Ford Asks Billion Dollars In Aid for Saigon Regime

President Ford asked Congress last night for nearly $1 billion in emergency military and economic aid to Nguyen Van Thieu's Saigon government.

In a foreign policy address to a joint congressional session. Ford increased his $300 million request of January to a call for $722 million in "additional military hardware" for the South Vietnamese regime.

Ford also requested $250 million in economic and humanitarian aid to South Vietnam.

Congressional leaders indicated yesterday the military aid request would be rejected. "The Congress will never vote for military aid," House Democratic leader Thomas P. O'Neill (D-Mass.) said yesterday.

Sen. Jon McClellan (D-Ark.), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, would further military assistance would only prolong human suffering in Indochina.

"The sums I have requested before the North Vietnamese offensive and the South Vietnamese retreat are obviously inadequate," Ford said, referring to the past month's military action.

Calling his address a "straight talk among friends," Ford said nothing new about the Middle East or detente with the Soviet Union and China.

CIA Defended

Ford defended the Central Intelligence Agency and asked Congress to lift the arms embargo against Turkey and the trade restrictions from the Soviet Union.

Ford also said federal laws should be changed to permit Untied States forces to help evacuate "endangered South Vietnamese," as well as American civilians should Saigon be invaded by Provisional Revolutionary Government forces.

"I hope this authority will not have to be used," Ford said, but if it must, "there will be no time for congressional debate."

Ford said the setbacks for the Saigon and Phnom Penh regimes have "disquieted many of our friends," especially in Asia.

Ford disclosed he has scheduled meetings with the leaders of Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Indonesia, and he recalled his recent visits to Japan and South Korea.

Ford made no new requests for aid to Cambodia, beyond the $222 million already asked. He read a letter from Saukham Khoy, acting president of the Phnom Penh regime.

Ford's comments on the Middle East were only general, with allusions to the international danger of continuing tension in the region and to U.S. efforts to promote negotiations there.

"I pledge the United States to a major effort for peace in the Middle East." Ford declared, drawing one of ten rounds of applause that punctuated his speech.

Ford did not waver from the declarations of Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger '50 when he said the United States has accepted a reconvention of the Geneva conference on the Mideast "in principle," but is willing "to explore other forums."

The president said U.S. relations "with Europe have never stronger," adding that he expects to attend "a Western summit in the very near future."

Ford asked Congress to life its ban of arms shipments to Turkey, calling the embargo "an unprecedented act against a friend."

'Mutual Interest'

He said he understands concerns over Turkey's invasion of Cyprus, but U.S, aid to Turkey "is a clear and essential mutual interest."

"U.S. military bases in Turkey are as critical to our own security as they are to the security of NATO," he added.

Ford also asked Congress to lift restrictions in the Trade Act of 1974 that refuse most favored nation status to the Soviet Union unless its emigration policies are eased.

Ford said the restrictions had enabled Western Europe and Japan to extend $8 billion in credits to the Soviet Union in the past six months.

These are economic opportunities" which the United States is missing, he said.

Ford praised the work of the Central Intelligence Agency, saying it "has been of maximum importance to me" as well as to presidents before him.

He said congressional review of the CIA is proper, but "sensationalized public debate" would restrict American policy "while our potential enemies operate with secrecy, skill and vast resources."

Ford said no nation should double American "determination to maintain a defense that is second to none." And raising his voice, he declared: "We are strong and we are ready and we intend to remain so." The remark drew a short round of applause from legislators