Southern Illinoisan from Carbondale, Illinois • Page 1

PUBLICATION OFFICE Carbcndale Murphysbcro Herrin 710 N. Illinois 1113 Walnut 212 N. urn Successor to Cirbcndalt Fr Prtss. Herrin DHy Journal. Murphy boro IrttpcnOtnl SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1973 Vol ume El-No.

245 30c a Ccpy 4 Sections, Comics, Family Weekly, Tab Carbondale-Herrin-Murphysfeoro Watergate task force abolished Paget Affy. Gen. Richardson resigns over tapes fight 3 Washington (AP) President Nixcn fued special Watergate prosecutor Archibald Cox Saturday night, abolished Cox's Watergate task force and accepted the resignation of Atty. Gen. Elliot L.

Richardson. Nixon fired Deputy Atty. Gen. William P. Ruckelshaus when he refused to carry out Nixon's order to fire Cox.

Press Secretary Ronald L. Ziegler announced shortly before 8:30 p.m. EDT that Nixcn had fired Cox because of his announced intention to defy a presidential order that he cease a court battle to obtain the Watergate tapes. Ziegler reported Richardson 'felt obliged to resign" because 'J lie VjlJ LA CZU Acting Attorney General Rcbert H. Bork 'Feel defiant1 ox stays cool A Pittsburgh native, he practiced law in New York City and Chicago before going to the Yale faculty.

Meanwhile, a White House of-ficial, who declined to be quoted by name, said that increasing talk of impeachment had been an important factor in the President's surprise announcement Friday night that he would yield some ground in the tapes dispute. In his statement Nixon also said he was ordering Cox to halt his court battle to obtain the tapes and documents relating to presidential conversations. But Nixon remained under court order to hand over the tapes to U.S. District Court Judge John J. Sirica.

The judge, who could not be reached for comment, remained a key figure in the dispute. If he wished, Sirica could initiate action against the President for continued disobedience to a lawful court order. Cox told a news conference that he had been repeatedly frustrated in his efforts to obtain documents for his investigation from White House files. "I must say that while I have been told I would receive them, the delays have been extraordinary," he said. He objected to the presidential order barring him not only from obtaining the nine tapes he sought, but also from getting notes and memoranda, now or in the future.

On that point he got some support from Atty. Gen. Elliot L. Richardson. A Justice Department spokesman said Richardson disagreed with the portion cf the proposed compromise which barred Cox from taking legal action to obtain other White House documents he might need in the future.

The special prosecutor's office said the response to his televised news conference has been overwhelmingly favorable. "We've gotten about 5.000 telegrams and it locks like they're almost all favorable," a spokesman said. Cox said he hadn't yet determined whether the proper court to notify of the presidential noncompliance was the District Court or the Court of Appeals that upheld Sirica's order Oct. 12. uring baffle IS President Richard M.

Nixon authority and staff support needed to earn out the tasks entrusted to I added, 'although he will be in the Department of Justice and report to me and only to me he will be aware that his ultimate accountability is to the American Richardson recalled that while it was agreed the special prosecutor might be removed from office "for extraordinary improprieties," the resigning attorney general also pledged he would "not countermand or interfere with the special prosecutor's decisions or actions." "While I fully respect the reasons that have led you to conclude that the special prosecutor must be discharged," Richardson wrote, "I trust that you understand that I could not in the light cf these firm and repeated commitments carry out your direction that this be done. In the circumstances, therefore, I felt that I have no choice but to resign." In a letter to Bork, Nixon said he had accepted the resignations of Richardson and Ruckelshaus, until recently the acting director cf the FBI, "and that Bork now was acting attorney general. Nixcn continued: "In his press conference today Cox made it apparent that he will not comply with the instruction I issued to him, through Atty. Gen. Richardson, yesterday.

Clearly the government of the United States cannot function if employes of the executive branch are free to ig- William Ruckelshaus tions that he would release. Cox announced afterward the compromise was not acccptaDle. On Saturday he said he would tell the courts that the President had failed to comply with court orders demanding him to give the tapes to a judge for examination. He said he might "seek an order why the respondent (Nixon) should not be held in contempt." Ziegler said Nixon's announcement Friday night was designed to avoid a constitu tional confrontation while permitting "the least possible intrusion on the President's privacy." Ziegler said Nixon's proposed solution to the tapes controversy had been "accepted by responsible leaders in the Congress and in the country" but said that Cox had announced an intent to defy presidential instructions. In his announcement, Ziegler said Nixon had acted "in the spirit of accommodation that has marked American constitutional history." He said: "Mr.

