4 Ex-Presidents Support Clinton

Four former Republican Presidents have sent a letter to President Clinton praising his efforts to help Russia and declaring their support for more aid.

“As leaders of the United States, we often . . . called for sacrifices to end the Cold War. The American people always responded,” said the letter, signed by Richard Nixon, Gerald R. Ford, Ronald Reagan and George Bush. “Now we need to make a comparatively small additional investment to win the peace.”

In an unusual twist, the joint letter was organized by a prominent Democrat--former Sen. Alan Cranston (D-Calif.), who retired at the close of the 102nd Congress after he was reprimanded by the Senate for his relationship with convicted savings and loan chief Charles H. Keating Jr.

Cranston, who is a director of the foundation set up by former Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev, said that former President Jimmy Carter, a Democrat, declined to sign because he makes a practice of not participating in joint letters.

“But the important thing was getting the Republicans, and showing that there is significant support for increased aid,” Cranston said in a telephone interview.