7 rrr rr r a . The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, March 14, 1995 - 9 *Clinton, Gingrich speeches outline '96 issues The Batimore Sun WASHINGTON - President Clinton and House Speaker Newt Gingrich, in dueling speeches yesterday, outlined differing visions of the role of government - and offered a preview of the likely national debate for the 1996 presidential campaign. In separate speeches to the National League of Cities * meeting, the two political leaders - one a self-styled "New Democrat," the other a conservative Republican - employed the kind of "sound bite" rhetoric that stands to become a staple during the next year and a half. But in the process they continued the ongoing philo- sophical debate that White House press secretary Mike McCurry characterized as a national discussion of how much government is the right amount. Clinton, in his address following Gingrich's, agreed that it was important to control federal spending, and he cited cuts his administration had already made in the size of the federal bureaucracy. But he saved his passion for the spending increases he has championed, thumping the lectern as he went through the list: expanding the Head Start pre-school program, earmarking hundreds of millions of dollars for summer jobs for inner-city youths, increasing the college loan program, and making available free childhood immuniza- tion shots. "What is the purpose of the government?" Clinton asked. "It's to empower people to make the most of their lives, to enhance their security and to help create oppor- . tunity as a partner." Gingrich, in his speech, said it was precisely that kind of thinking -that Washington has the answers - that has led to such problems as skyrocketing out-of-wedlock births, failing public schools and unsafe housing projects. "We need local folks to solve local problems," the Georgia congressman.said Gingrich proposed to the mu- nicipal leaders that the federal government relieve the states and cities of the burden of complying with Washington's mandates - and return to them the money earmarked to address poverty and other social problems. Such action is desirable, Gingrich said, for two reasons. First, anti-poverty solutions from Washington tend to make problems worse, not better. Second, Washington's habit of deficit spending is bankrupting the nation's future. "This is the most important debate in modern political history," he said. "We won the Cold War. Are we prepared to balance the budget? We have a moral obligation to our children and grandchildren," Gingrich said. AP PHOTO" President Clinton receives the applause of mayors after addressing the National League of Cities. U.s. will support China bid for WTO Los Angeles Times BEIJING - When China unchar- acteristically gave in to tough U.S. demands two weeks ago on copyright piracy and other intellectual property issues, the main unanswered question was: What did the Clinton adminis- tration give in return? The answercamethisweekinavisit to Beijing by U.S. Trade Representa- tive Mickey Kantor. In a news confer- ence yesterday, Kantor said the United States would support China's bid to join the World Trade Organization. More importantly to the Chinese, Kantor reversed a previous position by announcing that the U.S. govern- ment would consider China's entry into the global organization under less stringent trade rules afforded devel- oping countries. Until recently, the United States had insisted that China meet the same standards as other major industrial powers. "We need to be flexible," Kantor said, referring to the United States, Europe and Japan. "I think we all agree that for certain purposes China, of course, is a developed country. For others it is a developing country." In background briefings, U.S. trade officials said the practical result of the softened administration position on China's entry into the WTO is that China will be granted extra time - in some cases a matter of years - be- fore it will be required to phase out certain tariffs and protective trade restrictions. "China has a wide variety of char- acteristics," said one U.S. trade offi- cial. "There are places along the sea- board that are developing rapidly and look a lot like Taiwan and Korea did a few years ago. There are parts of the interior which are much poorer. But, overall, as a trade regime, we are deal- ing with an enormously important, enormously large, powerful player." Recognition of its hybrid status as a huge but still developing economy is precisely what the Chinese trade negotiators had been seeking when talks broke down for their entry into the WTO in December. Kantor said the revived WTO trade talks with China are expected to begin in April in Geneva. "I have agreed to become personally involved with and review all proposals related to China's _ WTO accession," Kantor said. First challenge to 'Don't ask, don't tell' policy beginS Peasants demand ace iO Chiapas TO Hundreds of peasants marched 700 miles from Chiapas to Mexico City to protest for peace in the main plaza of Mexico City in front of the Presidential Palace. Federal Bureau of Prisons plans Marc execution of drug trafficker The Washington Post NEW YORK - The first direct, constitutional challenge to the government's "Don't ask, don't tell" policy governing homosexuals in the military began yesterday in U.S. Dis- trict Court in Brooklyn. The lawsuit, filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund on behalf of six gay service members - two on active duty and four reservists - argues that the 1993 political com- promise on gays in the military violates the free speech and equal protection clauses of the Constitution. "This is the last bastion of officially sanctioned government prejudice in America," said Matthew Coles, direc- tor of the ACLU's national Lesbian and Gay Rights Project. "It violates our clients' constitutional rights and must be struck down." "Ultimately the Supreme Court will have to rule on this issue," said Kevin Cathcart,executivedirectorofLambda, after the first day of the trial adjourned at midday. "The military will not stop throwing people out until the Supreme Court rules it is unconstitutional." Deputy Assistant Attorney General John Rogovin argued for the Justice Department that sexual attractions among members of a military unit can cause tension, and "sexual tensions can degrade readiness." The lawsuit, which is being heard by Judge Eugene Nickerson without a jury, is based on what became known as the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy negotiated among the Clinton admin- istration, the military and Congress. Previously, the Pentagon had held