Cox's refusal to proceed in the same spirit of accommodation, complete with announced intention to defy instructions from the President and press for further confrontation at a time of serious world crisis, made it necessary for the President to discharge Mr. Cox and to return to the Department of Justice the task of prosecuting those who broke the law in connection with Watergate." ror i move ahead with an impeachment resolution offered some weeks ago by Rep. Robert Drinan, D-Mass. "It would be so much easier if the President would admit he has made a terrible mistake, and he should as gracefully as possible bow out," said Edwards. Sen.

Edward M. Kennedy, called the firing of Cox "a reckless act of desperation Washington (AP) Like a crewcut pillar, Archibald Cox stood squarely Saturday between the President of the United States and uhat the President wants. And Cox wouldn't budge. That was before President Nixon fired him late Saturday "I'm certainly not out to pet the President of the United States." he demurred during his nocn press conference. 'Tin even worried, to put it in colloquial terms, that I'm petting too big for mv britches." But.

straight as a ramrod, wearing the fcur in had tie he reserves for courtroom confrontations instead of the bowtie he usually wears for professorial lectures, Archibald Cox, Yankee lawy er, made it clear to the ration that he wouldn't yield to President Richard M. Nixon's proposal to compromise the case cf the Watergate tapes. 'I don't feel defiant." said Cox, greying in his 61st year, st a nationally televised news conference. 4I told my wife this morning I hate a fight Yet he was Cox the Defiant, saying he would fight for tape recordings of Nixon's Watergate conversations even to the point, perhaps, of initiating contempt proceedings against the President. "It isn't important because It interferes witk Archie Cox." aid the special Watergate 'Smacks of dictatorship' Archibald Cox Ziegler said: "The attorney general Richardson on hearing cf the President's decision obliged to resign, since he of the President's decision, felt obliged to resign, since he believed the discharge of Professor Cox to be inconsistent with the conditions of his confirmation by the Senate.

"As deputy attorney general, Mr. William Ruckelshaus refused to carry out the President's explicit directive to discharge Mr. Cox. He, like Mr. Cox, has been discharged of further duties effective immediately." Richardson served successively as secretary cf health, education and welfare, secretary of defense and attorney general, earlier in the Nixon administration he had been undersecretary of state.

He was called upon to be attorney general after the resignation of Richard G. Kleindienst, particularly to handle the Watergate case. At the Justice Department, Richardson kept his silence and remained in his office late into the night. A department spokesman, John Hushen, said Richardson intended to make no public statements on his resignation Saturday night or Sunday. Bork, meanwhile, was reportedly meeting with Richardson and had no immediate comment.

Bork, 46, was a Yale University law professor until his nomination as solicitor general last spring. by a president who is afraid of the Supreme Court, who has no respect for law and no regard for men of conscience." Kennedy said "It is obvious that Mr. Nixon is bent on maintaining the Watergate cover-up at any cost. The burden is now on Congress and the courts to nullify this historic insult Another Senate Judiciary Committee member, Sen. John i he thought Judge John Sirica, under tremendous public pressure, would re-order Nixon to hand over the tapes.

Nixon chose not to appeal the case to the supreme court. If Nixon refused to hand over the tapes Sirica would cite Nixon for contempt, thus throwing the ballgame into the lap of the Congress. The House would vote on the impeachment proceedings. The Senate would try the President. Gray said some action from Sirica might come as early as Tuesday.

Gray said discussions with House Speaker Carl Albert, technically the country's vice president, and House Majority Leader Wayne Mansfield, indicate that the House leadership does not really want to start impeachement proceedings. But they may have no real choice, the Southern Illinois Congressman said. i mpeachinent Elliot L. Richardsen nore In this fashion the instructions of the President. Accordingly, in your capacity of acting attorney general, I direct you to discharge Mr.

