Evening star., 1951-12-27
kennan Is Acceptable
As U. 5. Ambassador, ,
Russia Tells Truman
BY the Associated Press

Russia has agreed to accent
George F. Kennan as the New
American Ambassador to Russia,
almost at the same time denounc-
ing him as foe of the Soviets.
President Truman announced at
Kansas City last night the selec-
tion of the 47-year-old career Dip
lomat, who is credited with being
q principal author of the present
American policy of "containment''
to counter the threat of Commu-
mist aggression.
Mr.. Kennan will succeed former
Rear Admiral Alan G. Kirk. whose
request for retirement was ac-
cepted by Mr.. Truman with re-
luctance."
The announcement was made
after the Kremlin orally informed
the White House that Mr.. Kennan
would be acceptable. There had
been some speculation that he
would be turned down. It arose
after attacks on him by both
Pravda and radio Moscow. The
latest only yesterday.
To Take Over in April.
Mr.. Kennan. former State De-
partment counselor and recently
chief Of Secretary of State
Acheson's policy planning staff, is
now on leave with the Institute
for Advanced Studies at Prince
ton, N. j. He is expected to take
over the Ambassadorship probably
in April.
Presidential Press Secretary
Joseph Short said his nomination.
would be submitted to the Senate
for confirmation soon after Con-
gress reconvenes. There has been
no indication of opposition to Mr..
Kennan. Mr.. Truman said last
month he was under consider
alton.
MIR. Kennan has had long ex-
perience in dealing with the
Soviets, previous service in the
embassy at Moscow, and speaks
the Russian language fluently.
officials wrote off the Com
muniSt attacks on him as a new
instance of the manner in which
Moscow seizes opportunities toI
make propaganda. They expressed
doubt that Mr.. keenan, would be
more handicapped in dealing with
the Kremlin than were the seven
other men who have headed the
American mission to Moscow since
the United States extended dip
lomatic recognition to the Soviet
regime in 1888.
Pravda. the official Communist
Party newspaper, yesterday called
him a supporter of anti-Soviet,I
organizations and listed among
these the East European Fund of |
the Ford Foundation, from which
Mr.. Keenan, resigned November
%. officials said he was concerned
onlyl with aid for refugees from |
the Soviet bloc and not with any
anti-Russian activities.
Denies Financing Charge.
In New York the East European
Fund denied it financed anti
Soviet activities. The fund said it
"is a non-political, non-prop-
agandist organization.
On December Radio Moscow
pictured Mr.. Kennan as a foe of
the Soviets. 1t listed him, along
with former Ambassadors Kirk
and w. Averell Hartman, as
shady persons who are usually
spies Of long standing"
The State Department a month
ago asked the Soviet Foreign Of
fee for an agreement that Mr..
Kennan would be received. The
reply, given orally, was favorable.
However. the White House delayed
a formal announcement, appar-
emily in the expectation that there
might be a written confirmation
from Moscow, which never came.
MIR. Kennan became widely /
known when, under the signature ,
of "Mr. x" he wrote an article
in the magazine Foreign Affairs |
setting out in detail the American
policy of blocking Soviet aggres-
sive expansionist pressure by
containment."
Three Tours i'm Moscow.
A native of Milwaukee, Mr..
Kennan is a veteran of Is years
diplomatic service, which has in
cluded three tours in Moscow and
several others in Eastern European
capitals. His first direct contact
with Moscow came when he ac-
companied Ambassador William C.
Bullitt there in 1888 and remained
five months. He vent back in
1885 for nearly two years and in
1944-46 was Embassy counselor.
He was transferred to the War /
College in 1916 and then to the
State Department.
Admiral Kirk is retiring after
serving as Ambassador since May
81, 1949. He left Moscow last
month and since has served as an
adviser to the United States del
egation at the U. N. General As
sembly session in Paris. He is
63. Before going to Moscow, he
served as Ambassador to Belgium.