President Ford told a nationally televised news conference that the United States has learned the lessons of Vietnam and that he would pursue a vigorous leadership on a worldwide basis. Acknowledging that America’s allies had doubts about its commitments following the loss of Cambodia and Vietnam to the Communists, he said such doubts were unreal because of continued American military and economic strength. He said the U.S. would stand by its friends and that potential adversaries should know the United States would stand up to them. He plans foreign policy moves to help keep peace.
At the Nice meeting of the International Air Transport Association, the major international airlines decided to stop using the American dollar and British pound for calculating fares and cargo rates. Their plan is to start using so-called paper gold — the Special Drawing Rights of the International Monetary Fund as their basis by April, 1977. Americans buying overseas tickets would still pay in dollars but might have to pay more or less if the dollar’s value fell or rose against other major currencies.
The release of 15 men interned as suspected Irish Republican Army terrorists in Northern Ireland has been ordered by Britain. The action brings to 247 the number of suspects freed since the IRA declared a cease-fire last Christmas. The release, which left 304 still detained in Maze Prison, was called “Russian roulette” by Protestant militants, who said the lives of innocent civilians and British troops would be endangered.
Security forces sealed off the center of Limerick, Ireland, after bombs were discovered in three hotels and more were feared planted in other buildings. None exploded. Official sources theorized that the bombs. may have been planted as a diversion in a plan to free from Limerick jail Bridget Rose Dugdale, a British millionaire’s daughter turned revolutionary. She is serving a nine-year sentence for her part in Irish Republican Army raids.
Terrorists firing submachine guns from a car killed a policeman as he patrolled outside an arms factory in Guernica, police reported. Police blamed the Basque ETA guerrilla organization for the slaying. Authorities claim the terrorists have been responsible for at least 28 killings since 1968. Police also said that they had arrested 55 persons linked with the ETA in searches through Spains Basque provinces of Vizcaya and Guipuzcoa.
Portugal’s Socialist and Cornmunist parties announced a tentative reconciliation today, but party sources said it was only a tactical agreement reached under pressure from the military. The Socialist leader, Mário Soares, held a surprise threehour meeting during the night with the Communist party chief, Alvaro Cunhal, after each had met separately with the President, Gen. Francisco da Costa Gomes.
Teachers at 12 British universities went on strike in support of demands for higher wages. The one-day stoppage was the first ever to affect university teaching in Britain. About 1,000 members of the teaching and administrative staff picketed the main buildings at Manchester University after a march through the city.
Britain’s home affairs minister rejected calls for him to reverse a new legal judgment on rape, which its opponents describe as “a rapist charter.” The controversial judgment, given last week by the Law Lords, Britain’s highest legal authority, has aroused a storm of protest from politicians and social workers. The Law Lords decided by a 3-2 majority that a man could not be convicted of rape if he believed the woman consented to intercourse — even if the belief was unjustified.
Former British cabinet minister John Stonehouse has been warned by a House of Commons committee that he could be expelled from Parliament if he does not return from Australia or resign within a month. It recommended the expulsion in a report on the Laborite, who faked his own death in Florida last November and is now wanted in Britain on 21 charges of fraud and theft. The committee proposed that an expulsion motion be put to the Parliament in a month’s time in order to give Stonehouse a chance to resign or return from Melbourne, where he is the subject of extradition hearings.
U.S. State Department officials said today that they expected the Arab countries to make a concerted effort in coming weeks and months to convince the United States and other countries of their readiness to make peace with Israel in return for the territory occupied by Israel since the war of 1967. The officials said that the Arabs seemed to be coming together in this campaign in expectation of a resumption of the Middle East peace conference at Geneva in June or July. The drive will probably involve special pressure on the United States, now reassessing its Middle East policy, to side with the Arabs against Israel, the officials said.
The Soviet Union’s intensified effort toward a Middle East settlement has ended as it began three weeks ago — with a firm’s call for Arab unity. The Soviet appeal, stressed several times today in a commentary in Pravda, the Communist party paper, indicated that little if any progress toward a solution of Middle East problems had been made in recent meetings here between Kremlin leaders and officials from Iraq, Egypt, Syria and the Palestine Liberation Organization. The Soviet Union has not reported success in achieving movement either toward an overall settlement or toward a resumption of the Geneva, conference.
Algeria led a move today to secure assistance for the people of Indochina but insisted that the help be given in ways acceptable to the new governments and without interfering in their internal affairs.
