Evening star., 1950-12-07
The Political Mill
Removal of Acheson
Urged by Senator Ives
Congress Republicans Fuvor
Change in State Department
The Political Mill

Congress Republicans fuvor
Change in Stote Department
By Gould Lincoln
On the ground that as long as Dean
Acheson remains Secretary Of State the
country will not be unified on foreign
policy. Senator Irving Ives, Republican.
of New York has proposed Mr.. Acheson's
removal. Further, he has asked the
Republicans of the Senate to take formal
action on his proposal and to address q
letter to President Truman asking the
removal Of Mr.. Acheson.
There is not a Republican Senator who
does not believe that the country would
be better of with Mr.. Acheson out Of
the State Department. Also there are
Democratic Senators who have come to
the same opinion. On the other hand.
there are some Republican Senators who
are reluctant to Cd plunge themselves
into an affair which belongs to the Exec
utive Branch of the Government, and
(2) make the removal of Mr. Acheson
so strictly party issue, and 90 be-
lieve that such demand upon the
President would be effective.
To Senator Ives, however. the tran
scendent need today is unified country
to meet the dangers which threaten
from without, and if there Is to be unity
there must be bipartisanship, with Re-
publicans willing to go right along with
the foreign policy. This outweighs, so
far as he is concerned, any argument
that Senators should keep hands off and
leave Mr.. AcheSon entirely to President
Truman, who appointed him and who
can accept his resignation, or even fire
him, at any time the President sees fit.
Issues in Campaign.
AS for point (2). Mr.. Ives points out
that Mr.. Acheson and his policies and
handling of the State Department were
all made iSSues-and big issues in the
November election campaign. Also in
the opinion of Mr.. Ives the Republicans
in the Senate should not be deferred in
their action on Mr.. Acheson by the sug-
gestion that it would arouse the ire Of
Mr.. Truman, who would decline to get
rid of Mr.. Acheson. Mr.. Truman, the
New York Senator asserts, should not let
any such feelings interfere with the best
interests of the country-and those best
interests are the removal Of Mr.. Acheson.
The Acheson issue goes far beyond
party tactics. too Mr.. Ives insists. when
some of his colleagues question whether
1t would be particularly wise to take
party action. It has long been evident.
Mr.. Ives contends. that the country has
lost confidence in SMr. Acheson and in
the State Department under his direc-
ton.
To those who argue that such a move
by the Republicans Of the Senate would
lessen. not enhance. chances Of a BIZ
partisan foreign policy. Mr. Ives replies
fatty there Is no chance Of a bipartisan
policy as ing as Mr.. Acheson Is Secre-
tary Of !ssate. He contends that the
Republicans are anxious to go along on
foreign policy under the leadership OF
q Secretary Of State in whom they can
have confidence.
A bipartisan foreign policy was main
tanned during the last war and for the
period following the war-so far al
Europe was concerned. Mr.. Ives himself
was for it. Also Mr.. Ives voted for the
confirmation Of Mr.. Acheson as Secre-
tary of State. He belongs to the more
internationally minded group Of Senate
Republicans. Because he does. his attack
on and demand for the removal Of Mr..
Acheson is all the more impressive.
Puts Issue In Foreground.
Mr.. Ives is not member Of the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee. He has
rushed in. so to speak, where the Repub-
ican members of that committee have
not trod-although some of them have
been extremely critical Of the Secretary
of State. If there Is an inclination there
to bat his ears down. it is not moving
directly to that end, but rather through
indirection.
Anyway. Mr.. Ives's proposal has
brought the Acheson issue more prom
inently than ever into the foreground.
Senators mail, complaining of MIR.
Acheson, has been extremely heavy.
Many of the correspondents charge him
with being responsible, in the past, for
the build-up of Communist China by
following policies that were bound to
result in that end.
The reaction of Mr.. Truman to q
Senate Republican request to dump Mr..
Acheson might. of course, be angry rejec-
tion. He might say he was proposing
an American foreign policy and that II
the Republicans did not want to join in
1t, that was their responsibility The fact
remains, however, that the country today
as expressed through many mediums
wants to get rid Of Mr.. Acheson as
Secretary of State.
The Republicans are putting forward
no candidate for Mr.. Acheson's cabinet
place. However, the gossip has centered
about Paul Hoffman, Robert Lovett, Un-
dersecretary of Defense Vinson. One
rumor is that Mr.. Hoffman actually was
approached, but was unwilling.