January 3, 1977

Nov '76 elevation of Bklyn Boro Pres Sebastian Leone to NYS Sup Ct revd as illus of pol patronage system of which Bklyn Dem leader Meade H Esposito is seen master; Esposito, analyzing Dem primary results, feared Jewish voters bloc would defeat Leone for Boro Pres re-election and suggested his name to judicial-screening com as possible Sup Ct nominee; replaced him as orgn Boro Pres candidate with Councilman Howard Golden; control of judicial system, with patronage apptmts, seen backbone of Dem party orgn, offering rewards to stalwarts and means to pay off pol debts; virtually all 41 justices on Bklyn Sup Ct rose through party ranks; Esposito defends system, says he has never recommended unqualified candidates; Leone pol career since '48 meeting with Frank Pino, now also Sup Ct justice, revd; illus (L)

NYS Gov Hugh Carey reptdly selects Suffolk County Dem leader Dominic J Baranello to be NYS Dem party chmn; will retain Patrick J Cunningham, with whom he has been feuding, only through Inauguration Day Jan 20; Baranello was early supporter of Carey for Gov, figured in speculation for post although Carey had sought new leader from outside county chairmen; Mario M Cuomo had rejected post; indictment of Baranello 13 yrs ago in connection with embezzlement case that was dismissed at time, is apparently not now obstacle; Baranello por (M)

Survey article on role of religion in USSR holds throughout country Christianity and Communism have attained uneasy coexistence but that neither tenets of Marxism-Leninism nor periodic crackdowns on believers have eradicated ch as important dimension of Soviet life; says unofficial calculations estimate that there are at least 30 million members of Orthodox Ch, 5 million Roman Caths and Lutherans and about 2 million of other faiths; cites characteristics of ch-goers; quotes by Marx and Lenin on religion; illus (L)

Jose Antonio Cordero and 17-yr-old Hector Lopez arraigned Bronx Criminal Ct, for murder and arson in Puerto Rican Soc Club fire; illus; revenge cited as motive in case; firemen recover another body from Dec 22 fire, Fulton St, Bklyn (M)

New York City's first new Charter in 14 years took effect over the weekend, promising a sharply increased role for local communities in the conduct of city government, including the gradual assumption of responsibility for the delivery of most services.