May 20, 1970

World Meteorological Orgn to sponsor establishment of stations for measuring pollution in some of most isolated clean parts of earth as indicator of how bad pollution is elsewhere; details on plan; selection of sites is complicated because agency wants assurances that there will no change in use of land within 62-mi radius during next 50 yrs

D Harman, Israeli educ expert studying at Harvard U, challenges Census Bur estimate that 8.3% of US population over age 25 is functionally illiterate and contends that figure is more likely 50%, article in Harvard Educ Rev (pub); bases challenge on belief that there is no assurance that person who completes 4th or 5th grade, present common definition of functional literacy, is able to retain level of educ; also cites '63 Chicago study and '67 natl study of disadvantaged adults which showed that about 50% of people with 6th grade educ or higher were functionally illiterate; Educ Office official agrees there is problem of definition

White House press sec repts Nixon and Cabinet members discussed situation, 1st Cabinet meeting after mo of crisis

White House aides seek to reach compromise with bipartisan Sen coalition backing Cooper-Church amendment; amendment sponsors reptdly stressed they will accept no weakening of substantive provisions; Mansfield hopes 'accomodation' could be reached with White House; ex-Under Sec Katzenbach backs amendment

Pres Nixon asks Cong for 2.3c-a-gal tax on leaded gasoline as antipollution device; '71 estimate assumes passage of tax; tax would be imposed on lead content and would be collected from mfrs or importers of lead additives