Eisenhower Administration Seeks Armed Services Manpower Cut; Nehru Rejects Asian Summit Bid

AUGUSTA, Ga., Nov. 16--President Eisenhower agreed tentatively today to a new 1962 military budget which proposes to trim manpower slightly while keeping defense spending at about the present $41 billion level. Modern weapons apparently will get the nod over personnel. Military manpower now is about 2 1/2 million. How much and where it might be pared was not disclosed.

But Secretary of Defense Neil H. McElroy said the Air Force and the Navy are scheduled to take manpower cuts under the new budget. He added that the Navy's second nuclear-powered aircraft carrier failed to get approval. Some parts of the military budget were pushed up, some down, McElroy said. Again without spelling out details, he told newsmen that "we're putting very sharp questions" against some research programs.

Nehru Turns Down Summit Proposal

NEW DELHI, India, Nov. 16--Prime Minister Nehru turned down today the proposal by Premier Chou En-lai of Red China for an early Himalayan summit meeting to settle their border dispute. Nehru also rejected as impractical Chou's suggestion that both sides withdraw their border forces at once for a distance of 12 1/2 miles from their present position.

As anti-Chinese demonstrations broke out outside, Nehru told Parliament he has sent other proposals to Peiping, but declined to go into detail until Chou gets the note from New Delhi.

Airliner Crashes in Gulf of Mexico

NEW ORLEANS, La., Nov. 16--A four-engine National Airlines plane plummeted into the shark-infested waters of the Gulf of Mexico early today with 36 passengers and six crew members aboard. Coast Guard rescue units picked up nine bodies and intensified the search for others, with little hope held for any survivors.