Care todance? SOPIIIA PHANIT and Karunlak Rudravanija (graduate-political science) demon strate native Thailand dances as part of Kern Graduate Center's International Holiday Festival. 30,000 coal miners refuse to start work By United Press International about three-quarters of the nation's ffl,ooo soft coal miners returned to work yesterday after settlement on their nearly one month strike, but ap proximately 30,000 stayed off the job to honor picket lines by striking mine con4,truction workers. Several coal companies promptly went to court to try to halt the con struction workers' picketing. Oftkying an unwritten union "law," the miners refused to cross picket lines set up by the 6,000 construction workers at mining operations across the nation. The construction workers, like the miners, are members of the United Mine Workers, but are not covered by the miners' contract. A federal judge in Virginia issued a temporary restraining order against construction workers who closed about 20 Pittston Coal Co. mines in southwest Virginia and was to hear a similar case today involving pickets who closed five Island Creek Coal Co. mines. Similar court action was begun in Illinois, where an estimated 8,700 of the state's 11,000 miners were idled by picketing construction workers. A spokesman at U.S. District Court in East St. Louis said two injunction suits were pending against the construction workers. He said the suits had not yet been filed and declined to identify the complaining coal companies. Negotiations on a separate contract for the construction workers, who build new mines and make repairs at established mines, continued last evening in Washington. A union spokesman said some progress had been made. Rocky's ,WASHINGTON (UPl)—Senate leaders predicted yesterday that Nelson A. Rockefeller would be overwhelmingly confirmed as vice president, despite opposition from Sen. Barry -M. Gold water, R-Ariz., a leading conservative and an' old enemy. In a letter to President Ford, Gold water said the former New York governor used his ' vast wealth to "purchase. , ..political power" and that tlie nation and the GQP "will be better ed by the selection of a younger r an—one who would not carry the burden of suspicion which is clearly in the public mind regarding the power of the Rockefeller fortune." - , _Rockefeller opposed Goldwater for the Weather Pirtly sumecontinued cold today. High - 30. Clear, very cold; tonight. Low - 24. Increasing cloudiness tomorrow with mow or rain by night. High - 36. Collegians the daily Despite requests from UMW officials not to picket, construction.workers also closed mines in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Indiana and Ohio. Most mines were operating, however, in Ohio and West Virginia. , One state where all UMW miners returned to work was Utah. UMW of ficials there confehed with the striking construction workers Sunday. The shutdown was wide spread in Pennsylvania, where a union miner was killed in an underground accident in his first day back on the job at U.S. Steel Corp.'s Maple Creek No. 2 mine near Bentleyville, south of Pittsburgh. An estimated 10,000 miners were idled in Pennsylvania, about 4,000 in Virginia, 4,000 in West Virginia, 1,000 in Ohio and thousands more in other coal-producing states. Mines operating in Pennsylvania included five employing about 300 men in Clearfield County, northeast of Pitts burgh, and another U.S. Steel shaft in Greene County, south of Pittsburgh. Yesterday was the deadline for return to work of the country's coal miners, who last week ratified by a vote of 44,754 to 34,741 a new three-year contract granting them a 64 per cent increase in wages and fringe benefits. They showed up for work wherever there were no construction pickets. Major non-union stripping operations, which had closed voluntarily when the UMW miners went on strike Nov. 12, were back in business. A spokesman for nonunion strip mines in Clearfield County, Pa., said they were "going like crazy." confirmation expected GOP presidential4omination in 1964. Conservatives booo Rockefeller when he moved to ynake Goldwater's nomination unanimous. Goldwater said he had expected to support the nominee but re-examined his decision with disclosures of Rockefeller's gifts to associates and political friends.."lt is now apparent to me that Mr. Rockefeller did in effect use his own personal money to accomplish the purchase of political power," he said. Rockefeller was hailed in Senate debate on his nomination as "highly (qualified" to be vice president and Republican Leader Hugh Scott said he expected no more than "a baker's dozen" votes against the nominee. Assistant Democratic Leader Robert C. Byrd, Rockefeller's most