White Would Quit If Enron Intrudes

WASHINGTON — Army Secretary Thomas E. White said Wednesday he would resign if the investigation into the bankruptcy of his former employer, Enron Corp., distracts him too much from his military duties.

“I thought I could do something good for soldiers and their families,” White said in an interview. “That is my focus. If I ever get to a point where that’s no longer possible, it doesn’t make any sense to stay when somebody else could do a better job.”

White said he would resign if the Enron investigation took too much of his time, or if he felt his role in the matter had caused troops to lose confidence in his leadership.