December 8, 1973

Vice Pres Ford says on Dec 7 that if Pres Nixon continues to be successful in solving Middle East problems, 'there will be a groundswell of support' for him, news conf; says 'Amer people are far more interested in peace than in a matter like Watergate'; illus of Ford with Nixon

Labor Dept officials, in reptg rise in unemployment rate to 4.7% in Nov, say that oil shortage was not involved

NYC Police Comr D F Cawley on Dec 7 asserts that because he had been apptd to specific term in office he has declined to submit resignation requested of high-ranking Mayor Lindsay adm officials by Mayor-elect A D Beame; Cawley decision angers Beame, who declares 'nobody is going to run the City of NY after Jan 1 but the Mayor'

Repr J J Rhodes, newly-elected House minority leader, tells reporters on Dec 7 that he would not be party to any move in Cong to urge Pres Nixon to resign, news conf; says he hopes Judiciary Com's investigation of possible Pres impeachment would be 'thorough' and 'rapid' so that matter can be cleared up once and for all by Mar '74; says he hopes Judiciary Com will not vote impeachment resolution and that if it does, he hopes resolution will be defeated on House floor; illus

Mayor-elect Beame's reapptmt on Dec 7 of N Scoppetta as Investigation Comr seen as move to appease groups that were pressuring Beame to give important post to Ital-Amer

R L Vesco's extradition to US is refused by Bahamian Magistrate E E Osadebay on Dec 7 on grounds that fraud charge on which Vesco was indicted in NY is not extraditable offense; Osadebay further rules that US did not produce sufficient evidence to warrant Vesco's extradition even if fraud were covered by extradition treaty; US has no right of appeal against decision, but can ask Bahamas Sup Ct to review ruling; charges against Vesco recalled

Japanese officials, concerned over oil shortages, indicate their attitude toward econ aid for SE Asia, which was shifting to a no-strings approach, will shift back to view that aid should be used to develop natural resources, including oil, that Japan would buy

unofficial spokesmen for independent truckers on Dec 7 say they are dissatisfied with assurances of special aid during fuel shortage and are proceeding with plans for national truck stoppages; cites Ohio and Penna as likely areas of stoppage; Overdrive (Pub) publishers M Parkhurst and delegation meet with Sec C S Brinegar; Brinegar says some complaint is justified, holding there is genuine fuel shortage and nothing will be gained by law violation; delegation meets with ICC Chmn G M Stafford, who says rates will have to rise because of increased costs; Parkhurst asserts ICC changes will have little impact on problems of owner-operators because of desperate situation posed by fuel crisis; envisions protests by sit-ins at truck stops; Amer Trucking Assn says 2-day stoppage will cause large econ loss and have impact on range of industries; Professional Drivers Council urges truckers to refrain from obstructionist tactics; scores profiteering by oil cos as source of truckers' problems; IRS repts investigation of charges of price gouging

Dem gubernatorial aspirants in NY weigh effect of Gov Rockefeller's expected resignation to devote full time to his Pres quest in '76

prime rate is raised to 10% by First Natl City Bank, Bankers Trust Co, Mellon Bank, Continental Illinois Natl Bank ft Trust, Marine Midland Bank and Franklin Natl Bank on Dec 7

Sen, 82-0, on Dec 7 passes Natl Energy Research and Development Act (1973) calling for massive 10-yr research and development effort targeted to make US self-sufficient in energy; authorizes expenditure of $20-million, largely exclusive of nuclear development; bill differs sharply from Adm proposals which asked for $10-billion effort over 5 yrs but nuclear energy would be major item in total and orgn of energy research would be different from that in Sen bill; Adm believes Sen bill concentrates to heavily on development of geothermal power, solar energy, improved transportation of power, development of power from fuel cells, employment of agr and waste materials for power sources and coal research; Sen rept on bill asserts nation is suffering from critical energy shortage compounded by past and present failure to attack problem in coordinated manner; act creates Cong policy for natl research, development and demonstration of various fuels and energy technologies; authorizes $800-million annually to fund current research and mandates 'Manhattan type' project under joint Govt-industry aegis; Sen Jackson says total energy research will cost $30-million over next 10 yrs if all other nuclear and energy research are added to bill's provisions for other types of research; HR Commerce Com approves Natl Energy Emergency Act (1973), giving Pres vast power to cope with crisis

Dec 8: diplomats in Cairo say on Dec 7 that Egypt has decided to attend Middle East peace conf opening in Geneva on Dec 18 even in absence of prior Israeli troop withdrawal from Suez dry area; hold that decision has been communicated to USSR and US; rept that Egypt has decided to give precedence to Geneva conf, which is intended to deal with problems of long-range Arab-Israeli settlement, over Egyptian-Israeli mil talks at km 101 UN checkpoint on Cairo-Suez rd; talks at km 101, which were to deal primarily with immediate mil issues on ground, were suspended by Egypt on Nov 29 in protest over Israel's refusal to withdraw its forces on west bank of Suez Canal toward Oct 22 cease-fire lines; Egypt reptdly will refuse to resume mil talks before Geneva conf because it feels that in absence of additional pressure Israel is not likely to make any withdrawal; hopes that Geneva talks and Dec 13 tour by US Sec of State H A Kissinger will generate such pressure on Israel; diplomats feel that cease-fire on Israel's extended front lines with Egyptian and Syrian forces remains extremely fragile, noting that major new fighting could break out at any time; there have been growing number of incidents involving planes, artillery, tanks and infantry in what 1 source calls new 'mini war of attrition'; internatl officials believe that clashes are 'controlled' by high commands and not angry outbursts by local comdrs; feel that 'uncontrolled' local incidents would be even greater danger to cease-fire than deliberate efforts to use mil for pol ends; Cairo pol sources welcome Kissinger's previous day message that US will 'not rule out totally' considering stationing US and USSR peace-keeping forces in Middle East; Egyptian Pres A el-Sadat appealed for such a dispatch on Oct 24, 2 days after cease-fire broke down, permitting Israeli forces to reach outskirts of Suez city; Kissinger's statement is regarded as promising departure from past US policies; Egypt's decision to attend Geneva conf concludes lively debate among Egyptian Govt officials; one group of officials and journalists argued that Egypt should emulate Kissinger's strategy and leave alone immediate problems such as Israeli Army's presence outside Suez while dealing over-all issues of peace; maintained that problem of Israeli withdrawal would be academic sooner or later since there can be no negotiated settlement without eventual Israeli withdrawal from Egyptian territory; other group of officials and journalists urged Egypt not to go to Geneva as long as Israel had not proved 'willingness to live up to internatl agreements' by carrying out UN Security Council's Oct 22 and Oct 23 resolutions and withdrawing to lines of Oct 22 under 6-point agreement inspired by Kissinger; Sadat is believed to have been under pressure from other Arab states to take hard-line position