Sen. Dan Quayle, the Republican vice-presidential candidate, might become a leader for his generation should he win after the controversy over his National Guard service, a Pennsylvania senator said yesterday.

"The first member of his generation to seek public office would have to experience difficulties," over dealing with the Vietnam War, said Sen. John Heinz, R-Pa.

Many at the time joined the guard or headed to Canada to avoid military service, he said.

"He'll be a path blazer for his generation as a whole," Heinz said. "His trials and tribulations will be a major public service."

Heinz, who was 29 when Quayle joined the Guard in 1969, described the era as a "tough, confusing period" with most potential draftees opposed to the war.

Heinz was speaking with reporters after a meeting with area and state agriculture leaders at the Rock Springs Agricultural Center on the drought and the availability of aid programs. The meeting quickly moved into a discussion of election-year issues -- Quayle's nomination as Vice President George Bush's running-mate, Bush's chances of winning the November election and Coach Joe Paterno's speech seconding Bush's nomination as the Republican presidential candidate.

Heinz called criticism of Paterno's speech "hypocrisy" and said oppo- nents would defend the rights of Harvard professors who have been speaking in favor of Michael Dukakis.

"People who work for a living have a right to speak their mind," Heinz said.

"Joe Paterno gave an effective, honest speech. I knew he was speaking from his heart," Heinz said. "The other party doesn't want people speaking from their hearts to tell the truth."

Heinz said Bush's chances of winning the election would be good this fall "if people focus on the facts." Controversy over Quayle, he said, could take attention away from Bush and make his candidacy more difficult.

The main platforms, Heinz said, should be stands on issues such as taxes, gun control and crime prevention.

Heinz said he would have favored Sen. Robert Dole for the vice-presidential nomination, but did not question Bush's choice and noted that the late John F. Kennedy spent less time in the U.S. Senate than Quayle before running for president.