2 remaining problems: The input file:

version "4.0I0 tlim";
system {
    host-name steve-1;
    domain-search  mydomain.com mydomain.net ;
    time-zone Here/There;
    authentication-order  plus password ;
    root-authentication {
#        encrypted-password "CENSORED"; # CENSORED-SECRET-DATA
    }
    name-server {
        0.0.0.0;
        1.1.1.1;
    }
    plus-server {
        3.3.3.3 {
#            secret  "CENSORED"; # CENSORED-SECRET-DATA
            timeout 20;
        }
        4.4.4.4 {
#            secret  "CENSORED"; # CENSORED-SECRET-DATA
            timeout 20;
        }
    }
    login {
        class super-user {
            idle-timeout 120;
            permissions all;
        }
        user local {
            uid 5555;
            class super-user;
            authentication {
#                encrypted-password "CENSORED"; # CENSORED-SECRET-DATA
            }
        }
        user remote {
            uid 2004;
            class super-user;
        }
    }
    services {
        telnet;
    }
    syslog {
        archive size 10000000 files 10;
        user * {
            any emergency;
        }
        host 6.6.6.6 {
            authorization any;
            kernel any;
            user any;
            change-log any;
            facility-override local7;
        }
        host 7.7.7.7 {
            authorization any;
            kernel any;
            user any;
            change-log any;
            facility-override local7;
 

yields:

version "4.0I0 tlim";
system host-name 1steve-1;
system domain-search  mydomain.com mydomain.net ;
system time-zone Here/There;
system authentication-order  plus password ;
system root-authentication #        encrypted-password "CENSORED"; # CENSORED-SECRET-DATA
system name-server 0.0.0.0;
system name-server 1.1.1.1;
system plus-server 3.3.3.3 #            secret  "CENSORED"; # CENSORED-SECRET-DATA
system plus-server 3.3.3.3 timeout 20;
system plus-server 4.4.4.4 #            secret  "CENSORED"; # CENSORED-SECRET-DATA
system plus-server 4.4.4.4 timeout 20;
system login class super-user {
system login idle-timeout 120;
system login permissions all;
system user local {
system uid 5555;
system class super-user;
system authentication #                encrypted-password "CENSORED"; # CENSORED-SECRET-DATA
user remote {
uid 2004;
class super-user;
services telnet;
syslog archive size 10000000 files 10;
syslog user * {
syslog any emergency;
host 6.6.6.6 {
authorization any;
kernel any;
user any;
change-log any;
facility-override local7;
host 7.7.7.7 {
authorization any;
kernel any;
user any;
change-log any;
facility-override local7;

The remaining problems: 1. deleting whitespace eg:

system authentication #                encrypted-password "CENSORED"; # CENSORED-SECRET-DATA

to:

system authentication # encrypted-password "CENSORED"; # CENSORED-SECRET-DATA

problem 2:

...........snip.......

system authentication #                encrypted-password "CENSORED"; # CENSORED-SECRET-DATA
user remote {
uid 2004;
...etc.

I lose the prepending strings here, and I don't know why. I suspect that it has to do with multiple "}"'s Thanks for all your help thus far......