The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet unanimously approved the Helsinki Accords, and a resolution praying “that all countries represented at the conference will live up to the agreements reached. As to the Soviet Union, it will act precisely in this way.” In a formal announcement, the country’s leadership stressed that the main task ahead was to find ways to “complement the relaxation of political tension with an easing of military tension.” This bolstered earlier indications here that disarmament would become a dominant theme in Soviet foreign policy toward the West.
The announcement was made by the Politburo of the Communist party’s Central Committee, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, or Parliament, and the Council of Ministers, or Cabinet. It has been a practice for these three centers of authority to issue formal endorsements of foreign policy commitments made by Leonid I. Brezhnev, the Communist party leader. The wording of the statement, which was distributed tonight by Tess, the official press agency, largely echoed the speech delivered by Mr. Brezhnev last Thursday at the Helsinki conference, even repeating word for word some key phrases. The declaration also made a point of praising Mr. Brezhnev for his “tireless concern about peace on earth.”
Turkey will ask the United States to dismantle its bases on Turkish soil as of September 30 and withdraw its troops if the congressional arms embargo is not lifted by then, a well-informed source in Ankara said. The U.S. Embassy declined to comment. It is not known exactly what form the closure would take if the embargo is not lifted. But the source said he expects virtually all bases to be phased out gradually and the remaining few to be put under North Atlantic Treaty Organization command.
About 4,000 representatives of pro-Communist trade unions, neighborhood commissions, municipal councils and other leftwing associations cheered Portugal’s military triumvirate here today and demanded “the immediate imprisonment of the fascist terrorists.” The rally, which was presided over by the commander of the Oporto military region, was an answer to the anti-Communist violence that is spreading through northern Portugal. Several towns and villages in the region today were openly celebrating “victory” over the Communists and others were promising “to drive the Communists out.” Oporto’s left‐wing military commander, General Eurico Jesus Deus Corvacho, called for national unity, the reinforcement of the alliance between the people and the armed forces to defend Portugal’s Socialist revolution.
Continuing a crackdown on the Spanish military for suspected activities against the regime, military intelligence reportedly arrested seven more officers, bringing the number of armed forces dissidents under detention in the past few days to 21. Although authorities have disclosed the arrest of only one major and seven captains, military sources said that 14 other officers implicated by those detained last weekend have been picked up.
A printers’ strike prevented publication of almost all Paris newspapers for the fifth time in four months, aggravating the industry’s serious labor and financial troubles. A printing union, one of the pillars of the Communist-led CGT union movement, has already announced it will follow up with another national newspaper strike August 20.
The Soviet Foreign Ministry press department has declined so far to issue multiple entry and exit visas to resident news correspondents as provided for under the European security treaty. At present, foreign correspondents must apply for visas each time they leave and reenter the country. A ministry spokesman said no orders had been received. He was unable to say when such multiple visas might be issued.
Milovan Djilas, who is as much a dissident hero as Russian author Alexander Solzhenitsyn, said in an interview in Belgrade that he does not share Solzhenitsyn’s total opposition to détente between the United States and the Soviet Union. Solzhenitsyn’s essential concept is wrong, said the 64-year-old Djilas. “Solzhenitsyn is not proposing alternatives. His alternative is, no compromise. In our time, it is absolute nonsense. America can’t free the Russians. You can criticize the Soviet system, but you cannot do more.”
The death of Hercule Poirot was announced worldwide by the publishers of Agatha Christie’s novel “Curtain.”
Parliament today completed ratification of special legislation to clear a court case pending against Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, and one of her senior Cabinet ministers said further steps should be taken to make her office “immune from judicial scrutiny.” The comment, made in upper house debate by Law Minister H.R. Gokhale, gave credence to widespread reports that the Government was considering amending the Constitution to give the Prime Minister more power. “The last word must rest with the Parliament and nobody else.” Mr. Gokhale said, warning that the intentions of the electoral act could he subverted by “the vagaries of law,” if judges were allowed to interpret it.
