European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 21, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 6 the stars and stripes . Thursday. July 21, 1994 women in Cia press Bias dispute by the Washington Post Washington a nearly one third of the Cia s female Case officers have joined to allege that the Agency a Clandestine service has discriminated against Worthen in promotions country assignments and spying tasks. Lawyers representing this group of women were prepared to file a class action complaint in . District court last year but held off when the Cia agreed to enter negotiations to resolve the matter according to the women a lawyers and Cia officials. The dispute began in december 1992, when a Milc vol female officer went to an attorney after she was denied promotion upon her return to the United states from an overseas tour. In succeeding months More women have come Forward with claims of discrimination and agreed in the stars and stripes 10 year ago july 21,1984 a Walter Mondale accepting the democratic party s presidential nomination pledged to oust Ronald Reagan from the White House with the help of running mate Geraldine Ferraro who hoped to become America s first woman vice. President. 20 years ago july 21,1974 a fighting raged on Cyprus on the first Day of a massive sea and air invasion by turkeys armed forces and a cease fire Between embattled greek and turkish cypriots was thus far failing to hold. 30 years ago july 21,1964 a the Senate approved a 2.5 percent pay increase for the More than 1.8 million men and women in the american military services. 40 years ago july 21,1954 a the far East conference at Geneva reached Accord on an indochinese cease fire agreement yielding to the communist regime in Hanoi the red River Delta and the 12 million inhabitants of Northern Vietnam. 50 years ago july 21,1944 a bitter Battles raged a Southern Poland where soviet red army columns in the Center of a 600-mile front rolled Back nazi forces to within eight Miles of prewar East Prussia. 50 years ago today july 211.9.4.4 . Marines and soldiers invade. Guam 31 months after the japanese seized the Central Pacific Island at the outset of the War on new Guinea a japanese counterattack in the a tape sector pushes across the Dpi Numor River. Red army forces capture Ostrov South of Lake Peipus a soviet push Over Trie Bug River Southwest of Kowel divides into thrusts toward Brest Litovsky and Lublin. Source 2194 Days of War. W. H. Smith publishers inc. The world almanac of world War a Bison books coro., 1981 to file a lawsuit unless a settlement is reached. More than 100 women have signed up but the exact number is classified. Both sides Only recently became willing to discuss the matter. According Toan at Tor n by re presenting the complainants female Cia intelligence officers careers have suffered because they have been Given admin isl a live and reporting functions. When assigned overseas rather than being sent to develop i m Porta n t agent s. That is i m Porta n t because r Cru i the n t of secret agents in target governments and organizations has been a key to Case officer promotions Quot said Michelle Alison Fishburn of the Washington Law firm step toe amp Johnson. The evaluation system was cite cabs another problem in the Ciao a Clandestine service known As the directorate of operations. A men Are evaluated More highly for the same accomplishment a fish Burne said. L the women s Effort now has sem official status with Cia officials co sponsoring an open meeting at Cia Headquarters in Langley last december designed to generate new participants. A we have been encouraging any and All who have an Issue to raise to talk to them a a Cia official said. A the Agency has been aware Over the years that the statistics for women and minorities were not what they should  the Agency has Given Steptoe amp john1 a son an office and special hours of conf. Dent Ian interviews at the Headquarters and provided secure Telephone lines for the nongovernmental lawyers to make Calls to Case officers overseas in a major speech monday Cia director James Woolsey made no specific mention of the subject in an extensive critique of the Ciao a culture and remarks about the need to change it. He did however say a neither the directorate of operations nor for that matter any other part of the Cia can function As a fraternity much less a White male one a negotiations began last september when the intelligence officers were prepared to file an already drafted complaint. A we wanted to seek out a Way to Settle rather than going to court a a senior Cia official said. Although Agency officials say they Are moving promptly to address the women a allegations there has been some tension surrounding the dispute Cia officials have required materials in the matter to be kept classified and Are skittish about Public reporting of any instances