Daily Sitka Sentinel (Newspaper) - August 23, 1973, Sitka, Alaska Member of the Associated Press THE DAILY SENTi NEL Thursday August 23 1973 Sitka Alaska Copy Egan Contends He'd Welcome Chance to Run Against Hickel By JOHN GREELY Associated Press Writer JUNEAU Alaska AP Former Interior Secretary Walter J Hickel likes to point out that his national political image has hot been tarred by the brush of the Watergate scandal But Democrats in his home state appear to be relishing the prospect that Hickel may bid for a Senate seat or the next year Nothing would please me Gov William A Egan said Wednesday when asked if he would like to see name on the opposite side of the ballot in 1974 It wouldn't disturb me to have Wally Hickel as an says Sen Mike Gravel a Democrat up for re-election next year Wally has never really been tested Although neither Nickel Egan or Gravel has announced formally his political ambitions they have been trading sides more frequently in recent days The state primary lion is a year away Alaska's leading Republican Hickel 54 has taken periodic national and foreign speaking tours since 1870 when he was forced to resign his interior post after writing a invasion of Cambodia Alaska's leading Republican Hickel 54 has taken periodic national and foreign speaking tours since 1970 when he was forced to resign his Interior post after writing a much criticizing dent Nixon over the American invasion of Cambodia Political observers here have interpreted the engagements as effort to sound out a possible spot on the 1976 Re- publican Presidential ticket Hickel has been mum on the However such conjecture was blunted somewhat last week when Hickel in a speech to Anchorage Republicans sounded very much like a for office He failed both Gravel and Egan saying the governor had placed too much emphasis on making Alaska an oil province Hickel in his first and only bid for elective Egan then a in- cumbent by the slimmest of margins in Two years er he resigned to join Nixon's cabinet and Egan was elected again in 1970 Egan wanting very much to be governor if and when the pipeline is built claims private polls show him with a more than edge over Hickel if they squared off tomorrow Meanwhile political future took an upswing last month when he successfully led project How the polls would of Egan said He rate a el agreed when I suggested is not known that sold no more land should be Such polls likely will be in- sold until there is more strumental in Hickel deciding ing whether to challenge Egan or While the 1965 sale netted Gravel or wail for 1976 If he an acre the later lease offering lost a statewide bid some ob- produced an average return of aboul a third of that and it could have brought a much would be diminished if not higher profit if Hickel had dashed completely ed Egan claimed During an hour-long inter- Egan was visibly perturbed Egan was not servers believe chances for national office if Wednesday when noting that Hickel in his Anchorage speech took credit for opening up The people should get the mention name ever he did refer to the Walter J Hickel Highway the Winter Haul Road stretching from to the North Slope The facts from anyone who aspires ice road has seen limited use to public Egan said I since 1970 hope that the person who made The governor called it a these a candidate in ditch that provided cannon hope he runs for the fodder to environmental governorship because nothing groups opposed to construction would please me more of the pipeline Work on the Egan pointing to a map of road wildly and recklessly wrecked the he said Egan also chided the defunct North Commission North Slope area traced the history of a subsequent lease sale under the Hickel ad- ministration The January formed by Hickel to devise a 1967 sale included acres transportation system north of of fill-in land around he Yukon River Prudhoe Bay that went for A million study about an acre the commission should have Egan said he balked at come up with an entire trans- ing the additional land late in plan but it left the his second term because he felt logistics and need ig- nil companies had not he said formed adequate field work to Hickel had criticized Egan back up claims that the 1965 for abandoning the commission sale area was barren of oil claiming the administration 1 discussed my reasons for failed to develop a delaying the sale with in- prehensive transportation plan coming governor in November for the state Judge to Decide Soon On Nine Nixon Tapes WASHINGTON AP The The President has no power tough federal judge who pre- like a king to withhold sided over the Watergate trial dence from a court says he will decide within a In his news conference week whether to order Wednesday the President re- dent Nixon Io release tape pealed that we will not agree Nixon Holds Ground With Newsmen Says Watergate Under Bridge By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS SAN CLEMENTE Calif AP President Nixon's first responses in five months to di- rect questions about Watergate and his declaration that the level change which in more normal times would have a barrage of inquiries Instead when questioning veer from Watergate it moved to another area of rumored scandal is water under the scandal the Maryland political bridge apparently will not payoff probe involving Vice the ceed in stemming the Senate Watergate investigation I shall not Nixon told a news conference day as he gave explanations for his Watergate conduct which conceded no personal gence And in the latest of his at- tempts to put Watergate behind sion him he insisted it is time to get on with the people President Spiro T Agnew Nixon expressed in his two-time running mate and as Agnew did voiced outrage at leaks to news media from sources close to the case In another cover-up area touched at the end of the under hot California CARIBOU MOUNTAIN fighters go through the chow line during a break from the Caribou Mountain fire line north of along the Canadian border Smoke from the fire rises in the background Tuesday the Kootenai National Forest fire was reported burning over acres of those acres in Canada AP release recordings of nine presidential to the Senate committee's de- conversations sire lo have for example its U.S Court Judge chief investigator listen to the John J Sirica who already had lapes or the special received 123 pages of written desire to listen to the argument listened to a two- lapes also hour