July 14, 1984

President Reagan said today that Republican women were making greater gains than Democratic women because they were ''doing it by merit'' without ''tokenism or cynical symbolism.'' Speaking at the White House to a group of Republican women active in politics, Mr. Reagan acknowledged that the selection of Representative Geraldine A. Ferraro as the Democratic Vice-Presidential nominee Excerpts from remarks, page 7. would be ''historic.'' The Congresswoman from Queens was the choice of Walter F. Mondale, the probable Democratic Presidential nominee. But Mr. Reagan challenged as ''foolishness'' the idea that her selection meant women were better served by the Democrats.

The instant public reaction to Representative Geraldine A. Ferraro as a Vice-Presidential candidate is mixed, with a wide range of minuses to accompany the pluses, according to a New York Times/CBS News Poll. The poll of 747 registered voters taken Thursday night, as Americans were first hearing of her selection as a running mate on the Democratic ticket by Walter F. Mondale, showed clearly negative reactions among the elderly, older and married men and Southerners. On the other hand, younger Americans, especially women, and undecided potential voters were positively affected by the choice. The poll thus illustrated how a surprise political move, which drew very little criticism and a great deal of praise from politicians Thursday, was evoking a different set of responses from people who were not professionally involved in the political process.

Jacek Kuron, left, Adam Michnik, two of four defendants, before military tribunal.

China announced Friday that its frontier guards repulsed a large-scale attack by Vietnam Thursday across their tense border after 10 hours of heavy combat. A dispatch by the official New China News Agency from what it said was the front line in Yunnan Province, where another battle was reported a month ago, said that after the fighting, ''the invaders fled in utter confusion.'' It said Chinese troops, working in the rain, had fortified their positions in preparation for a new attack. First Reported by Vietnam The border hostilities were confirmed by the Vietnamese News Agency. It accused China of shelling Ha Tuyen Province, which abuts Yunnan, with artillery and rockets since early July, killing civilians and seriously damaging property.

Nonmedical employees at 27 of New York City's private, nonprofit hospitals went on strike yesterday. Their union's leader described a two-year, 8 percent wage increase they were offered as ''insulting.'' The strike, by 46,000 workers, began with the change of the late-afternoon shifts, which varied at different hospitals. Picket lines had been set up at 6 A.M., but were withdrawn when negotiations continued on the union's demand for a two-year, 20 percent wage increase.