Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-10-06


October and November, the situa-
ton shifted. Mr.. Khrushchev had
suffered an unprecedented defeat
which presumably wiped out In
his mind the Kennedy administra-
tons mishandling Of the earlier
Bay of Pigs crisis. Mr.. Khru-
shchev's Cuban setback also
sharpened his leadership dispute
with Red China. That rift was
made worse by Red China's border
war with India, which Mr.. Khru-
shcheV opposed.
Chonges in the World
These developments led Mr..
Rusk, though well aware Of riffs
on the Western side also, to begin
TO talk guardedly about the pos
sibility of great changes in the
world. He seems In fact to have
moderated the rate of breakdown
in the Soviet Chinese bloc but it
was in that quarter that he looked
for change. He thought and thinks
that the Western allies, in spite
of their constant quarrels, re-
main committed to their alliance.
The renewed search for openings
tc deal with Russia, in which Mr..
RuSk played a leading role along
side Mr.. Kennedy. led finally to
the conclusion of the limited nu-
clear test ban treaty in July. That
first step" has produced in turn
the latest round of Rusk- Gromyko
talks this fall on other possible
accords to lower the risks Of war
and slow the arms race.
In these events, Mr.. Rusk has
shown himself to be q better
diplomat and policy planner than
publicist. He Is credited by aides
with masterminding the numerous
moves to get the test ban pact.
But the actual negotiating at
Moscow was handled by Under
secretary of State w. Averel Har-
riman who had not previously
been involved in disarmament ne
gotiations.
Mr.. Rusk's friends in the ad-
ministration were upset by his de-
liberate self-denying failure to
take credit for anything. So Mr..
Hartman was instructed only to
initial the treaty; and Mr.. Ken
nedy sent Mr.. Rusk to Moscow
to sign it. He also had to sound
out Premier Khrushchev's views
on possible next steps toward bet
ter East-West relations.
But Mr.. Rusk has no real talent
for personal publicity. He turned
in his usual bland performance.
In exploring Mr.. KhruShchev's
views, his mission was a diplo-
matte success, but it left his pub
lie image about as hazy and re-
mote as ever.
As q Politician
To most observers, Mr.. Rusk is
an enigma. He lacks the politician
instinct for turning events to his
own advantage.
While he has made many
speeches and given many tele-
vision interviews, he does not en-
Joy news conferences and has
held only 81 since he took office.
His attitude seems to be due both
to his shyness and to q lack Of
confidence in his own ability to
field questions from all corners.
This is an unnecessary self-doubt
because he is fast, competent and
colorful when he lets himself go.
Mr.. Rusk has a strong instinct
for secrecy. He told the press re-
assuringly in February, 1861, that
"our democracy works best when
its leaders are candid" But about
the same time he laid down the
modifying view that the value Of
the diplomatic channel depends on
its privacy"
These two views are in conflict,
and the problem of q Secretary
Of State is to balance them off.
Mr.. Rusk prefers to discuss cur
rent issues only in very general
terms. He thereby preserves diplo-
matte privacy and diScourages
public controversy. He also there
by pulls himself away from the
spotlight of public interest. That
contributes to the mystery that
has grown up about him.
Mr.. Rusk simply does not re-
gard his main job as being to
help lead the Nation in foreign
policy debate. He sees his job as
being primarily to work behind
the scenes of Government and
"clear away the underbrush" for
presidential policy decisions. The
rest is up to the President. In
this, Mr.. Rusk has often been
compared unfavorably with
standout Secretaries Of State like
Dean Acheson or the late John
Foster Dulles who actually made
foreign policy, subject to presi-
Dental approval. In the Kennedy