Evening star., 1963-05-25

to face the consequences Of its
authors displeasure.
Finally, a Presidents evalua-
ton of any individuals advice
is dependent in part on the
human characteristics of both
men. Personalities play an in
tangible but surprisingly inn
portant role. Particular traits,
social ties, recreation interests
or occupational backgrounds
may strengthen or weaken the
bonds between them.
Some Presidents pay more
attention to generals, some to
businessmen, some to politi-
cans, some even to intellectuals
who have never met a pay
roll and never carried a pre-
cinct."
In truth, a political back
ground = not necessarily at
the precinct level - is helpful.
1t gives the adviser a more
realistic understanding of the
Presidents needs. Those with
out such experience will tend
to assume that the few Con-
gresSmen in touch with their
agency speak for all the Con-
gress = that one or two con-
facts at a Washington cocktail
party are an index of public
opinion - and that what looms
large in the newspaper head
lines necessarily looms large in
the public mind.
Those with a political base
Of their own are also more Sc
cure in case of attack; but
those with political ambitions
of their own - as previous
Presidents discovered may
place their own reputation and
record ahead of their Presi-
dents. (Such a man is not
necessarily suppressing his
conscience and forgetting the
national interest. He may sim
cerely believe whatever it is
most to his advantage to be-
lieve - much like the idealistic
but hungry lawyer who will
never defend a guilty man
but persuades himself that all
rich clients are innocent)
Other advisers may also be
making a record, not for some
future campaign. but for some
future publication. History
will record that / am right"
he mutters to himself, if not
to his colleagues - because he
intends to write that history
in his memoirs. The inaccuracy
of most Washington diaries
and autobiographies is sur
passed only by the immodesty
of their authors.
The opposite extreme is the
adviser who tells his President
only what he thinks the Presi-
dent wants to hear bearer
of consistently good tidings but
frequently bad advice.
No Sure Test
Yet there is no sure test of a
good adviser. The most ra-
tional, pragmatic appearing
man may turn out to be the
slave of his own private myths,
habits and emotional beliefs.
The Understanding man may
be too busy and out-of- touch
with the issue at hand, or too
weary to focus firmly on 1t. Il
saw first hand, during the long
days and nights of the Cuban
crisis, how brutally physical
and mental fatigue can numb
the good sense as well as the
senses Of normally articulate
men,
The most experienced man
may be experienced only in fail
ure, or his experience, in Cole
ridges words, may be like the
stern lights of a ship which
illumine only the track 1t has
passed" The most articulate.
authoritative man may only be
making bad advice sound good.
while driving into silence less
aggressive or more cautious
advisers.
All this a President must
weigh In hearing his advisers.
He need not weight them equ-
ally. For toward some, he will
have more respect, With some.
he will communicate easier. For
some, he will have more affec-
ton.
President Kennedy's conf
dence In the Attorney Cen
eral, for example, on a wide
variety Of issues, is based not
on fraternal ties alone but on
long years OF observing and
testing his brothers judgment
and dependability The more
active role taken by Secretary
OF Labor Goldberg also as
sumed by his successor but In
contrast with that OF his pre-
decessors resulted not from
an upgrading OF that post but
from a closer relationship with
the President.
Tomorrow: Advisers are stiII
advisers.
lCopyrisht 1888 Columbia
University Press