The USS Stoddert, last of 46 American Evacuation ships to leave South Vietnamese costal waters, reached the Subic Bay Naval Base today with 200 South Vietnamese refugees, 19 of whom had been rescued from a sinking boat.
During a lull in fighting, 100,000 Armenians gather in Beirut to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Armenian genocide. A massive gathering took place in the Lebanese capital Beirut, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Armenian genocide. Some 100,000 people participated in the march, which was organized jointly by different groups across the Armenian political spectrum. Around 50,000 people gathered at Bourj Hammoud Athletic Field. At the end of the meeting in Bourj Hammoud, the assembled started marching towards Martyrs’ Square in downtown Beirut. The crowd numbered some 100,000. The march proceeded without any incidents.
The Saigon radio said yesterday that life had returned, to normal in the South Vietnamese capital, with telephone lines functioning as before and well‐stocked markets crowded with shoopers. Thousands of Saigonese who had fled the city last week when the Communists took over were now said to be returning by bus. Meanwhile, preparations were reported under way to celebrate the victory of the revolution. Teachers belonging to patriotic associations were asked to meet yesterday afternoon to arrange a reception at which civilian and military leaders would presumably be presented to the people. Students were scheduled to meet last night.
Diplomats and relief officials again took up their, vigil at the Thai‐Cambodian frontier today, awaiting the arrival of the second and perhaps finall group of refugees being evacuated from the French Embassy; compound in Phnom Penh. There was still no firm word however on when the evacuees estimated at some 250 persons might arrive since communications with Phnom Penh have been cut for nearly two weeks. This afternoon, a group of about 20 Cambodian soldiers and a lieutenant approached the barbed wire strung across the rickety wooden bridge that marks the border and, through interpreters, talked with officials and newsmen. The lieutenant began by reassuring an aged Buddhist monk who had joined the group on the bridge that the pagodas or “vats,” on the Cambodian side had not been violated and that the monks were being allowed to continue to worship in peace. The monk expressed concern, however, that this was not the case and the lieutenant turned to other questioners.
Pathet Lao forces, supported by North Vietnamese troops, have driven rightist troops out of the Sala Phou Khoun region, military sources said today. The sources said that the Communist Pathet Lao troops launched an attack supported by artillery and tanks yesterday morning and forced the rightists troops to retreat toward Kasi, about 80 miles north of here. Two outposts a few miles north of Kasi were said to have fallen to the Pathet Lao during the night. Tanks were reported a mile from the town. Sala Phou Khoun is an important crossroads, 92 miles northeast of Vientiane. Troops of the rightist and leftist factions in Laos’s coalition Government have been fighting in the area for several weeks.
United States agreed today at Thailand’s request to suspend its removal of American-made aircraft flown by South Vietnamese refugee pilots to a Thai air base, officials here said. The most valuable of 125 American warplanes, which are also claimed by the new Saigon Government, were already aboard the carrier Midway in the Gulf of Thailand by the time Foreign Minister Chatichai Choonhavan announced, the agreement. The Thai cabinet had decided earlier in the day to hold on to the aircraft. Arrival of the planes on the United States‐run U Taphao Air Base in Thailand last week touched off a controversy involving the United States, Thailand and both North Vietnam and the new Saigon Revolutionary Government.
Winding up their eight-day summit talks, Commonwealth leaders said in Kingston, Jamaica, that a black-white race war will be certain in Rhodesia unless Prime Minister lan Smith’s government hands over power to the African majority. A communique approved by the 34 presidents, prime ministers and chief delegates also branded South Africa’s continued grip on the disputed territory of South-West Africa, or Namibia, as an illegal occupation.
Senator George McGovern (D-South Dakota) toured Havana today, dining on black beans and rice with Cuban intellectuals and calling for an end to the United States trade boycott against Cuba. Senator McGovern set out on a tour of a mental hospital, a school, a nightclub and a museum in Havana as he began his four-day “educational” visit to Cuba. On his arrival, he called for an end of the U.S. trade boycott against Cuba, saying open trade was in the interest of both countries.
The Commonwealth conference agreed today to intensify economic sanctions against the white minority Government of Rhodesia. The 33 heads of government closed their eight‐day meeting with two major decisions: to increase support to black liberation movements in southern Africa and to draft a plan for reforming the international trade and financial systems. There were differences of opinion during the closed, informal sessions, mainly between Britain and her former African and Caribbean colonies. But Commonwealth observers agreed that the Kingston meeting went further in establishing, a consensus on the main issues than previous conferences. The Commonwealth nations meet every two years.
