May 9, 1975

HR Appropriations Subcom on Foreign Operations cuts Pres Ford's request for $507-million for Indochina refugees to $405-million over next 14 mos; Interagency Task Force on Refugees dir L Dean Brown hails approved funds as solid endorsement of Ford's request; says Repr Otto E Passman noted subcom was working on assumption that there would be 115,000 Indochina refugees in need of aid instead of 150,000; subcom approves $155-million for daily maintenance of refugees at $15 per person, $65-million for airlifting refugees out of Indochina to continental US, $70-million for resettlement efforts through voluntary agencies, $100-million for subsequent welfare and med costs including educ and vocational training and $15-million for movement of 20,000 refugees to other countries; Brown states that 113,340 Vietnamese and Cambodians were in 'Amer pipelines' and that 35,000 to 37,000 additional Indochinese might eventually qualify as refugees, testimony; says available funds borrowed from Indochina reconstruction fund set up under Foreign Assistance Act and suspended after Saigon and Phnom Penh fell to Communists will run out in next few days; HR Judiciary Com votes 30-4 to approve authorization of unspecified amt of aid for refugees; Passman calls for speedy action on recommended appropriation after hearing from Brown that Adm had already spent $89-million on evacuation and care of refugees from Indochina and had only $11-million left from assistance funds; HR Judiciary Subcom on Immigration marks up bill authorizing such sums as may be needed for refugee aid; Sen later earmarks $17-million in leftover mil aid as starter fund for resettlement operations; Repr Clarence D Long scores daily food request of $3.40 for each Vietnamese and declines to vote with majority on $405-million authorization; Sen James Abourezk introduces bill authorizing only $127-million in refugee aid and accuses Adm of providing inadequate and sketchy repts to Cong on entire Indochina situation; suggests Adm is trying to aid thousands of trained pol assassins; resolution by Alan Cranston and James B Allen stating that Sen warmly welcomes latest exiles to US passes, 91-1, with Sen William L Scott opposing measure; Brown notes Canada offered to take 3,000 refugees, that Australia's Prime Min Gough Whitlam told Pres Ford he would admit 1,500, and that Gabon, Ivory Coast and Morocco offered to take several hundred Vietnamese each (M)

Soviet Communist party leader Leonid I Brezhnev says end of war in Indochina creates conditions for further improvement in internatl atmosphere and will benefit cause of internatl detente, including relations between USSR and US, speech, ceremony marking 30th anniv of defeat of Nazi Ger, Moscow: praises patriots of Vietnam for having waged successful struggle against 'foreign interventionists and their henchmen'; expresses support of natl liberation struggles, as it defines conflicts like those in Cambodia and Vietnam (S)

Jock L Chestnut is found guilty of arranging for and accepting illegal corp campaign contribution during Sen Hubert H Humphrey's '70 campaign; could be sentenced to 2 yrs in prison and fined maximum of $12,000 for accepting $12,000 illegal contribution from Associated Milk Producers and arranging to pay campaign bill from Lennen & Newell, NY ad firm, with money; case revd; Chestnut por (L)

Justice Dept advises House Commerce subcom holding hearing on US Ry Assn preliminary plan for restructuring bankrupt rrs into Fed-supported Conrail system that a 'controlled liquidation' or auction sale of Penn Central and 6 other bankrupt rrs in NE is preferred way for restoring competitive rail system in region; presentation and strong protests lodged against Conrail takeover of bankrupt systems underscore growing belief in Govt and financial circles that existing proposal is dead; probability that US Ry Assn will seek extension of its July 26 deadline and draw up new proposal appears likely, action which make remote any systematic near-term resolution of NE rr problem; Asst Atty Gen Keith I Clearwaters, com chmn Fred B Rooney and ICC chmn George M Stafford comment (M)

John Hill was sentenced in Buffalo yesterday to a term of 20 years to life for the murder of William E. Quinn, a correction officer who was fatally beaten at the start of the 1971 Attica prison rebellion. A co‐defendant, Charles Joseph Pernasilice, was given a term of up to two years for attempted assault on the guard. Page 70.