September 17, 1994

President Clinton today sent former President Jimmy Carter, retired Gen. Colin L. Powell and Senator Sam Nunn of Georgia to Haiti in a final diplomatic attempt to make that country's military leaders step down and avert an imminent American-led invasion. General Powell, who is the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mr. Nunn, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Mr. Carter were to fly to Port-au-Prince aboard a United States Government plane on Saturday.

With a final diplomatic effort under way to remove the military leaders in Haiti and with the American military moving troops into place, Haitians began preparing for an invasion. In the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, tension rose through the day. By early evening, many civilians began to hear about the last-ditch diplomatic effort to persuade Haiti's military leaders to step down.

As politicians around the country try to keep pace with the public's fury at criminals, and crime shows few signs of abating, state and county officials are cracking down on a new target: lawbreakers already behind bars. From California to Florida, elected officials have proposed to make prison life harsher than it has been in years, and in some cases, they have succeeded. On the table or already on the books are edicts taking away televisions, tennis and basketball courts, weight rooms, pornography and more.

For weeks, the television commercials of Gov. Mario M. Cuomo and State Senator George E. Pataki have bobbed and feinted in a round of preliminary recriminations. But as the general election campaign for governor of New York got under way in earnest this week, the commercials cut straight to the chin. Last night, Mr. Cuomo released a sneering 30-second spot that points out inaccuracies in a recent Pataki commercial, then features news footage in which Mr. Pataki appears to excuse himself by acknowledging that candidates often say nasty things that they "may or may not believe." The tag line is, "George Pataki. Politics as usual."

Easing Fears on Ulster Britain promised a referendum to ease Protestant fears in Northern Ireland and lifted a broadcasting ban to reward the Irish Republican Army for its cease-fire. Page 4. Harriman Heirs Sue Widow Trustees for W. Averell Harriman's heirs sued his widow, Pamela, claiming she had squandered more than $30 million from their trust funds on high-risk investments. Page 25.