Evening star., 1949-03-04
For Services Rendered

After some eight turbulent years on the
Washington scene, James v. Forrestal is
bowling out as Secretary of National
Defense.
Quite sizable company has been gun
ming for him, and no doubt almost as
many will claim the privilege of dangling
his official scalp from their belts. He has
been attacked in scurrilouS fashion as q
Wall Street conspirator against the people.
Others have been sniping at him in the
hope of getting his job. zionistS have been
affronted by his adherence to policies
which he deemed essential in safeguarding
our national interests in the Middle East
Still others, not greatly interested in these
matters, have simply looked upon him as
a political liability to the administration.
How much these considerations, or any
of them, entered into Mr.. Truman's
acceptance of the long-rumored reSigna-
ton is any ones guess. In an exchange of
letters which the President said were the
truth, Mr.. Forrestals departure was put
Squarely on the basis of urgent personal
considerations" with Mr.. Truman express
ing warm praise of his services and regret
at his decision to step out. It Is not
unreasonable to believe that Mr.. Forrestal
has come to want to relinquish his official
post, in which he has been the target of
so much abuse, and 1t would not be sur
prising If he were wondering whatever
induced him to take. the office in the first
place OF him The Star will have more to
say.
AS has been expected, Louis A. Johnson
is the Presidents choice as a successor.
Now West Virginia lawyer, Mr. john
son is no stranger in Washington He
served as Assistant Secretary of War from
1887 to 1910, and became embroiled in
bitter feud with the then Secretary, Harry
Woodring Mr.. Johnson went out when
President Roosevelt named Henry L. Stim-
son as the new Secretary of War, and the
latter expressed a desire to have Judge
Patterson as his assistant.
In the succeeding eight years, except for
a brief mission to India, Mr.. Johnson did
not figure prominently in national affairs.
But he came back with rush last year
when he accepted the seemingly futurelesS
Job of raising funds for Mr. Truman's cam
paign.
That was in the period when many of
the party faithful we're looking for greener
pastures, convinced that the President was
through. But Mr.. johnson tackled the
assignment he was asked to take, and he
delivered the goods Mr. Truman has pub
licly acknowledged his obligation and there
is no reason to doubt that the selection of
Mr.. Johnson to head up the defense estab-
liShment is a form of political reward for
services rendered.
A more important question, however, is
whether he is qualified by other than po-
litical considerations for this vital post.
This is not a question that can be an
swered in advance, and those who have
doubts might be we'll advised to reserve
judgment.
There are some things that can be said
with assurance. One is that Mr.. Johnson
played a leading part in arousing this
country to the danger of war a decade
ago. While others in high places were
lulling themselves with their own assur-
ances that there would be no war he was
convinced to the contrary, and was doing
his best to get an industrial mobilization
program under way. Incidentally, he was
vigorous dissenter from the school which
claimed industrialists were profiteering
from the preparedness program. Perhaps
there is room for argument as to the ade-
quacy of his industrial and military rec
concentrations. But nobody can accuse
him of being blind to the threat to this
country or hesitant in trying to get ready
to meet it.
Nor is there any indication that he is
less alert to the danger today. In 1e47 he
appeared before a Senate committee and
said that another war may bring fifty
Hiroshimas" in the United States And
the best security against this he said, is
to be so strong that no nation will dare
attack US.
Thus, while there may be reason to re-
gret the political aspects of the appoint
ment, the chances are that Mr.. Johnson
will be a determined Senergetic and hard
boiled Secretary of National Defense The
critics should give him chance to show
what he can do.