Evening star., 1951-06-10

mittee vote on winding up tn,
inquiry by June 80.
/ s. Chairman Russell said Gen
Wedmeyer will be the witness a
10 am. tomorrow. The Army Off
Ger is the author of a 1947 repol'
on Korea warning against th'
North Korean attack that wa!
made last summer. The long secre
report was released only during
the current hearings.
l Mr.. Acheson spent nearly 81,
. hours on the stand on his f1na
appearance and appeared un.
ruffied and in good humor as hi
emerged from the closed hear
lings. He posed with Senator Rus.
sell for the news photographers
and afterwards commented:
"That was rather stiff, wasn't
Iit?"
Senator Russell pointed out just
before Mr.. Acheson left the witness
chair that the Secretary had sci
the record for the hearing-with
more questions and answers and
with more days in the closed
COMMITTEE room than any other
witness.
Throughout the final day. Mr..
Acheson faced q barage of criti-
cal Republican questions, climaxed
by the Bridges charge that the
department exercises "dictatorial'
powers over American military
STRATEGY.
Denies Military Control.
Senator Bridges made the
charge in a statement put out for
release after the days hearing
ended. 1t was called to Mr.. Ache
sons attention by Senator Spark
man. Democrat of Alabama. and
the Secretary said emphatically
that the State Department does
not control military strategy.
However, Mr.. AcheSon acknowl-
edged at one point while he was
being questioned by Senator Cain.
Republican, of Washington, that
the State Department had
strongly objected" to American
planes bombing Rashin, a Com
munist supply center in Northeast
Korea, II miles from the Soviet
border.
The Secretary said the attacks
one was made before the State
Department objected - raised
very great dangers of involving
Soviet forces" He also insisted
that the Importance of Rashin as
"a supply point is mot borne out
by the facts"
Senator Cain promptly cited
testimony by Gen. Macarthur say
ing Rashin was important and
could be bombed without violating
the Soviet territory. He said the
hands-of policy on Rashin gave
the Chinese Communists "a fire.
proof and bombproof supply CEN
ter in the heart of enemy coun-
try"
Final Session Enlivened.
The Macarthur telegram and
discussion of a proposed investi-
CATION of the China Lobby" en-
livened the final appearance of
Mr.. Acheson and overshadowed
more general-and often repeti-
tious questioning about this
country's foreign policies.
Gen. Macarthur said his mes
sage had nothing to do with Gen.
unsuccessful mission to
China in 1945-46. He added that
Gen. Marshall never even men
toned the message when he visited
MacArthur's headquarters in
Tokyo en- route to China.
"It is fantastic to believe that
had he MarshalD been en- route
to implement a recommendation
Of mine he would have failed even
TO mention 1t TO me.
"The action Of the Marshall
was to employ the poten-
tial of American assistance as
weapon to force the existing (Chi-
nese) government into a political
alliance with the Communists.
That was the exact opposite of the
intent of the message in refer
ence.
Strengthened Communists
Its effect could have been fore
seen. 1t at once weakened the
(Nationalist) government and ma
terially strengthened the Com
minority"
Senator Cain asked Secretary
Acneson what he meant by sub
mitting the 1945 Macarthur
Wedemeyer-Spruance message to
the committee. WAS it," the
Washington Republican asked,
your intention to imply that Gen.
Macarthur favored Chinese
coalition government to include
the Communists?"
Well" Mr.. Acheson replied,
my intention was to give you, as
I did, the exact words Of the
cable
Asked if he had any comments
on the Macarthur telegram, Mr..
Acheson replied:
II haven't any desire to COM
ment."
Considerable 'Hearsay' Evidence
He insisted that the 1945 ex-
change of messages with Gen.
Macarthur, Gen. Wedemeyer and
Admiral Spruance was part of
the instructions for Gen. Marshall
for his China trip.
Mr.. Acheson reported the Presi-
dents action regarding the China
Lobby" as a result of previous
within the committee
about the backing in this coun-
try for greater aid to Chang
Kai- shek.
He said the State Department
had amassed considerable hear
say" evidence about the lobby's
activities and added.