of alleged intentional Cia discrimination. Raises on n Compromise Bill Washington a president Clinton a willingness to ease his demands on health Reform will increase the chances for passage this fall of a bipartisan Bill say swing lawmakers in both parties. The White House sought wednesday to portray Clinton As still committed to coverage for All americans. A. \ a Al thu go cd i non a s Sugge Stion Cou id of e n the door to leaving millions of americans without insurance vice president Al Gore said wednesday that a nothing has changed when it comes to the commitment to ensure that All americans have health care coverage that can never be taken away Quot Liberal lawmakers expressed irritation with Clinton a suggestion tuesday that coverage of �?o95 percent or upwards might be satisfactory. And i  seemed certain to complicate efforts by democratic leaders to enact a requirement for employers to provide coverage for workers and their families. Gore appeared on network news shows wednesday morning to insist that Clinton was Only agreeing to Compromise on the process. A what the president said yesterday was if someone has a better idea about How to reach that goal we Are willing to talk about the Best Way to get to that goal. But every am e Ric a n m u St h ave h e a Ith Ca re coverage. A what the debate is not about is whether All americans will have  coverage that can never be taken away Quot Gore said. In a Boston cafe before leaving to address the nations governors president Clinton talks with a Beverly mass., family a Jim and Mary Bryant and son Sterling. A that is the goal that has to be  others saw it differently. A a he a singing our song and we think that a great a sen. John Chafee r-r.i., said after Clinton spoke to the National governors association in Boston. A i would Hope that he would recognize that 95 percent is tremendous coverage Quot. A i think the president is indicating some flexibility Here and that a encouraging a added sen. John Breaux d-la., who along with Chafee helped draft legislation that has cleared the Senate finance committee. The Bill is designed to achieve 95 percent coverage by 2002, and shuns the so called employer mandates relying instead on in Durance changes and subsidies for the poor to expand coverage. A gains on Robb in Senate race poll by the new York times Richmond a a a new poll shows that Oliver North the Republican nominee in Virginia a four Way race for the . Senate has gained on the democratic incumbent Charles Robb and is now running neck and neck with him for the Lead. A the surveys findings indicate that North is being embraced by Many moderate Republican voters and hot just the conservatives who promoted his nomination political analysts say. In previous polls Robb Jed North by 6 to 10 percentage Points. The new Survey conducted by Virginia Commonwealth University from july 7 to july 15, found that Robb and North were each favored by 29 percent of the voters. L. Douglas Wilder the former democratic governor running As an Independent was backed by 16 percent and Marshall Coleman a former Republican state attorney general also running As an inde pendent was the Choice of 11 percent. Fifteen percent were undecided. The poll of 527 registered voters was conducted by Telephone and had a margin of sampling error of plus or minus five percentage Points. North a Campaign efforts include a series of television advertisements that portray him As Loving husband playful father and War hero an attempt to overcome the negative impression left with Many voters from his involvement in the Iran Contra affair. Two such advertisements Are now being broadcast and an Effort that North a Media adviser Mike Murphy describes As a drive a to bring Home republicans appears to be succeeding. Because of the negative sentiments that both leading candidates can attract a North because of the arms for hos tages episode and Robb because of past accusations of extramarital improprieties a one Factor that analysts Are watching closely is virginians willingness to cast votes against them. Or. Scott Kueter the new polls director said 37 percent of the respondents had reported being willing to vote for someone other than their first Choice in order to Block the candidate they like the least. A a lot of people a Keeter said a Are going to be holding their nose when they  Iran Contra affair involved the Sale of arms to Iran in Exchange for its help in freeing . Hostages held by terrorists in Lebanon. Profits from the Sale were diverted to pay for illegal arms shipments to the contras a group that was fighting to overthrow the leftist government of Nicaragua. North was convicted of aiding and abetting the obstruction of Congress. His convictions were later set aside by an appeals court on the grounds that his trial had been tainted by congressional testimony for which he had been granted immunity a