A prep course for the month-long World Cup soccer tournament, a worldwide pheno

he year , particularly in construction . At the Banking Committee hearing , Gree

nspan declined to predict what growth would be this quarter or how high it could

 be in the future without triggering more rapid inflation . Instead , the Fed ch

airman argued that keeping inflation low was the best way to maximize economic g

rowth over time . `` The evidence is increasingly that low inflation means highe

r economic activity , greater growth in standards of living , greater real wages

 , not lower , '' Greenspan said . `` I think we 're all endeavoring to find way

s to get solid economic growth , which is sustainable and which is not periodica

lly upended by .. . destabilizing bouts '' of inflation . `` If we are successfu

l in our current endeavors , there will not be an increase in overall inflation 

, and trends toward price stability will be extended . '' Greenspan explained th

at there is a substantial lag between changes in interest rates and the resultin

g changes in economic activity . And that means the Fed `` must implement the ne

cessary monetary policy adjustments in advance of the potential emergence of inf

lationary pressures , so as to forestall their actual occurrence , '' he said . 

But Sasser and Sarbanes repeatedly rejected the Fed chairman 's argument . The F

ed should stop `` buying into the notion that as soon as you get some good growt

h , you 've got to move to cut it down because there 's some phantom inflation t

hat you perceive that needs to be addressed , when the underlying figures don't 

support it , '' Sarbanes responded .

 Red Rodney , a driving force in the bebop movement of the 1940s and '50s that s

pread from New York 's Birdland to envelop the rest of the country , died Friday

 . Leonard Feather , jazz critic for the Los Angeles Times , said Rodney died of

 cancer in New York City . He was 66 . Rodney , the trumpeter who helped make th

e Charlie Parker quintet a definitive unit in the early days of progessive jazz 

, had experienced health problems throughout his life . As with Parker , Dizzy G

illespie was an early influence on the young trumpeter from Philadelphia who was

 born Robert Chudnick . Rodney who was portrayed by Mike Zelnicker in the Parker

 biopic `` Bird , '' had begun studying brass when he was in his teens . He was 

working with a Philadelphia swing orchestra when he first heard the innovative G

illespie harmonics . Gillespie listened to him and took the 18-year-old to New Y

ork where he met Parker . He said the first thing the troubled famous saxophonis

t did was to borrow $ 10 . Rodney also was allowed to sit in with the Parker gro

up . Rodney , who was made a member of the elite Downbeat ( magazine ) Hall of F

ame , joined the Gene Krupa band after learning that Parker and Gillespie were t

raveling to California where Krupa would be performing . He returned to New York

 with Krupa , stayed a year , then began working clubs on 52nd Street . He was i

n Woody Herman 's brass section in New York in 1949 when trumpeter Miles Davis l

eft Parker and Rodney took his place as part of the fabled quintet . Rodney shor

t , red-headed and Jewish found that he had to pass himself off as a racial oddi

ty to be accepted in a field dominated by blacks . Parker , he recalled , would 

introduce him to audiences as `` Albino Red . '' ( Begin optional trim ) Rodney 

said Parker not only led him to the forefront of the bop movement but also `` in

spired '' him to start using drugs so `` maybe I could play that good , '' as he

 told Feather in 1988 . He battled drugs for several years but by the 1970s had 

put his destructive habits behind him and was touring Europe , playing regularly

 behind star acts in Las Vegas and recording with a group called Bebop Preservat

ion Society . In the early 1980s he started working full time with his own jazz 

quintet and appeared throughout the country . In 1980 he teamed with Ira Sulliva

n who played both reeds and brass in one of the then most popular combos in jazz

 . ( End optional trim ) The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music called Rodne

y `` one of the best bebop trumpeters '' of the period and `` certainly one of t

he first white players to gain credibility and experience in the field . '' Rodn

ey 's survivors include his wife , Helene .

