Evening star., 1949-05-23
Worlds Leaders PAY
Tribute 10 ForrestaI
As SeIfIess Servant

Statesmen and military leaders
here and abroad paid tribute today
to James v. Forrestal, a man
deeply respected as an able and
selfless public servant.
President Truman, who first
heard the news over a radio broad
cast. said he was "inexpressibly
shocked and grieved" by the death
Of the former defense secretary.
This able and public servant
was as truly a casualty of the war
as If he had died on the firing
line" said Mr.. Truman.
Other tributes came from Mr..
Forrestal's successor, Louis john
son; Gen. Eisenhower. who was
closely associated with him as
Army Chief Of Staff and as tenn
porary chairman Of the Joint
Chiefs Of staff; former President
Herbert Hoover. Secretary OF
State Dean Acheson and British
Defense Secretary A. v. Alexan-
der.
Johnson Deeply Touched.
Mr.. johnson said. The shock
Of Mr.. Forrestals death touches
me deeply
Gen. Eisenhower, now president
of Columbia University, said the
Nation has lost citizen OF
heroic mold. In combat and
in administrative positions Of
challenging responsibility. he ded-
icated all his strength and all his
talents to our country. Un-
der the heaviest drains on mind
and body he strove only to fulfill
his obligations as citizen"
Mr.. Hoover described Mr.. For
restal as a great public servant"
and said he died in reality from
complete exhaustion Of nine years
of labor in war and peace" The
former President had been asso-
ciated with the defense chief on
the Commission for Governmental
Reorganization in recent months.
Mr.. Forrestal was member OF
that group.
AchesOn Issues Statement.
Mr.. Acheson, now in Paris for
the foreign ministers conference,
issued this statement:
The death of the former
Secretary of Defense was heavy
shock to me and to the other
members of the delegation.
We knew the weight of the
responsibility he had carried and
the steady self-reliance he had
contributed to his Government
throughout the war years and
the difflcult years that follow ed. "
In London, Mr.. Alexander said
Mr.. Forrestal was "a great servant
of his country. and its fighting
services, and the cause of democ-
racy as q whole"
In Paris w. Averell Hartman,
rowing Marshall Plan ambassador
and a former cabinet colleague
of Mr.. Forrestal, said his capable
and courageous leadership was
a major contribution during the
war. ''' His effective work for
this country in war and peace
will overshadow in history the
tragic circumstances of his DEATH"
Clark Has Feeling of Loss.
Attorney General Clark said
news of the death has left me
with q strong feeling Of personal
loss" ~s~ e@ss.
John L. Sullivan. who succeeded
Mr.. Forrestal as Navy Secretary
and resigned recently because Mr..
johnson stopped construction Of
the Nays super aircraft carrier,
said:
The entire Navy joins me in
mourning the passing Of this dis
tinguished public servant whose
accomplishments earned him
the admiration of all Americans.
He truly gave his life for his
country
Acting Army Secretary Gordon
Gray said Mr.. Forrestal. "a pioneer
of unification of our armed forces.
suffered all the hardships that
come to any man who is the true
pioneer Of great cause"
Others Express Sorrow.
Air Force Secretary Symington
said the death was "A great
shock"
Former Secretary of the Army
Gordon Gray. now New York
attorney, said his "firmness. cour-
age and vision contributed i'm
measurably to our victory in
World War II and to our strong
postwar military posture recently
proved to be so successful.
To me, Jim Fowestal was true
and beloved friend"
Robert p. Patterson, who was
first speechless from shock when
contacted at his Cold Spring
IN. " home, was closely asso-
ciated with Mr.. Forrestal when he
was Secretary of War. He de-
clared "our country has lost one
of the greatest patriots and one
Of the most devoted men We have
ever had the good fortune to have.
am overcome with grief"
Great Man." Nimitz Says.
Admiral Chester w. Nimitz said
at Endicott, N. Y, he was deeply
shocked and distressed" by news OF
Mr.. Forrestall's death. He de-
scribed him as "a fine man. a
great man." and added:
we who worked with him will
never forget his great contribu-
tions to our country's effort in
wartime and in peace"
In Ottawa. Canadian Defense
Minister Brooke Claxton wired
President Truman his most sin
cere sympathy" at the death OF
Mr.. Forrestal.
He had rendered great service
to his country and to the Allied
cause Mr.. Claxton said. For
many years he had been a warm
friend of Canada and had done
,,n,s~h - eSyopre, oi,r work tn