Senator Hubert H. Humphrey proposed today a revision of United States food-aid legislation that he termed “the most comprehensive restructuring of our Food for Peace Program since its enactment 20 years ago.”
President Ford expressed anger at widespread opposition among Americans to resettlement of 130,000 Vietnamese in this country, according to Republican congressional leaders and administration officials who met with him on the issue. Senator Robert Byrd, assistant Democratic leader, told reporters Mr. Ford’s $507 million request for them would be cut because it had no political support. The administration is also contending with coldness in the international community toward its appeal to help resettle Vietnamese refugees.
The House Banking Committee unanimously approved a bill that would prohibit credit from being denied arbitrarily because of a person’s age, race, color, religion or national origin. “The bill is designed to eliminate arbitrary credit rejections,” said Rep. Frank Annuzio (D-IIIinois), chairman of the subcommittee on consumer affairs. But Rep. Leonor K. Sullivan (D-Missouri) claimed the Annunzio bill appeared to open more loopholes. She wanted to require creditors to state in writing why they rejected an applicant.
An urban family of four earning less than $5,050 a year is considered poor, according to revised poverty level guidelines issued by the Labor Department. The new level is $500 higher than a year ago and reflects increases in consumer prices over the last 12 months, the department said. The level for an individual living in a metropolitan area was raised from $2,330 to $2,500. Individuals living in rural areas are considered poor if their income is under $2,200, a level $220 higher than a year ago. For a rural family of four, the level was raised from $3,870 to $4,300.
For the first time since 1956, a congressional committee sent to the floor a bill to scale back federal regulation of natural gas. It would virtually end price ceilings for new on-shore supplies. The maximum price for new off-shore supplies would be allowed to rise 50 percent or more. The debate is expected to be long.
A tornado destroyed much of the city of Omaha, Nebraska, touching down at 4:29 in the afternoon local time, and then moving north-eastwardly for almost half an hour. The amount of damage— more than $300,000,000 (equivalent to $1,450,000,000 in 2019)— set a new record for the costliest tornado in American history, but only three people were killed
New York City Mayor Beame, Governor Carey and three of the city’s leading bankers met in Washington with Treasury Secretary William Simon, and the chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, Arthur Burns, to seek federal help in borrowing $1.5 billion to pay May and June expenses. The bankers were there to express the financial community’s reluctance to lend the city more.
Studies by the Civil Service Commission found cronyism, political favoritism and other irregular employment practices used by a number of federal agencies, but the reports were kept secret by the commission until Representative John Moss, Democrat of California, gave them out. The 1973 and 1974 studies found that agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, National Science Foundation and the Smithsonian Institution, often hired and promoted with little regard to Civil Service and Equal Employment rules protecting minorities and women.
A bill to prohibit utility companies from charging industries less per kilowatt for electricity as their consumption goes up was introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senators Lowell Weicker (R-Connecticut), Edward Brooke (R-Massachusetts), and Hugh Scott (R-Pennsylvania). The legislation would also restrict power companies’ use of the “fuel adjustment clause” which allows utilities to increase consumer rates automatically to reflect increases in fuel cost. Still another section of the bill would forbid power companies from passing on to consumers the cost of promotional or advertising expenses. except where promotion or advertising is used to encourage conservation.
The Army Corps of Engineers, seeking to expand its jurisdiction over United States waters, has proposed a regulation that would give it authority over every lake, stream, stock pond, irrigation ditch and marsh in the nation. It could require farmers to obtain a permit before plowing fields adjacent to levees, dredging irrigation ditches or enlarging artificial stock ponds. It could force a mountain dweller to get Federal approval to protect land against stream erosion. The proposal, the strongest of four alternatives submitted by the agency for public comment, is supported by the Environmental Protection Agency. All four would greatly expand the engineers’ authority to regulate dredge or fill operations involving waters or wetlands.
The House Armed Services Committee cut 7 percent from the Pentagon’s weapons procurement and research programs in approving a $26.5 billion military authorization bill. The cut was far deeper than in recent years. Six junior members of the committee will propose a 14 percent cut. Even with the committee action, however, there would be a significant increase over they current year in spending for the program, which now totals about $21‐billion.
