Evening star., 1951-03-02
Mink Coot Standards of Honor

The Star does not know whether Donald
Dawson, the Presidents aide on personnel mat
terS, intends to appear voluntarily before the
Fulbright Committee and give his own version OF
the influence" he is alleged to have exercised
with the RFC board. He may yet intend to do
So If he does it will be creditable act on his
part.
II he does not do so he ought to be fired. In
The Stars opinion failure to demand an oppor-
tunity to testify and tell his own story. especially
In the light of the ugly mess already being deve-
oped by the Fulbright Committee, will render him
unfit for service in the White House or anywhere
else in government. Furthermore, his continual
ton in White House service under such circum-
stances would be an affront to public morals
Mr. Dawson has not been charged with any
illegal act. But that is not the point. The point
is that here is a man. occupying position as one
of the Presidents intimate advisers on personnel
who has been publicly charged by responsible
committee Of the Senate with having apparently
exercised considerable influence over certain di
rectors of the RFC' in its business Of lending
public funds.
According to certain moral standards of
honor and public service, which are felt rather
than defined by decent people, this unwritten
code would compel Mr.. Dawson to demand the
right on his own initiative to testify under oath
before the committee and to explain in complete
detail the nature of his relationship If any, with
the RFC The fact that he has not done so, and
In the present atmosphere at the White House
1t does not seem likely that he will, raises the
cynical thought that Mr.. Dawson is not following
the old code of public service but is guided by
what seems to be new code, of which there is
much dismal evidence in public life today.
Under this code woman assistant secretary
IL. TyI.;4. ofr,ro1
royal pastel mink coat from her husband who,
according to his own story, not yet complete, Is
already in debt to lawyer who has been active
in business before the RFC, and who arranged
for the purchase of the coat.
Under this code Major General Harry
Vaughan military aide to the President, can con-
tinue to serve at the White House after being
named by another investigating committee of the
Senate as the man who made possible the "ne-
farious activities" of John Maragon, an outright
fxer" who subsequently has been convicted OF
perjury.
Under this code woman alien from Aus
tralia can be brought to the United States and
admitted to residence by special act of Congress,
approved by the President over the protest OF
the Department of Justice, which could not
fnd in the record "any facts which would justify
the legislation. She turns up, too at the White
House, as the secretary of General Vaughan
Under this code the Presidents press secre-
tary, Joseph Short, can explain that the Presi-
dent knows of no evidence of illegal influence
on the RFC by any member of the Executive
Branch or the Legislative Branch :" as If the
legality of influence had anything to do with
what is worrying the Senate committeeman the
country.
Under this code it is the legality of conduct,
rather than integrity of conduct, which assumes
Importance. Loss of honor is accepted as perhaps
the inevitable accompaniment of politics"
which the public is being taught to believe is
without honor. A double standard of morality
for public Office and private life is beginning to
be cynically accepted as one of the facts of life
If it becomes finally so accepted, the Rus
SLAMS and their masses of infantry are one of the
least of the things we have to worry about