El Dorado News-Times from El Dorado, Arkansas • Page 1

Da in state of panic By GEORGE ESPER Associated tmi Writtr SAIGON, South Vlatnam (AP) Da Nang, South Vlt- nam'a second largest city, and other northern coaatal strongholds crumbled Sunday before a powerful North Vietnamese offensive that rolled southward toward Qui Nhon, leaving in its wake destruction, panic and an estimated two million refugees. The Viet Cong threatened to block the U.S.-led sealift of refugees fiom Da Nang, and there were new calls for the resignation of President Nguyen Van Thieu, with some opposition politicians predicting Saigon itself will fall if he stays in power. Demoralized government forces offered little resistance as the North Vietnamese plunged 175 miles from Da Nang to Qui Nhon, where fighting was reported. U.S. officials said all Americans had been evacuated from Qui Nhon, a port city that is South third largest with more than 200,000 people.

Like Da Nang, it was once a major U.S. base. Despite flat reports by Saigon military officials that Da Nang had fallen, Defense Department official! in Waahlngton Mid they still had no confirmation the city waa lost, and thalr latest information was that ing waa going on there. The United Statea no gonger haa any official repreaentativea or observers in Da Nang. Hanoi radio said many South Vietnamese troops in Da Nang mutinied and the people poured into the streets to welcome the Viet Cong.

However, at least two American their way htothe harbor to continue the evacuation of refugees. Associated Press correspondent Peter reported from the S.S. Pioneer Contender that 10,00 soldiers, women and children were storming the gangways of the Contender and the Pioneer Commander. said they had spent four days on ammunition barges without food and water. He reported the birth of one baby in the panic, the death of another, with still more likely to die.

He said there were sunken patrol boats the harbor and that the ships had been warned of a possible underwater sapper attack. President Ford has ordered four U.S. Navy ships into nam ooastal waters to assist the evacuation, and Britain, Australia and several other U.S. allies hsve promised vessels. But U.S.

sources said only an accommodation with the Communist conquerors will permit the sea evacuation of all the refugees still trying to escape Da Nang The Viet Cong denounced the sealift Sunday as a and threatened punish all acts of In neighboring Cambodia, President Lon Nol made plans to leave on Tuesday in a bid to get peace talks going with the Khmer Rouge insurgents. The half-crippled, 61-yearold chief of state will seek medical aid in Hawaii after a short visit to Indonesia. the head of his political party said, adding that Lon Nol would retain his title of president and his absence would be considered Cambodian rebels overran a government position only six miles from Phnom Penh and intensified their drive against the northern defense line, field reports said. Insurgent gunners shelled the airport and nearby market, wounding eight persons, but the U.S. lift of food, fuel continued.

The North VTetnameae now control virtually all of the upper half of South Vietnam, freeing some of their 10 divisions in the region to push even further south toward Ouy Hoa, Nha Trang and Cam Ranh Bay, where the sealift is carrying rtfugees from Da Nang Eventually, the North Vietnamese should be able to mount a major push in the 3rd military region that includes Saigon and 11 surrounding provinces. There are already five North Vietnamese divisions poised to attack Tay Ninh province northwest of Saigon and Long Khanh and Binh Tuy provinces to the east. Informed sources a major Communist-led against Saigon coul' adequately resisted. President Nguyen power base also quickly and th changes could more North cesses. As many as 1' ians, half of Sf civilian populat we under control side, living in or on the 100,000 troops 10 per cent of the total military force were reported loat aa a reeult of the fall of Da Nang and Hue before it.

Milliona of dollars worth of military equipment were left behind, reportedy including the equipment of a full air division at Da Nang. Such losses could spell doom for the South Vietnameee government. Reaction in Saigon political circles to the fall of Da Nang was bitter. Much of the criticism centered on the failure to defend the city despite the reported presence of about 100,000 troops. Da Nang fell because there was a complete loss of leadership, order and morale," said tion deputy Ly Qui He added that if Thieu in power is to change and such dis- srs will continue all the way )nly last Wednesday, after fall of Hue, Thieu pledged tat he was drawing the line at )a Nang, that there would be K) further retreat and government troops would to death if to hold Da Nang.