Ted Bundy victim Lynette Culver disappears from Pocatello, Idaho. Bundy lured 12-year-old Lynette Dawn Culver from Alameda Junior High School in Pocatello, 160 miles (255 km) north of Salt Lake City. He drowned and then sexually assaulted her in his hotel room, before disposing of her body in a river north of Pocatello (possibly the Snake). On the eve of his execution in January 1989, Ted Bundy confessed to Lynnette Culver’s death in May of 1975. The body of Lynette Culver has never been found, so she’s still listed as a missing person.
Lee Roy Hargrave Jr., a former nursing aide convicted of administering a lethal dose of medication to an elderly heart patient in Petersburg, Virginia, took an overdose of a tranquilizer shortly after he was sentenced to life imprisonment. A jail official, Dr. Frances Taylor, said, “He apparently took an overdose of Elavil, a tranquilizer. He is in a semi-conscious condition and in shock. He is not critical.” Hargrave, 21, was tried for the murder of Josephine Thomas, 73, the first of six elderly heart patients he is accused of killing last June at Petersburg General Hospital. All involved use of the drug lidocaine, a heart depressant.
The Army and IBM have agreed to terminate a multimillion-dollar computer contract that the Army reportedly entered into without authorization. It called for the installation of nine computers at various bases of the Army Materiel Command. Each was to cost $2.7 million if the Army bought all nine, with the price at $4.3 million each if fewer were taken. The General Accounting Office said the Army had violated the Brooks Act, which gives the General Services Administration sole authority to buy data processing equipment for the federal government.
Increases in the benefits available to users of food stamps will go into effect July 1, the Agriculture Department announced. At the same time President Ford asked Congress for an extra $885 million to keep the program operating through June 30 because the recession has made more people eligible. Officials said food stamp users would receive a cost of living increase with the start of the new fiscal year. There also will be an increase in the amount of money they will be allowed to earn while remaining eligible for stamps. As of March, officials said 19.1 million persons were part of the food program, which is expected to cost $5 billion in the current fiscal year.
Tentative agreement was reached in the 85-day strike by more than 12,000 machinists against the McDonnell Douglas Corp. plant in St. Louis. The union members will vote on the pact Sunday. The strike has slowed production of the F-4 Phantom and the F-15 Eagle fighter planes. The company has maintained, however, that production continued with supervisory employees to meet current contracts. Terms of the proposed contract were not disclosed but pay under the old contract averaged $5.82 an hour.
The presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church said he chose to honor “long-standing commitments” instead of heeding a subpoena to testify before a Washington, D.C., ecclesiastical court, which cited him for contempt. The Right Rev. John M. Allin also made public a memorandum from his attorney expressing the view the court was “in error” in rejecting the bishop’s reasons for not being present and questioning the court’s authority to make the contempt judgment. The contempt finding came on the last day of a three-day trial of the Rev. William A. Wendt, accused of disobeying his local bishop by allowing an irregularly ordained woman to lead a Communion service.
Lumber lobbyists used the cutting down of a dying century-old redwood tree on the California State Capitol grounds as an occasion to “explode some myths” about redwoods and logging. “It’s a myth that when we harvest trees we destroy the forest, and also that redwoods live forever.” Charles Batten, spokesman for the California Forest Protective Assn., said. He said the timber industry is offering the state a young redwood to replace the giant tree. Lumber industry spokesmen, who have been pushing for fewer environmental restrictions on logging. said the event symbolized the conservation they practice. “We log trees that are dying, dead or high risk and leave young, vigorous ones.” Les Alexander, president of Associated California Loggers, said.
Westinghouse Electric Co. offered to sell the federal government four floating nuclear power plants for $1.75 billion. The proposal was submitted by Westinghouse Chairman Robert E. Kirby to Federal Energy Administration chief Frank G. Zarb at a meeting of the American Mining Congress in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Westinghouse said the four 1.15-million kilowatt plants would be produced at its Offshore Power Systems facility in Jacksonville, Florida, and be ready for operation in 1982, 1983, 1984, and 1986. Kirby explained that a floating nuclear plant can be produced in about two to three years after need is determined, while lead-time for a land-based plant is about 10 years.
The first “Moon Tree” to be planted, so called because it was grown from a seed that had been part of small canister containing about 500 seeds that had been taken to the Moon on the Apollo 14 mission, was placed at Washington Square Park in Philadelphia.
Actor Sean Connery (44) weds Micheline Roquebrune in Casablanca.
Joe Namath apparently isn’t convinced the $4-million offered to him by the World Football League really exists, his attorney implied yesterday. He is now talking about staying with the Jets.
