Evening star., 1950-03-23
Something Be Done
On Foreign Policy
'SocioI Visit Of Vinson
To Truman Is Just Thut
Despite Many Rumors
By David Laprence

Despite Many Rumors
BY David Lawrence
KEY WEST, Fla, Mar. %
Reference has been made in these
dispatches to the presence here
of Chief Justice Fred Vinson. 1t
has, been announced as just a
social visit"-which it really is.
After all, the President doesn't
have many persons with whom he
can chat about matters of state
without becoming involved in
somebody's ambitions or becom-
ing entangled in the schemes or
purposes of some group or faction.
It's not at all novel for Presi-
dents to talk things over with a
Chief Justice. Members of the
Supreme Court are usually men
of objectivity and integrity who
can give disinterested advice.
Other Presidents, too, have found
in them source of wisdom.
Mr.. Vinson has an unusual
background. He served for many
years in the House of Representa-
tives on the all-powerful Ways
and Means Committee. He was
Director of Economic Stabiliza-
ton and of the Office of Mobili-
zation and Reconversion during
the war, and was later Secretary
of the Treasury. What a relief
for the President to sit down with
such a man and talk about any
thing, knowing that the Chief
Justice hasn't any ak to grind!
Speculation is Natural.
Naturally there is speculation
when Mr.. Vinson comes here. He
was mentioned, it will be re-
called, only a few weeks ago by
the President as a man who might
head a mission to Moscow if any
such plan were ever thought de-
sirable. During the 1948 cam
paign Mr.. Truman wanted to send
him to Russia, but Gen. Marshall,
then Secretary of State, disap-
proved.
Naturally also, if Dean Acheson
his present post, the President
probably would try to draft the
Chief Justice to head the Depart
ment of State. But why should
Mr.. Vinson accept? Public service
only would be the reason, and it
would be assumed Immediately in
political circles that Mr.. Truman
had decided not to run again in
1852 and wanted to back Mr..
Vinson for the Democratic NOM
ination for the presidency.
One report has it that Mr.. Ache
son might go to the Supreme
Court some day. He is, of course,
one Of the ablest lawyers in the
country. He started his career as
private secretary to the late JUS
tice Oliver Wendell Holmes, and,
as between the two posts-Secre-
tary OF State and an Associate
Justiceship in the Supreme Court
of the United States-there is
little doubt among his friends
that, in professional sense, Mr..
Acheson would prefer to be on
the high court.
Runs Ahead of Facts.
Such speculation, however, runs
ahead of present-day circum-
stances. The fact of the matter is
that the President thinks that
Dean Acheson is doing a fine job
1t would besfar more accurate to
say that VinSon mission to Mos
cow is more likely than a change
In the Secretaryship of State.
Such a mission would not mean
that Mr.. Vinson would have to
relinquish his post as Chief JUS
tice. Other members of the high
court in past history have served
temporarily on International Com
missions of critical Importance to
the Nation.
What is needed, to be sure, is
an answer to the rising demand
Of the American people that
something be done" about the
tensions between Russia and the
United States.
When the speech-making stops
and there are heart-to-heart talks
about ways and means of pro-
viding "modus vivendi"-the de-
vice Of diplomacy whereby two
opposing nations agree to find a
way to live alongside each other
without retreat from basic princi-
pies or fundamentals-then and
only then will start be made to-
ward a truce in the cold war. May
be after that it will be opportune
to talk publicly about peace
treaties and major solutions. It's
the foundation that isn't being
laid as yet that the country wants
to see started. There's a ground
swell of opinion in America that
asks that something be done"
The American people just don't
like watchful drifting.
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