The United Nations Security Council declined to approve South Korea’s application for membership. The United States would veto the application of North Vietnam and South Vietnam a week later. The Security Council refused to consider South Korea’s application for United Nations membership, when the vote to place it on the agenda fell two short of the required nine. The United States retaliated by announcing that it would veto the membership applications of South Vietnam and North Vietnam. These were placed on the agenda 14 to 9, with the United States abstaining. A State Department spokesman had said earlier that a package proposal to admit all three would be supported but that this country would reject a “selective program of universality.”
Japanese terrorists in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, early today released nine of some 50 people they have held hostage for nearly two days, then ended the occupation of the United States consulate, and took 15 of the hostages to the airport. The hostages and terrorists headed for an unknown destination. Negotiations had been stalled on arrangements for their transfer to the airport and on finding a country that would accept them. Shortly before 2 AM, the guerrillas, who call themselves the “operations unit of the Japanese Red Army,” released nine women and children, including three American citizens. As hundreds of special Malaysian paramilitary policemen ringed the 12‐story American International Assurance Building in downtown. Kuala Lumpur, the nine were carried or walked down the long spiral stairs to waiting ambulances and police cars.
Later, five Japanese terrorists who had been holding hostages in Kuala Lumpur agreed on terms to release 15 remaining hostages, take two Japanese and two Malaysian volunteers as hostages in their place, and fly to Libya on a Japanese airliner. They moved with the remaining hostages from the office building in the Malaysian capital to the airport in preparation for final release and takeoff to Libya.
Premier Takeo Miki of Japan and President Ford agreed in Washington to cooperate in international efforts lo prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. It was the 30th anniversary of the detonation over Hiroshima of the first atomic bomb, killing 80,000. Neither mentioned this. The leaders reiterated support of a security treaty with a statement that the United States nuclear deterrent “is an important contributor to the security of Japan.”
Members of a United States Congressional delegation visiting China told Deputy Premier Deng Xiao-ping yesterday that the United States is committed to defending South Korea against any attack by North Korea. The Congressmen said to newsmen last night that they had expressed the hope to Mr. Deng that China would act as a restraining influence on North Korea. They said that Mr. Deng had brushed off their suggestion, but Senator Jacob K. Javits, Republican of New York, added that nevertheless “I felt they heard us loud and clear.”
Mr. Javits said that the four Senators and three Representatives had stressed that the United States “won’t get out and fade away” from its commitment to South Korea, and that the United States opposes any attack by South Korea on North Korea. One member of the delegation suggested to Mr. Deng that the United States had a responsibility to restrain South Korea, and China had a similar responsibility to restrain North Korea. Mr. Deng seemed to reject the suggestion by replying, “We don’t have any troops in North Korea.”
Five U.S. congressmen who had requested an opportunity to sample both sides of the political situation in the Philippines met for an hour with opponents of President Ferdinand E. Marcos after lunching with Marcos. They were on a 36-hour visit to the Philippines. The congressmen were Reps. Lester L. Wolff (D-New York), Stephen J. Solarz (D-New York), Gus Yatron (D-Pennsylvania), Benjamin A. Gilman (R-New York) and Tennyson Guyer (R-Ohio).
Argentine President Maria Estela Perón won full backing from the 145 Perónist legislators in the Chamber of Deputies for her choice of an old guard right-winger, Nicasio Sanchez Toranzo, 70, as speaker of the house, following tough opposition from labor representatives in the Perónist bloc. But in return, the powerful labor group obtained assurances that the rightist leadership of the Perónist group in the house would be dropped.
Heavy firing broke out today near an old Portuguese fort in Luanda, Angola where some 600 men of one of the two warring independence movements retreated last month. Troops of the National Front for the Liberation of Angola withdrew there when the rival Soviet‐backed Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola forced them out of their other strongholds in the Angolan capital. Meanwhile, long columns of refugees headed toward Luanda under protection of Portuguese troops after the army had pulled out of the coffee center of Carmona and the nearby air base of Negage. A military communiqué said hundreds of cars in a convoy several miles long had followed the army out of the area.
President Idi Amin of Uganda fired his air force commander and good friend, Brigadier Smuts Guweddeko, for spending too much time on private business matters, Radio Uganda reported. The mercurial president also said he would return several jet fighters to Israel after criticism by some of his Arab backers. Israel supplied Amin with six French-built Fouga Magister jets in the 1960s, but Uganda broke relations with Israel in 1972.