courtroom debate Nixon said he oppose Nixon Supports Agnew Closure Upheld Over Protests board members agreed with the Fish and Game officials that the fishery should not be opened The officials reported data gathered from foot surveys of a number of streams aerial inspections and from stream records and forecasts to support their finding the Justice Department indicated the possibility of that escapement had not been SAN CLEMENTE AP President Nixon has declared his continued strong support of Vice President Spiro Despite protests from a number of Sitka area fishermen the pink salmon seine fishery in Calif Area 13 remained closed this week fishermen claiming the number of salmon they had ob- T Agnew and has personally served in area bays and inlets day between Watergate special any compromise to the news leaks about had petitioned achieved to assure propagation of prosecutor Archibald Cox and ciple of confidentiality Charles Alan Wright President Wright argued that if we go Nixon's lawyer back only 18 body He said he would rule by next of responsible opinion said that Wednesday on Cox's request court has the power to that he order the President to overrule the judgment of the obey a subpoena demanding the President lapes of conversations about It was Watergate said Watergate Wright that has brought about Wright disclosed in his this change in interpretation of ment that he has not heard the the Constitution tapes Wright also contended thai to The President has told me hold that Sirica a district court that in one of the tapes there is judge has the power to order national security information so President Io surrender con- that he does not feel documents would set a free even to reveal it to precedent for all 400 federal Wright said District court judges in the the governor to intervene The Sitka Advisory Board to the Fish and Game Commission met Tuesday with Fish and Game L Richardson on officials including area biologist by White House Jim Parker and Carl Rosier director of the State Division of Commercial Fisheries to discuss the situation A majority of the advisory Cox argued that the country dent's duty to produce Some would interpret the way in pushing through the dence is a firm legal duty and precedent I senate a giving involves no judgment on his fear less Wright ar- approval to the pipeline part gued Skylab 2 Crew Gets Ready For Longest Space Walk a criminal investigation in which Agnew is involved Nixon's request for an was relayed to Atty Gen Elliot Wednesday Chief of Staff Alexander Haig said a Justice Department spokesman in Washington The spokesman John en added that Richardson would fake every reasonable step to plug the leaks At a news conference here Wednesday Nixon said he the chance to respond to reports that he no longer fully supported Agnew now that the vice president is involved in a Baltimore grand jury probe of alleged kickbacks and political corruption I want Io set the record the run Parker said the Sitka area run of pink salmon which is a two- year cycle fish is a little better than the 1971 run and that this is in contrast to the rest of Southeast Alaska which generally has had a poor year for the species Nixon's Speech Wins Friends Poll Shows PRINCETON AP President Nixon's popularity rose following his Watergate speech fast week from the time low it had reached earlier Nixon told newsmen this month the Gallup Poll re- in his first personal public ports statement on Agnew's legal But the poll said Wednesday previous knowledge although he fried to cover it up and 23 per cent said he had no prior knowledge and spoke up as soon as he learned about it Four per cent had no opinion shine the President said he business of the had no apology for ordering bombing in neutral Cambodia But Sen Sam J Ervin Jr D- during 1969 The bombing was chairman of the Senate a secret until recently and had panel which has probed the been covered up by false scandal for months said I tary reports Nixon said don't think any more light was helped save shed than lias been shed be- Utilizing a question about fore And he said he would not whether he considered allow the investigation to rest ing Nixon spelled out the until the committee is satisfied ner he hopes to turn with his that it has exhausted every latest defense on enue Watergate is an episode Committee hearings are to I deeply deplore and had I resume Sept 10 Most other running the campaign rather members of the committee than frying to run the country were traveling or declining to and particularly the foreign comment though Sen Joseph policy of this country at this Montoya said he time it would never have thought Nixon lias again dis- he said But that is any expectation that he water under the bridge it is will surrender the tapes of gone now recorded presidential meetings Nixon's responses Io the With Congress in recess rage of Watergate questions iny there was little reaction to the eluded a statement of apparent Nixon news conference though misplaced faith in John N supporting statements did come chell a more detailed from Republican National of certain charges by John Chairman George Bush and Dean III and an explanation of Sen John Tower Con- whatt L Patrick Gray Hi's gressional reaction though of- warning meant to ten along predictable party dent lines is one standard Mitchell told the Senate ter of a President's success in tergate Committee that if making his point on had ever asked him Polls show Nixon's prior the break-in Mitchell would statements and speeches of Wa- have told all But Mitchell said tergate innocence were he hadn't volunteered the vincing to many So the because Nixon would dent sought this time to regain have lowered the boom tty public confidence by answering the detriment of his campaign questions at a news conference Nixon mentioned a March a move urged by many of his 1973 meeting attended by political friends chell at which the President Nixon's replies during the said I kept pressing for minute event outside the ern White House contained few new disclosures to add to mountain of often contradictory Watergate detail produced by investigations and statements But they provided the dent's view of how certain events struck him and why he reacted to them as he did And though there was not time for many of the lingering Mr Mitchell gate questions to be raised or But he answered Nixon by holding would have expected Mr the news conference could now chell to tell me in