European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 5, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page the stars and stripes monday december a 1968 mire official conclude 81/2 years of Friendly dueling Washington a for 8 i years come rain or Snow sen William Proxmire and labor statistics commissioner Janet l. Nor Wood have met on the first Friday of every month in the Dirksen sen ate office building Tor an economic Lea dance. Much As he tried to atthe heal she d Only Waltz. They had their last session Fri Day with the 73-year-old Tco Ator holding his final bearing of the joint economic committee of con Gress before retiring next month. Ai usual he Wisconsin demo crat asked leading questions at tempting to get the chief keeper of the nation s economic statistics to Pooh Pooh the Rosy spin the administration puts on the employment figures each month. With equal aplomb Norwood a Holdover appointee of president Carter re appointed twice by presi Dent Reagan carefully phrased he answers to avoid any direct or implied criticism of economic policy making by the president Congress or the Federal Reserve Board. Addressing Norwood for the last time As a member of he committee in her Olsi appearance before it in mire said he expected her usual Public truthful and unvarnished explanation of the novem Ber numbers. However that did not prevent him from trying one last time to gel temperatures Jawuay Mcarm Shlau Burnt ten Welaj m is 57 Sif n h ip7 h 51 jj43 n 73 40 31 53 34u a a 3i 40 3071 4 41 34 n ii 27  Dula Al Gonril  Eruol fngo.1 her to criticize the administration latest and but economic forecast of 3.5 percent growth 3.7 percent inflation and 5.2 percent unemployment rate for next year. I want to tee if Yon can evade ibis question be said referring in Good humor to their put duels. Norwood responded that Voitk the labor Fane growing less slowly it win be Eier for me nation id maintain lower unemployment rates  in the past and that there really in t much evidence of an wage inflation. Prox narc began holding the hear Ings 17 years ago in response to an order by president Ninon to the labor statistics contrass Ioir it the time Geoffrey Moore to quit giving the press briefings on the number re. European weather b 41 Haft Ca 14 do. C 11 i b Tell Oniu. T � Litif Toncre. T it it . _ if the labor is Alistick commissioner could not hold a news con Ference to offer a truthful and unvarnished explanation of the numbers As prox tire said at the time then Congress would compel it Al a hearing. White the Only people in Atten dance normally tie limited to Proi mire Norwood a few Membert of each � Naff and a handful of reporter pro Force including the weather has been Able to i i their Way since. A year ago when the rest of the govern Mem was shut 4tawn by a severe blizzard on an unemployment report Friday Prai untre jogged through the Snow to make the a caring and Norwood spin the preceding night in a hold near the Capitol to make sure the weather would not interfere with her at ten Danee. Other economists in the Bureau of labor statistics left their Home sat 4 30 a.m., some of then waiting Miles from the Virginia suburbs to their offices to make sure thai sex pens who compiled the report would be available to answer questions upon its release at 8 30 both pro tire and bus officials said Friday thai they expect the tradition to continue. Proxmire said he is sure that rep. Lee Hamilton d-lnd., now the committee s chairman Wilt maintain the monthly hearings. December 2 Hilo u � 47 39 m. 31 h a � Jin o 63 31 h 13