News stories from Saturday March 26, 1977

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

New economic statistics pouring out of Washington indicate that the economy is surprisingly resilient and robust in some sectors. The figures show that the economy has overcome the effects of one of the coldest winters of the century and is moving toward 5 or 6 percent higher annual growth, which should bring it by the year's end within range of a $2 trillion gross national product. [New York Times] Gerald Ford said that he was "seriously concerned" that some of the fiscal decisions of the Carter administration and Congress would lead to worsening inflation in the next few years. The former President said at a breakfast meeting with reporters in Washington that President Carter should immediately curb "an irresponsible Congress" if he wants to avoid "tough times" in 1978 and 1979. He also spoke about what he termed the "inflexibility of the Pentagon" that, he said, was in part responsible for his failure to get a strategic arms limitation agreement with the Soviet Union before leaving office. [New York Times] There will be no tuition increase at most public colleges next fall, but most private institutions will again be raising their fees. Separate surveys by the New York Times and the College Entrance Examination Board found that the average annual tuition at four-year public colleges will remain virtually at the current level of $621 and there will be an average increase of 6.3 percent, to $2,476, at private colleges. [New York Times] Saccharin does not provide a medical need for diabetics and dieters, experts say. In a series of interviews, dietitians and diabetics specialists suggested that the public outcry over the Food and Drug Administration's proposed ban on the sugar substitute was based on the prospect of a sweet tooth's being deprived. "It's very much a psychological thing," a dietitian said. [New York Times] An innovative "immediate decision plan" was begun by Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, N.Y., under which high school seniors after a day-long evaluation received a personal on the spot rejection or admission to the liberal arts college next fall. The college wished to eliminate the "confusing, anxiety-ridden process" associated with the traditional admission process that sometimes takes months. On the first day of the new admission procedure, 34 high school students who received immediate action on their applications were accepted. [New York Times] Secretary of State Cyrus Vance arrived in Moscow for talks with Leonid Brezhnev and other Soviet leaders with two principal objectives: to emphasize American support for detente, and to persuade the Soviet leaders to agree to negotiate deep cuts in each side's nuclear forces. If. Mr. Vance succeeds in the latter he will have broken the deadlock in the strategic arms limitation talks. [New York Times] A coup by a disaffected general in Thailand was foiled by the military-backed government and the general and four other rebel officers went into exile. The general was said to have been bitter over his sudden dismissal as Deputy Commander in Chief of the army. His group had announced over the Thai radio that it had assumed control of the government. But the 24-man junta that has governed the country since October took swift action. Despite a confrontation of troops on both sides there was only one death, that of a general who was said to have been shot when he refused to take part in the coup. [New York Times]