Agnew to Resign if Nixon Implicated

WASHINGTON--Vice President Spiro T. Agnew yesterday said he would resign from the Nixon Administration if evidence surfaced which proves President Nixon played a role in the Watergate affair that goes "against my conscience."

But the Vice President reaffirmed his belief that Nixon was neither involved in nor had prior knowledge of the attempted acts of political espionage at Democratic National Headquarters here last June.

He said also that he would never use the vice presidency as a "pulpit" from which to condemn the administration.

Divorce Himself from Scandal

Agnew's surprise statement, which came during a question-answer period with members of the Harvard Republican Club, followed reports that Agnew's aides had told the Vice President to divorce himself from the bugging scandal.

The aides told Agnew that his connection with the Nixon Administration and the Watergate affair could severely hamper his 1976 presidential hopes.

Agnew said yesterday he has not yet decided whether to run in 1976 and that he would withdraw from consideration if a strong Republican candidate were to emerge. He added he would not run as the vice-presidential candidate on a Republican ticket.

Until yesterday Agnew had made no public statement regarding his reaction to the Watergate break-in or the alleged attempts to cover up the bugging incident.

Throughout the hour-long session the Vice President continually asserted his confidence in and support of Nixon.

No Specific Action

Agnew refused to specify what action he would take if Nixon is shown to have had prior knowledge of the bugging. he said his decision would depend on whether the President has approved or vetoed the espionage attempts.

The Vice President decried what he termed irresponsible reporting of the Watergate affair by the news media. He said that the publication of "hearsay" has served to damage the reputations of those unjustly accused and to weaken the government's ability to prosecute and convict the guilty.

He said that persons whom a reporter publicly accuses of a crime, solely on the basis of undisclosed sources, should have the right to sue in court for disclosure of those sources.

The underlying principle, the Vice President said, is the right of the accused to confront their accusors.

Agnew said that it is still too early to evaluate the political effects of the Watergate scandal. If there are investigations and legal actions in progress at the time of the 1974 elections the Republican Party could be seriously affected, he added.