European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 21, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 8 the stars and stripes saturday january 21,1989good news Brave Buck bearing up bad news inflation squeeze in . By Randy Mcclain financial writer the Dollar is holding its own despite the release earlier this week of some gloomy statistics on the . Trade deficit and that turn of events makes Peggy Vagasky very Happy. Vagasky a second Grade teacher at Raf Fairford elementary school is among americans in England who have been Hurt not Only by a Lack of purchasing Power due to the weak Dollar Over the past year but also by runaway inflation in Britain. While the relatively weak Dollar has been a problem for most americans overseas the fact that inflation in England is at its highest level in three years makes life doubly Tough there. It s a hardship i think Vagasky said. You really have to pull in your horns. I d guess i be lost about one third of my purchasing Power in the last  Vagasky and other . Personnel assigned to Mili tary bases in England Are fighting Back the Best Way they know How. They re shopping More frequently atthe base Exchange and less frequently at stores on the British Economy. Others Are cutting Back on dining outland travelling. And the really frugal ones Are trying to save Money on Home Utility and Telephone Bills by keeping their houses a few degrees colder this Winter and cutting Back on phone Calls to the states. The value of the Dollar against the British Pound has been a Case of Good news bad news in recent weeks. The Good news Side of the equation is that the Dollar has gained in value about 8 percent since Early Decem Ber against the Pound and it even edged up a bit More this week on foreign Exchange markets despite the re ported $12.5 billion . Trade deficit for november. The Dollar Pound rate now is in the neighbourhood of$1.76. In Early december the Pound was considerably stronger trading just above $ 1.90 that s the amount of dollars that were needed to buy one British Pound. But the bad news according to a number of Ameri can military and civilian personnel stationed in eng land is that the Dollar would have to gain in value about another 10 percent before life becomes bearable again and Penny pinching is unnecessary in the British Isles. If you could buy a Pound for about $1.60, you Start to notice some improvement said capt. John Bulat comptroller at Raf Fairford s accounting an finance group. That Day has t arrived yet. As a result americans in England Are having to put up with some unusually High prices. Paperback books Are Selling in London for the equivalent of $6 a copy and a run of the Mill dinner Buffet costs $30 per per son at a restaurant near Raf Fairford twice the Price it would Cost at an eatery in the United states. Vagasky now in her 10th year of teaching at Raf Fairford said americans Are feeling the Pinch in terms of higher rents As Well As higher food and clothing prices. Those people who have been Here just a year or so have seen their rents go up by 35 percent Vagasky said. Their housing allowances Haven t kept  Vagasky said she and her colleagues Are making end meet the Best they can. We re finding that we Don t shop like we used to. We buy More american things at the by she said. That return to the base Exchange which began in Earnest in 1987 throughout Europe is still going Strong in Britain recent statistic from cafes show. Through the first 11 months of 1988, in fact cafes retail sales in the United kingdom totaled$138 million. That s $21 million More in sales than you really have to pull in your horns. I d guess i be lost about one third of my purchasing Power in Britain in the last two  Peggy Vagasky were recorded for All 12 months of 1986, and it equals Afes s 12-month total sales from 1987. Vagasky said few of her colleagues Are free spender these Days. You find yourself thinking More before you spend she said. I used to think nothing of a Day trip to London. But with the Dollar the Way it is now you Don t go As often. Gasoline is More expensive. Train tickets Are More expensive. A year or so ago i used to eat out two times per week she added. It s a rare Day when i go out to eat  Bulat feels the same Way. He and his wife arrived i England just three months ago and already plan to buy american As much As we can. We be basically decided that if we can t get it at the local base we re longtime theatrical Star Beatrice Lillie Dies in England t x t 1x/v x t / a to. W _ _. A t London a Beatrice Lillie who was billed As the funniest woman in the world during a Long theatrical career in Britain and the United states died Fri Day at her Home in Henley on thames her conserva Tor said. She was 94. She just went this morning peacefully at 8 47 � a.m.," said John Phillip Huck who said he had been associated with the actress for 40 years and was appointed her Conser Vator in 1977. The report of her death was confirmed by Lillie physician or. Jennifer Copeland. Lillie was a master of elegant double ent endreland Sharp riposte delivered with a flourish of an enormously Long cigarette Holder. She