European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 10, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saint Bernards legendary Rescue dogs live dismal life in hospice by Hanns Neuert Ourthe associated press the legendary Saint Bernards lamed Lor rescuing snowbound Irav Elers now need help animal. Experts say it will take More than a cask of Brandy to Rescue them. The Swiss National Kennel club has temporarily banned Breeding of the canines at their Kennel at a hospice near the 8,110-foot great Saint Bernard pass the ban is to continue pending a Quot fundamental improvement in the conditions of their Upkeep Quot the ban followed a report by animal experts that the hefty hounds spend at least 20 hours a Day in Small quarters that Are unhealed even in freezing weather. The decision contested by the breeders and the local veterinarian has placed new attention on Switzerland s National dogs who have rescued at least 2,500 people since they were first brought to the hospice in the Lale 17th Century. Their Brandy casks to help resuscitate lost travellers were a product of literary fancy kept alive by smart souvenir vendors Best known among the hospice dogs was  said to have saved More than 40 people until he died in 1814 but the Saint Bernards have Long ceased to be the working dogs that brought them lame throughout the world weighing up to 1 70 pounds they Are much too heavy to be part of Switzerland a canine elite often sent abroad on Relief missions to search for people buried in earthquakes and landslides modern Day catastrophe Thunde catastrophe dogs Are chiefly shepherds labradors and More agile Breeds a but the popularity of the Saint Bernards now bred by kennels in Many countries has remained undiminished. And none seem More popular than those kept at the hospice which can fetch More than $1,000 each summer the Alpine dogs Are admired by some 70,000 tourists crossing the historic pass since roman times a link Between Italy and Western Switzerland but according to the 10-Page report by the Kennel club inspectors the dogs at the hospice Are spending 20 hours or More per Day in their kennels most of them All the time under electric Light the report says the individual kennels Are too Small and cannot be heated although temperatures can drop to freezing at the pass even during the five warmer months when the dogs Are kept there. According to the report the dogs Are Weil Ted but Lack muscle and the usual dense coat of their Breed. This is blamed on insufficient Opportunity to run about. Quot watching the visitors through the Glass Wail is the Only pastime for the dogs Quot the report says. Quot the Complete absence of the Brandy cask worn by Saint Bernards was a product of literary fancy. Any stimulation is stunting them  prior Jean Michel Girard in charge of the hospice said the report came As a Surprise Quot i have not heard a single word of criticism during the six years since the Kennel was refurbished Quot he said. Quot Don know what happened. I agreed with some Points in the report but i have certainly appealed the ban on Breeding. It is a brutal abrupt decision Quot readers action line pornography they know when they see it 1 Walchli Trio customs commercials and they Tell you Thal you can t mail plants poisons Etc. Back to the United slates Bui they also say you can t mail obscene materials i culled the customs hotline and asked customs to Tell me then guidelines on obscenity so i could know whal i can mail i asked them it they had a list of obscene materials movies Hooks Etc that can to be mailed. They said no so 1 asked them How does anybody know whal is obscene or Noi nbs.vne7 the customs official told me Thal unnatural  mgt considered obscene. When i asked whal an unnatural acts he had no answer he Tui thei told to that no a rated movies can be mailed they Are All considered obscene by what censor7 he said it was All right to mail healed movies this sounds like somebody is violating oui Host Amend enl tight of tree speech and also could cause people to have movies and books confiscated that wen1 legally up phased m the United states. Basically we Are being told by customs that movies and books that ate perfectly Legal to buy at video books Loies All Over the United states Are now suddenly obscene when we want to mail or bring them Back to the United states. Could you please get an accurate non bureaucratic answer to this question Twenty years ago when i was in the army i was told by an Olicer that i was in Germany to defend constitutional rights not to enjoy them i Hope Thal is not True. Jeff Weber Kaiserslautern Germany a . Tag senior . Customs adviser to the . European come replies the inquiry focuses on the Issue of what articles Are  does a list of such articles exist7 and How does customs make this determination7 the  customs service in determining what is obscene and prohibited from importation into the United Stales uses general guidelines that Are Given to military customs inspectors who perform customs inspections on our behalf in the simplest terms these guidelines prohibit movies magazines books and publications which depict penetration during the sex act in addition acts of bestiality sadomasochism and pornographic pictures depicting children Are prohibited under 19  code 1305. The inquirer also raises the Issue of articles being purchased in the United states brought abroad and reentry of those articles being prohibited. This can happen on occasion but is not common. Each Case is handled on a Case by Case basis in addition the  customs service is guided by decisions of the courts one such decision is excerpted below which May be helpful Quot. Material is obscene if the average person applying contemporary local Community standards would find that it is designed to cause sexual arousal if it depicts sex in a patently offensive Way and if taken As a whole lacks serious literary artistic political or scientific  decision United states supreme court Miller is California. Customs is a Law enforcement Agency of the  government and responsible to the american people and the Congress to enforce the Laws enacted by the legislature in most cases when violative materials Are encountered they Are seized and destroyed with an appropriate notice of this action being sent to the importer in the Case of pornography involving children the violator May be subject to arrest by customs agents and prosecution by the United states  to write us readers action line is the readers Quot court of last resort Quot 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 Are not readily 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 a 09211 All Fetters must be signed and preference will be Given to those seeking information of general interest to our readers Page 16 a the stars and stripes Friday january 10, 1992