N016  0954  09 Nov 74
   1ST ADD RESTON (COLUMN), WASHN. X X X WAYS.
 
   THERE IS  NO  ORDER OR LOGIC TO HIS APPEALING CANDOR.  HE IS
NATURAL AND SPONTANEOUS.  ONE DAY HE GIVES AN ON-THE-RECORD
INTERVIEW TO THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ON HIS PLANE.  NEXT DAY, HE
AGREES TO DO A HUNDRED-DAYS INTERVIEW WITH HARRY REASONER FOR
A.B.C., OR TALK ON THE RECORD WITH U.P.I. OR SOMEBODY ELSE.
   BUT FOR EVERYBODY HE SEES AND MAKES HAPPY BY TALKING FRANKLY,
HE INFURIATES, IN THIS SAVAGELY COMPETITIVE NEWS BUSINESS,
 
 
A.B.C., OR TALK ON THE RECORD WITH U.P.I. OR SOMEBODY ELSE.
   BUT FOR EVERYBODY HE SEES AND MAKES HAPPY BY TALKING FRANKLY,
HE INFURIATES, IN THIS SAVAGELY COMPETITIVE NEWS BUSINESS, ALL THE
OTHER PEOPLE WHO WERE LEFT OUT.  BUT THIS DOESN'T SEEM TO WORRY
HIM.  AFTER 25 YEARS ON CAPITOL HILL, HE JUST KEEPS ON DOING WHAT
COMES NATURALLY, AND ACCEPTS THE CONSEQUENCES.
      THE CONSEQUENCES OF HIS OPEN CANDOR, HOWEVER, ARE MIXED.
EVERYBODY WHO MEETS HIM LIKES HIM PERSONALLY, BUT MANY WONDER ABOUT
HIS POLICIES.  HE DEFENDS EVERYTHING HE HAS DONE:  HIS ECONOMIC
POLICY, HIS PARDON OF NIXON, HIS AGGRESSIVE CAMPAIGNING IN THE
ELECTION, HIS SUPPORT OF THE OLD NIXON CABINET ETC.
   MAYBE, HE SAYS, HE COULD HAVE "SOLD" HIS ECONOMIC PROGRAM 
BETTER, BUT THE DEMOCRATS HAVE  NOT  COME UP WITH A REASONABLE
ALTERNATIVE.  MAYBE HE ADDS, THE REPUBLICANS LOST THE ELECTION,
BUT NOW THE DEMOCRATS HAVE TO STEP OUT FRONT AND TAKE EQUAL
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS.  MAYBE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
ARE EATING TOO MUCH AND OUGHT TO SHARE THEIR FOOD WITH THE HUNGRY
PEOPLES OF THE WORLD, BUT WHY DO THE NATIONS AT THE ROME FOOD
CONFERENCE CONDEMN THE UNITED STATES FOR BEING GREEDY WHEN THEY
DIDN'T CONDEMN THE OIL PRODUCING COUNTRIES FOR GOUGING THE WORLD?
   WITH HIS CANDOR, FORD GIVES THE IMPRESSION THAT THE RECESSION,
THE INFLATION, THE PROBLEMS OF THE WESTERN WORLD, THE DESPARATION
OF THE HUNGRY WORLD, THE STRUGGLES OF THE MIDDLE EAST, AND THE
NEGOTIATIONS OVER ATOMIC ARMS, TRADE, FOOD, AND THE PRICES OF RAW
MATERIALS ARE AWKWARD BUT TEMPORARY DILEMMAS THAT COULD BE SOLVED
WITH PATIENCE AND COMMON SENSE.
   AND MAYBE THIS IS HIS PROBLEM.  NOT  SINCE IKE
HAVE WE HAD A MORE DECENT MAN IN THE WHITE HOUSE, OR ANYBODY SO
OPEN AND RELAXED.  BUT BY HIS CANDOR, HE GIVES THE IMPRESSION
THAT WE ARE  NOT  LIVING IN A REVOLUTIONARY AGE, AND DON'T HAVE
TO MAKE FUNDAMENTAL CHANGES IN THE LIVES OF FAMILIES AND NATIONS,
BUT THAT WE MUST MERELY BE PATIENT AND SENSIBLE AND ALL WILL GO
BACK TO THE OLD AFFLUENT DAYS AND BE WELL IN THE END.
   IT IS A LOVELY DREAM, AND HE IS AN HONEST DECENT AND REFRESHING
MAN, BUT WASHINGTON WONDERS.  NIXON CONCEALED THE PROBLEMS OF THE
MODERN WORLD, AND PRETENDED HE COULD DEAL WITH THEM.  FORD DOES
NOT  CONCEAL THE PROBLEMS BUT EXPOSES THEM, AND ALSO EXPOSES
HIMSELF, WITH THE UTTERMOST CANDOR.  BUT HE SUGGESTS  NO  ANSWERS,
AND EVEN THOSE WHO WISH HIM WELL, ARE TROUBLED BY HIS LIMITED
VISION OF HIS PROBLEMS.
F/JB1254PES  MOVED NOV. 9
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