Tuesday, June 13, 1972 THE MICHIGAN DAIL^, Page Nine Ouste' dm. geeral ditsto unla t orized air strikes WASHINGTON (') - A re- tired Air Force general fired as a top commander in Vietna u last spring confirmed to con- gressmen yesterday that he "chose to make a very liberal interpretation" of the rules and ordered strikes on North Viet- namese targets. Retired Maj. Gen. John La- velle told a House Armed Serv- ices investigating subcommittee he ordered the then unauthoriz- ed air strikes because of t h e heavy North Vietnamese buildup preceding its attack on South Vietnam April L 'With this air defense build- up," Lavelle said, "increased ag- gressiveness of the North Viet- namese and the large number of North Vietnam regular army units had infiltrated south or moved into position to m o v e across the demilitarized zone, I chose to make a very liberal in- terpretation of these rules of en- gagement." He referred to rules of en- gagement that at that time pro- hibited U.S. air strikes i n t o North Vietnam in line with the 1968 bombing halt except f or "protective reaction" retaliatory strikes. Lavelle referred to the a i r strikes he ordered as isolated in- stances. "These rules of engagement had not changed substantively since we ceased bombing nlorth Vietnam in 1968," ie told the subcommittee. The retired general said the buildup of North Vietnamese forces "and their massive infil- tration into Laos and S o u t h Vietnam which eventually result- ed in the heavy fighting and eventual overrun of the Plain of Jars in Laos and the more re- cent invasion of South Vietnam" began shortly after his assign- ment to Vietnam Aug. 1, 1971. As commander of the 7th Air Force he was in charge of all tactical air operations in Viet- nam, including protective reac- tion strikes against the North from bases in South Vietnain and Thailand. "If I had to do it over I would do the same thing," Lavelle told a congressman "but I w o u I d check into the reporting pro- cedure better." Gen. John Ryan, Air Force chief of staff, told the subcom- mittee he fired Lavelle as com- mander of the 7th Air Force in Indochina because of 28 missions involving 147 planes he said vio- lated rules prohibiting all b it "protective reaction 'strikes into North Vietnam in line with the 1968 bombing halt. The retired general said he could understand Ryan's view- point from Washington that "I had exceeded my authority." But he added: "At that time a commander on the spot concer'i- ed with the safety of the crews and at the same time trying to stop the buildup that was going on, I felt that these were justi- fiable actions." -Associated Press RETIRED MAJ. GEN. John Lavelle, right, sits with Air Force Gen. John Ryan yesterday during a hearing of the House Armed Services investigating subcommittee. news briefs by The Associated Press HOUSE LEADERS in Washington yesterday postponed for the second time consideration of a bill to direct $5.3 billion a year of federal revenue to state and cities, conceding they lack the votes to pass the measure without change. The bill in its present form has aroused opposition from Democratic liberals who want to attach tax loophole-closing amendments and from conservatives who oppose the principle of diverting federal funds to states and cities. Wilbur Mills, (D-Ark.) Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee has indicated that he would agree to re- wording the bill to meet Appropriations Committee objections if this were necessary to save it. FILIPINO STUDENT ACTIVISTS and other youths con- verged on the U.S. Embassy in Manila yesterday to demonstrate against what they termed "the rising tide of U.S. imperialism." . The demonstrators, who numbered in the thousands, car- ried red flags, sang the Filipino national anthem and gave speeches denouncing the United States during their day-long demonstration which coincided with the nation's independence day celebrations. The mass demonstration in Manila was the climax of a 'six-day march by many of the young people protesting the presence of U.S. military bases in the Philippines, U.S. capital in the Philippine economy and U.S. policies in Southeast Asia. THE SUPREME COURT yesterday unanimously turned down an appeal by John Patter from his conviction in the 1967 sniper slaying of George Lincoln Rockwell, commander of the American Nazi Party. Rockwell was shot from a rooftop on Aug. 25, 1967, in Ar- lington, Va. Patler had been a captain in the American Nazi Party and the editor of "Storm Trooper," one of the group's publica- tions. He was thrown out by Rockwell several months before the shooting. Patler's appeal was rejected without comment. A SOVIET JEW was picked up by Moscow police last night shortly after his American bride flew homeward because Soviet officials refused to extend her visa. Gabriel Yakovich Shapiro was detained at the Moscow airport by two plain-clothesmen and a uniformed policeman. Shapiro, a chemical engineer, is an admitted draft dodger who emerged from hiding only last Thursday for the religious wedding ceremony. It was not known where Shapiro was taken. Ms. Shapiro, a 27-year-old native of Cincinnati, Ohio, said hr husband had been hiding from Soviet authorities for 27 months. "For some years Gabriel has tried to get out of Russia," she said, "but authorities have refused, saying he knows too many Soviet secrets." COME TO A BENGALI BENEFIT VEGETARIAN DINNER FOR BANGLADESH FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 1972-6:30 p.m. Speaker: THE REV. WARREN DAY of the United Ministries in East Lansing, who has just returned from a fact-finding mission in Bangladesh will talk of his experiences Cost: $1.50 Call 662-5529 Days Ecumenical Campus Center, 769-1505 Evenings 921 Church Street Reservations must be in by Wednesday, June 14th PRE-INVENTORY SALE (SUN., JUNE 1 I-JUNE 17) off every item PLUS: 50% off many cards, 50% off many posters, 20 off all children's books, 20% off all bibles LOGO'S 1205 S. UNIVERSITY Open till 10 p.m.