The Wilmington morning star., 1947-04-11
Soft Answers
BY NEAL STANFORD

When Congress dropped Ill questions about
the Greek-Turkish aid program on the State
Departments doorstep, with an R.S.V.P. at
tached. it looked as if Acting Secretary of
State Dean Acheson was on the proverbial
spot.
The questions had TO be answered., for Con-
gressional approval of the project hinged on
the cooperation and confidence shown the
legislative branch of the Government by the
Executive. Also. many of the questions need
ed answering, for while committee hearings
had brought out much testimony there were
still angles of the program needing clarifica-
ton.
But, as it quickly became obvious to De-
partment officials, some of the queries were
of such an u~ndiplomatic character that a dip
lomatic answer was impossible. There were
a few of that loaded variety, when did you
stop beating your wife," And there were, of
course. innumerable variations Of versions of
the same question.
The Department manfully, however, tried
to answer all, turning aside the few it believ-
ed mot in the interest of the United States"
to discuss publicly, but at considerable length
going into others it believed the public was
inadequately or incorrectly advised On.
Mr.. Acheson and his aides were acutely
aware all the time they penned the replies
that what they could correctly and legitimate
ly say as individuals might be undiplomatic
and dangerous for them to say as officials.
That is a distinction that counts heavily with
those having responsibility in Washington, but
generally ignored by those on the sidelines.
Even congressman forget that they can get
away with statements and assertions that said
nv a member 0f the executive branch Of the
Government would cause an immediate inter-
national incident.
On one angle of the debate over Greek
and Turkish aid, namely, the democratic char
acter of the regimes in those Two countries,
HE replies were more specific than anything
yet said or printed officially. There has been
both public and Congressional as well as
Executive - concern over the character of
the governments in Greece and Turkey. There
have been nnumerable charges that they
were as totalitarian Though fascist as any
communist state.
The Departments answer 10 these charges
is not that everything is white as regards
these regimes in Turkey and Greece, but
that it is not completely black in other
words the germ of democracy Is at least
present there, which is not in completely
totalitarian states. Further, the Department
says. Both countries are progressing along
the road to democracy" There are undoubted-
ly those who would violently disagree with
this Interpretation, but that is because, in
the Departments view, they are 50 busy de-
ploring the absence of full-blown democracy
in those two countries they ignore the vital
fact that at least the seeds Of democracy are
present.
Tie essential democracy of these two gov
says the State Department, lis,
it is believed, demonstrated by the fact that
in both countries substantial opposition parties
are not only legal but are carrying on an en-
ergetlc campaign of criticism" One may dis
pute the significance OF that fact, but the De-
partment insists doggedly that is the fact.
The Department also points out that in both
there is an opposition press, some
thing one does not associate with relationships
and totalitarian regimes, at least Of the pres
ent-day variety. 1t also says, of Greece, it is
the only Balkan country which has thus far
been successful in maintaining a democratic
form of government" 1t deplores along with
the general public that there is not more
substance of democratic government in evil
dence. but it welcomes the fact that the form
at least is there. The Department, it is con-
tinually emphasized, would be the last to say
that Greece is a smooth-running Democracy,
bu. i. does insist the democratic form Of gov
eminent is present. AS it says in reply to an
other of the Ill questions: "Greece's prob
lens do not arise from lack of constitutional
guarantees of political freedom. but from dis
turbed conditions which impede the operation
# constitutional government"
There were less than half a dozen questions
the Department had to turn aside as beyond
the bounds Of diplomatic etiquette. One was a
request for the Department to speculate on
Soviet Russia's military strength and the pos
sibility of war. That was sidetracked by:
Public expressions Of opinion by the EXecu-
tive branch of the Government on the mill
tary strength and effectiveness of a foreign
power as against the United States would not
be in the public interest," Another asked
for frank comment On Russia's con-
troll Of Eastern Europe. That was avoided
by the diplomatic reply: 1.-The Department
does not believe it appropriate to accept the
invitation offered by the question to comment
on the activities Of the U.S.S.R. in Eastern
Europe" These are hard questions turned
aside with the soft answer.-Christisn Science
Monitor.