WATERGATE AFFAIR Calls for independent investigation

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33215, 3 May 1973, Page 21

WATERGATE AFFAIR Calls for independent investigation

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) WASHINGTON, May 2. President Nixon, trying to ride out the storm caused by the Watergate bugging scandal, was under mounting pressure today to appoint an independent investigator into allegations of wrong-doing by senior members of his staff. .. A large number of Republican supporters of Mr Nixon in Congress, as well as his opponents, believed that an independent investigation was the only way to clear up the mess and satisfy Americans that all guilty people would be brought to justice.

The Senate itself went on record last night with a Republican-sponsored resolution urging appointment of an independent investigation.

~ The Senate approved the resolution, with little debate .and only five members present. United Press International reported. Hours later, bitter debate broke out when other senators heard of the resolution and returned to the floor.

' His voice cracking in anger. Senator George D. Aikden (Vermont) dean of state Republicans. accused Senator Charles Percy, of conducting a “contemptible operation” in shepherding the resolution through without debate or a

,roll-call vote while most ! senators were attending | caucus luncheons.

15 co-sponsors

Senator Percy disavowed any intent to embarrass Mr Nixon and said that he had felt justified in pressing for the resolution because he had 15 co-sponsors from the liberal and conservative wings of both parties. Democrats kept out of the exchange. * The President, while pledging to unmask everyone involved in the bugging last June of the Democratic ; Party’s Watergate headquarters and an alleged I cover-up, has so far resisted iall demands that he bring

in an outsider to probe the entire affair.

He put the investigation instead in the hands of Mr Elliot Richardson, switched two days ago from the Defence to the Justice Department after the AttorneyGeneral, Mr Richard Kleindienst, left over 'Watergate. Mr Nixon himself, who late on Monday night took responsibility but rejected blame for the Watergate bugging, in the meantime sought to project the image of business as usual at the White House. He planned another meeting today with the visiting West German Chancellor, Mr Willy Brandt, and considered replacements on his staff, depleted by a wave of resignations over Watergate. Ellsberg link The President now also finds himself linked with undercover activities in the Pentagon papers trial in Los Angeles.

The defence in the trial moved yesterday for a mistrial and dismissal of charges, because Mr Nixon personally ordered in 1971 a secret White House investigation of the defendants, Daniel. Ellsberg and Anthony Russo.

The court was told the President ordered a top aide, Mr John Ehrlichman—one of the men who left over Watergate on Monday—to probe Ellsberg and that Mr Ehrlichman recruited Gordon Liddy and Howard Hunt to prepare a dossier on “Ellsberg’s emotional and moral problems.”

Liddy and Hunt were among seven persons convicted recently of burglary and conspiracy in the Watergate break-in.

No decision was taken immediately by the Los Angeles Court on the moves by the defence for mistrial and dismissal of charges involving the leak by Ellsberg and Russo of a secret study of American involvement in the Vietnam war.

“Consultant’s fee”

The defence read a story from the “Washington StarNews” saying that Hunt and Liddy sent a bill to the White House for a “consultant’s fee” for the day they spent breaking into the Beverly Hills office of Ellsberg’s psychiatrist. Beverley Hills police reports show that a 44-year-bld black, Elmer Davis, was eventually blamed for the break-in and the case was closed.

But after confessing to the crime, Davis said that he had been coerced into making the confession and he was convicted and sentenced for another Beverly Hills burglary. F. 8.1. agents moved yesterday into the offices of Mr Ehrlichman, Mr Haldeman

and Mr John Dean, who was dismissed on Monday from his post as Presidential counsel. The aim of the F.B.L move was to protect, and apparently examine papers stored in the offices. In another development during the day, President Nixon reviewed the implications of the burgeoning scandal at a meeting of his Cabinet and then conferred for an hour with VicePresident Spiro Agnew on the future operations of his administration, the White House reported. Senator George Mc--1 Govern, Mr Nixon’s democratic rival in the November, 1972, Presidential election, said in a statement that he did not believe the President himself knew of the bugging plot or tried to cover it up.