Evening star., 1950-01-26
Refusal of Acheson
To Desert Hiss Stirs
Republican Wrath
By Gornett D. Homer


standing by his friendship for Hiss
at news conference late yester-
day. The conference took place
a few hours after Hiss was SEN
fenced to five years in prison
after conviction of perjury in
denying that he ever passed secret
State Department documents to
a Communist agent.
Mr.. Acheson said he based his
stand on the principles stated by
Christ when he told his followers
that "inasmuch as ye have done
it unto one of the least of these,
my brethren, ye have done it
unto me-"
Fantastic" Mccarthy Says.
Mr.. Acheson's words-summed
up in the statement that II do
not intend to turn my back on
Alger Hiss"-were relayed i'm
mediately to the Senate floor by
Senator Mccarthy, Republican
of Wisconsin, who called them
fantastic"
Senator Mccarthy said he Won
dered whether Mr.. Acheson was
saying. in effect, that he also
would not turn his back on others
who-as the Senetor put it-had
aided the Communist movement.
Senator Mundt, Republican, of
South Dakota asserted: THE i'm
portant thing is not the manner
in which Dean Acheson permits
Hiss to influence the position of
his back-the thing that Amer
leans would like to know is how
far Dean Acheson has permitted
Hiss to influence his mind"
Loyalty Defended.
There were some informal ex-
presSions of approval on Capitol
Hill for Mr.. Acheson's personal
loyalty principles. but there was
no apparent rush to his side.
Mr.. Acheson, who told a Sem
ate committee last year that he
and Hiss were friends, that my
friendship is not easily given and
it is not easily withdrawn" ap-
parently was prepared for a
question about his reaction to the
Hiss conviction yesterday.
After some discussion of events
IN Indonesia and Indo-C China and
the prospects of economic aid to
Formosa. Mr.. Acheson was asked:
do you have any comment on
the Hiss case?"
Slowly, Mr.. Acheson replied:
''Mr. Hiss case is before the courts
and I think it would be highly
improper for me to discuss the
legal aspects of the case or the
evidence or anything to do with
the case"
Shows Deep Emotion.
That was all it was necessary
for Mr.. Acheson to say. But he
paused and added: "I take it
the purpose of your question was
to bring something other than
that out Of me-"
Then, his voice shaken and his
face Redeemed by obviously deep
emotion, Mr.. Acheson said:
Il should like to make it clear
to you that whatever the outcome
Of any appeal which Mr.. Hiss or
his lawyers may make in this case,
I do not intend to turn my back
on Alger Hiss.
II think every person who has
known Alger Hiss or has served
with him at any time has upon his
conscience the very serious task
of deciding what his attitude is
and what his conduct should be.
That must be done by each person
in the light Of his own standards
and his own principles.
For me there is very little doubt
about those standards or those
principles.
II think they were stated for
UP very long time ago. They
were stated on the Mount OF
Olives and if you are interested in
seeing them, you will find them in
the twenty-f1fth chapter of the
Gospel according to st. Matthew,
beginning at verse 34."
Cites Passage.
After the. Acheson conference.
q department press officer cited to
reporters a passage from the Saith
through the 40th verses, as fol-
lows:
"34. Then shall the king say
unto them on his right hand
come, ye blessed of my father, in
herit the kingdom prepared for
you from the foundation of the
world:
"35. For I was ahungred, and
We gave me meat. I was thirsty,
and We gave me drink; I was a
stranger, and We took me in;
"36. Naked, and We clothed me;
7 was sick. and We visited me;
was in prison, and ye came unto
me.
"37. Then shall the righteous
answer Him, saying, Lord, when
saw we Thee an hungred and
fed Thee or thirsty, and gave
Thee drink?
''38. When saw we Thee a
stranger, and took Thee in? Or
naked, and clothed Thee?
""39. Or when saw we Thee sick,
or in prison, and came unto Thee?
40. And the king shall answer
and say unto them, verify I say
unto you. inasmuch as ye have
done it unto one of the least OF
these my brethren, We have done
1t unto me-"
Worked With Brother.
MIR. Acheson became friendly
with Hiss when the latter was
rising to a high position in the
State Department during World