Ominous calm before Nixon storm

Pressure on Watergate judge—claim Dean spills more beans a spate of developments in the Nixon scandal the US administration has spate developments in the Nixon scandal the adn AMONG 1 of putting pressure on the Federal judge hearing the been accuse Democratic Party brought over the bugging of its headquarters in Hotel.

John Dean Ill, the former White House counsel, has told Federal investigators that judge Charles Richey engaged in off-therecord conversations with administration aides 'in violation of legal ethics'.

Richey, who heard the Democrats' suit against the Committee to Re-elect the President (CREEP) for bugging the headquarters on June 17 last year delayed taking 'some potentially explosive depositions until after the (presidential) election', ', according to 'Newsweek'.

Judge Richey has denied this. The magazine also said Dean had told investigators he has many documents and tapes of senior White House officials which 'suggest a damning pattern', though it would not in itself convict Nixon.

Among other allegations made by Dean: • Nixon accepted secret contributions totalling $322,000 from the dairy industry, knowing they were intended to influence the government to raise milk-price supports. • The White House tried to justify its own misuse of the FBI in the Watergate case with the aid of a secret report on past presidential abuses. It 'told in anecdotal detail how Franklin. D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman, John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson had used or abused the bureau for political purposes — but curiously omitted Mr Nixon's own patron Dwight Eisenhower'. • Low-leyel White House officials considered assassination of Omar Torrijos, president of Panama, because he was insufficiently co-operative over the Canal Zone. The plan was dropped before the appointed assassın, Watergate burglar Howard Hunt, could arrive in Panama. • H. R. (Bob) Haldeman, Nixon's former chiefof-staff, knew of the actual data received by the Watergate wire-tapping and ordered destruction of documents which indicated this on the day after the bugging operation was discovered Haldeman's reaction, when he was confronted with this testimony on the doorstep of his house was: 'I don't know what you're talking about.' BRIEFLY - BRIEFLY BULGARIAN state enterprises sent exhibits to the ten-day trade fair which ends in Barcelona, Spain, today. The emphasis was on electronic equipment, electric motors and machinery. Orders will be sought for ships and a wide range of other goods. Spanish-Bulgarian trade almost doubled from 1971 to 1972 and the aim is to increase it still further this year.

WORKERS at the huge Chilean El Teniente copper mine, whose 53-day-old strike has forced a suspension of exports and seriously affecting the country's economy, have decided to continue their pay stoppage : 'until its ultimate consequences. A recent 100 per cent rise was cut by 41 per cent. THERE WAS an ominous calm on the European foreign exchange markets yesterday as dealers and financiers anxiously awaited the announcement of President Nixon's anti-inflation measures.

The gold price in London dropped $1.50 an ounce to $115.50, though the dollar again slipped against sterling. Trading conditions were nervous.

Nixon returned from his Grim comedy of Greek IF IT were not so grim, the present efforts of the Greek junta to disencumber itself of the equally parasitic monarchy would seem ludicrously funny.

Incredible as it seems, the conservative pro-junta newspaper 'Acropolis' solemnly assures its readers that the only way out of the authoritarian rule of the colonels and to restoration of democracy was for the Greek people to support the constitutional changes proposed by the junta in the coming July referendum and prevent the return of the monarchy.

These proposals — if carried - would strengthen the power of the colonels immeasurably and make it virtually self-perpetuating, the nearest thing to a Byzantine monarchy in the near East.

The president will then have executive power to appoint and Florida residence on Key Biscayne. yesterday for further conferences with Treasury Secretary George Schultz and part-time adviser John Connally.

He is expected to announce a sweeping package of measures in the very near future, but there has been little indication from the White House what the measures might contain.

Uncertainty about the economic crisis is compounded by the Watergate affair, which linistration civil case the Watergate tragedy dismiss the premier and key ministers of national defence, foreign affairs and public order. He will also have complete powers to issue decrees on many issues of national defence and Even more incredible is the assertion of 'Acropolis' that the alternative to the junta would be 'totalitarianism'!

According to this wierd journal, if Papadopoulos (the only candidate, incidentally) fails to win, 'all power will be transferred to forces and elements which will lead us directly and immediately to a totalitarian regime' This will no doubt surprise the thousands of Greek political prisoners who thought — until now - that the Greek regime had plumbed the depths of reaction, brutality and corruption. is now reaching a crucial stage. In the next two weeks, such key witnesses as John Dean III and former AttorneyGeneral John Mitchell are due to testify.

Their testimony could hold the key to Nixon's fate. Under pressure from powerful capitalist interests to 'combat inflation', Nixon must act fast and act decisively if he is to win back their support.

Yet he dare not mount a frontal attack on workers' livH. R. (Bob) Haldeman, said to have destroyed papers linking him with bugging. Below Senate inquiry chief Sam Ervin. ing standards at a time when the Watergate scandal has drastically undermined his authority. Over the past year wage increases have been kept down to 5.5 per cent on average thanks to the trade union leaders' collaboration.

Meanwhile prices have been rising at an annual rate of over 20 per cent-and there is a big lobby of industrialists seeking the reimposition of compulsory wage controls which were abolished six months ago.