Evening star., 1952-08-24
By IsobeIIe Shelton

Every time Secretary of State
Dean Acheson makes one Of his
fairly frequent missions to Europe
an advance emissary from the
State Department flies in a day or
two ahead Of him, to make ar
rangements for press conferences
and other news coverage.
The emissary stays with the
Secretary and his delegation
throughout their trip, acting as
press officer for the group. flying
with them in the Government
plane, Independence, if they go
from one country to another.
The holder of this choice as
signment-who has garnered four
such European sojurns in the last
nine months-iS Miss Helen Kirk
patrick, who was herself a we'll
known European correspondent
Tor American newspapers for
many years. Miss Kirkpatrick
now holds the title Of public af-
fairs adviser to the Assistant Sec
retary OF State for Europe, Mr..
George w. Perkins.
Because of the many years she
lived in Europe, as correspond
ent and (from October, 1949, to
April, 1851 as chief of ECA In
formation for France, Miss Kirk
patrick is ideally equipped to
make the contacts with newsmen
in Europe, to advise Secretary
Acheson and his delegation on the
press and public opinion in that
part Of the world.
Frequent jaunts to Europe are
only one-certainly one of the
,nicest-parts of her job. Back in
washington she serves in much
the same capacity-helping decide
how the departments viewpoints
on European questions can best
be explained at home and abroad,
counselling on how the Voice of
America should present various is
sues, recommending personnel for
United States information posts in
Europe.
Briefs Acheson on Europe
Each week, before Secretary
AcheSon holds a press conference :,
she anticipates questions which
might be raised about Europe.
gives the Secretary a memoran-
dunn with the facts on the matter.
Others supply the Secretary with
similar information for their part
OF the world. of course, as he
couldn't possibly have the details
OF every world situation at this
mgertips.
I have had more fun in this
job than I would ever have be-
:lieved possible, says this veteran
correspondent. who is refreshingly
free Of the Government gobble-
degook that comes to affect many
Government employes-even for
.mer news reporters.
The thing I like is that there is
almost no limit to it's scope" she
explained. "You never know what
you may get into next. You spend
"a quiet morning looking over some
films. Then suddenly you are
pitched into a discussion of how
10 brief the press on the latest
Soviet note.
1t sometimes is terribly diff
:cult to draw the line between
propaganda and policy" she
added. II particularly like work.
ing Tor Mr.. Perkins because he
understands that so well. In fact
i am pleased that almost every
one in the State Department
realizes now that you have to
have public support for a policy
You can't put out one line and
say that it is your policy, unless
your actions support it,"
Studied Inferno tionoI Low
Born and raised in Rochester
N. Y. Miss Kirkpatrick has been
interested in world affairs ever
since she was at Smith College
from which she graduated in 1881
with major in history and inter-
national law. She spent the next
year studying international law
In Geneva, Switzerland, only to
find, upon her return to the de-
:presSion-wracked United States.
that nobody was very interested
in giving a job to some one whose
only qualifications were that she
could speak French and under
stood international law
The New York Herald Tribune
finally offered her a reporting job
for SIS week-but City Editor
Stanley Walker sternly warned
her that there was mo future for
women in the newspaper business. "
She took Walker at his word
got a job at Macy's department