Air Force Successfully Launches Intercontinental Ballistic Missile; NATO Examines Russian Talks

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., Dec. 17--The Air Force successfully launched an Atlas Intercontinental Ballistic Missile today. "Atlas" travelled several hundred miles and landed in a pre-selected target area.

Air Force comment on the launching, first successful one for the Atlas, said success came "on a limited range." "The missile flew its prescribed course and landed in the pre-selected impact area, officials stated.

The missile is designed to deliver a hydrogen warhead to a target 5000 miles away in a flight time of 30 minutes.

Kremlin Parley Examined

PARIS, Dec. 17--The NATO summit conference today approved a guarded Western examination of the pitfalls and possibilities of direct talks with the Kremlin to reduce East-West tension.

Sentiment among some members for fresh negotiations with the Soviet Union was a factor.

The move apparently was part of a compromise solution that would allow military men to continue plans to beef up West Europe's strength with ballistic missiles.

President Eisenhower and the leaders of 14 other members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization agreed to proceed with a study along these lines, outside the U.N., but only so long as such talks should show some prospect of success.

Alabama Changes Constitution

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Dec. 17--Alabama voters today apparently approved a change in the state constitution to allow the Legislature to abolish Macon County where Negroes outnumber whites more than 7-1.

Advocates of the change said it was necessary to prevent Negro control of the county government in view of federal civil rights legislation to use national authority to guarantee voting rights.

Famine in Indonesia

JAKARTA, Indonesia, Dec. 17--Famine and severe food shortages have struck several parts of Indonesia, government quarters said today.

There were unconfirmed reports of food riots, in the wake of crop failures aggravated by a breakdown in distribution as a result of the anti-Dutch campaign.

The anti-Dutch campaign has brought paralysis to inter-island shipping and has idled thousands of Indonesian workers.