European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 20, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday. May 20, 1989 the stars and stripes Page 7 april consumer prices hit 2-year High by the Baltimore Sun Washington propelled by a record monthly Rise in gasoline costs consumer prices climbed a hefty 0.7 percent in april the largest gain in More than two years the government reported thursday. The increase in the consumer Price Index which was at the top end of Many forecasts came after advances of 0.5 percent in March and 0.4 percent in february. It was the largest Rise since a 0.7 percent increase in january i987. When a spurt in gasoline prices also pushed the Index higher. Largely because of several months of huge increases in gasoline prices consumer prices have risen at an annual Rale of 6.6 percent this year sharply higher than the 4.4 percent annual increases in both 1988 and 1987. Many economists expecting smaller rises in Gaso line prices later in the year predict that inflation this year will Range Between 5 percent and 5.5 percent. Gasoline prices soared 11.4 percent in april. The largest one month Rise since the department of labor began tracking prices in the 1930s. The previous record was 7.4 percent in january1987, when prices bounced Back from the Low Levels of 1986, and in March 1974, in the Wake of the Arab Oil embargo. The current Rise in gasoline prices reflects production cutbacks by the organization of Petroleum exporting countries last year trouble in North sea Oil production the Alaska Oil spill a shortage of refining capacity in the United states and the Advent of the heavy driving season according to private economists. The administration and economists look Relief from april s Low Core inflation Rale reflected in a slight 0.2 percent consumer Price Rise without counting the volatile Energy and food components. That was Down sharply from the 0.4 percent in crease in both february and March. Economists regard the underlying Price measure As a belter indication of inflationary pressures. Referring to the sleep Rise in Energy prices White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said that we think it s kind of like a bulge moving through the econ omy. Other than Energy prices inflation looks As if it s in pretty Good  an administration official expressed doubt that the Federal Reserve Board would lighten monetary policy As a result of thursday s report. Some of the Economy s slowdown was reflected inthe relatively moderate 0.4 percent Rise in last month s producer Price Index for finished goods. That Index reflects Only about half the ingredients of the Chi. In addition to the Steep climb in gasoline the Cost of Home heating Oil Rose 2.7 percent in april and electric Ity was up 1.2 percent. Natural Gas prices fell 0.7 per cent. Food prices advanced 0.5 percent Overall last month Down from a 0.7 percent increase in March. Smaller increases in meal poultry fish and egg prices accounted for the slower Pace of increase in Overall food prices. Judge oks jaw seeks vote of Tenn. Nissan Plant logging near owl habitat Portland Ore. A a Federal judge thursday ruled against environmental groups thai sued the government Over the rare spotted owl tying up the Harvest of nearly 340 million Board feet of Timber in we Stern Oregon since last summer. . District judge Helen fryc granted a summary judgment thursday in favor of the Bureau of land manage ment and lifted a preliminary injunction thai had prohibited the logging of old growth forests within two Miles of spotted owl habitats. The lawsuit was filed against the fed eral Agency by the Portland Audubon society and other environmental groups. They had contended the blk s Timber management plans failed to adequately protect old growth forests where the spotted owl lives and Hunts. The owl has been proposed for listing As a threatened species by the . Fish and wildlife service. Fryc ruled that the environmental groups request was too Broad and that appeals would have to be made on a Case by Case basis. They can l Challenge our management plans they have to Challenge individual sales said blk spokesman de Ciliberti. Nashville Tenn. A the United Auto workers has requested a vote on collective bargaining at Nissan s Smyrna Tenn., Plant where manage ment says the Union is conducting a drawn out organizing Campaign. The Law filed the petition with the National labor relations Hoard asking it to authorize 2,400 production workers to vote whether they wish to be rep resented. The in Plant organizing committee feels the time is right. They feel the enthusiasm inside the Plant for the Union is High a Union spokesman said. I feel confident that the Union will be soundly Defeated said Gail o. Neu Man. A Nisan vice president. The vast majority of our employees Tell us they have no interest in paying $850.000 a year in dues. Our communication s open and they like  Nissan employees who oppose the Union picketed outside the factory Gates with signs saying Law go Home american flags and at least one to shirt that said Nissan love it or leave  Cuman said the Union s card signing Campaign began More than 16 months ago. And talk about the matter began years before that. We feel that the Law has had More than enough Lime to present its Case to our employees. The time has come to Lei our employees speak through a secret ballot election she said in a statement. Should the Norb agree to allow the election it would be the first such Vole at