December 31, 1974

Pres Ford refuses to sign bill requiring 20% of oil imported into US be carried on US tankers; controversy on ship preference measure was increased by fact that some members of Cong who favored US maritime indus wanted to tie bill to foreign trade bill; Ford has strongly favored trade bill and Adm officials confirm that deal was made in which Ford would not oppose ship preference bill in Cong in order to get trade bill; Cong and Adm officials say no compromise was made that Ford would not veto bill (M)

earthquake that hit Pakistan on Dec 28 has taken more lives than any quake since Christmas '72, quake in Managua, Nicaragua, in which 8,000-10,000 died; Pakistan's last large-scale earthquake in '35, took 30,000 lives (S)

Repr Wilbur D Mills, attributing recent erratic behavior to alcoholism, pledges total abstinence as he announces on Dec 30 that he will retain Cong seat; says that he now knows that he was 'sick man,' statement prepared from his bed at Bethesda Naval Hosp, where he has been patient since Dec 3; friends say that he considered resigning from Cong, but that he decided on Dec 29 to keep seat after discussing matter with family and assocs; entered hosp several days after he appeared on Boston burlesque theater stage with Mrs Annabella Batistella, strip tease dancer billed as Fanne Foxe; 2 had been involved in earlier incident when police stopped Mills's limousine near Washington Tidal Basin in pre-dawn hrs of Oct 7 (M)

By appointment only—the atmost in exelusive travel strictly deluxe—write Air France Dept. NYC.P.J. Boo 747, N.Y. 10011—Advt.