European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 29, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 2 the stars and stripes thursday july 29,1993 at a glance a .  attend to one of 19 bosnian patients who recently were flown from the horrors of War to the Hopes of peace. Sec Story on Page 8. Cities beat floods. Both Kansas cities have withstood a twin surge by the Missouri and Kansas Rivers. A paged conversation revealed president Clinton called Vincent Foster jr., who reportedly was Quot having a rough time Quot two Days before the lawyer apparently killed himself a spokeswoman says. A pages plutonium ban studied the Clinton administration is drafting an Accord that would ban All production of plutonium and highly enriched uranium for nuclear weapons around the Globe officials say. A pages pollution tracked the German government has listed 4,400 Sites potentially contaminated by military waste some of it dating to world War i. A Page 9 ism has record loss ism on tuesday reported a record $8 billion quarterly loss a Page 12 Index Abby Ann Landers. 17 classifieds .20-22 comics. 17-19 commentary .15 crossword .17 faces n places.16 horoscope.22 jumble.22 letters.14 military. 11 Money matters. 12 sports. 23-32 to listings .31 weather. .13 stripes would lose control of bookstores under plan n a by Chuck Vinch Washington Bureau Washington the military Exchange services would take control of stars and stripes bookstores by next april under a proposal approved monday by the House armed services committee. ,. The plan fashioned by the committees morale welfare and recreation panel Calls for the army and air Force Exchange service and the Navy Exchange to take Over the bookstores to Stem huge losses the operation has sustained during the troop draw Down. The report also suggests that the do sense department prepare a report by March 1 that examines a alternatives for providing news to personnel stationed  in the first five months of 1993 alone the european stars and stripes operation based in Darmstadt Germany lost $4.6 million. The Pacific operation based in Tokyo also has seen a drop in revenues in the Wake of the closure of Clark a and Subic Bay naval facilities in the Philippines. A no one wants to put the papers out of business Quot said a House armed services committee staffer who requested anonymity. A but they have some serious problems and something has to be done. The alternative to letting the exchanges take Over a doing nothing a would be much  the proposal is contained in the committees $263 billion defense authorization Bill for fiscal 1994. The Senate armed services committees version completed last week makes no mention of stars and stripes. Differences in the Bills will be settled when House and Senate conferees meet to forge a Compromise Bill. In Germany air Force col. Steven s. Hoffman publisher of the european edition said wednesday that it was premature to comment before a final Bill is drafted. But Christopher a. Eddings general manager of the european edition said the proposal is an idea that Congress considered and rejected during the mid 1980s. Quot they did no to think that was a Good idea at that time and in a confident Congress wont think it is a Good idea now Quot edding said. Bernard a. Zovistoski editor in Europe said the proposal to turn Over the bookstores to the stars and stripes largest advertiser poses serious questions about the future editorial Freedom of the newspaper. Quot outside funding of he newspaper raises the Specter or the loss of editorial integrity Quot Zovistoski said. Quot we must guard against financial interests undermining the principals of Good journalism we have worked hard to  the explanatory report accompanying the House Bill said the Bookstore arrangement would Call for the Exchange services to pay the newspapers a subsidy proportionate to the dividends the exchanges pay to other mar activities. No specific amount is cited. A the report went into some detail about How the unchecked deterioration of the operations financial condition has placed their continued viability in jeopardy. The european operation has had to request a loan of �7.4 million from the army mar fund to meet operating costs partly because of heavy obligations for foreign National Severance pay it  and stripes has had to delve deeply into its Cash reserves in addition to requesting the multimillion Dollar loan the report said. The report also faulted stars and stripes management for being Quot slow to react to the draw Down and moving Only recently to begin putting downsizing initiatives into effect. In contrast the Exchange services have positioned themselves to continue turn my a profit during the overseas troop withdrawal the report said. As far As the bookstores Are concerned the report said that a despite appropriated fund subsidies books sold at near full Price and a captive markets amps bookstores Are operating just Over the break even Point. The committee staffer said the panel believes transferring the bookstores to the Exchange services would be relatively easy and would offer several advantages. A in Many cases the stores Are located next to or at least near the exchanges Quot he said. A and the exchanges already have the distribution and data processing capability to handle  stars and stripes would avoid having to make Severance payments because Bookstore employees would be integrated into the Exchange services personnel systems he said. The Transfer would also reduce the Price of Many books which has become another Point of concern for the mar panel. The Bill report said stars and stripes bookstores sell most books at full Cost which management maintains is essential to providing an adequate dividend for the newspapers. Eddings said european stars and stripes is struggling to meet the Challenge of a a draw Down of troops that has occurred far faster than  in 1992, he said the european Market for stars and stripes bookstores declined 33 percent but revenues declined Only 9 percent. Contrary to the committee reported dings said stars and stripes bookstores discount much of the merchandise. It would be unwise to remove the bookstores the newspapers largest source of Revenue when stripes is not allowed to accept As much advertising As other american newspapers Eddings said. Eddings said he was alarmed by a provision in the House committees Bill that directs the Pentagon to study a alternatives for providing  the report refers to the decision by american military commanders in Somalia to receive Usa today rather than the stars and stripes for troops there. Quot there is no other news sources that care about this particular audience the american service people overseas a Eddings said. A this group deserves its own daily  Zovistoski said a Susa today is not an alternative that i think the troops would appreciate. We Are the gigs  raise a a a from Pago 1 personnel subcommittee devised a plan to give troops a one time 2.2 percent Bonus. That would have been less expensive for the defense department in the Long run because it would not have permanently affected Active duty and retired pay tables. But it also would have been Worth less to service members because All portions of the Bonus including those applied to quarters and subsistence allowances would have been taxable. A Foft . After the Senate committee approved a regular raise it gave the lawmakers on our committee an added incentive to find the Money for a full raise rather than just a Bonus a a House staffer said. The raise will Cost about $1 billion. Skelton worked with Hutto to identify funds within the defense budget to cover from Page 1 the  of the Money will come from Sav Ings generated through accelerated personnel cuts this fiscal year. The rest will come from minor infrastructure accounts that Are not directly re lated to readiness. Aside from the pay raise the Bill contains Only two other major personnel provisions one of which codifies president Clinton a policy revision on Gays in the military. This other provision would repeal the last remaining combat exclusion Law for women which has barred women from serving aboard Navy combat ships. The Senate armed services commit tee also approved the repeal of that Law. Several other personnel and compensation items that House lawmakers had tentatively put on their Agenda fell by the Wayside so that the costs of the pay raise could be covered. Among them were a Cost of living allowance for troops based in High Cost areas of the United states an increase in imminent danger pay and an adjustment in the stateside housing allowance that would have benefited mainly Junior enlisted troops. A permanent increase in the temporary lodging entitlement from four to 10 Days for troops returning to the United states from overseas locations also was dropped. However that provision made it into the Senate armed services committees version. That Issue and any other differences Between the two versions will be settled in conference by House and Senate negotiators once each full chamber approves its respective committees Bill. For such cover and that nato which offered planes begin flying missions. Clinton said a request has not been formally made of the United states. French defense minister Francois Leotard was in new York on wednesday to hold meetings at the United nations. He will meet with senior administration officials and congressional Leaden in Washington today and Friday. At the Capitol House speaker Thomas s. Foley d-wash., declined to offer an opinion on the possible use of . Planes and Crews. A they have not yet contacted As far As i know members of Congress a Foley said. A a in a sure that will  t c vie j to s c c a t c pc t i t t it it