EL DORADO NEWS -TIM 86th Year No. 256 12 Pages DAILY NEWS FOUNDED DORADO EVENING TIMES 1889 EL DORADO, ARKANSAS MONDAY, MARCH 31, 1975 Price Daily Sunday Cleanup operations underway at Warren One of every four left homeless WARREN, Ark. (AP) One in every four Warren residents was homeless Easter Sunday, while cleanup efforts continued in i he aftermath of a tornado that killed seven persons and injured many more. Police Chief Tommy Dunnaway said all of the homeless found shelter neighbors and friends, or at the relief centers at the YMCA and the All persons believed missing had been located by Saturday night, Dunnaway said. He said several persons injured in what is being labeled as the Good Friday tornado were still in critical condition Sunday, and one unidentified injured person was moved Saturday night from Warren to Jefferson County Hospital at Pine Bluff.

Seventeen persons were hospitalized after the storm, and many others were treated for injuries and released, authorities said. Dunnaway said the cleanup efforts forced cancellation of Easter church services. think that bad as things are that people going to church Dunnaway said. Westside Baptist Church got blown away, but sure having services somewhere. People still feel they have a lot to be thankful Special arrangements for Easter services had to be made at several churches because victims of the tornado were staying at the churches.

tornado, which has been labeled the Good Friday tornado, brought back memories of the Jan. 3, 1949, tornado that ripped through Warren, killing 57 persons, injuring 92, and destroying more than 200 homes. The Red Cross estimated that the Good Friday tornado totally destroyed 126 homes, did major damage to 67 homes, and caused minor damage to 171 residences. Gov. David Pryor, after touring the area Saturday, estimated the damage at between $6 million and $10 million and asked President Ford to designate Bradley County as a major disaster area.

The largest employer in Warren, the Potlatch Lumber said damage to its facilities will total somewhat than $10 A company spokesman said its Warren lumberyard, which employs more than 600 persons, would be closed for at least two or three weeks. Cleanup operations continue over weekend at Warren Rabin reacts to Sadat In the Sees move as a By The Associated Press Israeli Premier Yitzhak Rabin said Sunday that 'Israel would take as a announced refusal to extend the mandate of N. peacekeeping forces in the Sinai Desert for more than three months. Rabin was displeased at Egyptian President Anwar announcement in Cairo on Saturday that he will renew the N. peace mandate for only three months, rather than the six-month periods the peacekeepers have been given by the U.N.

Security Council until now. maintenance of the U.N. forces in their present form is part of the overall framework of the disengagement separating Israeli and Egyptian troops, Rabin said in first official comment on speech. will regard as a negative indication the non-renewal of the U.N. mandate, or the alteration of its Rabin said it was that the United States pursue its peace-seeking efforts in the Middle statement, at a special cabinet session in Jerusalem, ignored announcement would reopen the Suez Canal on June 5 after an eight-year shutdown.

The Suez Canal Authority on Sunday ordered 24-hour shifts for its ployes to ready the 103-mile waterway for traffic and said transit tolls would be 50 per cent because of inflation. Tolls in 1967 were about $1 per ton for loaded vessels and 45 cents for unloaded vessels. Although speech had been taken in the West as moderate and some Israeli officials earlier had welcomed the pledge to open the canla, Rabin had little positive to say about address. statement began by saying Israel was to advance to peace in any possible A'ay. This can be done by advancing in stages, through an interim settlement with the deal Secretary of State Henry A.

Kissinger tried unsuccessfully to achieve on his Middle East diplomatic shuttle. Two killed by sniper WEST MONROE, La. (AP) A sniper opened fire from a second-story apartment window here early Sunday, killing two persons and wounding a third before killing himself, police said. Coroner Herbert Van Buren identified the sniper as Bob A. Howard, 29.

Van Buren said Howard recently returned to this north-central Louisiana city from Colorado to visit his mother and stepfather. The coroner said the dead men were Daryl Evers, 21, of Jackson, and Ronald G. Mitchell, 32, of West Monroe. Howard left an unmailed letter in which he said he had been receiving treatment at a mental health cer.ter and also left a suicide note, the coroner said. note merely said, and paraphrasing, fered with me and Joanie so responsible for this Van Buren said.

Neither Van Buren nor the police could give an immediate explanation of the note. Police said Howard opened from a second-floor window of the Westwood Town House apartments, hitting Dane Evers, 18. of Jackson in the head and shoulders as he walked out the front door. Daryl Evers tried to help his fallen brother and was shot down on the doorstep, police said. Mitchell, meantime, was walking to a pickup truck with his wife and child when he heard the shots, police said.

