News In Brief

Pentagon in campaign to help Reagan, Common Cause says

Common Cause charged Wednesday that the Pentagon may be acting improperly in a public relations campaign to polish its image. The private lobbying group released Defense Department memos and schedules outlining speeches, briefings, and press releases designed to show Reagan administration efforts to improve military procurement. Alleged cost overruns have beset the Pentagon, and Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger has recently urged the news media to tell the ''good news'' side of the story as well.

In a letter to senators, Common Cause president Fred Wertheimer said that ''the language and timing of these memos suggest that improper partisan politics was the reason for many of the proposed activities