Evening star., 1951-09-14
Truman Tells Press
Ackeson Stays as LONG
As He Is President
By Joseph A. Fox

President Truman has under.
scored anew his intention to keel
Dean Acheson in the Cabinet.
"As long as I'm President OF
the United States. he's going to
be Secretary of State" the Presl-
dent firmly told a news confer
,ence late neutrality-suspicious.
direct quotations.
And that may be good while
the Chief Executive Quipped.
The Presidents assertion was
in respect to a question as tc
whether Mr.. Acheson's resigna-
ton could be anticipated in the
coming weeks or months.
Second Boost Within Week.
1t was the second time within
week that the President had put in
Ia strong boost for his State De-
partment chief. who has been
widely acclaimed for his handling
|of the Japanese Peace Treaty Con-
ference in San Francisco.
The good-while angle injected
by the President brought an
oblique question about his inten-
tions as to his own political fu-
|ture, when a reporter asked If he
meant -four or five years"
Terming that a shotgun inquiry,
Mr.. Truman said the reporters
would have to do their own specu-
lating.
But he added that the Secretary
would be in Office at least until
January 20, 1853, and until sue
cessor had been appointed and
qualified.
Mr.. Truman's own present term
ends that day.
johnson Incident Recalled.
Reporters recalled that just a
few days before Defense Secretary
Louis johnson was f1red in Sep
tember. 1850, the President had
said the Cabinet officer would stay
in Office as long as he did.
On the present occasion. how
ever, there was a different en-
phasis. as the President permitted
his statement to be quoted
directly. something that is not
often done in news conference
intercharges.
The President also said that
his cabinet is as bipartisan as it i:
going to be, when asked if ii
would be more bipartisan" be-
fore 1858.
The Presidents conference
earlier in the day with Gov
Thomas E. Dewey of New York
had brought the usual furry oi
speculation about a high post for
the Republican presidential can
didate of 1914 and 1948.
Interesting Talk With Dewey.
The President. incidentally. had
no more to say about Gov. Dewey s
report on his trip to the Far East
than that he had a most interest
ing and very satisfactory CONVEX
sation with his erstwhile opponent
A query about the Dewey view
that the Pacific should get more
attention now that the defenses
of Europe have been buttressed
brought the reply that this Gov
ernment was seeking to build UP
the defenses in both East and
West. That it simply was a ques-
ton of how much.
AS the conference went along
Mr.. Truman commented that a
stuck hog always squeals, when a
reporter recalled Capitol Hill
criticism of the Presidents Cen
eral Accounting Office speech,
Wednesday. in which he defended
Government spending.
Pamphlet a Best Seller.
Jokingly, the President said re-
porterS might want to hire him
for a salesman, presumably-ex-
planning that pamphlet on Fed
eral expenditures entitled THE
Budget in Brief" had become a
best-seller at the Government
Printing Office since he had advo-
Gated in the speech that it be read
generally.
On other topics the President:
l. Hoped for prompt ratificatio
of the treaty with Japan. and
would send it to the Senate as
soon as possible. But, he con-
tinued good naturedly, the Senate
would take its own time and
prompt action could be within a
year.
2. Refused comment on the
progress being made toward bring
ing economic pressure against
Czechoslovakia to force the release
OF William Oats, imprisoned
American newsman.
Urges Flood Relief Speed.
3 Said he has urged committee
chairman handling flood relief
legislation to speed up funds for
the Midwest sufferers.
4. Explained that the Air Force
announcement that it is forming
its first guided missile squadron,
to be equipped with a new pilot
less bombing type weapon, in
volved one of the new fantastic"
weapons to which he referred in
a San Francisco speech, Septem-
Der 4.
S. Said Liewellyn Williams was
ousted as Secretary for Alaska
because of incompetence, and that
no politics was involved. The
White House announced the dis
missal Wednesday but ascribed no
reason.
- nj