CAMPAIGN ’88 : Anti-Drug Funds Asked

Atty. Gen. Dick Thornburgh called on both presidential nominees Friday to urge Congress to wage “a true war on drugs” by appropriating, rather than cutting, funds for the effort.

Responding to Dukakis’ pledge two weeks ago to double the number of federal drug enforcement agents, Thornburgh charged in a speech to the Philadelphia Bar Assn. meeting in Washington that the Democrat-controlled Congress has repeatedly pared Reagan Administration requests for additional anti-drug funds.

Based on actual fiscal 1989 appropriations, Thornburgh said, the Justice Department is planning to reduce employees, cut leaves by employees and curtail support services.

“We are hearing these days on the campaign trail dramatic calls for beefed-up anti-drug personnel--more Drug Enforcement Administration agents, more FBI agents, and on and on,” Thornburgh said. “I hope those who are speaking this way in public are also communicating the message directly to the Congress.”