March 2, 1975

RC Ch has not taken stand on Equal Rights Amendment, scheduled for ratification vote in Ill Sen on Mar 4, although individual Cath priests who oppose amendment are having effect on key legislators in Ill, Missouri and possibly Fla; Luth Ch, especially in Ill, and Ch of Christ are lobbying against ratification; ch groups that oppose amendment generally say they fear that its adoption will make abortion and looser sex standards more prevalent and will undermine family life; number of major religious denominations, including both branches of Presb Ch, United Meth Ch and Unitarian-Universalist Ch, support amendment (M)

Survey of traffic in illegal handguns in NYC; Fed and NYC law enforcement officials say flow of illegal handguns into NYC has worsened during last yr despite intensified police effort to stop traffic; there are estimated 2-million unlawful handguns in city and police say weapons are being peddled openly in unprecedented numbers; alarmed by increase in gun-related crimes, city's 5 Dist Attys say they will seek longer sentences for persons convicted of gun crimes; Police Dept announces amnesty program for anyone turning in illegal weapons this mo; Fed statistics indicate that 10,000 handguns were stolen last yr during interstate shipments to legal gun suppliers; most weapons are purchased out-of-state; in 1974 over 50% of city's homicides were attributed to handguns, which were also used in 33% of all reptd robberies and 20% of assaults; maximum prison sentence for possession of unregistered guns is 7 yrs but '72 police study shows that only 1 of every 13 persons arrested on gun charges receives a prison sentence; illus of illegal guns (L)

Temporary State Charter Revision Comm for NYC proposes drastic overhaul of city's budget-making process, providing for extensive public participation, greatly enhanced role for City Council and end to Mayor's dual exec and legis responsibility; proposal comes in 3d of series of repts preparatory to referendum on Charter revision in Nov; State Sen Roy M Goodman, comm chmn, asserts revisions are intended to 'afford a real opportunity' for expression of community sentiment in shaping city's annual expense budget; rept continues strong thrust toward decentralization of city govt that was expressed in 2 previous comm position papers; proposals detailed (L)

Agr Dept repts that errors in certification by state agencies gave broad sample of food stamp recipients 23.2% more assistance that they were legally entitled to receive in 6-mo period ended June 30 '74; rate of error appears to indicate overissuance of stamps worth about $160-million during testing period; dept officials emphasize that about 1/3 of errors involved families now ineligible who could qualify merely by completing requirement that most food stamp applicants register for employment; note that bonus stamps issued to such families totaled 7.5% of total for 6-mo period; dept rept states that 7.7% of bonus stamps were issued to ineligble households because of errors made in income, deductions, resources and other eligibility factors; adds that 8% of stamps represented overissuance to households that were eligible but that either paid too little or were given excessive allotments; dept's Food Stamp Div found 56.1% rate of error on case-by-case basis, but dollar amts in many cases were small; results vary widely from state to state, with highest error rate in Rhode Is at 80% and lowest in State of Wash at 21.8%; div dir Royal Shipp comments; Food and Nutrition Service Admr Edward J Hekman finds encouragement in quality control program despite error rates; notes that percentage of stamps going to ineligible households has declined 25% in 6 mos covered by rept, compared with preceding 6 mos; says agency is analyzing possible procedures to make food stamp program easier for states to administer; Sen George S McGovern says he is not surprised at error rate and says that Sen Select Com on Nutrition and Human Needs will issue rept that details 'administrative failures' in food stamp program; Sen Robert J Dole claims he has asked Sen Agr and Finance Com to conduct hearings to examine GAO's critical rept on food stamp program; GAO has completed study that is critical of structure and administration of program; criticizes lack of data on numbers of needy persons who are not being reached by program; also criticizes effort to get aid to neediest persons; finds certification procedures unecessarily complex and finds inequities in program, contending it favors families who receive other forms of assistance; recommends that, in certification process, standard deductions be substituted for itemized deductions from income; urges more equitable treatment of families receiving no forms of assistance and calls for improvements in states' quality-control programs (L)

Survey of NY Port '74 shipping activities shows port's Moore-McCormack vp James T Crowley, US Lines pres E J Heine, Farrell Lines pres Thomas J Smith and Atlantic Container Line pres Otto Porton comment on good econ outlook for '75; despite slight handicap in rr facilities, port maintains leadership position in dockside, container, storage and berthing space; extensive modernization efforts are underway at Bklyn Marine Terminal, in plans for 2-berth Red Hook containerport and in plans to quadruple Northeast Marine Terminal's capacity to 2-million tons; other projects noted; Marine Terminals dir Anthony J Tozzoli says port's '74 passenger totals declined to 494,000; NY Port and Comr Fabber illus (L)