A Harvard professor has turned down a position as head of the state Ethics Commission to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest. Loeb University Professor, Emeritus Archibald Cox '34 said he declined the chair of the commission because he already heads Common Cause, a citizens' lobby group headquartered in Washington.

"Common Cause often takes positions on questions that have to do with public ethics," Cox said, adding that the state post is a quasi-judicial one. Were he head both offices, it could be perceived as a conflict of interests, he said.

"I explained that I didn't think while [national chair of Common Cause, I could hold both posts] without creating at least the appearance of conflict of interest," Cox said. He added, "The question is whether there is a danger that you might not be aware of yourself."

But Cox said he has indicated he would be willing to help Gov. Michael S. Dukakis with "some of the harder questions of ethics in government."

These questions might include "what kinds of outside interest are appropriate for people in key political offices." He said he also expects to look at "persons whose activities are primarily in the private sector, who serve part-time on various public boards."

Asked whether he would be dealing with ethical issues involved in the construction of the 75 State St. office building, Cox said, "I don't know enough about it to say whether the question arises with respect to that or not," adding, "I expect to learn." That building aroused controversy because Senate President William M. Bulger (D-South Boston) may have illegally aided the project, to which his business partner was a consultant.

New Ethics Package

Dukakis is supposed to unveil a new package of ethics policies as soon as he finds a replacement for former Chair of the Ethics Commission Colin Diver. The package is expected to include an ethics hand-book, tighter restrictions on college trust funds and codes of conduct for all state agencies, The Boston Globe reported Sunday.

Cox was special prosecutor during the Watergate case but was fired by then-President Richard M. Nixon during the Saturday Night Massacre.

State Sen. Thomas P. White (D-Worcester), chair of the Senate Ethics Committee, said he had not seen the governor's package and was not told by Dukakis that Cox had refused the position.