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<br />.\ <br /> <br />2~ washn x x x Committee <br />and others such as Sen. E<].-nund S. Muskie. D-Maine. prospective or poten- <br />tial Democratic Presidential candidates in 1976 remains to be seen. <br />Udall warned that the Democratic controlled Congress will not wait <br />much longer for the Administration to corne up with an energy policy and <br />energy programs for the future. "If the Administration does not come <br />up with something solid that the new Congress can get behind by mid- <br />1975. several of us in Congress are going to propos1r legislative ener- <br />gy package ourselves. K he said on Nov. 18. <br />'IIORRIED <br />Industrial leaders and long-time observers here both in and out of <br />government are concerned about the lack of an energy policy. Udall said <br />former President Nixon used to send energy messages and proposed bills <br />to Congress on a "take-it-or-Ieave-it" basis. and never followed thru <br />with his proposals. <br />The report on Project Independence just released indicates that if <br />an energy policy and energy programs are to be implemented. they will <br />require some difficult trade-offs and some risky political decisions. <br />Do Ford and Morton have the rnoxcy and the intestinal fortitude to imple- <br />ment tough policies and programs? Many here doubt it. Sen. Robert <br />Dole. R-Kan.. has tagged President Ford with a "Boy Scout image" label. <br />and Morton projects a similar image. 'lhose who have known both thruout <br />their political careers give them both high marks for being thoroughly <br />decent honorable men but observe that both tend to shy away from tough <br />decisions. <br />"Morton talks a lot about biting the bullet. but he has bitton it <br />few times and then only when he has HAD to," a long-time Interior De- <br />partment careerist told Western Resources wrap-up here on Nov. 19. He <br />said lo'.orton "bit the bullet on the Alaskan pipeline and in announcing <br />DOl careerist <br />six lease sales on the Outer Continental Shelf during 1975~" nut thelll <br />could not think of another instance when Morton had taken a strong <br />stand on an energy problem during the three years that Morton has been <br />Interior Secretary. He could think of plenty where Morton took no ac- <br />tion, delayed action or made a fuzzy decision. So whether Morton will <br />be effective as the Energy COuncil Chairman in formulating and follow- <br />ing thru on energy policy and programs also remains to be seen. HCM---,;> <br /> <br />0178 <br />