Cox immediately and to take ail steps necessary to return to the Department of Justice the functions now being performed by the Watergate special prosecution force." Nixon concluded his letter to Bork in this fashion: "It is my expectation that the Department of Justice will con- tinue with full vigor the in-1 vestigations and prosecutions I that had been entrusted to the! Watergate special prosecution! force." Bork then wrote a two-j paragraph letter to Cox, the first paragraph dealing with the statutes that led to his becoming acting attorney general, the second saying: "In that capacity I am, as instructed by the President, discharging you, effective at once, from your position as special prosecutor, Watergate special prosecution force." Cox then issued a statement Saturday night saying "whether ours shall continue to be a government of laws and not ot; men is now for Congress and ultimately the American pec pie." President Nixon had announced Friday night that ne had reached a compromise in the Watergate tapes case. He said he would permit Sen. John C. Stennis to hear the tapes and compare them with a summary of the White House conversa- cans members of Congress im mediately available in the midst of this three day holiday weekend criticized Nixon's ac tion, some talking of impeach ment. Rep.

Jerome Waldie, middle ranking Democrat on the House committee which would first consider an im peachment resolution, said in a telephone interview from California: "I intend now to seek impeachment. The President is acting most unstably. There is little doubt that those tapes must totally implicate the President in obstruction of justice, and he apparently will do anything to prevent them from being revealed to the public." Rep. Don Edwards, also on the Judiciary Committee, said: "I'm in a state of shock, and I think the President should resign." Edwards said he would urge a committee meeting early next week to decide whether it should the tapes? A top White House aide woud acknowledged Saturday only that the tapes are somewhere in the executive mansion. "They are secure," he said, "but 1 can't give you any more detail than that." The original custodian was the Secret Service.

he felt Nixon's order to Cox violated an understanding with Congress that Cox would be given a free hand in his Watergate investigations. Ruckelshaus was fired, said Ziegler, because he refused to earn out a presidential order to discharge Cox. Nixon then designated Solicitor General Robert H. Bork to be acting attorney general. Ziegler said Bork carried out Nixon's directive that Cox be discharged.

The press secret a ry reported that, as cf about 7 p.m. CDT. the office of the special Watergate prosecution force and directed the transfer of all its activities to the Justice Department. Ziegler said the government's Watergate investigations would continue "with thoroughness and vigor." In accepting Richardson's resignation Nixon wrote a one-sentence response addressed to "Dear Elliot." It read: 4'It is with the deepest regret and with an understanding cf the circumstances which brought you to your decision that I accept your resignation." In a five-paragraph letter of resignation, Richardson wrote Nixon: "At the time you appointed me, you gave me the authority to name a special prosecutor if I should consider it appropriate. A few days before my confirmation hearing began, I announced that I would, if confirmed, 'appoint a special prosecutor and give him all the independence, Jackson: Congress will act A political scientist 2t Southern Illinois University at Car- bondale predicts public opinion will force Congress to start impeachment proceedings against President Nixon.

Jchn Jackson, an assistant professor of political science and a student of public opinion polls, says the man in the street reaction to the Saturday firings by the President will be generally, "He's gone too far." "Congress reacts ouickly to public opinion and the public won't buy this," Jackson said "Nlxcn's popularity can't sfnd anv mere shenanigans like this." 'Nixon's in deep a Jackson said. Watching the political polls since January, Jackson said Nixon's popularity has been a con tinued slide downward measured as the ptihlic's opinio of the job the president is doing, Jackson said. In late January about Go per cent of the public thought he was doing an acceptable irb. Jackson said. That was right after the settlement in Vietnam Last week polls showed 31 per cent approved cf the job he was doing.

"That's about as low as any President has reached," Jackson said. "I would surmise tha' Congress will start impeaohemer.t proceedings." Jackson said, "a least a significant number will move to start the proceedings But I'd guess they probably von't impeach him." prosecutor. "It's embarrassing to be put in the position of having to say I dont want the President to tell me what to do." Yet he was Cox the Frustrated, saying flatly: "My efforts to get information have been the subjects of repeated frustration." He was Cox the gracious. Presidential counsel J. Fred Buzhardt, Cox allowed, "has behaved in an entirely honorable way." But he was Cox the piqued, adding: "Except that he's so damned slew!" Finally, he was Cox the dedicated.

