September 20, 1975

Sources say NYC ct has rejected attempt by ex-Pres Nixon to resign from NYS Bar because he has not admitted wrongdoing in connection with Watergate scandal; say Nixon will not be permitted to resign unless he acknowledges at least some responsibility for Watergate crimes; under ct rules, if Nixon does not do so, then formal charges would be drawn up and a proceeding similar to a trial would be held; if Nixon were found guilty of professional misconduct, he would then be censured, suspended or disbarred; sources say lr recd by ct requesting that Nixon be allowed to resign was drafted by atty Raymond G Larroca; say lr referred to Nixon's health but did not mention Watergate; Nixon's Sept 25 '74 resignation from Calif State Bar noted; sources say Nixon's attys have been negotiating with John G Bonomi, chief counsel of bar assn's grievance com, and Arthur L Liman, who has been retained as special counsel, on ways that Nixon would be allowed to resign (L)

Most of Portugal's new ministerial positions dealing with country's econ are given to Socialists; Socialists promised a slowing of nation's movement toward socialism and effort to shore up still capitalist-dominated econ; Pres Francisco da Costa Gomes, during swearing in ceremony, instructs new Cabinet to give priority to country's 'long neglected' econ and financial crisis (S)

Wilbert Lee and Freddie Pitts freed; case revd; illus (M)

NYC taxi indus spokesman says 3,000 trips a night in midtown area are being lost because of closing of 9 Bway musicals due to musicians strike (S)

Jordanian officials inform US privately on Sept 19 that King Hussein has dropped his apparent objection and has agreed to accept all conditions imposed by Pres Ford for sale to Jordan of 14 batteries of Hawk AA missiles; State Dept spokesman Robert Anderson says that as result of intensive diplomatic contact between US and Jordan 'misunderstanding' that developed have been 'cleared up' and transaction will proceed as planned; US Amb Thomas R Pickering, who negotiated Hussein's earlier approval of Ford's assurances to Cong that Hawks would be nonmobile and nontransferrable without US permission, was ordered to seek clarification and to discuss Ford's lr to Cong with Hussein and Premier Zaid al-Rifai; whole issue is confusing because it is not clear to State Dept, members of Cong or newmen why Hussein put out his public 'rejection notice' on Sept 18 and quickly rescinded it in private; State Dept officials say that while Hussein had approved substance of Ford's lr, wide publicity given compromise and specific conditions on what Jordan could not do with missiles were embarrassing to Hussein; says Hussein may not have understood that prohibition against tranferring US arms to other parties was not directed specifically against Jordan but is routinely applicable by law to all recipients of US arms; say Hussein might have felt obliged to issue statement to counter possible Arab criticism that he was buckling under Israeli pressure exerted by pro-Israeli members of cong; some members of Cong say Hussein was not shown in advance entire text of Ford's lr to Cong (M)