European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 19, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 a a the stars and stripes thursday april 19,1990u.s. Deficit plunges 30% in february Washington apr the . Trade deficit shrank dramatically to $6.49 billion in february the smallest imbalance in More than six years the government reported wednesday. The Commerce department said that the 30 percent improvement from a $9.32 billion january deficit came primarily from a big drop in imported Oil. Total imports fell by 7.6 percent to $38.12 billion while . Exports which had hit a record High in january edged Down a slight 1 percent to $31.63 billion. The Trade deficit is the difference Between what America imports and what it Sells abroad. The changes gave the United states its lowest monthly Trade imbalance since december 1983. When it was $5.68 billion. The february deficit was significantly better than had been expected but economists said the Good news was Likely to be Short lived. That would be a blow to the Bush administration which is counting on further gains in . Exports to lift the fortunes of american manufacturers and provide a boost to a sluggish . Economy. But at the White House. Michael Boskin the chairman of the White House Council of economic advisers hailed the Trade deficit decrease As a very Good news  at the same time Boskin said a we can to yet Tell the extent to which it is a temporary or permanent  Many private economists said that the Trade deficit May actually begin rising again this year As the United states grows More dependent on foreign Oil and demand for exports weakens because of the strength of the . Dollar. A stronger Dollar makes american goods less competitive on foreign markets. Analysts were particularly disturbed by the fact that there were widespread declines in a variety of . Export categories. The 1 percent Overall drop would have been even larger except for a huge jump in aircraft shipments. However analysts said that was a temporary surge attributed to a backlog in shipments at Boeing which was idled late last year by a strike. Donald Ratajczak head of the economic forecasting project at Georgia state University in Atlanta said that he was looking for a 1990 Trade deficit of $105 billion Down Only slightly from a $109 billion imbalance in 1989. A american competitiveness is not improving at the present time and that is going to make it very hard to make Friendship journey some of 300 americans departing tuesday for soviet Are members of the Friendship Force and they re Georgia wave goodbye before they Board their flight part of the largest Ever Exchange of visitors Between from Atlanta a International Airport. The travellers the soviet Union and the United states. Further gains a Ratajczak said. In february Oil imports which had surged by 44 percent in january fell by 20 percent to $4.71 billion As both the volume of shipments and the Price per barrel dropped. The big swing in both months was related to weather a severe cold snap in december depleted supplies and forced record imports in january. However unusually warm weather in january reduced Oil demand in february. Analysts said that with Domestic Oil production now at 25-year lows they expect foreign Oil shipments to resume rising in coming months. They also expected the Price to climb. A there is no question that we Are going to import More Oil in 1990 than in 1989 and it looks like we will import that Oil at a higher Price a Ratajczak said. In addition to the drop in Oil shipments imports of consumer appliances and other durable goods fell by 7.5 percent while imports of clothing and other consumer non durable goods dropped by 10 percent. However imports of foreign cars were up by 25 percent to $2.56 billion in february. A that was a primary reason that the deficit with Japan Rose during the month to $3.12 billion accounting for close to half of the Overall  look alike stars in . Gag a wedding Washington apr the Bride shivered in the wind a tue does accordionist played a Hail to the chief and a make believe George Bush arrived 20 minutes late to officiate wednesday morning at a gag wedding outside the Jefferson memorial. The fake ceremony was staged by Gary Butler and his Bride Marilou Brown a who were married for real tuesday night by a suburban Fairfax county Van a magistrate a As a practical joke on about 50 of their friends. The a a wedding guests gasped and then giggled As John Simmons a Bush look alike from Washington a Gross National product comedy troupe stepped from a White stretch limousine surrounded by phony secret service agents in dark glasses waved to the crowd and took his place behind a Flower bedecked altar on the Lawn. Over the Roar of air planes helicopters and Rush hour traffic the Bush mimic announced he was playing minister to the couple As a Captain of the ship of  he called the newlyweds a two Points of Light in this Kinder and Gentile nation of ours and led them in the pledge of allegiance. As Butler recited his vows the bogus Bush advised the Bride to a read his  he wished them Mutual Fidelity in a a perfectly monotonous  its the second marriage for Butler 41, and the third for Brown 42. Both Are Bankers a and republicans a who be been friends and drinking buddies since they met seven years ago. Butler said they decided to a try something different something novel this time around for their friends  warn Pentagon on Roth anti Gay stand Washington apr some major universities Are warning the Pentagon that the military policy barring homosexuals from service is generating pressure to oust Roth from campuses. Quot the contradiction Between the University a principle of non discrimination against individuals on the basis of sexual orientation and the presence of an Roth that does discriminate cannot exist on the campuses indefinitely a John m. Deutch Provost of the Massachusetts Institute of technology in Cambridge said in a letter to defense Secretary Dick Cheney. A Many universities will withdraw from the Roth program a Deutch wrote. The department of defense has declined to comment on the Campus pressure. Maj. Doug Hart a Dod spokesman said that because the policy is being challenged in court the department has limited responses to a written statement outlining the reasons for barring homosexuals. The military contends that homosexuality is incompatible with military service because of the close quarters in which people of the same sex must live and because of Security risks posed by the possibility of a homosexual officer being blackmailed. Top administrators faculty groups and students from Mit the University of Wisconsin University of Minnesota the Northwestern University and others have actively campaigned against the Reserve officer training corps policy but no program has been removed As a result of the opposition. The Roth in the past year has denied several Gay cadets their officers commission and sought repayment of thousands of dollars in scholarship Money. Until recently Gay men and lesbians had been on their own in fighting the policy. One such student Robert Bettiker was one semester from graduation at Mit when he told his Superior that he was Gay. Bettiker was denied his commission and asked to repay $38,612 in scholarship Money. Most of the opposition stems from explicit anti discriminatory provisions in University Charters. Wisconsin has a state Law barring discrimination against homosexuals. The University of Wisconsin faculty Senate voted in december to expel Roth. The University regents refused to approve the expulsion and instead told president Kenneth Shaw to lobby the state congressional delegation which includes House armed services committee chairman Les Aspin a wis. A we want to see the Law changed a Shaw said in an interview. A a we re not interested in getting out of  Shaw said that Aspin was a supportive but not optimistic that Congress would pass a Law overriding the policy. At Northwestern University in Evanston 111., an and hoc student group called for the removal of the Roth program and the student government voted to ban the program from using University facilities and funds. Neither recommendation was accepted by the administration. A faculty group at the University of Minnesota urged administrators to lobby Washington lawmakers to change the policy. A we really  be standing for discrimination at any level a said Dick Caldecott the University a Liaison for Federal relations. At Washington University in St. Louis where Gay Roth Cadet James Holobaugh is being asked to repay his scholarship a student referendum to remove Roth was Defeated. However the Provost wrote Roth officials complaining about the policy. Mites concern is particularly significant. Because of the institutes Long standing relationship with the Pentagon Mit receives substantial research Grants trom the government for projects with military applications