Congress approves tax cut WASHINGTON (UPl)—The House and Senate last night approved by largely party-line votes and sent to the White House a $24.8 billion anti-recession tax cut packagvintended to boost the buying power of nearly every American. Lopsided votes of approval in both chambers belied strong Republican misgivings displayed in debate and test votes, an indication President Ford might be on sate ground should he choose to veto the broad package of tax rebates, reductions and bonus payments. The Senate, voting after the House, sent the measure to Ford on a 45-16 roll call vote. Thirty-four Democrats and 11 Republicans voted for -the bill while two Democrats and 14 Republicans voted against it. The late hour—it *was nearing midnight when the Senate acted—reflected considerable absenteeism due to Easter recess due to begin today. In the House, final approval i was 287-125, with 232 Democrats and 55 Republicans ..voting yes and 43 Democrats and 82 Republicans, voting no. The com promise measure would provide $2O billion in tax cuts and bonuses to individuals-80 per cent of it to those earning tinder s2o,ooo—and $4.8% billion in business tax cuts and incentives. With $2 billion in increased Treasury revenues from reduction of the roil depletion, allowance and other business tax changes, the net cost would he $22.8 billion—well within the tolerance Ford set for its pricetag. But Murmurings of a possible veto emanated from the White House before the congressional votes, and the .urprising strength of House Republican op ponents—they came within 17, votes of sending the compromise back to House-Senate con- Thieu goV't crushes coup SAIGON (UPI 1 —President Nguyen Van Thieu's government announced today it had 'crushed an attempted coup and arrested a number of "short sighted" persons who plotted the overthrow On the fighting front, the United States and South Vietnam began a land and sea attempt to resuce a million persons from the isolated city of Da Nang far to the north of the capital and the Viet Cong lag was hoisted over the captured city of Hue. A government spokesman in Saigon said of the coup attempt: "These elements have been arrested and further investigations are being carried on." The announcement came from the interior ministry—charged with internal security—and not from the presidential palace. • Rumors of a coup attempt by dissident generals and officers dissatisfied with Thieu's military leadership in recent days 'had been making the rounds in Saigon. It was assumed that the leaders of the coup were military men, hut there was no confirmation. Thiew food to the , national radio twice N esterday to order his battered army to Candidates By LAURIE PEACHER Collegian Staff Writer Food seemed to he on everyone's mind last night at the Undergraduate Student Government eanthdhtes night in South Candidate Joe Seufer outlined his plans for a mean system similar to Syracuse University. This plan allows htudents to choose any of four plans at varying prices, he said, giving students the opportunity to skip meals and not pay for them. A plan also was included for commuting students. - Candidate Doug Ford pointed out that the dining facilities at Syracuse are operated by a catering service. Penn State operates its own service. Advocating another type of alternative meal plan, candidate Dave Perlman Nominee GOV. SIIAPP with Philip Kalodner, his nonlinee for chairman of the Public Utility Commission. Collegitht the daily ferees—suggested a veto would easily be sustained. The recommital motion was defeated 214-197 with 204 Democrats and 10 Republicans voting against it, while 70 Democrats and 127 Republicans voted for it. In an earlier series of voigta votes the House refused to delete a $5O bonus for Sodilkl Security beneficiaries, a tax credit for new home buyers or a temporary ex tension of unemplo ment benefits. Republican objeWns centered largely on the bill's pricetag, with opponents declaring it would stimulate the now abating inflation. Sen. Paul Fannin, R-Ariz., one of the conferees who worked out a compromise with the House in three days of tough bargaining, called the compromise an im provement over the original Senate bill but said he was "still concerned about the revenue loss" to the Treasuily. The oil depletion repeal was one of three or four which President Ford strongly opposed in the measure, the biggest tax reduction in American history. Soon after an outline of the bill reached the White House. an aide said of Ford: "He's pretty hard-nosed. He may veto the tax bill." Press Secretary Ron Nessen said Ford will take several days to decide whether to veto the bill or sign it. "There is no clear view of what he will do," Nessen told reporters. Ford, Nessen said, had relayed to the Republican congressional leaders his "serious concern over the astronomical spending proposals moving through Congress now." So, Nessen added, "He has to weigh the tax bill against these spending proposals." Senate Finance chairman Russell Long, D-La., told halt its retreat