New York Times Education editor Fred Hechinger offers pessimism, saying all indications showed a dramatic cut in funding for Institutions of Higher Learning throughout the U.S., citing the growing "tax revolt" and the dwindling of state and local revenues in support of colleges and high schools. Coupled with the dramatic gutting of various educational programs, you get the impression there was a certain amount of "revenge taking" on the part of the Nixon Administration towards "those long haired bums".
Second, you had the perennial Middle-East. This time the issue was Jordan and the presence of the PLO who were, at that time, supported by the claimed Soviet-leaning countries of Syria and Iraq. The PLO, under the leadership of up-and-comer Yassar Arafat, were looking to topple the government of King Hussein and establish a Palestinian government and PLO forces were in the process of invading Jordan with active support from Iraq. Iraq in 1970 was receiving aid and support from Moscow and yes, oil factors into that picture, concluding with a treaty of friendship with the Soviet Union in 1972. It should be noted that Saddam Hussein didn't take control until 1979, but the seeds of overthrow (or resignation on the part of former leader Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr) were no doubt planted in March of 1970.
The subject of East-West relations were also the subject of another interview on this Newsfront broadcast with Samuel Pisar, former economic and Foreign Policy adviser to the Kennedy administration regarding the upcoming Nixon visit to Yugoslavia and the implications of that visit.
In other news: New York Mayor Lindsey criticized the latest Census findings, claiming figures were grossly underestimated, saying the population of New York city alone was 500,000 more than claimed. The re-trial of the Okinawa Rape case and Court Martial in 1968 against Lance Corporal Ronald V. Johnson was getting underway. And the opening of a "strange new exhibit" at the Jewish Museum in New York entitled "Software", depicting art generated by computer drew criticism and curious speculation over what these new machines were all about.
And so went that particular September 16th in 1970.
Hindsight.
