Sfrate, Defense Depts.Now Agree: Red Strength Down . • By STEWART HENSLEY WASHINGTON (UP!) — The State and Defense Departments, after two ™ PiAg-Pong across the Potomac, appear in general agreement that cmfny strength In SouttTVletnam has diminished considerably this year. Department press officer Robert J. McCloskey’s assertion that We believe that the infiltration figure is currently lower than the North Vietnamese casualty figures in the south” does not appear greatly at variance with what the Defense Department said. , ~ WWW ■ ■ Pentagon spokesman Jerry Friedheim, deputy assistant secretary of defense, Wald the-North was “substantially replacing” Its losses even under reduced infiltration, but he did not say it whs totally replacing them. Ihe real difference between the Defense and State Department attitudes is whether this decline in enemy infiltration and strength is “significant.” Friedheim declined to go that far. TRADITIONAL DIFFERENCE This represents the traditional difference between the diplomat’s need to take an optimistic view of developments and the solider’s necessity to consider the gloomier side of the picture in potential strategic terms. The State Department hoped the decline has some political significance and may eventually prove to be the first move by Hanoi to scale down the conflict toward a general cease-fire. WWW The Defense Department hoped so, too, but it looks across the border at several divisions of North Vietnamese forces which were simply pulled into neutral territory in Cambodia and Laos and is more concerned with what-would happen if they were suddenly returned to battle. ' ? The sum of the confusion during the past two days arose from the-fact that the'Depense spokesman was using figures for the first six months of 196J) as the takeoff point for his subsequent comments. BASED ON JULY, AUGUST The State Department spokesman made it clear, however, that his some-l what more optimistic remarks were based on circumstances and developments during July and August. Actually, officials of both departments look at the same figures, tentative or not, and the basic fact is they arrive at different conclusions understandable when it is considered that each has a different primary responsibility. Many Are U S. Schools "‘li:r- TEfE sz Facing Strikes PONTIAC PRESS 8E FOR NEWS - This pig «t the Michigan State Fair exhibit seems aptly Id to noee around am) root out hgppenings at the annual event. Actually the {Is given some extra points in the snout judging with the fish-eye lens of The From Wire and Local Reports School beds may not be ringing on time for thousands of children this fall, as * * teachers in several 'communities throughout the nation threaten strikes or other job action, but hi Oakland County most schools apparently will open as scheduled. . ,>l The Michigan Education Association (MEA), which represents 519 districts in the state, reported 164 unsettled districts today with 600,000 students and 25,000 teachers. . w w w The Michigan Federation of Teachers (MFT), which represents mainly Detrolt-area districts, has seven unsettled systems with 64,000 students and 3,051 teachers. • A spokesman for the MEA predicted a majority of the 164 would not be settled by Labor Day. OPENINGS ‘UNDETERMINED’ Districts where teacher contracts have not been settled are plagued with an “undertermined” situation as to school openings. Among the “undetermined” districts are Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Rochester, Troy and Lake Orion. Birmingham’s situation seems to be the most serious, with money still the prime difference of opinion on the bargaining table. In Troy, several side economic issues still remain to be settled. w w w Rochester, Bloomfield Hills and Lake Orion school districts have only to ratify teacher contracts — almost a formality. Votes are scheduled Tuesday, one day before classes are to begin. South Lyon district teachers rejected a proposed agreement .earlier this week. The teachers, however, have agreed to work without a contract through $ept. 12. . Clarkston teachers also have agreed to return to classes without a contract. A mediator has been called in to hasten completion of an agreement. . Oakland County school districts that have settled teacher contracts and will open on schedule are: West Bloomfield, Farmington, Walled Lake, Novi, Huron Valley, Holly, Avondale and Brandon. ■ In Lapeer County, the Imlay'City , School District is awaiting the results of Tuesday’-s ratification vote on a new contract. If the vote fails, the teachers will decide whether or not to strike. it . ★ ★ The Almont and Lapeer districts have settled teacher contracts and scheduled school openings are guaranteed., UTICA TO OPEN In Macomb County, the Utica School District has settled a contract. School will open on time there. Much of the nation’s school troubles are in the Midwest. ★ ★ ★ In Chicago, 19,000 teachers vote Tues-(Continued on Page A-2, Co). 3) Fund -Seeking Lass PONTIAC, MICHIGAN, FRIDAV. AUGUST HU.-IUBK VOL. 127 - NO. 175 * * * -41 PAGES 10* Detroit Ireland rioting, of Parliament held a moring news conference before plunging into a busy day including two major speeches tonight in Detroit and Windsor, Ont. “l ean assure you that every cent rased in my trip will go for the suffering people^ and not a dime will be used for guns or anything like that,” she told newsmen. The question about what disposition would be made of the funds was the first one asked at the meeting with newsmen and her b)ue eyes Hashed as she replied: “If I thought one dime of this money would be -used for anything but relief for needy people, I would not be part of It.” The tiny Irish political figure pledged that the relief money would be used for both Catholic and Protestant families whose homes were destoyed in the recent wave of rioting. PLEADING HER CAUSE-Bernadette Devlin,' 22-year-old Irish member of British Parliament, told newsmen in Detroit she is “no Joan or Arc.” At a press conference this morning, she said, “L am no saint and not even an interesting sinner.” In Today's Press Farmington Township - Petitions ask probe of building department, code — PAGE A-4. . * Holiday Hazards Three million cars due on state roads, fire threat pt peak -PAGE A-12. ' Desegregation Dispute over Nixon policy swells as school start nears «r PAGE A-8. * Area News ;.«T,v/A4 . B4 / . B-S . D-9 Comics ..............•. B-5 Editorials ... ........A* ’* Farm and Garden ,..'.C4—09 Markets ........... c-it Obituaries ..........B-ll C-l-C-i Whites Protest Work Stoppage PITTSBURGH