Merry-Go-Round yyXPost Rumsfeld Heaclea 3 1974 For the Pentagon Jack Anderson RESIDENT FORD'S new staff chief, presided over by an Agriculture Depart- P Donald Rumsfeld, won't be around the ment official who was flown in from White House more than six months. Washington, $169 round trip. Sources in the President's confidence When the problems of poverty became say he needed someone in a hurry to re- too depressing, the welfare officials could place Alexander Haig, who had headed escape into the coral waters for "free former President Nixon's White House snorkel lessons," or on afternoon tours of staff. the Virgin Island paradise. The President, therefore, summoned The delegates came from 31 states and Rumsfeld whom he actually had in mind regions. At least 10 federal officials from to be the next Secretary of Defense. Our the Health, Education and Welfare De- sources say Mr. Ford still intends to send partment slipped down to the Virgin Is- the able Rumsfeld to preside over the lands for the conference, at a minimum Pentagon. cost to the taxpayers of $200 apiece, in- The President wanted to get rid of cluding hotel accommodations. Haig, say our sources, because he held too A spokesman for the American Public tight a rein on the White House staff, Welfare Association, which sponsored the which looked to him instead of Mr. Ford's frolic, explained to us: "We hold the con- people for their orders. ferences in a different region every year, The President's plans for Rumsfeld, of and this was the first time for the Virgin course, means Secretary o f Defense Islands." James Schlesinger will be dropped from the cabinet. This will be a victory of Sec- * * * retary of State Henry Kissinger, who has been feuding with Schlesinger over for- ARGUERITE STEED, granddaugh- eign-military policy. M ter of Representative Tom Steed, (Dem-Okla.), signed on as an interne last * * * summer in the office of House Speaker BOUT 180 welfare officials gathered Carl Albert. A on exotic Frenchman's Reef in the In the manner of young people, she Virgin Islands late last month to discuss struck up a summer romance with the the plight of the poor. Speaker's son, David. Young Albert, like Choosing from a menu "laden with a his father, is short in size. And Marguer- host of superb continental specialties," ite, like her grandfather, is a talker. they dined in lazy luxury as they talked Congressman Steed jokingly asked his about the hunger that is gaining in impov- granddaughter one day what might result erished neighborhoods. if a Steed should be crossed with an Al- One conference session, for example, bert. She retorted without hesitation: "A dealt with food stamp programs. It was long-winded midget."