European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 09, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 2 the stars and stripes tuesday january 9.1990 Berlin role unchanged . Chief says deterrence Mission remains in new landscape by Ken Clauson suit writer Berlin the commander of Berlin s american sector May seem like a Man without a Mission. Bui while East and West berliners can now mingle freely in their City and the East German government has vowed to replace the Berlin Wall with Normal Bor Der markings the american role in the once divided City has not changed. Maj. Gen. Raymond e. Haddock said. Haddock who Heads 6.000 american troops in Ber Lin said the . Military role remains what it has been for the last 44 years and that is to provide a deterrent by being prepared to defend Berlin. What has changed is the landscape around  the soviet military Force arrayed around Berlin has also changed very Little. Haddock said. He cited a 1988pledge by soviet Leader Mikhail Gorbachev to reduce the soviet military by 500,000 troops with 50,000 to come from Warsaw pact countries. When Gorbachev made his speech in december 1988, there were a litle Over 400,000 soviet forces in East Germany and that is Down now to something like 387,000," Haddock said. "1 fully believe the soviet Union will reduce its forces by the end of 1990 by 50,000 in the Forward area. That s what or. Gorbachev said he was going to do and 1 believe that will occur. But the fact is it does t make a big difference in terms of the  a More promising change would be the adoption of troop ceilings of 275,000 in Europe for each Side a proposal now being discussed at the conventional arms talks in Vienna Austria he said. When and if the soviets accept that it will make a difference in the ratio Offe Rees at the front because we could expect to see some of those 387,000 forces with drawn. But that remains to be  still the general acknowledged we Don t expect to have to defend the City against an attack tomorrow because the atmosphere is such that we Don t believe that s going to happen. Threat comes in two parti in capability and will. One would say that the capability is the same As the capability was yesterday but the will to cause that attack to take place has substantially  Haddock said the United slates is ready to support a reunification of East and West Germany As Long As it is done democratically. And peacefully. It is the american policy to support that. But when it comes and if it comes is not a matter for the americans to decide. It s a matter for the germans themselves to  Haddock who played Host to an East German family at his Home for thanksgiving said attitudes also must change with the times. We must be Forward thinking he said. We must recognize that the East germans arc also looking for Friendship and that they re looking for opportunities to change their lives. We must recognize that one Day they will Dedde whether they want to be United with West Germany or not. And we want them to Sec americans in a positive  elections Washington Texas voting officials have scheduled a statewide primary election for March 13. Voters will choose candidates for All 27 . House scats and one . Senate scat. In addition candidates will be chosen for governor lieutenant Gover nor attorney general comptroller state treasurer land commissioner Railroad commissioner and agricultural commissioner. Also on the ballot will be candidates for chief Justice two associate justices of the state supreme court four criminal appeals court judges and seven seats on the state Board of education. In the state legislature 16 senators and All 150 representative scats also arc to be filled. The winners in this primary election will compete in a general election nov. 6.  government employees and their family members who Are residents of Texas should Contact their unit voting officers for details on How to Register and obtain Absentee ballots. Merchants to give disaster Aid Check Frankfurt Weil Germany merchants National Bank will present a Check for $22.482 to the american red Cross today to Aid victims of Hurricane Hugo and the san Francisco earthquake. Customer contributions were collected at most Bank branches last year and Bank employees in Central Europe held bake sales in december to raise More Money said a spokeswoman atthe Bank s Frankfurt Headquarters. The Check will be presented to there Cross in a ceremony at the Mer chants Branch at Robinson Barracks i Stuttgart. Wurzburg Soldier s wife killed in car Accident Wurzburg West Germany is the 20-year-old wife of a Wurzburg Soldier was killed sunday night when he car left the Road and struck a tree. The woman was driving on . South of the Wurzburg suburb of Heidingsfeld at 9 30 . When the Acci Dent occurred. She apparently drove off the Road and struck a reflector pole and tree before the car flipped Over. A West German doctor declared the woman dead at the scene about 10 . The Accident is being investigated. The victim s name is being withheld until relatives have been notified. 