He told his family to run inside, then was hit by two gunshots, officers said. news Jack Nicklaus takes over Tom Weiskopf and coasts to win in Heritage Golf Classic. See Page 8 for complete story. Heavy flooding is still reported in several Arkansas places. See details on Page 3.

Classified io Comics 6 Editorial 4 Obituaries 2 Sports 8-9 TV Programs Partly cloudy The area weather forecast calls for partly cloudy and warmer through tonight. Mostly cloudy and a little cooler Tuesday with a chance of showers. Lows in the upper 40s and highs in the mid 60s today. FROM FAA GOODWIN FIELD Max. Temp.

53 Min. Temp. ji Temp, at noon Temp, at 6 p.m. J2 Temp, at 10 p.m. J7 Barometric 30.03 Precipitation Sunrise Today 7:01 Subset Today 7:31 Suririse Tomorrow mden ro Bluff Warrert no.

sr. PttW jsm 3 ft I path shown on map above Tax cut bill provides variety of changes WASHINGTON (AP) President conclusion that the nesd for a tax cut outweighed the defects of the tax bill he signed Saturday was right according to top congressional Democrats. Ford signed the $24.8 billion tax cut measure into law during a national broadcast address Saturday night, but said he will try to clamp a lid on government spending to hold down the dcficit. The bill provides a variety of tax changes and reductions with the most immediate effect a rebate of $100 to $200 on 1974 taxes for most Americans. The first checks are expected to go out in early May.

Ford was critical of several provisions of the measure but said he was signing it bacause of urgent necessity of an recession tax cut right In January he had asked for a smaller cut aimed more at middle income taxpayers, and he noted Saurday that this law to give adequate relief to the millions of middle-income taxpayers who already contribute the biggest share of federal The measure is aimed to give the largest refunds to lower and middle income persons, with income up to $20,000 action drew praise from both Sen. Russell Long. D- chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and Rep. A1 Ullman, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. Both men said the President did right Some Republicans and other Democrats, however, indicated they wished the President had the measure.

Major provisions include. A 10 per cent refund of 1974 taxes up to a maximum of $200 and with a minimum of $100 except for persons who paid less than $100, who would get back all the taxes they paid An increase in the standard deduction for 1975 for persons who do not itemize on their tax returns. A $30 tax credit on 1975 taxes for every taxpayer and each additional personal exemption claimed. A 1975 earned income tax credit to help the working poor through special payments to help compensate them for the Social Security taxes they pay. A tax credit of 10 per cent of earned income up to $400 for working families with children whose income is less than $8.000.

Special tax credits for buyers of new homes of 5 per cent of the purchase price up to 2 000 Increases in deductions allowed for child care for working parents. Investment tax credits for businesses to help spur investment in new machinery. additional 13 weeks of unemployment benefits for hardcore jobless areas. $50 payment to persons on Social Security, Railroad Retirement and Aid to the Blind, Aged and Disabled. of the oil depletion allowance for major firms.

in foreign tax credits for businesses. As he announced the bill signing, Ford added that he will draw the line on the 1976 budget deficit at a record $60 billion $8 billion more that hii January estimate. is as far as we dare tc said the President, will resist every attempt by the Congress to add another dollar to this deficit by new spending However, Treasury Secretary William E. Simon has said he considers an $80 billion deficit likely and the Office of Management and Budget sees $'00 billion as possible. Ford complained that Congress so far has rejected or ignored most of the spending cuts he requested.

If reductions are not made and legislation to increase spending is enacted, he said, would bring the deficit to the enormous total of $100 of this magnitude are too dangerous to permit. They threaten another vicious spiral of runaway inflation which could well choke off any economic Ford said. Sen. Dick Clark, D-Iowa, said he agreed got to hold down federal spending as much as possible to keep the deficit down. But I want to see this become an excuse for this administration to dismantle badly needed domestic programs it Ford said that most of the provisions he opposes are for one year only, and urged Congress to allow them to expire after a year rather than renewing them.

His opposition was centered primarily on items not directly connected to the tax rebate. Sen. Adlai E. Stevenson, D- 111., termed the measure inflationary and said he jars it will force interest rates to remain high. i.