the event say he had made himself that he was involved or that available to answer any of those anybody else was questions He did not tell me I don't Nixon opened with the an- blame him for not telling me that William P He has given his reasons for Rogers is resigning as not telling me I regret that he lary of state and will be did not because he is exactly by Henry A Kissinger right Had he told me I would view that I had had throughout that we must get this story out the get the truth out He was then asked if this meant Mitchell was not telling the truth when he testified He would have told all if asked I am not going to question Mr Mitchell's said Nixon and I will only say that throughout 1 had confidence in But the preoccupation with have blown my stack Watergate showed testified fo the Senate not troubles I had confidence in integrity of he vice dent when 1 selected him as that a survey conducted Aug showed a majority of Americans 54 per cent still By HOWARD BENEDICT AP Writer SPACE CENTER Houston AP Given medical ance for a manned space flight endurance record Skylab astronauts today practiced for a four-hour space walk on day and said their trip was like a vacation During the outside excursion Dr Owen K Garriott and Jack R Lousma will replace an ing set of gyroscopes and change film in telescope eras Commander Alan L Bean will remain inside ready to help in case of trouble Skylab director William C Schneider announced day that medical specialists analyzed the astronauts cal conditions and gave them a go-ahead to remain in space until at least Aug 31 the day of the planned sion That will surpass by a week space flight record of 28 days logged by the Skylab 1 crew in June Skylab 2 will ter that at EOT A determination to continue Another evaluation will be made next Wednesday The medics are closely for the slow body de- conditioning caused by long confidence disapprove of his performance in his integrity has not been in office shaken In fact it has been The survey also showed that watching strengthened by his courageous majority of the adults ii questioned are dissatisfied with conduct and his ability space flight They hope lo on specific Nixon said he felt it improper his Watergate explanation and believe that he either knew sive astronaut exercise will fhe night will weekly basis foday Mission Control in- formed them that astronaut Fred W Haise Jr who flew on Apollo 13 injured in an airplane crash tions Agnew because the matter is before a grand be made on a keep them in good health but are ready to terminate the jury which legally conducts its While the spacemen worked sion if physical problems business secretly He also de- with the space walk equipment op comment on whether 28 days the Skylab 1 new be asked to resign if astronauts suffered more body indicted Nixon called such than any pre- speculation inappropriate vious American space crews Nixon made statement and all were somewhat weak oh return to gravity They were nearly back to mal after two days but re- quired about three weeks lo completely recover about plans lo bug Democratic headquarters or was involved when reporters asked not a that Nixon had dis- single question about that cussed for convicted Watergate figures and discussed with how there would be no problem in raising million for the Wa- tergate defendants Nixon has previously denied this talk took place but Wednesday he spelled out his version in greater detail The President said when Dean told him that one ant E Howard Hunt was de- T Agnew as and 1967 and later as manding Nixon Grand Jury Indicts Agnew's Successor BALTIMORE Mid AP back scheme when he was the The man who succeeded Vice county's No 1 official between Spiro ed out that the defendants Send him our best and we'll be looking forward to seeing him when we get home in a Bean said Schneider said before the night that as the 28-day mark scientific experiments today approached doctors would Bean Garriott and Lousma The poll said 38 per cent of the respondents approved of the President's performance in of- fice an increase of seven centage points from an all-time low recorded in an Aug poll Nixon's highest approval ing occurred last January after Vietnam peace settlement when of he less than 24 hours after Agnew unnamed lion in a deliberate smear aimed at affecting the In addition to medical and grand deliberations carefully monitor the astro- conditions and make a asked for extra time to run through procedures for the determination on Ond space walk of the mission whether ncy to continue the jour It is scheduled to start about 11 Richardson has said there is no evidence of such tactics at this time Agnew has flatly denied alt allegations against him questioned approved of his In latest poll 9 per cent said they believed Nixon planned the Watergate bugging from the beginning 24 per cent said he did not plan the scheme but knew about it beforehand 40 per cenl believed he had no President chief of Baltimore ernor of Maryland County was indicted today by a Named as a would also want clemency and federal grand jury investigating but not a defendant in today's We can't give clemency He political corruption in indictment was William E For- said Dean agreed r land who resigned in June as And then said Nixon he told The defendant Democrat John it is wrong it Dale Anderson was charged after pleading quality to a work We can't give with bribery and extortion eral tax charge linked to the mency and we have got to get Anderson is the receipt of funds from con- this story out cd political strong man in tractors doing business with the more Maryland's third county largest government unit He was the only individual named Fornoff served briefly in the massive indictment re- head of administration when President he put Gray's re turned by the special jury after Agnew was county executive into a context of dig about about eight months A source close o the gallon has reported that For- central Nixon said when he was warned by acting FBI director Gray that actions of White House aides might wound the There were about three dozen separate counts The same grand jury also is investigating Agnew's in- volvement in an alleged about whether the Intelligence Agency testimony prompted in- was involved to question Nixon again said he does not ants and contractors who in think tape recordings of his of- turn brought the vice president conversations should into the continuing probe made available
