ation is an organization of former public members of Department of State and United States Information Agency selection boards and inspection teams who have indicated their continuing interest in these services. Members keep in touch with developments and provide assistance in their own communities as called on to do so.

Marshall M. Holleb of Chicago and William J. Trent, Jr., of New York have been reelected vice presidents; Luis F. Corea of Washington, D.C., has been reelected treasurer, and Mrs. Elwood R. Quesada of Washington has been reelected secretary. Also, the members have elected two new directors: Robert S. McCollum, vice chancellor of the University of Denver, and Daggett Harvey, vice chairman, Fred Harvey, Inc., Chicago. They succeed David H. Matson of Mexico City and Guy Stillman of Phoenix, Ariz.

Prior to the formal meetings of the members and the board of directors at the Department on Nov. 14 at which time the elections were held, the members met with State Department and USIA officials for a review of some of the more important current programs and developments, and to discuss plans for the coming year.

Those participating in this discussion included William B. Macomber, Jr., Deputy Under Secretary for Administration; Henry Loomis, USIA Deputy Director; John H. Burns, Director General of the Foreign Service; John H. Stutesman, Jr., Deputy Director of Personnel; and Robert G. Cleveland, Director of the Office of Public Services.

The American Foreign Service

C.S. Retirement Plan Now Costs a Little More

Civil Service retirement deductions and contributions were increased from 6.5 percent to 7 percent effective with the first full pay period after December 31, 1969, in accordance with section 102 of Public Law 9193, approved October 20, 1969.

For most agencies, including State, AID, and USIA, the effective date was the payroll period of January 11-24.

The .5 percent increase in retirement deductions and contributions (for employees and the Government respectively) is the result of the new law providing liberalized Civil Service retirement benefits. (See NEWS LETTER, October, 1969.)

Association was represented by Edward P. Dobyns, AFSA Executive Director at that time.

Other public members who attended the meeting were W. Stanley Allen, Arch Dalrymple III, Dr. John W. Davis, Norbert Dengler, John F. Donato, Robert V. Franklin, R. Radcliffe Massey, Nathan Levin, Brig. Gen. Eugene Phillips, USA (Ret.), Dr. Robert S. Stewart, D. Randall Buckingham, George R. Concannon, Robert L. Pfaltzgraff, Richard T. Leonard and James B. Morrison.

SAN SALVADOR-For heroic achievement in Viet-Nam, Sgt. John Diaz is presented a Bronze Star with a Combat "V" by Ambassador William G. Bowdler. Sgt. Diaz is now serving here.

Department Plans Meetings on Foreign Policy In 3 States

Community Meetings on Foreign Policy will be co-sponsored by the Department next month in, Texas, Illinois, and Missouri.

The University of Texas at El Paso will serve as a co-sponsor at meetings to be held February 9-13 in Texas at El Paso, Midland-Odessa, San Angelo, Abilene, Lubbock, and Amarillo.

The Dallas World Affairs Council will serve as a co-sponsor at meetings to be held February 16-20 at Dallas, Forth Worth, Nacogdoches, and College Station.

During February 23-27 Community Meetings on Foreign Policy will be held in Jacksonville, Ill., Carlinville, Ill., Quincy, Ill., Elsah, Ill., and Canton, Mo., under the auspices of the Department and Illinois College, Blackburn College, Quincy College, Principia College, and CulverStockton College.

Other Community Meeting dates announced by Miss Christine Camp, Chief, Speakers and Speakers and Community Meetings Division, Office of Public Services, Bureau of Public Affairs, follow:

March 16-20-Omaha, Neb., National Council of Jewish Women, cosponsor.

April 6-11-Burlington, Vt., The Vermont Council on World Affairs, co-sponsor.

April 20-24 (tentative)-Havre, Great Falls, Missoula, Helena, and Bozeman, Montana, with the following co-sponsors: North Montana College, College of Great Falls, University of Montana, Carroll College, and Montana State University.

May 4-8 (tentative)-Madison and Indianapolis, Indiana, with Southeastern Social Studies Council, and Station WFBM/TV, co-sponsors.

Cameroon Is the 70th
Nation to Join INTELSAT

The Federal Republic of Cameroon is the 70th country to join the global commercial communications satellite system.

Cameroon Ambassador Joseph N. Owono deposited with the Government of the United States on November 6 the instrument of accession to the International Agreement Establishing Interim Arrangements (INTELSAT) for the system.

William B. Macomber, Jr., Deputy Under Secretary for Administration, warmly welcomed 17 members of the 90th Class of the Foreign Service (pictured above) at a swearing-in ceremony in the Thomas Jefferson Room on January 5.

Marion H. Smoak, Assistant Chief of Protocol for Special Protocol Services, administered the oath of office.

The new class represents 14 states and Puerto Rico. Members hail from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, New Mexico, New York (3), North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Washington.

Fourteen officers were certified by the Board of Examiners and three are Office of Equal Employment Opportunity candidates.

