Evening star., 1950-11-14
u. 5. Must Present
Firm Policy Against
Aggression Soon
Truman Faces Problem
To Inspire Confidence
In His Administration
By David Laurence

By David Laurence
Whether the word is "unparti-
san" or Bipartisan" or whether
the word is "co-operation" or
conference" there is something
needed In the next 90 days to
strengthen the position of the
United States in world policy
something that may help to avoid
a war by presenting a firm pro-
gram against aggression.
President Truman is naturally
q partisan, and so are most of the
Republicans hereabouts, but Mr..
Truman has the responsibility for
the conduct Of foreign policy and
no minority party. inside or OUT
side of Congress, can do aught but
give him sincere advice.
At the moment the United
States Is enmeshed in world pol
itics-in the vacillating policies Of
various countries whose majority
vote in the General Assembly will
spell the difference between firm
ness or appeasement.
The whole world knows now
that in the recent congressional
elections the administrations ma
jority was reduced and that for
eign policy-particularly Far East
ern policy-was an issue in the
campaign. Usually, when the
people have spoken in this man
ner, there is, in self-protection
against a further vote of censure,
a tendency to adopt the viewpoint
that the country has expressed.
Question Before Truman.
Mr.. Truman has indicated that
he stands by his Secretary of
State, Dean Acheson. Many per-
sons here have admiration for the
Secretary and do not want to see
him resign under fire because, to
do so, would seem to be a con-
f1rmation Of some of the reckless
charges leveled at him. The
President is up against the same
thing he faced when he defended
the then Secretary Of Defense,
Louis Johnson, only to agree a lit
tie later that Mr.. johnson should
retire from the cabinet.
The question before Mr.. Tru-
man is what course will inspire
confidence in his administration.
Will the appointment of a new
Secretary of State do this, or
would the announcement of a new
policy accomplish the same thing?
What handicaps the present
Secretary is the "whitewash"
which the Tydings Committee re-
port gave the charges about Com
munist influence in the State De-
partment in the last several years
some years. incidentally, in
which Mr.. Acheson was not head
Of the department at all.
II the administration were to
agree to the appointment of a
Joint committee of both houses
to make a thorough investigation
Of the charges with reference to
the "Amerasia" case and other
related charges. and If there were
selected an entirely new staff of
investigators who had nothing to
do with the writing of the Tyd-
tngs report, the Truman admin
tstration would be able to regain
the confidence Of the people, es-
pecially If the Democrats are
willing to let the chips fall where
they may and If the President
proceeds to clean house where
there is an indicated need for it.
Results Needed Now.
Again, If the administration
were to sit down with the Repub-
licans on Capitol Hill and review
the whole Far Eastern situation
and be prepared to examine all
aspects of it and make a program
which all factions here could sup
port. the country would not be so
much concerned about who was
Mt the head Of the State Depart
ment. It is results now-and not
past mistakes-that count.
The United States is In a very
serious predicament internation-
ally. It can no longer make pol
icy by itself. The action Of
America in proposing that the
q. N. Assembly shall decide when
and where measures shall be
taken against aggressors is now
the accepted method of circum-
venting the veto heretofore exer-
cised by a single power in the Sc
curity Council. But this has intro
duced new factors.
Today America must persuade
other countries a majority of
the q. N.-that it Is desirable to
move firmly against aggressors,
Some Of these countries have
their own reasons for hesitation
or for appeasement. The lobbies
OF Gne u. N. are somewhat similar
to the lobbies of Congress or any
other parliamentary body-deci-
sions are made away from the
voting table. This means that
American diplomacy must exert
itself around the globe.
IN other countries the accounts
in the press which tell of what is
happening in Korea and the i'm
plications for the world are not
as comprehensive as those pub
lished in America. So the task of
winning allies on particular moves
in the q. N. is more difficult and
subject to more delays and han
dicaps than our diplomacy has
ever met before.
It Is serious question whether
q change in the Office Of Secre-
tary Of State in this crucial mo-
ment will help or hurt matters.
But it is apparent that there is
q problem here of a new man or
o new policy-and the election
vaea~lofa -