October 8, 1973

Five years ago the Metropolitan Transportation Authority took control of the city's troubled subways.

NYC Jewish community on Oct 7 focuses its actions and its prayers on fighting that broke out in Middle East on Yom Kippur, Day of Atonement; $242,000 is collected from 5 synagogues in Nassau County, Bklyn and Queens within 24 hrs

today is Columbus Day, and banks, post offices, courts, and other city, state and Federal offices will be closed. Also shut will be schools and colleges in the city and most suburban areas.

Israeli mil spokesman says on Oct 7 that Israeli forces have blocked advance of Egyptian and Syrian armies and cut off force of about 400 Egyptian tanks that established 2 bridgeheads on eastern bank of Suez Canal; says heavy fighting is raging around bridgeheads, apparently as Israeli forces begin counterattack; says Israeli Air Force flew scores of raids deep into Egypt and Syria; says Israeli Phantom fighter-bombers struck airfields and other targets as far west as Cairo, and knocked out much of Syrian air defense system; notes that despite frequency of raids, no Egyptian planes came up to meet attacking Israelis; Israelis assume that Egyptians decided to withhold their air force to use later; spokesman says that Egyptian tank force is isolated after Israeli jets knocked out 9 of 11 bridges Egyptians laid across canal; by end of 2d day of fighting, Israelis appear to have consolidated their positions on both fronts and are preparing major counterattacks; Maj Gen C Herzog, retired former chief of mil intelligence, stresses that Israel is still mobilizing and has yet to commit bulk of its forces to battle, news conf; says that Arab armies have been largely committed and fighting for more than 24 hrs; predicts that this will prove 'very significant factor' in coming days; says strategy is to consolidate Israeli forces for major counterattack when Israel is ready; says that most of fortified Israeli positions on east bank of canal that make up so-called Bar-Lev Line have come under attack from Egyptians during last 24 hrs and that all but 1 or 2 have held; Israelis are bracing themselves for repts of heavy casualties; on Syrian front, Israeli jets pound network of surface-to-air missile sites that Syrians recently installed along cease-fire line with Israel; Herzog says that 'fair percentage' have been destroyed and that as result Israeli Air Force has 'a reasonably clear hand' over Golan area; Israelis reptdly manage to stop Syrian advance and appear to be driving Syrian tanks back toward cease-fire line; Jordanian front is quiet; Herzog illus

Prof J Erickson, one of Britain's leading authorities on Soviet mil, in 1st specific public assessment of over-all Soviet reinforcements in Central Eur, repts spending on mil forces there has risen by $10-billion in recent yrs; calls increase in Soviet tank strength 'spectacular'; makes detailed assessment in Strategic Review, published by US Strategic Inst in Washington; gives exact figures on increase in money and in numbers of airborne divs, tanks and tactical aircraft; buildup has come as Amer public opinion has swung toward cutting US forces in Eur; Erickson, in his article, disputes surmise by Western intelligence sources that Soviet buildup is effort to improve Russian bargaining position in talks with West on Central Eur troop reductions; says 'mil priorities come 1st'