and stand and fight the "final and decisive battles of our history." Communist troops bombarded tens of thousands of refugees and soldiers cut off near the coast. They were the tail end of a convoy that started to evacuate the Central Highlands two weeks ago, taking Communist fire much of the way. The massive air evacuation of Da Nang, bursting with refugees, was en dangered the day it began when 14 Communist rockets blasted the fringes of its airport, killing six persons and wounding 34 others, military sources said. Civilians were evacuat4. from the district town of Hoi An, 15 miles south of Da Nang, where government troops dug in to prepare for an imminent Com munist attack. An estimated 10,000 government troops and civilians, all that remained in the evacuated city of Hue, surrendered yesterday without a fight as Communist tanks rolled into the city, military in telligence sources said. Military officials said the Communist discuss alternate meal plans said students should he refunded for meals they do not eat. He said students could arrange with the meal service alter they knew their term schedule to skip certain meals. "The food service of the University made $1.5 million last year," he said, in response to an accusation made at an earlier USG debate that his idea was more expensive. Perlman questioned where this money went. Ford said he thinks every candidate for the past three years had brought up the alternative meal plan and that it had never been carried out. ARHS has researched it, he said, and found it impossible. In addition to the food problem, the candidates were asked what they thought USG's role with the University troops sprayed the Central Highlands refugee column with heavy artillery and 'small arms fire after sappers destroyed a bridge on Route 7 and cut off the refugees' - retreat to Tuy Hoa on the coast, 240 miles northeast of Saigon. The vanguard of the convoy, originally consisting of 250,000 persons, made it to safety, military sources said. Planes and boats started carrying the first of Da Nang's refugees. out as the last hundreds of thousands or others fleeing from the north were still arriving. The U.S. embassy yesterday began evacuating dependents and non essential personnel from its consulate in Da Nang, along with other Americans and foreign nationals. In Saigon, Thieu's order of the day, read over national radio, instructed his troops to "at—all costs interdict the enemy advance" and take the initiative. "Fellow loldiers, the war is coming to its crucial and decisive phase and you arc fighting the final and decisive battles of our history," he said. But military sources said they doubted the government could hold Da Nang, South Vietnam's second largest city and should be. All candidates agreed that USG should represent the students. - How can there be student representation when the students won't even register for the Senate?" Perlman asked. Earlier in the evening Perlman criticized South Halls students for not hmiing the required number of can didates for their Senate seats. South has only one candidate running for two Senate seats. Perlman also mentioned that only 16 of the necessary 17 students have filed in the town area. "We must have an effective organization to get anything done," Perlman said. . Candidate W,.T. Williams said, "You don't support a government, you support your leaders because that's what the government stands' for." Candidate Stanley G. Miller suggested a cooperative association through USG to provide low-cost items, to students his answer to what USG'd role should be. Miller said he is' not sure he is a can didate because he hasl not paid the Kalodner nominated as PUS chairman HARRISBURG (AP)—Governor Shapp has nominated his special con sumer adviser, Philip Kalodner, as chairman of the Public Utility Com mission. sumers before the regulatory agency, would succeed Republican PUC chairman George Bloom, who retires April 1. The nomination, announced yester day, is subject to confirmation by 34 of the 50-member Senate. Shapp also said he will ask the Senate to consider the nomination of Herbert Denenberg to the five-member PUC. Shapp asked the Senate Democratic leadership to hold up the confirmation in January when it appeared Denenberg could muster no more than 27 of the necessary 34 votes. A rejection would have forced Denenberg off PUC. At the time, Shapp said Denenberg should he given a chance to performon the commission before the Senate made its decision. "Hopefully, we'll get a couple more Democrats and enough Republicans to get Denenberg confirmed," Shapp said yesterday. When pressed on whether he was certain Denenberg had enough votes now, Shapp repeated, "hopefully, we'll have the votes." AP wlrephoto reporters: "I don't think he's foolish enough to veto this hill." The bill contains $B.l billion in 1974 tax rebates of $lOO to $2OO for almost every taxpayer, $7.8 billion in 1975 tax cuts, special one-time $5O payments to every social security beneficiary, and special payments-up to $4OO for the working