Banner Graphic, Greencastle, Putnam County, 24 December 1974 — Page 5

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 24,1974, THE PUTNAM COl N ^ ‘ NNER-GRAPH1C 5A

U.S. Steel rolls back

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Ford administration has obtained a partial rollback of U.S. Steel’s recent price rise and now is questioning an increase by the No. 2 steel company. U.S. Steel Corp., responding to President Ford’s criticism of the price increase as inflationary, on Monday trimmed the rise by about 20 per cent. U.S. Steel last week had said it was boosting prices 4.7 per cent, but the industry leader said Monday it would reduce the price hike to around

4 per cent. Shortly before U.S. Steel’s announcement, its biggest competitor, Bethlehem Steel Corp., said it was raising its prices about l x k per cent to “bring them in line with the competition.’’ Later, Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corp., the ninth largest, said it was hiking prices 5.5 per cent on about one-sixth of its product line. After U.S. Steel’s announcement, Ford said in Vail Colo., “I am pleased with the work

that was done by the Council on Wage and Price Stability and the attitude of U.S. Steel in making this rollback.” Council Director Albert Rees had met Friday with U.S. Steel Chairman E.B. Speer to hear the company’s explanation for the increase. Speer said the decision to modify the Dec. 16 price increase came after that meeting. The company also pledged to try to hold prices stable for the next six months. “U.S. Steel is taking this ac-

tion because of its sincere desire to aid the nation in its fight against double-digit inflation,” Speer said. Rees said he was pleased by the rollback and said “We hope that Bethlehem Steel Corp., and C F & I Corp., which have already announced price increases, will reconsider these recently announced price increases in the light of the U.S. Steel Corp. action of today.” The price council sent to Bethlehem Steel a telegram similar to others sent last week

to U.S. Steel and C F & I urgently requesting justification for the price increase. Bethlehem said its increase was smaller than U.S. Steel’s original hike “because our prices were generally higher because of increases we had made last September and October.” The new prices mainly affect the steel used to frame skyscrapers and bridges, carbon steel plates used for machinery, railroad products, pipe and tin mill products.

They do not affect steel that goes into the manufacture of automobiles, appliances and other consumer goods. In other economic developments: —Acting Chairman Al Ullman of the House Ways and Means Committee said his panel’s first goal for 1975 will be to enact a sizable tax cut. —The Agriculture Department said next year’s winter wheat crop could be up 15 per cent from the 1974 harvest.

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Moderate winter may avert energy crisis

WASHINGTON (AP) - As the bitter breath Of deepest winter nears, there is good news for residents Of the nation's most populous areas who worry that unseasonable cold might deplete home heating supplies. The National Weather Service forecasts a 60 per cent chance that temperatures on the East and West coasts will be above normal this year. Only in the Great Plains and the Upper Mississippi Valley do the forecasters assign a 60 per cent chance that temperatures will be below normal. Elsewhere, the weather experts are giving even odds — a 50-50 chance — that tempera-

tures might be either higher or lower than normal. At the Federal Energy Administration, where planners must ponder what long cold spells might do to energy reserves, there is more good news. If the nation has a normal winter, there will be no shortages of petroleum distillates, those crude oil products that keep furnances roaring, the energy administration says. If temperatures drop below normal, what FEA analysts call their “high demand option,” there might be a 2 per cent shortage of distillates. But slight increases in petroleum imports or minimal con-

servation could make up the difference. For residual petroleum products, such as the oils burned by electrical generating plants, a normal winter might bring a one-half per cent shortage. But even with a severe winter only a 1 per cent shortage is expected. These shortages also could be made up by adjustments in imports or conservation measures. For those who use natural gas to heat homes, there is little danger of shortages, even if temperatures are more severe than the National Weather Service predicts.

Sirica restrains self

on Nixon pardon

WASHINGTON (AP) — Attention at the Watergate coverup trial again is focused on the absence of Richard M. Nixon as defendant or witness in the case that drove him from the presidency. U.S. District Judge John J. Sirica started Monday to comment on the pardon granted Nixon by President Ford but then restrained himself. “It’s too bad — well, I better Santa a COALING A, Calif. (AP) - Many children in this rural Central California area know Santa Claus is real because he has made his pre-Christmas visits with gifts and goodies for 33 years. Santa — who masquerades as a rancher named Roy Loftis the rest of the year — starts his Leftist Santas? COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — A group of leftist actors posing as “alternative*’ Santa Clauses has staged a series of performances throughout Copenhagen in what they say is an attempt to remove Santa from the “bold embrace of capitalism and commercialism.” The actors, who call themselves ‘The Chariot of the Sun,” specialize in political street performances. So far this season one or more of the actors dressed as Santa has: —Attacked the Labor Court building, which they referred to as ‘‘Home of Injustice to the Poor,” with a bulldozer and pneumatic drills. —Taken over a book stall at a department store and handed out books free of charge. sixty “Santas” were arrested after the department store raid Sunday, but all were released. No charges have been filed against any of the “Santas.”

