European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - October 10, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 the stars and stripes William f. Buckley Dukakis aide reviews his vocal anti War past a few weeks ago i received a letter from a television viewer in Victoria Texas a paragraph of which rend i by Liec he people of our country especially Vietnam veterans should be made aware of who is designated to head the Dukakis transition learn which give further proof that Dukakis is farther to the left than most people realize. As Faras i am concerned Dukakis could have named Jane Fonda or Ramsey Clark to do his  the writer had seen a television pro Gram on a Span on he. Question of the transition to come Between nov. 8 and Jan 20, when a new president is inaugurated. "1 was amazed to listen 0frank Fahrnkopf the chairman of the gop when he introduced David Ifshin As the team Leader of the democratic transition  i lop was amazed and wrote a column in which i detailed Ifshin s activity Dur ing the Vietnam War he was As bad As Jane fond passed along the word that he had repented these activities but concluded that As head of the transition team of the democratic party he ought to say a word or two in defense of the Gencel mane vering of Dan Quayle in contrast to Ifshin s broadcast from Hanoi denouncing the american enter prise. 1 made two Calls one to Boston Dukakis one to Washington Dukakis to verify that Ifshin was indeed the chief of democratic transitional  Bath cases replies were evasive. But since Ifshin had served As general coun Sel to Walter Mondale in 1984, he Story seemed plausible enough and i published it. I report that there has been much consternation interestingly on All sides. Ifshin and his friends were greatly pained by the whole re documentation of his sorry record during the Vietnam War. And the Dukakis people were greatly concerned that the inner Circle of Dukakis supporters should proceed on the mistaken impression that Dukakis had Given Ifshin so heavy a responsibility in the event Dukakis were elected presi Dent. Conversations with Leslie Dach communications director for Dukakis and with Ifshin and others confirm an inter Esting human Story with considerable Public ramifications. Carl Rowan baft Vou Eer ought u & this to Clu cat Tjok Lac it without it shortly after Ifshin s trip to Hanoi he went to Israel to work in a Kibbutz. While there the yom kippur War broke out. He was personal witness to the role played by our huge cargo planes the c Sas in bringing vital War Materiel to the beleaguered israelis. He reflected with some pain that while at College he had scorned the building of these air planes which he now saw As the proximate instruments of Israel s salvation. He began his Long turn toward his present position which is that of wha they Call within the party a scoop Jackson Democrat although Ifshin came close to Mondale professionally during the 1934 electoral contest he was even then on he Side of a tougher rearmament position. He had collaborated with professors Ralph Winter and Robert Bork in the coalition for a democratic majority which moved to Challenge a provision in he electoral spending Law that got in the Way of citizens seeking to Advance the cause of National rearmament. He be came the general counsel for the Ameri can Israel Public affairs committee. And he became a Friend and associate  Ben Wallenberg who is the tattered Flag Holder at fort scoop Jack son at what used to be the Headquarters of the dominant Wing of the democratic party. Ifshin tells us now that although he instill a Democrat formally he foresees great difficulties whether Dukakis wins or loses. If he wins Dukakis is going to need to acknowledge the responsibilities the prevailing party inherits if the United states is to continue to be the arbiter of Western peace. If he loses the demo cratic party is going to have to face per haps for the last Lime before its demise the alternative that the party can not succeed in a National election so Long As it is identified with the cause of Amer ican weakness. The voters will not be satisfied with a democratic program that Calls for effective disarmament in the style of George me Golem who in 1972 proposed a 25 percent reduction in Pentagon spending counterbalanced by one picture of the democratic candidate rid ing in a tank and trying to look like blood and outs Patton. I have agonized every Day of my life Ifshin reports Over his conduct in Vietnam. He has attempted to atone specifically for it by pouring his consider Able Energy into the Institute for democracy in Vietnam headed by sen. John Mccain r-ariz., who was for seven years a prisoner there. Ifshin deserves forgiveness. One Only wishes that he were indeed put in charge of transitional arrangements for gov. Dukakis. The Duke could spend a profitable few hours Reading an account of the Young life of Davidl  Huml pint syndic to the opinions expressed in the column and cartoons on ibis Page represent those of the authors and Are in no Wiy to be considered u representing tie news at the surs and stripes or the United slain government. Goodbye and Good riddance to William Bennett William Bennett was by far the most combat Ive and controversial Secretary of education this nation Ever had. Ria Sailes who want the Federal government out of the business of Public education adored him because he was a devoted articulate Hatchet Man. Parents who struggle under the Burden of paying $20,000 a year to Send a child to College applauded when Bennett walked into the lion s Den of Harvard and other institutions to accuse College officials of unconscionable greed. He said they put Money grub Bing ahead of curricula and All other instruments of educating american youngsters properly. Die hard conservatives marked an a plus on Ben Nett s report card. But the National education association and other groups in the education establishment gave Bennett an of arguing thai he was never More than a loud mouthed destructive Force who failed to brighten the future of even a handful of american children. 1 think that the people who matter the 4-year Olds in head Start programs the Bright kids from poor families who wanted to go to College the tried an tested Black and hispanic graduates who want to go to Law medical engineering or other postgraduate schools ought to say to Bennett goodbye and Good  Bennett was a loud dispenser of a very destructive cliche that enough Money is being spent on education in America the problem is that it is not being spent wisely As Cabinet level cop outs go thai is one of the worst. Bennett tried to Cut Federal funds for one of the most successful of All education programs head Start which delivers to poor disadvantage Young sters the support the boost that has enabled Many to absorb the learning that will allow them to compete to help America grow. The Bottom line is that Bennett never stopped trying to Block funds for any programs How Ever meritorious. He dragged the Federal ratio of sup port for education to the lowest level since the Federal government decided that the nation s defense and Al most everything else hinges on the kind of education we give our kids especially the poorest of our Chil Dren. Bennett took the Horatio Algor line of declaring that i borrowed Money to go to College and he de Creed that poor kids bad to gel Loans not Grants to pay for their higher education. Never mind that a lol of minority youngsters could not gel Loans or that a teen Ager in a family whose annual income was j 6,000 could not face the Challenge of going j10,000 in debt to Goto College. The Bottom line is that the number of Blacks in the critical professional schools has dropped disturbingly during the Reagan administration Ana especially since Bennett began his Campaign. The unassailable truth is that the future of Ameri Ca s Economy and of its military defences is tied to an executive commitment to the delivery of a first class education to every american youngster who can absorb it. Bill Bennett was never willing to have the Federal government offer or pay for Equality of Opportunity in education for America s Down and out. Bennett was an elitist at heart who i think believed a b Spiro Agnew that the great College campuses ought not be come cluttered with the Riffraff of this society. Thank cod the Congress fought off Bill Bennett and thai Bennett has now gone out to Cash in on his new notoriety. And thanks most of All for the Prospect that Well have a less dogmatic Secretary of education when the next president takes office. Nonna Nunci Byre kit