More than 500 people jammed into Science Center C 'last night to watch Jimmy Carter and President Ford debate foreign policy and for the first time trade sharply worded attacks on each other's records and positions.

Carter accused Ford early in the debate of deliberately distorting the Georgian's positions on defense budget cuts, and of using the defense budget itself as "a political football."

Ford likewise accused Carter of "talking in broad generalities," answered attacks on the Republican administration's foreign policy by saying that the United States was now the world's "strongest nation," and termed himself the "leader of the free world."

Carter attacked Ford's reliance on Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger '50, saying that "as far as foreign policy is concerned, Kissinger is the president."

The "Most Moral"

Carter began a discussion of "morality" by saying the secrecy involved in foreign policy decisions has kept the "character of the American people" from being expressed in foreign policy.

Ford countered by saying that his policies are the "most moral" and that American policies of providing food to underdeveloped nations "could not be more moral."

Carter said that the United States should no longer be known as the "arms merchant of the world."

Twice during the debate, Carter included Watergate in his catalogue of Republican foreign policy "failures," although he has said repeatedly that Watergate should not be an issue in the campaign.

Ford criticized the General Accounting Office (GAO) for releasing a report Tuesday that was critical of his handling of the "Mayaguez" crisis last year.

Grandstanding

Ford called the report an example of "grandstand quarterbacking" on the part of the GAO. Carter, in response, did not criticize Ford's role in the crisis, but said Ford should have released information contained in the GAO report earlier.

After Carter attacked Ford for not taking initiatives against the Arab boycott of American firms that trade with Israel or that have Jewish ownership, Ford said the Commerce department will release tomorrow the names of firms that have complied with the terms of the boycott.

Ford said he had taken the first presidential action since 1952 against the boycott, but Carter said Ford has blocked any Congressional action against the boycott.

The Campaign for a Democratic Foreign Policy sponsored the Science Center showing of the debate. Although there was no admission charge, buckets for contributions were passed through the audience before the debate began.