February 18, 1973

FDA repts on Feb 17 that an inst-size can produced by United Canners Co has been found to contain poison that produces botulism; announces that 29,500 cans of product are being recalled; cautions users to be alert to brand names and codes of lots being recalled; cans were distributed in NYS, Penna, Ohio, Wis and Ill; claims Stouffers Food Co received some of product, but asserts co has taken steps to stop all distribution of any of its products containing mushrooms; urges users, mainly restaurants and pizza parlors, who find they have lots being recalled should return them to distributors; agency lists labels and distributors for cans recalled; cities where shipments were distributed cited

SEC: G B Cook chmn, J R Evans member

P Hagan comments on her experience in climbing Sangre de Cristo (Blood of Christ) Mts near Santa Fe, NM; cartoon

US Sen Foreign Relations Com staff rept made public on Feb 17 says that Philippines Pres Marcos believes that last fall, shortly before he imposed martial law, he was target of right-wing assassination plot involving hired killer from US; rept, prepared by J G Lowenstein and R M Moose, com members who last Nov made an inspection trip to Philippines, says top Philippines Govt official, believed to have been Marcos himself, informed them that Marcos imposed martial law after uncovering assassination plot and that key figures involved were Vice Pres Lopez, S Osmena Jr, Marcos's opponent in '69 Pres election, and 3 Amers; rept says official arranged for them to receive document describing 'a web' of plots against Marcos Govt including 'rightist revolution and coup d'etat'; document detailed plot, claimed E Adevoso, opposition Liberal party official, headed revolutionary junta whose aims were to discredit Marcos and then kill him; part of plan was to designate Vice Pres Lopez as caretaker Pres during transition period; plan reptdly was approved by Osmena, Liberal party and their alleged Amer supporters, particularly L Tractman who had been convicted of smuggling in US; rept states further that Tractman, in June '72, and 2d Amer R Pincus brought 3d Amer A McC Lehman to Manila and introduced him as a professional killer; Lehman's reptd arrangements to kill Marcos detailed; Philippines Govt, on Nov 15, had announced arrest of Lehman and stated he had confessed to assassination plot; Lopez is imprisoned in Philippines, Osmena reptdly is in hiding in US; rept says top Philippines official says there was no public mention of plot because conspiracy extended into highest Govt circles; does not vouch for accuracy of acct of reptd plot and notes that US Embassy officials say they had no knowledge of it; also points out fact that Marcos Govt might have an interest in promoting story of rightist plot to justify imposition of martial law; Lopez and Osmena pors

Decline in rehabilitation of NYC apt bldgs noted; 1 indicator of decline is decrease in applications for certificates of eviction from 408 in 1971 to 168 in 1972; eviction certificates are granted for demolition as well as rehabilitation purposes and also reflect decline in construction; recent changes in adm procedures for granting certificates noted