European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 12, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 2 r the stars and stripes Friday August 12,1994 at a glance Yasser Arafat left and Yitzhak Rabin have agreed to step up discussions on making More West Bank areas autonomous. See Story on Page 11. Haircut ahead Shannon Faulkner says she a ready to have the Buzz Cut that the Citadel gives its first year cadets. U a Page 6 Simpson operation . Simpson was hospitalized briefly thursday for minor surgery then returned to jail. A Page 7 arson ruling made investigators blame arson for the fire that destroyed a Rural Alabama a High school which has been the Center of racial unrest. A a Page 9 student keeps coot an honors student survived a 14-hour ordeal in which an escaped killer kidnapped her shot his Girlfriend and killed himself after a Chase and crash. A Page 10 Coffee plan brewing Pepsico inc. And Starbucks Coffee co. Have signed an agreement to develop Premium cold coffees. A Page 16 r Index Abby Ann Landers 23 classifieds. 26 -30 comics. 23 �?�25 commentary. 15 crossword. A a a 23 faces in places. A a a 12 focus. 17 �?�20 Horoscope. A a a a 29 Jumble a a a 29 letters. A a a 14 Money matters. A a a 16 sports. 30 -36 to listings. A a a 35 weather. A a a 13 Gephardt health Bill seeks hefty Aid for Earl Washington a House majority Leader Richard Gephardt is proposing that the government pay a hefty health insurance subsidy for Early retirees not yet eligible for medicare As part of his health Reform legislation. Under his Bill filed late wednesday the government would pay half of the employers health insurance contribution for workers who retired Early and Are Between 55 and 64 As of january 1994. Gephardt delivered his Bill As the Pace of health Reform appeared to slow in the House. Although debate had been scheduled to begin monday aides indicated there would be a delay of one week and possibly longer. It was unclear whether lawmakers would be allowed to return Home to Campaign or whether the House would stay in session to debate other pending legislation. House speaker Thomas Foley d-wash., told reporters that the houses schedule depended on the congressional budget offices ability to review competing Bills so lawmakers have Access to detailed information. The speaker emphatically branded As a a false any suggestion that a shortage of support was responsible for any delay. Moderate and conservative democrats have been critical in recent Days of the leadership a Bill which would require businesses to pay 80 percent of the Cost of insurance for workers and families. Democratic aides concede they Are Well Short of the votes needed to pass it. Foley said an announcement on the schedule would be made later in the Day. The Early Retiree provision in Gephardt a measure was a Bow to powerful lawmakers who represent Large Auto and steel worker constituencies. To qualify for the subsidy Early retirees could not be working still time and could not earn More than $30,000 a year for an individual and $40,000 a year for a married person. Pay from Page 1 on the Senate version. In conference lawmakers eventually decided not to include the measure in the Compromise defense authorization Bill. Instead they agreed to a vaguely worded Accord that would gradually increase pressure on the bosnian serbs to accept a settlement with the muslims and croats. The other Holdup that delayed final approval of the Bill was funding for the by  Senate version of the Bill contained a measure that would have authorized $150 million in fiscal 1995 to keep the b-2 alive even though Congress already has voted to kill the program after 20 planes Are built. Both democrats and republicans on the House Side joined to oppose the Senate provision with rep. Ronald Dellums d-calif., chairman of the House armed services committee calling the plane a a cold War  even defense Secretary William Perry has said More b-2s Are unnecessary. In the end however conferees authorized $125 million in funding related to the b-2 next year a $25 million to a study the nation s bomber needs and $100 million to be paid to various b-2 subcontractors to keep the production line warm. Although no one on the House and Senate armed services committees publicly opposed a higher pay raise for serv ice members support for the increase solidified after a vocal Campaign by republicans on the House committee. The pay Issue has sparked a High level debate within the administration with top Pentagon officials arguing that the administration should abandon its plan to hold Down military pay raises in the face of obvious congressional opposition. A a it a evident tha Congress is going to keep putting the Money Back in there anyway a said a defense department  spoke on condition of Anonym Ity. A we might As Well just include it in our own budget  Perry has proposed a plan to link military pay raises to the inflation rate Over each of the next five years. In separate legislation lawmakers still have not resolved the fiscal 1995 pay raise for Federal civilians., the House has approved a Bill to give All Federal employees a 2 percent pay raise As Well As the second annual instalment of stateside locality pay which is due to be gradually phased in Over the next few years to compensate workers in particularly High Cost areas of the United states. A Senate Bill however approved a raise of just 1.6 percent and contains no Money for the second locality pay increase. House and Senate conferees will meet Early next week to resolve that Issue As they Craft a Compromise version of the legislation formally known As the fiscal 1995 Treasury postal service and general government appropriations Bill. Strike from Page 1 Cap after this season in Exchange for the Union agreeing not to strike this season or next. He advocated having both sides pick accounting firms to go through teams financial records and report whether management a claims of financial distress Are accurate. Players said they Are ready to strike because they fear owners will impose a salary Cap after the season if there Isnit labor agreement to replace the one that expired dec. 31. Ravitch spent the morning in his office on the Telephone talking with owners and Union head Donald Fehr spent the morning at his office several blocks away before going to watch the new York Yankees play the Toronto Blue jays. Ravitch still insists on a salary Cap and Fehr says players never will accept one. Thursday morning Ravitch repeated the theme of the owners argument that they need control Over player costs and that a salary Cap would do it. A we guarantee the players they will make no less. But we need control Over the player costs a Ravitch said on no cd a today show. A a a. -�.,� a .�.�, a a Fehr who also appeared on the program repeated the unions Contention that the owners were trying to resolve their Revenue sharing problems by Mak ing the players pay for it. A if the owners have problems they have to solve them not the players a Fehr said. Both Fehr and Ravitch were glum at the Start of what could be baseball a final Day of the season. Anyone looking for a hopeful sign might see one in Ravitch a comment a we Are willing to Compromise. Ours is not a rigid  Fehr said Hope would not end with the strike. A if you can to get it done today a he said a you keep trying.�?�. Vice president a1 Gore speaking during radio interviews said the Clinton administration  Stop a walkout a unfortunately it looks to me As if they re sort of on a collision  american suspected in Bank robbery by Mark Kinkade staff writer Heidelberg Germany a military investigators think an american was behind a robbery tuesday that netted More than $16,000 from a merchants National Bank Branch in Sermersheim according to a police source. Police on thursday released a composite sketch of the suspect a muscular Black male aged 25 to 35, with a medium to dark complexion Brown eyes and Black hair. He is about 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighs Between 150 and 170 pounds. A witness said the Man was wearing a military looking pants at the time of the robbery said Heidelberg Community spokesman Pete dressier. The Man reportedly made off with $6,300 and 15,200 German Marks. About $9,870. He apparently entered the Bank at Sermersheim army depot about 2 . Armed with a Small Caliper handgun. He ordered a Teller who was alone in the Bank to lie on suspect the floor then bound the Teller according to a 26th area support group statement. The robber told the Teller to remain silent and fled the statement said. Dressier said the Teller a woman was not harmed. No alarm was sounded during the robbery. Karlsruhe military police on routine patrol discovered the bound Teller about 2 40 ., the statement said. Anyone with information about the robbery can Contact the Heidelberg criminal investigation come at 3707941/7332, or civilian 06221-57-7941, or the Karlsruhe command at 3767336/6259, or civilian 0721-7597336/6259.a. Heidelberg military police can be reached at 370-6400/8800, or civilian 06221-57-8800. The Karlsruhe my Telephone number is 376-6123, or civilian 0721-759-6111