"I am going to go about my duties But also Cox the Troubled. The President's proposed compromise, he said, is inconsistent with pledges made to the Senate and through the Senate to the American people. 'I think it is my duty as the special prosecutor," declared, "to bring to the court's attention what I believe is defiance of an order of the court." The son, grandson and great grandson of lawyers. Cox is neither a stranger to Washington. He served as the last President John F.

Kennedy's solicitor general. His great grandfather defended President Andrew Johnson in his impeachment trial. Cox concedes that under present circumstances, his great grandfather's role could become "a funny little quirk." prepared" to take a stand in favor cf impeachment now. Percy was contacted in Carmel, a coastal resort town where he is spending he weekend. Percy said he thought no appointee to the attorney general's pest would be confirmed by the Senate unless the new appointee gave assurances cf contlnunLng the Watergate investigation.

He said confirmation would likely also depend cn the attorney general appointee's assurance of independence for a new special prosecutor. "The Percy Resolution still stands as a resolution which passed the Senate and which is now all the more pertinent," Percy said. He referred to the resolution he authored calling fcr the appointment of a special Watergate prosecutor. Percy said Nixon has gone back on the promises he madp In a nationally televised address April SO Reactions vary Serious thoughts on impeachment May be impeached i cnoice wray says V. Tunney, called for an immediate meeting of the committee.

"The President has committed a monstrous action and is now openly defying all three branches of government," said Tunney. "In fact he is trying to put the law in his own hands, and this can mean the gravest possible consequences for himself." (Related story pg. 21) Gray said he thinks the recent actions by the president will slow down the confirmation of Rep. Gerald Ford as Nlxcn's choice for vice president to reDlace Spiro Agnew. "The Senate won't take any serious action until the tapes matter is resolved," predicted Gray.

"If Nixon were impeached the Congress would no longer want a caretaker vice president, especially with the Mideast war was going on. It would leave too much of a void." Gray favors Ford's confirmation. Gray was reached by telephone at home in Washington, just in from a family outing. He did not know of the details of the Saturday night events, but did not seem overly surprised by the President's actions. He said it was a "real down-eybrook" and it was 'sad that it was reached this point." One member of the House Judiciary Committee said Saturday night he would seek impeachment of President Nixon and a second said Nixon should resign in the wake of the firing of Watergate special prosecutor Archibald Cox.

Sen Edmund S. Muskie, D-Maine issued a strong state-emnt urging that the house should consider impeachment of President Richard M. Nixon, according to a CBS television spokesman in New York. "What the President has done threatens to destroy our system of laws: it smacks of dictatorship," Muskie said. Two Democrats cn the Senate Judiciary Committee joined in condemning Nixon's action, while Vice President -designate Gerald R.

Ford said Nixon had no choice and former Treasury Secretary John B. Connally said "it's a healthy thing that Mr. Cox is gone." Most of the few other Locafon unknown Who has Washington (AP) Although President Nixon has said he has taken personal custody of the tape recordings sought by Watergate special prosecutor Archibald Cox, their precise location and the manner in which they are guarded remains as classified as their content. a By Lindsay-Schaub News Service And The Associated Press Sen. Charles Percy, R-Ill.

said late Saturday. "I saw no alternative other than for Richardson to resign." Rep. John Anderson. R-Rockford, termed President Nixon's actions In firing special Watergate prosecutor Archibald Cox as "extremely unwise." "This is obviously going to precipitate a ver serious effort on the part of some members (of Congress) to impeach the PiCsident." Anderson said. Anderson, contacted Saturday in Chicago, said he is "not No paper Monday The Southern Illhoisan will not be published Monday, Veterans Day, a legal holiday for $he newspaper.

If President Nixcn continues to refuse to divulge White House tapes and is cited by federal court for contempt, Congress then will have little choice but to begin impeachement proceedings. That was the feeling Saturday of Rep. Kenneth J. Gray, D-West Frankfort. "I would be bad for the country and I hope the President would comply," Gray said.

"But if he would ignore a contempt citation we would have no choice." Gray said the tapes have been out of the White House and in private hands, leaving much opportunity believe that "cer tain information has been taken out." Gray heorized that Nixon might turn doctored tapes loose at the last moement. Gray still left the option open for a new independent prosecutor to be appointed, but said.