Union Friday, November 16,1973
10 Cents
Did R ichardson e? Accounts of meeting differ FUGMA MEM
New signs slow traffic
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Traffic took on the air of the tortoise today when road signs demanding a slower paced race were installed. Motorists on Walla Walla's new freeway bypass downshifted in compliance with the 50 m.p.h. signs. The lower restrictions, 50 m.p.h. in Washington and 55 m.p.h. in Oregon, are aimed at conserving gasoline. But unlike the 60 m.p.h. signs they replaced, the 50 m.p.h. signs weren't made at the Washington State Penitentiary here. Bill Monroe, right, sign shop supervisor at the penitentiary, said there aren't any orders in yet for the slower signs. But he expects orders soon. Other signs, limiting the movement of everything from snowmobiles to tractors, line the shop's plywood walls. Found in one corner of the shop this week was a dusty, discarded relic of the past: a 70 m.p.h. freeway sign. The lower speed limit was being observed earlier this week according to law enforcement officers. The officers said they have been lenient in not ticketing motorists who still think the rabbit is supposed to win. Now the patrols are going to get tough.
In making the claim, several GOP senators said, Nixon also raised the question of whether the Judiciary Committee would seek perjury action against the former attorney general. The White House said it was untrue Nixon had called for a Senate probe of possible perjury. The former attorney general, meanwhile, stood behind his version of events surrounding the Oct. 20 firing of Cox and his own resignation, as given to both Senate and House Judiciary committees and in a series of public statements. Mathias declined to discuss directly what Nixon said. The senators who quoted Nixon as having said Richardson lied declined to be identified. They said Nixon did not expand on his statement that the former attorney general had lied but turned the explanation of the contention over to Haig. According to three senators at the Wednesday night meeting, Haig disputed Richardson's testimony that he had opposed a White House order for Cox to cease efforts in federal court to obtain
tapes and documents in Watergaterelated probes. Haig said that, In tact, Richardson had been an originator of the proposal to limit the Cox investigation. Sen. Roman L. Hruska, R-Neb., who also was at the Wednesday night meeting, told a reporter Nixon said Richardson had been "inaccurate" in his recollections. The White House contention is that Richardson gave private support to both parts of a package proposed to resolve the controversy resulting from a federal court of appeals order to turn over nine subpoenaed Watergate tapes to U.S. District Court Judge John J. Sirica. Kichardson has acknowledged he believed the proposal to have Sen. John C. Stennis, D-Miss., verify the nine tapes was a reasonable one, though Cox opposed it. But he said in an interview Thursday night he had consistently opposed Nixon's effort to tie restrictions on Cox to the Stennis plan.
Soliciting denied
Scoop to return donation SEATTLE (AP) - Sen. Henry Jackson's office says $10,000, donated to his unsuccessful campaign for the 1972 Democratic presidential nomination, will be returned to Gulf Oil Co. The Washington Democrat also denied Thursday that he had requested the funds, as a Gulf lobbyist alleged in " sworn testimony: ~— Gulf Oil pleaded guilty in Washington, D.C., Monday to federal charges of making illegal contributions of $10,000 to Jackson and $15,000 to the abortive presidential campaign of Rep. Wilbur Mills, D-Ark.
Gulf lobbyist Claude Wild told the Senate Watergate Com mittee Wednesday that he met with Jackson and Jackson's administrative aide, Sterling Munro, after "two or three" telephone calls from William Brawley, a Jackson campaign strategist. "Jackson indicated he was having a difficult time raising money," Wild told the committee, "and this was well documented at least by the press and he was hopeful I would be helpful." Jackson, busy all duy Thursday managing energy conservation legislation on the Senate floor, said he met
with Wild, but denied asking for a contribution. "There was no solicitation on our part," he said. "That part of Wild's testimony is not true." Brawley said he did not know Wild used corporate funds. "I assumed the money would come from a good-government fund that Gulf had for years. It was made up of contributions from Gulf employes" pockets," Brawley said. The contributions were made before the April 7 cutoff date for making public the names of campaign donors.
