January 9, 1971

Jarring illus

sources dose to NYS Gov Rockefeller disclose that Temporary NYS Comm to Evaluate Drug Laws subcom will recommend major reductions in penalties against users and sellers of marijuana; say that recommendations will include: reduction of some marijuana offenses from felonies to misdemeanors; across-bd reduction in penalties, so that maximum penalty will be reduced from 15 to 7 yrs; distinction between seller and person who gives marijuana to another, with sharply reduced penalties for both; deferment of prosecution to 1st offenders under 21 to permit counseling under ct auspices, with youth to be released if counseling is considered successful; subcom, headed by NYS Sen Dunne, emphasizes that marijuana is dangerous and should not be legalized; other recommendations outlined

USSR, in Helsinki SALT talks, reptdly suggested that USSR and US take 1st step toward limiting strategic arms race with accord to restrict ABM systems to command pasts in Washington and Moscow; US reptdly rebuffed suggestion, wanting defensive systems linked to limits on offensive systems at well; US officials deny speculation US might be willing to settle for much more ltd agreement than Washington originally proposed; central deadlock in Helsinki talks reptdly concerned Soviet demand that numerical limitation on defensive weapons include roughly 500 Amer bombers based in Eur and Mediterranean; original Amer proposal, submitted in July, excluded Eur bombers since US considered them 'tactical' rather than 'strategic'

Antilles (liner): Antilles runs aground and burns off Caribbean island of Muslique while navigating through shallow reef-filled area; 690 passengers and crew members reptd safe after abandoning burning ship; more than 9 ships, including liner Queen Elizabeth 2, and various other vessels aid in rescue operation; engine room explodes as passengers are drifting away from ship; resident of Mustique says he tried to warn ship of shallow area but could not get radio message through in time; ship is owned by French Line; illus of ship launching in '51; map

natl unemployment rate rises to 6%, Dec, dashing hopes of Nixon Adm officials that unemployment would drop significantly once GM strike was over