European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 17, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                It s time for Healing Thomas surviving 52-48 vote says be have to go Forward Washington a Clarence Thomas saying it is a time to put these things behind us a will take his seat on the supreme court positioned to help shape the nations Laws Tor decades to come. His contentious confirmation Battle left president Bush and other supporters wednesday demanding a change in the process. A a in a like to thank America a Thomas said after the Senate a 52-48 confirmation vote tuesday night. A no matter How difficult or painful this is a time for Healing in our country a he said. A we have to put these things behind us. We have to go  Thomas 43, is Likely to be sworn in monday and assume the courts ninth seat. He won confirmation Only after one of the Nastiest confirmation fights in Ameri see related stories on Page 3 can history one that his backers called a a search and destroy Mission by Thomas opponents. Following hearings on the allegation Thomas sexually harassed a former aide Bush said wednesday that he would present some proposals to change the confirmation process. A a in a going to have something to say. I owe the people my observations and More importantly some suggestions to improve the process a Bush said during a photo session. He said he would be working on his proposals and present them a fairly soon. A a there a general agreement around the country and certainly in the Senate that the present process is not fair a Bush said. A we definitely have to change the process a sen. John b. Breaux of Louisiana one of 11 democrats who voted in favor of the Thomas nomination told lbs wednesday. Sen. Orrin g. Hatch a Utah a Leader of the fight for Thomas on the Senate judiciary committee called the process a just  Hatch and Breaux criticized the involvement of a special interest groups in the  Breaux said they engaged in a a search and destroy Mission where they go out and try to find one incident to discredit a nominee we have to change  Thomas will take his seat on the court in time to join the review of a heavy Load of High profile cases. Ironically for a Man whose nomination was nearly lost in a swirl of allegations involving sexual harassment and a rated movies one of his first cases involves the question of prosecution of pornography customers. Bush telephoned the newest Justice As soon As the confirmation vote was in. He praised the conservative Black Jurist As a a Man of honesty dedication and commitment to the Constitution and the Rule of  Thomas had the support of 41 Republican and 11 democratic senators. In the end Only three of 13 democrats who had publicly endorsed Thomas before Hills harassment allegations became Public changed their mind. Thomas Senate supporters celebrated the Victory but acknowledged it had come at an extraordinarily High Cost to Thomas the Senate and Law professor Anita Hill the former assistant who said Thomas sexually harassed her at two government jobs a decade ago. Thomas confirmation was made possible by the critical votes of Southern democrats several of whom need the see Thomas on Page 2 Clarence Thomas and his wife Virginia talk to reporters in front of their Alexandria va., Home alter the Senate voted to confirm his  kills 22, self in Texas cafeteria Killeen Texas apr a Man drove his truck through the window of a cafeteria wednesday and opened fire with a semiautomatic pistol on people waiting in line for lunch killing 22 before committing suicide authorities said. It was the deadliest mass shooting in . History. Bell county peace Justice Robert Stubblefield said 23 people were dead including the unidentified gunman in the shooting at Lubye a cafeteria. Earlier department of Public safety spokesman Mike Cox said that in addition up to 15 people were wounded. A the Guy jumped out of the truck and said a this is what Bell county has done to me a a said Sheldon Smith a Porter at the cafeteria. A was he opened fire the Guy that he ran Over with the truck was trying to get up and he shot him. A then he pointed toward the line where the service was and he started shooting Down the  a dispatcher at the Killeen police department who refused to give her name said a we called for several ambulances As Many As we can get. We be never Hail anything like  the shooting surpassed the july is 1984, slayings in san Ysidro calif., when James Oliver Huberty opened fire at a Mcdonald a restaurant killing 21 before he was fatally shot. The attack started about 12 41 p.m., see gunman on Page 2 France Germany plan joint Force Paris apr France and Germany announced wednesday plans for creation of a joint 50,000-member Force meant to be the precursor of a european army. But Britain called the planned new Force a a useless and a threat to nato. Officials in Paris and Bonn made Public a letter to dutch president Ruud Lubbers whose nation holds the 12-nation european Community a rotating presidency outlining plans for the joint Force. Sources had disclosed details of the letter tuesday. French president Francois Mitterrand and German Chancellor Helmut Kohl said the army corps would be open to All members of the Western european Union and would at some Point Lead to a european army. The we the Only wholly european body devoted to defense includes Allec members except Denmark Greece and Ireland. The proposal has been forwarded to dec governments for approval. All members of the Union also belong to the North Atlantic treaty organization. France and Germany which Hope to give the we a Strong role in european defense matters want nato members Denmark and Greece to join and Neutral Ireland to have observer status. British foreign minister Douglas Hurd in an interview with the bbl from Harare Zimbabwe called it a useless and dangerous to overlap what nato is  the Franco German vision of the we As the Centrepiece of an Independent european military runs see Force on Page 2