not say what I’m thinking,” said the judge after the jury had been sent from the courtroom to begin a two-day Christmas recess. The jurors will do some last-minute Christmas shopping today and spend tonight and Christmas Day with their familes in a hotel banquet room under the watchful eye of 27 marshals. The issue of the Nixon pardon came up during William S. 33 year rounds each Christmas Eve at 4 p.m., driving from ranch to ranch and home to home. He used to keep it up until after daybreak Christmas morning, but an operation in 1972 forced him to cut back. Now Loftis gets home between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. After such a stint, he says he spends most of - Christmas Day sleeping. "In 16 years of marriage, I’ve never spent a Christmas with my wife,” Loftis says. “But she said that if I wanted to go on playing Santa Claus, she’d help me.” Mrs. Loftis wraps presents and prepares fruit and candy destined for needy children, while her husband fixes toys. “For two or three days before Christmas, my house is really Santa's workshop,” Loftis says. Loftis estimates he has visited almost 6,000 children, and he says some of the youngsters 1 he’ll visit today represent the fourth generation from the same family. Loftis says he started as a lad of 14 when a justice of the peace asked him to play Santa. He enjoyed it so much he never quit and now even gets letters at his ranch addressed to "Santa Claus.” He memorizes the letters so he will know what the writer wants. “It’s embarrassing to ask a child, What do you want for Christmas?’ and have him say, ‘You know what I want — I wrote you a letter’,” Loftis said.

Frates’ closing argument to the jury on behalf of his client, former Nixon aide John D. Ehrlichman. Frates recalled that prosecutor James F. Neal had likened the five cover-up defendants to members of an orchestra, saying that while some may play far less than others, all are essential parts of the total orchestration. Frates picked up Neal’s

He says he began gathering goodies for poor children after he went to the wrong house one Christmas and found the family was “as poor a family as I’d ever seen. They had absolutely nothing for Christmas.” Another rancher gathered some food, sweets and toys for Loftis to give the family. Dropped

money MOORESVILLE, Ind. (AP) — A bank customer, unaware a robbery had just taken place, picked up some cash dropped by the holdup man and said, “Sir, you’re dropping your money,” witnesses reported. The robber ignored the customer and fled from the Morgan Count}- Bank & Trust Co. Monday in a car with three unsuspecting companions. The three men, according to police, knew nothing about the robbery and had been waiting outside for the suspect to complete an errand. The three were dropped off east of here. John L. Stewart, 32, Rt. 2, Camby, was arrested as he tried to ram a police roadblock, Chief Harold W. Martin said. Stewart was charged with robbery and held without bond in the Morgan County jail in Martinsville. The money — $2,832 — was found in the car.

Ford orders Kissinger Get report on CIA domestic spying

WASHINGTON (AP) - James Angleton, named in published reports as overseer of alleged illegal domestic spying by the CIA, today told The Associated Press he has resigned as head of the agency’s counterintelligence operations. Angleton’s resignation became known after President Ford ordered Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger to get a report from the CIA “within a matter of days” on the allegations of domestic Spying. Three congressional committee chairmen also announced Monday that they would launch separate investigations of the matter when Congress returns next year. Meantime, a spokesman for Kissinger said Monday that the secretary “has never seen any survey of American citizens by the CIA and he doesn’t know if any such survey exists.”' But later, administration sources disclosed that Kissinger had seen one CIA document referring to activities inside the United States by American citizens or organizations. They said, however, that it was philosophical and did not reflect the results of any surveillance. These sources said a CIA survey entitled “Restless Youth” crossed Kissinger’s desk at the National Security Council in March, 1969. They

