March 15, 1973

Jordanian King Hussein on Mar 14 says he has commuted death sentences passed against A Daoud, leader of Al Fatah guerrilla orgn, and 16 of his colleagues; death sentences were passed by ct-martial on Mar 4 and approved by Hussein; guerrillas were convicted of having entered Jordan illegally in Feb with aim of subversion against security of state; Hussein, major opponent of Palestinian guerrillas, reptdly approved death sentences in reaction to terrorist attack by Black September guerrillas on Saudi Arabian Embassy in Khartoum, Sudan, on Mar 1, in which US Amb C A Noel Jr, US charge d'affaires G C Moore and Belgian charge d'affaires G Eid were slain; Hussein says he was prompted by 'sincere and honest appeals' that he spare lives of guerrillas

Pres Nixon sends to Cong on Mar 14 anticrime proposals, including proposals to halt airplane hijacking

Adm officials on Mar 14 reveal Pres Nixon has decided to sell large amounts of metals from nation's strategic stockpile in effort to drive down soaring prices, 1st such move by US; Pres will estab lower levels of such reserves, based reptdly on more peaceful atmosphere in world; among key metals affected are copper, lead, zinc, nickel, silver and tin

Sen, 49-44, following tense debate, votes on Mar 14 to allow urban areas to spend their share of Fed hwy money to build rapid rail systems; proposal, amendment to $18-billion, 3-yr hwy construction bill, will permit for 1st time revenues from Hwy Trust Fund to be used for purposes not related to hwys; amendment, sponsored by Sens Muskie and H H Baker, would give met areas choice of spending $850-million they receive from fund each yr either to construct hwys, buy buses or build rapid rail systems; Nixon Adm supports mass transit plan but opposes 2 other proposals adopted by Sen, including amendment sponsored by Sen Williams to provide $3-billion more over 3 yrs from Gen Treas for construction of mass transit projects and $800-million over next 2 yrs to offset operating defects of existing systems and amendment sponsored by Sen Bellman to require that exec branch spend all money in hwy bill; Nixon Adm and several of its Dem predecessors have impounded, or withheld, hwy money in past and Nixon wants to retain this option; Sen rejects amendment that would have allowed $2.3-billion from fund to be spent on mass transit; Sen Weicker calls vote 'shattering victory over hwy lobby'; Sen Randolph, 1 of strongest advocates of more hwys, accuses Weicker of 'castigating rd bldg'; Sen Williams contends more money for construction means little if existing systems cannot afford to run; illus of Sens Muskie and Baker

Staten Island Boro Pres R T Connor on Mar 14 announces that he is switching from Repub to Dem party