One day before it was to expire, the U.S. Voting Rights Act of 1965 was extended for another ten years. The Act of 1975 had passed the U.S. House of Representatives 341-70 on June 4, 1975, and the U.S. Senate 77-12 on July 24.
President Ford signed a bill that will give 2.2 million disabled veterans and widows cost-of-living increases ranging from 10% to 12%. But at the same time he warned Congress that the bill, retroactive to August 1, was more than double the 5% benefit he had proposed and would cost the government half a billion dollars a year. “I must, therefore, remind the Congress that we simply cannot continue adding to federal deficit spending without facing a day of reckoning,” he said.
William Colby, director of Central Intelligence, testified before a House committee that the National Security Agency eavesdropped on telephone calls made by Americans in this country. He said that this was incidental to monitoring foreign telephone calls, and that traffic with Americans on one end could not he separated on some occasions. Representative Les Aspin, Democrat of Wisconsin, a committee member, said that it was more than incidental and violated the Constitution and laws against warrantless wiretapping.
Federal agents in Detroit questioned Charles O’Brien, foster son of James Hoffa, as the key figure in the disappearance of the former teamster president. Mr. O’Brien’s lawyer said later that his client knew nothing of the matter but might make a public explanation later of his own disappearance. One theory was that Mr. Hoffa might have arranged to disappear since he had been refusing to testify in an investigation of possible irregularities in the affairs of the union.
A bomb exploded in the early morning at the Federal Office Building in Everett, Washington, police said. Police said it apparently was placed outside the door of the administrative office of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. There were no injuries and damage was estimated at $10,000. Eight hours earlier, a bomb exploded in the Federal Courthouse in Tacoma, damaging a men’s room next to an FBI office. The FBI declined comment on a report that both blasts were related to an Indian protest of alleged harassment.
Former Senator Edward Gurney, Republican of Florida, was acquitted in Federal Court in Tampa of five felony charges stemming from an election campaign fundraising operation. The jury returned no verdict on three other felony charges. The chief prosecutor declined to say if these charges would be filed for a new trial. Mr. Gurney later hailed the jury system and said he might try to return to public life.
“I’m not satisfied with the Democratic leadership and its failure to get us together on solutions to the problems,” said a disillusioned Rep. Wilbur D. Mills (D-Ark.) of the recent session of Congress. But he said he wasn’t advocating a change of leadership in Congress and he praised President Ford. “I don’t know anyone under the circumstances the economy-who could have done a better job,” he said. And he still hasn’t decided whether to run for reelection. He said that answer depended on his ability to stand the pressures of Congress and remain sober since his successful treatment for alcoholism. “I won’t do anything to jeopardize my sobriety,” said Mills. “I feel too good.”
The Apollo astronauts, recovered from effects of deadly gases inhaled in landing from their U.S.-Russian space venture, are going home today. A NASA spokesman said the three were back in “pre-flight health” status and will take part in a joint tour planned with the Russian spacemen for early September. They were scheduled to attend a special luncheon with President Ford on Saturday after a news conference. Astronauts Donald R. (Deke) Slayton, Thomas P. Stafford and Vance D. Brand were confined at a military hospital in Hawaii for five days for treatment of lung irritation incurred during their July 24 splashdown.
The head of the International Longshoremen’s Association threatened again to block grain shipments to the Soviet Union unless he was assured the trade would not push up the U.S. cost of living. After an hour-long session in Washington with Agriculture Secretary Earl L. Butz, ILA President Thomas W. Gleason said he was not satisfied with Butz’ explanations. He called for a meeting of all maritime unions for August 18 to discuss the issue. In another development, the Maritime Administration said it had invited Soviet officials to Washington on August 18 to discuss substantially increased shipping rates. The Russians have agreed to move one-third of their grain purchase in U.S. ships, which cost considerably more to run than the going world rate.