poor. There also are special amendments including a temporary 13-week extension of unemployment benefits and a special tax break of up to $2,000 for purchasers of new homes which were under construction or com pleted hut unsold before yesterday. Overall, for the average couple with two children, counting both rebates and new cuts, the bill would mean a $3OO tax break at $3,000 income; $496 at $5,000; $5lO at $6,000; $312 at $8,000; $258 at $10,000;$290 at $15,000; $320 at $20,000, and $220 at $30,000.1 As a general rule, anyone with an income above $30,000 would get only $lOO rebate plus a special $3O tax credit for the taxpayer and every member of the family. The 1975 tax cuts would be reflected in lower payroll withholding rates beginning May 1, and rebate checks would begin flowing April 15, congressional staff members said. The Internal Revenue Service said earlier it would take 45 days to begin the flow of checks. It was uncertain when recipients of Social Security, railroad retirement and supplemental income for the working poor would begin receiving their checks. The 1975 tax cuts were decided by the negotiators at the end of their last session. The cuts would involve increases in the standard deductions, used by thoSe who do not itemize deductions, plus a special $3O credit for the taxpayer and every member of the family. attempt its last bastion on the northern coast A chartered World Airways Boeing 727 made the inital evacuation flights. U.S. officials said it would be replaced later in the week by a large Boeing 747, stripped to the'floorhoards to carry up to 1.200 passengers. Officials said they hoped to evacuate up to 25,000 refugees a day to reset tlement camps. at Cam Ranh 'Bay, a deserted American base on the coast 185 miles northeast of Saigon. The refugees are expected to be eventually taken to the coastal provinces of Khanh Hoa. Nin Huen and Binh Thuan, still considered relatively secure. Abandoned barges formerly used to transport food, fuel, and ammunition to Phnom Penh, Cambddia, were under tow by three tugs and were expected to arrive tomorrow. To the north, Communist tanks rolled without opposition into Hue, the ancient imperial capital of Vietnam and citadel of resistance in the 1968 Tet offensive: A Viet Cong military spokesman in Saigon said the red, blue and gold Viet Cong flag was hoisted in central Hue "in the face of welcoming Hue citizens." necessary $2O tiling tee to USG. Candidate Marie Blosh said USG , should be an "umbrella organization" to coordinate all University groups. Students should be actively involved on decision-making boards, she said. "We (the . students) can give all the advice we *ant but without the vote it doesn't make any difference." - Candidate Mike ("Dirt") Bahry was kidnapped temporarily by a group from the Beaver Penthouse as he presented his opening statements. A spokesman for the group said, "Dirt will he cleaned up and the problem won't exist anymore." Amidst applause, candidate Harry "Eli" Cain thanked "All the people in North Halls for making the debate last night so successful. That's our apathetic stronghold," he said. The USG debate in North was cancele,d last night because only campaign workers and candidates attended. Shapp said he never talked to Denenberg about the chairmanship. Denenberg had made strong gestures that he wanted the job. Kalodner, 44, who has served as PUC counsel and in various consumer ad vocate roles in the Sahpp ad ministration, will bring a needed balance to the PUC, the governor said. The commission sets rates for elec tricity, water and other utilities. "The overwhelming feeling is that the PUC has been industry-dominated for too long," Shapp said. "Some of that feeling on the part of the public is cer tainly going to be felt by the Senate in the confirmation process." Kalodner said he viewed his role on the PUC as an adjudicator between the interests of the consumer and the utilities. For the time being, the PUC has to play the role of judge and prosecutor, he said. "One can be concerned with both sides and play the proper role," Kalodner said. His appointment will not mean an end to all rate increases, he noted. "I would not say to you that rate in creases can be eliminated under anyone's leadership." Kalodner said he would reorganize the Ten cents per copy e • • Thursday, March 27, 1975 Vol. 75, No. 137 10 'pages University Park, Pennsylvania Published by Students of The Pennsylvania State University Tree planting STATE COLLEGE MAYOR Jo Hass hands a shovel to Connie Faust (13th elementary education) who yesterday helped in planting a Katsura tree in College Parklet donated by the Organization of Town and Independent Students to the borough, while Denise Collier (12th-social welfare). center, and Sheilah Tucker. (6th-human development). right, lend assistance. . Kissinger: Aid would destroy WASHINGTON ( UPI )—Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger said yesterday a cutoff in aid to Indochina would amount to destroying an ally and would have "serious con