Reuther, Pierce join forces By GORDON ATCHESON John Reuther and Dr. Edward Pierce, the top finishers in Tuesday's 2nd Con- gressional District primary, announced last night that they will campaign joint- ly against incumbent Marvin Esch (R- Ann Arbor) during the next several weeks because an anticipated election challenge could affect the outcome in their unexpectedly close race. Complete but unofficial returns show that Reuther defeated Pierce by some 70 votes. However Pierce's campaign coordinator Robert Dwyer said a re- count would be a certainty. ALTHOUGH REUTHER expressed confidence his winning margin would be upheld in a recount, Dwyer felt the outcome could easily be reversed. Fearing a loss of momentum to Esch, the two candidates decided to campaign together rather than await the results of an official vote certification - which could take up to six weeks - before be- ginning an election drive. Early yesterday, m o s t political ob- servers gave the primary to Pierce, but returns from the Monroe area came in overwhelmingly for Reuther and tipped the balance. THE RACE was declared Reuther's by a five-vote margin around noon yes- terday. A subsequent discovery of an error in a Monroe County township up- ped the Reuther edge to 69 votes. A Pierce spokesperson said, however, that the township returns may be in- valid and conceivably could be thrown out all together by the courts, which would give the doctor a winning differ- ence of less than 30 votes-if no other errors were discovered. The Monroe County Clerk said he found no irregularities with the ballots in question. "A mix-up resulted in the votes being miscounted on election night," the clerk explained. "That has been corrected and the appropriate re- sults reported." DURING THE jovial press confer- ence. both Pierce and Reuther said they. have- no idea who has actually won but after brief vacations will be ready to See REUTHER, Page 5 U.S. CONGRESSIONAL candidates John Reuther, left, and Dr. Edward Pierce pledge a united effort to defeat incumbent Marvin Esch (R-Ann Arbor) in Novem- ber. The two Democrats finished neck-and-neck in Tuesday's primary and rather than wait for an official recount they decided to begin campaigning together immediately. THE Michigan Daily Vol. LXXXIV, No. 58-S Ann Arbor, Michigan-Thursday, August 8, 1974 Ten Cents Eight Pages Rumors hint Nixon to resign this week President meets with GO! By AP and UPI WASHINGTON - President Nix- on informed Republican congres- sional leaders yesterday he was considering resigning, and it has been learned that a resignation statement is being drafted for in- tended delivery in the next few days. Buffeted by pressure to step down from office, Nixon summon- ed three top Republicans to a crisis conference yesterday afternoon and one said later that "the situa- tion will be resolved within a mat- ter of days." '"He did not give any indication one way or another of whether he is going to resign," Senate GOP Leader Hugh Scott said after join- . ing Sen. Barry Goldwater and House Republican Leader John Rhodes in the late afternoon meet- ing with Nixon. "There has been no decision made," reported Goldwater. "We made no sug- gestions." ALL THREE clearly imolied Nixon was considering resignation, -aying Nix- on stressed that any decision he mak". "will be in the national interest." The 35-minute meeting in Nixon's Oval Office came after the President had talked privately in his hideaway Execu- tive Office Building suite with his daugh- ters and sons-in-law, Julie and David Eisenhower and Tricia and Edward Cox. leaders As twilight settled on the capital, aides said Nixon and Tricia walked for a while in the White House Rose Garden, then joined Ms. Nixon and the rest of the family for a private dinner. lie also talked briefly with Secretary of State Henry Kissinger on "a foreign policy matter," a spokesperson said. Scott said Nixon made clear he wanted to assess the situation in Congress with- out considering "collateral considera- tions." The Pennsylvania senator defined these as including immunity from pos- sible legal action, his pension and staff allowances. He said the three leaders gave Nixon specific estimates of the leanings of individual members of Congress, as well as an overall assessment that he termed "gloomy." HE SAID Nixon asked, " 'Do you mean damn gloomy,' and I said, 'Yes sir.' " But Scott said Nixon"s "state of mind is that of a man who is at peace with himself." Earlier in the day, third-ranking house Republican' Rep. John Anderson of Illi- nois said he doubted there would be any presidential resignation at least for sev- eral days because "there are too many negotiations going on." ASKED TO elaborate, he said he meant discttssions on "how to make a graceftul exit." Rhodes said that "all the options" were discussed at the White House meet- irig except Nixon's possible invocation of the 25th Amendment. That amend- See NIXON, Page 5 SENATE REPUBLICAN leader Hugh Scott (R-Penn.) and Sen. Barry Goldwater (R-Ariz.) field questions from reporters after meeting with President Nixon yesterday afternoon amidst rumors that the chief executive was planning to resign.