analogy and carried it a step further: “Ladies and Gentlemen, we’re missing one person here, the orchestra leader, that’s who we’re missing in this case.” Frates and his client have repeatedly charged that Nixon misled Ehrlichman about Watergate. During his argument to the jury, Frates kept referring to the orchestra leader, without ever naming him. Frates got only part way through his closing argument before the trial adjorned until Thursday for the Christmas recess. The case is expected to go to the jury Friday or Saturday. After the jury was sent out of the room, Neal said he thought Frates should explain how far he intended to carry the orchestra leader theme. "I took him to mean the man with the baton was Richard Nixon," said the prosecutor. “Everyone knows who he meant when he said the conductor or the head of the orchestra wasn’t here,” said Sirica. “I’ve already ruled he doesn’t have to appear because of the doctors’ report” that said Nixon was too ill to testify before the trial is expected to end. Then the judge asked if it was the defendant’s position that they should be acquitted because Nixon was not going to testify. “I can’t answer yes or no,” replied Frates. Sirica said he didn't think it made any difference. None of the defendants had to obey Nixon if he told them to cover up Watergate, said the judge. “They went into it with their eyes open,” he said. “They’re over 21. Some of them are lawyers.” In addition to Ehrlichman, the defendants are former White House aide H. R. Haldeman, former Atty. Gen. John N. Mitchell, former assistant Atty. Gen. Robert C. Mardian and Kenneth W. Parkinson, one-time lawyer for Nixon’s reelection committee.

described it as a general, philosophical discussion of the youth movement abroad with references to the attitudes of American students and youth in the United States during the 1960s. Angleton, 57 and a veteran of 31 years in the intelligence field, said he would leave the agency at the end of the month. Angleton said he was resigning not because he felt he was guilty of any wrongdoing but because of what he said were the interests of the agency. The New York Times had reported that he headed a domestic Spying operation during the Nixon years that kept files on 10,000 American citizens and performed break-ins and surveillance in the United States. A well informed source said the resignation had been arranged late last week in a meeting between Angleton and CIA director William E. Colby. Colby also was said to feel that Angleton was not involved in any illegal activities: It was understood that Angleton *5 public identification had been a factor in the resignation. Another source, familiar with domestic counterintelligence operations, said that the FBI did not know about any CIA domestic Spying and that former FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover had been adamant that CIA not approach anyone at all in this country. The CIA is prohibited by law from conducting intelligence or counterintelligence operations

within the United States. That is the FBI’s responsibility. Documents obtained by Sen. Howard H. Baker Jr., R-Tenn., during his inquiry into the CIA’s possible involvement in Watergate contained "references (to) an apparent CIA file” on columnist Jack Anderson. A source within the CIA confirmed the existence of such a file and said it had been maintained by the United States Intelligence Board, an interagency panel whose members include the heads of the government’s various intelligence services. The board, whose responsibilities include developing intelligence estimates and priorities and overseeing security, compiled a dossier on Anderson after publication of classified documents In his syndicated column had blown the Cover of CIA agents abroad, the source said. Two sources said Angleton was questioned by the Watergate Special Prosecutor's office last winter In an attempt to determine if there was any connection between Angleton’S unit and the White House plumbers unit. But one source familiar with that effort said the prosecutors could find no evidence of a link and the investigation was not pursued. Angleton also came to the attention of one of the congressional investigations of Watergate. ' A source familiar with that investigation said he got the

clear impression that Angleton’s operation was very secret and was feared by other CIA employes. Kissinger has ordered an accounting by U.S. Ambassador Richard Helms, who was the CIA director during part of the period in which the alleged unlawful activities were said to have occurred. State Department sources said Kissinger would assemble information from Helms, Colby and others, probably within 48 hours. These sources said Kissinger will not make any recommendations although he may comment on fhe material he relays to Ford. Rep. Michael J. Harrington, D-Mass., Monday questioned whether Kissinger was the proper person to be involved in any investigation of the CIA. Harrington asserted that Kissinger’s other title, presidential assistant for national security affairs, made him responsible for directing CIA activities: Sen. John J. Sparkman, DAla., soon to become chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, said he was “shocked by the revelations regarding CIA activities in the United States” and announced that he intends to launch an investigation when the new Congress convenes next year. Separate hearings were promised by Sen. John C. Stenrtis, D-Miss., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Rep. Lucien N. Nedzi, D-Mich., chairman of