Judge Hamilton H. Hobgood barred today the possibility of a death sentence for Joan Little by ruling that the state’s case against her was insufficient to support a charge of first-degree murder. The Wake County Superior Court judge, however, denied a defense motion to non‐suit, or throw out, lesser charges of second‐degree murder and voluntary manslaughter that were automatically included in the state’s original first‐degree murder indictment against Miss Little. Under North Carolina law, the lesser charges are part of a first‐degree indictment.
U.S. Customs agents brought their three-day total of cocaine seized in Florida to 100 pounds worth $22 million with the confiscation of 38.8 pounds of the drug valued at $8.6 million. The latest contraband involved a banana boat arriving from Colombia, a customs spokesman said.
Ten years after Watts, the black ghetto on the south side of Los Angeles, was devastated by fires and upheaval, the mood is one of desperation. Watts became for a time a laboratory for new ideas and bold invention, but public and private money and manpower have dried up, leaving discouragement behind.
A cougar was sighted in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina by four park employees. The big cats had been believed extinct in the region for 100 years. Gilbert W. Calhoun, acting park superintendent, said the park employees also reported both large and small cat tracks, indicating the presence of kittens with an adult animal.
Can you imagine the sophisticated New York City theater crowd being drawn to a Disney movie premiere? You can only if the star is the First Lady of the Theater and the city’s most loved actress-Helen Hayes. Miss Hayes, 74, recently returned from Honolulu, where she taped a Hawaii Five-O episode for television with her son, actor James MacArthur. Now she was attending the opening at the Festival Theater on 57th St. of “One of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing,” in which she leads with Peter Ustinov. Miss Hayes also was in town on behalf of American Field Services and is acting as spokeswoman for the privately funded organization, whose scholarships bring young people to the United States. Reminiscing on both her city and profession, she felt sad that they seemingly have fallen on impoverished days. “But,” she concluded, “they’re like popcorn. “I love them both.”
Major League Baseball:
New York baseball was struck by its second blockbuster of the week yesterday when Yogi Berra was dismissed as manager of the Mets and replaced by one of his coaches, Roy McMillan.
Ending a 2-for-28 slump, Bill Melton drove in five runs with a homer, double and single as the White Sox trounced the Angels, 11–1, behind the pitching of Jim Kaat, who posted his 16th victory.
Rico Carty, hitting at a .422 clip since July 6, smashed a three-run homer for the deciding blow as the Indians defeated the Yankees, 5–3. After Boog Powell drove in a run with a single in the first inning, the Indians were held hitless by Pat Dobson until the sixth when two infield singles set the stage for Carty’s clout. The Yankees knocked out Fritz Peterson in the eighth, but Dave LaRoche brought the rally to an end by striking out Graig Nettles, Chris Chambliss and Sandy Alomar in succession.
Led by Don Baylor, who collected six hits in seven trips, the Orioles swept a twi-night doubleheader, 4–2 and 8–2, to extend the Tigers’ losing streak to 11 games. In the opener, the Orioles scored an unearned run in the second inning on singles by Baylor and Brooks Robinson around an error by Ron LeFlore. In the third, Lee May doubled to drive in Tommy Davis and then scored himself on a single by Jim Northrup. An error by John Knox led to another unearned run in the fourth. Dan Meyer hit a homer for the Tigers. The Orioles put the nightcap away with a five-run outburst in the sixth inning featuring a triple by Elrod Hendricks and doubles by Baylor, Doug DeCinces and Davis.
The Red Sox rewarded the relief pitching of Jim Willoughby by rallying for a run in the eighth and four in the ninth to defeat the Brewers, 5–2. Willoughby, who relieved Jim Burton after the Brewers took a 2–0 lead, yielded only two hits in the last 5 ⅔ innings. The Red Sox picked up their run in the eighth on a double by Rick Burleson and single by Denny Doyle. Then in the ninth, the Red Sox broke away with a double by Cecil Cooper, singles by Rico Petrocelli and Burleson, a pass to Dwight Evans and singles by Doug Griffin and Jim Rice.
The Royals overcame a 3–0 deficit with a four-run rally in the fourth inning to defeat the Twins, 4–3. With two out, Amos Otis walked and scored the Royals’ first run on a double by John Mayberry. George Brett then drew a pass and Tony Solaita followed with a homer to give the Royals their winning edge.