critical antagonist during his confirmation hearings, announced he would vote for the former New York governor. "I'd say he will win overwhelmingly here," Byrd said. Photo by Steven Adkins McCurry Prosecutors assail report as Ehrlichman's 'charade' WASHINGTON (UPI) Special prosecutors yesterday denounced a long lost Watergate report written by John D. Ehrlichman last gear as a "charade ... the ultimate in pulling the wagons up around the White House' to protect President Richard M. Nixon and his closest aides. The hand-written report, sUpposedly drafted for Nixon in mid-April of 1973, painted John W. Dean 111 and John N. Mitchell as the real villains behind the bugging and its cover-up, while ab solving the White House inner circle of any blame. Prosecutor James F. Near erupted when Ehrlichman's attorney sought to introduce it into evidence at the cover-up trial, now in its 11th week. With the jury out of the courtroom, Neal termed it "phony ... one co conspirator giving a self-serving statement to another co-conspirator so they could rely on it if things ever came unstuck." "A charade to help protect each other once the cover-up started falling apart that's what it certainly appears to be," Neal said. "It's the ultimate in pulling the wagons up around the White House and shoving Mr. Mitchell out." Ehrlichman's attorney William S. Frates, who revealed recently the report had just been found buried at the bottom of a box of papers at the White House, protested it was a "good faith report" written at the former President's request. He said it was "the clearest evidence that John Ehrlichman was not University employe wins long court fight By JIM BARR Collegian Staff Writer The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that Erika Zelem, a University lab technician; does not have to pay union dues. The court's decision last Thursday may end a four-year court battle between Zelem and three powerful agencies—the University, Teamsters Union LoCal 8 and the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board (PLRB). According to Thomas Sterling, a State College attorney who defended Zelem, the University and the Teamsters local, which represents non-professional staff at Penn State, threatened to fire Zelem in 1971 if she did not pay the equivalent of union dues—even though she wasl not a union member. The $4O in union initiation fees and dues were required under a July, 1970 union contract with the University. 'Doc' resigns as By JOE NAPSHA Collegian Staff Writer Thomas (Doc) Sweitzer last night announced he will resign as president of the Organization of Town Independent Students to help form a Penn State branch of a national consumer group. Sweitzer told members at the OTIS meeting his resignation will be effective Jan. 1, 1975. Vice President Ron Gordon will succeed him. Sweitzer said he will work on organizing the Pennsylvania Public Interest Research Group at Penn State. PIRGs have been established in 18 states and 13 universities. This has been accomplished with help by coordinators from Ralph Nader's Washington, D.C., office, he added. "The PIRG is a student-sponsored consumer protection agency" which looks into environmental and sex discrimination problems and the unresponsive government, organizer Kyra Goidich said. PIRG could also study high rent prices, she added. The Senate vote bn Rockefeller is sit for today at 3 p.m. EST while the House Judiciary Committee is expected to give its approval tomorrow or Thursday. Final House confirmation is expected next week. Opposition to Rockefeller tame from Sen. William L. Scott, R-Va., who said; he could not support the nominee because of his gifts and loans to political associates, his views on government spending, and role in the publication of a derogatory book on his 1970 gubernatorial opponent, Arthur J. Goldberg.. Scott said. he had "serious doubts" over "the potential conflicts of interest" arising out of Rockefeller's vast wealth. Sen. Howard Cannon, D-Nev. chairman of the Rules Committee which conducted. an unprecedented three month probe into Rockefeller, said the investigation had uncovered nothing that would bar the millionaire Republican from assuming the vice presidency. Cannon said, suggestions that Rockefeller place his stocks and other holdings into a "blind trust"—as the trying to cover up" but was laying all the facts out for Nixon. U.S. District Judge John j J, Sirica, troubled by damaging" hearsay references in the repor to other defendants now on trial with Ehrlich man, said he would rule today whether to let the jury receive it as evidence. Taking the witness stand in his own defense tip third of the five defen dants to do go Ehrlichman said that within hours of the