European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 5, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday january 5, 1992 the stars and stripes a Page 15market for map makers booming collectors snatch up any items reflecting former soviet Union Chicago apr the demise of the soviet Union has created a Boom Market for makers of maps flags and globes and obsolete items such As the Hammer and sickle Flag Are hot Sellers As collectibles. A a there a been an increase in the demand for the soviet Union Flag because the Hammer and sickle is no More a said Suzanne v sin manager of a Rand Mcnally store in Chicago. A a we be sold quite a few in the last  a globes Are becoming a collectors item just like Stamps coins and Beer cans a said Perry Kim manager at a Rand Mcnally store in suburban Oak Brook. At Hammond inc. In Maplewood n.j., a major supplier of maps and atlases to Book stores there Are no plans to make special editions of obsolete items because a the demand for up to Date materials is so huge that we be focused on that a said spokeswoman Gwen Baker. A it a since the Iron curtain has been lifted everyone a been Busy  keeping up with the reunification of Germany the emergence of the Independent Baltic states the dissolution of the soviet Union and the creation of the new Commonwealth of Independent states has meant a 30 percent increase in overtime for Hammond workers Baker said. While map makers Welcome the business staying on top of the changes Hasni to been easy. A the past few years everything has been changing so much it keeps everybody in turmoil a said Linda Mickle of the International it map dealers association a Kankakee based Trade association. A by the time we get a new map out its obsolete a she said. N Hammond which revises its atlases yearly had planned to have new editions ready for the Christmas season. But it put things on hold after the failed soviet coup in August and the Independence of the Baltic said Chuck Lees Hammond a vice president and cartographic editor in chief. Following company policy Hammond waited to Diane Porter an employee at the George f. Cram co. Plant in Indianapolis assembles the North and South hemispheres to form a Globe. The new globes reflect the changes in the former soviet Union. Make alterations until the . Government officially recognized the soviet changes Baker said. Updated atlases should be available by March barring More major developments she said. At Rand Mcnally Headquarters in suburban Skokie however cartographers had a Hunch that the soviet republics would soon be Independent countries. That gave them a head Start on getting out a new map. By late january or Early february a version of Rand Mcnally a cosmopolitan world map showing the republics As Independent nations will come out. A we have to realize that change is our Stock in Trade a said spokesman Conroy Erickson. A if maps never changed nobody would Ever need a new  ., like sex soviet Union jarred by fast rising Price for loaf of bread St. Louis apr shoppers in former soviet republics Arentt the Only ones grumbling Over the rising Price of bread. . Shoppers Are being hit in the breadbasket too. The biggest Bakers in the United states have increased their prices because of sharply higher costs for wheat the main ingredient of just about every kind of bread. Prices Are going up 5 to 10 cents a loaf Industry estimates show. In what might seem like an ironic twist the higher . Wheat costs partly result from american plans to boost exports to the former soviet countries. But some experts who follow the . Grain business say the Price increases in this country Are unfounded. A a it a scandalous. Its irresponsible and needless a said Katharina Zimmer a Grain analyst for Merrill Lynch capital investment in new York City. A someone is not doing his Job and we re paying for  Zimmer said thursday that the higher wheat prices weren to unexpected and that Bakers and Millers had plenty of time to buy All the wheat they wanted at incredibly Low prices in the summer. A now to turn around and charge higher prices is just disgusting a she said. Continental baking co., maker of wonder bread and the nations largest wholesale bakery gradually raised its bread prices in december said Patrick Farrell a spokesman for Continentals Parent company Ralston Purina co. Of St. Louis. He  provide specific Price increases. A we have 37 bakeries around the country and they All have different prices based on Many other costs a Farrell said. At one store in St. Louis wonder bread Sells for $1.30 to $1.60, depending on the Type of loaf. Farrell confirmed that the increases were primarily a result of higher wheat prices which have soared about 50 percent in sue months. Wheat increased to $3.46 in december 21 cents Over november. Interstate bakeries corp., another Large bakery said through a spokesman that it also had raised prices in some areas and probably would have to raise them elsewhere As Well because of the High wheat prices. Interstate based in Kansas City operates 32 bakeries and makes Butternut Holsum and Sunbeam bread. There Are two reasons for the higher wheat prices. Last years wheat crops were hit by bad weather a excessive rain East of the Mississippi and drought West of the Mississippi. Wheat production declined 28 percent from the year before. Despite this smaller crop the Federal government decided to let the soviets buy More wheat putting further pressure on the wheat Supply. The agriculture department last month increased its forecast for soviet imports of . Wheat to 23 million metric tons from 14.8 million a year ago. The dramatic decrease in the crop size and the dramatic increase in demand have lowered the ratio Between year ending stockpiles and projected demand to its lowest Point since the late 1940s. Analysts said that pressure will probably mean that wheat prices will continue to Rise. A a we re getting Down to the Bottom of the barrel and finding Quality wheat is getting harder and harder. But Consumers  be concerned about prices going up dramatically. That a not going to happen a said Steve freed an analyst with Dean Witter Reynolds in Chicago. Freed said Bakers and Millers generally Are very conservative about their purchases of wheat and consider Large Advance purchases too risky so they Are sensitive to big Price swings. Wheat processors Are also feeling the Pinch. Tom Shaughnessy vice president of sales at Colagra inc., said his Telephone has been ringing regularly with customers complaining about the higher flour prices. He said the company has increased its prices for flour roughly 40 percent. Colagra based in Omaha neb., is the nations largest flour Miller and one of the largest food  split on dropping Hammer sickle Vienna Austria a Chancellor Franz Wranitzky and president Kurt Waldheim want the Hammer and sickle removed from the National coat of arms. The Issue under discussion since the fall of communism in Austria a Eastern european neighbors two years ago is splitting the social democratic party a senior partner in the government coalition. Less than a year ago the party seemed United in opposing proposals for changing what has been the republics Emblem for More than 70 years. But Wranitzky a social Democrat was quoted last week by the Austria press Agency As saying he wants to replace the Hammer and sickle As a outdated symbols voided of meaning by  the coat of arms consists of an Eagle topped by a Crown of bricks with a Hammer in one claw and a sickle in the other. A broken Chain on both sides symbolizing liberation from nazi Rule was added after 1945. The Plain Crown a symbolizing a new Republic for the Good of the common Man a replaced an ornate Imperial Crown a scepter and Globe when the Austro hungarian Empire was carved up at the end of world War i