Led by Rick Barry who scored 36 points, the Golden State Warriors stormed back from a poor first period tonight and beat the Chicago Bulls. 111‐106. The Warriors’ victory evened the National Basketball Association Western Conference playoff finals at two games apiece.
Major League Baseball:
Mike Jorgensen hits a grand slam and Chuck Taylor tosses three hitless innings in relief of Steve Rogers as the Expos beat the visiting Cubs, 9–4. Rick Reuschel was the victim of Jorgensen’s big hit, the second grand slam of his career. Jorgensen had made his first grand slam off Reuschel, too.
Pete Falcone may pitch the San Francisco Giants into contention this year. The 21‐year‐old lefthander is off to a great start. Last night in Atlanta, Falcone stopped the Braves on two hits over eight innings as the Giants went on to a 7–1 triumph. Falcone, who wasn’t even on the club’s official roster at the start of spring training, earned his third victory in his fifth major league start. He allowed four walks, struck out five and did not allow a hit through the first six innings.
The Reds downed the Cubs, 9–4. Joe Morgan collected three hits, including a two‐run homer, and Pete Rose got four singles as Jack Billingham gained his third victory in four decisions. Billingham yielded six hits, running his career record to 15–6 over the Padres. Morgan’s homer, his second of the season, followed a single by Rose. The third run came on doubles by Dan Driessen and Tony Perez.
Don Sutton pitched a four‐hitter and Steve Garvey hit a two-run single to lead the Dodgers to a 3–1 win over the Astros. Bob Watson ruined Sutton’s bid for his second consecutive shutout in the ninth with a two‐out home run. It was the Astros’ first run in 18 ⅔ innings, and it snapped Sutton’s shutout string at 23 ⅔ innings.
Rain, which has plagued the Mets in this infant season, dealt them a cruel blow again last night when it contributed to an abbreviated 2–1 victory by the Pittsburgh Pirates at Shea Stadium. The opener of a three-game series was called because of rain in the middle of the eighth inning.
Bill Lee pitched a six‐hitter and Bob Montgomery hit a two‐run single as Boston gained its fourth straight victory, dumping the Indians, 4–1. Lee (3–3) lost his bid for a shutout in the sixth inning, when George Hendrick hit his fourth homer of the season. Montgomery’s hit in the second off Dick Bosman followed singles by Jim Rice, Rico Petrocelli and an error by Jack Brohamer.
The Tigers beat the Brewers, 4–2. Joe Coleman fired a one‐hitter and Ron LeFlore drove in two runs and scored one as Detroit halted a three‐game losing streak. Coleman, a right‐hander with a forkbull, gave up a two‐run homer to George Scott in the first inning but gained his second victory in five decisions.
The Royals defeated the Rangers, 6–2, as George Brett cracked a tie‐breaking single and Frank White added a two‐run hit as the Royals scored four times in the eighth inning. Nelson Briles held the Rangers to six hits in gaining his third triumph. He has not been defeated this season.
The Twins beat the White Sox, 4–1. Steve Brye hit his first homer of the campaign, and Larry Hisle added a run‐scoring triple as they posed the Twins to their fourth successive victory. The loser was Wilbur Wood, who suffered his sixth loss. He has won only one game. Bill Campbell, in relief of Dave Goltz, struck out five of the nine batters he faced and saved the Twins’ triumph.
San Francisco Giants 7, Atlanta Braves 1
Minnesota Twins 4, Chicago White Sox 1
San Diego Padres 3, Cincinnati Reds 7
Boston Red Sox 4, Cleveland Indians 1
Milwaukee Brewers 2, Detroit Tigers 4
Texas Rangers 2, Kansas City Royals 6
Houston Astros 1, Los Angeles Dodgers 3
Chicago Cubs 4, Montreal Expos 9
Pittsburgh Pirates 2, New York Mets 1
California Angels 3, Oakland Athletics 5
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 834.72 (-20.88, -2.44%)
Born:
Eric Boguniecki, NHL centre (Florida Panthers, St. Louis Blues, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Islanders), in New Haven, Connecticut.
Jim Chamblee, MLB third baseman and pinch hitter (Cincinnati Reds), in Denton, Texas.
Died:
József Mindszenty, 77, Hungarian Roman Catholic cardinal who was imprisoned and tortured for defying the Communist regime in Hungary. From 1956 to 1971, he was given sanctuary inside the U.S. Embassy in Budapest.
History Diaries 