European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 1, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 the stars and stripes sunday january 1,1989 battered demos comforted by gains Washington a As the 1988 political year began the conventional Wisdom was that Ronald Rea Gan s retirement would mean a close race for the White House and George Bush his Loyal to a fault vice president had Little Chance to succeed him. Now at the end of a Long Campaign Road strewn with the wreckage of such assumptions Bush is form ing his administration and Democrat Michael Dukakis is Back at his old stand As governor of Massachusetts. Democrats Are taking Comfort in their gains in other races. Despite Bush s 40-state Victory nov. 8, the democrats added to their congressional majorities picking up one Senate seat and three in the House. With one More democratic governor the party now has 28, to 22 for the republicans. But after losing their fifth presidential election out of the last six the democrats were wondering when they would Ever regain control of the White House. For the voters election Day brought a Welcome end to a Campaign that often was More slime than substance. Was Bush a wimp was Dukakis too cold such matters overshadowed concerns about the budget and Trade deficits education drugs and de sense and foreign policy. The election year opened with High Hopes for the democrats. The popular Reagan after All would not be on the ballot. The democrats had regained control of the Senate in 1986, Many polls reported americans wanted a change in political leadership after seven years of a Republican White House and everywhere Bush went he was dogged by questions about his role in the Iran Contra affair. What did the vice president know and what advice had he Given the president Large Fields were running hard in both parties at the Start of the election year. The democratic contenders along with Dukakis were Sens. Joseph Biden of Dela Ware Paul Simon of Illinois and Albert fore or. Of Tennessee rep. Richard Gephardt of Missouri Jesse Jackson former gov. Bruce Babbitt of Arizona and former sen. Gary Hart of Colorado. On the Republican Side Bush was regarded As a shaky front runner with Senate gop Leader Bob Dole of Kansas and rep. Jack Kemp of new York Given Strong chances of brushing the vice president out of the race. The other contenders were former Secretary of state Alexander m. Haig jr., former gov. Pete Dupont of Delaware and television evangelist Pat Robertson. Bush was written off after finishing third to Dole and Robertson in Iowa. The Haemorrhaging of George Bush has begun said Haig. But new Hampshire republicans stopped that Haemorrhaging and put Bush Back on track. Displaying an uncanny consistency Iowa voters also gave Dukakis a third place finish and he too won in new Hampshire. The two big winners in super tuesday s Combina Tion of primaries were liberals Jackson and Dukakis. Gore did Well in the Southern primaries but he had to split votes there with Jackson and had Little support North of the Mason Dixon line. On the gop Side Bush swept All 16 primaries. That effectively locked up the nomination for Bush. But Dukakis still had a Tough Road ahead. He finished third in Illinois behind favorite sons Simon and Jackson and then was upset by Jackson in Michigan. But when the race came Down to dual a against Jackson the Massachusetts governor ran off a string of victories that clinched the nomination. The democrats roasted Bush at their convention put on a closing night Unity show and saw their Nomi Nee jump to double digit leads in the National polls. Enter Willie Horton. In television commercials and countless speeches the Bush Campaign raised the Case of the Massachusetts convict who while free on a fur Lough from prison raped a Maryland woman. The republicans also attacked the democratic Nom Inee for vetoing the pledge of allegiance Bill and for Boston Harbor s pollution. For weeks Dukakis ignored the attacks. But his big Lead in the polls was dwindling and by labor Day it was gone. By the time he responded it was too late. I think one of the lessons of the Campaign is that you have to respond and you have to respond quickly Dukakis said at a Post election news conference. It was one of the Kinder assessments of his Campaign which Many democrats called the we St of this Century. Soviet quake boosts giving in some cities american red Cross president Richard Schubert left visits Moscow s Vishnevsky surgical Institute in the aftermath of the armenian earthquake. New York a americans generosity is being tested this Holiday season in response to the earthquake in soviet Armenia and the needy at Home. By at least one measure United Way s projection for the year of 6 percent to 7 percent growth donations nationwide appear to have increased. Charities in Many communities said contributions of Money clothing toys and food Are at least keeping Pace with last year. / but contributions in other cities have dropped hampered by cold