August 3, 1974

Environmental Protection Agency orders Shell Oil Co to halt mfr of dieldrin and aldrin, most widely used pesticides in US, on grounds that toxic chems pose 'imminent hazard' to public health; pesticides are long-lived chlorinated hydrocarbons that accumulate in fatty tissues when taken into body through food chain; agency says pathologists have found 'significant increases' in tumors, many diagnosed as malignant, in mice that had ingested small amounts of dieldrin; repts human tissue taken during surgery and autopsies in '70 showed that 96.5% of individuals tested had detectable residues of dieldrin in their fat tissues, while similar results were obtained for 99.5% in '71; repts present daily dietary intake of dieldrin subjects human population to an unacceptably high cancer risk, noting that children consume considerably more dieldrin on body weight basis than any other age segment of population; Shell charges agency's action is 'blatantly unfair,' holding that 'there is no evidence whatsoever that associates this chem with cancer in man' (L)

Judge John J Sirica sentences ex-White House counsel John W Dean 3d to minimum of 1 yr in prison and maximum of 4 yrs for his admitted role in Watergate cover-up; Dean will begin serving sentence on Sept 3 and is expected to be called as major prosecution witness in both Watergate cover-up trial and. if Nixon is impeached, in Sen trial of impeachment charges; Dean pleaded guilty last Oct 19 to charge of conspiring to obstruct justice; 15 persons have already been sentenced to prison for Watergate break-in; sentences ranged from suspended to 6 yrs-to 20 yrs; Sirica does not explain Dean's sentence; White House atty Richard Hauser turns over to Sirica some of subpoenaed White House tapes; says he expects White House to complete by Aug 9 its 'index and analysis' of all 64 conversations describing those portions that Pres Nixon wants Sirica to withhold from prosecution on such grounds as natl security; declines to comment on whether there are gaps in tapes just turned over: Dean's atty Charles N Shafer asked that Dean's sentencing be delayed until Sirica had time to listen to tapes but request was denied; list of defendants who have recd prison sentences as result of conviction in Watergate-related cases; illus of Dean and of Sirica and his law clerk Todd Christofferson (L)

White House deputy press sec Gerald L Warren describes Pres Nixon as 'underdog' in Cong impeachment move; says Nixon faces 'uphill struggle' but that because struggle is pol, Nixon has chance to win; this seen as indication that Nixon plans to fight impeachment effort on pol grounds and that he is resigned to defeat in HR but would try to hold his losses there to minimum and concentrate on winning in Sen; Warren says Nixon's health is excellent and his spirits are good; group of Repubs formally introduces on HR floor a resolution calling for censure of Pres rather than impeachment; author of resolution is Repr P Findley; move is opposed by Dem leaders and number of Repubs and its adoption is considered unlikely; Reprs J Brademas and D R Obey say they will vote for impeachment; HR Judiciary Com Chmn P W Rodino Jr says com's formal rept on impeachment articles will be sent to HR on Aug 7 (M)

2 rival inquiries begin into charges by Controller Goldin that NYC Investigation Comr Nicholas Scoppetta had told civil servant to put entries into ledger that were not there when auditors found $5.4-million in discrepancies; Manhattan Dist Atty Richard H Kuh, who is conducting one of inquiries and who had assailed Goldin's original charge as 'claptrap,' confirms at news conf that ledger entries were made but that he did not know if anyone had directed that it be done; other investigator, NYS special anticorruption prosecutor Maurice H Nadjari, repts through spokesman that he had opened inquiry at invitation of Scoppetta; both investigators deny there is any jurisdictional dispute but potential is seen for tug-of-war; illustrations of Kuh and of Russell Aldag, who is in charge of Controller's vault, carrying ledgers to Nadjari's office (L)

Turkish troops fire on Brit patrol of UN peace-keeping force in foothills of western tip of Kyrenia range, but patrol retreats without casualties (S)