_ lent of the United States." States." United the of lent _
= onversion tells the truth. We all know know all We truth. the tells onversion =
"', rogram on the White House "in order order "in House White the on rogram "',
- rig a religious conversion? conversion? religious a rig -
-
,airy O'Brien knew about a CIA con- CIA a about knew O'Brien ,airy
ould a low-level agent (E. Howard Howard (E. agent low-level a ould
Interpreting the Colson Scenario Scenario Colson the Interpreting
'as to try to find out how much Demo- much how out find to try to 'as
cant from the President? And what what And President? the from cant
ae .Ellsberg burglary and that of the the of that and burglary .Ellsberg ae
terely very difficult to believe. believe. to difficult very terely
a get what they wanted from the Pres- the from wanted they what get a ,ome forward with the following following the with forward ,ome
lemocratic National Committee, and and Committee, National lemocratic
iat the reason for the latter break-in break-in latter the for reason the iat ossible to believe; the second is is second the believe; to ossible
ection with Howard Hughes. Hughes. Howard with ection
'ate National Committee chairman chairman Committee National 'ate negations: negations:
hat. But what if the man is only fak- only is man the if what But hat.
ious convert Charles Colson has now now has Colson Charles convert ious vont Braden Braden vont
gency carried out an espionage espionage an out carried gency
The first of these allegations is im- is allegations these of first The
What would—or could—the CIA CIA could—the would—or What
(2) (2) (1) (1)
I raise these questions because reli- because questions these raise I
Or what if he's crazy? crazy? he's if what Or
A man who experiences a religious religious a experiences who man A
'possibly find out?' out?' find 'possibly
That the agency helped carry out out carry helped agency the That
That the Central Intelligence Intelligence Central the That
ost ost
Watergati committee investigators investigators committee Watergati
and giver. him a clean bill. The Senate Senate The bill. clean a him giver. and
found nothing in it. it. in nothing found former CIA director Richard Helms Helms Richard director CIA former
Baker (R-Tenn.) last summer. They They summer. last (R-Tenn.) Baker
seem credible. credible. seem
have gone ov6r the Colson line since since line Colson the ov6r gone have
he first spouted it to Sen. Howard Howard Sen. to it spouted first he
the Hughes organization? organization? Hughes the that to argue it is to make nonsense nonsense make to is it argue to that
knew of the relationship, why not ask ask not why relationship, the of knew wanted to know how much O'Brien O'Brien much how know to wanted
was indeed a "cover" for CIA, and CIA CIA and CIA, for "cover" a indeed was
A Senate committee has questioned questioned has committee Senate A
The whole thing is so preposterous preposterous so is thing whole The
Reporters from the major newspapers newspapers major the from Reporters
If the Howard Hughes organization organization Hughes Howard the If
"Is it possible that Colson—a bright and knowl- knowl- and bright Colson—a that possible it "Is
edgeable and disciplined man—is making one one making man—is disciplined and edgeable
of the great sacrifice plays of history?" history?" of plays sacrifice great the of
■
974 974
scenario: scenario:
sion which gives him credibility. Then Then credibility. him gives which sion he was never charged, avoiding larger larger avoiding charged, never was he
fice plays of history? Consider this this Consider history? of plays fice he pleads guilty to a crime with which which with crime a to guilty pleads he
and knowledgeable and disciplined disciplined and knowledgeable and
whether the Colson conversion is real. real. is conversion Colson the whether
man—is making one of the great sacri- great the of one making man—is
is putting out this stuff will make it it make will stuff this out putting is
credible to some. Others may ask ask may Others some. to credible
lic session. session. lic
didn't think thin worth airing in pub- in airing worth thin think didn't
and more susbtantive accusations. accusations. susbtantive more and
also looked into the charges. They They charges. the into looked also
H then confesses that the President President the that confesses then H
But the fact that a religious convert convert religious a that fact the But Is it possible that Colson—a bright bright Colson—a that possible it Is
He experiences a religious conver- religious a experiences He
ing to sell. sell. to ing
free. free.
poor, innocent, advantaged man? man? advantaged innocent, poor,
so, I think, than the one Colson is is Colson one the than think, I so,
tice, but his "better nature" prevailed. prevailed. nature" "better his but tice,
wanted to investigate these serious serious these investigate to wanted
President but by the CIA. CIA. the by but President jail for a year. 13ut his superior goes goes superior his 13ut year. a for jail
crimes and bring the criminals to -jus- to criminals the bring and crimes intelligence services. services. intelligence
He insisted on protecting his country's country's his protecting on insisted He confesses that the really serious serious really the that confesses
tive hasn't done the same? same? the done hasn't tive
'Watergate were committed not by the the by not committed were 'Watergate
made a charge against the President, President, the against charge a made believability now buttressed by having having by buttressed now believability
formation. What senator or representa- or senator What formation.
Thus he implicates the President, but but President, the implicates he Thus peached for putting out derogatory in- derogatory out putting for peached
gently. Mr. Nixon will not be im- be not will Nixon Mr. gently.
information about Daniel Ellsberg. Ellsberg. Daniel about information
crime—that of putting out derogatory derogatory out putting of crime—that
advised him to commit the lesser lesser the commit to him advised
A preposterous scenario? Not more more Not scenario? preposterous A
So what was the President to do, do, to President the was what So
Moreover, he testifies, the President President the testifies, he Moreover,
This story finished, Colson goes to to goes Colson finished, story This
And finally, the religious.convert, his his religious.convert, the finally, And
al 1974, Los Angeles Times Times Angeles Los 1974, al try-