The class includes 14 men and 3 women. The average age of the group is 26.1.

Thirteen are single. Four are married. Four are former Peace Corps Volunteers. Nine have had military service.

The 17 members attended 16 different undergraduate schools-American University, 2; Boston College, Bowdoin, Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Long Island, Stanford, Tulane, University of Denver, University of Hartford, University of New Mexico, University of North Carolina, University of Texas, Washington State, and Yale.

Nine officers took graduate work at eight universities-American, Cornell, New York University, Syracuse, 2; University of Chicago, University of Denver, University of Massachu

FSOS May Be Exempt From D.C. Income Tax In Some Situations

Foreign Service Officers who reside in the District of Columbia while serving their tours of duty in Washington are exempted from paying District of Columbia income tax if they are not "domiciled"-but merely have "a place of abode"-in the District.

This is because they are appointive officers serving at the pleasure of the President and are, therefore, entitled to the same exemption given under D.C. law to other Presidential appointees whose homes are outside the District but who maintain a place of abode in Washington while assigned there. The exemption, of course, does not apply to Federal income tax.

Ordinarily, persons who reside in the District of Columbia for seven months of any given year must pay the District income tax even if they maintain a domicile outside of Washington. This, according to rulings of the District's Corporation Counsel, includes Foreign Service Reserve Officers, Staff Officers and other employees.

A Foreign Service Officer who is not domiciled in the District can file with the District authorities a Form

Refund or Ruling." These forms may be obtained from the Finance Office, Revenue Division, District of Columbia, Municipal Center, 300 Indiana Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001.

For Foreign Service Officers to obtain exemption from the District tax, they must establish, affirmatively, a "domicile" elsewhere. There is no easy rule for this; rather it is a combination of factors such as the length of time the officer has been located

in the District; prior residences; type of "abode" (owed, leased, long or short term, etc.); place of voting; children's schools; family; prior ties which are still effectively maintained with another area,

etc.

But note: mere "intention" to locate elsewhere on a permanent basis does not establish domicile, and the fact that the next assignment may be out of Washington does not rule D.C. out as the domicile.

Remember, too, that D.C.-like many states, including Maryland and Virginia-rules that for tax purposes a person must have a domicile somewhere-and it is up to the individual to establish that he has a domicile in another jurisdiction.

BRUSSELS Substantial annual savings will result from the installation of new equipment in the Communications and Records (C and R) Section of the Embassy and the U.S. Mission to NATO (USNATO).

The installation of a Multilith 2650 in the C and R Section-and another one soon at USNATO-will bring about yearly savings of $23,000, at the present levels of reproduction.

The Multiliths were ordered fol

lowing a survey by the Embassy's Administrative Office of the steadily rising costs of reproducing incoming and outgoing telegraphic traffic here.

Besides cutting costs, it was necessary to find equipment that would turn out sharp contrast copies with no loss of time, for the C and R Section supports the U.S. Mission to the European Countries (USEC), as

U.S., Mauritania
Resume Relations

The United States and the Islamic Republic of Mauritania resumed diplomatic relations on December 22.

well as the Embassy and USNATO. A thorough check showed that the Multilith 2650 answered C and R's needs.

Once a Multilith was installed, classes were held for Communicators in its operation and use, with each Communicator operating the equipment with "live" traffic before it became fully operational.

Newsom Heads Delegation To Cameroon Celebration

President Nixon named David D. Newsom, Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, to head a three-man official U.S. Delegation to the 10th independence anniversary celebration of the Federal Republic of Cameroon, January 9-11.

Others appointed by the President as members of the delegation were Frank B. Rackley, civic leader and steel executive, and Lewis Hoffacker, U.S. Ambassador to Cameroon.

Ambassador Hoffacker, a career Foreign Service Officer, was sworn in as the U.S. envoy to Cameroon last December 10.

The "Continuity Slate" was "overwhelmingly elected" to the new Board of Directors of the American Foreign Service Association, it was announced January 9.

The new Board, at an organizational meeting, elected Charles W. Bray, III, as its Chairman. Richard T. Davies was chosen Vice-Chairman; William G. Bradford was named Secretary-Treasurer; and Barbara Good was elected Assistant Secretary-Treasurer.

Other members of the Board are Donald B. Easum, William C. Harrop, Erland H. Heginbotham and George B. Lambrakis, all of State; Alan Carter and Robert L. Nevitt, of USIA; and Princeton Lyman, of AID.

Following election of its own officers, the new Board elected Theodore L. Eliot, Jr., Executive Secretary of the Department, as the Association's new President, and John E. Reinhardt, USIA, and William C. Kontos, AID, as Vice Presidents.

The 11-man Board and new officers will serve two-year terms. They took office January 15.

More than 3,000 ballots were cast by mail in AFSA's world-wide election. Of that number, about 2,000 were marked for one of the three contending slates, while others went to some 40 candidates running as individuals. The winning ticket received approximately 60 percent of the votes cast for the three slates.