that homosexuality was "incompatible with military service" and since 1980 had discharged some 17,000 people on that basis. But the new policy, which took effect in February of last year, saidhomo- sexuals could stay in the military so long as they neither said nor did anything that gave away theirsexual orientation. Open, homosexuality, the Pentagon said, posed "an unacceptable risk to the high stan- dards of morale, good order and disci- pline, and unit cohesion that are the es- sence of military capability." In Monday's open testimony, the plaintiffs called two expert witnesses who challenged the idea that simply the knowledge that another service mem- ber was gay would undermine a unit's military performance. RobertMacCoun, the author of a Rand Corp. report on gays in the military commissioned by the Pentagon, drew a distinction be- tween social cohesion - which might be affected by the knowledge that some- one was gay - and "task" cohesion, which he said Rand's study concluded would not be affected. Task cohesion is the far more im- portant of the two, since it "determines performance," he said. "You don't have to like someone to work with them." Thispoint, attorneys for the plaintiffs said, is critical, because generally the courts willallow limitationson free speech like "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" only if the government can give a compelling rea- son as to why the limitation is justified. According to Coles, this point also. matters because the argument that gays will damagemorale and unitcohesion is the same argument that was made early in this century, when the military was opposed to racial integration. Execution would be federal government's first since ±963 The Washington Post WASHINGTON - The Federal Bureau of Prisons plans a March 30 execution for a convicted drug traf- ficker who authorized a contract mur- der, a move that would mark the first time the federal government has used capital punishment since 1963. David Ronald Chandler, an Ala- bama drug trafficker who was convicted of hiring a hitman to kill a police infor- mant, is scheduled to die by lethal injec- tion at a federal prison in Terre Haute, Ind. In recent days, federal authorities have notified Chandler of the execution date, but his attorney said he plans to seek a new trial based on new evidence. Chandler was the first inmate to receive the death sentence under the federal Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, which provides for capital punishment for killings associated with a criminal enterprise. Five other federal inmates convicted under this statute are await- ing execution. Although many states have reinsti- tuted the death penalty in recent years, federal laws have allowed for capital punishment in only a few instances. At least40persons have been charged with capital offenses under the stiff 1988 drug abuse act and another three have been charged with capital crimes under last year's omnibus crime bill, said Ri- chard Dieter, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center. "Crime has been a real concern and the political response has been to ex- pand the death penalty and quicken the process of execution. Now we are see- ing the results," Dieter said. Meanwhile, Chandler's attorney, John Martin, challenged the government's action, saying he had uncovered information proving his client's innocence. The government's move has re- kindled the long-standing debate over capital punishment. The federal government's action tells the interna- tional community "we are putting a national stamp of approval on this," said Diann Rust-Tierney, who heads the American Civil Libertys Union's capital punishment project. "It's outra- geous, classic diversion strategy.... There is no indication that this will have any impact on crime." But Rep. Bill McCollum (R-Fla.), who chairs the House crime subcom- mittee, said Chandler's crime sounded like the "reason we created the statute." Rep. Patricia Schroeder(D-Col.), a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, said drug dealers know what the risks are and that she was "not into coddling these guys." "After the execution, I'd like to see some evidence that one additional drug criminal, that one additional youth go- ing down the wrong path has been deterred from a life of violence," said Rep. John Conyers Jr (D-Mich.), the ranking Democrat on the House Judi- ciary committee. O A S I I ! I ! I I I I ! L American veterans visit Iwo Jima i ''7 I MOVI ES I -4- IWO JIMA, Japan (AP) - Ameri- can soldiers and sailors who fought one of World WarII'smostferociousbattles 50 years ago returned today to an island whose name has become synonymous with war. This time, they were on Iwo Jima to remember, not to fight. "I feel a lot different coming here now than when we came ashore in an assault landing 50 years ago," Chester Foulke, 71, of Las Vegas, said after stepping off a chartered jet which ar- rived from Saipan. Foulke fought on Iwo Jima as a demolitions expert in the 5th Marine 0 Division but said he has "no qualms" about visiting again."You have good memories and bad memories," he said. "You have to deal with them both." The U.S. military had spent the past month sprucing up the tiny Pacific is- things, well, you have to let go of them. Maybe meeting them will help." Most of the American veterans dressed in street clothes and white com- memorative baseball caps. A few had medals pinned to their chests. Most Japanese veterans dressed more formally, injackets and ties. Some wore navy blue caps inscribed with "Iwo Jima" in gold lettering. The United States also was repre- sented by Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Carl Mundy Jr., Navy Secretary John Dalton and Walter Mondale, Washington's ambassador to Japan. "The Pacific was once an ocean of blood, butitis now aplaceofpeaceand prosperity, because America and Ja- pan are working together," Mondale told reporters. Tokyo, concerned about the han- dling of several other ceremonies mark- forged a close and cooperative rela- tionship," it said. Iwo's only inhabitants today are several hundred Japanese troops who staff a small airfield. Most arrange- ments were made by the Americans, who shipped in their own equipment. Iwo Jima was a particularly bitter de- feat for Japan. In 36 days of fighting that began Feb. 19, 1945,nearly 22.000 Japa- nese who tried to defend Iwo Jima were killed and 6,821 Americans were also killed. Only 1,083 Japanese survived. 4 " S t-2000 Its just a lump of gray matter, the box. (Basically the stuff other companies say ! __fi__nn__offthecasi-'iio~nal elecrtric' thev Xwonrt. hart w xA t~l ea i. !" T 1"Y l r-