European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 26, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday May 26, 1992 the stars and stripes b Page 17money matters today a tip a . Dairy farming group says it has evidence that the Swiss have been Selling cheese at artificially Low prices in the states driving Down . Wholesale milk prices and undercutting cheese manufacturers. The Swiss embassy in Washington would not comment on the allegation but a . Agriculture department spokeswoman says an investigation is under Way. Farm sources say they believe the Swiss May have sold nearly 2 million pounds of Swiss cheese in the United states since 1989 at wholesale prices ranging from 90 cents to $1.19 a Pound. Wholesale prices for Domestic Swiss style cheese Range from $1.95 to $2.37 a  rates London up mondays rates for the . Dollar to other currencies. Figures Are expressed in dollars to the British Pound other local currencies in dollars Gold was quoted at $338.30 an ounce Silver at $4.0925. May 22 May 25 British  a a my 22 German mark.1.6180 15122 French franc.5.4395 5.4240 dutch guilder.1.8183 1.8168belgian franc.33.z7  u italian lira.1 -219-90 ? a22 Swiss franc 870 1.4856 greek drachma.192.78 192.37 turkish lira.�,z5?�2 i Jam saudi arabian rtyal.3.7498 3.7499 Spanish peseta.101.04 100.67 portuguese escudo.134.47 133.97 Canadian dollar.mi22 �h222 austrian schilling.113950 11.3525 norwegian krone.6.3120 f danish krone.6.2500 6.2300 these Are commercial rates and can be related Only to the use of foreign currency by . Forces for official business. The Only official rates apply to the Sale of German Marks and British pounds to . Personnel for personal use and these will be 1.57 Marks to a Dollar and $1.86 for a Pound through tuesday based on earlier  prices Likely to Rise Washington a . Wheat supplies this season Are projected to of the lowest since the 1975-76 season the agriculture department says a and prices Are expected to Rise accordingly. A while the 1992 wheat crop is projected up 14.5 percent much lower forecast carry in stocks will More than offset increased production a said a summary released this month by the departments economic research service. It said . Wheat supplies were projected at 2.73 billion bushels Down 5 percent from the previous season. Farm prices this year were expected to average $3.15 to $3.55 a Bushel compared with $3 to $3.05 forecast for 1991-92. A higher prices Are Likely to contribute to a decline in Domestic use and exports a the report said. A total use in 1992-93 is projected Down 7 percent from 1991-92, led by a 150 million Bushel reduction in feed and residual use. During the summer months the higher Price of wheat compared to feed Grams should limit the use of wheat As a feed ingredient to poorer Quality  germans mapping out plans to set up Auto plants in . By Ferdinand Protzman the new York times Bonn Germany a Western German manufacturers have Long warned that the rising costs of doing business in their Homeland would one Day Force them to set up production plants abroad. For a growing number it appears that the Day has finally arrived and the location of Choice is the United states. Like their . And japanese counterparts German businesses Are expanding operations abroad to reduce manufacturing costs As Well As hedge against currency fluctuations and protectionist tendencies in the increasingly competitive global marketplace. But the German push into foreign markets gained momentum recently when Western Germany a normally Calm labor front was rocked by a widespread strike and unrest. Even before the 11-Day strike by Public service employees which ended May 7, German executives complained about being saddled with some uniquely National disadvantages such As the worlds highest rate of corporate taxation and the highest Industrial labor costs. Labor leaders counter that German Industrial workers Are among the most productive in the world and deserve to have the highest  shortest working hours longest vacations and some of the most generous benefits in Europe. Wage settlements Over the last two weeks giving millions of Public and private employees an average annual raise of 5.4 percent Only elevated that status. During the strike comments by some of Germany a most prominent chief executives went beyond the usual carping about costs meant to nudge the labor unions toward a speedy settlement. The executives roughly worded message was that some manufacturers particularly in the Auto sector had had enough. A the exodus of German Industry and automotive suppliers has already begun a said Eberhart von Kuhnheim chairman of Bay Rische motored Werke a the maker of Bow cars and motorcycles. Edzard Reuter chairman of Daimler Benz a Germany a largest company and the manufacturer of Mercedes Benz cars and trucks agreed. On a recent trip to new York Reuter said the High Cost of German labor was hurting Germany a competitiveness adding that the process of transferring production abroad a is already under  in the United states the same process has become a volatile political Issue with labor accusing Industry of exporting jobs. But in Western Germany where government business and labor have worked closely together since the end of world War ii it is seen As a logical step to keep German companies competitive. A globalization is a worldwide trend so this is totally natural a said Hans Georg Portland Ore. The Stuttgart based Daimler conglomerate is also formulating an integrated concept for the Western hemisphere that