Nation: THE ADMINISTRATION: BEGINNING TO BEGIN

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FOR weeks Democrats on Capitol Hill had been needling their Republican colleagues about the new regime's lateness in presenting a domestic program. "When," asked Idaho's Senator Frank Church, "is the Nixon Administration going to begin?" Last week seemed to be the week, and it was probably with as much relief as pride that Republican Leader Everett Dirksen announced: "The day of inaction is ended."

In fact, the Nixon program, when it finally emerged, was more the beginning of a beginning than a giant step forward. Set out in ten neat points, Nixon's proposals were unexceptionable:

∙SOCIAL SECURITY. A 7% increase in benefits to counteract losses to inflation.

∙TAX CREDITS. Incentives to encourage business to invest in cities, particularly in the ghettos.

∙REVENUE SHARING. A proposal to divert part of the money collected by the Federal Government to local governments. Cities and states have long complained that the Federal Government takes so much of the total tax dollar (about two-thirds) that not enough is left for local needs.

∙IMPROVEMENT OF AIRWAYS AND AIRPORTS AND DEVELOPMENT OF MASS TRANSIT. Financed by various user charges instead of general tax revenue, this program would help unsnarl and speed up the nation's clogged transportation systems.

∙NEW MEASURES TO COMBAT CRIME. Nixon's emphasis would be on organized crime and racketeering, and he would also attempt to curtail the sale of pornography to minors.

∙REORGANIZATION OF THE POST OFFICE. This, presumably, would embody Nixon's suggestion that the Post Office be taken out of politics.

For the long range, he urged innovation in social programs, including a total—and long-needed—restructuring of the archaic federal-state-local welfare complex. "Our studies," he said of the welfare field, "have demonstrated that tinkering with the present system is not enough. We need a complete reappraisal and redirection." One immediate measure to help the poor will be submitted to Congress this week, when Nixon will recommend that all those below the Government's poverty line ($3,300 for a family of four) be released from any obligation to pay federal income taxes. Many poor people now have to pay income taxes—even as tax money is being spent to raise them from poverty.

Formative Years. Pending separate messages to Congress that will supply specifics, the program was still somewhat formless and indistinct; neither loud praise nor harsh criticism seemed quite appropriate. If not exactly bemused by the program, the Democrats were, for the most part, at a loss for words. Republicans were not much more vocal. Tennessee's Senator Howard Baker, Dirksen's son-in-law, noted the lack of response, but on reflection found it less than remarkable. Said Baker: "There were no surprises."