This Day In 1970's History: Wednesday January 28, 1981
- The ex-hostages began going home to cities and small towns across the nation. Everywhere they went, they were greeted as heroes, with cheering throngs, brass bands, motorcades and champagne. Many of the 52 Americans are expected to attend an ecumenical thanksgiving service tomorrow in the Washington Cathedral.
The psychological problems that trouble some of the freed hostages have decreased in the last three days, according to Dr. Jerome Korcak, the State Department's medical director. He also said in an interview that two of the Americans had been hospitalized in the Washington area as an outbreak of flu struck about one-fifth of the former captives. [New York Times]
- Decontrol of oil prices and allocations was ordered by President Reagan, effective at once. As a result, the administration predicted, gasoline prices will rise by 3 to 5 cents a gallon while consumer groups put the additional cost at 10 to 12 cents by the end of the summer. Analysts said that the price of heating oil would rise even more. The remaining controls had been set to expire next Sept. 30. [New York Times]
- A change in the Consumer Price Index is set to occur in 1985, according to Janet Norwood, the Commissioner of Labor Statistics. She said that the home-ownership component of the key index would be deleted and would probably be replaced with an estimate for rents. The change is considered likely to slow the rate of increase in the overall index, which could result in smaller rises in Social Security benefits and government pensions. [New York Times]
- A cut in loans and grants to students will be pressed by the Reagan administration as a top priority in education policy, according to Secretary of Education T. H. Bell. In a wide-ranging interview, Mr. Bell also said that he would actively promote legislation to grant tax credits to the parents of children attending private and parochial schools and colleges. [New York Times]
- A new strategic bomber is needed urgently, according to Gen. David Jones, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In a marked shift from the position and tone of his report to Congress a year ago, the Air Force general urged the continued development of a bomber to succeed the B-52 that could penetrate Soviet defenses. [New York Times]
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