers of Congress As Reagan signed House Resolution 442, named after the combat unit. I Felt a big sigh of Relief from people in Atten dance Emori s son Walter said after the ceremony in an auditorium at the old executive office building next door to the White House. His sister Helen one of six Emoris who were relocated from Stockton Calif., to Rohwer ark., in 1942, added this is a Day when i can see the country again offering what it stands for. At one time the country acted in a Way inconsistent with its principles. Now it is acknowledging that it wants to set things  All the Emoris plan to donate their $20,000 restitution payments to Loma Linda University in califor sen. Spark Matsunaga a Hawaii congratulates president Reagan after the signing. Joining the applause Are from left rep. Patricia Saiki a Hawaii sen. Pete Wilson a Calif. Rep. Toby Roth a wis. And rep. Robert Matsui a Calif. Nia which gave them jobs and educated them after their release from the detention Camp in 1945. We wanted to give All of the Money we Are receiving As a gift Back to the country said Helen Emori King Dean of the Loma Linda school of nursing. An endowment fund will be established for nursing Educa Tion she said. The new statute establishes a Trust fund from which tax free payments of $20,000 will be provided to the approximately 60,000 japanese american internees who Are still alive. It will be up to the attorney general to identify the eligible individuals and authorize payments which will be spread Over 10 years. Thorn burgets nomination clears Senate committee by the Washington Post Washington the Senate Judic iary committee wednesday unanimously endorsed former Pennsylvania gov. Richard l. Thornburgh to become the nation s 76th attorney general replacing Edwin Meese Iii and ending one of the most controversial periods in the history of the Justice department. Sen. Edward m. Kennedy d-mass., urged speedy Senate confirmation of Thornburgh in the interest of getting new leadership at the Justice depart ment As quickly As  Senate action was expected thursday on Thornburgh and three others awaiting confirmation Harold g. Christensen to be come Deputy attorney general Francis a. Keating ii to become associate attorney general and Edward . Dennis or. To head the department s criminal division. The panel s action on Thornburgh occurred without debate and on a voice vote. Sen. Strom Thurmond r-, then raised what has become the traditional lament at business sessions of the committee assert ing that he was More concerned now than Ever Over the committee s processing of judicial  Thurmond s statement Drew a spirited defense of the democratic majority s conduct from Kennedy. This senator is getting tired of sitting Here at every meet ing and hearing the senator from ver Mont unfairly criticized for the outstand ing Job he does Kennedy said of democratic sen. Patrick j. Leahy who handles judicial nominations. In the stars and stripes 40 years ago today. Aug. 12,1948 Secretary of the air Force w. Stuart Symington said the Berlin Airlift is growing into a bigger Job than the Hump flights to China in Wii and he predicted that Winter will slow it up but will not keep it from doing the  30 years ago today. Aug. 12, 1958 the Senate sent to president Eisenhower a four year Extension of the reciprocal Trade agreement act the longest Extension Ever voted for the 24-year-old Law. 20 years ago today. Aug. 12, 1968 Spain asked the United states for about $1 billion in military Aid Over the next five years in return for renewing the american military base rights for the same length of time. 7 0 years ago today. Aug. 12, 1978 the Senate crushed an attempt to Cut off $56 million in food Aid to protest South Korea s Lack of cooperation in investigations of influence buying on Capitol Hill