This Day In 1970's History: Tuesday October 31, 1978
- The A.F.L.-C.I.O. rejected President Carter's voluntary anti-inflation program and called on Congress to impose mandatory controls. George Meany, president of the labor federation, denounced Carter's plan as "inequitable and unfair." He said that he opposes full controls, but since the administration is moving in that direction "in piecemeal and ill-designed stages, America might as well do it right and do it now." [Chicago Tribune]
- The Carter administration has two major inflation fighting proposals under study for possible submission to Congress in January. One proposal involves cutting Social Security payroll taxes to reduce the cost of doing business for many companies, the other involves reducing the minimum wage for teenagers. But Barry Bosworth, executive director of the Council on Wage-Price Stability, warned that a continuing decline in the dollar and the stock market could harm the President's new anti-inflation program and damage the economy. [Chicago Tribune]
- Uncle Sam is a softie as a debt collector, the General Accounting Office said. The G.A.O. checked the debts owed to big federal agencies. It concluded the government is quick at sending out bills but slow to say pay up, or else. The debts owed the government for everything from tax assessments to weapons sales to foreign countries totaled $14.6 billion, the G.A.O. said. That was up from $10.4 billion in 1973. [Chicago Tribune]
- Devotees of Harry Houdini say the long departed escape artist promised during a Halloween seance in the hospital where he died that he'll be back next year -- with even more amazing feats. Four researchers into the occult began a seance in Room 401 of Detroit's Grace Hospital at 1:26 p.m. today -- 52 years to the minute after the magician died of a ruptured appendix in 1926. The four beckoned him, and Houdini appeared, said medium Irene Rucinsky. Houdini said he would not appear again before "taking over another body" next year. [Chicago Tribune]
- President Carter signed a bill that protects working women from occupational discrimination on the basis of pregnancy. Carter said he is convinced job discrimination based on pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions ''constitutes discrimination based on sex" and said the measure requires employers with medical disability plans to provide pregnancy disability payments on an equal basis with other medical conditions. [Chicago Tribune]
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