European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 11, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 2 the stars and stripes saturday August 11,1990news updates Houston Oil spill Houston apr the coast guard began to Cut Back Crews thursday As the cleanup of a 700,000-gallon Oil spill in Galveston Bay nears an end. Coast guard chief Petty officer Rich Muller said Salvage Crews were sopping up remaining pockets of sludge near Houston Point in the Bay a northernmost part. Other Crews meanwhile continue to take apart a battered Barge that remained outside the Houston ship Channel. Once the Barge is severed the coast guard plans to reopen the ship Channel to two Way deep draft ship traffic for the first time since the  dealt setback by the Washington Post Berlin a West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl on thursday suffered his first major political loss since the opening of the Berlin Wall when he was forced to abandon his push to Advance the first All German elections from december to october. For nearly a week Kohl and East German prime minister to thar de Maizi Drc had lobbied their respective parliaments to move up the Date of both German unification and the new Germany a first election. The two leaders had argued that the Rise in East German unemployment and reluctance of Western investors to pump Money into the East a Economy required a Quick Transfer of Rule to Bonn. But on thursday the Bonn opposition led by Kohls major election challenger social Democrat Oskar Lafontaine made Clear that it would kill the chancellors pro pc backed Down. The social democrats agree that the economic situation in East Germany requires Early unification. But they argue that moving up the voting Date is an attempt by Kohl to Force an election before voters realize that unification will Cost far More than the Chancellor has said. Welcomed Home Zurich Switzerland apr red Cross Relief worker Emanuel Christen appearing thin but healthy had an emotional Homecoming thursday after 10 months in Captivity in Lebanon. But Joy at his release was tempered by concern for fellow Swiss hostage Elio Erriquez who was abducted oct. 6 along with Christen. Christen was the first Western hostage released since two americans were freed in april banana workers Back Tegucigalpa Honduras apr thousands of workers have returned to their jobs after ending a 7-week-old strike against . Banana giant Chiquita brands that caused an estimated $60 million in losses to the honduran Economy. Threatened with dismissal after the government sent in troops to end the strike the banana workers accepted a 25.percent pay increase sunday and agreed to return to work. The strikers had earlier demanded a 60 percent raise. R s or Josal. A few hours later Kohl in finds mismanagement waste at european stripes by Randy Mcclain financial writer a six month investigation by the de Fiat mint of defense inspector general has bund the waste of several Hundred thou Sand dollars in operating funds favouritism in hiring and other examples of mismanagement at the stars and stripes. An edited version of the report which was made Public late wednesday makes recommendations aimed at streamlining the newspaper and reducing its payroll. According to sources who read the original report it also recommended that the newspapers commander and editor in chief col. Gene e. Townsend discipline managing editor Mert Proctor and four other top supervisors. The newspaper has 60 Days to file a written response with the in Townsend said. The Ign a investigation began after William Bartman a staff writer at the newspaper s Washington Bureau made 17 allegations detailing fraud waste and abuse in a nov. 6 letter to Gen. John r. Galvin commander of the . European come. Bartman was fired in april in a separate incident that involved his lying to a supervisor about sources for a news article. However Bartman maintained that he was fired because he had blown the whistle on mismanagement at stripes in Europe and censorship of the news at the Pacific stars and stripes in Tokyo. A second in investigation upheld the dismissal and the results of that inquiry also were released late wednesday. The Ign a inquiry in Europe was expanded Early this year to cover 26 allegations Only nine of which investigators said they could fully  the allegations that the in found to of accurate a employees on stripes news desk which edits articles designs news pages and writes headlines have worked 5 it to six hours per Day while receiving pay for eight hours for at least the past 13 years. The in estimated that More than $500,000 had been paid out in salaries for work not performed Over that period. The in added that amount was a conservative estimate based on a one shift operation. The news desk normally operates two shifts. A stripes management proceeded with mans to buy a new offset printing press unit rom a sole source the German supplier Koenig amp Bauer at a Cost of $5.5 million without fully exploring other less expensive options. Townsend said the newspaper still feels the German unit is the Best buy and he said stripes intends to seek permission once again from the department of defense to go ahead with the Purchase. A the stars and stripes is overstaffed and an annual savings of $ 1.7 million could be realized by eliminating 44 jobs. Townsend said the newspaper agrees it can make do with fewer employees especially in Light of impending troop cuts in Europe. He said a selective hiring freeze implemented in May has already resulted in 10 positions being eliminated and attrition can be used to make further cuts. A the stripes pm edition had lost at least $100,000 a year since its inception in february 1988. Investigators said the pm an afternoon edition with late night sports scores from the United states should be discontinued. The pm ceased publication on july 13. A the managing editor allowed favouritism to play a role in employment decisions at least once. The report said he named an air Force enlisted member As City editor in 1984, even though that Job was normally filled by civilians. A the placement of a military member in the