 SAN FRANCISCO A 10-year study of smog in national parks has found that air qual

ity is improving in Western states but continuing to deteriorate in the East des

pite tougher laws aimed at halting air pollution . In the summertime , remote pa

rks and wilderness areas in the East share the same hazy air as big cities like 

Washington . In fact , the study found , visible air pollution in the two easter

n parks studied is worse than in Los Angeles during the summer . Researchers at 

the University of California , Davis , who conducted the study of a dozen nation

al parks , came to the unexpected conclusion that the West is doing a better job

 of controlling the sulfur emissions that cause visible air pollution and acid r

ain . The findings were published in the latest issue of the journal Atmospheric

 Environment . `` The measures used in the East to clean up the air aren't worki

ng the way they should and the air quality is getting worse , '' said physicist 

Thomas Cahill , head of the UC Davis Air Quality Group . `` The measures used in

 the West are working , and the air is getting better . '' Cahill called for tou

gher laws to reduce sulfur emissions , particularly in the East . `` The bottom 

line is that the Clean Air Act may not accomplish all that it was supposed to do

 , which is to clean up the air of the eastern United States , '' he said . The 

research , the first of its kind , found that the United States is divided down 

the middle into two distinct zones of sulfur emissions , which can travel hundre

ds of miles from their original sources . In the East , the level of sulfate pol

lutants is often eight times as high as in the West because there are many more 

power plants , fewer emission controls and higher humidity , which accelerates t

he conversion of sulfur emissions into visible acidic particles . Sulfate pollut

ion is the primary cause of visible smog and , in heavy concentrations , can sev

erely damage trees . By contrast , ozone , which is not visible , is the main co

mponent of smog that causes health problems in humans and can also damage vegeta

tion . To see how air pollution is affecting visibility in some of the most remo

te and pristine spots in the country , the UC Davis researchers took air samples

 at scenic spots , such as the mountains above Yosemite Valley and the bottom of

 the Grand Canyon . The researchers found that the air quality improved in natio

nal parks in Arizona , Colorado , Utah and Oregon between 1982 and 1992 , while 

holding steady in Yosemite , the Grand Canyon , Bryce Canyon National Park in Ut

ah and two national parks in Texas . ( Optional add end ) However , visible poll

ution at Shenendoah National Park in Virginia and Great Smoky Mountains National

 Park in Tennessee jumped nearly 40 percent during the same period . `` On many 

days in the summer , visitors have no view at all except a strange , gray fog fr

om many of the most popular lookouts , '' Cahill said . `` But it 's not fog . I

t 's mostly sulfate particles , with lots of water attached . At times in the Ea

st , it is almost pure dilute sulfuric acid . '' Cahill said the UC Davis findin

gs support the theory that the sulfate haze hanging over much of the eastern Uni

ted States and Europe is countering the effect of global warming in that region 

by scattering light that would otherwise heat the earth . He said this finding c

ould explain why temperatures have not increased as much in the northern hemisph

ere as expected under scientific models of global warming . Some scientists have

 maintained that the lack of temperature rise in northern climates refutes the t

heory that the planet is warming up because emissions of carbon dioxide are hold

ing in heat .

 TICKETS ( Philips , Times special ) has been killed . The kill is mandatory . B

e certain the story is not published . A sub will be filed later .

 TICKETS ( Philips , Times special ) has been killed . The kill is mandatory . B

e certain the story is not published . A sub will be filed later .

