Evening star., 1949-01-13
Acheson Says He and A|ger Hiss
Remain Friends; ;Stettinius Gives
Strong Endorsement to Nominee
Senators Hear Two
Witnesses, Then Go
Into Closed Session

Dean AcheSon, nominee for
Secretary of State, testified to-
day that he and Alger Hiss are
friends "and we remain friends. !"
Chairman Connally of the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee quickly
led a hearing on the nomination
into the question of Mr.. Acheson's
relations with Mr.. Hiss, his former
subordinate in the State Depart
ment.
Mr.. Hiss Is under perjury indict-
ment IN connection with his denial
that he ever gave any secret State
Department information to Whit
taker Chambers, who has admitted
he served as a Communist courier.
Praises Donald Hiss Work.
Mr.. Acheson told the committee
that Donald Hiss, brother of Alger,
served as Mr.. Acheson's assistant
when the latter was Assistant Secre-
tary Of State. He said Donald Hiss
served me and the country with
complete fidelity and loyalty"
AN 4AS44A4A4CC Co4O <11SC1 111SS WdS
employed in other departments and
did not report directly to him until
Mr.. Acheson became Undersecre-
tary of State in 1916. Mr.. Hiss
headed the division which handled
relations with the United Nations
Observing that my friendship is
not given easily and it is not easily
withdrawn" Mr.. Acheson declared
solemnly:
"Alger Hiss and I became friends
and we remain friends"
Stettinius Indorses Acheson.
Edward R. Stettinius, jr., former
Secretary of State, took the stand
later and gave Mr.. Acheson strong
Endorsement.
He is uniquely qualified for this
post from the standpoint of natural
endowment, age, temperament and
capacity, and his intimacy and ia
miliarity with foreign affairs as q
result of his long experience with
such statesmen as Cordell Hull,
James ByrneS and George Mar
SHALL" Mr.. Stettinius told the COM
mittee
AS Mr.. Acheson left the stand
Chairman Connally asked him to
remain available in case the COM
mittee wanted to hear him further
in closed session.
Following the Endorsement by Mr.
Stettinius the committee went into
closed session, presumably to decide
whether it wishes to call any more
witnesses.
Polish Loan Brought Up.
Before the questioning turned to
Alger Hiss, Mr. Acheson denied
his law firm had any influence in
the State Departments approval of
a s90,000,0O0 loan to the Com
munist controlled Polish govern
ment in 1916.
At the time the loan was ap-
proved, Mr.. Acheson was Acting Sec
retary of State. The law firm of
which he formerly was and now is
a member was representing the
Polish Supply Mission.
Mr.. Acheson said he resigned from
the f1rm-Covington Burling, Rub
lee. Acheson and Shorb-when he
first went into Government service
in 1e41.
Reads Part Of Berle Testimony.
Mr.. Acheson read portions of the
testimony given by Adolf Berle. for
mer Assistant Secretary of State,
before the House Un-American Ac-
tivities Committee. Mr.. Berle testi-
fled then that Alger Hiss was Mr..
Achesons executive assistant.
Mr.. Acheson said Mr.. Berle's
memory was wrong. He went on to
outline his association with Alger's
brother Donald, who was his execu-
tive assistant for several years.
Mr.. Acheson also told of going to
Mr.. Berle's Office to discuss the Hiss
brothers. He said Mr.. Berle told
him of information that one of the
Hiss brothers had associations"
which would make his presence in
Mr.. Acheson's Office embarrassing to
the department.
Mr.. Acheson Said he asked Mr..
Berle which one of the Hiss brothers
he referred to. He said Mr.. Berle
told him he could not say. Neither,
Mr.. Acheson said,. would Mr.. Berle
tell him the source of his informa-
tion "for security reasons"
Mr.. Acheson said he told Mr.
Berle he would speak to Donald
Hiss about the matter, but on the
basis of the vague" and unsup-
ported information Mr.. Berle had
given him, he had no intention of
dismissing Mr.. Hiss.
He said he questioned Donald Hiss
and that the latter told him he had
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