August 8, 1972

Fed Govt charges on Aug 7 that C Ross, 36-yr-old avowed heroin addict posing as atty, won acquittals for 4 fellow addicts in Bklyn Criminal Ct; incident detailed; Ross illus in custody of law enforcement officer

Environmental Quality Council deletes chapter on energy problems from annual rept on state of environment reptdly on instructions from White House and Management and Budget Office because of fear that topic would spark controversy in election yr; chapter reptdly discusses oil imports, trans-Alaska pipeline, offshore drilling, and is critical of oil indus

confidential and federally financed study reptdly favors construction of proposed $100-million STOLport in Hudson County (NJ) Meadowlands; map; study envisions facility offering flights ranging up to 500 mi that would offer travelers easy access to STOLports, compared with long rides out to most major jetports; construction of facility reptdly has full backing of FAA, but opposition to it has already been voiced in several communities bordering meadowlands

White House, on Aug 7, throws its public support behind a compromise proposal by Sen Jackson to attach Cong understandings to interim agreement with USSR freezing number of offensive missiles; under resolution, worked out over weekend by Jackson and White House, Cong would urge that any future treaty controlling offensive weapons be based on principle of equality of forces; Jackson drops provision calling for abrogation of 5-yr interim agreement before it expires if USSR takes steps jeopardizing US deterrent forces; resolution instead endorses present provisions for abrogating accompanying treaty on defensive missiles; White House issues statement making it clear that Nixon endorses modified resolution; Cong sources rept that Kissinger explained revised resolution to Soviet diplomats and won their acquiescence on ground that agreement itself would not be affected; White House press aide G L Warren says there have been discussions with Russians and that he expects no Soviet objections to Jackson resolution; Sen Cooper expresses objections to resolution; Dem Pres nominee Sen McGovern issues statement charging that Nixon risks escalation of arms race through reptd plans to develop larger, more accurate warheads capable of knocking out Soviet missiles; charges plans violate spirit of present arms agreements

Knapp and Gov Rockefeller's counsel M Whiteman are scheduled to meet on Aug 8 in Albany to discuss Knapp Comm's proposal that Rockefeller appoint special deputy atty gen to deal with corruption in city's criminal justice system; Knapp says that appointment is 'urgent' step in fight against corruption; city's 5 dist attys and PBA head McKiernan issues statements denouncing recommendation; Knapp por

allied command repts on Aug 7 that Amer jets have destroyed 14 tanks supporting new N Vietnamese attack on Kompong Trabek and Neak Luong in Cambodia; Cambodia says Govt troops knocked out 5 enemy tanks on previous day; map

NYS Sen Com on Housing and Urban Development holds 1st of series of hearings into corruption in NYC construction indus on Aug 7; hearings were prompted by NY Times survey describing pay-offs in indus which amount to $25-million per yr; J O Neill, bldgs comr from '67 to '70, testifies that he had drafted plans for stricter supervision of inspectors and computerization of records that were never put into effect because of lack of funds; J Stein, present comr, confirms that many reforms have not been made and cites hiring freeze over which he has no control; Sen Goodman, chmn of com, says 1st day's witnesses disclosed 'fascinating pattern of inaction on problem of graft'; says com will try to formulate suggestions of ways to eliminate bribery and says he will not hesitate to subpoena contractors and inspectors; O'Neill stresses that City Govt will have to take action before it can expect cooperation from indus; places blame on HDA which he says tends to regard Bldgs Dept as low-priority agency for budgeting purposes; Comr Stein proposes hiring elite corps of about 30 professional engineers to oversee regulation of construction projects but he says city would have to pay salary of at least $20,000 to attract licensed engineers; Investigation Comr Ruskin endorses idea of 'construction coordinator'; W J Glinsman, pres of Allied Bldg Inspectors Union, suggests formation of an Inspection Dept that would group together all of city's inspectors; Ruskin describes corruption as 'organized and systematic' and says in most bribe cases both payer and recipient are perfectly satisfied with arrangement; illus

OTB head Samuels on Aug 7 announces that work week of 3 days of 13 hrs each is being introduced for branch mgrs and security personnel of OTB, aiming to eliminate need for 255 jobs in next yr; says that move is in effect in several offices and is scheduled for about 100 more next mo; says move is part of tough and creative management program to save $10-million and to hold operating budget down to $55-million for fiscal yr that started on July 1; details; Samuels por

August 8: (McGovern Campaign--Selection of New Vice-Pres Candidate--Labor Role) Dem Natl Com plans to vote for Vice-Pres nomination on Aug 8 by roll-call rather than acclamation vote; J Stewart, communications dir of com, explains that roll-call will give members chance to vote for candidates other than S Shriver; proceedings will be televised in full by NBC; comment on credentials contests over delegates from NJ, Ohio, Wis and Va; credentials battles only involve 9 seats and are not seen as crucial to vote; illus of Wis delegate being challenged; illus of Ohio challengers and delegate

US Sen, 78-11, defeats bill providing for strong curbs on sale and possession of all types of firearms; bill, sponsored by Sen E M Kennedy, would have required registration of all firearms and licensing of all gun owners; Sen also votes down proposal by Sen Hart to ban possession of all privately owned handguns within a year; more limited bill which bans mfr and sale of snub-nosed handguns is expected to pass this week

states seen reaping fiscal windfall through belated discovery of provision in '67 Soc Security law permitting 75% Fed financing for 'soc services' that state contracts out as well as those provided directly; program, which was changed by Cong in Great Soc period, seen costing Fed Govt $4.8-billion in fiscal '73; under program, which is administered by HEW Dept, states are finding that they can collect 75-cents out of every dollar spent by making small changes or expansions in soc programs they were already paying for themselves; Calif was 1st state to discover law and Ill 2d, and many states are now applying; program cost only $370-million in fiscal '69, but now supplemental appropriations seen needed by spring '73; starting in '70, Pres Nixon each yr asked Cong to place over-all ceiling on allowable grants to states, but each time Cong rejected request; this yr Sen Appropriations Com and later full Sen approved $2.5-billion ceiling, but bill was then dropped in Sen-HR conf