European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 24, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse I Page 4 the stars and stripes Richard m. Nixon sunday. April 24.1994 a career of peaks and valleys by Harry f. Rosenthal the associated press Washington Richard m. Nixon was the 37th president of the United states and the Only one Ever to resign. An ambitious and enigmatic political Fig ure he thawed relations with the communist world but could never escape the stain of the watergate scandal that drove him from office. Nixon was president from Jan. 20,1969, to aug. 9, 1974, when he quit to avoid certain impeachment. His Farewell Salute As he left Washington would be one of the enduring images of the Cen Tury for nearly 50 years Nixon aroused Strong passions As a congressman sen Ator vice president and president and even in his forced retirement. To the end he sought influence in world affairs through extensive travel books articles and speeches. World Lead ers welcomed him As an elder statesman but Nixon himself conceded that he would forever be known at Home As the disgraced former president.". It was a Price that was inevitable he said. I accepted the fact that it had to Early on he established a reputation As a Hunter of communists. And yet he evolved into the president who forged links with China pursued detente with the soviet Union and began the . Withdrawal from the Vietnam War. I was born in the year 1913, so i have lived through As far As America is concerned four wars world War i world War ii Korea and Vietnam Nixon said in an 80th birthday interview. My major goal throughout my political career was to make a contribution to policies which would make the 21st Century a Century the image he could not live Down however was one that showed up in an anti Nixon Campaign and. It had Nixon s picture and the caption would you Buya use car from this Man his honesty was called into question even in non watergate matters and he Felt compelled to Tell an audience i am not a Crook the phrase endured an came to haunt him. A brooding and combative president Nixon left behind a Core of loyalists who insisted he did nothing other presidents had not done and detractors who re coiled at the mention of his name. To the latter he was always the dark visage Tricky Dick who planted microphones around the Oval office to re Cord conversations who ordered taps on the telephones of suspected leaders who formulated lists of enemies and did not hesitate to use the Power of the govern ment to retaliate against opponents and who was helped plot the watergate cover up. Watergate cot its name from the Washington office Complex that housed the democratic National committee agents hired by the committee to re elect the president with links to the White House broke in to Plant wiretaps. When the break in came to Light Nixon and his closest aides tried to cover it up. Subsequently the term watergate came to embrace a collection of official misdeeds. While i was not involved in the Deci Sion to conduct the break in i should have set a higher Standard for the con duct of the people who participated in my Campaign Ana administration Nixon wrote in one of his last books in thearen. I should have established a moral tone that would have made such actions unthinkable. I did that was As close As he came to Confes sing wrongdoing. At his Side during a Long turbulent political career was his wife the former Thelma Catherine Patricia Ryan known by the nickname Pat. She died of lung cancer june 22, 1993, the Day after their Premier Chou in Lai sits with president Nixon during a historic trip to China in february 1972. Siens soviet Richard m. Nixon flashes Victory signs to the crowd aug. 9, 1974, to Secretary of state Henry Heil per that took i a he White agreements As comm unit president Nixon stand by in Moscow on june 28, 1974. 53rd wedding anniversary. Their daughter Julie is married to David Eisenhower grandson of the late president Eisenhower and daughter Tri Cia is married to Edward p. Cox a Newyork lawyer. The Nixon lived in virtual exile in Sanclemente calif., for More than five years after his resignation then moved East in1980 to be near their grandchildren Jen Nie Melanie and Alex Eisenhower an Christopher Cox. Nixon published nine books in All starting with six crises in 1962 and the rest after his resignation. Nixon was under no illusions of How he would be remembered As the presi Dent who resigned the office but his philosophy was to move on. I came to accept watergate and the resignation simply As one major defeat in a career that involved both victories an losses both peaks and valleys he said. So he devoted his Post presidential life to travelling including five visits to China and speaking with world leaders. He made his 10th visit to Moscow in March. Nixon was born Jan. 9, 1913, in a House my father built in Yorba Linda calif., a farming Community of 200 about 30 Miles from los Angeles. He was the son of Francis Nixon and Hannah Mil hous Nixon a devout Quaker. After attending Whittier College i California and Duke Law school in Dur Ham n.c., Nixon practice Law. Although he was a Quaker he volunteered for service in the Navy during world War ii and spent two years in the South Pacific. Nixon was elected congressman fro California in 1946 and 1948. He made his Early reputation As a dedicated foe of communism. His first speech to the House was to introduce a contempt of Congress citation against a leading communist agent. His first piece of major legislation provided for registration of communist party members. And his National exposure began with the Cas of Alge Hiss. Hiss was a distinguished former High ranking state department official accused by former communist and time mag Azine editor Whittaker Chambers of hav ing been in a prewar communist party group whose principal aim was to infiltrate the government. As a Junior and minority member of the controversial House in american activities committee Nixon pursued the Case vigorously. Hiss was indicted and after two trials convicted of perjury. He was sentenced to five years in prison and served 44 months maintaining his inno Cence to the present Day. The Case Nixon noted turned him into one of the most controversial Fig ures in Washington bitterly opposed by the most respected and influential Liberal journalists and opinion leaders of by the time he ran for the Senate in1950, Nixon was Well known and won by a Large margin. When Gen. Dwight d. Eisenhower won the Republican presidential Nomi nation in 1952 in a party shattering fight with sen. Robert a. Taft of Ohio the general s supporters looked for a vice presidential candidate who could link both Camps. Thomas e. Dewey the 1944 and 48 gop candidate proposed Nixon. Eisenhower concurred. But Nixon almost became a casualty because of a fund that had been set up for him by California business people during his two years As a senator. In the midst of the Campaign the fund s exis tence was exposed by newspapers and exploited by the democrats. The fund As Nixon explained it was to defray such a reimbursed expenses As trips Back to California and the Cost of mailings. Nixon said he was willing to quit therace but Only if Eisenhower asked him to. The general did t. Nixon pleaded his Case on prime time television inviting the Public to write to the gop on whether he should stay on the ticket. Sometimes near tears Nixon quoted Abraham Lincoln on poverty and stressed that Pat Nixon s coat was Good Republican cloth not Mink. Most famously he Sai j that no matter what no body would take away the Little Cocker Spaniel named checkers that was Given to his daughters during the Campaign. The checkers speech As it was known Ever after turned the tide. Only then did Eisenhower Tell Nixon you re my in 1960, Nixon was the Republican nominee for president. His opponent was the handsome and appealing John . For Nixon the Campaign got off to a bad Start. He bumped his knee getting continued on Page 5
