December 22, 1984

The Federal Reserve Board, in another move to ease credit, today cut the rate it charges on loans to financial institutions by half a point, to 8 percent. The reduction brought the so-called discount rate, which is closely watched as the most visible reflection of central bank policy, to its lowest level in more than six years. It peaked at 14 percent in September 1981 and has not been as low as 8 percent since October 1978. Short-Term Rates Cited The vote was 5 to 1, the dissent coming from Lyle E. Gramley, the central bank governor who has appeared most optimistic that the economy already has enough momentum to rebound smartly early next year from its current lackluster growth. The seventh governor, Martha R. Seger, was not present.

Battling a persistent coal fire a mile into a mountain, rescue workers today found the bodies of 13 miners, victims of the smoke and flames that trapped them Wednesday night. Fourteen other miners were still missing. Nine of the bodies were found at dawn today, huddled near the spot where the fire had blocked their escape. Rescuers found four more bodies tonight as they slowly made their way down the tunnel toward the area where mine officials earlier hoped the trapped miners had sought refuge. The discovery of the bodies shattered earlier optimism that a round-the- clock rescue effort and the drilling of two emergency air shafts into the Wilberg Mine might succeed in bringing all the miners out alive.

The State Department said today that the United States would not meet Israel's request for an emergency grant of $800 million until Israel adopted a much tougher economic austerity program. After two days of talks with an Israeli delegation, the department promised to recommend to Congress ''continued substantial levels of economic and military aid'' for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, 1985. Other officials said this would be at about the same levels that Israel was now receiving. For the 1985 fiscal year ending next Sept. 30, Israel has received a total of $2.6 billion in direct grant aid, of which $1.2 billion is economic assistance and $1.4 billion military aid.

The Administration's proposed budget for next year would deny guaranteed student loans and certain education grants to any family with an income of more than $30,000 a year, Administration officials said today. Under current law, eligibility for the programs is based on what the family can afford, and there is no absolute limit on income. Many families earning more than $30,000 have qualified by showing financial need. The officials said the main purpose of the proposed limit was to focus student aid programs more on low-income families.

United States Government officials said today that Grigory V. Romanov, the former Leningrad party leader, is the leading candidate to replace Marshal Dmitri F. Ustinov as Defense Minister of the Soviet Union. The officials said it was significant because if the Kremlin followed its usual practice, this would have the effect of removing Mr. Romanov from active consideration as the successor to Konstantin U. Chernenko, the Soviet leader, and leave Mikhail S. Gorbachev as the seemingly undisputed heir apparent. Youth and Good Health This is because Mr. Romanov would be expected to give up his post as a national Communist Party secretary, leaving only Mr. Chernenko and Mr. Gorbachev with those positions. No Soviet leader has taken power without also having been a party secretary.