‘Used, Abused’ House Leaders Cancel Trip to Swiss Arms Talks

House leaders, complaining that they were “used and abused” by the Administration, today denied allegations of junketeering and canceled plans to send a delegation to observe the U.S.-Soviet arms talks in Geneva.

House Democratic leader Jim Wright of Texas said the 16-member bipartisan delegation had been appointed at the Administration’s request but late last week became the target of complaints by unnamed “top Administration officials.”

“Well, they can’t have it both ways. . . . We don’t want to be used and abused at the same time,” Wright said.

Published reports quoted a senior Administration official as saying the trip “has turned into a damned circus” and said Secretary of State George P. Shultz was “furious” about the size of the delegation, including spouses, and its plans to stop in Ireland on the way back.

Two government planes were to take the delegation--which was to have numbered about 40 with spouses and staff members--to Geneva and back, at a cost to taxpayers of about $200,000.

Wright cited other charges that the House members were planning “a junket,” and would “be in the way” at the arms talks, and that U.S. officials would have to “put on a dog-and-pony show” for the delegation.

Telling reporters that the House group would stay home, Wright said, “I could not in good conscience ask my colleagues to go to Geneva at this time and suffer that kind of indignity.”

The Senate plans to send a 12-member delegation--without wives--to the talks, which begin March 12.