News stories from Monday March 27, 1972
Summaries of the stories the major media outlets considered to be of particular importance on this date:
- Protestants in Northern Ireland are on strike to protest Britain's plan for direct rule of the country. Strikers in Belfast reject being sold out by the British after having been tolerant of IRA terrorism; strikers cheered when the Ulster flag was raised above the Union Jack. Ulster Vanguard leader William Craig called for "peace with honor". Transportation has been crippled by the strike. [CBS]
- The ITT controversy switched back to Washington from Denver today. As a Senate Judiciary subcommittee was hearing testimony in a Denver hospital from ITT lobbyist Dita Beard, she collapsed with a heart seizure. One doctor said that she may never be well enough to testify again. Attorney David Fleming attacked columnists Jack Anderson and Brit Hume, who uncovered the alleged memo linking ITT's antitrust settlement with a pledge to contribute to the Republican national convention; Fleming says that ITT employee Walter Benning witnessed Mrs. Beard's conversation with Hume.
Senator Edward Kennedy stated that Mrs. Beard's testimony opens new avenues for future investigation and he wants White House aide Peter Flanigan to testify. Hume claims that there were no witnesses of his conversation with Mrs. Beard about the memo.
[CBS] - Senator William Proxmire, a critic of the C-5A military transport, asked the Justice Department to consider prosecution of the plane's builder, Lockheed Aircraft, for receiving illegal payments for the plane. [CBS]
- An all-white jury in San Francisco found the two surviving "Soledad Brothers", Fleets Drungo and John Clutchette, innocent of murdering a prison guard. A third "brother", George Jackson, was killed during his escape attempt at San Quentin. [CBS]
- The trial of black militant Angela Davis began in San Jose, California. Reporters from Europe are attending the trial, attracted because Miss Davis is black, militant and Communist. Prosecutor Albert Harris is trying to prove murder, kidnapping and conspiracy charges against Davis. He stated that Davis planned to take judge Harold Haley as a hostage for the "Soledad Brothers" and she smuggled guns into a Marin County courtroom in August, 1970. The ensuing shootout resulted in the deaths of four people, including the judge. [CBS]
- The judge in the "Harrisburg 7" case directed that one of the defendants, Eqbal Ahmad of Pakistan, be found not guilty on two of the three counts against him. He is still charged with conspiring to kidnap presidential aide Henry Kissinger. Ahmad says that although the group discussed kidnapping various people, including President Nixon, they were never serious about it. [CBS]
- The U.S. troop level in Vietnam is now reportedly below 100,000. However, Navy and Air Force personnel are not included in that figure. [CBS]
- Congressman Bradford Morse was appointed Undersecretary General of the United Nations for political and general assembly affairs. He will partially replace the late Ralph Bunche. Morse's appointment is part of the cabinet reorganization of new Secretary General Kurt Waldheim. Halve Seppala was named as the first female undersecretary, for social and humanitarian affairs. China was also offered an undersecretary seat. [CBS]
- President Nixon again urged Congress to take action on the welfare reform bill. [CBS]
- Four business members have left the Pay Board to balance the four labor members who quit. Former Commerce Department undersecretary Rocco Siciliano is the only remaining business member. [CBS]
- Senator Edmund Muskie disclosed the names of 14,000 people who have contributed a total of $2 million to his presidential campaign. Late Xerox board member Joseph Wilson contributed $50,000. Pardoned convict John Factor [a Prohibition-era gangster] contributed $2,000 to Muskie and $35,000 to Hubert Humphrey. [CBS]
- Motorcycle stunt rider Evel Knievel recently suffered a broken collarbone, but hopes to jump a pit of 100 rattlesnakes next month in California. [CBS]
- The Supreme Court upheld the ban of cigarette ads on radio and television. [CBS]
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Stock Market Report
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 939.72 (-2.56, -0.27%)
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* |
| March 24, 1972 | 942.28 | 107.52 | 15.39 |
| March 23, 1972 | 944.69 | 107.75 | 18.38 |
| March 22, 1972 | 933.93 | 106.84 | 15.40 |
| March 21, 1972 | 934.00 | 106.69 | 18.61 |
| March 20, 1972 | 941.15 | 107.59 | 16.42 |
| March 17, 1972 | 942.88 | 107.92 | 16.04 |
| March 16, 1972 | 936.71 | 107.50 | 16.70 |
| March 15, 1972 | 937.31 | 107.75 | 19.46 |
| March 14, 1972 | 934.00 | 107.61 | 22.37 |
| March 13, 1972 | 928.66 | 107.33 | 16.73 |