December 23, 1973

article, holding that Sen Dem Pres hopefuls are moving toward right on number of defense spending issues and becoming increasingly critical of Nixon Adm policy of detente with USSR, notes Sens Kennedy, Mondale and Bentsen and some 70 others joined Sen Jackson in cosponsoring amendment to trade bill that sought to deny special trading status and financial credits to USSR until Jews are allowed to emigrate freely from USSR; notes much attention is being given in public organs to plight of Soviet dissidents such as A I Solzhenitsyn and Prof A D Sakharov, casting Jackson in role of human rights champ

The Rev. Billy Graham, an old friend and occasional adviser to President Nixon, has accused the President of errors in judgment and of keeping himself in “isolation” at the White House. Page 24.

Japanese Cabinet on Dec 22 approves what it terms 'austerity' budget for 74, calling for smallest annual increase in spending in 4 yrs, as part of Govt's intense new effort to combat inflation and oil shortage; Premier Tanaka, declaring 'state of emergency', orders 20% cut in supply of oil and electricity to major industries effective Jan 1; says that consumption of oil will be temporarily reduced to '72 level, but that present crisis can be overcome if enterprises realize their soc responsibilities and refrain from raising prices and if consumers refrain from hoarding; other action taken to cope with inflation and oil shortage include Parliament passing petroleum supply law and a livelihood stabilization law giving Govt power to fix prices and regulate processing and supply of oil and wide variety of other goods; Cabinet setting up 'livelihood stabilization hqs', headed by Tanaka, that would fix prices on 20 categories of goods and might roll back prices on some to Oct 1 levels; Govt's Econ Planning Agency releases statistics showing that nation's econ growth rate in '74 will be smallest in 20 yrs, with gross natl product rising only 2.5% in real terms, or after adjustment for inflation; agency predicts that wholesale prices will jump at least another 11.9% in '74, with consumer prices going up 9.6%

NY Times series on Swedish med system

93d Cong on Dec 22 adjourns until Jan 21 after abandoning efforts to pass major legis giving Pres Nixon sweeping powers to impose gasoline rationing and to take other emergency steps to conserve energy; Nixon regrets Cong failure to pass bill but understands complexity of matter; issue of excess profits tax on oil indus is central to failure of legis; Pres is considered by some to have authority, under various existing laws, to institute broad energy conservation measures