August 18, 1973

Section of cofferdam at Con Ed Astoria plant collapses on Aug 17 injuring 2 workmen and apparently drowning 2 others; dam was holding back East River water while crews worked on intake tunnel to carry water into new generator; divers are searching for missing men and injured are reptd in good condition; Labor Dept repr A Barden says dam has recently been inspected and found safe; illus; map

Md US Atty's office outlines to Justice Dept its investigation into alleged kickbacks to high public officials, including Vice Pres Agnew, and is now waiting for decision on whether to proceed to seek indictments; source close to investigation says ‘some decisions have to be made’ in Washington before indictments can be sought by US Atty's office in Baltimore; source says he is referring to usual procedural step whereby US Atty Gen's office reviews investigation to test its strength before local US Atty asks for indictments; says case is so ‘wide and complex’ and involves so many people that, if decision is to go ahead, it might take some time before there would be any indictments; says Asst Atty Gen Petersen had come to Baltimore to meet with Fed investigators and US Atty Beall to inform himself about investigation; Petersen met with Beall and investigators on Aug 16 and also met with key witness L Matz; Fed investigators in Baltimore pick up copies of Agnew's personal financial and tax papers at his Washington office

Defense Sec Schlesinger announces that USSR has successfully flight‐tested intercontinental missiles with separately‐targetable multiple warheads (MIRV), with SS‐18 carrying at least 6 hydrogen warheads in 1‐megaton range, Aug 17 Defense Dept briefing; says ‘very adventuresome’ series of missile tests that began in May embrace 4 new‐generation Soviet missiles, including largest SS‐18, that could lead USSR to ‘clear advantage in counterforce capability’ over US; SS‐18, tested on range ending in Kamchatka Peninsula, is liquid fueled and succeeds SS‐9; Defense Dept descriptions of others in series noted; Schlesinger anticipates missiles will be ready for deployment by ‘75 and will equal number of Amer independently‐targetable warheads by end of decade; characterizes development as Soviet bid for ‘strategic advantage’ and makes it imperative for US to prevent USSR from ‘marrying’ its quantitative superiority to qualitative equality; says phase 2 of arms limitation talks are significant in that they ‘must prevent imbalance'; Soviets had earlier contended that 2d round of talks could succeed only if USSR could negotiate in same terms as US by demonstrating MIRV capacity

Crime in NYC subways, contained at night by transit police saturation program, rising in afternoon and early evening hrs; over‐all serious crime has risen 17%, as of mid‐Aug, over corresponding ‘72 period; change‐booth holdups, reversing trend, have dropped 23.9%; transit police statistics show 831 robberies of passengers, 198 felonious assaults and 952 purse snatchings up to mid‐Aug; Transit Patrolmen's Benevolent Assn pres John T Maye says that statistics would probably have to be tripled for more accurate tally; says many passengers victimized in lesser crimes do not rept them; also says that transit ptl are encouraged to issue summonses rather than make arrests for lesser violations; police chief Robert H Rapp contends that issuing summonses results in more extensive police coverage of subway system

Pres Nixon's attys declare on Aug 17, in their latest legal brief, that exec branch, not cts or a grand jury, has exclusive right to drop a criminal prosecution when ‘other governmental interests’ outweigh its pursuit; 1 of governmental interests Nixon is seeking to protect in refusing to release White House tapes is his ability to communicate confidentially with his aides to promote free discussion in White House on major issues; brief is last of series of legal exchanges between Pres and special Watergate prosecutor A Cox before their case is argued on Aug 21 before Judge Sirica; Nixon attys pose series of imaginary conversations in Oval Office, each of which could determine whether or not a crime had been committed, some of which seemed entirely plausible, as method of defending theory that confidentiality is essential to Pres; White House brief is submitted by L Garment, J F Buzhardt Jr, Prof Wright and 3 staff attys working for Pres; illus of T P Marinas, consultant on White House legal staff