European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 05, 1995, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday january 5, 1995 commentary the stars and stripes Page 17 c e dec d e o by a l be i r by missing Gingrich mias a Nixon speech writer a Genera Tion ago 1 was delighted to get a Check for $150 from the new York times for a piece about language. I told the White House counsel 1 would keep it because. The article had nothing to do with my official duties and was written on my own time. But the counsel said to Send the Check Back. Why because 1 was working full time for the . Government and it would be unethical to earn Money Anza Point William Safire on the Side. I trumped about returning the payment but was gratified we had someone keeping the White House on the straight and narrow. The counsel was John Dean who later served time and gained bankable Fame As architect of the watergate cover up the Only ethics he worried about were mine this episode of denial of outside in come was brought to mind by the Case of speaker Newt Gingrich s $4.5 million Book Deal. When first revealed his contract to receive an Advance of royalties expected from two books caused a juror. Newt at first dismissed the reaction As Book envy a play on Penis envy pointing to piddling advances paid to lib Era sin the past. Newt had no sense of How unseemly his Bonanza was making it appear that the Republican Scourge of society s freeloaders was promptly cashing in on his new position. Two critics saved his neck. The democratic whip David Bonior always against free Trade went overboard in professing to Sec a Remote conflict of interest in the Deal in the control of the publisher by Rupert Murdoch whose interests May be affected by legislation. Senior s excessive partisan blast made Newt look put upon. The speaker was assisted further by an editorial in the new York times that suggested an apparently ethical Way out he can forgo an Advance and simply wait for the royalties to come in Price the books Are actually on Sale v Newt seized that opening and ran to Daylight. -.-. Y Vas Bob Dole needled him and talk show hosts hollered sellout author Gingrich circulated a letter to his House colleagues announcing he would forgo four and a half million dollars awaiting the royalties after the books arc sold. Editorialist hailed his self de Nial. Republicans in Congress heaved a sigh of Relief As if he had dealt Forth rightly with impropriety but his Quick fix misses the Point. The ethical Issue is not whether he gets paid in Advance. The Issue is How much if any outside income a Public official should be permitted to earn while on the. Public pay Roll. V t is it right for an elected official draw ing a salary from the Public for his full time talents to capitalize on the celebrity and controversy gained through his office by writing books or for that matter by giving speeches endorsing products or earning outside income in any Way it s not against the  if it  Gingrich thought hims going showed us a list of books by legislators including vice president a Gore s ill Selling screed on the environment Avrit ten More As a springboard for publicity than for profit. If Al can earn thousands Why not Newt millions i have nothing  making big Money. R r bleeding hearts should note that or if of Newt s earned millions will go to the government in taxes. And the Public interest is served Hon a sitting lawmaker invests extra personal Effort in writing and articulating political " ideas. But outside earning drip in from memoirs of Public service or made Possi ble by the celebrity gained by time  fico should await t Lac in Jot that service. That s what presidents have always Dame that s what Gap. Colin i Powell properly did in his $6 million Deal v / to make serious Money first get out of government. " f   officials Sli Oulch not compete with private citizens As providers of Media Content. V officeholders Shottle. Not line their pockets with lie latest form of honest Yor on by Leonard Larsen at the Start of the new year americans could rejoice in the Safe return of an army helicopter Pilot Grieve in the death of his fellow Pilot and breathe easier that a Border incident did t damage a budding ref latib ship Between the United states and North Korea. At the end it was or seemed to Ber a familiar Story in one of the last hostile pockets of the cold War a Story of harmless . Intent confronted by the Bullig Crancy and paranoia of North Korea. It was also a Story told by american officials with a set of circumstances so Seanie Civ As to become suspect certainly suspect to the North koreans who claimed the . Helicopter was spying and they shot it Down kill ing one Pilot in the crash and capturing the other. The episode most Likely will be closed with the surviving american Pilot Bobby Hall safely returned to his family and the dead Pilot David Hilsmon honorable buried in an american crave. North Korea nourished a confession by Liall a chief warrant officer along with an american expression of regret at the intrusion. And . Officials thanked North Korea for a humanitarian gesture while still denying that Hall and Hilemon also a chief warrant officer had been on a spy Mission  one thing remarkable about the incident Star to finish is the seeming tack of contrivance the built in american deniability of a spy Mission into North Korea a Mission so implausible it would seem to be obviously impossible. But something remains. If the seamless or nearly seamless Story told by. American officials is a full accounting of what happened dec. 17, Pentagon and army officers should now be required to explain shortcomings that killed one Man and caused a serious International incident. Not Only has the ability and training of the helicopter pilots been opened to question but the american Story. Of the helicopter incursion suggests that officers who sent such badly briefed and incompetent pilots on a reckless flight into such a Sens it Rye area should be court Martiale or at least relieved of command. Hall and Hilsmon both described As experienced pilots and familiar with their aircraft were said to have strayed Over  korean Border because of navigational cd Abr during a routine training flight i it was also said that a recent snowstorm obscured landmarks. That would mean the pilots became so confused and disoriented they flew northward through a five mile no Fly one flew two Miles farther North Over the heavily fenced and Well identified de Militari cd zone and then Lew bout four Miles farther into North Korea. In the ready made deniability of the american Story birth pilots were comparatively new to the assignment in South Korea. Their helicopter was a Low powered unarmed Imp Toji aircraft with undependable line of sight Radi said to be unsuitable for come re meat inn if to Copper gets on the other Side of a  till very idea that the tiny. Of 1-5s. Helicopter would be used As a spy  Haig liable Aid be american official. It is the seamless Ness of the american account of the helicopter incident the imply visibility of s Yieh  spy Mission that might Hae Enciu raised  to believe it was. In fact plausible. One thing that s  that Brave Sou big Ameri cans were at risk whether on a to Aiumu Mission dial Vas riddled with failure or on what the North koreans maintain was a spy Mission. One  killed and else other held captive. Ami icons Are  d a Fuller explanation of what happened -.,. -