 BEIJING President Clinton 's decision to sever the link between China 's trade 

status and human rights could provide an opportunity for China and the United St

ates to deal with each other on a normal basis for the first time since the bloo

dy crackdown five years ago against pro-democracy demonstrators , Chinese and We

stern analysts said today . `` The current situation offers a historic opportuni

ty for the enhancement of Sino-American relations , '' the Chinese Foreign Minis

try said , adding that China will continue to make `` major efforts '' to improv

e relations . In the past , the threat of not renewing China 's most-favored-nat

ion trading status has `` impaired the bilateral trade and economic exchanges an

d the overall relations between the two countries , '' the statement said . `` W

e hope that the U.S. government , on its part , will take a realistic and forwar

d-looking stand in the overall interests of Sino-American relations and take con

crete action to show its sincerity for enhancing relations , '' it added . The C

hinese statement also expressed `` regret '' that sanctions imposed by the Unite

d States after the Tiananmen Square crackdown remain in place . In an apparent r

eference to Clinton 's comments about continuing serious human rights abuses in 

China , the Foreign Ministry also accused the United States of `` making unwarra

nted charges about ( the ) human rights situation in China . '' But the overall 

tone of the statement was upbeat , and the rhetoric was restrained . Clinton 's 

move is likely to reassure China 's leaders on a fundamental issue . The decisio

n shows that `` it 's not the intent of the administration to destabilize China 

or overthrow the regime , '' said Michel Oksenberg , a longtime China scholar wh

o recently visited Beijing and met with top Chinese leaders . Among China 's agi

ng rulers , the elimination of the threat to revoke trade privileges over human 

rights abuses will strengthen the hand of more reform-minded leaders to argue fo

r a wide-ranging relationship with the United States . This becomes especially i

mportant because of the uncertainty surrounding the political succession after s

enior leader Deng Xiaoping , who turns 90 in August . At the same time , Clinton

 's flip-flop on China policy has raised questions about his personal credibilit

y among the Chinese . `` The Chinese know they have won , '' said Wang Xizhe , a

 veteran dissident who was released last year after nearly 14 years in jail for 

his pro-democracy activities . In a telephone interview from the southern city o

f Guangzhou , he said he welcomed the decision . He pointed out that in the end 

, it was the United States that gave in . `` I think the Chinese saw early on th

at the United States is a paper tiger , '' he said . This raises the question of

 how seriously the Chinese will take Clinton 's word or threats on issues such a

s Washington 's relations with Taiwan and bilateral trade issues , analysts said

 . `` It is always important for the Chinese to feel that we are quite credible 

in what we say , '' said a Western analyst who has long had dealings with Chines

e leaders . `` If people respect you on that level , it usually saves both sides

 a lot of heartache , and there is less testing of each side by the other . '' N

evertheless , the questions of credibility and trust might carry less weight if 

the Clinton administration follows through with broad strategic discussions with

 the Chinese , analysts said . This is particularly true in the military realm ,

 where high-level contacts had been frozen until last fall . A visit to the Unit

ed States of a top Chinese general had been put on hold while the two sides awai

ted the outcome of the trade decision . Meanwhile , a delegation that includes f

ormer defense secretary Robert S. McNamara and four senior retired U.S. military

 officials , including three generals , has been holding talks in Beijing for th

e past week with Chinese military officials . `` It 's important to see what kin

d of role China sees for itself in the region , what resources it is devoting to

 its military budget and what their strategic doctrine is , '' said David Lampto

n , president of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations , which sponsore

d the trip . In the area of human rights , some Chinese dissidents said there mi

ght be setbacks in the short run as a result of Clinton 's decision . But over t

he longer term , greater contacts with the West and rapid development of China '

s economy may lead to increased freedom , said veteran activist Wang . Wang ackn

owledged that his release in February of 1993 was due in part to international p

ressure . For that , he said , he will always be grateful . But those activists 

who have chosen to stay in China long ago made their own preparations to deal wi

th the authorities , regardless of outside pressure such as the threat of losing

 the trading status . Perhaps the one dissident who felt most strongly that the 

United States needed to be tough on China could not be reached for comment . Chi

na 's most prominent political activist , Wei Jingsheng , has been in police cus

tody since April 1 . Chinese and Western analysts say China 's actions in human 

rights area are driven more by its own domestic-stability concerns than by press

ure from the West . `` China is undergoing change at a speed that borders on the

 uncontrollable , '' said Ken Lieberthal , a China expert from the University of

 Michigan in a telephone interview in Hong Kong . `` It has a leadership that is

 desperately trying to shift that country from a typical Soviet-style command ec

onomy to a typical East Asian type of economic miracle . And it believes firmly 

that it must find a path that combines entrepreneurial flexibility with politica

l stability , '' he said . Chinese officials have often complained in the past t

hat the U.S. position on human rights often comes out sounding like the United S

tates has a morally superior position when dealing with China . For a country wh

ose leaders still remember China 's bitter humiliations at the hands of foreign 

powers , such a posture often stiffens the Chinese resolve not to give in to Ame

rican demands . Earlier this year , when a U.S. official had to visit Beijing fo

r consultations , the message about the importance of human rights was not raise

d , and the meeting was very fruitful , according to a Western diplomat . Clinto

n 's decision was praised around Asia , where many leaders , particularly Singap

ore 's elder statesman Lee Kuan Yew , have been critical of the policy to link t

rade and human rights . In Beijing , Phil Carmichael , president of the American

 Chamber of Commerce here , told reporters that while the chamber did not suppor

t Clinton 's ban on U.S. imports of Chinese guns and ammunition , it welcomed th

e move to separate trade from human rights . `` Let 's declare victory and move 

onto the next issue , '' he said . He said U.S. businesses in China were willing

 to discuss Clinton 's suggestion of a `` voluntary code of conduct '' to addres

s human rights concerns . But most American business executives have said their 

companies follow their own codes of business ethics .

 WASHINGTON Democrats in the White House , Congress and federal agencies are anx

ious about the possibility that Marion Barry could be elected mayor and are seek

ing ways to address the District 's problems without hurting Mayor Sharon Pratt 

Kelly 's re-election prospects . As a result , some have scaled back their effor

ts to hold Kelly personally accountable for the city 's problems with public hou

sing , finances and other matters . Officials at the Department of Housing and U

rban Development recently formed a joint committee with Kelly to oversee the cit

y 's troubled public housing program , rather than seizing complete control , in

 part because they sensed that a federal takeover of the department would hurt t

he mayor too much politically and could help Barry win the Democratic primary , 

sources familiar with the decision said . The joint approach permitted HUD to ex

ercise additional influence over the program while enabling the mayor to indicat

e she had asked for the agency 's help and supported the new partnership . HUD o

fficials consulted in advance on their decision with White House staff , who app

roved of the way it was handled , a White House official said . A Congressional 

source who discussed the matter with White House officials also confirmed that t

he mayor 's race played an important role in the decision not to simply take ove

r the public housing agency . Sources said the mayoral race and the implications

 of a possible Barry victory are being widely discussed in Washington . However 

, many Democrats in Congress and elsewhere , including D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes 

