Evening star., 1949-11-25
Truman Urged TO Pick
1opnotch Executive
To Succeed LiIientha|
BY the Associated Press


President Truman, reportedly
still seeking a successor to Davic
E. Lilienthal as the Nation.
atomic chief. was urged by law.
makers today to choose no one
but a top-notch executive.
A high official of the Atomic
Energy Commission said he
understood that Mr.. Truman hac
not yet picked a new Acc chair.
man to replace Mr.. Lilienthal
whose resignation was announced
Wednesday.
Senator Edwin c. johnson
Democrat, of Colorado and Rep.
resentative Kilday, Democrat, o1
Texas-both members of the Sen
ate-House Atomic Energy Com
mittee-called on the President tc
exercise careful Judgment in max
ing the choice for one of the most
important jobs in the world.
Senator johnson has been
highly critical of many of Mr.
Iilienthal's policies in the past
Mr.. Kilday has been a strong de-
fender Of the controversial official
May Act Swiftly.
In accepting Mr.. Lilienthal's
resignation with reluctance ano
the upmost regret" Mr.. Truman
expressed confidence that his
atomic lieutenant would stay or
II really needed beyond the De-
cember 81 date on which he now
plans to quit.
Despite this indication that the
President might not be in hurry
to find a successor, there was
speculation that Mr.. Truman may
act swiftly in order to give the
new man plenty of time to famili-
arize himself with the complex
and secrecy y-cloaked operation be-
fore Mr.. Lilienthal steps out.
Senator johnson coupled his
call for top executive for the
$17,500-a-year job with a barbed,
indirect thrust at Mr.. Lilienthal-
= public advocate of less secrecy
IN the atomic operation.
II hope the President fills this
long-anticipated vacancy with a
hard-driving executive who will
be more interested in pushing the
development of atomic energy
than in propaganda" Senator
johnson told a reporter. He would
not elaborate.
Clearing by Committee Cited.
Mr.. Kilday sounded vastly diff
3erent note in a separate inter-
view.
"I do hope that the President
will find a qualified. competent
man to accept the position" he
said.
"Mr. Lilienthals resignation
came as quite a surprise to me.
In view Of the total support which
he received from the Atomic En-
ergy Commission and the admin
istration, I thought he would con-
tinue on.
above all his successor should
be an able administrative execu-
tive" 80. a..
Mr.. Kilday also noted that a
majority of the congressional
atomic group had cleared Mr..
Lilienthal of Incredible misman-
agement" charges made by SEN
ator Hickenlooper. Republican, Of
Iowa last May %.
!. Senator Hickenlooper, ranking
Republican member of the COM
mittee, and five other Republicans
issued a minority report criticiz-
ing the Acc for a ''leisurely" ap-
proach to pressing problems, and
"laxity" in security matters.
Mcmahon Expresses Regret.
In Des Moines, Senator Hick-
enlooper saw in the resignation
an answer to the demand that
he had made for Mr.. Lilienthals
scalp last May.
II look forward to a new stimu-
1ation in our atomic program" !"
he said in a statement.
But Senator Mcmahon, Demo-
crat, Of Connecticut, joint COM
mittee chairman, said MIR. Lilien-
thai had headed the commission
ably. an depressed regret at 'los-
ing q great public servant"
A source close to Mr.. Lilienthal
said the resigning official has
no doubt that his active interest
In public affairs and atomic poll
cies will continue.