Evening star., 1947-01-11
Marshall Faces Test
On Bipartisan Unity

On Bipartisan Unity
New Secretary of State Must
Meet Foreign Affairs Problem
By Jay G. Hayden
While it is true that the shift from
James F. Byrnes to Gen. George C.
Marshall In the Secretaryship of State
was in, no wise caused by differences
as to policy, this change Is not likely
to pass without repercussions at home
and abroad.
This Is so, first, because It breaks
up the American team, in the sense
both of the Byrnes-Vandenberg BIZ
partisan unity, built up through many
months of direct association, and in
the corps Of assistants Mr.. Byrnes had
collected around him.
In the latter category the men upon
whom Mr.. Byrnes leaned most heavily
are his Undersecretary Of State, Dean
Acheson. who long has been trying
to resign; and in international confer
ences. James c. Dunn, Assistant Secre-
tary of state; Charles H. Bohlen, chief
Russian expert, and Benjamin v. CoheL,
closest of all Byrnes' personal assist
ants. Mr.. Dunn recently was appointed
Ambassador to italy and Mr.. Cohen is
anxious to quit. Bernard NJ. Baruch.
chief American negotiator concerning
the atomic bomb, recently resigned.
Lieut.. Gen. Lucius D. Clay, commander
OF occupation forces in Germany. Is
peculiarly Byrnes' man. having served
under him previously as Assistant Direc-
tor of War Mobilization. Mr.. Clay also
served under Gen. Marshall and prob
ably will stick with him, If asked, but
for the most part, it appears. Gen.
Marshall will have to muster new
stan.
Riffs Threatened.
Much more serious may be Gen.
Marshalrs task of continuing bipartisan
unity. Even had Mr. Byrnes continued
as Secretary of State, serious riffs be-
tween the administration and the new
Republican Senate were threatening.
When Senator vandenberg returned
to Washington, after election, he re-
affirmed his accord with Secretary
Byrnes and promised its continuance.
but he was careful to emphasize that
this had applied so far only to the
specific peace negotiations in which he
had participated. He had not been
consulted, he said, concerning such
questions as the administration in
Argentina, the Chinese problem, or
Palestine.
Senator Vandenberg acknowledged
that, with the Republicans taking over
the Senate, he-as chairman of the For
eign Relations Committee-would be
charged with responsibility respecting
all phases of United States foreign
policy.
Recently there has been sharp criti-
cism among Senate Republicans OF
American policy in China, Palestine
and Argentina, and MIR. Vandenbers
rarely prevented the launching of
hostile Republican investigation Of the
occupation of Germany even before the
new Congress convened.
Report Faces Debate.
Gen. Marshalps report on his 13-
month mission to China is certain to
arouse hot Senate debate, and this es-
pecially since it was published on the
very day of its authors appointment as
Secretary of State. Gen. Marshall was
sent to China after Patrick j. Hurley, q
Republican appointed by President
Roosevelt had resigned his ambassador
ship with bitter blast against President
Truman for failure to carry out the
Roosevelt policy Of exclusively backing
up the government of Chang Kai-shek.
Senator Vandenberg Is to make .
speech at Cleveland tonight which.
even before the change in Secretaries
of State, had been advertised as .
comprehensive declaration of the for
eign policies he believes the Republi-
can Party should pursue.
Since Mr.. Byrnes was to speak at the
same time, the assumption had beer
that this would be chiefly a ceremony
in reaffirmation Of the Byrnes-Vanden-
berg entente but, in light of the changed
circumstances, it may take on 0 very
different character.
Mr.. Vandenberg rushed Senate con-
firmation Of the Marshall appointment
on Wednesday because, he said, it was
important to demonstrate to all the
world that the United States has .
continuing and effective bipartisan
foreign policy" He described Gen. Mar
shall as having "a stout heart, shining
integrity and rich experience" 1t does
not follow, however, that the "Byrnes-
Vandenberg" trademark will give way
to arshall-Vandenberg" without lot
of refurbishing.
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