Evening star., 1951-10-21
u. Resiqnotion


Early in December, 1948, the
President had told his press con-
ference that there would be no i'm
mediate changes in the cabinet
Then on January 7. 1949, the res
ignation of both Secretary of
State Marshall and his Undersec-
retary, Robert Lovett, was an
nounced. Dean Acheson would
become Secretary of State and
James E. Webb, Mr.. Forrestal's
antagonist in the Budget Bureau,
would succeed Mr.. Lovett. On
January 8 w. Stuart Symington
published his annual report as
Secretary of Air, renewing the de-
mand for a full 70-group Air
Force. His report reopened the
controversy of the previous year
and still further undermined Mr.
Forrestal's position. Then the
columnists turned their attention
to him. On January 9 Walter
Winchell broadcast a prediction
that the President would accept
Mr.. Forrestal's resignation within
a week. coupling this with bitter
attack, charging that 20 years be-
fore Mr.. Forrestal had formed a
Canadian corporation to reduce
his income tax.
Next day the Presidents press
secretary. Charles C. Ross, sale
fatty that the Winchell predic-
|tion was untrue; and Mr.. Forres-
tai, when asked whether he ex-
pected to continue, said: Eyes,
am a victim of the Washington
scene" This dampened the ru-
mors of his retirement; especially
when the President gave luke
warm Endorsement. But on the
evening of January Is Drew Pear
son renewed the radio attack
Recalling Winchell's assertion
Pearson insisted that the Presi-
dent would have accepted Mr.
ForrestalS resignation if the Win
chell forecast had not angered
him. Pearson repeated the ATTACK
on the Canadian corporation. and
added a trumped-up version of an
old robbery of Mrs. Forrestals S
jewels that reflected on MIR. For
restal's personal courage. Mr.
Forrestal had his attorneys draw
up libel complaint against Pear
son. and received almost unani-
nous advice from his friends that
he should sue. Yet he never au-
thorized the filing of the COM
plant, shrinking from the noto-
riety. When a guest on another
radio program enormously ac-
cused Mr.. Forrestal of having a
major financial interest in a cartel
controlling the old pro-NaZi firm
of I. G.. Farben, friends obtained
a retraction and an apology.
Fatigue Begins to Tell.
There is no doubt that Mr.. For
restal was tired. AS his fatigue
some associates in both
the White House and the Defense
felt that he became
less and less willing to reach de-
cisions. On January 81. Gen.
came back to full-time
duty as Mr. ForrestalS principal
adviser.
"One of the reasons" Gen. Els
enhower recalls, that Mr.. For
restal feltssueh an acute need for
some help was his Unborn hon.
esty. and his very great desire to
serve the country we'll. He would
listen carefully to presentations,
even when he was certain that
these were partisan, and even
preiudiced: his ability to see truth
on both sides of bitter questions
led him to a turmoil out Of which
it was difficult to form a clear-cut
decision in which he could per-
sonally have real confidence"
Very probably, when Mr.. For
restal wrote to a friend on Janu-
ary 13 that he would stay on for
an additional period" he had al
ready discussed with the President
some definite limit to that period.
He conferred with the President
on the 28th; there are no diary
notes of the meeting, but appar-
entity Mr.. Forrestal was arranging
On that day for his succession.
Louis johnson has given a de-
Jailed account: In the latter
days of January the President
sent for me and told me that Mr..
Forrestal wanted to talk to me.
He said that Mr.. Forrestal was
ny friend and that he wanted me
20 listen to him accordingly. :.
crossed through the White
House. and Mr.. Forrestal, coming
1own the corridor, from the cabi-
act room, called to me. Mr..
Forrestal asked me, with the ap-
proval of the President, to take
over his job as Secretary of De-
Tense. :. 7 told Mr.. Forrestal
that story had been printed say
ing I had been undertaking him
his job. Mr.. Forrestal re-
piled that he had double checked
the story and was satisfied that
there was not, and had not been,
a word of truth in it. -.
Declines AmbassadOrial Post.
According to Mr.. Johnson, the
agreed date for the change was
May l, the interim to be used to
brief him on the duties of the
office. There are indications that
Mr.. Forrestal later visited Mr..
Johnson at his office and docu-
material was occasionally
sent to Mr.. johnson from the De-
fense Department. Yet their is
evidence that Mr.. Forrestal may
have considered the succession less
firmly set than Mr.. johnson evi-
IDENTIFY did. Mr.. Forrestal talked
as late as mid-February of the
possibility that when he did leave
office, some one other than Mr..
Johnson would replace him. Mr..
ForreStal also remarked about
this time that he felt the Presi-
dent had always been very fair