was i Lillie ,. Univ Kraii ill the title of her 1973 autobiography every other Inch a  Beatrice Gladys Lillie was born May 29, 1894 i Toronto. Some references list the Date of birth As 1898, but Huck said that was a mistake caused by the loss of some records in Toronto during a fire. She first appeared on a British stage in 1914 and made her american debut in 1924 in a review produced by Andre Chariot and for two years she alternated Between London and new York in his reviews p �2. She appeared in new York in Noel cow Ard s this year of Grace which had a Long run. In 1932, Lillie took a dramatic role As the nurse in the new York premiere of George Bernard Shaw too True to be Good but then returned to working .vc68 those included at Home abroad in1935, the show is on in 1936 and Coward s set to music in 1939. In ?j939, she also appeared in London in All Lear. During the War she was a tireless entertainer of troops with sketches and Coward s one act Olav to night at 8 30." v y she had married sir Robert Peel a descendant of the 19th-Century prime minister in 1920. Peel died in 1934, and their Only child also named Robert was killed Dunn military service in 1942. She returned to the new York stage in 1944 wit seven Lively arts and was in inside .a." in 1948 from 1952 to 1956, she toured the world in a one woman act an evening with Beatrice Lillie which won a Tony award in 1953. In 1958 she starred in London in auntie mame and made her last stage appearance in new York in 19?,4�n_"si$ saints a musical version of cow Ard s Blithe  not going to buy it. Shopping on the Economy Candrain your pocketbook pretty Quick Bulat said. A Veteran of 14 years in the air Force Bulat already has seen How High prices can be while shopping for furnishings for his government quarters. Curtains were twice As expensive As in the United states he said. A pair of curtains for Normal Kitchen windows costs 20 pounds $35. In the Sears catalogue you could get the same thing for $9.99." the worst thing about life in England these Days is the unpredictability of the Dollar Pound Exchange rate said chief master sgt. Hugh Henry Pierre who served for the past eight years As Deputy accounting and finance officer at Raf upper Heyford. He was recently transferred to Raf Fairford. Your purchasing Power can swing by As much As 10 percent from payday to payday Henry Pierre said. The general mood around Here is that people Hope the Dollar keeps getting stronger. But what we really need is for it to get to $ 1.55 to $ 1.60 and stay  Henry Pierre said the inflation rate in Britain which some expect to hit 7 percent this year is As feared an enemy for americans As the weak Buck. With High inflation you re talking about an increase in Cost two ways he said. His solution is be flexible shop the . Facilities plan your purchases avoid impulse buying. There s no telling How Long tight finances will re main the Rule in Britain. There have been recent Indi cations that inflation might be Cooling off a bit but the Dollar Pound Exchange rate remains Uncertain. If you look at the Pound s recent trading Range there s really no Clear trend said Sandra Garraway an economist with Barclays Bank in London. It s difficult to  the Best americans can Hope for is that the muted reaction to this month s . Trade data indicates for eign Exchange traders have renewed Faith in the Dollar. The Dollar weakened briefly after the poor Trad statistics were released wednesday afternoon and then bounced Back. On Friday though the Dollar was slip Ping again As Central Bank intervention and interest rate increases in Europe seemed to take some of the steam out of the Buck s rally. Still Garraway said Many traders remain bullish on the Dollar primarily because interest rates in the United states Are High right now and some experts thin they will move even higher. The Market is looking at interest rate differentials More than economic fundamentals right now she said. If that trend continues americans in Britain might be Able to Start spending a Little More freely. World today . Envoy John Shad resigns Post in Holland the Hague Netherlands a Johnana the . Ambassador to the Netherlands has resigned to return to the private sector after several years of government service the . Embassy said Friday. The announcement followed last week s confirmation by the Wall Street merchant banking group album Ham Lambert that it had offered 65-year-old Shad a Job As its new chairman. An embassy spokesman who spoke on Condi Tion of anonymity refused to confirm that so d was joining the new York firm but he said Shad was planning to return to the United states on feb. Gorbachev seen As threat by few britons poll shows London a Only 4 percent of briton see the soviet Union As a serious threat As Long As Mikhail Gorbachev is in Power Accord ing to an opinion poll published Friday. But 19 percent see a serious threat if Gor i a no Iea Selto be president said the poll of1,540 adults by the ice Agency for the Liberal guardian newspaper. It said 23 percent see something of a threat trom Gorbachev s Kremlin rising to 35 percent if Gorbachev is out of office