includes the possibility of producing globalization is a worldwide trend to Thea la totally  a Hans Geora Wehner Board town be of tha German Tranfa Union association. Wehner a Board member of the German Trade Union association the National labor umbrella group. A for 20 years Industry has whined that costs Are too High Here. In that time we be become world Champion exporters producing High technology High Quality goods. So in a not worried about any exodus a Wehner said. Although he is concerned about the loss of German jobs Wehner said the recent surge of investment in the United states is overdue. Unlike Asia where Many markets Are protected by Trade barriers the United states is open and accessible to foreign businesses he said. Daimler which had sales of $7.5 billion in the United states in 1991, shares that View. It is pumping $185 million into its freight incr heavy truck subsidiary in Mercedes cars in the United states. Other German companies let their Marks do the talking in a spate of acquisitions or new ventures in the United states. The latest came on May 7, when the electronics giant Siemens a completed its Purchase of room co., a telecommunications equipment manufacturer from ism for some $1.2 billion. Other German companies also have made significant american purchases since the beginning of the year. On May 5, the Joh. A. Bin Kiser a Mph consumer products group bought the Coty fragrance division of Pfizer inc. For $440 million. In january base a the German chemicals concern purchased the polystyrene operations of Mobil chemical co., a unit of Mobil corp., for some $300 million. In the financial sector Deutsche Bank a Germany a largest commercial Bank announced earlier this month that it planned to expand its North american operations and increase lending to . Companies with the intention of taking a leading role in . Banking. But those moves arc mundane compared with by we a plans. In presenting the company a 1991 business results this month at its Munich Headquarters von Kuhnheim said planning included More foreign Plant Sites in Europe As Well As overseas. He caused a juror by describing Czechoslovakia with its highly skilled work Force and comparatively Low wages As a Korea on our  a spokesman later denied that the company was seeking a factory site in Czechoslovakia. The automaker is actively looking in the United states where it is negotiating with South Carolina and Nebraska on possible Sites for a $1 billion Assembly Plant. Both states Are offering lucrative incentive packages in Hopes of getting the first German car production Plant in the United states since Volkswagen closed its Westmoreland county pa., Plant in 1987. A decision is expected next month. Times Square lights up to attract More tourists by the new York times new York a at first glance it might seem that Bright lights Are not among the things times Square needs most. But a second glance particularly Down the Long Side streets reveals dark stretches that add to a sense of nighttime danger in an area Well known for attracting out of state visitors. At the prompting of a local Community Board the times Square business improvement District has begun a $1.45 million project to put up 80 to 100 new lights in the area. They will be 45 feet High a about 20 feet higher than the Street lights they Are to replace a and designed to Wash the sidewalks not just the Road in Light. A the enjoyment of times Square has been dimmed in recent years by Peoples perception of the area As dangerous a said Gretchen Dykstra president of the improvement organization. A Well lit sidewalks will greatly enhance their level of  for the Sake of practicality Dykstra said the poles of the Street lights will be bought a off the  the fixtures will be the Standard a cobra head Type found throughout new York City. On some poles spotlights will be affixed to Shine on the exteriors of nearby Heaters and other landmarks. All poles will have attachments from which banners can hang. The initial financing comes from the times Square special purpose fund which originated As payments made by the Marriott Marquis hotel in lieu of taxes. Future maintenance will come out of assessments of certain property owners in the  drop in machine tool orders Points to Tough times abroad from wire reports new York a orders for american made machine tools dropped in april after two monthly gains a reflection of weakening foreign demand due to economic distress in other countries an Industry report said. Economists said the monthly figures reported sunday by the association for manufacturing technology May be ominous for this country because they substantiate other evidence of a declining appetite for . Goods abroad. That a a threat to the . Economy because exports have been helping it climb out of a recession in recent months. A a it san important piece of evidence a said Richard Hoey chief economist of the Dreyfus corp. A it looks to me like this is a reflection of a real  orders totalled $219.95 million in april Down 9.4 percent from a revised March figure of $242.80 million said the association a Trade group in Mclean a. Pittsburgh Homes planned Pittsburgh a ground will be broken in june for Rosemont the first privately financed one family residential development in Pittsburgh in 20 years. The $8.5 million project will produce 30 Homes on 8.5 acres. Occupied by the Squirrel Hill Nursery until about 15 years ago the site is in a Section of the East end where developers believe housing will attract people who want new construction