The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, April 23, 1973, Page Page 6, Image 6
Gamecock
Monday, April 23, 1973 Opiions
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WATERGATE
In a clear rebuke of White House counsel
John W. Dean III (right), President Nixon
announced on April 17 he was personally con
ducting a new Watergate investigation. He
implied that some of his own aides may have
been involved in political espionage. Water
gate East is shown in the photo at left.
'WE HOLD THESE TRUTHS TO BE SELF-EVIDENT..
THEREFORE IT'S UJNNECESSARY TO DISCUSSR THEM!
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President Stoo<
Aloof From Wc
BY JOHN S. KNIGHT
Charlotte Observer
One day last week, a grey-haired gentleman
strolled into a private downtown luncheon club
and inquired: "Is this where the Republican
fund-raising meeting is being held?"
When the chuckles subsided, he was politely
informed that he had the wrong room number
and that he had better check with the informa
tion desk. And then someone quipped: "The
Republicans sure have a great sense of timing,
don't they?"
For that was the day when former presiden
tial assistant Jeb Stuart Magruder allegedly
implicated former Attorney General John N.
Mitchell and White House counsel John W.
Dean III as the chief plotters in the sordid
Watergate case.
It was also the day after President Nixon,
shaken by the findings of his own personal
investigation, made this announcement: "If
any person in the executive branch or in the
government is indicted, my policy will be to
immediately suspend him. If he is convicted,
he will, of course, be automatically discharged.
The judicial process is moving ahead as it
should; and I shall aid it in all appropriate ways
and have so informed the investigative
authorities.... I condemn any attempts to cover
up in this case, no matter who is involved."
Was Nixon Aware Of Deceit?
That was indeed a splendid, forthright state
ment. This entirely new position, along with
the President's willingness to have members
of the White House staff testify before Sen.
Sam Ervin's investigating committee, is most
helpful in clarifying administration policy.
Yet the nagging question persists as to why
President Nixon had previously maintained
that no one on the White House staff was
involved in the espionage campaign against the
Democrats, and secondly that no past or pre
sent White House officials would ever be
allowed to testify before a Senate investigating
committee?
President Nixon, apparently relying o1n
reports from White House counsel John W.
Dean III, reiterated his faith on March 2, March
15, 20 and through Attorney Gen. Richard
Kleindienst as recently as April 10.
Was the President deceived by his own staff?
Or did he know what was going on, but hoped
the Watergate affair would blow away with the
post-election November winds?
I t cannot be said that the President wasn't
warned in time. As this column stated on
October 29, 1972: "I like Richard Nixon and
respect him for his achievements. But the time
has come for a friend to cry out against the
cynical disregard for truth and honesty by the
e Mitchells, Haldemans and other members of
Ithe unscrupulous palace guard who apparently
are utterly lacking in principle. The President
Icannot stand aloof, as his surrogates violate
all tenets of decency in public office. We do
not have an 'open administration,' as pledged
by President Nixon in 1968."
Press Brought Truth To Light
In this context, the much maligned Wasing
: Too Long
itergate Issue
ton Post performed a magnificent public ser
vice by its persistent and effective investiga
ive reporting of the Watergate scandal.
The press was made a whipping boy during
the campaign and thereafter by critics -
mostly Republican stalwarts - who charged
'he newspapers with sensationalism and other
various and sundry crimes. Yet it was the
press, virtually alone, which brought the truth
to light and thus served our nation's best inter
est.
This fact was finally recognized by even such
:onservatives as Sen. Barry Goldwater, and
Republican leaders who perceived the great
lamage being done to their party, and what
that could mean in the state and local elections
in 1974.
As the pressures mounted, President Nixon
)rdered a sweeping reversal of policy to clear,
ks Barry Goldwater said, "the smell of Water
gate."
We applaud what the President is now doing.
Ne cannot explain why he delayed so long.
Perhaps Martha Mitchell can add something
to our store of knowledge when, and if, she
is permitted to testify.
Views On The News
Quotations to remember: "I will never, never
ask the United States to send troops back to
Vietnam."-President Nguyen Van Thieu.
"We're not telling you anything and if you
don't like it, impeach us." - Attorney Gen.
Richard Kleindienst.
"I am fond of the President, but he is sur
rounded by a bunch of kooks." - Martha Mitch
ell.
Railways Are Trouble
The plight of railways is not confined to the
United States where the bankrupt Penn Central
is most frequently mentioned as a horrible
example of how not to run a railroad.
U. S. News & World Report says that British
Rail will lose $90 million in 1973; West Ger
many's nationalized carrier lost $800 million
in 1972; government subsidies cover losses
by the French National Railroads; Italy's 1973
railroad deficit may be as high as $1 billion,
and the Japanese National Railways may show
a $1.2 billion deficit in the current fiscal year.
The moral seems to be that governments do
no better at running the trains on time and mak
ing a profit than private enterprise.
Why Bomb In Cambodia?
Question: Why are we bombing Cambodia
to support President Lon Nol and his brother,
smnce there appears to be no legal justification
under any interpretation of international law?
And where are our bargaining chips if and
when -God forbid - American planes are
;hot down and U.S. airmen taken prisoners?
The bombing attacks are now in their 46th
lay. How will we bring home the next POWs?
Pity Poor Congressmen
Rep. William Lehman of Miami's 13th Cong
'essional district, a new member of the House,
See WATERGATE, Page 7