November 16, 1974

DETROIT, Nov. 15 — The Chrysler Corporation is seriously considering closing most of its United States assembly plants during December because of a severe decline in car sales, automotive sources disclosed today.

Flynn, F M

NYC Educ Bd makes public proposal to redraw lines of 5 community school dists in Manhattan and 1 in Brooklyn to bring avg daily attendance in dists up to state-mandated minimum of 15,000 pupils; bd's only black member Isaiah E Robinson attacks plan, contending it has potential for stirring up fresh soc and pol disputes in affected Manhattan dists; is prepared to go to ct to block redistricting if enacted by bd; school and neighborhoods affected by proposed change noted (M)

Laurance S Rockefeller on Nov 15 tells Sen Rules Com that in '70 he invested about $65,000 in publication of unflattering biography of Arthur Goldberg as business venture on basis of 5-min conversation and forgot about matter until it came under investigation recently; says he regrets investment because he personally admires Goldberg and because book has proved embarrassment to his brother Nelson, who has been nominated for Vice Pres; Laurence Rockefeller is 1 of 9 witnesses to appear before com, all but 1 of whom are connected in some way with Goldberg biography; 3d day of hearings sees growing partisan acrimony among com members, with Dem chmn Howard W Cannon saying he refuses to be 'stampeded' by Pres Ford's efforts to get quick Rockefeller confirmation; com still seen likely to vote to approve nomination and send it to full Sen; schedule of witnesses is drawn to follow progression of events in summer of '70, when financing of book was undertaken; first witness is John A Wells, originator of idea for book; final witness is Victor Lasky, who wrote it; Wells traces process of publication, beginning with meeting with Rockefeller family lawyer Robert F Orr and agreement with Arlington House publishing co pres Neil McCaffrey to publish book on 'guaranteed purchase' basis; Orr says he met with Wells at request of chief Rockefeller family counsel Donald O'Brien; comments on discussions with O'Brien and family financial adviser J Richardson Dilworth; Orr, responding to question from Dem Sen Claiborne Pell, concedes there was element of wanting to conceal backers of book; testimony of Joseph H Jacovini of Phila law firm Dilworth Paxson Kalish Levy & Coleman noted; role of late Nelson Rockefeller asst Louise A Boyer discussed; Sen Robert C Byrd says book is 'very serious factor' but will not in itself cause him to vote against nomination; Laurance Rockefeller testimony on his '59 loan of $49,000 to then-state Repub Chmn L Judson Morhouse revd; testimony by Lasky and former Treas Sec Robert B Anderson discussed; Laurance Rockefeller illus (L)

Pres Ford, bowing to strong pressure from US sugar indus, is expected to announce within next few days new quota system for US purchases of foreign sugar that in effect carries on provisions of expiring Sugar Act; Ford Adm sees advantage in maintaining quota system because such a system precludes rise in tariff on sugar that would otherwise occur when Sugar Act expires; new system substitutes global quota for natl quotas, but quota will continue to limit foreign access to US mkt; impending action suggests that Ford has accepted advice of Council of Econ Advisers, Agr Dept and sugar interests to maintain quota-setting authority, which is permitted under Sugar Act; new quota will be nonrestrictive; Ford's action will provide for foreign-buying quota estimated to be between 5.5- and 7-million tons as against Sugar Act's foreign quota of 6- and 7-million tons; will remove any quota for domestic productions in order not to impose any more restrictions on increase in domestic production; sugar indus sources say new quotas will be higher than what US will need to import and will keep allowable level of imports at figure high enough to maintain easy access to world supply (M)