February 19, 1971

Xuan Thuy charges US threatens to extend war to N Vietnamese territory and by so doing menaces Communist China as well, 103d Paris talks session; says US threatens N Vietnam and Communist China by concentrating large land forces in northern part of S Vietnam, reinforcing naval forces in Tonkin Gulf and extending operations in Laos; makes no direct threat of reprisal, but his spokesman says China 'will not remain with its arms folded' before such a menace; Xuan Thuy expresses anger at Nixon's refusal to rule out ground thrust into N Vietnam and at timing of Nixon's warnings on talks; Mrs Nguyen Thi Binh makes similar statements; Bruce blames N Vietnam for continued fighting; says, after session, all it produced was 'false and useless propaganda'; Pham Dang Lam, during session, makes rept on Laotian operation; says S Vietnamese forces have eliminated 600 N Vietnamese soldiers and have captured large quantities of supplies; details on his rept; Xuan Thuy illus

Under Sec Russell abruptly resigns from interior post; his apptmts to bd, made when he was Acting Sec last Nov, linked; 7 of appointees lacked required expertise; all were identified upon investigation by newsmen as minor Repub stalwarts; it is embarrassing publicity following apptmts, rather than Russell's other controversial actions, that brought about his ouster

Sec Laird announces formation of high level, civilian-dominated bd to assume direct control of domestic investigations by mil intelligence operatives; indicates he is concerned about indications that mil at times has been overzealous in spying on antiwar and civil rights leaders in gathering information on potential urban riots; issues directive calling for tighter civilian control of program he says 'protects natl security while insuring const, civil and private rights' of individuals and orgns; establishes 5-man Defense Investigative Rev Council under Asst Sec Froehlke to 'direct, manage and inspect' all domestic intelligence by mil; other members are Under Secs Beal, Warner, McLucas, and Defense Intelligence Agency dir, Lt Gen Bennett; council will rept directly to Laird; in naming council, Laird reverses Dec 23 action putting Defense Intelligence Agency in charge of domestic investigations and calling for agency to rept directly to him on all intelligence matters, foreign and domestic, rather than through Joint Cs/S; Froehlke says he is convinced abuses have occurred and that blame must be shared by both mil and civilian leaders; says 'biggest culprit' was pol climate following '67 Detroit riots when Johnson Adm became alarmed about potential riots all over US; says his probe convinced him that civilian officials ordered 'reluctant' mil to conduct probes in specific communities, but once involved, 'mil over-reacted'; sees no 'grand conspiracy'; says 90% or more of domestic mil probes will continue to focus on security investigations of individuals who are to be given access to classified documents and in connection with protecting mil installations

US Amb Rush, Brit Amb Jackling, French Amb Sauvagnarques and USSR Amb Abrasimov hold 15th session on Berlin; USSR source repts talks have moved into new stage of 'negotiations'; Abrasimov says USSR is willing to discuss certain points of allies' proposal; Western sources rept USSR still feels access issue should be settled by E Ger, W Ger and W Berlin; say allies are willing to bar W Ger legislative activities in W Berlin

Nixon Adm unveils proposals for multibillion-dollar health care pkg to provide better med care to nearly all Amers by tapping private rather than pub sector; main initiative to improve quality of med care is so-called Health Maintenance Orgn, similar to Health Ins Plan (NY), Kaiser Plans (Midwest and Calif) and Puget Sound Plan (Washington) currently in operation; some 8 million Amers are currently enrolled in plans, which emphasize preventive med; Asst Sec Egeberg comments on advantages of plans, news conf; illus; Asst Sec Butler says Adm will seek $45-million in fiscal '72 to start 100 such plans and that goal is establishment of 200 in next few yrs; says goal is to have 90% of population enrolled in plans; proposals include legis to circumvent laws in 22 states that prohibit or restrict operation of such plans