European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 19, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 10 the stars and stripes Walter r. Mears Bush knows hostage problem won t go away George Bush knows of no Swift stroke that would free the american hostages in Lebanon Buthe also knows that a signal to Iran could help. So the president elect says he can visualize a Day of better . Relations with Iran a statement which in itself is a gesture he Hopes could help produce keys to unlock the meanwhile he promises to pursue any path that might Point toward Freedom for the hostages. Eight years after the Tehran embassy hostages were freed on president Reagan s inauguration Day Bush comes to the White House with nine americans held captive by lebanese plight has not produced the air of crisis that persisted while 52 americans were held in the embassy for 444 Days until the hour Reagan took office. With smaller numbers and no identifiable villains to blame let alone televise nightly the Case of the Lebanon hostages is a nagging headache that won t go away. Reagan did not mention the hostages in his Farewell address. At his last news conference he said the unite states eventually must negotiate with Iran because they have control of these Bush in t so certain that Iran fully controls the situation. My View is be Alert to Opportunity he said in a interview. I think the cease fire Between Iran and Iraq has potential for amelioration of that hostage Situa Tion but i think it would be improper to assume that Iran controls to a key All these hostages. I Don t think we know nevertheless the president elect believes improved . Relations with Iran could help. I m one who thinks it s in our interest to have better relation with Iran. And i m one who thinks that Iran can take a handful of Steps and demonstrate that they want Bette relations with the United states. And so to the degree Iran holds the key holds Mostof the keys to unlock the locks that could be helpful he said. He emphasized his message to Tehran they la read this. They know me. I know their views. I Don t Start off with the View that we always have to be at logger Heads with Iran. I also Don t Start off with the naive View that if you have some dramatic meeting that s going to result in the instant release of hostages who Are not held by Iran. Who May be held by clients of meanwhile he promised the new administration will seek a Way out. We Are not going to leave any Rabbit Trail the hostage takers in Lebanon do not directly reflect a government but instead shadowy groups of shiite moslem extremists operating in the turmoil of Beirut. Still they Are responsive to the will of Iran. Three captive americans were freed while the Reagan administration was sending secret arms shipments to Iran in 1985 and 1986. Longest held of the captive americans is Terry Anderson chief Middle East correspondent forthe associated press kidnapped on March 16, 1985 two months after Reagan began the term of office that ends on Friday. In addition to the nine americans at least seven citizens of other nations Are held hostage. The iranian hostage crisis was an Issue in the presidential Campaign of 1980, working to Reagan s Adan out Cash do Tage in the election that ousted Jimmy Carter. But the dilemma of freeing them never became his they were released just As he took office. The kidnappings in Lebanon recreated the problem in a different form and led to the worst internal crisis of the Reagan years the Iran Contra scandals. The Reagan administration found no solution despite the president s Early vow that our policy will be Swift and effective retribution against hostage takers. There Wasno Way to make retaliation work in Lebanon. Since disclosure of the Iran arms for hos tages shipments the administration has played Down the hostage situation it could not resolve. Bush insisted there was no decision to lower visibility and push the hostages Down the administration Agenda because of that episode. He said that was t a matter of policy. But it certainly was a matter of fact. Walter r. Wears vice president and columnist for the associated press has reported on Washington for More than 25 years commom poem Theo Lippman or. Don f raise judges pay lower lawyers pay the american bar association is sending lawyers to newspaper offices around the country to argue in favor of a Federal pay raise for judges. It was Peter Moser s turn the other Day. Adm. Yok Aido of the Aba gave him his silk Scarf strapped him into his Zero and aimed him at the Baltimore Sun. Not True of course just an example of what we in the words game Call vivid arguing for government pay the Mam argument in favor of raising Federal judges pay is that they Are under paid relative to the salaries of other a partner in a big City Law firm makes $892,743. That s before taxes. Also after taxes in the Case of tax lawyers. That is an approximate figure in other words i made it up but seriously folks lawyers do make raises today Only seems like a Kamikaze a lot of Money. Every piece of pro Pagan assignment a i be seen in favor of raising judicial fact that even Junior associates not senior partners in big according to n it o am Man i a to or or or Xic in Iii is
