Revamped Resolution on Mideast Approved by Senate Committees; Strike Paralyzes Eastern Ports

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13--A revamped Middle Eastern resolution, proclaiming the readiness of the United States to fight Communist aggression in the strategic area if President Eisenhower deems that necessary, was approved today by two powerful Senate committees.

Democrats did a sweeping re-write job on a key section of the Eisenhower resolution at a joint session of the Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees.

Stricken out was language "authorizing" Eisenhower to use armed forces in the Middle East, but sponsors of the change quickly explained this was not done with the idea of denying him this power.

The new language, it was explained by Sen. Humphrey (D-Minn.), puts the responsibility up to Eisenhower for triggering any armed U.S. action in the Middle East, while serving advance notice that Congress is back of him.

Dock Strike Goes On

NEW YORK, Feb. 13--The second dock strike in three months today held tight grip on Atlantic ports from Maine to Virginia. Mile upon mile of busy waterfront subsided to almost ghostlike silence.

The International Longshoremen's Assn. Inc. said its renewed contract strike was 100 per cent effective among its 45,000 dockers. No one disputed the estimate.

Peace talks were not broken off. But they lacked the optimistic zip of yesterday's prestrike negotiations. The nation's top labor peacemaker, James F. Finnegan, national director of federal mediation, remarked:

"Things are rocking along satisfactorily but no speed records are being broken."

Macmillan Government Approved

LONDON, Feb. 13--Prime Minister Macmillan's government won parliamentary approval tonight for reorganization of Britain's defense program to effect economies and switch emphasis to nuclear weapons.

The House of commons upheld Macmillan 302-273 after Defense Ministry Duncan Sandys announced:

"We have almost completed the development of the first British megaton bomb."

Sandys' statement, coupled with previous government announcements, clearly meant Britain now is poised for an initial test of her own hydrogen bomb.

U.N. Warns France

UNITED NATIONS, N.Y., Feb. 13--The U.N. Political Committee today called on France and the Algerian people to enter into negotiations to end the bloodshed in North Africa.

The committee acted after turning down a stronger Asian-Arab proposal demanding that France grant Algerians the right of determining their future status.

The Algerian question now goes to the General Assembly.