March 20, 1974

No Title

Pres Nixon, in Mar 19 speech to Natl Assn of Broadcasters in Houston, says he believes US and W Eurs are going to work out their differences in pol and econ fields despite recent sharp exchs; appears to moderate tone of his critical remarks in Chicago; says that while he personally would not support cut in US forces in Eur without mutual cut by USSR, it may nevertheless be difficult to get continued Cong support of necessary security forces there if Eurs appear hostile to US in pol and econ fields; says point he was trying to make in Chicago was that there is ‘new sense of isolationism’ in US that could lead to troop cuts; W Ger Finance Min Helmut Schmidt, in Washington for confs on offset payments for US troops in W Ger, confs with Sec Kissinger on US‐W Eur ties; later says ‘what we have today is a minor stir (M)

Pres Nixon confident that enough progress will be made in Amer efforts toward a Mideast settlement to insure that Arab states do not reimpose oil embargo against US, address in Houston to Natl Assn of Broadcasters (M)

Sen W E Brock 3d discloses that Pres Nixon's atty James D St Clair met with group of Congressmen to win support for Nixon's refusal to give Watergate evidence to HR Judiciary Com; Repr J J Rhodes confirms that St Clair went to Rhodes's office Mar 13 to brief Vice Pres Ford and himself on impasse over evidence; says meeting also involved White House aide Bryce N Harlow; says St Clair showed other participants copy of Feb 25 lr in which com counsel John Doar requested number of tapes and documents from White House for use in impeachment inquiry; characterizes meeting as 'sort of a briefing session’ for Ford and himself; says he sees nothing improper in Pres's atty discussing lr with individuals outside inquiry; says he understands request for information was clarified after his meeting with St Clair (M)

The month‐long trial of Representative Frank J. Brasco of Brooklyn ended in a mistrial yesterday when the jury failed to reach verdict on a charge of conspiracy to obtain payoffs to help a truck company headed by, a reputed Mafia member. Details on Page 22.