January 6, 1976

NYS Dem Chmn Patrick J Cunningham seeks to quash special state grand jury subpoena asking him to testify about possible purchases of judgeships in Bronx on grounds that Special NYS Prosecutor Maurice H Nadjari lost all power and auth to act as deputy atty gen when Gov Carey dismissed him Dec 23, ct papers; apparently asks Sup Ct Justice John M Murtagh to rule on Nadjari's status; also holds Nadjari has gone beyond scope of his mandate; Atty Gen Lefkowitz rejects Gov Carey's request to name Michael F Armstrong as interim special prosecutor until Nadjari can be replaced by Dist Atty Robert M Morgenthau; agrees to Carey's bid to name special deputy atty gen to probe charges that Carey ousted Nadjari because of pol pressure; says his decision to retain Nadjari for 6 more mos was made in public interest; says probe must not interfere with pending investigations and grand jury proceedings; notes Carey has agreed on point; concedes inquiry will have problems; Carey hails Lefkowitz's acceptance of probe; Nadjari, in reversal of his private views, lauds idea of probe; trusts nothing will be done to impair his investigation; pledges cooperation; Lefkowitz illus (M)

Ecumenical group of 21 Boston area theologians, teachers and laymen releases sweeping theological statement that attacks what group sees as escapist tendencies in recent religious thought and calls on Christians to recognize God's active concerns for the world; declaration enlivens ongoing theological dispute between those who are committed to basically actionoriented perspective and those who argue for stronger spiritual view of the faith; group's deliberations began following statement in Jan ‘75 by similar group in Hartford, Conn; Hartford ‘appeal’ urged Christians to reject false and debilitating secular ideas that had allegedly crept into the ch; Boston response challenges implicit assumption at Hartford that soc action should be subordinated to more spirtual concerns; participants listed (M)

Calif fines Amer Motors Corp $4.2‐million because co allegedly submitted false test repts to state and unlawfully sold cars that exceeded Califs automotive pollution control standards; bans sale of several models; Calif ARB chmn Thomas Quinn comments; Calif agrees to accept $1,050,000 of fine if AMC signs agreement to spend remaining $3,150,000 to improve emission control and fuel econ of its cars; illus (M)

A second explosion erupted yesterday at a series of underground fuel tanks on the South Brooklyn waterfront, injuring eight firemen and two employees of the Exxon Corporation. The explosion further fanned flames of a fire that had been burning for 18 hours, but with diminishing force, as a result of an explosion Sunday night.

Adm official repts that Mrs Anne L Armstrong, former White House counselor and cochmn of Repub Natl Com, will be nominated to replace Elliot L Richardson as Amb to GB; she would be 1st woman in post, although 14 other women have been apptd to US embassies since World War II; brief career sketch; por (S)