The Times Record from Troy, New York • Page 1

All Tax-Exempt Property Under Review In Troy--Page 5 The Weather Forecast Cool tonight. Sunny Friday. Details on Page 14. THE Series 1974, No. 214 Ifld Cllll Pciligt At Troy, N.Y., 1111! THURSDAY EVENING, AUGUST 15, 1974 1974 Troy rutlisMin Inc.

PRICE 15 CENTS Charles Colson 's Bizarre Plan To Erase The Tapes By JACK ANDERSON WASHINGTON Former presidential aide Charles Colson once considered firing a htgh-vbltags Buck Rogers-style cannon at the White House to erase the taped conversations of Richard Nixon. Such a "Mission: Impossible" would have.wipcd out the evidence on the White House tapes which led to Nixon's resignation. Colson, however, contends he never seriously pondered putting the scheme into action. Despite this denial, Colson did meet twice with an industrial research consultant, Gordon Novel, and discussed the possibility of using an experimental "degaussing cannon" to fire a gigantic magnetic pulse at the White House tape storage A rough design of the ray gun, named after a magnetic measurement, even drawn talked about driving by the White House and demagnetizing all the tapes," Colson told us from prison through friends. "It was something that he said would lire three blocks." Novel, who is also an electronics expert, told us lie was visiting Colson in March on an unrelated legal matter when the talk turned to the tapes.

Colson, he said, told him that tapes at the White House and the CIA "could cause the President's grief." Novel mentioned the "de-gaussing cannon" and Colson urged him to look into it. Colson insists he gave the con sultanf'no encouragement," Novel, however, obviously thought he had a- mandate from Colson. He journeyed to El Paso, and spoke with Jack Prentice, innovative research and design chief for Jelco, Inc. Jetco already was marketing a metal detector using "de-gaussing" principles. Prentice told Novel, and confirmed to us, that had built, a prototype cannon and could construct an operational one for $25,000 to $30,000.

Prentice's view was that since the tapes belonged to the President, there would be no crime in erasing them if Colson, acting for the President, okayed it. The Jetco specialist drew up a simple plan for the "degaussing cannon," using capacitors, a switch, a parabolic reflector and a special heat-resistant coil. The electronic artillery piece coiild be housed in a van, or mounted in a "light plane or helicoplor. On March 21, Novel wrote Colson that he would "forward by hand courier the known facts on the El Paso erasure matter," the code name for the "de-gausser." Shortly thereafter, the industrial consultant flew to Washington again and talked 16 one of this area's best known electronic men, Allan Bell, president of Dektor Counterintelligence and Security. Bell threw cold water i i saying that it was "iffy" and "impractical." At its best, advised Bell, the bizarre device would obliterate a few layers of tape, leaving the rest intact.

At worsl, it would destroy huge quantities of other taped material, and scramble all computer "memories" in its path. Sines one part of the scheme was to bombard the CIA, the irresistible jolt of magnetism might blot out priceless files of Russian and Chinese agents aud other espionage and security matters. Novel went back to Colson's office with his report, Novel's assessment was that hiding in the heavy woorls near the CIA, or "de-gaussing" the tapes from 'the tank-van while they were in transport, offered a better chance of success than magnetically bombarding the CIA or the White House from a plane. But as Novel recalls it, they mutually decided not to pursue the plan because.of its danger to national security tapes and computers near the target tapes. Colson scoffs at the idea that the magnetic beam ever came that close to development.

"I laughed at it," he said. "It was a little bit of comic relief." President Nixon, however, had fears that Colson was a sucker for just such farout ideas. In the- transcripts, Nixon said Colson "loves the would do anything." Footnote: Colson and Novel also discussed a caper to patch H.R. Haldeman's voice onto a tape along with an actor who would imitate President Nixon and make false confessions. The fake tape would he sent with 'a phony authenticating note from an allegedly disgruntled Secret Service man to the Senate Watergate Committee wliich, Colson surmised, would leak it.

