Evening star., 1949-07-17


continent through the Chinese
puppets. were the guiding e1e-
ments in the State Departments
view.
In cross-examination of Mr..
Acheson on a number of occa-
sions in executive sessions in both
houses he completely Endorsed the
policy of leaving the Nationalist
regime to it's fate. In this the
Senators disagreed heartily. But
he could not be budged.
About Face With Spain
A situation as bad as that with
respect to China has arisen in re-
gard to Spain.
Chairman Connally of the Sem
ate Foreign Relations Committee
in November. 1916. introduced in
the United Nations Assembly the
resolution which led to the diplo-
matte boycott of the Franco
regime as a gesture of protest
against his continuance in Office.
This resolution actually was in
itiated by the United States in
order to forestall more drastic
reprisals demanded by the Soviet
Union and its satellites.
AS things developed this aca-
demlc protest actually strengthen
ed rather than weakened Frances
position with his own people. Since
then the political situation in
Europe has become so bad that
we have been compelled to re-
assure the Western part of the
continent against a Soviet on
slaught by signing the North
Atlantic pact.
Under these conditions it be-
came obvious to number of
Senators-both Democrats and
Republicans-that the time for
empty gestures was over and that
we had better resume normal
diplomatic relations with the
Spanish government,
In this matter President Tru-
man. as we'll as Gen. Marshall,
fully shared the point of view Of
large number of Senators, In
cluding such important person.
ages as Senator Vandenberg.
Last December it looked like
this government was determined
| to put an end to a situation which
served only the extreme leftists In
Europe, and President Truman
actually chose his Ambassador to
Madrid in the person of his chief
of staff, Admiral William D.
ILeahy.
Acheson Baked
The Senate had been apprised
Of the Presidents decision in the
matter and it looked as If at least
one troublesome problem, which
resulted from the Potsdam Con-
ference. was on the way to being
solved.
To the great surprise of the
Senators. including Chairman
Connally Of the Foreign Relations
Committee. who agreed heartily
with this solution of the problem,
Mr.. Acheson was contrary minded
and instructed the American dele
gates in the Assembly to abstain
from voting on the Brazilian reso-
luton, which obtained a majority
but not the two-thirds required.
When members of the Senate
inquired about this change Of
mind. the State Department ex-
planned volubly that while it saw
the strategic advantages of nor
NAL diplomatic and economic re-
lations with Spain. we could not
change our attitude. since that
might lead to the overthrow Of
the French and Italian govern
ments by the Socialists, who hated
Franco.
The arguments by some legis-
lators that the State Department
could take a more positive atti-
tude in these matters. since the
Western democratic governments
in Europe exist today because Of
the generous assistance Of the
American taxpayer, fell on deaf
ears. Some officials in the State
Department actually limited that
such an action on our part might
kill any possibility of rapproche-
ment with Russia. Others said 1t
would be fatal blow to the Mar
shall Plan and to all other devices
to save Europe from communism
if the Italian. French or British
governments collapsed under the
pressure of leftist factions. No
such cataclysm was foreseen. Of
course. if the French. following
their time -honored custom, were
to overthrow their government for
other reasons.
Inconsistency Cited
Mr.. Acheson made his position
clear in a statement to the press
two months ago. He insisted that
unless some major changes occur
in the domestic setup in Spain
such as the introduction Of the
right of habeas corpus, which, in
cidentally exists nowhere In con-
tinenta1 Europe-we cannot con-
slider resuming normal relations
with Spain.
He gave no answer when ques-
toned whether American di-
plomacy now considers domestic
issues a condition for formal re-
lations. If this now were the
policy of the United States. we
should have to withdraw ambas-
sadors not only from the satellite
states but also from Moscow. +
This inconsistency on the part
of the Secretary of State is at
the bottom of the present rift
between Congress and the State
Department. There are also off,
the-record complaints from both
sides that the other wishes to
dictate. Members of Congress
consider Mr.. Acheson's actions