Evening star., 1951-03-04

~ ~ -S I Nj N1IA
believe that the people of our level
want only peace but that the lead
ers (including Truman) are afraid
to admit they are wrong and are
ashamed to admit 1t for fear they
will lose face. 1t looks that way,
Dad!
II guess I've tired your eyes by
now SO I'll secure for now. Good
luck in your defense job.
Love,
Johnnie.
"P. S. may be a rebel but these
are my own thoughts and convic-
tons"
Father Writes Acheson.
The letter from the father to
Secretary Acheson follows
Hon. Dean Acheson,
Secretary of State.
washington, District OF Co.
lumbia.
MY dear sir:
Enclosed, is a letter I received
from my son this morning on
my arrival at my Office. I am
sending 1t to you. since 1t Is a
letter which reflects the loose
thinking on the part Of many
of our legislators and publishers
it is letter filled with answer
able questions, but questions which
require much in knowledge. sub
stantial qualifications which can
and should be made understand
able-since the American people
as a whole are a provincial lot.
This lad of mine is "a years
old, corporal in the Marine
Corps at Camp Pendleton. Calf
He served with the 1st Division
from 1914 to August. 1916. Last
September. he was hoping to en-
ter Cornell University to take his
course in hotel management. In
stead. he went back in the Ma
rine Corps, reserve. He was
then. and I suspect now, bitter
'oo'lt it all. 1t so happens, that
in September, 1949, warned him
not to put too much stock in his
future. since was positive we
would be involved somewhere in
the world before another year was
out. He, my wife and many of
my friends made life miserable
for me. since they said I was
war-mongering. when I was only
eyaluating the news as 1t was
brought to me by world press.
"This lad has been raised in the
traditions which have been prev
a,ent in this country since Colo
nial days-his schooling is that
of the average public school pupil,
and he has had the advantage
of books, magazines. newspapers
from all over the world-he has
travelled widely for his age, work
ing on tramp steamers and tank
ers, and the United States Is as his
back yard at home. he knows 1t
from personal visits.
viii Explain Foreign Policy
"The tenor of his letter about
foreign policy leaves me cold
and my reply to him will be an
explanation that foreign policy is
always fluid. that 1t must be so
and has been 50 since 1914 be-
cause Of certain inescapable facts.
I will explain that we are q gull
lible people. that we won Cor
helped VIM two wars and lost
both times the peace, because we
regarded winning wars In the
same manner we regard winning
a football match. I will tell him
something Of the different mood.
Of various people. Of their hatreds
their jealousies. I will tell him
that the broad policies of oui
foreign policy Is laid down in the
Constitution Of the United States
in the convictions Of our people
and their attitudes toward al
peoples. all over the world.
II will send him q copy Of an
address OF mine. which he said
was too deep for him to under
stand when he read it in It's form
ative stage. I will try to open his
eyes to an understanding of the
forces about him which are in
imicable to the general good OF
our people-to the powers which
can be welded to destroy a man
no matter how sincere and true
he has been. I will cite the case
of Forrestall, of Hiss, of others
who were earnest Americans OF
good understanding. ! will indi-
cate to him that the American
people in their utter provincial.
ism are tremendously jealous o1
their rights and prerogatives as
free born Americans, that they
want the fruits thereof. but de-
test its responsibilities-that there
are many men to advance then
own interests against the inter-
ests of the whole people, take ad-
vantage Of the situations brought
about by the general misunder-
standing which have been fostereo
by press which is venal.
What I am going to tell him
of foreign policy will be my ex-
periences in most of the countries
of the world, where I have seer
my own countrymen reflect the
worst of their natures, since they
were of the opinion that they
were a race apart. I will tell him
something of the spread of the
Common Law throughout the
world by the British, whom he hao
been taught by venal press tt
despise. and it has been hard tt
offset his distrust OF the British
even though he has close bloot
relatives in England, and more OF
them in Denmark and France.
Mr.. Secretary, I have writer
you a long letter about a letter
but, what actually was also a mo.
! tivation was a telephone call