June 17, 1972, Watergate arrests, Nixon press, secretary Ronald Ziegler asked him, of , the whereabouts of E. Howard Hunt Jr.' The reference was puzzling, since, Hunt no longer worked for the White,' House and his connection to the bugging' was not known until two days later, the same day Ziegler publicly dismissed Watergate as a "third-rate burglary attempt." Ehrlichman did not elaborate, but his testimony appeared to indicate that Ziegler either knew of or suspected Hunt's involvement in the bugging almost immediately: He also denied using the CIA to stall a crucial early phase of the FBl's Watergate investigation. But he said Nixon told him on July h, 1972, that he believed CIA officials ,vere "covering up" their activities and that a vigorous FBI probe might be i`to the jeopardy of the national interest." Before Ehrlichman even took the stand, Frates complained hI9 client was "not getting a fair trial" because Sirica on technical grounds had forbidden The contract required all employes to pay the equivalent of union dues and initiation fees even though they did. not join the union. Zelem, who said she felt her rights were violated, sued the University and the Teamsters for unfair labor practices. The case was heard by the PLRB, which handed down a temporary ruling in favor of Zelem and began a long appeals process. In announcing the Supreme Court's decision yesterday, Sterling said, "I think this case shows that a working per son can stand up against the giants and win." He noted that several other University ployes, faced with firing for the same reasons as Zelem, lost their jobs because tliey were unwilling to fight. `rhe reason so many people get tram pled under is that they don't stand up for their rights," he said. In a telephone interview last night, The Nader organization hopes that Penn State will be the leader in organizing PIRG and that other Penn sylvania colleges will follow, Goidich said. To pay for PIRG, Goidich said, the organizers want to ask the Board of Trustees to take $2 per term from each student's tuition, which could be refunded if a student did not want to back PIRG. "We are asking students to spend their money on something which can make things," Goidich said. To gauge student support, PIRG organizers will pass petitions in the second week of January. The organization hopes for 15,000 signatures at this campus, Goidich said. Goidich said organizers have "sounded out administrators and they personally support the idea." The trustees have not yet been con tacted and "will probably read about it in the papers," Goidich said: Many OTIS members probably will nominee has pledged to the Judiciary Committee—were "meaningless" because of the vastness of his fortune. Cannon said the committee had concluded that Rockefeller had exer cised "poor judgment" in asking his brother Laurance to help underwrite a critical book about Goldberg, a former Supreme Court justice. Sen. John Pastore, D-R,Lisaid he was "bothered" by Rockefeller'i behind-the scenes role in the book but twill give him the benefit of the doubt." Sen. Claiborne Pell, D-R.1., called Rockefeller "highly qualified" and said: "I can think of no other member of the President's party with equal qualifications." ' Pell said—as did Byrd and °than— that he found the gifts, loans and the book incident "troublesome." But he said the country had gone too long without a vice president. "While I am not entirely satisfied with some Rockefeller' responses during the confirmation hearings," said Byrd, "I feel I wouldn't be justified in voting against him." W 202 PATTEE Ten cents per copy Tuesday, December 10, 1974 Vol. 75, No. 85 10 pages University Park, Pennsylvania Published by' Students of The Pennsylvania State University three witnesses from testifying in 4 Ehrlichman's behalf. Ehrlichman, once Nixon's No. 2 aide, testified that he took over the Watergate investigation for the White House on March 30 last year on Nixon's orders after Dean, then , the White House counsel, had failed to write a full report as requested. He said he interviewed "a number" of people and drafted his report on April 14, giving it to Nixon the next morning. "I think it is now essential to tell you what I have been told," said the report, which bore neither signature nor date. "Since sr% much of this is hearsay I cannot vouch for its ultimate truth. But where I have been presented with doubtful assertions, I have attempted to sift them out." He then delved into the background of the bugging operation, the "dirty tricks" activities of Donald H. Segretti and the current status of the investigation. Through it all, Mitchell was described as the moving force and Dean as the man who knew the most and probably