Astronauts start long voyage CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) Three rookie American astronauts rocketed into orbit today to start man's longest planned space voyage, an 84-day "holiday cruise" aboard the Skylab space station. "You've got three happy rookies up here," commander Gerald P. Carr reported after the space newcomers became adjusted to the weightless world. "It's really neat. It's a great world." "We can hardly keep our eyes away from the window," said solar physicist Dr. Edward G. Gibson. "There already are nose smears all over the window." During the marathon flight, which will span Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's, Carr, Gibson and William R. Pogue are to conduct extensive studies of the sun. earth and man.
(U-B photos)
It was windy and rainy — apparently It was windy in Walla Walla yesterday, but that is about as much about it as the National Weather service can say. Well, they know that it was quite windy, actually. The reason the weatherman couldn't say how windy it was is that the equipment used to measure wind direction and velocity above the Post Office was broken. The reason the weathermen know it was quite windy was that a repairman refused to go up there and fix it
WASHINGTON (AP) - Several Republican senators claim President Nixon told them former Atty. Gen. Elliot L. Richardson lied in sworn testimony about his role in the firing of special Watergate prosecutor Archibald Cox. The White House promptly denied Nixon had called Richardson a liar and said the senators "obviously misunderstood" his comments. But one of the Republican senators who met with Nixon at the White House Wednesday night, Sen. Charles McC. Mathias Jr., R-Md., said he thinks the Judiciary Committee should look into the matter. Mathias indicated he wants the panel, of which he is a member, to call Alexander M. Haig Jr., the White House chief of staff. Three senators said Haig had supported Nixon's contention about Richardson. "The Judiciary Committee is confronted with a serious problem in which sworn testimony before the committee is contradicted on the highest possible authority," Mathias told a reporter.
Sam Sigurdson, meteorologist said the repairman refused to brave the windstorm to make the needed repairs. Peak gusts of 38 miles per hour were recorded at 10 p.m. Thursday and 1 a.m. this morning at the Walla Walla CityCounty Airport by the Federal Aviation Administration's flight service. Gusts are only measured hourly, so the peak wind speed could have been higher than 38 m.p.h., according to a spokesman forlheFAA. Strong winds began whipping across the Walla Walla area Wednesday night They subsided after the storm front that created the winds passed over the Walla Walla Valley early this morning, Sigurdson said. The weather service is forecasting diminishing amounts of rainfall today with scattered showery periods through Tuesday-
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They'll also take an unprecedented look at the great comet Kohoutek, a visitor from outer space now streaking toward the sun. Marine Lt. Col. Carr, 41; Air Force Lt. Col. Pogue, 43, and Gibson, 37, began the final Skylab trip on the power of a Saturn IB rocket that thundered into a clear sky right on schedule at 9:01 a.m. EST. "It's as smooth as glass," Canreported as the astronauts and their Apollo ferry ship darted into orbit more than 100 miles high 10 minutes after liftoff. They immediately began the 17,400 mile-an-hour chase to track down the 85ton Skylab, which was several thousand miles ahead of them. Slightly more than two hours after
launch, the spacemen executed the first of five rocket firings intended to close the gap — a two-second burst from their big main engine. "The burn was on time," Canreported. "That was one heck of a kick in the pants." The space travelers were to link up with the station at 5:25 p.m. EST. As the astronauts departed, President Nixon sent them a message that said in part: "The final manned flight of the Skylab program will bring to a close the single most productive program in man s quest tor knowledge about himself and his world." continued on page 7 . . .
the weather
Forecast: Considerable cloudiness with chance of showers tonight and tomorrow. Winds subsiding overnight. Cooler; lows tonight in upper 30s; highs tomorrow in upper 40s. Chance of precipitation 30 per cent tonight and 20 per cent tomorrow. Extended outlook Sunday through Tuesday: A little rain at times. Hi^hs mostly in 40s; lows raostlv 25-35. Northeastern Oregon: Mostly cloudy tonight and tomorrow, with little rain on Saturday; highs 45-55; lows in 30s and low 40s.
Higher elevations of Southeastern Washington: Mostly cloudy with snow showers tonight and Saturday. Snow level near 3000 ft; at the 4000 foot elevation temperatures in 20s and low 30s; winds 10-20 m.p.h. For weather details see page 8 ...