Gaylord Perry scattered seven hits, did not issue a pass and pitched the Rangers to a 5–2 victory over the Athletics, who avoided a shutout when Joe Rudi homered with a man on base in the ninth inning. The Rangers clinched the verdict with three runs in the second on a double by Jim Spencer and singles by Toby Harrah, Tom Grieve and Dave Moates, together with an error.
Taking advantage of two errors, the Mets scored seven unearned runs in the sixth inning and defeated the Expos, 9–6, to give Roy McMillan a winning debut as manager replacing Yogi Berra. The game was stopped by rain with none out in the ninth while the Expos were in the midst of a rally. Del Unser, Felix Millan and Ed Kranepool hit doubles during the Mets’ big inning and two runs were forced in on passes with the bases loaded.
Buddy Bradford, stepping into the Cardinals’ outfield when Bake McBride became ill after the game started, smashed a homer and single to help beat the Pirates, 4–2. Bradford accounted for the Cards’ first run with his round-tripper in the third inning. The Cardinals added their other tallies in the fifth on a triple by Ken Reitz and singles by Mike Tyson, John Denny, Bradford and Ted Simmons. The Pirates loaded the bases in the eighth and scored their two runs on a wild pitch and infield out before Al Hrabosky clamped down to pick up his 16th save of the season.
The Braves rallied for two runs off Andy Messersmith in the ninth inning and defeated the Dodgers, 5–4. Dusty Baker led off by drawing a pass and Ed Goodson singled. After a sacrifice by Larvell Blanks, Rowland Office singled to score Baker. Messersmith then retired Biff Pocoroba, but Dave May batted for Tom House and singled to drive in Goodson. The Braves’ earlier scoring in the game included homers by Ralph Garr and Baker, while the Dodgers had a two-run smash by Willie Crawford.
Continuing his sensational comeback, Randy Jones yielded only two hits and pitched the Padres to a 6–1 victory over the Astros. The Padres provided a winning sendoff for their southpaw by scoring four runs in the first inning. Ted Kubiak plated a pair with a single. Bob Watson tripled in the second and counted the Astros’ run on an infield out by Cliff Johnson. Hector Torres got that run back for the Padres with a homer in the third. The victory was the 15th of the season for Jones, who lost 22 games last year.
The Reds amassed 20 hits, including nine for extra bases, and overpowered the Giants, 12–5. Every Cincy starting player collected at least one hit and drove in at least one run. Tony Perez had the lone homer in the attack, but Cesar Geronimo rapped two triples and Darrel Chaney drove in three runs with a pair of doubles. Jack Billingham was hit on the left leg by a line drive off the bat of Gary Matthews in the seventh inning and had to leave the game. Clay Carroll finished.
The game between the Cubs and Phillies at Veterans Stadium was rained out. It would be made up on September 5th.
California Angels 1, Chicago White Sox 11
New York Yankees 3, Cleveland Indians 5
Baltimore Orioles 4, Detroit Tigers 2
Baltimore Orioles 8, Detroit Tigers 2
Minnesota Twins 3, Kansas City Royals 4
Atlanta Braves 5, Los Angeles Dodgers 4
Boston Red Sox 5, Milwaukee Brewers 2
Montreal Expos 6, New York Mets 9
Houston Astros 1, San Diego Padres 6
Cincinnati Reds 12, San Francisco Giants 5
Pittsburgh Pirates 2, St. Louis Cardinals 4
Oakland Athletics 2, Texas Rangers 5
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 813.67 (+3.52, +0.43%)
Born:
Renate Goetschl, Austrian alpine skier (Olympic silver and bronze medals, 2002), in Judenburg, Austria.
Víctor Zambrano, Venezuelan MLB pitcher (Tampa Bay Devil Rays, New York Mets, Toronto Blue Jays, Baltimore Orioles), in Los Teques, Venezuela.
Shayne Toporowski, Canadian NHL right wing (Toronto Maple Leafs), in Paddockwood, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Jamie McGonnigal, American voice actor (“Pokémon”, “One Piece”), in Weymouth, Massachusetts.
History Diaries 