TRADING GATT WARNINGS

The Clinton Administration's top guns today strongly urged Congress to pass thenew world trade treatythis year as top Republicans continued to grumble about it. Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.), incoming chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, urged Clinton to postpone a vote on GATT. If Clinton agrees, Helms said he would make sure that White House foreign policy matters during the next Congress are "considered fully and fairly." Future Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole also expressed reservations. Veep Al Gore today pushed some key GOP hot buttons, saying that a delay would be "a death sentence for the biggest tax cut in the history of the world" referring to GATT provisions that will reduce tariffs worldwide. And, Treasury Secretary Lloyd Bentsen, in an exclusive interview with TIME editors, called the delaying tactics "outrageous" and said he'd been getting calls from "incredulous" finance ministers stunned by the prospect of delays in ratifying GATT.Why all the fuss about a short delay? After all, a new world order with freer trade and bigger bucks for business is something that should put the GOP in a Pavlovian frenzy. But it's not so simple, TIME business reporter Tom Curry explains. As the year ends so does Clinton's "fast-track" authority. And if that happens Congress won't be bound to accept the treaty as-is; instead lawmakers will have the power to introduce amendments to satisfy regional interests -- something that could turn into a nightmare for Clinton, Curry points out.Post your opinion on theInternationalbulletin board.