Evening star., 1952-12-31
Acheson Defends Associates
Accused Of Letting Him Down
On Dis|oya| Americans In u. N.
AssuiIs Killings
Charge Of 'Phony'
Probe Order
By Robert K. WoIsh

BY Robert K. Welsh
Secretary of State Acheson to-
day angrily disputed charges by
House subcommittee members that
his State Department associates
let him down by permitting United
States subversives to get on the
United Nations staff.
Flushed and vehement. Mr..
Acheson also engaged in heated
Tyeve Lie Plans U. N. Panel to Deal With
U. S. Loyalty Suspects. Page Az
exchange with Representative
Killings, Republican, of California,
who asserted that pending
executive order for a full loyalty
probe of such employees was "a
sham and a phony."
The outburStS occurred after
the Secretary of State told the
subcommittee that the disclosures
about United States Communists
on the U. N. staff would give this
country a ''black eye" He in
sisted. however. that it would not
endanger the security of the
United States.
Appears at House Hearing.
Mr.. AcheSon appeared before
the House Judiciary Subcommit-
tee which last Monday opened
hearings on whether the Justice
and State Departments tried to
block or delay a Federal grand
jury report denouncing the U. N.
employment of American citizens
of questionable loyalty.
The hearing branched out into
even more spectacular ground late
yesterday because of what sub
committee members called "Star-
.tling and revealing testimony"
That testimony indicated that at
least so Americans obtained U. N.
staff jobs after obtaining State
Department clearance despite fire.
quent adverse reports by the FBI.
The two-hour questioning of Mr..
Acheson reached its most dramatic
peak when he replied to a COM
ment by Subcommittee Chairman
Chelf that "some of your aides
certainly have failed to keep you
informed of a situation that has
been going on for years" Mr..
Chelf asserted that those aides
''have been sitting around over
there in the State Department on
the back of their laps and not
advising you, as Secretary of
State, what is going on"
Fists CIenched.
The Secretary of State clenched
his fists and his face Redeemed as
he answered.:
It do not believe that any of
my associates have let me or any
one down. They have handled a
most difficult situation as well as
it could be handled under severe
limitations.
1T would not cause me to
snatch the knotted cord from the
hand of God and deal out mur-
derous blows to chastise my as
Sociates for something for which
they cannot justly be blamed"
Secretary Acheson conceded
that the handling of the problem
of United States citizens en-
ployed by the U. N. has not been
a success. He reminded the COM
mittee that the State Depart
ment has nothing to do with the
hiring or firing of such employees.
It's only procedure in recent years.
he explained, was to send to the
u. N. secretary general certain in
formation concerning the back
ground of such persons. That in
formation was obtained merely
by a so-called name check and a
partial investigation by the FBI.
The U. NJ, he added, imposed
strict limitations. Mr.. Acheson
insisted that his department did
as we'll as any one could and
that more drastic measures will
be taken under the pending exec
utive order by the President.
Killings Blasts Setup.
This prompted Mr.. Killings to
eXclaim: II consider the order a
sham and phony. 1t would set
up a whole new series of boards
and commissions. 1t would pro-
vide for all the long delays in
loyalty hearings. 1t would take
years and years to get rid of sub
verSives in the u. N. because of
all the red tape involved. It
would make the matter much
worse than it is now"
Mr.. AcheSon asked Mr.. Killings
whether he had read the report
of commission of jurists on
which the executive order is being
based. When Mr.. Killings said
he had not done so, Mr.. Acheson
remarked: "Well, it would be wise
for you to read it."
Despite the many stormy Incl
dents during the interrogation Of
Secretary Acheson, the subcom-
mittee members and the Secretary
of State parted in outward good
humor. Some members said they
realized that too much import
ance should not be placed on
hindsight interpretations.
my hindsight is sore at this
point" Mr.. Acheson commented.
Chairman Chelf assured Sec
retarv Acheson that the nnestinn-