News stories from Saturday October 5, 1974

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

Vice President-designate Nelson Rockefeller disclosed that he had made gifts of $50,000 to Henry Kissinger, $86,000 to L. Judson Morhouse, the former New York Republican state chairman, and an undisclosed sum to Dr. William Ronan, now chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. In a move to head off any political repercussions that might jeopardize his nomination, the former Governor responded to reports of the gifts by issuing details and explanations of each. A source close to the Senate Rules Committee, which held hearings on Mr. Rockefeller's nomination, said the panel might seek further explanations of the gifts. [New York Times] Representatives of two grain companies, after meeting with President Ford and other administration officials, have agreed to cancel a $500 million shipment of wheat and corn to the Soviet Union. Secretary of Agriculture Earl Butz said the government could have ordered the shipment suspended if the companies had not agreed to cooperate. The shipment, which included 35 million bushels of wheat and 19 million bushels of corn, was stopped by a hold order directed by President Ford. Dr. Butz said the President's action was meant to avoid export controls and keep world markets open through voluntary cooperation. [New York Times] Negotiations with the Soviet Union for a compromise that could allow at least 60,000 Soviet Jews and others to emigrate yearly in return for American trade concessions have run into problems that may block the agreement. In Washington, reliable sources said the compromise appears to have broken down because the White House declined to give written assurances to Congress that it believed details of the agreement would be carried out by the Russians. A State Department spokesman said the Soviet Union had never given assurances that a specific number of persons could emigrate. [New York Times] Japanese sensitivity about a growing controversy over the strip-mining of Western grazing lands for coal appears to have wrecked an agreement for the export of millions of tons a year. The Mitsui Mining Company and the Tokai Shipping Company, which have been conducting quiet negotiations to purchase the Montana coal, have broken off negotiations. [New York Times] With the closing of Jack Dempsey's Restaurant on Broadway, near 49th Street, the Times Square area of Manhattan is losing a landmark that over the years became a prime tourist attraction. The decision to close the famous eating place was made by the former heavyweight boxing champion after the building's landlord demanded a lease raising the annual rental to $100,000 from $65,000. Mr. Dempsey said he was "heartbroken" by the shutdown. [New York Times] President Houari Boumediene of Algeria has told the United Nations that "certain large industrial countries are launching a veritable offensive against the oil exporting countries." The denunciation was clearly aimed at the United States, although no target was identified. Big industrial nations, Mr. Boumediene said, are using their economic and political power to roll back oil prices and are not afraid that in such a confrontation all mankind may be "dragged to the brink of the abyss." [New York Times] As an aftermath of the summer floods in rural Bangladesh, many villagers who in good times hope to eat one meal a day now eat one meal every other day or every third day. Dr. Nevin Scrimshaw, an authority on world malnutrition, said the result of the prolonged hunger was malnutrition, which hits children hardest, killing many and leaving others stunted both mentally and physically. In the nations hit by crop failures due to floods and droughts, such as India, Pakistan, Indonesia and the sub-Sahara countries of Africa, an estimated 15 million children die each year before the age of 5. This figure represents a quarter of all deaths in the world. [New York Times]