Agnew Attacks Laos Reports

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32252, 21 March 1970, Page 11

Agnew Attacks Laos Reports

(N Z. Press Association-Copyright) CHARLOTTE AMALIE (Virgin Islands), March 20.

Vice-President Spiro Agnew has again attacked the press, this time on its coverage of recent events in Laos.

“In Laos we have possibly 1000 men military and civilian contract personnel,” he said. “But how much do you read about the North Vietnamese there? They have 67,000 troops attempting to overthrow a Prime Ministei who was their choice in a coalition government. “I’ll admit that Pulitzers are not won as quickly exposing the evils of communism as they are by discrediting an American public official,” he said. Mr Agnew told 291 guests at a fund-raising dinner put on by Virgin Islands Republicans that “innuendos and smears” against public officials appeared in the Ameri-

can news media every day “Some of this effort should be directed to the threats we face on the outside,” he said Outside .the Virgin Isle Hilton Hotel, where the dinner was held, about a dozen Negro demonstrators heckled the occupants of cars as Mr Agnew approached, shouting “pig,” and giving Black Power salutes.

Mr Agnew and his family are on holiday in the Virgin Islands.