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THE PRESIDENT HAS SEEN. DIGEST OF RECENT COMMENT (THURS. AM) January 17, 1974 TAPE/OTHER W'GATE CBS AM's Graham said evidence is circling tighter around RMW who had no personal motive to erase tape. She was not involved in W gate and is not known to take action w/out authority, but if she is being framed why doesn't she speak out ? As long as she remains silent, questions will remain a long time, says Graham. Noting FBI to begin investigation, he predicted agents will be "swarming" over the WH to collect evidence. There may be some "obscure person¹¹ that no one has questioned before and who knows something about the erasure. He noted that there was no precedent for questioning RN but does not think agents would do that. If he's questioned, it would probably be done by someone higher up. Sun suggests WH "may seek to blur its contention of sole presidential control [ of tapes] in order to widen area of suspicion on possible tamperers. 11 Van Riper and Antevil of NY News report say Jaworski's office is investigating "possible new gaps" in other tapes. Sources also said staff was "privately convinced" the 18-min gap "was done deliberately. 11 And, further they say Jaworski indicated last wkend "there may be problems" w/some tapes, although he "declined characterize their quality. 11 Who, when, and why remain unanswered questions says Trib re: tape erasure but experts made it "abundantly clear" it was no accident. This latest shock heightens doubts that tapes will con- stitute decisive evidence about W'gate. It increases Jaworski's responsibility to get the answers. Sun says "in absence of any other explanation, public at this point can only conclude that erasures were deliberate and purposeful" and the "evidence concealed" bears "upon issues of criminality and obstruction of justice. We'll undoubtedly get from WH a different explanation and yet 1 more version of what happened. It'd better be good, and it'd better come fast. And it'd come best directly from RN, W hose credibility is brought by this latest development to its lowest point, and whose fitness to be Pres is more seriously than ever in question. 11