September 23, 1972

US Sen Finance Com approves vast, $14.6-billion package of Soc Security benefits and welfare reforms on Sept 22 after 15 mos of delays; bill emerges from com after persistent prodding by Nixon Adm and Cong leaders; measure is tentatively scheduled to reach Sen floor by middle of next week; com chmn Sen R Long predicts floor debate will last about 1 mo; new proposals outlined

Nixon stumps south Tex; visits Laredo, Rio Grande City and attends Dems for Nixon reception at J B Connally's ranch, Floresville; about 1/2 of trip is paid for by taxpayers and rest, including flight back to Washington, by Com to Re-Elect the Pres; Nixon accompanied on 1st 1/2 of trip by Sen Bentsen and Reprs de la Garza and Kazen; Nixon illus in Rio Grande City playing Happy birthday on piano for de la Garza; Nixon illus in Laredo

Martial law, imposed on Philippines on Sept 23 after attempt is made on life of Defense Sec, closes newspaper offices and radio stations; Agence France-Presse repts that Govt orders 24-hr suspension of all out-going news traffic; AP repts that police close its office in Manilla Times bldg, forcing agency to resort to commercial communications

US Labor Dept repts on Sept 22 that consumer prices rose only 0.2% in Aug, producing Consumer Price Index of 1257 and projected annual increase of 2.5%; says Aug prices are up 2.9% over same-period '71 and that this increase compares with 4.4% in 12 mos before controls began; comparative chart of Consumer Price Index

FDA curbs use of hexachlorophene, germicide linked to deaths of 39 French babies, and orders recall of products containing large amts of chem; some stocks of products containing 3/4 of 2% or less of hexachlorophene will be allowed to continue to be sold but mfrs must cease production and distribution immediately; in future, hexachlorophene products can be sold only on prescription and in weaker strengths; FDA Comr Edwards says public is 'needlessly and massively exposed' to chem, which can cause brain damage and paralysis if large doses are absorbed through pores of skin; says FDA Jan announcement that warning labels be placed on hexachlorophene products is inadequate, in light of recommendations of advisory com and data gathered by agency scientists in France during past mo; hexachlorophene is widely used in toiletries, cosmetics and cleansers and involves thousands of brand names

US State Dept spokesman C W Bray repts Soviet practice of imposing heavy departure taxes on Jews and others wishing to emigrate was discussed at conf between US Sec Rogers and Israeli Min A Eban in Washington, DC; says Rogers informed Eban that US has raised matter on number of occasions with Soviet officials on various levels

General (Steering) Committee: UN Assembly Gen Com meets

Nixon por

Dr S Brody is robbed and stabbed on Sept 21 in Harlem as he walks to Penn Central station on 125th St; is in satisfactory condition at Hosp for Joint Diseases with wound in abdomen; attack is 2d in 2 days in same area; follows stabbing death of Dr W G Friedmann on Sept 20 near Columbia Univ, who was also on way to Penn Central station when he was robbed and killed

Yr-long study for Natl Manpower Task force of NYC's handling of Federally-financed emergency employment program has found NYC Lindsay adm making little effort to reach chronically unemployed and Vietnam veterans, while favoring teachers and other professionals with jobs; study shows that less than 10% of more than 3,700 jobs filled since program began have gone to Vietnam veterans; Deputy Mayor E K Hamilton says on Sept 22 that NYC has had great difficulty in interesting veterans in jobs on program and that gen policy of city was to hire best qualified applicants for job, which often means professional types; program detailed; Manpower Task Force exec dir R Taggart says NYC is '1 of worst' in program in terms of getting good mixture of veterans, unemployed and under-employed for whom program was intended when it began last Sept; Hamilton says NYC made 'hell of an attempt' to reach veterans but that they seemed to expect something more than public service jobs at $7,000 or so a yr

New York hung a gold medal on Bobby Fischer yesterday.

NY Times survey of factors that have led to civil strife in Philippines in recent mos cites depression in nation's agr sector, situation that has resulted from poverty among its farmers; finds plant diseases, lack of credit and mktg have handicapped growers, situation which has been exacerbated by failure of Philippine Cong to appropriate funds to implement nation's new land reform law