February 22, 1979

Pres Carter addresses state and local officials during inflation briefing at White House; says he will not back down on his budget cuts; OMB Dir McIntyre Jr announces several new procedures to streamline grant-in-aid program; Carter illus with Alfred E Kahn (M)

floods from melting snows cause delays on commuter trains and traffic jams in Manhattan; NYC is designated disaster area because of damage sustained during Jan's bad weather; illus (M)

900 morning rush-hr commuters on PATH train experience 2-hr delays after power outage in Hudson River tunnel resulting from flooding of electrical substation at Christopher St; passengers comment; illus (M)

China renews advance after pause to resupply; Vietnam begins moving up reinforcements, including regular Army units kept back to guard Hanoi; Thai intelligence sources say Chinese have advanced to 12 mi inside Vietnam; scene along Lang Son hwy northeast of Hanoi described; civilians reptdly are pouring south to escape fighting; Peking maintains silence apparently to play down significance of fighting; Agence France-Presse repts Xu Shiyou, Canton Mil Region comdr, has been apptd overall Chinese force comdr; heavy casualties reptd; USSR sends reconnaissance planes south past Japan to observe fighting; USSR naval moves noted; illus; map (M)

HR Ways and Means Com approves bill allowing Treas Dept to waive countervailing duties on imports unfairly subsidized by foreign govts, measure backed by Carter and which Eur nations feel is essential for completion of GATT talks (M)