News stories from Saturday March 16, 1974

Summaries of the stories the major media outlets considered to be of particular importance on this date:

Congressional investigators and the Internal Revenue Service have challenged as seriously inflated, and for some years possibly fictitious, the deductions for California gasoline taxes that President Nixon has taken on his federal tax returns. The deductions, totaling $244, have saved the President $78.51 in federal income taxes in the years 1969 through 1972. Mr. Nixon was President throughout this period, except for the first 19 days of 1969. His automobile travel and that of his family was in government-owned and operated vehicles that were fueled at government expense. [New York Times] Amid a fresh flurry of allegations about the sales of ambassadorships, the White House has refused a request by Leon Jaworski, the special Watergate prosecutor, for documents that bear on the awarding of diplomatic posts to major Republican campaign contributors. President Nixon, meanwhile, contends that "ambassadorships cannot be purchased" from his administration. However, sources said that Mr. Jaworski was continuing his investigation, and suggested that indictments against Republican fundraisers and possibly some contributors could be expected in the near future. [New York Times] President Nixon went to Nashville, the capital of country music, and helped the Grand Ole Opry open a new $15 million home. In a carefree mood, the President drew standing ovations from the invited guests as he played "Happy Birthday" and "My Wild Irish Rose" for Mrs. Nixon and led the crowd in singing "God Bless America." Mrs. Nixon, who was 62 years old today, had joined him at the opening after completing a tour of South America. [New York Times] Ministers of the world's major oil-exporting countries, meeting in Vienna, reportedly rejected a reduction of crude oil prices. They deferred until tomorrow a decision whether to freeze prices at present levels, or increase them after April 1. Finance Minister Jamshid Amouzgar of Iran, the chairman of the meeting, said in a telephone interview with CBS News in New York that the ministers had decided to freeze oil prices for three months, "provided that the industrialized countries will make an effort to contain their inflation." [New York Times] International oil brokers reported in Vienna that American petroleum companies had offered two million tons of crude oil in European markets over the last month at prices below current market levels. The American companies identified as the partners in the Arabian-American Oil Company -- Exxon, Standard Oil of California, Texaco and Mobil -- were said to be acting to depress prices in an attempt to dissuade the governments of consumer countries from entering into long-term contracts. [New York Times] Part of an infantry regiment rebelled briefly in Portugal as unrest spread within the armed forces. The 200 soldiers acted to express solidarity with Gen. Antonio de Spinola, who was dismissed Thursday as deputy chief of the defense staff for proposing in a book that Portugal try to end its 13-year-old African war through political concessions. As the 200 rebels moved on the capital, hoping to gather support from other military units, they were confronted by the Seventh Armored Regiment, which remained loyal to the government, and the rebels surrendered. [New York Times] President Nixon's criticism of America's allies stirred bewilderment and bitterness in European capitals, with the sharpest reaction coming from France. The President's unhappiness with the European Common Market, expressed Friday at a meeting of the Executive Club in Chicago, especially surprised some officials who had been led to believe that the United States now wanted to calm trans-Atlantic tensions. The French newspaper Le Monde said that it appeared that Mr. Nixon had lost control of himself. [New York Times]