Group Aids Defense of Reporters on Subpoenas and 'Gag' Orders by Judges; Frequent Gag Orders Budget of $60,000
Date: 18 December 1974
By MARTIN ARNOLDSpecial to The New York Times
Article on tasks of Reporters Com for Press Freedom; during '74 judges around US have issued about 20 'gag' orders against press, that forbid reporters and their newspapers, TV or radio stations to rept certain information about ct cases, mostly criminal trials; main function of com is to be clearing house for information about attacks on press freedom and for guidance to reporters and editors who are defending themselves against such attacks; com tries to find legal aid for journalists who cannot afford their own and supplies legal data to attys who defend journalists; Jack C Landau (Newhouse Newspapers) notes that there are several long-range threats to press freedom including various privacy bills that are now before Cong; notes another threat is indifference that some sectors of press have toward govt and judicial attacks upon it; John Taylor (Boston Globe) comments; much of early work in com was done by Landau and Fred P Graham; other com members are Lyle Denniston (Washington Star-News), Robert C Maynard (Washington Post), Jack Nelson (Los Angeles Times) and Eileen Shanahan (NY Times); current budget of orgn is $60,000; most of budget goes to support qrly newslr, of which 4,000 copies are printed and distributed at cost of about 80c per copy; E Barrett Prettyman Jr, atty for com, comments (M)
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Ellsberg Papers Said to Make A New Disclosure on Vietnam
Date: 17 December 1974
Dr Daniel Ellsberg and HR Subcom on Foreign Operations chmn Repr William S Moorhead reveal existence of Oct '67 cable allegedly aimed at misleading public about progress of Vietnam war during Pres Lyndon B Johnson's adm; cable reptdly was written 3 mos before Communists' '68 Tet offensive; sources say cable dealt with '64 Tonkin Gulf attack on Amer vessels that led to large-scale commitment of US troops; Ellsberg says he does not recall any cable on material dealing with Tonkin Gulf; document was among those stolen from Ellsberg's home; police recovered documents and turned them over to Moorhead's com; Moorhead says he and staff had been able only to glance through documents; adds 'Dr Ellsberg says they're as significant as the Pentagon papers and considering his track record I believe him' (S)
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U.S.-China Relations
Date: 18 December 1974
By Jerome Alan Cohen
Jerome Cohen
Prof Jerome Alan Cohen article backing normalization of Chinese-US ties, as pledged in Shanghai communique at end of ex-Pres Nixon's visit to China, but pointing out Chinese actions which interfere with broadening of understanding in various fields; discusses specific moves involving exchanges in fields of culture, journalism and educ
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Notes on Trade, etc.
Date: 17 December 1974
By Tom Wicker
Tom Wicker
Tom Wicker tongue-in-cheek article on proposal that Shah of Iran invest idle funds in restoring liner France to trans-Atlantic service; contends France's annual $20-million deficit, caused by oil and caviar prices, could be eliminated as Shah owns both oil and caviar (M)
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Mao Meets Mobut in China; Notes on People
Date: 18 December 1974
Bing Crosby family participates in its 10th annual Xmas appearance at San Francisco's Laguna Honda Hosp for disabled and chronically ill; family members participating include: wife Kathryn, children Harry, Mary Frances and Nathaniel (S)
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