weather a shortage of Bell ringers or weak local economies. Efforts to Aid the victims of the Earth quake in soviet Armenia appear to be hav ing an Impact on Domestic giving in some cities but not in others said representatives of the salvation army american red Cross volunteers of America United Way food Banks and other charities. But at the american red Cross the tragedy appears to have prompted an across the Board increase in giving said Philip Schuyler manager of operations planning and development in Boston. The response has been the greatest i be Ever seen in 18 years he said. Among the nation s biggest cities collections were reported up in new York Chicago and Atlanta but Down in los Angeles. In the Midwest Indianapolis Kansas City to. And St. Louis reported healthy donations while Minneapolis Detroit and Iowa s cities were having a tougher time. And in the West Phoenix and Tucson ariz., showed drops while Denver and Salt Lake City shanties said their contributions were on target. In Dallas the Dallas morning news charities reported its drive was ahead of last year s Pace but the salvation army said its Cash donations were Down part of the continuing Impact of the Oil bust. Money is tight in Oil linked Oklahoma City too maj. Ralph Morrel of the Sal vation army said recently. Collections were running about $50,000 below what they were a year ago in december. In Minneapolis contributions to Cath Olic charities and the salvation army Are flagging. Our suspicion is that there s a lot More Competition for the Charity Dollar said Robert Miller of Catholic charities. A lot of social service programs Are going after Money because of All the Cut backs for  Sawmill strike tearing apart Washington town Darrington Wash. A a bitter 5-month-old strike at a Sawmill has traumatized a logging town s 1,200 residents dividing families friends and Union members who find themselves on opposite sides of a picket line. Divisions within the town 55 Miles Northeast of Seattle have run deep since 177 Summit Timber co. Mill workers went on strike aug. 1 after a three year contract expired and the town s largest employer hired replacement workers. Twenty three Union members have re turned to work while 90 who once were paid As much As $ 13 an hour remain on the picket line at $60 a week. Others have left to find other jobs. Friendships in the Small town Are now measured against which Side of the picket line people Are on. Of no. Of no. He s one of them said Gary Ensley a striking worker As he watched a pickup truck drive into the Summit Plant. He s one of those who went Back. His Bills caught up with him and he started losing things so he went Back. I Don t like him  Nancy Stull 43, a 13-year Summit employee and her husband a 22-year Mill Veteran walked out together with her two Brothers. One brother found another Job and with his first paycheck bought her $250 Worth of groceries she said. The other now referred to As her sex brother crossed the picket line about six weeks into the walkout. When she and her family drive to her parents Home for a traditional dinner she said if my sex brother is there we won t stay. We will just turn around and go Home and have our own  no talks have been scheduled since the last bargaining session Between sum Mit and lumber production and Indus trial workers Union local 2860, ended sept. 15. Strikers say they helped the second generation family owned business through Tough times accepting a 25 per cent pay Cut in 1982 and another Cut in 1984. In the latest contract according to Union officials the company wanted to retain a 20 percent pay Cut it instituted in 1986. Lloyd Johnson a Union business agent said the economic issues could have been worked out but the strike was called Over a company demand that Union membership no longer be Manda tory. Terry Mullane Summit personnel manager said the Union struck after giving the company a take it or leave it proposal. The strike is sad. It did t have to happen Mullane said. We were forced to take an action for survival  while the company hired replace ments two weeks after the strike started Union members around the state have rallied to support the striking workers. All the striking families have been adopted by other Snohomish county Union members who have provided food and gifts for the children. Thousands of others around the state also have sent Money food and toys. Linda Morgan said she and her Hus band Charles a seven year Summit employee were Given a 20-Pound Turkey 10 pounds of hamburger about $150 Worth of groceries and several presents for their 6-year-old daughter Katie. We have always had extra and been Able to give to others. I guess we have Learned to receive because we sure received she said. She said her husband found work at a Mill in Alaska but she called him Home after a month. I d rather starve than live like that. It was t fair to her Katie she said. Every time her father would Call she would get on the phone and say when Are you coming Home dad "