4 major Banks lower prime rate new York a four big Banks lowered their prime lending rate monday a half percentage Point to 10 percent the first reduction in nearly half a year Sig Naling cheaper Loans for Consumers an businesses. The move by Citibank first National Bank of Chicago Morgan guaranty Trust co. And Bankers Trust co. Reflected the declining Cost of Money that Banks have enjoyed in recent weeks be cause of a More Liberal credit policy bythe Federal Reserve. The fed the nation s Central Bank has been moving to Case interest rates recently in order to forestall a dramatic economic downturn. Lower rates encourage businesses and Consumers to borrow Money. The prime rate is a Benchmark that Many Banks use to calculate Many other loan rates including variable rate Home equity Loans. The move monday effective immediately Marks the first time the rate has been changed since july 31. When Bank lowered the prime to 10.5 percent from 11 percent. Economists predicted other Bank would follow suit saying monday s move was Long overdue. There was Little reaction in the Stock or Bond markets indicating that such a drop had been anticipated. It comes As no Surprise. I think it Wasin keeping with current Money Market Rales said William v. Sullivan an economist with Dean Witter Reynolds. Sullivan said Banks had the incentive to trim their prime just before Christmas Alicr the fed moved to lower the Federal funds rate the interest on overnight Loans Between Banks to 8.25 percent. However he said Banks put off any Cut in the prime because seasonal de mands for higher Cash reserves had pushed the fed fund rate above 9 per cent. Paramount must pay Buchwald judge rules los Angeles a Paramount pictures corp. Must pay Art Buchwald for the script idea the humor columnist claimed was the basis for the hit Eddie Murphy movie coming to America a judge tentatively ruled monday. The court concludes that coming to America was based upon a material Clement of or was inspired by Buchwald s treatment judge Harvey a. Schneider wrote in a 34-Page statement. The decision becomes final in 10 Days if attorneys on either Side fail to raise issues not covered by it. Schneider also ordered a new phase of the breach of contract trial to determine How much Money Paramount owes Buchwald. The judge further ruled that the humorist did not base his idea titled King for a Day on a 1957 Charlie Chaplin movie titled a King in new  the court concludes that coming to America is a movie thai was based upon Buchwald s treatment King for a Day " Schneider said. However he carefully specified in the ruling that he was not denigrating Eddie Murphy s creative Talent and stressed the term based upon since Buchwald did not write a Complete script. He also said Murphy was not to blame for the dispute with Buchwald. It is Paramount and not Murphy that obligated itself to compensate Buchwald if any material elements of Buchwald s treatment were utilized in or inspired film produced by Paramount the Deci Sion slated. " coming to America is no less the product of Eddie Murphy s creativity be cause of the court s decision than it was before this decision was rendered he said. Honecker hospitalized for cancer surgery Berlin up former East Ger Man Leader Erich Honecker is in an East Berlin Hospital where he will undergo surgery for a kidney tumor the West German news Agency spa said monday. Honecker 77, is under official investigation on charges of profiteering and abuse of Power but East German Doc tors last week said he was suffering from a malignant kidney tumor and was Loo ill to be jailed. Spa quoting Hospital sources said the former hard line communist Leader was admitted to East Berlin s Charity Hospital last weekend. The Agency said Honecker was seen in the corridors of the Hospital wearing a jogging outfit and looking Well consid ering the  Honecker who led the country with an Iron fist for 18 years until he was forced to resign oct. 18, was released from House arrest last week after authorities said that the measure had no Legal basis. He was placed under House arrest one month earlier at the height of a scandal Over corruption and abuses of Power by former communist party and govern ment officials. Memorial service set for Augsburg teacher Augsburg West Germany a memorial service is scheduled for 3 30 . Wednesday for Paul Hamel an English teacher at Augsburg High school who died last month. He was 59. Hamel spent the last 25 years at Augsburg High school where he taught advanced placement and 11 the Grade English. He returned to the United states in september for cancer treatment but died dec. 19 in Branford Conn. He was buried at the National cemetery in Bourne mass., dec. 21. He is survived by a daughter Cherstin of Brooklyn n.y., and a son Mark of Stroudsburg a. Hamel held a Bachelor s degree in English from Suffolk University in Boston and later earned a master s degree in literature from Boston University. He was a writer and archivist who once had Book review published in the new York times. He helped write a Book on the City of Augsburg which celebrated its2,000th anniversary in 1985. His Archive work included collecting world War ii photos of the holocaust in Germany in the belief that such an Effort would prevent a  favorite sunday morning activity was Reading the new York  was also a collector of old re cords especially the 78-rpm  How he could spend so much time listening to the often scratchy disks he replied i Don t hear the scratches Only the  also collected copies of old movies. His favorite actress was Judy Garland who starred in a a Star is born in 1954, his favorite movie