the House Armed Services subcommittee on intelligence. According to the Times, both men were briefed last year by Colby on the CIA's domestic activities. A spokesman for Kissinger said Monday that “the administration will cooperate to the fullest with any appropriate investigation,” including bringing Helms home from his diplomatic post in Iran to answer to "a duly constituted congressional committee.” However, State Department spokesman Robert Anderson said Kissinger had no intention of agreeing to a demand from Sen. William Proxmire, DWis., that Helms resign. SHOT TO DEATH INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Robbery "definitely is a motive” in the shooting death of Eugene R. Skaw, 36, police said. Skaw, an engineer for RCA Corp. was found in a vacant apartment Monday with three gunshot wounds in the back of his neck. Police said the pockets of his clothing had been turned inside out. TRIAL SET TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (AP) — U.S. District Court Judge Cale Holder has set Jan. 20 as trial date for Vigo County Sheriff George Albright, indicted On federal civil rights charges. Albright was charged with planting narcotics on Glenn D. Barlow, 29, Mill Creek, and then arresting him. All charges were later dropped against Barlow.

Troops in Bethlehem

BETHLEHEM, Occupied Jordan (AP) — Church bells, prayers and tight security marked Christmas Eve today in the birthplace of Christ as Israeli troops checked every person entering the town in an effort to prevent Arab terrorism. The army put up roadblocks on every route into hilltop Bethlehem and from 6:30 am. today until 5 a.m. Christmas morning was admitting only pilgrims and tourists carrying passesjrom the Israeli government. Armed soldiers patrolled outside the Church of the Nativity, built by the Crusaders on the site which tradition says was the location of the manger in which Jesus was born. A dozen bright-colored search booths, some covered with plastic shower curtains, stood nearby in the garden of the Palace Hotel for worshipers at the annual midnight mass to be checked for guns or explosives. The Arab mayor of Bethlehem and local Arab merchants

complained that the security precautions reduced the number of tourists and were not necessary. Security has been tight every Christmas since Israel captured Arab Bethlehem from Jordan in the 1967 war. But it was intensified this year after a grenade attack Sunday in East Jerusalem wounded a girl in a party of Florida Baptists and a warning from the Palestine Liberation Organization that more tourists might be attacked. Mayor Elias Freij, a Jordanian citizen, said the guerrilla threat was meaningless “because the Arabs — Moslem and Christian — respect Christmas. No Arab in this area would ever do anything to spoil Christmas. “It is very quiet here and there is no need for all these precautions. I assure the people who come to Bethlehem that they will be completely safe.” But an aide of Premier Yitzhak Rabin said while it was customary for the Arabs to suspend hostilities during the Christmas season.

Missing British MP arrested as illegal entrant to Australia

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — A member of the British Parliament who disappeared five weeks ago in Florida was arrested today in Australia on a charge of entering the country Illegally, police said. Detective Chief Supt. Mick Patterson said that 49-year-old John Thomson Stonehouse admitted entering the country on a false passport and would probably go before a court ort Christmas Day. The detective gave no explanation for Stonehouse’s disappearance. Police sources said Stonehouse had been traveling under the name of Markham and was arrested In a seaside suburb of Melbourne on a tip from Interpol, the International police organization.

Patterson said Stonehouse entered Australia at Perth airport on Dec. 10,20 days after he disappeared in Miami Beach, Fla. “Stonehouse has been frequenting Melbourne post office and receiving information from England. He may have been trying to get out of Australia,” the detective said. Stonehouse has been a I^abor party member of the House of Commons since 1957 and was aviation minister and then minister of posts and telecommunications in Prime Minister Harold Wilson’s 1964-70 Labor government. He was on a business trip to the United States when he disappeared on Nov. 20 after telling friends at his Miami Beach hotel he was going for a swim. Stonehouse’s wife, Barbara,

told newsmen in London repeatedly that she believed her husband had drowned. But the Miami police refused to close the file on the case because the body had not been recovered. British newspapers speculated that Stonehouse had been killed by the Mafia when a body encased in concrete Was found near the beach on which he was supposed to have taken his last swim. But investigation proved that the body wasn’t his. Two British newspapers reported that a Czechoslovak agent who defected six years ago, Maj. Josef Frolik, claimed Stonehouse was a spy for the Communists. But Wilson told the House of Commons last week that Frolik’s story was investigated at the time and no evidence was found to support

his allegations. There was also newspaper speculation in Britain that Stonehouse had gone underground because of reverses in international business deals he was trying to swing. Traffic By The Associated Press Larry J. Davidson, 18, Rt. 2, Camby, was killed Monday evening in a two-car crash in southwest Marion County, police said. The driver of the second car, Stephen L. Sledge, 27, Indianapolis, was hospitalized in critical condition. Albert West, 55, Butler, was killed Monday in a two-car crash on Indiana 427 near Waterloo.