News stories from Sunday December 16, 1973

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

Secretary of State Kissinger conferred with Premier Golda Meir and other Israeli officials in an attempt to ease Israel's concern about the projected Middle East peace conference, and to try and insure that the conference begins in Geneva on Friday. Later Mr. Kissinger termed the talks "very friendly, very warm and very constructive." He was optimistic about getting the peace talks moving. [New York Times] John M. Doar, who led the government's drive against racial discrimination in the 1960's, is a leading candidate to direct the Congressional inquiry into President Nixon's conduct in office. The Democratic chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Representative Peter Rodino of New Jersey, reportedly has narrowed his search to five or six lawyers. Mr. Doar was described as the likely prospect. [New York Times] The new national commission that was established to review federal and state wire-tapping practices is expected to begin looking into the administration's use of so-called national security wiretaps, some of which have become a focal point of the Watergate scandals. The commission, authorized by Congress as part of a 1968 law that first permitted court-ordered wiretaps by law enforcement officers, was initially conceived as an overseer body. [New York Times] Fearing a substantial decline in gasoline tax revenues next year, state governments across the nation are developing contingency plans to suspend or delay hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of proposed road projects. In New York, the projected annual loss will be $80 million to $130 million, according to an official's estimate. [New York Times] The United States has started a program to equip its tens of thousands of tactical nuclear weapons, maintained in many foreign countries, with advanced electronic controls designed to prevent their misuse even if terrorists or hostile armies overrun an overseas base. The safeguards will go well beyond the increased guard forces, stronger fences and many other security measures taken this year at scores of weapons depots after the Arab terrorist action at the 1972 Olympics. [New York Times] Food shortages are expected in Britain next year because of the three-day work week ordered by the government to conserve fuel. The food problem will be brought about by an expected scarcity of packaging. The reduced supplies of tinplate, paper and cardboard that will eventually result from the three-day work week will affect food, industry officials said. [New York Times] Syria is holding off a final decision on taking part in the Middle East peace conference until she gets clarification about Israel's intentions on several issues raised with Mr. Kissinger in his meeting Saturday with the Syrian President, Hafez al-Assad. Mr. Kissinger said that they had had a "very frank talk," but Syria still believes Israel is reluctant to reach a settlement. [New York Times] Egyptian officials expressed satisfaction with the progress of preparations for the Middle East peace conference. The postponement of the conference's opening from Tuesday to Friday was not welcomed in Cairo because Egypt is eager to begin the peace negotiations to press for withdrawal of Israeli troops in the Suez Canal area. But the disadvantage of the conference's delay, Egypt believes, is far outweighed by new developments, mainly that the conference will be held under United Nations auspices. [New York Times]