European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 31, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse The stars and stripes columns William Safire time to increase pressure on soviet Union to their credit the unreconstructed round heels of the new York times editorial pages gave extended space recently to an Anonymous hard line anal Ysis signed a that has caused a fearsome fluttering in the dovecote. Z argues that Mikhail Gorbachev s announced plan for reforming the communist system while retaining Central control is hopeless consequently whatever the West does to help him postpone the Day of free markets and a multiparty system Only prolongs the agony of the exit from communism. Keep the pressure on is z s import economic desperation causes politics movement. I would add that our state department mantra of stability its go slow admonitions to radicals and Bush s unstinting offer of economic Aid to Moscow untied to systemic change help Only those Roll with the punch totalitarians who will cling to As much Power As they can. My times colleagues response since a Gorbachev s Rise hard liners have strained to find new rationales for old cold War and who Minem at me and him. Psycho hangups aside we hard liners Are said to Duck the critical fact that the Likely alternatives to Gorbachev would be far worse for Western Revivi fied accommodation lists so wrong for so Long about our policy of stressing the soviet system find what they consider a contradiction. They discover in z s analysis what Western liberals and moderates have been urging All along arms control and cooperative arrangements to develop mar Ket structures and joint economic wrong. To soft liners arms control Means a hurry up strategic missile treaty which would save the rus sians vast sums while retaining their sup prov i threat to hard liners arms control Means first getting soviet troops and tanks out of Eastern Europe so that an end to occupation is not linked to Gorbachev shaky personal fortunes. Here is another difference Between soft and hards Freedom for the Baltic Peoples. I have a Large Bernese Mountain dog who Bounds in out of the Snow to lie on her Back paws splayed in every direction in Hopes of getting her belly scratched. This is the current state department position on Baltic Independence. For 50 years the . Has refused to acknowledge the Hitler Stalin Deal that forced Lithuania Latvia and Estonia into becoming soviet socialist . Presidents have supported their Independence asserting legation in Washington. With Freedom now imminent the baits hear our state department spokesman say their status is a soviet internal Why could t we Cut the hand wringing and say instead James Kilpatrick tvhrrenuletsmw/7 the United states reasserts its Long standing recognition of Baltic Independence. We applaud the peace Ful but Resolute Way its Peoples have recently demonstrated their desire for Freedom. As these three countries gain their Freedom in fact we Are prepared to join with the soviet Union and european nations to create a Baltic convertible currency zone. We will encourage a private Economy capable of replacing the command system speeding the Day of a convertible Ruble and the opening of soviet markets. Such a targeted approach is a far cry from the Tell us what you want we wont Rock your boat offer of Trade by the eager Bush at Malta. One Way require genuine change the other permits cosmetic change. Here s the Beauty part centrifugal agitation is now causing Gorbachev to rethink his insistence on one party monopoly. He does t need tacit understanding from Freedom seekers he needs a shove. Only then can he continue to play the Man in the Middle. Thai s Why some hard liners Here for the past year have been focusing on the Baltic states As the testing ground for real soviet change. The freeing of six states of the Empire has been breathtaking but Baltic unrest reaches across what Moscow considers its Border. Gorbachev went to Lithuania to act against his words in waggling a Finger against inevitable separatism he plunged ahead to i see no tragedy in a Multi party system. What brought about this High wire flip Flop on the essence of one party control gentle accommodation by the baits just the opposite. Only unrelenting pressure from inside and out accompanied by red army refusal to Back political Power with firepower can change the Union of soviet socialist republics into a less Militarist fsr a federation of soviet republics. While soft liners Are struck dumb with Delight hard liners will keep pressing c new to k times poor Little immigrant asked for got trouble. _ i _ a r?__l.na� mai4 a fxrmai1 Umont in trial hts orc 9 ii a. Inc c1on Jan. 11, the Wall Street journal went into editorial lamentations Over the Case of John Pozsgai who had been sentenced to three years in prison and fined $202.000 for violating the wetlands pro visions of the Federal clean water act. On Jan. 12. The . Court of appeals for the 3rd circuit upheld the sentence. Thereby hangs this tale. To the journal. Pozsgai was a flabbergasted truck Mechanic who discovered to his sorrow How Little regard the environmental Protection Agency has for property the journal depicted Pozsgai As a hardworking Immi Grant who sought Only to improve an Ille Gal dump next to his Home. Poor abused mistreated Pozsgai he could be forgiven for wondering Why he Ever fled communist Hungary in 1956." Balderdash the journal s indignation should be focused on a better cause. The Only flabby roasting aspect of this Case can be found in the defendant s blabber Gasting contempt for the Law. Back in october 1986, when the chronology begins Pozsgai was operating his diesel truck repair business on West Bridge Street in Mossville Bucks county a. He wanted to expand by purchasing an adjoining 14-acre tract. Douglas Mason the real estate broker representing the owner gave Pozsgai the first of a dozen warnings he would receive the property probably was a protected wetland that could not be devel oped. Pozsgai consulted three Engi Neering firms. They confirmed Mason s opinion the tract was indeed a wetland. 3, the corps of engineers issued a formal cease and desist order. Pozsgai ignored the order. On dec. 2, the Epa issued a written notice. Pozsgai ignored the no Tice. On dec. 17, the corps filed a notice of violation. Pozsgai ignored this notice also. Seven months passed in which the owner made no attempt to apply for the necessary permits. The violations cont engineers. Pozsgai paid no attention. He began to Deposit fill even though he did t own the land. In april 1987, Martin Miller an in Spector for the corps Learned of the fill operation. He examined the site and found typical wetlands vegetation. Soil brings and hydrological tests were Posi Tive. On april 29, Miller advised Pozsgai that he could not continue to fill without permission. The advice was ignored. The record shows that Miller repeated his warning on May 14. The warning had no effect. On june 19, Pozsgai bought the property at a reduced Price because of the wetlands determination. Miller came Back on aug. 17 and saw that additional fill had been deposited. On sept. Drainage into the Pennsylvania canal had been disturbed. On aug. 24, 1988, the department of Justice concluded that this Defiance had gone on Long enough. The government obtained a court order directing Pozsgai immediately to cease and desist his fill operations. On the very next Day Pozsgai was Back at his forbidden task. An indignant neighbor Joan sevits Al Lowed Epa agents to install video equip ment in her Home. Over the next 10 Days the camera documented 32 violations of the order. Chief District judge John p. Fullam imposed a Fine of $5,000 for con tempt of court. Indicted on 40 counts of unlawfully destroying protected wetlands Pozsgai went o l before a jury. The evidence against him was overwhelming. He challenged the clean water act As an unconstitutional abridgement of his property rights. He complained on Appeal of ineffective counsel. He sought to show that the property was not a wetlands after All. In a pre sentence report the . Pro Bation officer described the defendant As a stubborn Man no one not even the government will Tell him what to the . Attorney strongly recommended a prison sentence because of Pozsgai s blatant disregard of the Law. The defendant is a wilful and knowing criminal to the so much for the journal s poor Little flabbergasted immigrant. This correspondent knows enough of bureaucracy to know that bureaucrats sometimes abuse their Power. The wet lands provisions of the clean water act Are not models of craftsmanship. There Are ambiguities that need better definition. But Protection of our remaining wetlands is absolutely vital to the nation Al ecology and in this Case there was no abuse. Pozsgai went looking for trouble. He got what he asked for. Clu Ruml Prmt a Lac of
