Visitors to find 'Wall' quiet
BERLIN (UPI) — Soon it will be girl watching season at Checkpoint Charlie in this divided city. It's hard to recall that American and Russian tanks confronted each other there nine years ago.
The tourists will be flocking to the East West Berlin border to see the Berlin Wall and hear stories of dramatic escapes and refugees gunned down by East German soldiers.
But they'll have to wait a long time to see an incident or hear a shot. A Russian at the wall will be even rarer.
Spec. 4 Robert Damico, 28, of New York City, can remember when a refugee was shot as he tried to climb the wall near Charlie, but he has been on duty
there the relatively long time of 14 months.
Spec. 4 Robert Spezia, 20, of Rochester, Mich., has seen no incidents in his seven months there.
"It's the best seven months I've had in the army because of the girls," he said, pointing to a group of tourists posing at a sign reading, "You Are Leaving the American Sector."
"It's not too much now but soon it will be the tourist season and the girls will be flocking in," he said.
Except for the girls it's a dull life at Charlie.
"Anyone would be a fool to try to escape here," said Lt. Larry Schroeder of Hamburg, N.Y. "Years ago, yes. But the wall
has been so well reinforced that it's virtually impossible to get through safely."
Since the days the American and Russian tanks faced each other across the dividing line at Charlie soon after the wall was built on Aug.13,1961,the name Checkpoint Charlie has had a dramatic ring to it.
But in reality duty at Charlie is unexciting.
"Our basic mission is to register American servicemen, their
dependents and American civilians who work for the U.S. Government before they enter East Berlin," Schroeder said.
"We also will register American tourists if they wish but they don't have to register."
The Americans have a white shack in the middle of the road at Friedrich Strasse with a sign on the roof reading "Allied Checkpoint."
Just behind it is another shack without a sign shared by the British and French.
Douglas County families purchase food stamps
Nearly 400 people, representing 91 households, purchased food stamps during the opening days of stamp sales in Douglas County May 5 and 6.
Cash receipts from purchases were $2,355 for $7,382 worth of stamps, John Derrick, director of welfare, said.
The initial exchange, Derrick said, gives the participants twice the normal amount of stamps for their money. If the same 91 households continue on the program in June, they will pay $4,710 for $7,382 worth of food stamps, he said.
Derrick explained that the bonus plan is open to any participant during the initial exchange and is followed to help families acquire necessary food and to aid those who may need to catch up on back grocery bills.
This bonus plan, Derrick said.
is part of the United States Department of Agriculture policy. In Kansas, he said, the USDA and the Kansas Department of Social Welfare co-sponsor the program.
Persons who want to join the program should apply at least one week in advance of the food stamp purchase date, Derrick said. Stamps will be sold again on May 18 from 9:30 a.m. to noon.
According to Derrick the department is considering changing the stamp sales dates next month after welfare checks are mailed out.
Derrick said this month's sales of stamps were on the two days immediately after the checks were mailed. This, he said, may have caused problems for families who did not receive their checks in time to purchase food stamps.
May 12 KANSAN 11
1970
The first parking meter in the United States was installed in 1935.
DeCoursey declares for Democratic race
Lt. Governor James H. DeCoursey announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for Congress in the district now represented by Representative Larry Winn, R-Kan.
DeCoursey, who holds one of the two elected offices held by Democrats in the state, declared his candidacy in a news conference in the Third Congressional District in Mission.
DeCoursey criticized Winn saying, "His irresponsible letter to President Nixon advocating massive escalation of the war in Vietnam was unconscionable. We must end the war, not expand it."
DeCoursey said Winn too often advocated the position of the far right. He said, "The need today is for leaders willing to face issues squarely in a responsible, honest manner. We must have leaders who seek to unite, not to divide; who seek to calm, not to incite; who seek to govern but not to suppress.
His collection consists of 600 different types of corkscrews from the 17th Century to present days. At a recent visit to Hamburg he discovered a giant corkscrew drilled into a bar. To get the rarity he had to buy the entire bar and fly it in pieces to his home in southern Sweden.
"The present congressman has failed to provide that kind of leadership . . . In my judgment.
SCREWY COLLECTION
MAIMOE, Sweden (UPI)
Engineer Jan Ekman in Maimoe
has a unique hobby—he collects
corkscrews.
he has not been forthright in explaining his position on many issues and on too many occasions he has embraced the extreme positions on the far right."
DeCoursey said it probably would be an easier course to seek re-election but added that he thought he could make a "larger and more meaningful contribution by serving in Congress."
'Appreciation day' held by Washburn students
TOPEKA, Kan. (UPI) — A group of Washburn University students will hold an "Appreciation Day" Friday to thank Kansas taxpayers for their education
"We just want an education and nobody as far as we know has held a demonstration like this," he said.
He said his group, the "Kansas American Youth for Education, wants to thank the people of Topeka, the state and the nation for the chance to go to college.
Bill Martin, the chief organizer, said he hopes to attract 10,000 persons for the special day.
Weather
Partly cloudy, warm and humid today and tonight with showers and thunderstorms likely late this afternoon and tonight. Partly cloudy, shifting winds and turning cooler with a chance of forenoon showers and thunderstorms Wednesday. Highs today upper 80s to the low 90s. Lows tonight middle 60s to the lower 70s. Probability of measurable precipitation 40 per cent today, 50 per cent tonight, 30 per cent Wednesday.
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