September 19, 1976

Top Police Dept commanders rept that crackdown on prostitutes in midtown Manhattan was eased following Dem Natl Conv (S)

Atmosphere of extreme tension reptd in Poland as Communist Party leaders face mounting unrest over econ and pol situation; leaders are engaging in intense secret arguments over what, if anything, they can do; Poles and Western diplomats say they are convinced USSR's central concern is to keep country calm and stable, and that USSR will not object to virtually any measures Polish leadership might take if it can achieve that purpose; non‐Communists say people generally are ‘really fed up’ and source notes RC Ch has taken unprecedented step of appealing to people to make sacrifices and to have confidence in Govt's ability to cope with grave econ problems; immediate problem is economic, but it involves basic policy of party chief Edward Gierek, since he assumed power from Wladyslaw Gomulka, who had to resign after bloody workers' riots in Dec '70; Prime Min Piotr Jaroszewicz is person primarily blamed for situation (M)

at least 760,000 Chinese gather in center of ancient capital, Peking, to mourn Mao at brief and austere rally that ended in wave of sobbing; Prime Min Hua Kuo‐feng reads memorial speech calling on Communist Party, army and people of China to ‘carry on the cause left behind by Chmn Mao’; Hua's speech noted; no reference is made to final disposition of body; illus (M)

half of Hardenburgh's 236 residents resort to mail‐order ordination in Universal Life Church, which qualifies them as tax‐exempt clergyman, to call attention of NYS Legis to local tax conditions; local taxes have risen 3 or 4 times in past 6 yrs, mainly because much town land is being bought up by religious and educ orgns and removed from tax rolls; town Supervisor Lester Bourke comments; total assessed value of Hardenburgh property is $21‐million, of which $5‐million is tax‐exempt; past efforts of town residents to win tax relief revd; map (M)

Reprs of 3 major networks and League of Women Voters reach impasse Sept 18 on whether TV cameras will be allowed to photograph audience at 1st Pres debate Sept 23; CBS News pres Richard Salant leaves meeting after being told to ‘shut up’ by league repr Charls E Walker; league com agrees only to pass on networks' objection to candidates; debate audience will consist of about 200 reporters and 300 persons invited by league; league and candidates have held that ‘cutaway’ camera shots to audience would be diversionary and perhaps distort public impact of debate; comments from Ford special counsel Michael Raoul‐Duval and Carter press sec Jody Powell; networks seen fearing that if they restrict their coverage, legal suits contending that debate was not bonafide news event might result; they might then have to provide equal time to other Pres candidates (M)