– NBC Nightly News – October 30, 1975 – Gordon Skene Sound Collection –
News for this October 30th had much to do with transitions of power in a long-running dictatorship. General Francisco Franco, who had authoritarian rule in Spain from 1938 was now too ill to run the country. Juan-Carlos was appointed the new Chief of State. However, he was given the power conditionally as the medical condition of Franco was growing steadily worse. Conditions stipulated that Juan-Carlos could not be crowned King of Spain until Franco had officially died, which many felt would be coming soon. But as of this October 30th, Juan-Carlos was now head of the Spanish State, in name only. Franco still had absolute power and would continue to have absolute power up to the moment he died.
In other news – Fighting in Beirut continued with at least 30 more killed in street fighting between Christian Falangists and Muslim groups. Falangists had made repeated attacks against the largely Muslim community, using rockets, mortar and machine gun and small arms fire. Fighting was spread throughout other areas of Beirut, including the major Hotel district near the sea. Fighting was escalating ahead of fears Lebanon would be partitioned into Christian and Muslim enclaves, and both sides wanted to claim as much territory as possible before that happened.
President Ford asked Congress for more than $4 billion in Foreign Economic and Military Aid. The request included over $2 billion in aid to Israel, $750 million for Egypt, $250 million for Jordan and $90 million for Syria.
New York City’s Fiscal crisis was continuing with President Ford carrying on his campaign against, what he called a Federal Bailout of New York City. In San Francisco for a Republican fundraiser, Ford compared New York City with the San Francisco Earthquake and fire of 1906 – saying San Francisco didn’t need government bailouts to rebuild in 1906 – why should New York in 1975?
And Stress was a big topic of conversation, this day in 1975. It was reportedly linked to all kinds of diseases and the result was an increase in stress-related deaths in recent years. Studies and findings all pointed up to two solutions; Slow down and Calm down. Good luck on that.
And that’s a small slice of what went on, this slightly skewed world, October 30, 1975 as reported on the NBC Nightly News.
