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News stories from Wednesday January 1, 1975
Summaries of the stories the major media outlets considered to be of particular importance on this date:
- A Washington jury convicted four of the most powerful men in the Nixon administration -- John Mitchell, H. R. Haldeman, John Ehrlichman and Robert Mardian -- on all counts in the Watergate cover-up trial. They acquitted Kenneth Parkinson, a lawyer hired by the Nixon re-election committee after the break-in. The verdict was reached after 15 hours' deliberation over three days. The four men found guilty face prison terms ranging from five to 25 years. Each said personally or through counsel that he would appeal the verdict. Judge John Sirica polled and thanked the jurors. He said that the case would be referred to probation officers, leaving the date of sentencing uncertain. A federal grand jury had named Mr. Nixon as an unindicted co-conspirator in the case.
The verdict brought few tears and only one open display of anger in the courtroom when Mrs. Robert Mardian, wife of one defendant, stuck out her tongue and sounded a Bronx cheer. But all defendants and their wives were shocked. Former Attorney General John Mitchell flushed deeply as the clerk intoned "guilty" but leaned down to whisper words of comfort to his attorney, "Don't take it so hard." [New York Times]
- Associate Justice William O. Douglas of the United States Supreme Court was flown to Washington and admitted to the Walter Reed Army Medical Center after suffering a stroke in the Bahamas, where he was to make a speech tomorrow. He was described as "alert" and his vital signs "stable." [New York Times]
- Charlie Chaplin and P.G. Wodehouse were named knights by Queen Elizabeth in Britain's New Year's Honor List. Mr. Chaplin, now 85 and living in Switzerland, and Mr. Wodehouse, 93 and a resident of Long Island, are both of English birth. Mr. Chaplin and his films have always been popular in Britain; for Mr. Wodehouse, the honor came as a seeming act of forgiveness for the author's World War II broadcasts from Berlin after being taken into German custody when France fell in 1940. [New York Times]
- Impatience is growing in the Arab world for a resolution of the confrontation with Israel, which is frustrating the Arabs' vision of an economic renaissance through their new oil wealth. Their leaders seem bent on recovering the lands lost to Israel in the 1967 war, whatever the cost to their societies. Moderate Arabs look to Secretary of State Kissinger to compel Israel to enter productive negotiations for withdrawal from these lands. The prevailing view was once expressed by Egypt's President Anwar Sadat: "The Russians can give you arms, but only the United States can give you a solution." Government sources in Egypt and Syria would accept an arrangement of non-belligerence with Israel following Israeli withdrawal from Sinai, the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and the Golan Heights. East Jerusalem would come under an Arab civil administration under an international statute guaranteeing free access. [New York Times]
- Industrial workers went on a rampage in downtown Cairo -- its first riot in many years. Their targets appeared indiscriminately chosen, including American, Soviet, French and Libyan installations. They shouted against high prices and against the Premier, who controls economic policy. Inflation is estimated at 30 percent since the October war despite subsidies of food and basic commodities. [New York Times]
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