November 29, 1973

White House atty J F Buzhardt Jr testifies on Nov 28 in Fed Dist Ct that there are 'number' of blank sections lasting several mins each on subpoenaed White House tape recordings; terms this disclosure unimportant; says existence of 'spots' is not particularly 'surprising' because machinery was sound-actuated and thus could be actuated by sounds such as machine as well as by conversation; White House counsel L Garment tells Judge Sirica that existence of blank sections is 'collateral' matter and that its significance will have to be determined by technical experts; White House press office says 'spaces' described by Buzhardt are simply blank spaces rather than 'gaps' in which parts of conversations were obliterated; prosecutor R Ben-Veniste is skeptical; Buzhardt says he was told by White House technical expert H Rosenblum 'of NSA' that there was 'remote' possibility that material originally recorded on 18-min segment that was obliterated could in some way be 'brought out'; Buzhardt says he recd last Aug 13 same document that, he insists, led him to conclude on Nov 14, for 1st time, that prosecution subpoena covered tape in which 18-min gap occurs; says 'close reading' of prosecution memo describing 9 conversations specified in subpoena had led him to realize that June 20 '72 Nixon-Haldeman conversation was covered; says, in reply to question, that it is true that there are 'substantial periods lasting several mins in which meter registered no sound'

NYC Mayor-elect A D Beame on Nov 28 officially names D N Dinkins as Deputy Mayor, apptmt viewed by prominent blacks as one of most significant movements by blacks into upper echelons of munic power in city's history; Dinkins apptmt is climax of wk of fierce pol infighting and angry criticism of Beame by blacks; sources close to Beame assert that dispute caused Beame not only to give different name to Deputy Mayor position but also to reverse his earlier intention of naming Manhattan Deputy Boro Pres W A Tatum, another black, to a Deputy Mayor's post; Beame has denied that Tatum was to be named Deputy Mayor, holding only that his name was among those being considered; controversy surrounding job and man who was to get it also provided Manhattan Boro Pres P E Sutton, key Beame strategist, with his first pol test in mayoral arena; Sutton was Tatum's chief sponsor; Beame also announces on Nov 28 apptmt of J Gribetz as Deputy Mayor, instead of S Terry, his campaign mgr; Dinkins's title will be Deputy Mayor for Planning and Gribetz's Deputy Mayor for Govt Relations; Beame, speaking of Dinkins, Gribetz and J A Cavanagh, who has been designated Deputy Mayor of Operations, declares 'they are a great team'; Gribetz and Dinkins will be paid $43,255, compared with $47,000 for Cavanagh; dispute over naming of black Deputy Mayor revd; illus of Beame, Gribetz, Cavanagh and Dinkins

Mayor Lindsay orders inquiry into handling by Med Examiner's Office

NYC Environmental Protection Dept Admr J Simpson says on Nov 28 that it has received private assurances from Fed Govt that when emergency natl fuel-allocation priorities are established, NYC will be one of 1st cities to get any available low-sulphur fuels and would be one of last to be asked to burn coal for fuel; cites assurance as 1 reason for adm's refusal to change position on allowing Con Ed to burn coal in its Ravenswood and Arthur Kill generating plants, despite approval given to Con Ed plan by NYS Environmental Conservation Comr H L Diamond; says that Con Ed's figures do not justify relaxation of air pollution standards for sulphur dioxide and particulates

Museum of Modern art and striking Distributive Workers of Amer on Nov 28 agree on proposed contract to end 7-wk-old strike, which will be voted on on Nov 29; union spokesman repts that union members will not return to work if any striker is penalized for his part in walkout