April 17, 1972

USSR formally protests to US in reaction to bombing of Haiphong and warns that expansion of air war could aggravate not only Indochina situation but 'internatl situation as whole'; this taken at veiled warning that heavy bombing campaign against N Vietnam could put Nixon's visit to USSR in jeopardy; protest made to US Amb Beam on Apr 16; Tass also issues authorized statement condemning US action

Nationwide survey reveals state police forces remain more tightly segregated than any other previously all-white profession; finds that only 5 states, Calif, Ill, Md, NJ and Penna, have more than 10 blacks, that at least 10 states have no blacks at all on their forces and that many more have under 2; repts that Ala, under recent Fed ct order, has recently hired its 1st 3 black troopers and that the names of over 100 others were placed on eligibility list; says supts of police, in many states, stress intensive but unsuccessful recruiting efforts they have made in last 2 yrs; breakdown by state of black members of police force; illus of Capt R M Patton of Ill, highest-ranking uniformed black state trooper in nation

NYS Legis is beginning to consider major bills that it has consistently deferred; bills deal with aid to parochial schools, no-fault auto ins and other significant matters; thousands of bills that have been introduced will not be sent to Legis floor by coms; those that get on Sen and Assembly calendars have some chance of passage; last wk, Assembly approved 150 minor bills; some of bills are controversial and may be subjected to greater scrutiny in future

April 17: US Adm officials declare, Apr 16, that US is prepared to bomb mil targets almost anywhere in N Vietnam; statement follows weekend air raids on Haiphong and Hanoi by waves of US planes, 1st attacks against those cities since end of Mar '68 and 1st use of B-52s against them; US command in Saigon says that at Haiphong planes struck fuel dumps, warehouses, trucks, 'and other activities' supporting invasion; Washington officials stress that Nixon must personally authorize future raids in areas that are considered politically sensitive; Hanoi radio repts a USSR freighter in Haiphong harbor had been damaged and one of the ship's officers hurt by bomb fragments and shells from US planes; sr mil and diplomatic sources in US list among objectives of expanding air war: to disrupt flow of war supplies and reinforcements; to warn Hanoi it faces mounting raids if it plans to conduct a long period of fighing in South; to persuade USSR to use its influence on Hanoi to scale down or terminate soon its offensive; some officials say mining or blockading of Haiphong harbor has been ruled out for fear of upsetting Nixon's visit to USSR in May; while major decisions on bombing target areas are reptdly made by Nixon, planes carrying out missions are under direct command of Gen Abrams and Gen J W Vogt Jr; map

Gov Rockefeller, on Apr 16, asks Legis to authorize $12-million more for 'reforms and improvements' in NYS prison system; says $1.3-million will be used to create a 'special program facility', 'maxiumum program, maximum security' facility that Correction Dept plans to create from an existing prison in state; says half of the funds requested will be used to increase and train personnel, that the rest will be for services and programs for prisoners; categories in which money will be spent detailed