position for other than a temporary period constituted a violation of policy and had the effect of denying employment to qualified civilians a a the in report stated. The service member served for three years and then was hired As a civilian to fill the position after retirement from the military. The report quoted personnel rules that prohibit a position from being held open for a retiring member of the uniformed services a to provide that person with a preferential Opportunity to apply for or be appointed. However the report noted that the initial hiring of the individual As a civilian was correctly approved under army regulations by the then commander of stars and stripes. The report further noted that a 1989 manpower Survey conducted by a Usa eur Agency stated that the Job of assistant managing editor for training research and resources which the employee later filled in August 1987, was not needed. The in report said the establishment of the position May have resulted in the unnecessary expenditure of some $80,000 in salary and benefits. A the establishment of a computer applications position by the managing editor resulted in the unnecessary expenditure of More than $20,000 in salary and benefits. A former department of defense dependents schools teacher was hired As training instructor for computer applications. The in said the sex teacher did not have specialized experience in computer programming to handle a portion of the Job requiring the development of a computer program for storing and retrieving photographs. The in said that Job could have been done with a commercial software package that Cost $95. The report recommended that both positions be eliminated. A stripes editors should have some de Gree of Choice in deciding which military members Are assigned to the newspaper As reporters. Stripes has both civilian and Mil itary reporters but the military members Are usually assigned by their Branch of the service with Little or no input from editors. The in report was met with mixed reviews thursday. Townsend said the newspaper intends a to take our Medicine get better and move into the future stronger a Little tougher and a Little Wiser. I intend to use this report As a Road map to help me implement some very difficult  Townsend declined to comment on any pending disciplinary actions. However the sources said Townsend is considering three Day suspensions without pay for four news desk supervisors who allowed other employees to leave work Early. The edited report also recommended that disciplinary action be taken for the establishment of the assistant managing editor and computer training slots. The sources said disciplinary action also was recommended against the managing editor for what the in called a time and attendance abuse on the news desk. The managing editor declined to comment on the matters covered by the in investigation. A i will respond to the allegations in the proper forum a Proctor said. Bartman who instigated the Ign a inquiry said he was somewhat pleased by the in report on stripes. A it sounds like the investigators worked hard and got what they could a Bartman said adding that he will continue to push for what he termed other evidence of fraud waste and abuse to be presented to Congress. However Bartman said the in report that upheld his firing was a a Whitewash a and added that he is considering filing suit against the department of defense to overturn his dismissal. The in report on Bartmann a firing concluded that he was dismissed for lying to his civilian supervisor regarding his sources for a news article on air Force base closings in Europe. The in directed that a stay of his dismissal which had been in effect since april 6, be lifted by the director of administration and management office of the Secretary of defense. Bartman was officially separated from stripes employ on july 20. Townsend received the in report last month but the edited versions were not made Public until wednesday. The Public copies were edited by the in with names some titles and some other details blacked out. No charged with theft after car Chase Ramstein a West Germany a amps a an army sergeant who allegedly tried to steal $850 Worth of cigarettes from the Ramstein commissary led police on a High Speed Chase through a housing area before crashing his car into an oncoming patrol vehicle. The Soldier whose name was not released was captured and charged with larceny and reckless driving after the i tuesday night incident. An army civil Ian worker was detained As an accessory on the same charges said staff sgt. Doyle Tillman a base spokesman. No one was injured in the collision. A Security specialist for the commissary system alleges that the two each put two half cases of cigarettes in shopping carts and covered the carts with cardboard they found elsewhere in the store. They then tried to walk opt with the carts through up staffed checkout lanes. Store officials confronted the sergeant then called Security police. However the sergeant fled to a car before authorities arrived leaving the second suspect at the store. The civilian suspect ran for a nearby wooded area but was caught by a Security police canine team soon after. Authorities believe alcohol May have been a contributing Factor in the incident which is under investigation by . And West German authorities. 2 museums in Paris reopen after 5 weeks Paris apr authorities thursday said two pans museums have been reopened to individual visitors five weeks alter such v visits were barred at five museums because of Art thefts. 1 lie Hebert museum will be open wednesday through saturday from 2 30 to 4 ., with visits limited to about 45 minutes the French museum directorate said. The Jean Jacques Henner museum will admit individual visitors at 3  On wednesdays. Saturdays and sunday the communique said. Still closed to the Public except for special visits arranged in Advance Are the Delacroix Gustave Moreau and Enn Ery museums. The order to restrict Access to the five Small museums was issued july 5 after paintings were stolen from the Hebert and two larger Paris museums a the Louv re and the Carnavale