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Hollings, at Harvard, Urges Troop Removal From Lebanon

By Victoria G.T. Bassetti

Democratle presidential hopeful ses. Ernest 'Fritz Hollings (S.C) urged immediate withdrawl of U.S. marine deeps from Lebanon during a speech yesterday at the Law School Forum.

Hollings' comments came during a question and answer period after a major economic policy address in which he called for an across-the-abroad budget freeze.

Speaking before an audience of about 100, Hollings said that the U.S. had nothing to loose by withdrawing its troops from Lebanon.

"I stated long ago that if the [marines] were put there to fight, they were too few, and if they were put there to die, they were too many," he said to the audience's applause.

Not Peacekeepers

"They're not keeping any peace; they're in a war," he added.

Hollings said that a series of political decisions had hampered the marines strategic use and self-defence capabilities. "These are political restrictions that the President of the United States in responsible for," he said.

Prior to these comments, Hollings described President Reagan's economic policies as a series of repeated failures.

He cited as proof rising government and balance of trade deficits and declining savings and business investments.

Calling economics the Democratic party's "Achilles heel." Hollings outlined a four point economic revitalization plan to balance the budget, improve productivity through better education, improve American commercial competition abroad and decrease government restralat on business.

In calling for a bedget freems, Hollings said that high government deficlts were responsible for low business Investment.

A balanced budget "can only be dene through a shared sacrifice where everything gives," he said. "What we really need is a freeze of spending programs across the board."

A budget freeze would save money in the long run by avoiding taxes which take money out of the economy, he said. Hollings added that a three percent real growth rate for national defence and social programs might be necessary.

Hollings also called for federally subsidized teachers salaries to attract better teachers and improve education which he said was crucial to business productivity.

"Teaching is not a profession in America," he said. "The fact is that all of these programs [to improve productivity] have a single thread--the need for good teachers, and a single flaw--the lack of them."

America must also face the realities of foreign trade and realize that everyone else is engaged in a trade war," he said.

Hollings said that all other governments are engaged in dumping and industry subsidization, and said that the U.S. government should also help industry.

"What we need is our government to come in and intervene," he said, adding that Americans should not be so wary of protectionism.

"In order to remove a trade barrier we might have to raise a barrier and then remove them both," he said.

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