November 18, 1981

Archibishop John R. Roach, president of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, urged the bishops today to spearhead a campaign for social justice that advocated a halt to the arms race, a ban on abortion and more aid for the poor. The call is expected to signal a new round of activisim on a number of issues Excerpts from speech, page B4. by the leaders of the nation's 50 million Roman Catholics. In his address to the annual meeting of the bishops, Archibshop Roach outlined a three-point agenda that has emerged among members of the hierarchy in recent months, partly as a result of the Reagan Administration's budget cuts in social programs and growing opposition in the church to nuclear arms.

American Airlines today announced a second cost-cutting move in as many weeks, this time asking its 35,000 employees to accept a 5 percent pay cut for the first three months of 1982, and a wage freeze for the rest of that year. The airline had announced last week that an unspecified number of employees would be laid off or furloughed in December. That is in addition to the 750 workers and 200 pilots laid off by American after the air controllers' strike began in August.

President Reagan said today that he was willing to meet Congress halfway in a dispute over how much spending would be allowed in a stopgap money bill needed to keep the Government operating beyond midnight Friday. At the same time, Republican Senators said, White House aides told Republican leaders in Congress that Mr. Reagan was likely to veto the bill unless significant reductions were made, On Capitol Hill, Republicans and Democrats said that the veto threat was a matter of style as well as substance. Mr. Reagan was genuinely seeking the spending reductions, they said, but with the veto threat he was also seeking to demonstrate continued mastery over Congress on the budget. Round-the-Clock Work Possible The struggle between the White House and Congress is being played against the background of the Friday deadline for continuing the stopgap funds for the Government. Round-the-clock sessions of Congress are threatened if there is a stalemate, and a Governmentwide fiscal crisis looms if the deadline is missed.

President Reagan's Middle East envoy plans to return to that region shortly after Thanksgiving to try to strengthen the four-month old cease-fire in Lebanon and to ease Israeli concerns about American policies, Administration officials said today. The mission by Philip C. Habib, his first to the area since late July, is coming at a time of renewed tensions in Lebanon and Israel and apprehension in Washington that the truce might fall apart. Israel has threatened a pre-emptive strike against Palestine Liberation Organization forces in Lebanon, charging that the P.L.O. has increased its artillery power in southern Lebanon during the cease-fire, endangering residents of northern Israel. The formal announcement of Mr. Habib's departure is to be made in a few days and is expected to be reassuring to the Israelis, who have publicly complained in recent weeks about the seeming delay in Mr. Habib's return to the region. The trip is tentatively set for Nov. 27 or 28.

Frank J. Macchiarola, the city's Schools Chancellor, announced yesterday that he would become acting interim principal of Jamaica High School in Queens to get a first-hand view of day-to-day life in the school system. Mr. Macchiarola will continue to hold the title of Chancellor, but Richard F. Halverson, the deputy chancellor, will preside over the operations of the school system for a period of time that Mr. Macchiarola said is undetermined. Normally, an acting principal is appointed until a permanent replacement is found. Arlene Zimny, the principal of Jamaica High, has just been promoted to deputy director of the Division of Curriculum and Instruction. Mr. Macchiarola, who will begin reporting to the school daily on Dec. 2, said he did not expect to remain in the post until June.