Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-01-16
Acheson Knows Job
From Experience
as Substitute
By Gornett D. Homer

favorite quotations is the late Justice
Holmes dictum that the mode by
which the inevitable comes to pass is
effort" That maxim is relevant in
more ways than one as Mr.. Acheson
becomes Secretary of State this week.
His previous effort" as an aide to
four SECRETARIES of State made him
logical choice for the top cabinet
post when Secretary Marshall had to
resign for reasons of health. And
the job will require plenty of further
wise effort" to make come to pass
the world peace for which he will be
striving.
Mr.. AcheSon, the fifth Secretary OF
State in five years, starts the job
with the big advantage of having
already a hard-earned understand
ing of what it's all about. He will
be picking up largely where he left
off when he returned to private law
practice IS months ago after two
years as Undersecretary on top OF
four years as an Assistant Secretary.
Helped Chart Policy
The big difference will be that he
will be acting on his own, responsible
only to the President, instead OF
assisting or pinch-hitting for some
one else. He knows what it is to
exercise the responsibilities OF Sec
rotary of State-he was Acting
Secretary for long periods when Sec
retaries Byrnes and Marshall were
away at international conferences.
Now he will have the authority as
we'll as the responsibility.
President Truman emphasized in
announcing the Acheson appoint
ment that it will not mean any
change in American foreign policy.
Mr.. Acheson helped to chart the
main course of present policy, IN
Guiding the cold war strategy IN
opposition to Russian expansionlsm'
and his views haven't changed. He
will have his own approach to spe-
cific problems, however, and may try
different ways of applying estao-
lished policy.
For an indication of how he will
his tasks, there Is the
record of his past State Department.
service and public utterances.
'Appeaser' Charge
At the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee hearing on his nomlna-
ton last week, Mr.. Acheson re-
marked that "a man is the product
of his past and read excerpts from
some of his past statements to show
his opposition to totalitarlan ag-
and his belief in the need
for a firm American foreign policy.
The committee limited Mr.. Acne
sons discussion of current foreign
relations problems to a secret SEES
sion, Chairman Connally saying 1t
would be unwice for him to state
publicly what he will do in the
future
Mr.. Acheson made his general at
titude clear in the public hearing,
by emphasizing that he
knows something of the need In
American foreign policy for steadl-
ness and continuity" and ridicullng
any idea that he would be an ap-
peaser.
The things that I read about
myself as an appeaser seem to me
so incredible that I cannot believe
that even DISTINGUISHED malevo!ence
could think them up" Mr.. Ache
son told the committee. He added
that his entire public and profess
sional record disproved an appeaser
attitude.
He also emphasized that he
would abide closely by the Presi-
dents decisions in foreign policy
matters, but that in the making of
those decisions he would consider
it his duty to give the White House
his best judgment frankly.
Expresses Himself Well
When Mr.. Acheson resigned as
Undersecretary in mid-1947. Mr.
Truman said he had demonstrated
in that job "clear-cut judgment and
incisive powers of reasoning pro
digious industry" and "a long view
and a genius for bold design"
He also became noted for his
sometimes barbed wit, robust sense
of humor, a fair for relieving ten
sion in a serious discussion with a
wisecrack and a rare ability to-
define his thoughts clearly and ex-
pound complex problems in simple
language.
Mr.. Acheson looks like the story
book diplomat - rugged 6-foot-1