March 25, 1972

Nixon holds impromptu, untelevised press conf, Oval Office, White House; appears well-briefed and relaxed

NYS Regents Bd, reaffirming its commitment to school integration, for 1st time specifically upholds 'judicious and reasonable use of motor vehicles' to achieve racial balance; statement is indirect rebuke of Nixon's recent antibusing statement and Gov Rockefeller's support of Nixon

Brit Govt suspends prov Govt and Parliament of Ulster; imposes direct rule on prov from London; Heath tells House of Commons that radical steps, which reverse 50 yrs of Brit policy, are necessary to end strife between Caths and Prots in prov; hopes steps will open way for lasting solution; appts W Whitelaw, House of Commons leader, to be Sec of State for Ulster and to assume all legis and exec powers now vested in Ulster Parliament and Govt; direct rule will be authorized for at least 1 yr and will begin next wk after Brit Parliament approves bill; Heath also announces that, plebiscites will be held periodically in Ulster on whether it should unite with Irish Repub; start will be made on phasing out internment and comm representing all shades of opinion will be apptd by Whitelaw to advise him on running Ulster; Labor leader Wilson pledges his party's full support for proposals; will help in getting bill passed quickly; Brit officials disclose that 4,000 soldiers are standing by to be sent to Ulster if necessary to deal with expected increased violence; as Heath speaks in London, Faulkner announces in Belfast that he and his cabinet will resign next wk; by suspending prov govt, Heath has gone long way to meeting demands of Caths who regarded Govt as symbol of sectarianism and discrimination; direct rule has always been described by Brit officials as last resort; officials fear Prot majority in Ulster will react violently to news; Prot leaders react with anger to Heath announcement, charging betrayal and surrender to violence; Caths voice some unhappiness about internment policy but voice satisfaction over downfall of Ulster Govt; some Caths see takeover as beginning of end for partition, believing that GB will tire of ruling prov and will eventually agree that prov should be united with Irish Repub; Prots are angry and afraid because their parliamentary structure was safeguard against absorption by Irish Repub; '49 act of Brit Parliament says that Ulster will not cease to be part of United Kingdom without consent of Ulster Parliament; Prots fear Brit sellout now that there is no Parliament; Irish Repub Prime Min Lynch hails Heath decision; Brit Govt is hoping Lynch will crack down on IRA guerrillas using repub as sanctuary; Dublin sources say Lynch can now move against these people without running risk of being accused of propping up sectarian regime in Belfast; Heath in TV speech appeals to Ulster citizens for calm; in response to questions, he denies he has surrendered to IRA demands and stresses that internment policy will continue; notes that Cath demands of amnesty for all prisoners, withdrawal of Brit troops and abolition rather than suspension of Prot Govt have not been met; because govt has been suspended and not abolished, Ulster MPs will continue to be paid; it is hoped they will join in search for solution to Ulster crisis; illus of Heath, Faulkner, and Whitelaw

The 19‐day strike of parimutuel employes at the Aqueduct race track was settled yesterday. Racing will resume today. Details, Page 21.

Balenciaga, Cristobal