Mr. Bray, at a news conference, pledged the new Board to continue efforts to work toward improvements

Nominations Sought for 1970 Awards

The Awards Committee of the American Foreign Service Association is now seeking nominations for the 1970 Harriman, Rivkin and Herter Awards. The deadline is Feb. 28.

The awards will cite officers for "extraordinary accomplishment involving creativity, intellectual courage and integrity, including disciplined dissent."

The Harriman, Rivkin and Herter Awards are open to State, AID, USIA, and Peace Corps Foreign Service personnel, whether serving abroad or in the United States-and in the case of the Harriman Award, to Civil Service employees also.

Each award will carry a $1,000 prize.

Nominations for all three awards may be made by any officer in support of any other officer in any of the categories.

The W. Averell Harriman Award

is for junior officers-no higher than FSO-6, or equivalent. Civil Service employees are included. The William R. Rivkin Award is for midcareer officers FSO-5, FSO-4, FSO-3, or equivalent. The Christian A. Herter Award is for senior officers-FSO/FSR-1, FSO/FSR-2, or equivalent, with the exception of officers now holding appointments as Chiefs of Mission.

Further information on the three awards may be obtained from the American Foreign Service Association Awards Committee, 2101 E Street, N.W., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037.

Every year in June since 1957 a NATO Tattoo has been held in Arnhem, The Netherlands. This festival brings together military bands from a great number of NATO countries and attracts, during its one week, thousands of spectators.

Embassy Wives Help Hospitalized Victims

Of Mexico Air Crash

MEXICO CITY-When a big airliner inbound from Chicago crash-landed here in an early evening drizzle last September, the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy worked throughout the night locating American survivors in hospitals, clinics, and first aid stations.

It wasn't until the following afternoon that hard facts were available as to where the 91 survivors, most of them Americans, were hospitalized. And it was then that the membership of the Embassy Wives Group was called upon by Mrs. Robert H. McBride, wife of the Ambassador, for assistance in the aftermath of the tragedy in which 27 were killed.

The response was swift and effective.

First off, Mrs. Teodor Lopatkiewicz was named to recruit volunteers to make regularly scheduled visits to the four hospitals in which the victims were patients.

At work almost from the start, the Embassy Wives Group gave steadily increasing assistance in the days and

weeks ahead.

One of their early important roles, and one which was to continue for a fairly long time, was serving as gobetweens for hospitalized Americans with the Embassy's Protection Office.

The women quickly acquired magnifying glasses as "immediate relief" for those who lost prescription eyewomen also wrote Spanish-language glasses in the crash. For them, the notes requesting attending physicians to cite in their reports the plight of their "glass-less" patients.

Embassy personnel, in response to one brief appeal, contributed generously to a petty cash fund, to give the patients toothbrushes, toothpaste, writing paper, haircurlers (there were six newlyweds on the plane), cosmetics, and so forth.

The Embassy's Administrative Office got in touch with Brooks Airbase in Texas, which flew in hospital robes and slippers for the patients, all of whom lost nearly all their luggage and personal effects in the crash.

Flowers were arranged and put in the patients' rooms by wives of members of the Defense Attaché's Office. Radios, lent by Embassy families, enabled the patients, virtually none of

whom spoke Spanish, to listen to English-language radio stations.

Nine weeks after the crash, with

only six Americans still hospitalized here, the Embassy Wives had time to reflect a little on what they themselves had accomplished.

But mostly they reflected on the fortitude, spirit, and calm philosophic attitude toward their fate displayed by all the victims of the crash.

Mrs. McBride recently gave a tea at the Embassy Residence at which the Embassy Volunteers (and members of the Pink Ladies Organization at the ABC Hospital) were guests of honor. In the words of one guest, the tea was "a beautiful affair."

Only a week before the air crash the Embassy Wives Group had completed a "blitz" project which involved the collection of clothing, blankets, and bed linens for flood victims in the Veracruz-Oaxaca area, where 30,000 Mexicans had been left homeless.

Next came arrangements for the Embassy's biggest fund-raising event

of the year, the annual Harvest Ball.

A capacity crowd of about 500 persons attended the 1969 Ball held at the Embassy Residence with Ambassador and Mrs. McBride as hosts. Dinner was served under the auspices of the Embassy Wives Group.

Harvest Ball proceeds are used to support eight male students in the Universities of Guadalajara, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosi, and Mexico City, in such fields as law, medicine, engineering, and architecture. In addition, five Mexican girls are being provided full scholarships at the School of Nursing at the AmericanBritish-Cowdray Hospital in Mexico City.

As in past years, the business community of Mexico City donated various prizes awarded at the Harvest Ball, as well as food and beverages.

Because of the success of the Ball and other fund raising events, the Embassy Wives Group was able to vote a contribution of $400 to the American Foreign Service Association Scholarship Fund.