August 31, 1973

article answers questions pertaining to practical applications of new stringent NYS narcotics law, which becomes effective on Sept 1; chart categorizes drug offenses and penalties for each under new legis

Agr Dept, signaling more potential food increases, repts on Aug 30 that avg price of all raw farm products soared by record 20% to new high in mo ended Aug 15; says prices topped 100% of parity for 1st time in 21 yrs; rept covers prices realized by farmers for their products but does not correlate them to wholesale or retail prices; rept shows farmers' costs in Aug rose 3%; finds, however, that farm prices rose to 102%, highest level since Aug '52; priceswere at 88% July 15 and 75% in mid‐Aug '72; notes that number of commodities were above 100% of parity figure, which is considered 'fair' price for farm products in comparison with cost of things farmers buy

temperatures in NYC on Aug 30 reach over 90 degrees for 3d consecutive day, forcing voltage cutbacks and opening illegally of many fire hydrants; Natl Weather Service predicts heat to continue through Labor Day‐weekend; table of official temperatures

People's Repub of China on Aug 30 announces new ruling Politburo that includes Mao Tse‐tung, Chou en‐lai and other seasoned leaders as well as a former textile worker and farmer; members of Politburo, which runs country on daily basis, were named at 1st session of Chinese Communist party's new Central Com, which was elected at recently concluded 10th party Cong; Cong was held to set up new party structure to take acct of developments of last 2 yrs, especially events of Sept '71 when Defense Min Lin Piao reptdly was killed in air crash after attempting to assassinate Mao; new Politburo named standing com of 9 and designated 5 vice chmn, returning to structure that prevailed before Cultural Revolution of later '60s; naming of vice chmn seen preparatory move for collective leadership when Mao dies; move is viewed in light of fact that just‐concluded 10th Cong designated no single deputy and successor to Mao; Chou is now seen as 2d in command but he is not seen as having been given any formalized status as Mao's deputy; Politburo includes Wang Hung‐wen, 36‐yr‐old cotton mill worker, Wei Kuo‐ching, leader of Chuang minority people and Kwangsi pol boss and Chen Yung‐kuei, head of model commune at Tachai; selection marks 1st time that workers and farmers have been made members or alternate members; 5 vice chmn are Chou, Wang, Yeh Chien‐ying, Kang Shen and Li Teh‐sheng; those named to Politburo standing com are: Mao and all 5 vice chmn as well as Chu Teh, Chang Chun‐chiao and Tung Pi‐wu; their backgrounds noted; new power line up seen containing mix of old and new civilian leaders and mil men; Chiang Ching, Mao's wife, is notably absent from top leadership; also missing is Yao Wen‐yuan; announcement confirms dramatic jump into top leadership of Wang Hung‐wen, usually viewed as protege of Chang Chun‐chiao; Wang career sketch; phrase and composition of Central Com and Politburo seen indications that main concern of Cong is succession; Mao will be 80 in Dec and reptdly is increasingly fragile and reptdly has periods of mental lapses; 13 of 21 full members of Politburo who were members of old Politburo are: Mao, Chou, Chiang Ching, Yeh Chien‐ying, Chu Teh, Chang Chin‐chiao, Yao Wen‐yuan, Kang Sheng, Tung Pi‐wu, Liu Po‐cheng, Li Hsien‐nien, Hsu Shih‐yu and Chen Hsi‐lien; 3 of members who were alternates in last Politubro are Chi Teng‐kuei, Li Teh‐sheng and Wang Tung‐hsing; 5 new members include Hua Kuo‐feng and Wuh Teh besides Wang Hung‐wen, Wei Kuo‐ching and Chen Yung‐kuei; those named as new alternates include Wu Kuei‐hsien, Su Chen‐hua, Ni Chih‐fu and Saifudin; illus of Mao, Chou and Wang Hung‐wen at party Cong

Canadian Parliament convenes on Aug 30 to consider legis providing for wage increases and further bargaining in attempt to end rail strike which has jolted nation's econ; Govt of Prime Min Trudeau and Opposition leader R Stanfield try to make maximum pol capital of emergency session; striking unions reject Govt's terms as 'meager,' raising possibility that strike may not be ended as easily as observers expected; officials still predict trains will be running by next wk; rr workers charge through police ranks and break windows in Parliament bldg before session, but disorder is quickly contained