News stories from Friday September 17, 1971
Summaries of the stories the major media outlets considered to be of particular importance on this date:
- Supreme Court justice Hugo Black has announced his retirement due to failing health. White House aides said that Black's successor will most likely be a Southerner; Virginia Rep. Richard Poff is mentioned most often as Black's replacement. Justice John Harlan is also reportedly ready to step down, and Justice Thurgood Marshall is reportedly ill.
Black has a reputation as a defender of equal rights. In an interview three years ago, Black said that the U.S. constitution is the best document ever written to control government; weak portions of the constitution shouldn't be changed quickly. Black stated that If the U.S. government survives, it will be because government of the people remains; every action taken to improve public tranquility under the law moves the government toward lasting longer.
[CBS] - The draft extension bill passed a Senate test vote, 47-36. Four Democratic presidential candidates were absent for today's vote. The vote defeated an attempt to have the bill rewritten to include an April 1 deadline for withdrawal from South Vietnam. Senator John Stennis thinks it's certain that the Senate will get cloture on the bill next week and he believes it will pass by a considerable margin. Senator Mike Mansfield says that he will continue to push for an amendment regarding a South Vietnam withdrawal deadline.
President Nixon has promised to support a larger military pay increase, and he is pressuring the Governor of Vermont to speed up the Senate appointment of Robert Stafford to replace the late Winston Prouty.
[CBS] - Four doctors talked about wounded inmates at Attica State Prison, saying that some were shot while lying on the ground or running from troopers. Until today, only criminal investigators who are trying to build a case against the rioters were allowed to go into the prison; this morning, inmates' lawyers were finally allowed to see their clients.
The black community in Buffalo held memorial services for the inmates. Attica observer team member William Gaiter said that people came to the services to memorialize those who were "crucified" by bullets.
[CBS] - An Israeli air force plane was shot down by an Egyptian missile; Israel reported that seven of the eight crewmen were killed. [CBS]
- Communist and South Vietnamese forces have engaged in heavy fighting since Wednesday in the U Minh Forest. [CBS]
- Demonstrations against President Nguyen Van Thieu's decision to run unopposed in South Vietnam's presidential election continue. In Saigon, there was a confrontation between police and An Quang Buddhists; the police used tear gas, the Buddhists and students used gasoline bombs and rocks. Buddhists are calling for a boycott of the presidential election. [CBS]
- A dramatic development in Capt. Ernest Medina's trial: judge Col. Kenneth Howard has reduced the charges from the murder of 102 South Vietnamese civilians to the murder of just one. [CBS]
- At New York State University, scientists displayed a moon rock brought back by Apollo 15 that is estimated to be 4.15 billion years old. [CBS]
- In San Francisco, a Swedish oil tanker slipped its moorings and spilled oil into San Francisco bay. Standard Oil Company called it a "little" accident; the U.S. Coast Guard says it's a major spill, with as much as 30,000 gallons spilled. [CBS]
- 17 Canadian women in a tour bus in Spain were killed when the bus collided with a truck. [CBS]
- "BOSS" author Mike Royko claims that his book was removed from National Tea Company stores after Chicago Mayor Richard Daley's wife threatened never to shop at a National Tea Store again. [CBS]
- Averell Harriman, 79, announced that he'll marry Pamela Digby Churchill Hayward, 51, later this year. [CBS]
- President Nixon will attend a reception given by former Interior Secretary Walter Hickel during his trip to Alaska to meet with Japanese Emperor Hirohito. [CBS]
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Stock Market Report
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 908.22 (+5.11, +0.57%)
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 16, 1971 | 903.11 | 99.66 | 10.55 |
| September 15, 1971 | 904.86 | 99.77 | 11.08 |
| September 14, 1971 | 901.65 | 99.34 | 11.41 |
| September 13, 1971 | 909.39 | 100.07 | 10.00 |
| September 10, 1971 | 911.00 | 100.42 | 11.38 |
| September 9, 1971 | 915.89 | 100.80 | 15.79 |
| September 8, 1971 | 920.93 | 101.34 | 14.23 |
| September 7, 1971 | 916.47 | 101.15 | 17.08 |
| September 3, 1971 | 912.75 | 100.69 | 14.04 |
| September 2, 1971 | 900.63 | 99.29 | 10.69 |