This Day In 1970's History: Wednesday January 24, 1979
- Consumer prices rose again in December, giving the nation a 9 percent inflation rate for 1978 and President Carter a new opportunity to press for his anti-inflation program. The government reported that seasonally adjusted prices increased six-tenths of 1 percent last month. This was slightly higher than the November rate, but lower than the average increases in the first 10 months of last year. [New York Times]
- A noted former soldier was dismissed from his government post because he allegedly pressed too hard in efforts to find jobs for veterans. David Christian, one of the most decorated soldiers of the Vietnam War, was told he had to leave his consultancy post with the Labor Department. Officials strongly denied he was being "purged" and said efforts would be made to find him a state or city job in the Philadelphia area, near his home. [New York Times]
- John Connally is a presidential candidate. The former Governor of Texas, former Secretary of the Treasury and former Democrat announced his candidacy for the 1980 Republican presidential nomination with a warning that, while the nation is basically strong, "the only missing ingredient is leadership." [New York Times]
- Federal rules on equal job chances led to a class-action suit against 10 government agencies by Sears, Roebuck & Company. Sears charged that the laws, regulations, interpretations and policies on employment opportunities were so confusing, conflicting, inconsistent and occasionally "arbitrary" and "capricious" that it found it impossible to comply with them. [New York Times]
- Cuts in Social Security benefits proposed by President Carter are being opposed by about 20 organizations representing the aged, labor, women, blacks, the poor, students and churches. The proposals are not expected to be enacted. [New York Times]
|