March 16, 1975

Book The Letters of Sean O'Casey. Volume I, 1910-1941, Edited by David Krause, revd by Richard Oilman; illus

When Robert Wilson's “A Letter for Queen Victoria” opens at the ANTA Theater next Saturday, audiences will be witness to a work that is likely to mesmerize some, confound some, and send some hastening to the nearest exit. Billed as an opera,

In Dickens's novel “Our Mutual Friend,” Bella Wilfer, a young woman of ordinary character and aspiration, declares about her coming marriage, “I want to be something so much worthier than the doll in the doll's house.” Although it is unlikely that Ibsen took this image for the title of his play directly from Dickens, it is noteworthy that two such different artists employed the same metaphor to describe the destiny that society expected of the married woman in the 19th century. One need not be biased to believe that this coincidence of expression was not an isolated accident, but was rather an indication of how prevalent the notion had become that something was very much. amiss in the Victorian household. Indeed, it is hard to think of any novelist or dramatist of the time who did not depict and analyze the use and abuse of female energy, showing it either being coerced into romantic disaster or being subjected to the deadening attrition of the mores of a middle‐class parlor. Male writers who would never have endorsed feminist proposals nevertheless, as artists, had enough intellectual conscience to agree with George Eliot that the need for a female epos was both pressing and dangerous.

article holds that former Portuguese Pres Antonio de Spinola, stanch opponent of Communists, may have inadvertently bolstered Communists' 'pol fortunes' in Portugal with unsuccessful Mar 11 coup; holds that before coup President Francisco da Costa Gomes had begun to neutralize lefts' power and that abolition of Coordinating comm and possibly forced withdrawal of Brig Gen Otelo Saraiva de Carvalho, Lisbon Mil Dist head and comdr of forces responsible for security throughout Portugal, was in making; holds that moderate and anti-Communist reaction was spreading within armed forces; asserts that on surface, it made no sense for moderate officers to stage mil coup, since it would endanger elections, which were expected to confirm moderate trend; immediate result of unsuccessful coup was nationalization of Portuguese banks and ins cos; account of attempted coup detailed; article notes that Spinola believed that he would have overwhelming support of field units, including paratroopers, commandos, air force and armored groups, but could only rally support of 4 jet trainers, 11 helicopters, some paratroops and Natl Guard and police officers; Spinola with 18 officers fled to Spain by helicopter; while Costa Gomes has eliminated rival, he is in uncomfortable position and there is speculation as to his chances of survival against triumphant left; after coup failed, assembly met in night session and formed High Council of Revolution, 24-member group made up of Goncalves, 7 members of coordinating comm and other officers representing 3 service branches; missing from Council are 2 of most prominent officers, Maj Vitor Alves and Maj Ernesto Melo Antunes, regarded as centrists; with their absence, Centrist politicians are questioning validity of assembly session; centrists fear that creation of council, with similarities to ruling bodies in Peru, Algeria and Libya, means end of effective civilian govt; Spinola por; illus of anti-aircraft guns set up inside presidential palace in wake of coup attempt (L)

Saigon police accidentally shot and killed 37-yr-old Agence France-Presse journalist Paul Leandri when Leandri drove away from police hq after refusing to heed warning shots and cries for him to stop; Leandri had been summoned to hq for questioning about dispatch he had written on battle for Ban Me Thuot; dispatch quoted unidentified S Vietnamese priest from town as having said that non-Vietnamese ethnic tribesmen fighting for autonomy had led attack on highlands city; NY Times, in dispatch published in Mar 10 editions, said local guerrillas were believed to have joined attacking force; Leandri telephoned French Amb Jean-Marie Merillon to alert him that he would be going to immigration police office for questioning; police statement says Leandri arrived at office but refused to discuss dispatch and 'adopted belligerent, offensive manner'; French consular official who talked with Leandri in courtyard of immigration office after being called by Leandri reptdly found him agitated; Leandri reptdly said police 'want my sources'; Leandri's pregnant wife reptdly is in shock; drs at hospital indicate bullet that apparently killed Leandri struck him in head and killed him instantly; hospital source says bullet appeared to have been fired from a distance of about 30 ft; French and S Vietnamese officials have opened separate investigations of incident; Leandri por (M)

White House sources confirm that Rockefeller comm will investigate allegations of CIA complicity in assassination plots against leaders of foreign Govts; comm is expected to request additional 30 days of life to complete its inquiry and rept; White House sources say comm will use its mandate to investigate alleged domestic violations by CIA as springboard to look into allegations about assassination plots overseas; for instance, 1 source says comm will follow up on given case where allegation indicates plotting of assassination took place in US; comm has already obtained testimony about allegations of CIA's involvement in assassination of Pres Kennedy; CIA Dir William E Colby reptdly warned Pres Ford about other 'sensitive' matters that could be compromised by unbridled investigation of CIA; 1 sr former CIA official says sensitive matters include identities of leaders of foreign govts who might be on US 'payroll' or might have been developed as secret sources of information over last 25 yrs; several sources confirm Pres Ford considered need for handling these matters with delicacy in choosing members of Rockefeller comm (M)

Cambodian Govt forces retake strategic town of Tuol Leap in 1st major advance by Govt troops since insurgent offensive started in early Jan; town is Communist firing site for rocket attacks on Phnom Penh's Pochentong Airport; at least 9 rockets reptdly have landed in vicinity of US Embassy in downtown Phnom Penh; 2 of rockets struck Buddhist pagoda less than 100 yds away, killing 4 persons and wounding 20; Le Long, chief priest of pagoda, was wounded in attack; is in satisfactory condition; 3-wk long Govt attempt to retake town described; mil sources indicate Govt troops inflicted heavy casualties on insurgent forces; extent of Govt casualties is not known; action seen as likely to raise Govt troop morale; mil action in besieged Mekong River town of Neak Luong, 38 miles from Phnom Penh, described; Amer Embassy in Phnom Penh reptd no damage from insurgent attack; Cambodian pol sources indicate that efforts of Premier Long Boret to form new Govt are stalled by interparty bickering; order to form new Govt, with Lon Nol remaining as Pres and Long Boret remaining as Premier, came from Lon Nol on Mar 10; map (M)

Article describes devices available that deaden sound, including noise machine that produces 'acoustic perfume'; also cites types of permanent fixtures, such as thick rugs and custom-fitted interior windows; notes acoustical consultants can survey and suggest best plans for sound proofing apts or homes; illus; drawing (L)

Analysis of plight of NYS Urban Development Corp; gives history of corp and chronology of events that led up to current financial crisis; illus of Rockefeller and Edward Logue (L)

College sports are being forced by inflation as well as public criticism of recruiting into perhaps their heaviest revamping in half a century.

Freelance writer Robert W Tolf article on jai alai and dog racing and their attraction to thousands, especially gamblers, in Fla; illus (L)

TULSA, March 15—Adrian Dantley went on a scoring binge midway through the second half and paced Notre Dame to a 77‐71 victory over Kansas while Louisville downed Rutgers, 91‐78, tonight in first‐round games of the National Collegiate Midwest Regional tournament.