European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 8, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 2the stars and stripes tuesday october 8, 1991 at a glance your image How you see yourself see health pages 14-16taxing Catalon sales the supreme court set the stage for a ruling with huge economic repercussions by agreeing to reconsider its 24-year-old decision that effectively prevented states from collecting taxes on most mail order sales. A Page 4colby backing Gates former Cia director William e. Colby added his voice to those supporting Robert m. Gates nomination to head the intelligence Agency. A Page 5abrams pleads guilty former state department official Elliott Abrams pleaded guilty to two Misdemeanour counts of withholding information on the Iran Contra scandal from Congress. A Page 6haiti appears split Haiti s military rulers appeared to reverse themselves on the question of the return of president Jean Ber Trand Aristide. Observers said it May indicate a split within the  Page 8 Index Abby Ann Landers. 20 comics. 18-20 commentary. 13 faces no places. 10 letters. 12 Money matters. 17 sports. 21-28 to listings. 27 weather. 11 Diggs resigns under pressure As a act Leader in Europe by Luke Britt staff writer the outspoken president of the a act european conference resigned saturday after he said the organizations National Headquarters in Baltimore threatened to suspend him for conducting a civil rights March in Frankfurt Germany on sept. 28. Arthur Diggs said monday that he had intended to resign Friday from his position As president of Europe a National association for the advancement of coloured people. Diggs an air Force technical sergeant whose european tour is scheduled to end Friday said he received a Telephone Call saturday from Dennis Hayes the a acpt a chief Legal consultant in Baltimore who said the Headquarters office was considering suspending him because he staged the March without proper sanctioning from the National body. He resigned Early to avoid the suspension Diggs said. A the fear tactics of the european command have worked a Diggs said. A they wanted to silence the masses and they Nave effectively done  in an attempt to draw attention to alleged civil rights abuses in the military in Europe Diggs organized and conducted a March in Frankfurt which he predicted would draw hundreds of people. Days before the March military commands across Europe widely publicized regulations Banning service members from participating in demonstrations overseas. The March eventually attracted 17 participants. Military officials denied that their efforts were intended to discourage participation in Diggs March. The a act did not support the March because a of the threat of reprisals from the european command to it military personnel participating in the March a according to a letter sent by Hayes to Diggs. A i done to feel betrayed by the National office. I was betrayed by some of our members locally a Diggs said. On saturday apparently without knowledge of Diggs resignation the european conferences executive committee meeting in Darmstadt Germany voted to revoke Diggs Power a to speak for the group a said Michael Lamberg european a act vice president who lives in Heidelberg. The group also voted to make Lamberg an interim president until elections Are held in december. Lamberg was due to become the interim president of the european a act when Diggs returns to the states on Friday. Diggs said monday that he was not aware of what occurred at the groups saturday meeting. The committee took the action to prevent Diggs from leaving the country still holding the title of president Lamberg said. The decision was not made to discredit Diggs he  Page 1 Tion of studying presumed problems that the current combat restrictions May cause for women. A Given the commissions mandate it is almost certain that the final report will be a list of reasons not to increase the assign ability of women a Sagawa wrote. In addition to her own organization Sagawa a paper was endorsed by the american association of University women the american civil liberties Union the american nurses association business and professional women the Center for women policy studies federally employed women the women Slegal defense fund and the women a research and education Institute. Both the House and Senate have voted to repeal Laws dating from 1947 that bar women from serving aboard combat aircraft. The House passed its provision with Little fuss but the Issue was More divisive in the Senate. Although the Senate eventually approved repealing the combat exclusion a its bin also Calls for the creation of an Independent commission to examine the broader Issue of women in combat jobs including ground combat units. Under the Senate Bill the commission would have is members appointed by president Bush Many of them a distinguished combat veterans a and would Forward recommendations to the president late next year. A but the Way the commission is designed