News stories from Saturday November 15, 1975

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

President Ford assured the leaders of five major industrial nations today that the United States economy was recovering strongly and durably and that this would help insure economic growth in their countries. Speaking at the opening session of the economic summit conference at the Chateau de Rambouillet near Paris, Mr. Ford said that the American recovery from a deep recession had been greater than expected. His remarks were relayed to reporters by L. William Seidman, executive director of the President's Policy Board. [New York Times] Even Generalissimo Francisco Franco's most faithful followers -- judging from their comments -- assume that he cannot survive much longer. Virtually every public figure in Madrid makes at least one daily visit to La Paz Hospital, where General Franco clings to life, and the strain on them has begun to show. Murmurs that began two weeks ago about the usefulness of maintaining his life, and the agony that is accompanying that maintenance, have grown increasingly loud. Public unease was particularly evident Friday following the third operation on the Spanish leader. [New York Times] The long-held dream that nuclear power would give the United States and the world an endless supply of low-cost electric power has faded, according to a growing number of economists, technical experts and utility officials. One of the reasons is the soaring cost of building reactors, to an expected $1,135 per kilowatt in 1985 from $300 per kilowatt in 1972. [New York Times] Sources in the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence said that it was preparing legislation that would for the first time formally entitle Congress to share national security intelligence with the executive branch. Interviews with key administration and intelligence officials disclosed that the administration would not oppose this facet of legislative oversight. [New York Times] Governor Carey, the chairman of the House Banking Committee and the House Republican leader agreed after negotiations in Washington on a compromise on a federal loan-guarantee bill for New York City that they believe will attract Republican support and enhance its chance of approval. Representative Henry Reuss, Wisconsin Democrat and chairman of the Banking Committee, said the compromise "greatly improves the bill's chances, and what had been just a fighting chance now becomes a good, solid chance." Representative John Rhodes of Arizona, the House Republican leader, said "This is a much better deal for the country and the city. I think this definitely improves the legislation's chances." [New York Times] The State Department said that a House committee had erred in beginning contempt proceedings against Secretary of State Henry Kissinger for failure to provide documents demanded in three subpoenas. William Hyland, head of the department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research, said Mr. Kissinger had no responsibility for complying with two of the subpoenas, which were addressed to the President's Adviser for National Security Affairs. Mr. Hyland noted that Mr. Kissinger was removed from that post by President Ford on Nov. 3, three days before the two subpoenas were tendered. Response to the third subpoena, addressed to Mr. Kissinger as Secretary of State, was made unnecessary, Mr. Hyland said, by President Ford's assertion that the documents it requested were privileged presidential communications. [New York Times] Prime Minister Rashid Karami of Lebanon announced that President Suleiman Franjieh had agreed to discuss proposals for reform of the sectarian political system. Mr. Karami, a Moslem, said that the President, who is a Christian, had agreed to discuss the powers of their respective positions and consider altering the composition of the 99-member Parliament to put Christians and Moslems on equal footing. [New York Times] Written death threats signed by a rightist terrorist organization have been sent to members of a congressional committee inquiring into charges of administrative corruption under President Isabel Martinez de Peron of Argentina. A note, sent to one of the committee's seven deputies, said: "If you investigate you will be looking at how the roots of the radishes grow." It was signed "A.A.A." the initials of the Argentine Anti-Communist Alliance, which was organized by Jose Lopez Rega, former Minister of Social Welfare and Mrs. Peron's political mentor. The group has taken credit for scores of political assassinations over the last two years. [New York Times] A carefully organized lobbying effort, chiefly directed by a little-known organization whose members are all giant corporations, has succeeded in killing a proposed major amendment to the antitrust laws. Similar efforts against other legislation are underway or are planned. The organization is the Business Roundtable whose 158 corporate members range alphabetically from Allis-Chalmers to Xerox and include the three largest automobile manufacturers, the three largest banks, seven of the largest oil companies, the largest steel companies, major retailing organizations and many of the largest utilities. [New York Times]