November 19, 1974

Over 16,000 drivers and other employes strike Greyhound Bus Lines in contract dispute and leave thousands of travelers at terminals short of their destinations; Fed mediators recess negotiations in Phoenix, Ariz, when walkout begins; FMCS reprs Don Doherty and Guy M Parent say negotiations with Amalgamated Transit Union, covering wages and fringe benefits, are more complicated than ever because parties are working out nationwide agreement for 1st time; Greyhound pres James L Kerrigan says co employes are ‘highest paid in bus indus'; says they have been recg regular cost‐of‐living increases; previous contract provided drivers with avg wage of $5.76 an hr, or 21.8c a mi, whichever was greater; union reptdly is seeking across‐the‐bd increase of 60c an hr in 18‐mo contract (M)

Philippine Amb to US Eduardo Z Romualdez is released unharmed on Nov 19 after being held hostage for over 10 hrs in his Washington, DC, chancery by gunman who had burst into envoy's office seeking an exit visa from Manila for his son; gunman, identified as Napoleon Lechoco, drops revolver from 2d floor window and surrenders to police outside bldg; Amb Romualdez, who is related to Pres Marcos by marriage, had been held captive in his office while police sought to negotiate his release; roving Amb J C Cruz had said that Pres Marcos had given assurances that Lechoco's son, Napoleon Jr, would be allowed to leave Manila for US if Amb Romualdez was released; says that no charges will be preferred by Philippine Govt if Amb is released unharmed; Art Rosen, spokesman for FBI, says it is not immediately clear whether Lechoco would face criminal prosecution in US; points out that embassy is technically on Philippine soil; adds that incident is believed to be 1st in which foreign amb had been held hostage in US; embassy econ aide Mario S Lagadmeo, also held hostage in his office, is released unharmed despite repts that he had been wounded; illus (M)

Nov 19: 4 Arab guerrillas on Nov 19 seize apartment house in Beit Shean in northern Israel and are killed by Israeli troops who burst into bldg; 3 Israelis, 2 women and 1 man, are killed in raid; repts say at least 18 Israelis were injured; several tenants escape during 3‐hr terrorist occupation (M)

Port Auth Chmn William J Ronan, testifying before Sen Rules Com on Nov 18, denies any ‘sinister purpose’ was involved in $625,000 in loans and gifts made to him because of ‘friendship’ by Vice Pres‐designate Nelson Rockefeller; is principal witness in final day of Sen Com's hearings on nomination; com is expected to overwhelmingly approve nomination on Nov 20; sharpest questioner again is Sen Robert C Byrd, who asks Ronan whether he had any discussion with Rockefeller of $510,000 in loans being forgiven before he resigned state post of MTA Chmn; Ronan repeats denials; Byrd sees ‘curious pattern’ in Rockefeller gifts and loans to past and present associates and staff members, with Rockefeller attempting to elude legal violations by basing loan or gift on ‘financial hardship, friendship and so forth'; says Ronan's disavowal of prior discussions about forgiving of loan does not square with FBI rept on subject; Ronan praises Rockefeller; Ronan illus (L)

NYS Appellate Ct unanimously upholds const of 1973 state narcotics law which provides for mandatory life sentences for sale or possession of variety of drugs; justices concede some provisions of law may be too harsh and unjust, but hold that any changes in law should be made by Legis, not cts; ruling detailed (L)