Norton , will not disclose their views about the mayor 's race because they coul

d arouse a political backlash or be accused of meddling . A White House official

 said : `` We are very cognizant that there is a highly charged mayor 's race in

 the city , and we would be careful to try not to influence it . I think we woul

d like to let the voters of D.C. decide that one . '' Tony Coelho a former membe

r of the House of Representatives who is now an unofficial political adviser to 

the White House and who has close personal ties to senior White House officials 

said there was fear in the White House and on Capitol Hill that a Barry victory 

would damage the Democratic party 's image because of the former mayor 's drug c

onviction . Coelho said he expects Republicans to use the city 's troubles as an

 issue in this year 's elections because Democrats are in charge of the White Ho

use and the Congress . He said a Barry victory in the Democratic primary would m

ake the Democrats even more vulnerable , and that leaders of the party are worri

ed about it . `` It is legitimate for this government , the Congress and the adm

inistration to try to help this city out , '' Coelho said . `` It is the nation 

's capital . An embarrassment here is an embarrassment internationally , so it i

s critically important they pay attention to it . The implications ( of a Barry 

victory ) are that the comics go wild , and the press goes wild and makes it int

o a big international story . '' Barry 's entrance into the mayor 's race and th

e enthusiastic support he has received from his base of supporters has prompted 

numerous conversations among Democratic leaders seeking to determine his chances

 for victory , according to interviews with members of Congress and staff member

s . One Congressional source said Barry 's campaign had sparked a `` deathbed fe

ar '' in Democrats in Congress and around Washington . `` The DNC ( Democratic N

ational Committee ) doesn't need this , '' the source said . Rep. James T. Walsh

 , R-N.Y. , the ranking Republican on the District appropriations subcommittee ,

 said Barry 's campaign after his conviction on drug charges had become a topic 

of discussion in Congress . `` It concerns me a great deal , '' Walsh said . `` 

The image of Washington D.C. was tarnished by his term , and I certainly don't w

ant to give him any advantage . `` The District of Columbia is in difficulty now

 vis-a-vis Congress , '' Walsh said . `` That ( Barry 's election ) certainly wo

uld not make relations easier . There are very strong feelings against the forme

r mayor on the Hill . ''

 WASHINGTON Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan on Friday mounted his 

first public defense of the Fed 's repeated interest rate increases this year , 

telling a skeptical Congress that the central bank had no alternative but to hik

e rates to reduce the threat of inflation . Confronted with stiff criticism from

 leading Democratic lawmakers , Greenspan told the Senate Banking Committee that

 market pressures ultimately would have brought on higher interest rates even if

 the Fed had not acted . `` Delaying our actions would not have been constructiv

e , '' Greenspan said . He also stressed that he believes the Fed 's actions sho

uld now lead to solid economic growth without rapidly rising prices . On Friday 

, the government said the economy grew at a 3 percent pace in the first quarter 

of the year , up slightly from an earlier estimate of 2.6 percent , but down sha

rply from the 7 percent level in the fourth quarter of 1993 . `` Overall .. . th

is looks like a well-balanced economy , '' Greenspan said . `` This is looking t

o me as good as I 've seen an economy evolving in a balanced form in a very long

 period of time . The economy is moving at a fairly respectable pace .. . it cou

ld go on for a quite a long period of time , provided that inflationary imbalanc

es don't emerge . '' Since February , the Fed has raised short-term interest rat

es four times in a controversial effort to cool the economy before it gets so ov

erheated that it begins to generate a surge in inflation . Fed officials are now

 convinced they kept interest rates too low for too long as the economy began to

 recover last year , and that before they acted in February the economy was grow

ing at a pace that was too rapid to be sustained without a run-up in prices . Gr

eenspan noted Friday that the central bank 's easy money policies of 1993 also m

ay have led to an unhealthy increase in speculative activity in the financial ma

rkets , and said Fed officials felt they had to raise rates to burst that bubble

 . Leading senators complained that the Fed was too concerned about appeasing th

e nation 's financial markets , and had moved so aggressively that its interest 

rate increases are now hurting average Americans . Committee Chairman Donald Rie