September 16, 1982

The House of Representatives today approved, by a vote of 350 to 33, a bill that largely exempts shipowners from antitrust laws. The bill, which has a companion measure now stalled in the Senate, marks a sharp departure from recent trends in Government antitrust policy. But it was supported by the Reagan Administration as well as by major segments of the maritime industry, including shipowners, shippers, port authorities and unions representing seafaring employees. Consumer groups opposed the bill, contending that it would raise prices of goods carried by ship.

Israeli troops and tanks pushed into west Beirut in force today in a drive prompted by the assassination on Tuesday of Lebanon's President-elect, Bashir Gemayel. Sweeping northward from positions they held in the southern suburbs and westward from positions in east Beirut, the Israelis ran into some resistance from Lebanese Moslem and leftist militiamen. The advance was supported by Israeli gunboats, which pounded targets in west Beirut. As the drive was continuing, the funeral of Mr. Gemayel, who was to have been inaugurated President on Sept. 23, was held in his home village of Bikfeiya, nine miles east-northeast of Beirut, with the nation's principal political leaders leading thousands of mourners.

Industrial production dropped five-tenths of 1 percent in August, the Government reported today, reflecting the continuing decline in the economy and signaling a delay in the longpromised recovery until late fall or early winter. ''The recovery may be in sight, but we don't have evidence that the turning point has been reached,'' said Theodore Torda, the senior economist in the Commerce Department. ''The recovery has been postponed to the fourth quarter.'' The Reagan Administration, hoping for a rebound by the crucial offyear Congressional elections, had promised a strong recovery in the second quarter and, when that did not materialize, a recovery in the third quarter. Just last week in Kansas, President Reagan said, ''Yes, the recovery has been sighted.'' And Treasury Secretary Donald T. Regan has predicted that there would be relatively strong growth this quarter. But today Mr. Torda said ''you can flip a coin'' over whether the third quarter will show a small minus or a small plus. The White House had no official comment.

International Israeli troops took positions in west Beirut in a drive prompted by the assassination on Tuesday of Lebanon's President-elect, Bashir Gemayel. The Israelis ran into some resistance from Lebanese Moslem and leftist militiamen. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shafik al-Wazzan called for the withdrawal of the Israeli troops. (Page A1, Col.6.) Prime Minister Menachem Begin reportedly told the American speical envoy, Morris Draper, that he ordered Israeli troops into west Beruit to prevent the reorganization of the Palestine Liberation Organization and leftist Moslem militias. The move was designed to salvage Israel's political gains in Lebanon following the assassination of President-elect Bashir Gemayel. (A1:4.)

A Manhattan grand jury is trying to subpoena a 10-year-old Roosevelt Island boy in a burglary investigation, and his parents are fighting the move, contending that the experience would be too emotionally disturbing. A hearing began in State Supreme Court yesterday before Acting Justice Herbert I. Altman to determine whether testifying would be too traumatic for the fifth grader. His name was not used in the proceedings.