News stories from Sunday July 23, 1972

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

In Blacksville, West Virginia, a fire erupted in a Consolidation Coal Company mine, trapping nine miners; rescue efforts have begun. Ronald Statler of the United Mine Workers said that the state's mining law was violated by having men on the inside while equipment was being moved. An investigation by federal, state, union and company officials will be made. This fire is in Consolidation Coal Company's No. 1 mine; four years ago there was a fire in No. 9 mine nearby in which 78 miners died. [NBC] Former Treasury Secretary John Connally said that he never believed President Nixon would choose him to replace Vice President Agnew as his 1972 running mate. Connally stated that he will try to win Democrat support for the Nixon-Agnew ticket, but will not support Republicans in congressional or state races. [NBC] George McGovern said previously that if he is elected he will keep some military forces in Thailand and on ships off the Vietnam coast until all American POWs are returned. However, he again pledged to pull all U.S. units out of Indochina 90 days after his inauguration. [NBC] George McGovern hasn't given up on support from AFL-CIO president George Meany. Labor support is important for McGovern, but not for the reason most people think. Labor union leaders and their members agree that political endorsements by unions carry very little weight. Meany noted that union leaders do not control how the rank and file votes; UAW president Leonard Woodcock says that a mere endorsement means nothing.The Teamsters union endorsed President Nixon, but most members say they will make up their own minds. The UAW backs McGovern but, like the Teamsters, auto workers say that the endorsement by union leaders has little effect on their vote. Union leaders cannot deliver votes, but they can deliver money. Four years ago, the AFL-CIO pumped $10 million into Hubert Humphrey's presidential campaign; McGovern needs that kind of money. [NBC] Lettuce may be a political issue this fall; many delegations at the Democratic national convention vowed to support a lettuce boycott. That boycott is being staged by backers of Cesar Chavez and his United Farm Workers union. Some California lettuce growers have turned to the Teamsters to represent lettuce field workers, thinking that the Teamsters would be easier to deal with. The aim of the boycott is to hurt the growers so they will all recognize Chavez's union. Consumers, however, rarely know whose lettuce they are buying.California growers supply most of the lettuce that is consumed in America. The Teamsters claim that California lettuce comes from farms employing Teamster workers. Chavez's union represents only 20% of lettuce workers but wants to represent them all. Union labels are on lettuce crates, but most stores uncrate produce for display. Most grocery store chains buy lettuce under both labels; they say the matter should be cleared up in court. Democrats back the boycott; the Teamsters support President Nixon. The consumer is caught in the middle. [NBC] British Prime Minister Edward Heath is trying to avert a shutdown of Britain's ports. A walkout has been threatened over the jailing of five longshoremen for illegal picketing. Of the 42,000 dockworkers in Britain, half are already off the job. [NBC] Russia landed a capsule on the planet Venus, and have received a radio transmission from it. [NBC] The U.S. launched an Earth Resources Technology satellite to orbit the Earth at a height of 500 miles for the purpose of taking pictures. From the satellite's photos, scientists will study pollution, agriculture, geology, the oceans and all facets of Earth's resources. Test photographs which were shot from a high-flying aircraft afford an example of what satellite pictures will show. An infrared shot of San Francisco shows the San Andreas fault; a picture of the San Fernando Valley in southern California shows the San Gabriel fault. A photo of Houston depicts sources of pollution. [NBC] American planes attacked a complex of warehouses and storage areas in Hanoi; surrounding populated areas were not hit. [NBC] North Vietnamese forces have abandoned their ambush positions south of Quang Tri city; supplies are again moving up Highway 1. Three newsmen were killed in the battle area yesterday, and a Canadian news photographer was killed by a North Vietnamese artillery barrage today. [NBC] British soldiers stormed an abandoned house in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and found 400 pounds of explosives, 45 detonators and fuses, three bombs, 12 guns and 1,000 pounds of ammunition. [NBC] Typhoon Rita is causing extensive flooding in the Philippines; the storm left Luzon Island and is heading toward Manila. 200 people are known dead, 2 million are homeless. The worst-hit areas are north of Manila. 13 provinces on Luzon are on full emergency alert; flood victims are without food and shelter. Few helicopters are available for rescue efforts so amphibious trucks and boats are being used. Almost 90% of Manila is under water. [NBC] Bobby Fischer won the sixth game of the world championship chess tournament in Iceland. Fischer is now one game ahead of Boris Spassky. [NBC] The east coast is sweltering with temperatures in the mid-90's but humidity and pollution readings have decreased. The smog alert has been lifted in Ohio, but continues in Washington, DC; North Carolina may get one. [NBC] A nationwide power failure in Greece has been reported after lightning knocked out the main generating station. [NBC]