Evening star., 1951-06-08

Saying that that is entirely incor-
rect and stating exactly what the
conversation was he had with the
gentleman named; and I shall bt
very glad to send down to the de.
partment and get the telegram
and introduce it into the record.
| Senator Bridges-I think We
would like to have it.
1t isn't question of Mr.. Muccie
Saying one thing here, and you
apparently express faith in him
and at least said you couldn't be-
lieve it.
I go back to Congressman Scott
with verification of another Gen.
Igressman and four or five wit
nesses, plus statement which he
lis purported to have made to a
member Of your staff. cer-
itainly think it would be wise for
the record to have such a state
ment as you care to put in, as
'iyou received from Mr.. Muccio.
Secretary AcheSon-He is a
very fine officer who served with
.IGen. Macarthur, whom Gen.
Macarthur has said very fine
things about; who accompanied
Gen. Macarthur to the Wake
Island conference; who was deco
rated by the President for his gall
Ilantry, who has stuck with the
Korean government during the
most dangerous of all of these
campaigns, and encouraged them.
i I don't think any person. either
soldier or civilian, has put his
life in more hazard than Ambas-
sador Muccio, ana he performed
a great service in holding the
South Korean government to-
gether in the days when they were
being driven back and forth across
Korea. encouraging them and put
ting heart in them to hold the
fight against the Communist at
tack.
Reference to Fighting
Communism.
Senator Bridges. But if
/ this did come out here and you
had an American Ambassador or
an American representative of
the department who did express
those thoughts and you were con-
WINGED of it. he should be dis
missed. shouldn't he?
| Secretary Acheson-I haven't
got the thought. in mind but if
he was expressing thoughts which
are unfair to the policy of the
Government or disloyal or any,
thing else. he should be. yes, sir.
Senator Wiley-What was the
alleged statement?
/ Senator Bridges-He was al
legged to have said, and I quote:
You may be interested to know
that our American Ambassador to
Korea tried to convince me that
we were not fighting communism
HE also defended the arming of
the North Koreans by the Rus
slams" =.
I I talked with him after my con-
versation with the Secretary here
and he said, and I quote from part
of the letter, and I talked with
him personally:
"Of course, Muccio'S statement
to me was made in the presence of
Representative Henry j. Latham
of New York and of four or five
members of the embassy staff.
have no doubt that Muccio dis
cussed the controversy with Ache
son when Muccio was in this coun-
try some time ago. In fact, Sena-
tor Fulbright mentioned the mat
ter on a television program with
me about two months ago and
commented on the fact that Muc-
clio had denied my charges"
Then, without involving another
member of the State Department
staff, will say that I understand
that he made similar statements
to this person, though l haven't
talked with the person and that
is secondhand entirely coming to
me. My only statement in direct
reference comes from Mr.. Scott. ;.
Confusion Mentioned.
/ Senator Green-Is the objec-
ton to the fact that he said we
were not fighting communism in
Korea?
Senator Bridges-Yes, and the
defense of the Russians arming
the North Koreans. -.
Senator Green-Do any of us
believe we are fighting commu-
niSm there? Aren't we fighting
aggression? Isn't the United Ma
Itions fighting aggression as dis
ttinguiShed from communism?
The distinction has often been
made-and very regretfully-this
confusion about whom we are
fighting. The Government has
sometimes made mistakes, or rep
resentatives of the Government,
that we are fighting communism.
We are not fighting communism
We are fighting aggression.
i Senator Bridges 1 think
communism is a worldwide con-
splracy and I am against Com
munists wherever they appear
whether they appear in this coun-
try or whether they appear ir
!, China or Russia or Poland, OF
wherever they appear.
Senator Green-Certaintly. Yor
are against sin, but in Korea We
, are not fighting sin; we are moi
: fighting Communists; we art
: fighting aggression.
Bridges Asks
AhnlIf (hinn