Then ho and Novel would' reveal the tape was fraudulent and the hoax would tend to discredit the whole case against Nixon. Colson said it was "true" he discussed this idea. "Wouldn't that be a great gag?" his statement snid. BAKER'S BOMBSHELL: Bobby Baker, the former Senale aide who went to prison in a celebrated scandal of the early iDGOs, has completed more than half of a book that will embarrass some present senators. Now a successful businessman, Baker Insists he isn't writing a cruel book about those who condemned him.

Indeed, the book will contain many warm anecdotes about prominent political figures. But the book will charge that Son. Barry Goldwaler, now the Senate's "Mr. Clean," twisted arms for political funds when he was the- Republican Senate campaign chairman. Baker will also chido the present apostle of political reform, Sen.

Sam Ervin, for voting consistently against reform in limes past. Baker will also point out that Sen. Carl Curtis, who saw no great wrong in President Nixon's 'conduct, lashed out against the Democrat's involved in the comparatively small-potatoes Baker ease. The former Senate boy wonder hopes to publish his book after the din of Watergate dies down. WATER EVERYWHERE but inside as Steven Pasniewski, 3, tries for, a drink from a grown-up fountain at Frear Park Wednesday.

Steven is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Pasniewski, 87 River Troy. (Times Record Photo by Larry Roberts) Assassin Murders Wife Of South Korean President SEOUL (AP) President Chung Hee Park escaped an assassination attempt today, but his wife was killed, a. presidential spokesman announced.

He said she died after a nearly six-hour operation at Weekly Lottery Winners August 15 Drawing AlHlxPlglh YOU WIN 265335 FlrU Flvt Digits $2,000 Hit Dlglli x65335 82,000 Inl Four DlglU 2653xx $125 lit) Four Plglti xx5335 $125 Flrrt Three DTalli 265xxx $25 till Dlslls xxx335 $25 First Two Ind Lilt Two Plait) '26xx35 $5 Tint Twa Dial" 26xxxx $2.50 Hi! Two Dlglti xxxx35 $2.50 the Seoul National University hospital of a gunshot wound she suffered during the assassination attempt. The attempt took place as Park was making an Independence Day address. A man opened fire, the president ducked down behind the speaker's desk and was not hit, but his 47-year-old wife was hit in the head. Security guards wounded the gunman and arrested him. A.

16-year-old girl choir singer in the audience also was killed, possibly by police bullets. The government said the gunman carried a Japanese passport, and the Japanese Foreign Ministry said it was issued in the name of Yukio Yoshii, 23, of Osaka. But Yoshii told a television interviewer in Osaka: "I am not the gunman. I am in Japan. Somebody must have taken advantage of my name." The young girl was a member of a 200-voice girls' choir that was to perform for the celebration, She was sitting In the front row.

MRS. PARK After Mrs. Park and the girl were carried bleeding from the auditorium and the wounded gunman was removed, Park said: "I will resume my statement." He talked for five minutes, then the girls' choir sang for a few minutes. The president received a standing ovation as he left the theater for the university hospital to be with his wife. Index Bridge Lesson 32 Hot Line 2 Classified 30, 31, 33, 35 Lifestyle 12,13 Comics 32,34 Movie Timetable 24 Crossword Puzzle 32 Obituary 14 Death Notices 14 Pulse of the People 4 Editorials 4 Sports 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 Financial 29 Television-Radio 16 Horoscope 32 Theater 24 New Health Program Unveiled In Congress The Wasliiugtou Post WASHINGTON Chair- in an i D.

Mills, of-the House Ways and Means Committee Wednesday unveiled the broad outlines of new compromise national health insurance plan that he said could pass Congress this year -thereby meeting one of President Ford's major legislative objectives. The Mills plan, an amalgam of some of more than a dozen bills before Congress caught members of the committee by surprise. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare Caspar W. Weinberger, at the committee meeting, said, the Mills' plan showed movement increased the chances of getting a bill passed this year. Mills never got specific in describing his plan, thus expanding his room for negotiating with Ills committee a Ford administration.

