Ego Altered

Goodwin J. ("Goody") Knight and Robert G. Alderman shared the same noble purpose in life, that of making Knight governor of California. For more than four years, they toured the state together in a breathless, exhausting effort to reach their goal. When Earl Warren moved to the Supreme Court last October, Lieutenant Governor Knight moved into the governor's office, and Executive Secretary Alderman, a onetime child actor, went right along with him. It became, in fact, a bit difficult to tell just who was occupying the governor's chair.

Alderman issued orders, screened Knight's phone calls, rode around in a state car. While Knight was out of town, Alderman fired a $10,000-a-year state employee. Another time, Knight had to tell Mrs. Alderman to "go home and tend to her business" when she informed the governor's receptionist of impending dismissal. Again without Knight's knowledge, Alderman got his own 25-year-old son put on the state payroll at $505 a month as assistant to the director of professional and vocational standards, a job for which the young man had no experience. At that point, Goody Knight decided it was time for a change in his alter ego.

Last week, with a tape recorder whirring away under his desk, Knight called Alderman on the carpet. Said Knight, later: "I told him that everything said was being recorded, and that the record would show that what he had done was not in the interests of the government.

Alderman said: 'You think I might be revengeful or bitter?' I said: 'I think you might be.' " By day's end both Alderman and his son had "resigned." Out of office, Alderman seemed more weary than vengeful or bitter. Said he of Knight: "I think he's as tired as I am, and he probably needs a rest too." Alder man said he had broken down his health in Knight's service. He complained specifically of a pain in the sacroiliac -- which was pretty much the way Goody Knight felt about him.

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