should be fired. "With the exception of Dean, I don't know that any White House people were aware of any specific acts of obstruction of justice or sought to procure any person's testimonial silence," the report said, adding that a decision on whether he was to be dismissed "should be made at once." As Neal quickly pointed out, on the very day Ehrlichman gave his report to the President, Dean began cooperating Zelem said she was pleased with the decision and "happy to see that there are still some decent and honest people making decisions." She was quick to point out that she is not anti-union, but continued the fight "for the liberty of holding a job without having to pay dues to some organization for the right to work." Zelem was given money and moral support by the_ Pennsylvania Right to Work Defense and Education Foun dation. Zelem said she is not sure the battle is over yet. She said the Teamsters could take its appeal one step further—to the U.S. Supreme Court. Teamster plans are not known at this time. When contacted, union officials had not yet heard about the ruling and would not comment until they had read the decision. The PLRB, which joined the union's OTIS president work on PIRG,' Goidich said, but there will be "no direct ties between OTIS and PIRG." An attempt to organize a Central Pennsylvania PIRG from September, 1971 to April, 1972 failed.- ThS..PIRG was plagued with poor organization and lack of manpower and funds. But student apathy was the real killer of PIRG. The organizers wanted 15,000 signatures for a petition to the trustees, but they received only 5,500 after a month of petitioning. OTIS voted to appropriate $33 to PIRG for advertising. In other business, Dave Ladov, food co-op head, said co-op members are Cartoonist in Colloquy CARTOONIST STAN LEE, publisher of Marvel Comics, spoke in Schwab last night. See story on page 10. 3 COPIES with the prosecutors in the cowboys and-Indians phrase Dean himself had once used, "moved outside the wagons" drawn up to protect the White House. Dean was fired April 30, while Ehrlichman and H. R. Haldeman were permitted to resign with high praise from the President as "two of the finest public servants" he had ever known. Neal noted that Ehrlichman shrugged •)ff details of the cover-up in his report with the note: "I have not tried to get far into this aspect." "Obviously not, your honor!" Neal shouted. "This is the cover-up." He said Dean himself, in his now famous "cancer on the presidency" speech to Nixon on March 21, 1973, had given the President a far fuller Watergate report than did Ehrlichman three weeks later. But, he said, tapes and.testim'ony now in evidence show Dean was shunted aside when he was unable to comply with orders from Nixon and Ehrlichman to come up with a written report for the President couched in "very general" terms absolving high officials of any culpability in the case. Ziegler's name was linked to the immediate aftermath of the bugging by Ehrlichman, who had been President Nixon's No. 2 aide, as he took the stand in his own defense , at the Watergate cover-up trial. He said he learned of the break-in at dusk on June 17, 1972, from a Secret Service agent and immediately called Ziegler. appeal when the bbard's decision favoring the pion was overturned by the Centre County Court of Common Pleas, could also appeal. University Attorney Delbert McQuaide said the University will abide by the final ruling, whatever the outcome. In arriving before the state's highest court, the case went through a long series of appeals and reversals. When the PLR first heard the case, t ruled in favor of Zelem but in two later appeals the board decided for the union. Zelem . then took the case to Common Pleas Court, where Judge R. Paul Camp bell reversed the PLRB's decision. The PLRB then joined,the Teamsters in appealing the case to the Com monwealth ,Court. Meanwhile, the University took a back seat in the proceedings. Commonwealth Court upheld Camp bell and the Teamsters appealed to the high court. looking for a permanent site downtown. Ladov said the leaders will be negotiating with the manager of the Cathaum Theatre, which has offered to rent the bagement for $4OO per month. "We are trying to find other groups to go in for office space," but have no firm commitments, Ladov said. OTIS member Ken Pletz moved for OTIS to support the State College Tenants' Union. When his motion was tabled Pletz said, "Not once has OTIS tried to lower rents. It is about time OTIS looked -into larger things." Pletz said OTIS should do more than "just fixing bed springs and water pipes." STATE COLLEGE PA. 16801 Pi:RUT:7 NO.IO Photo by Jeff Shoyintz
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers