Army Releases A New Code For the Corps

HE Army marches into a new intellectual era this week as it formally abandons its cold-war fighting doctrine and adopts a revised code that emphasizes quick-strike moves to far away lands.

The new guide, dubbed FM-105 Operations - also highlights the fact that operations such as the peacekeeping mission to Macedonia or the cleanup after Hurricane Andrew are the wave of the future.

Almost two years in the works, the publication was rewritten by Gen. Frederick Franks, head of the Army's Training and Doctrine Command, and Gen. Gordon Sullivan, the Army chief of staff. General Franks, the commander who led the Army's VII Corps on its famed "Left Hook" into the Iraqi Republican Guard during the Persian Gulf War, began the revisions soon after returning. No take, no talk

There is a lot less talk coming from members of Congress these days - at least outside the Beltway.

Along with showing decreases in gifts from influence agents and trips taken, this year's financial disclosures indicate that the ban on accepting speaking honoraria may mean fewer stops on the rubber-chicken circuit.

Last week's disclosures were the first since scandals last year forced a clampdown on what lawmakers receive aside from their salaries.

Senate majority leader George Mitchell (D) of Maine took $23,500 for his talks in 1991. Last year, nothing. Similarly, Sen. Joseph Biden (D) of Delaware and Sen. Ted Stevens (R) of Alaska went from $17,850 and $17,000, respectively, to zero.

Republican leader Bob Dole of Kansas was still one of the most popular on the lecture circuit, but he tapered back by nearly a third - "raising" $64,100 last year for charity, which by law gets all the fees.

And Rep. Dan Rostenkowski (D) of Illinois, the undisputed House honoraria champ, reduced the intake for his favorite charities nearly $30,000, to $80,500. President on a stick?

President Clinton welcomed several hundred journalists to a White House barbecue with just one request: that he not be part of the menu. "The only condition I had when I knew you were coming is I wouldn't be put on the spit," Mr. Clinton declared affably Sunday night as members of the Washington press corps gathered on the South Lawn.

Clinton, who had good ties with the media when he was governor of Arkansas, has had some rocky relations with the press since taking office.