Nissan s Only . Factory. The japanese company began producing pickup trucks in 1983 and now also produces Sonora cars at the Plant near Nashville. The company says workers arc Happy with salaries that Range from $12.55 to $17.19 an hour and benefits that equal those of Law organized Aulo plants. California Bill to restrict semiautomatic Sacramento Calif. A the legislature 9n thursday approved a Bill making California the first Statt to re strict semiautomatic assault weapons a measure prompted by a schoolyard shooting rampage that left five dead. The Bill went to gov. George Duck median who has agreed to sign it. This is a historic Momcil in which the legislature and governor have come together to address the violence on our streets every Day said Senate president pro Tern David Roberti a los Angeles Democrat. Republican sen. De Davis a former los Angeles chief of police denounced the measure As twisting the Constitution out of  this is a sad Day for Liberty in Ameri Ca Davis said this is the result of emotion and panic thinking and it is not going to  the legislation was introduced in Jan uary after a deranged drifter Patrick Purdy. Fired More than 100 rounds with an ak-47 assault Rifle into a Stockton schoolyard killing five students and wounding 29 children and a teacher. The Senate approved the Bill 27-11. The Assembly gave its approval less than an hour later on a 41-35 vote a Bare majority of the 80-scat House. The legislation is the second half of a two part package that would restrict Sale and Possession of More than 50 models of assault weapons including the ak-47. The first Bill passed earlier this month. But Duck Majian refused to sign it with out Compromise language inserted into the second Bill. It Lowers the penalty in some instances of failure to Register guns owned before the Law took effect. Both Bills would virtually ban the Sale of the affected weapons after Jan. I. 1990, but would allow people who legally obtained the weapons before june i of this year to keep the firearms if they Reg ister them with the state. Some democrats urge Wright to step Down Sashington a House speaker Jim Wright a Texas struggled thursday to halt an erosion of political support stemming from ethics allegations As even his sup porters talked about finding a dignified Way to Case him from his Post. It s time for a leadership change said in Diana rep. Phil Sharp becoming one of a handful of democrats to say aloud what Sharp others have said privately. It s gelling to the time where we need stronger and More focused leadership on legislation and it s become obvious that the speaker is so occupied with this thing that he can t devote his undivided attention to the leadership of the House Sharp said wednesday after a meeting of in Diana democratic House members. Wright pinned his Hopes on a Tele Vised Public hearing this coming week. Gambling that it would give his lawyers a Chance to eliminate the major charges against him. I think we re going to be successful in i Csc motions. I have every Confidence Wright said making a Brief appearance before television cameras to pronounce himself delighted that the House ethics committee had scheduled a hearing for tuesday. Wright s supporters agreed thai the motions May be make or Brcak Lime for the Texas Democrat who is Chai cd with 69 violations of House rules. Hut others in  caucus were saying openly that regardless of any Legal  s political Battle already is lost. We re getting Down to the Short rows  said rep. Charles Slen Holm a Texas one of the speaker s staunch supporters. It s got to quit raining on the speaker. The next things that happen will be significant and the speaker has to win  a group of moderate democrats supportive of Wright is talking privately about How badly the speaker s political standing has slipped. More than a dozen in the group Melale wednesday in discuss the speaker s defense but wound up talking about whether it was time for the party to help Wright find a Graceful. Dignified Way Oul according to one participant. That might in clude letting the ethics process run its course so that the speaker could win at least Par tial exoneration St Holni on Legal grounds sources said. The ethics committee after a 2 i hour meeting announced that it would hold a six hour televised hearing on tuesday to Lei Wright s lawyers argue Why the panel should drop the most serious charges against the speaker that he evaded limits on outside in come through bulk sales of his Book and that he accepted $145,000 in gifts from a business partner with a direct interest in legislation. We Welcome the Opportunity for our Case and we believe it is very very Strong to be heard before the  Wright said. Wright himself will not appear at the hearing but his Legal team will argue that the ethics committee has stretched House rules in charging their client with wrongdoing. Ethics committee special outside counsel Richard j. Phelan will argue the committee s position and the ethics panel could Rule on the Issue sometime this coming week. Phelan s position is very Well founded said committee chairman Julian Dixon d Calif. One of Wright s eight lawyers Wil Liam Oldaker conceded that motions to dismiss charges routinely arc denied and put chances of Success at no better than 50-50. In another development Wright said he had not been contacted in connection with a reported internal Revenue service preliminary criminal investigation of his business dealings with fort Worth Developer George Mallick