October 26, 1997

National Basketball Association players, former players, agents and executives say that contrary to wholesome image marketed by league, 60 to 70 percent of its 350-plus players smoke marijuana and drink excessively; two decades ago, league nearly collapsed under perception that its athletes were high on cocaine; many people say NBA's 14-year-old drug policy is so antiquated and ineffective that it protects players despite behavior that is illegal and commonplace; under collective bargaining agreement, league allows mandatory drug testing of rookies only, does not list marijuana as prohibited substance, and prevents teams from testing veterans for cocaine and heroin except under rare circumstances; photos (M)

Comment by Edward Rothstein on National Endowment for the Arts; focuses on annual struggle with Congress for Federal funding and whether body should exist in democratic society; says if Congressional opponents of NEA achieve their goal of cutting off funding it will be relief; says we will be able to pay attention to real problem--something that might be called 'ideology of democracy'; holds in this vision of the world, not only are all people created equal but so are all ideas and all cultures; adds even art--an essentially undemocratic achievement by extraordinarily gifted individuals--is thrust into marketplace marked by clamorous demands for democratic distribution; questions how a national agency can act as patron in such an atmosphere; photos (L)

Article on linebackers Jessie Armstead, Corey Miller, Scott Galyon and Corey Widmer notes that they are at center of resurgent New York Giants defense; photo (M)

Standard time resumed at 2 A.M. today. Clocks were set back one hour.

Final report by House oversight committee will ask that Pentagon and Veterans Affairs Department be stripped of authority over issue of illness among Persian Gulf war veterans; says Congressional investigations found variety of toxic agents used during war, including Iraqi chemical weapons and pesticides, were probably responsible for health problems of thousands of veterans; concludes that two agencies have so mishandled probe that Congress should designate independent agency to coordinate further research; acknowledges that mystery will probably linger for years; Repr Christopher Shays adds that Federal Government has had 'a tin ear, a cold heart and a closed mind'; copy of report is obtained by The New York Times from official critical of Government response; separate study by White House panel of experts will be just as blistering in its criticism of Defense Department (M)