News stories from Friday September 21, 1973
Summaries of the stories the major media outlets considered to be of particular importance on this date:
- As rumors continued regarding Vice President Spiro Agnew's possible resignation, President Nixon met secretly with Agnew today. Details of the meeting are unknown, but sources said that domestic problems such as the Agnew situation may force the president to cancel or delay his planned European visit this fall. The displeasure of West European leaders, the Agnew inquiry and the White House tapes all may contribute to the president's final decision; he may still visit Japan. [CBS]
- An official in California, Orange County supervisor Robert Battin, charged that President Nixon's San Clemente property is underassessed and has requested a tax increase on the President. County assessor Jack Vallerga said that the current assessment is accurate, but Battin disagrees. [CBS]
- The full Senate confirmed Henry Kissinger as Secretary of State. [CBS]
- The Soviet Union has broken off diplomatic relations with the new military government in Chile which took over after President Salvador Allende's Marxist government was overthrown by a military junta last week. Military leaders are cracking down on dissenters. During a press conference, junta leader Augusto Pinochet warned dissenters and vowed that the military will restore the country to normalcy. Responding to reporters' questions, Pinochet insisted that neither the United States nor any other outside country was involved in the coup. However, Senate Democratic leader Mike Mansfield has called for a probe into possible U.S. involvement.
Released political prisoners described gross mistreatment at the hands of the military. Two American prisoners who were held for questioning, Patricia and Adam Schesch, have been released.
Former President Allende died during the coup; his daughter, now with the rest of her family in Mexico City, permitted an interview. Maria Isabel Allende said that her father was adamant that his government's struggle against the military must continue. Questioned about her father's alleged suicide, she replied that her father was a fighter and would not commit suicide. Maria believes that her father was murdered as he directed resistance to the coup to the very end of his life.
[CBS] - Italy charged that Libyan jets fired on a small warship in international waters; two sailors were injured. [CBS]
- The cost of living increased 1.8% during August. Food prices showed the most significant jump -- up 6.6%. [CBS]
- In northern California, angry gas station owners have decided to close their stations to protest the administrations' Phase IV economic controls on gasoline. Dealer spokesman John Huemmrich demanded that fair treatment be given to independent dealers. More than half of the stations in northern California will remain closed until Tuesday. [CBS]
- Concern is increasing over possible heating oil shortages for the upcoming winter months. Oil reserves are now at their lowest point. Independent oil dealer Joseph Ackell said that Congress must decide if profits for major oil companies are more important than the American people. Mobil Oil insisted that fuel oil has been made available in the open market to independents.
But many independents can't afford the market price, and may go out of business. New Englanders will suffer because most of the region's fuel is bought from independents rather than major companies. More oil for fuel must come from Europe, and propane in short supply in rural areas.
Congress has proposed mandatory allocations of fuel to assure supplies for everyone. The Nixon administration also has plans to increase the supply of fuel for the winter.
[CBS] - The federal government will lift export controls on some agricultural crops. Agriculture Secretary Earl Butz said that the U.S. crop outlook is excellent. [CBS]
- A Democratic party commission began meeting in Washington, DC to plan guidelines for the selection of delegates for the 1976 national convention. [CBS]
- Singer-songwriter Jim Croce died when the private plane in which he and four others were traveling crashed shortly after takeoff from Natchitoches, Louisiana, following a concert appearance there. [CBS]
- Billie Jean King triumphed over Bobby Riggs in the Battle-of-the-Sexes tennis match at the Astrodome in Houston. Riggs said that Billie Jean played a fantastic game and won fair and square. King said that she always wanted to change the sport of tennis. The Riggs-King match received some attention on the Senate floor in Washington. [CBS]
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Stock Market Report
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 927.90 (+7.37, +0.80%)
Arms Index is the ratio of volume per declining issue to volume per advancing issue; a figure below 1.0 is bullish. | |||||||||||||||
| Market Index Trends | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | DJIA | S&P | Volume* |
| September 20, 1973 | 920.53 | 106.76 | 25.96 |
| September 19, 1973 | 910.37 | 105.88 | 24.57 |
| September 18, 1973 | 891.26 | 103.77 | 16.40 |
| September 17, 1973 | 892.99 | 104.15 | 15.10 |
| September 14, 1973 | 886.35 | 104.44 | 13.76 |
| September 13, 1973 | 880.57 | 103.36 | 11.67 |
| September 12, 1973 | 881.32 | 103.06 | 12.04 |
| September 11, 1973 | 885.76 | 103.22 | 12.69 |
| September 10, 1973 | 891.33 | 103.85 | 11.62 |
| September 7, 1973 | 898.63 | 104.76 | 14.93 |