News stories from Saturday October 22, 1977
Summaries of the stories the major media outlets considered to be of particular importance on this date:
- The administration is under fire in Washington. Although President Carter has boldly sought many new programs, there is mounting unease and criticism of his administration's performance and even its competence. Nine months after his inauguration, he has recorded several achievements and suffered some failures, but Washington figures repeatedly say they sense a malaise about the President's political and administrative methods.
A key administration troubleshooter is Robert Strauss. President Carter appointed him last March as his special trade representative, but his political skills in getting things done in Washington have resulted in a broadening range of assignments that include such issues as energy, the troubled steel industry, business and the proposed Panama Canal treaties.
[New York Times] - Anti-abortion groups are pressing organized, broad-based political drives around the country to limit access to abortion. The goal of the "pro-life" organizations, backed by millions of dollars, is to void the Supreme Court's legalizing of some abortions and gaining approval of a constitutional amendment outlawing them. The groups have been buoyed by anti-abortion positions recently taken by all three branches of the federal government. [New York Times]
- A new arms accord to limit strategic bomber and missile forces is likely within a few months, according to high American officials. They said that major progress had been achieved though hard problems remained to be settled in the intensified negotiations. The officials also said that optimistic remarks by President Carter and Leonid Brezhnev, the Soviet leader, had underscored the likelihood of an early accord. [New York Times]
- Moves against airplane hijackings are being pressed at the United Nations. Citing the escalation in the number of hijackings, 42 countries jointly asked for a General Assembly debate. The countries held an unusual strategy session during the weekend to recommend urgent consideration of their request. The debate is to begin Tuesday. [New York Times]
- Seoul's refusal to cooperate fully with the American inquiry into reported South Korean influence buying in Washington could affect votes in Congress on future aid to that country, Robert Byrd, the Senate Majority Leader, said. He told reporters there were broad implications in the South Koreans' refusal to permit Justice Department officials to interrogate Tongsun Park, the central figure in the scandal. [New York Times]