sequences" for the United States throughout the world. "If you do not give enough," Kissinger told a news conference, "it brings about the consequences we now see" in which Communist forces have captured wide areas of South Vietnam and surrounded the Cam bodian capital. Kissinger said that for 15 years "we have been encouraging the people of Vietnam to defend themselves" and that this carries with it a respon sibility to assist in that effort. "The question now' is whether we will deliberately destroy an ally by withdrawing aid," he said. If the United States abandons South Vietnam at this time of critical need, he added, "it will have very serious consequences for the United States in the world." Also involved, Kissinger said, is "the elementary question of what kind of people we are." Kissinger fielded questions on Indochina shortly after Gen. Frederick Weyand, Army chief of staff, left fdr South Vietnam under orders from President Ford to assess the military situation and report back some time next week. Meantime Sen. Robert Griffin, R- Mich., criticized Congress for stalling on Ford's request for $522 million in additional aid to South Vietnam and Cambodia, claiming as Kissinger did a U.S. obligation in that regard. "There are in South Vietnam today several million people who, in one way or another, hve openly opposed the Communists,'lT Griffin said in a prepared Senate speech. "Many of agency to speed action on rate requests Senate Democratic floor leader Thomas Nolan said yesterday there is no way the Senate will confirm Denenberg as a member of the PUC. Nolan added that he did not think Gov. Shapp's latest nomination to the PUC, consumer advocate Philip Kalodner, could win confirmation either, Nolan. who heads the Rules Com mittee. ,said yesterday that conditions have not changed since then and Denenberg's nomination will still be defeated. Such an outcome would force the fiery consumer advocate off the PUC. "The governor did not discuss with me or any other leader of the Senate to my knowledge the appointment of Denen berg or Kalodner...," Nolan said. "i think that When the governor sees fit to sit down and discuss the ap pointments with the leaders before he announces the appointments he's going to be further ahead." Nolan said the senators already have an unfavorable view of Kalodner. He refused to elaborate. Nolan, an Allegheny County Democrat, said he was angered by Shapp's apparent refusal to consider former Sen. Thomas Lamb for the PUC chairmanship. Photo by ..achy O'Donovan cut ally them took their. position atter we convinced them that the United States would stand by them." Even as the pleas for aid continued. Sen. James Abourezk. D-S.D.. in troduced two amendments to block the President's request for $3OO Million in supplemental assistance to Saigon. Instead of handing out another $3OO million U.S. tax dollars to Vietnam," said Abourezk. "we ought to he taking decisive action to battle our domestic economic problems that are growing more serious with th&passing of each day." Kissinger said when the United States withdrew its forces from South Vietnam in exchange for return of its prisoners. "there was no question that we would continue aid" so that the Saigon government could fight on. He denied, in response to a question. that U.S. policy was in consistent in helping battle Corn rti unist forces'in some countries while seeking detente with others. "On that theory," he said dryly, "we can give up all of our alliances." Kissinger said he did not believe the nation's Indochina policy had been "immobilized" by the impasse between the administration and Congress on the aid issue "It is a philosophical disagreement. [t is overwhelmingly in our national interest to put the debate on Indochina behind us," he said. Kissinger noted that "the ad ministration has proposed a three year program to phase out U.S. military aid to Vietnam." and said if Congress will go along "it will remove the issue from the yearly congressional and executive battles." "If the levels of funding are adequate." he said, "we can get the debate behind us." Nolan said he wrote the governOr in November and lobbied on behalf of Lamb, who, according to Nolan. would he willing to accept the post. Shapp said at the news conference that he had not contacted Lamb, Nolan's predecessor as floor leader. A Senate defeat, of Denenherg could - open a vacancy for Lamb. Nolan said he feels Shapp is throwing Denenherg to the wolves. "I - think he (Shapp) has fulfilled all his promises to Mr Denenberg and is now ready to throw him overboard," Nolan said. "My conversations with the Senate indicated I would not he confirmed ; " Denenberg said. "I have to assume that if the governor puts my name out he's sure I can be confirmed." he added. _ Senate Republican floor leader Richard Frame could not be reached for comment. Weather Sunny but quite cold. High today 43. Clear and very cold tonight. Low 23. Increasing, clouds and not as cold Friday. High 48.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers