Joseph Kraft Kenneth Rush's Formidable Assignment The White House is such a small (k4' dAiq Rush, moreover, does not regard the place that the addition of any large economic policy role narrowly. At his State Department office the other figure to the •,staff can make a big "If Rush is tough enough, if he is enough of an day, he pointed out that governments difference. That is preeminently the • all over the democratic world—in Brit- case with Kenneth Rush, the former ain, France, Germany, Scandinavia and undersecretary of state who was sworn activist, he could change the one at the White ; Japan—have been getting weaker. He in the other day as counselor to the said that "the main cause seems to be President on economic policy. House—and not for the worse.", Inflation." For by temperament and experience The, big question is Rush's relations Mr. Rush is the polar opposite of the with the President. He expects to have men who now dominate the White "ready access to the President at all House staff. So if he is tough enough, times." He has talked this matter over if he is enough of an activist, he could how to handle Watergate: "Contrition orny,"! one government official cracked with Mr. Nixon and with Gen. Haig. change the tone at 1600 Pennsylvania is bull." the other. day, "then Rush is the right "There was never a question that it Avenue—and not for the worse. Rush, by contrast, has a very broad economic coordinator." would be any other way," he says. At present the dominant figures on background—lawyer, law professor (at . - In fact there are some things Rush If that understanding prevails, Rush the staff are Gen. Alexander Haig, Mr. Duke) and corporate executive can, and probably will, do in the eco- could make a big difference. He could Nixon's chief of staff, and Ron Ziegler, (president of Union Carbide) before nomic field. He fully intends to hush ease the tension at the White House, the spokesman who has been promoted becoming ambassador to Germany and up the war of words now being waged and break the circle of isolation. Only to presidential assistant. Both have a deputy secretary of Defense in the first by Roy Ash, the director of the Office to do it. he will have to make the most narrow base of professional experience Nixon administration. He is soft-spo- of Management and Budget, and Wil- ' of his character. He will have to be an --Haig as a career army officer, Zieg- ken and courteous, and he prefers to liam Simon, the Secretary .; of the activist, trading on his friendship with ler as an advertising man. proceed by conciliation rather than Treasury. - the President to insert himself into Both made their big jumps in life by conflict. In a chat, the other day, he EMr. Nixon's office for frequent chats. called the present atmosphere of con- The signs are that Rush is going to He will have to be prepared to serve as showing their ability to take it. Haig stand up against the wild, demagogic was a punching bag for Henry Kis- frontation at the White House "most an usher from time to time—bringing singer whom he served in-.the White unfortunate." 'attacks Which Secretary Simon—in the outsiders in to see the President, de- House, and Ziegler was a punching bag To be sure, the title of the White hame of fighting inflation— has been spite the objections bound to .come for the press during the period he was House job Suggests that Rush has a making on the federal budget. One from the present palace guard. the President's daily spokesman. Un- narrowly focused responsibility. Smart certain change is that Rush will now It is a formidable assignment, and questioning personal loyalty to their alecks who take titles (and them- • chair, and hold in his own office, the no one can be optimistic that Rush will particular boss—and a disposition to- selves) seriously are already 'bad- daily morning meetings of the eco- succeed. If he did, a thoroughly decent ward confrontation when he is in trou- mouthing him because of his lack of nomic policymakers which Mr. Simon man would have penetrated the inner ble—comes naturally to both men. training as a professional economist. has been chairing since the departure sanctum of the Nixon White House Haig could easily have uttered the re- "If you've already decided there's'noth- of George Shultz as economic coordi- and all of us would be better off. mark made by Ziegler in discussing ing that can be done about the econ- nator. 1974, Pied Enterprises, Ina. .