March 23, 1976

illus of Herzog, Terzi and Egyptian Arab Meguid

Shriver illus with daughter Maria and wife Eunice after announcing withdrawal from Pres race

District Attorney Eugene Gold of Brooklyn is reported to be investigating whether $250,000 to $275,000 was paid to organized‐crime figures to abduct the two young daughters of Karen Boyd Mellon from her home here last Friday.

NYC Mayor Beame files notice that city will withdraw from Soc Security system 2 yrs from now if studies confirm tentative estimates that withdrawal may save city up to $200-million annually; munic labor unions, including Munic Labor Com chmn Victor Gotbaum, denounce plan; Fed officials say city has right to withdraw unilaterally, regardless of objections from unions or anyone else; says it would take act of Cong to readmit city, which joined system in '57; union pension specialist Jack Bigel says it will cost city more in long run to obtain alternative ins for death and disability benefits that would be lost and for creating new retirement packages for future city workers without 10 yrs of Soc Security membership required for vested interest; Beame's action reptdly will directly affect 112,000 of city's 250,000 employees (M)

While Roosevelt and Yonkers Raceways were lobbying in the Legislature for larger shares of betting revenues, the tracks were being financially “drained” by their parent corporations, the State Commission of Investigation charged yesterday.

drivers, clerks and mechanics of Transport of NJ override Amalgamated Transit Union leadership and vote 1,546 to 1,441 to accept mgt's latest contract offer and end their 2-wk strike; leadership recommended rejection by rank and file in effort to hold out for more favorable cost-of-living escalation provision; co spokesman Anthony Grazioso says offer provides for no salary increase but for 'guaranteed' 6% cost-of-living increase to be paid in each of 2 yrs covered by contract, even if inflation rate falls below that level; says drivers' hrly wage will rise from $6.96 to $7.38 in Dec and to $7.80 in Dec '77 (M)

GB proposes 2-stage plan to end Rhodesian crisis and offers to join other countries in making available financial aid to Rhodesia to insure orderly transition to multiracial soc; Brit Foreign Sec James Callaghan makes clear that no such assistance will be forthcoming unless Smith agrees to accept principle of majority rule and to hold dem elections within 18 mos or 2 yrs; Callaghan will confer with Gromyko; official sources say that Callaghan is expected to set forth details of plan to Gromyko and to urge him to use influence to keep USSR arms and Cuban troops out of Rhodesian situation while GB makes latest effort to move Smith and white constituency toward agreement; illus (L)

Japanese actor Mitsuyasu Maeno commits suicide by crashing small plane into Kodama's home; Kodama escapes unhurt although his home is set afire (M)

Carnegie Hall to open Mar 23 drive for $6.5-million highlighted by a May 18 concert that will include several outstanding artists; heads of more than 1,000 corps, 300 of them in NYC, will be asked to buy seats at $1,000 each; Carnegie bd chmn Richard A Debs and exec dir Julius Bloom comment; artists will perform without charge; Schuyler G Chapin, chmn of early phase of drive, comments; violinist Isaac Stern says hall is not in 'desperate financial state,' that funds are for 'underpinnings of Carnegie Hall for future generations'; Debs por (M)

French diplomat Guy Bariolat is seriously wounded when shell lands in French Embassy compound in Beirut, Lebanon; another French diplomat Andre Ringard is slightly wounded (S)

FTC official Owen M Johnson charges GM with monopoly control of crash replacement parts for its autos, practice that is allegedly costly to public and to ind repair shops, news conf; complaint could force major auto mfrs into greater repair competition; action is boldest move yet following 3 separate studies of issue dating to '66; comes in wake of pressures generated by Sen Commerce subcom, which recently heard testimony that prices of crash parts have climbed at rates far beyond pace of inflation; White House Office of Consumer Affairs says increasing parts prices have caused what is now average expenditure of $300 for combined cost of auto repairs and ins for family of 4, up $50 from '74; GM Chmn Thomas A Murphy comments (M)

pressure is beginning to build on Patricia Hearst to testify against her former associates and thus possibly obtain leniency from Fed Govt; Carter told Miss Hearst following her conviction for armed bank robbery that degree to which she cooperates in int later this wk with Fed probation officer will influence sentence she receives; informed sources say that prosecutors want to use her testimony concerning series of crimes, including bank robberies, harboring of fugitives, gun law violations and other matters; among those whose names might be mentioned are Emily and William Harris, Jack Scott, his wife Micki and his parents, Wendy Yoshimura and Stephen Soliah (M)