February 18, 1974

WASHINGTON, Feb. 17—Secret Service agents will no longer protect former Vice President Spiro T. Agnew, the Treasury Department announced tonight.

Pres atty James D St Clair says in statement that White House-sponsored tech rev refutes repts that 2 subpoenaed tape recordings are not authentic; calls 'utterly false' Washington Post rept of so-called 're-recordings' of 2 tapes (out of 9 originally subpoenaed by former Watergate prosecutor Archibald Cox); says 1 member of panel of tech experts who examined tape expressed opinion that '2 of Pres's tapes could be re-recordings'; says based on that 'opinion," wholly independent tech investigation has been made the results of which are being made available to panel of experts; says his 'tech investigation' also studied 18 1/2-min buzzng sound on June 20 '72 recording of Nixon-Haldeman conversation; says White House-sponsored 'tech investigation' shows erasure marks 'could well have been and probably were caused by admittedly defective recording machine' on desk of Nixon's sec Rose Mary Woods; attacks 'inaccuracy and innuendo' in press; says he plans to ask for investigation by Justice Dept into 'person or persons who may have violated legal restraints in referring to matters within purview of grand jury'; Washington Post repts Alexander M Haig Jr knew substance of Post article as it was run; Haig last night called White House atty J Fred Buzhardt Jr and St Clair to Pres compound at Key Biscayne, Fla, for conf on argument with Post; source says panel's preliminary results are less definitive than Post reptd (L)

Nixon Adm strategists say that if Cong passes emergency energy bill, Pres will veto it because he feels that its provision for rollback of crude oil prices is inflexible; say that energy chief W E Simon would order price rollback for crude oil, which has been selling for up to $10.35 a bbl, from new wells in effort to sustain veto; strategists say that at same time Simon would try to put indirect price ceiling on 'stripper' wells, those that produce less than 10 bbls a day; say that they lack votes to order bill back to conf with HR for 3d time; Sen Jackson sees close vote because of 'unbelievable lobbying effort' by oil indus; deputy energy chief John C Sawhill sees gasoline shortage eased in wk, int on ABC TV program Issues and Answers; says that he will announce gasoline 'reallocations' this wk to put more fuel in states where shortage is most acute; Gulf Oil pres Z D Bonner predicts shortages may be worse by Apr, int on CBS TV program Face the Nation; raises possibility that extra penny a gal that Sawhill authorized on Feb 16 for some service stations may lead to abuses; sees no way for Fed Energy Office to police stations; Adm strategy on veto reptdly worked out by Nixon and Simon at White House meeting on Feb 13; sources close to Simon say that Nixon praised and encouraged him at meeting; controversy over energy bill discussed (L)

few gasoline stations in NY met area open on Feb 17 on eve of Washington's Birthday holiday; about half expected to open on Feb 18; subways and buses filled with wk-end half-fare plan in effect; NYS Legis expected to act this wk on Gov Wilson's request for emergency powers to deal with shortage; voluntary gasoline sales system goes into effect on Feb 18 under which dealers are asked not to service cars whose tanks are more than 1/2 full (M)