CLINTON INKS GATT

President Clinton signed the historic General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs today, launching U.S. entry into a 123-nation trade accord to slash import tariffs here and abroad. But he did so over vehement protests from critics who say GATT will undermine American labor by ending penalties against the products of low-wage workers from other countries. "Hey, Bill! You're selling out!" a man with a megaphone outside the Organization of American States shouted as Clinton arrived for the ceremony. Clinton's reply to the public: "We must never run away from the world." The treaty cuts global tariffs almost 38 percent and does away with other trade barriers. Congress approved the agreement only after incoming Senate GOP Majority Leader Bob Dole pushed for a clause allowing the U.S. to drop out if it felt other trading partners gained unfair advantage.Post your opinion on theWashingtonbulletin board.