He said the plan has three main parts: An improved health care program for the poor to replace medicaid. It would be financed mostly i federal funds and would have uniform eligibility requirements and benefits for the entire nation. But it would be run by the states. Coverage for the costs of catastrophic illnesses to be financed by a payroll tax requiring employers to pay 75 per cent and workers 25 per cent. A phased-in health insurance program for the bulk of Americans who work, with most of the costs paid by employers.

Employers would be required to offer this policy and workers would have to take it. and employers would be able to deduct premium costs from their income taxes. The program would have a standard i package, which Mills did not specify, and a maximum amount of coverage at which point catastrophic coverage would begin. Mills tlidn't go into many of the stickiest points, not a 1 whether national health insurance bill, should be run by the government's i a Security Administration or whether private insurance companies can write the policies. Mills said he hadn't talked to President Ford about his idea and stressed that Jt is merely a suggestion to help the committee reach a compromise agreement.

"I've been thinking of this for days. I just threw it out," laid Mills. A UNITED AIR LINES baggage dispatcher at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, directs baggage to its proper destination. Although airlines are losing a lower percentage of 'the luggage they handle, consumer complaints about bags lost or delayed have jumped 70 per cent in the first six months of 1974 over a year ago, governing-', officials report. (AP Wirephoto) Fighting Rages On Island Of Cyprus By The Associated Press Turkish forces launched a.

two-pronged attack on the eastern and western approaches of the Cypriot capital of Nicosia today in- what appeared to be a move to surround the city completely. "We are in a desperate situation, ready to clutch at any straw to save ourselves or preserve as much as we can," a senior Cyprus government official said. The camp of the 950- strong Greek army contingent, permanently based on Cyprus, was one of the main targets of the assault, and fighting raged at midday. Another area heavily hit was a five-mile string of factories on the cast side of Nicosia, stretching between the main roads to Kama- gusta in the east and Lar- naca to the south. i a i Turks Cabinet Member's Crack Irks Ford's Hometown WASHINGTON (AP) Agriculture Secretary Earl F.

Butz has stirred up an angry reaction in President Ford's hometown of Grand Rapids, by describing it as a country town. Bute told department employes last week after Ford was sworn in.that the new President "is a man of the soil Grand Rapids is just a country town. "You take a couple of furniture factories out of the place, a stiff wind would blow it into Canada. I don't see much change (in administration policies affecting the department). But beyond that here's a man who has a basic faith in America 1 Butz-said.

A department spokesman said Bulz' description of Grand Rapids infuriated the community's Chamber of Commerce. The aide said he was informed "thousands of letters'ol protest" were promised by angry Gran'd Rapids citizens and at least some would call on Ford to demand Bulz' resignation. The aide said Butz, who haiis from Indiana, intended no insult and planned no apology. He said the secretary has used the line about "a stiff wind would blow it into Canada" many cities where he spoke. Butz was described as getting a big chuckle out of the incident.

"I think a lot of people out there are a little thin- skinned," the aide said. a Famagusta, 35 miles east of Nicosia, earlier in the day. But the Cypri'ots claimed they halted the other arm of the Turkish drive to cut off the northern third of Cyprus a force moving toward Lefka on the northwest coast 20 miles from the capital. The British government said there was virtually no chance of a diplomatic breakthrough to resolve the Cyprus crisis until Turkish troops slopped advancing on the island. The Soviet Communist party newspaper Pravcla warned the Cyprus crisis could spread, "creating a threat to the common peace and security of peoples," It put the blame for the crisis on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and renewed a call for withdrawal of ail foreign troops from the island.

Pope- Paul VI also expressed fear the Cyprus conflict might spread to oth- er natigns and become a "bloody and disastrous" war. lie called for the resumption of negotiations to find a just and peaceful solution to the conflict. JACK B. KUBISCH will replace Henry J. Tasca as the U.S.

ambassador to Athens, the White House has announced. (AP Wirephoto.) Nixon Subpoenaed As Witness WASHINGTON (AP) Former President Nixon was subpoenaed today to appear as a witness for John D. Ehrilchman in the Watergate cover-up trial that begins Sept. 9. Today's Saratoga Scratches 1--Careless Oiover 2-Chill, Spring Is Here.