News stories from Saturday July 21, 1979

Summaries of the stories the major media outlets considered to be of particular importance on this date:

President Carter's cabinet shakeup had been quietly in the making for three months and more; the advisers who were most influential in persuading him that the time had come for dramatic action had no formal posts in his administration. White House officials say that since last winter presidential aides had been urging Mr. Carter to shake up his cabinet from time to time, and that when he did so it was largely because of prodding from Patrick Caddell, his opinion pollster, and Rosalynn Carter. [New York Times] President Carter has no qualms or apologies for the cabinet shakeup or the way it was done. This was made clear at a background discussion with reporters at the White House. He feels strongly that he moved as expeditiously as possible and believes that when the changes are judged on their merits, they will be viewed by the public and Congress as constructive. He spoke bluntly about the personalities involved in the changes and regards the reaction in Congress as excessively negative. [New York Times] The Border Patrol's search procedures are being attacked by civil liberties leaders, defense lawyers and some Justice Department officials who believe that the patrol is violating its mandate in its search for illegal aliens with its seizures of narcotics and other contraband. The patrol's checkpoints, where thousands of vehicles are stopped and searched each year, have been a feature of Southwestern highways since 1927, and under immigration laws it has unrestricted authority to stop and question anyone about his right to be in the United States. [New York Times] Domination of Midwestern farms by non-farm investment interests is being strongly opposed by the Roman Catholic Church in an expansion of its religious role in the region. The church's view is set forth in a series of ecumenical hearings in 44 regional dioceses in 12 states. A position paper titled "Strangers and Guests", to be issued next year by local bishops, recommends a national land-reform policy that would prevent outside corporations, foreign investors and tax-shelter "Wall Street farmers" from dominating the farm region. [New York Times] The whereabouts of Joan Dedrick was unknown despite her husband's public request for delivery of $300,000 in ransom and his plea for her release. Mrs. Dedrick, whose husband is executive vice president of the Franklin Bank in Paterson, N.J., was kidnapped Friday morning from their home in Newfoundland in West Milford Township, N.J. She has two teenaged sons. [New York Times] Vietnam will try to stop the exodus of refugees, Secretary General Kurt Waldheim announced at a United Nations conference on refugees in Geneva. Addressing representatives of 65 nations attending the meeting, Mr. Waldheim said that he had been authorized by the Vietnamese government "to inform you that for a reasonable period of time it will make every effort to stop illegal departures." [New York Times] Politics threatens the independence of the United Nations international staff and is undermining the civil service that was intended to protect the world organization from outside influence, according to staff leaders and officials. Appointment to one of the 2,700 non-clerical professional positions no longer is based on merit, but on politics, favoritism and "knowing someone," said Lowell Flanders, president of the Staff Association, representing 5,000 employees. [New York Times] Twenty-six crewmen were missing after the collision Thursday night of two supertankers off Tobago that spilled oil over a large area. A fire was out of control on one of them carrying 1.9 million gallons of crude oil. The Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard said the oil slick appeared to cover about 10 square miles instead of the 30 square miles reported Friday. [New York Times] The emergency needs of Nicaraguans were being dealt with by their new government in a series of decrees affecting food, transportation and public order, and a call was issued for the return of the thousands of automatic weapons in the hands of civilians. [New York Times]