May 14, 1975

HR and Sen conferees agree on bill that includes programs to assist families faced with mortgage foreclosures because of unemployment; agree to provide antiforeclosure program to assist families whose income has been cut back because of unemployment; program calls for payments of $250 a mo for up to 2 yrs for approximately 100,000 homeowners who have either lost their jobs or have had their incomes so reduced that they are unable to make full payments of their mortgages (S)

Sen votes, 71-27, to limit debate on legis that would create independent Fed agency to represent interests of consumers; action clears way for almost certain Cong passage this yr of measure; of 10 freshman Sens, only 2 Repubs, J Garn and P Laxalt, vote against closure (M)

Pres Ford says he will tell Mayor Beame and Gov Carey 'within 24 hrs' whether Fed Govt will assist NYC in efforts to find $1.5-billion to pay bills through June 30; Budget Dir James T Lynn observes that Ford wants to study evidence submitted by Beame that would attest both to severity of city's predicament and its intentions to economize; Beame, following meeting with Ford, asserts Ford is 'interested and concerned'; others at meeting are Carey, Vice Pres Rockefeller, James Cannon and Richard L Dunham, respectively dir and deputy dir of Domestic Council, Econ Advisers Council Chmn Alan Greenspan, Treas Sec William E Simon, L William Seidman, econ adviser to Ford, Deputy Mayor James A Cavanagh, Carey sec David J Burke, Carey counsel Judah Gribetz and NYS Budget Dir Peter Goldmark; illustrations (M)

US Sec Kissinger says US is ready to attend new preparatory meeting for internatl energy conf and to consider internatl arrangements covering prices of raw materials on 'case-by-case basis,' speech, Kansas City Internatl Relations Council; warns that US will continue to resist demands of developing countries for totally new econ order founded on ideology and natl self-interest; signals possible change in long-standing US reluctance to enter into internatl commodity agreements, based in part on premise that such accords would mean higher prices for consumers and partly on conviction that they would not work; defends present internatl econ system as preferable to rivalry of nations or blocs that would prove disastrous to every nation and especially to weakest and poorest; says US opposes proposals made by Shah of Iran and others that commodity prices be linked to internatl index of inflation; says such scheme would harm those most in need of help because poorest, most populous countries are not importers of raw materials; notes Ford Adm will propose that IBRD explore new ways of financing investments in raw-material production by developing countries; says US would also propose that trade negotiators in Geneva consider adopting new procedures to increase access to raw-material supplies and mkts; holds US cannot accept unrealistic proposal for producer cartels; speech appears designed to head off confrontation with poor countries of third world; US official says US has been concerned with wildly fluctuating prices for raw materials; cites harmful effects swings would have on developing countries, where benefits of US aid could suddenly be wiped out by sharp drop in prices (M)

Govt on May 13 says that most Bell System phone cos, including NY Telephone, NJ Bell, Southern New England Telephone and NYC div of AT&T long lines dept, have failed to comply fully with agreement they signed in '73 to end employment discrimination; co and parent, AT&T, will be held to new and stricter hiring and promotion goals for women and minorities until they make up deficiencies in their '73 and '74 performance; agree to pay estimated total of $2.5-million in compensation and penalities for their failure to comply with '73 agreement; payments will be made partly to those whom cos have illegally failed to hire or promote during last 2 yrs and partly to fund that will be used to improve co's ability to meet nondiscrimination objectives; payments to employes will range from $125 to $1,500; ct order putting procedures into effect has not yet been issued because CWA has challenged agreement as 1 that violates its contracts with cos and because other unions are expected to make similar challenges; union is contending that case could set important precedent, that affirmative action programs aimed at overcoming effects of past discrimination cannot be put into effect where they require promotions or transfers that are not in accordance with union contract; AT&T vp for human resources Weston H Clarke Jr comments; govt monitoring com found that cos had given 10,000 fewer new jobs and promotions to previously discriminated-against groups than they should have if they had complied with '73 order; agencies involved include EEOC, Depts of Labor and Justice and Gen Services Adm (M)