Evening star., 1951-06-17
Political Pressure Not
Budging Acheson
Writer Sees Friends FoiIine
To Influence President
By Fronk R. Kent


The uncertainty about Dean Acheson's
future appears to have deepened re-
Gently despite numerous and dogmatic
declarations that he has no future worth
considering. Some Of these, made prior
to his appearance before the Senate and
some since, seem to prove that, not
withstanding his undeniably good show
ing as a witness and Mr.. Trumans
statement that his was superb Job"
and he would not let him retire, the
situation has not really changed.
In brief he lost no support as result
of this long ordeal nor did he gain any.
This is not surprising. He is such a
highly controversial figure that to ex-
pect converts is absurd, The surprising
thing is that some of the attacks upon
him recently have come not from his
enemies but from his friends At least,
that Is what they are supposed to be.
From these come statements that the
question now is not whether Mr.. Ache
son will quit as Secretary Of State but
when. Some Of his former journalistic
supporters insist that the Secretary's
departure will be Shortly" Others say
early in the fall. Some are unkind
enough to add "the sooner the better"
So far as can be gathered, this new de-
nunciation of Mr. Acheson has no con-
nectlon with his testimony, no relation
10 the merits Of the charges against him
and nothing to do with anything he has
lately done or left undone.
The whole basis seems to be that he
has become political liability and that
number OF Democratic Senators. along
with National Chairman William BoyIe
have urged Mr.. Truman to "get rid of
Acheson." Aside from the fact that his
political liability is certainly not news
and that Democratic politicians have
neen telling MIR. Truman this for long
time. the new effort to sweep MIR. Ache
son up in corner and strike a match
10 MIN ignores the exceedingly trench
ant fact that Mr.. Acheson cannot 90.
nor can Mr.. Truman permit him to 20.
without rejecting upon them both in a
quite serious way. Evidently the proph-
cts OF Mr.. Acheson's early demise as n
public official do not, believe, first. that
eltner Mr.. Truman or Mr.. Acheson
means what they say and, second, that
neither has any self-respect or char
acter.
AS to the first, it will be recalled that
just few weeks ago, queried at a press
conference on report that Mr.. Ache
son would resign, Mr.. Truman rather
heatedly replied that there was NOT a
word OF truth in it. that he was in COM
piete accord with Mr.. Acheson's position
ana that he had not the remotest inten-
tlon OF letting him leave. In his t,,rn
Mr. Acheson. asked concerning the sanos
report, declared he had no idea of leav-
ing. have" he said, "emphaticallv
ENLISTED for the duration" These were
Just repetition Of statements each had
made number of times.
WIN so clear record, it would be
exceedingly difficult for either Mr.. Tr,.
nan or Mr.. Acheson to reverse himself
now. AN excuse that could save the faca
% eltner would be hard, indeed tn
frame. Should Mr.. Acheson resign Il
Wouid mean that he had done so ''lInder
nre, been driven out Of Office by the
attacKs upon him. Completely convinced
as MIR. Acheson undoubtedly is of his
own righteousness, he does not seem the
sort OF man who would quit in that sort
OF way-just the reverse.
Under the circumstances. how could
Mr.. Truman, with any pretense of de-
cency. acquiesce in forcing Mr.. Acheson's
resignation because his Kansas City
friend. Mr.. Boyle, and lot of other
democratic politicians, who think only
In terms OF the next election, regard him
as party liability? It would seem a
most craven and disloyal act-almost
impossible to camouflage. While Gen.
Wedemeyer's refreshingly straightfor-
ward and impressive testimony did d.
minish somewhat the favorable effect
made by Mr.. Acheson and lessen the
Jubilation Of the White House, it offered
no additional reason for his retirement.
II Mr.. Acheson in any way differed from
the Presidents policies; If there were
any new thing about his personal record
subject to criticism; If any new public
or personal impropriety could be attri-
buted to him, or If his health were i'm
paired it might be different.