Inmate sues state for shoes A 61-year-old penitentiary inmate with a club foot wants the state to buy him some shoes. Donald Johnson, committed from Spokane County for a charge of indecent liberties, has cited his shoelessness as one of various grievances in a $400 damage suit he has filed against Penitentiary Supt B. J. Rhav. The claim, entered in Walla Walla County Superior Court says the prison property room has no shoes Johnson can wear and those he ordered by mail have worn out Johnson is credited with $1.03 in his prison account He has filed the suit in forma pauperis (without funds).
Homeless family gone; furniture gone, too Remember that homeless family of seven waifs and a widower who were found camping last summer hi Fort Walla Walla Park? Well, William Daugherty has left Walla Walla, possibly taking something with him of the town that took him and his family to its heart Shirley Spencer, 600 Whitman, told Walla Walla Police yesterday she discovered Daugherty and his motherless family had moved from the home she rented them at 516 Whitman. And all the furniture that was in the house and owned by Marge Lowe, Seattle, is also gone, Mrs. Spencer reported. Daughertv and his family were
homeless, jobless and with few funds last July when they were found camping in the park. Mrs. Daugherty had died a week before the family's story appeared in the Union-Bulletin. Local residents who read about the family's plight offered housing, employment, food and financial assistance. Police have asked Airs. Spencer to compile a list of the missing items. The information will be forwarded to the Walla Walla County Prosecutor. Meanwhile, detectives said, it's believed Daugherty and his family might have moved to California.
Gorton says disclosure law has 'side effects' Psssssssst. Hey, power savers To save energy through careful use of hot water, here are a couple of helpful hints: Insulate hot water lines; each foot of \:zinch galvanized hot water line costs 5 cents per month in radiation loss. Set water heater thermostat no higher than 140 degrees. Turn off water heater when gone for more than one day. Take a quick shower instead of a bath; cost of a bath is double that of a short shower.
Wash, <i AP Oi L Y M F I A ,. Wash. A P )i — Washington's new public disclosure law may be increasing voters' faith in government, but it is creating problems of its own, says Atty. Gen. Slade Gorton The Republican official unleashed an attack on the side effects he has been noticing since Initiative 276 went on the books. The comment*; came Thursday at the National Municipal League convention in Dallas. Gorton, an early supporter of the initiative, told the convention's session on election lavf reform that the blessings of requiring full financial disclosures of
candidates and elected officials have been mixed School board members, town councilmerj and other office holders numbering in the hundreds have quit rather 5han comply with stiff disclosure requirements, lie said ' The nature of the disclosure requirements makes it almost impossible for lawyers or other professionals who are partners in a business or professional enterprise to meet the disclosure requirements," he said The pool of professionals available for legislative campaigns will be ? seriously restricted," he said. '
Goilon K/->ritw>nin0 Gouon sairi said **vhnifaf technical bookkeeping requirements "operate as a considerable drain and sometimes as a harassment for campaign organizations which are traditionally made up almost exclusively of amateurs" During the recent campaign too many candidates placed undue emphasis on technical non compliance of their opponents with the law "to the extent that substantive issues were either forgotten or overlooked," he said. The Public Disclosure Commission which administers the law is not staffed adequately enough to handle an
avalanrhe ami inquiries. inniiinoc avalanche of of rhall.^nopc challenges and Gorton said. The answers to accusations, furthermore, rarely receive as much publicity as the original charge, he added. The attorney general said he hopes the shortcomings of the disclosure law can be corrected by "objective legislation or future initiatives." Gorton's comments were not all negative. He said indications are that the law may have spurred "at least a marginal increase in the faith of the people of the state in their electoral syst^rn as a result of their vastly increased knowledge about the source of
nniiti^-oi ^mn-ii.™ funds i-,,~A.-" political campaign " The initiative has caused a "significant lessening of the amount of money spent in political campaigns," Gordon said. Fewer people are willing to contribute when their names and amount of contribution are made public knowledge, he noted. "Contributions from notonous and narrow special interest groups to candidates may have been lessened, but still are significant in issue-oriented campaigns," he said. Billboard companies ouffpent sponsors of a Seattle anti-billboard initiative by about 20-tol, he said.
NFWSPAPFK!