Evening star., 1950-12-19
The Political Min
Acheson Resignation
Way Out in Policy Row
Attacks on Secretary Are
Declared Beyond Politics
The Political Min
By Gould Lincoln

~SiSsSS
By Gould Lincoln
The retirement of Secretary Of State
Acheson, under his own steam, seems
the way out OF the present controversy
over the conduct of our foreign policies.
You can argue until the cows come home
whether President Truman or the Re
publicans in Congress are responsible for
the unfortunate situation which sees
Mr.. Acheson representing this country
at the Brussels Conference Of the North
Atlantic Pact Nations, under the shadow
of vote of mo confidence" by large
majorities of the Republicans in the
Senate and the House. But the situa-
ton is there. and something should be
done about it.
The Republicans in Congress argue
that the Secretary of State had lost the
confidence of the American people-and
that this was shown by the elections
held in many States in November. They
contend, indeed, that the election results
were a mandate to get rid Of Mr..
Acheson, and that Mr.. Truman stub
bornly insisted on retaining his Secre-
tary of State. They say further that they
waited for more than month before
they unlimbered their guns and in party
conference demanded the retirement of
Mr.. Acheson. They were unwilling, they
continue, to compromise with principle
or to see the will of the people dis
regarded
Democrats Anxious, Too.
It Is admitted that a majority OF
Democratic Senators have been as anx-
ious to have Mr.. Acheson retired from
office as have the Republicans. Some
of them were saying recently that they
wished Mr.. Truman had changed his
Secretary of State well before the elec-
tion-and if he had done so, Democratic
candidates would have had q better
chance on election day.
President Truman got rid of Secretary
of Defense Louis Johnson, when there
was great public pressure against Mr..
johnson on the ground that he had
failed to keep up the defenses Of the
country. There were plenty to say. and
did say. after the resignation Of Mr..
johnson, that Mr.. Truman had elm
mated the wrong man-and that he
should have let out Mr.. Acheson. In the
state of temper Of the voters last sum-
mer and fall, If Mr.. Truman had held on
to Mr.. johnson, as well as Mr.. AcheSon,
as he had said he intended doing, the
election results might have been even
worse for the Administration.
The argument made against the
action of the Republicans in Congress
on the Acheson matter cries to the
heavens that this Is no time for divided
country. with the war clouds rolling up
faster and faster; that to undermine
the effectiveness of Secretary OF State
about to confer with our North Atlantic
allies against Communist aggression is
to play into the hands of the enemy,
and break down the confidence OF our
allies A great deal depends, however,
on whether it is wiser to have the con-
fidence of the American people in a
Secretary Of State, at this critical period,
or more advantageous to make it appear
to our allies and enemies abroad that
the people are solidly back of man in
whom many Americans have no con-
fidence.
Final Responsibility.
Mr.. Truman, as Chief Executive, is
finally responsible for the handling OF
our foreign relations and for our foreign
policies. To a degree, therefore, it can be
argued that it is really immaterial who
is his Secretary of State-his messenger
boy; that it makes little difference
whether the Secretary of State be Dean
Acheson or Chief Justice Vinson (who
has been mentioned many times as
successor to Acheson) or another. Mr..
Truman is the final arbiter, with all the
decisions in his hands. Under such
hypothesis, Mr.. Truman may contend. II
he wishes, he is justified in keeping Mr..
Acheson if he desires to do so.
However the Secretary of State is the
first officer of the Presidents Cabinet.
Not only is he expected to advise the
President wisely on foreign affairs and
policy, but it is his duty to deal directly
with foreign nations. Whether justly or
unjustly, Mr.. Acheson has been held
responsible by many Americans for
policy in the Far East that has resulted
in the strengthening of the Communist
grip on China and the Korean war. 1t
was this belief that aided the Repub-
licans in the November elections, ana
helped to swell the totals by which Re-
publican candidates were elected to the
Senate 1t has been obvious for long
time that bipartisan foreign policy
such as that which prevailed during the
Second World War and even two years
ago-would be out of the question II
Mr.. Acheson remained as head Of the
State Department His retention by the
President was a challenge to bipartisan
ship.
The charge is made that the Repub-
licans have seized upon Mr.. Acheson
as a whipping boy for the President
himself, since there is no way to get rid
of Mr.. Truman before the elections Of
1852, except through impeachment pro-
ceedings, and it is not practicable to
impeach President because of disagree
ment with his foreign policy. Their at
tack on Mr.. Acheson, 1t is charged
further, is pure politics. It goes, however,
far beyond partisan politics, In the
opinion of such men as Senator Ives Of
New York, and impinges on the safety
and future Of the people.