June 28, 1974

Judge Edward R Neaher dismisses indictment against Oyster Bay (NY) Town Supervisor John W Burke on charge of making false statement after US Atty for Eastern Dist of NY David G Trager says Govt does not have sufficient evidence for conviction; dismissal brings almost to close case that has included Burke indictment and extortion charges against US Repr Angelo D Roncallo and 4 other town officials; case revd; only person still under indictment and awaiting trial is Gerard P Trotta; Trager says that all cases in indictments are being revd and public statement will be made when decision is made about Trotta; Burke por (M)

Judge Jack B. Weinstein sentenced two businessmen yesterday for rigging bids and then urged the United States Attorney's office to “consider seriously” indicting the Grumman Aerospace Corporation of Bethpage, LI., and its highest officials.

The affirmative action program by which the Federal Government is compelling colleges and universities to hire more women and blacks is lowering standards and undermining faculty quality, according to a report to be published today under the spons?? ship of the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education.

Pres Nixon's defense atty James D St Clair, in effort to convince HR Judiciary Com that Pres Nixon committed no wrongdoing that would justify his impeachment, cites sworn testimony by ex-White House counsel John W Dean 3d before Sen Watergate com last summer that question of Watergate hush money payment to Watergate burglar E Howard Hunt Jr was 'left hanging' in crucial discussion with Nixon; com Repubs generally endorse statement of Repr H Fish Jr that St Clair offered no new evidence but used available material in 'making the Pres look good'; Repr R McClory comments; com Dems object to what they contend are attempts by St Clair to draw unwarranted conclusions from familiar evidence; several Dems say, and St Clair confirms, that he had not listened to all Watergate tape recordings Nixon has refused to surrender to com; Dems seek unsuccessfully to bar use by St Clair of excerpts from White House-edited tape transcripts, arguing that St Clair could not vouch for their accuracy; com Chmn Repr P W Rodino Jr comments; key point of St Clair's initial presentation is his concentration on charges that Nixon had approved or tolerated payment of $75,000 of alleged hush money to Hunt; Dean's testimony last summer noted; Repr C E Wiggins comments; Wiggins and other Repubs say they were impressed by evidence St Clair presented to counter charges that Nixon had been unaware of, and had done nothing about, false testimony by subordinates at Sen hearings in '72 on confirmation of Richard G Kleindienst to be Atty Gen; Reprs G E Danielson, E Holtzman, W Flowers, J F Seiberling, D W Dennis, com counsel John Doar comment; illus of St Clair and of Rodino with Repr E Hutchinson (L)

Chrysler Corp announces it will increase prices on cars and options to keep up with recent rises in price of steel; notes that price of steel has increased avg of $102 per vehicle since Apr 30 (M)