European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 1, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Hatred widespread among ethnic groups in Europe the East today n Kip Pripp in second in a series by Frank Starr the Baltimore Sun on the threshold of closer integration than they have 1 known for half a Century europeans in Large numbers Are saying that they hate each other As the old East bloc joins the free world and West europeans look Forward to economic and political integration in 1992, open expression o1 multiple ethnic hatreds is being heard trom the ural mountains to the Atlantic coast according to a poll by the times Mirror co. The most widespread ethnic divisions Are in Eastern Europe. From the Baltic to the Black sea. The lifting of the enforced brotherhood of communism has re exposed ancient hostilities so numerous and deep As to suggest among the poll s advisers a sense of Quot impending  most troubling perhaps were two related findings in nearly every country a More than 60 percent in Hungary and Poland a people believe that some neighbouring territory rightly belongs to them. And even Young people in significant numbers openly voice ethnic hostility East europeans themselves recognize that significant improvement of relations May have to wait for new generations. A pole in Bialystok half jokingly Calls it Quot the cemetery problem a those who suffered grievances will have to be buried before we see any  so hostile Are the two ethnic populations of Czechoslovakia the poll concluded that their differences May be insurmountable and heir divorce inevitable. In every country of Eastern Europe. 40 percent or More of those potted said that readers action line hostility toward gypsies below Are the percentages of people in each location who expressed negative attitudes toward gypsies. Germany 59%llczechoslovakia 91% Hungary a Bulgaria 71% 1 a Spain a amps they had unfavourable opinions of their country s main minority and almost that percentage of germans and frenchmen spoke ill of poles and North africans respectively. By comparison 13 percent of White americans hold unfavourable opinions of Blacks the pollsters said. Czechs Are angry at slovaks bulgarians dislike turks czechoslovak dislike Quot hungarians russians and ukrainians frown on azeris and hungarians and poles hate All their neighbors. Quot poles Are the Only nation in the Survey East of West in which three out of four persons said they had Little in common with people from other ethnic groups or races Quot the pollsters wrote. Dominated for centuries by russians and germans three out of five poles believe neighbouring lands belong to them. Poles Are the most xenophobic people in the Survey. In Eastern Poland the most xenophobic part people expressed hostility toward germans 53 percent jews 50 percent ukrainians 47 percent lithuanians percent and byelorussian 15 percent. Like Many Eastern european countries Hungary is a victim of its history which has left Large numbers of hungarians just outside its Borders in regions where the local majority does not like them. A Hal million hungarians live in Vojvod Ina a piece of Yugoslavia that Hungary might claim if Yugoslavia Breaks up. Likewise if Slovakia separates from Czechoslovakia the former hungarian Uplands that Span Slovakia s Southern Border might not be recognized by Hungary As part of Slovakia because of hostility of slovaks toward hungarians 65 percent in the poll. There Are also hungarians living in Romania and romanians living in soviet Moldavia. Hungarians have the most Revan Chist attitude in Europe 68 percent of them believing that territory of theirs lies in neighbouring countries. But Western Europe is no less free of. Racial hatreds. The one that unites Western and Eastern Europe is hatred of gypsies victims of the world War ii holocaust. To every country where the question was asked europeans in overwhelming numbers expressed contempt for gypsies a Germany 59 percent Czechoslovakia 91 percent Hungary 81 percent Bulgaria 71 percent and Spain where they Are Best known 50 percent. In Andalusia where most Spanish gypsies live people looked upon them favourably by a margin of 59 percent to 31 percent. Attitudes toward jews in Europe were somewhat More enigmatic the poll found. Favourable attitudes were expressed in Large numbers a 72 percent in France a but Quot no opinion ran As High As three in 10 in some countries and Quot unfavourable Quot ratings reached one in three in Slovakia and Poland though Poland has Only 10,000 jews or about three hundredths of 1 percent of its total population. But Given the history of the treatment of jews in France and Germany during world War ii the 14 percent unfavourable in France and 52 percent favourable to 24 percent unfavourable in Germany might be considered disturbing. The Bright spot in this sea of hostility seems to be the United states Between two thirds and three fourths of All the Eastern european populations questioned Fourd . Influence to be positive. Polish hostility in Eastern Poland people expressed xenophobic views toward the following ethnic groups germans 53% jews 50% ukrainians 47% 1 lithuanians 22% i byelorussian a i 15% a amp Sair Force accepts soldiers suggestion a i would like to know Why the . Air Force is opposed to accepting suggestions from the army Are we not in this thing together i filled out a suggestion form Only to get it thrown Back in my lace and Lold to go to the army with it. There is something terribly wrong when anyone rejects a suggestion on something that May help an organization. Sgt. 1 St class Paul d. Spencer Pitburg a Germany Elt. Col. John w. Gorell director manpower and organization in plans and programs he Safe replies the . Air Force does accept suggestions from army members. Afr 900-4, the air Force suggestion program paragraph 1-3, explains Thal the following personnel Are eligible to submit a suggestion air Force military and civilian personnel paid from appropriated funds members of any Dod component or Federal Agency attached to an air Force installation retired military and civilian personnel non-.  direct hire employees when a program has been established by the installation commander indirect hire and non-. Citizen employees who Are employed under agreements with foreign governments and foreign Exchange members. We looked into sgt. 1st class Spencer s suggestion and found it was not eligible because it proposed a Way to increase no appropriated funds. The no appropriated fund suggestion program in accordance with afr 40-7, is the proper Channel for suggestions dealing with improvements to no appropriated fund activities. Unfortunately the base suggestion program manager who has since left provided sgt. 1st class Spencer incorrect information. The fact that he is a member of the army did not make his suggestion ineligible. The current suggestion program manager at his base contacted sol. 1st class Spencer explained the mistake and put him in touch with the local morale welfare and recreation office to begin processing his no appropriated fund suggestion please extend our apology to sgt. 1st class Spencer for his inconvenience and for the delay in getting his suggestion into the proper program for consideration. We Are glad to hear this experience did not discourage him sgt. 1st class Spencer has already submitted another potential Money saving suggestion to the air Force suggestion program. We invite everyone who is eligible to participate in the air Force suggestion program. At Safe bases the local servicing manpower offices manage the air Force suggestion program and can provide the guidance 77 needed for properly completing and submitting suggestions to write us readers action line is the readers Quot court of last resort striving to answer some of the questions about life overseas in a military environment or questions about policies and guidelines when other avenues for answers ate not reality available. If you have a question and Don t know where to turn for the answer write to readers action line co the stars and stripes Apo 09211-4211. All letters must be signed and preference will be Given to those seeking information of general interest to our readers. A m Page 16 a a the stars and stripes tuesday october 1, 1991