we re going to end up with a quite biased Litany of problems that we fear May be used to simply maintain the status quo a Sagawa said. The commission charter says nothing about having members who Are women with distinguished service records or even men who have worked with issues associated with women in the military such As refitting Navy ships to accommodate female sailors she said. A it appears to be very one sided a Sagawa said. A after gaining this important Victory of allowing women to Fly combat aircraft this commission May Well be used to justify shutting the door on further  a Senate staffer denied that the commission will prejudge the Issue but he said there Are a very real problems to wrestle with Here a such As what effect pregnancies might have on the readiness of combat units. The commission must also consider such intangibles As what effect women in combat units might have on morale and unit cohesion he said. A a lot of people who want More combat jobs opened to women think those Are classic buzzwords but they Are legitimate and important concerns for combat commanders a he said. And while he acknowledged that the commission could potentially be top heavy with male combat veterans he argued that the majority of veterans with combat experience Are  Page 1 tons against Thomas concerned him a not the  a the still has my full Confidence obviously a Bush told reporters. A i think he will be and should be confirmed  Bush Shook his head no when asked if the Senate a confirmation vote scheduled for today should be delayed. Presidential spokesman Marlin Fitzwa Ter called the sexual harassment allegations unfounded. A the fact is judge Thomas is an outstanding person who shaving to undergo this kind of smear from whatever source. And simply its unjustified a Fitzwater said. Sen. Paul Simon d-ill., and sen. Howard m. Metzenbaum a Ohio of the Senate judiciary committee called for More time to review the matter and a postponement of today a scheduled vote. And two other democrats who had announced their intention to vote for Thomas confirmation a Sam Nunn of Georgia and Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut a said they wanted to know More about the allegations. Before the weekend a majority of senators had indicated support for Thomas the conservative appeals judge who would become the second Black to sit on the nations highest court. Correction one of the events in the sunday Magazine Story this week on Christmas bazaars was listed with an incorrect Date. The Pir Masens Craft Bazaar in Germany is planned for oct. 19 at the Grenadier Aims club. In addition a Christmas Bazaar is planned for oct. 18-20 at hangar 901 at Hahn a Germany. A Community policy in Darmstadt Germany does not allow Small pets such As fish in the Barracks. A Story in mondays edition implied that Darmstadt had adopted . Army in Europe a policy which permits  Page 1 capital in retaliation for alleged croatian attacks on Federal garrisons outside the City. Also monday the soviet news Agency Tass said president Mikhail s. Gorbachev appealed to Yugoslavia a political and Mili Tail leaders not to escalate the conflict. Referring to reports of an imminent attack on Zagreb Gorbachev said a this escalation of military operations would cause heavy casualties and material damage and is Likely to have unpredictable  he also expressed concern for the safety of soviet citizens in Croatia. The . Consulate in Zagreb meanwhile urged All american citizens still in Croatia to leave the Republic. The warring sides in Yugoslavia seemed oblivious to a european Community threat to Levy Trade and economic sanctions against the country unless the fighting stopped by Midnight monday. At least 600 people have died since Croatia declared Independence june 25. Some estimates list the toll As High As 2,500. Some of the 600,000 ethnic serbs in Croatia took up arms because they refuse to live in an Independent Croatia. Croats blame the War on Serbia a expansionist goals. Tadjman who ordered a general mobilization during the weekend sought help monday from other countries. A it is necessary for the International Community to demonstrate its military might a he said. He added that he asked the United states on Friday to Send its 6th Fleet into the Adriatic where the yugoslav Navy is blockading Croatia a main ports. Tadjman said he had received no  Page 1 Days. Than in the last 40 years a said Stan Norris a senior staff analyst with the natural resources defense Council. A this is the kind of race to have to see who can reduce the fastest a said Gene Larocque director of the Center for defense information. Nunn said that Bush a move on tactical weapons was motivated by concerns Over who would control Battlefield nuclear weapons in the collapsing soviet Union. Nunn said Gorbachev a response a in effect was to match Bush a proposal and to raise the bet by including air based tact Tea  that reflects a the soviets recognition that theofr weapons have very la tie military Utility