European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 18, 1973, Darmstadt, Hesse                              Watergate sunday november 18, 1973 the stars and stripes Page 7 Cox challenges president s charge of reneging on tapes Compromise by James m. Naughton Washington not president Nixon reportedly accused Archibald Cox Friday of having reneged at the last min Ute on a Compromise settlement of the watergate tapes Case. But the president s account of event that led to his dismissal of the watergate special prosecutor last month was challenged by Cox and apparently contradicted by published records of the unsuccessful Effort to resolve the tapes controversy out of court. According to rep. Charles w. Whalen jr., a Ohio who took notes which he House confirmation hearing Ford quizzed of his philosophy Washington a vice president designate Gerald r. Ford said Friday that if he became president he would seek to screen lawbreakers out of his administration insist on voting rights enforcement and keep control of the Cia. Ford was before the House judiciary committee considering confirmation of his nomination to be vice president but the questioning leaned heavily on what his philosophy would be if he succeeded to the  m thinking you la be president within a year rep. George e. Danielson d calif., said at one Point. Rep. Johnconyersjr., d-mich., said he agreed. Ford discussed scandal under question ing from rep. Harold d. Donohue d mass. Donohue asked whether Ford believes president Nixon s administration has maintained the Rule of Law and Howford s would. No instance the vice president designate replied i know of no instance where the president has been accused of violating the Law although he acknowledged that som members of the administration have. Ford said he would thoroughly screen and supervise his staff if he becomes vice president to assure there Are no violations of Law. If i became president i would try to follow the same approach he added.". I would seek to assure that the people under my immediate jurisdiction did no violate the  Ford said he believed government officials should withhold information rather than lie but contended they Are sometimes forced at news conferences to distort the truth rather than disclose potentially harmful National Security information by refusing to comment. Ford said if he be came president he would permit such a temporary lie Only in the most extreme cases. Extreme cases i can justify withholding information for a period of time he said. Only in the most extreme cases would i authorize even a temporary  to another question he said he would not permit anyone under him to lie under oath. Meanwhile Senate leaders obtained agreement to take up and presumably vote on Ford nov. 27 after the thanksgiving Day recess. They said this was contingent upon the expected approval of the nomination by the rules committee next  the outset of the second Day of House hearings chairman Peter w. Rodino jr.,d-n.j., contended the Nixon administration has not enforced equal voting rights. He asked Ford if there would be proper enforcement if he were president there would be Ford replied. He described As a political diatribe testimony to the Senate that he had voted to gut every major civil rights Bill passed by Congress. I be lived and believe that every american regardless of race Reli Gion and Creed must be treated equally the Michigan congressman said. Ford said he did cast an Early vote against the open housing Bill in 1966 but said that was because he opposed a pro vision that gave enforcement authority to the Federal rather than local  the final House vote Ford said he voted for the open housing Bill even though the provision he objected to was still in it. He said he voted in 1970 to expand the equal voting rights Law then applying to Southern states to cover the rest of the country. In response to another question Ford said As either vice president or preside the would insist on the most careful scrutiny and control of the Cia since con Gress must approve its budget without knowing full details of its  considers congressmen s questions vice president designate Gerald r. Ford responds to a question during his confirmation hearing before the House judiciary committee. A Nixon says Fri checked $100,000 Given to Rebozo Washington up two Republican congressmen said Friday president Nixon told them the Fri recorded serial numbers of a $100,000 Cash Campaign contribution which Nixon s Friend c.  Rebozo accepted from financier Howard Hughes. It was the first time the Fri had Bee connected in any Way with the Money which Rebozo eventually returned intact earlier this year three years after he was Given the Cash. At his oct. 26 news conference Nixon had characterized Rebozo As a totally honest Man and said he acted properly in. Holding and then returning the contribution. Reps. Charles w. Whalen jr., a Ohio and Matthew j. Rinaldo r-n.j., reported Nixon s remarks of Fri involvement Dur ing his final breakfast meeting with gop congressmen about the watergate scandal Friday. Whalen said Nixon told the group tha Rebozo had accepted the Money from a Hughes representative on the premise that it would be Given to the finance chairman whenever appointed but later decided to return it when an internal dispute erupted in Hughes financial Empire. He Nixon said Rebozo returned it inthe presence of an Fri Man who checked it out fingerprinted and checked the serial numbers Whalen said. Whalen quoted the president As saying the Fri checked the serial numbers to see if the Bills corresponded to the same serial numbers on the Money Rebozo received. Rinaldo gave a similar account of Nixon s comment. He Nixon said Rebozo notified the Fri Down in Florida that he had the Money. The Money was photographed serial numbers were taken and the Money was fingerprinted Rinaldo said. Said included verbatim quote son Nixon s eighth and final watergate meet ing with members of Congress Friday the president gave the following explanation for ordering Cox s dismissal on saturday oct. 20 Cox changed his mind on Friday night oct. 19 because of Lack of Confidence in senator Stennis. We did not know until sat urday he had changed his  sen. John c. Stennis a miss. Had Bee chosen by the president to authenticate a White House summary of the contents of nine tape recordings that were being sought by the watergate grand jury an the Senate watergate committee. The planned Compromise collapsed when Cox refused to accept it and was dismissed and attorney general Elliot l. Richardson resigned and Deputy attorney general William d. Ruckelshaus was dismissed rather than carry out the president s order to dismiss Cox. Cox reached by Telephone in Brooksville Maine said that he had never questioned senator Stennis s integrity  his objections to the Compromise plan Cox said were spelled out in a memorandum to Richardson and a letter to Charles Alan Wright the special Whitehouse counsel on the tapes Case. Both documents along with a letter from Wright to Cox were made Public bythe former special prosecutor a few hours before his dismissal on oct. 20, the Dat that Nixon reportedly said the White House first Learned of Cox s objections. 11 Points the memo to Richardson was dated oct.18. Cox said Friday that it had been delivered to the attorney general s office atm afternoon that thursday. The memo cited 11 highly important Points about the Compromise plan. Among the Points were objections that the narrow scope of the proposal is a grave defect it would not have assure Cox s Access to other White House tapes and documents and that it might be difficult for any one Man operating in secrecy consulting Only with the White House to generate Public Confidence in the authenticity of the tapes summary. Cox s letter to Wright was dated oct. 19and delivered Cox said Friday to the White House by mid morning. It objected that the tapes themselves apparently would be withheld even if it meant Dis Missal of prosecutions against former government officials who have betrayed the Public  another complaint the oct. 19 letter to Wright also complained that Cox s efforts to obtain other White House tapes or documents bearing upon criminal wrongdoing would be left to the discretion of the White  same Friday Wright replied in a letter to Cox that the differences betwee Nus remain so great that no purpose would be served by further discussion of the Compromise offer. The president who travelled Friday afternoon to Florida to prepare for a four Day round of Public appearances in the South was hailed by some of the 28 House republicans who met with him in  Over fish eggs and Bacon. If he can make the same explanations to John q. Public Man to Man hell make a lot of sales in my opinion said  Thone of Nebraska. Levelled with us i had the feeling he levelled with us agreed rep. William b. Widnall of new Jersey. Moreover the president told five demo cratic businessmen from Jacksonville,fla., who delivered a suitcase containing signatures of 31,000 supporters later in the morning that they had made my  but Whalen who has been a critic of Nixon s conduct in the watergate Case said that he was just not convinced of the president s willingness to make a full disclosure of White House evidence