Evening star., 1953-09-08
The Political Mill
Dulles Seen Winner
Along With Adenuuer
Election in Germany Quiets
Enemies of State Secretary
By Gould Lincoln

The sweeping victory of Chancellor
Konrad Adenauer'S pro-United States
coalition parties in West Germany'S
elections has let the anti-DulleS people
in this country and abroad down with a
thud. The shouts for the official head
of the American Secretary of State
raised when Mr.. Dulles said frankly he
believed the Adenauer forces should
win-are now reduced to whisper.
Secretary Dulles has been target
a favorite target-of opponents of the
Eisenhower administration for months.
They have sought to discredit him as
inept, as a kind of bull in q china
shop. They have sought to compare
him unfavorably with former Secre-
tary of State Acheson. They have said
he talks too much and out of turn.
And they have predicted again and
again that President Eisenhower was
about to turn Mr.. Dulles out of Office.
This most recent attack on Mr.. Dulles
stems from his answer at a press con-
ference when he was asked directly
what he thought about the West Ger
man elections then just around the
corner. The Secretary of State an
swered without hesitation that a de-
1Sctb 1O1 f1uCIlduCI WOu1u US ulSdSUIUuS.
He was Immediately attacked for trying
to mix in an election in a foreign
country. The German Socialists sought
to make an issue of it. They failed
dismally.
What Alternative?
Suppose Mr.. Dulles had ducked the
question, when he was asked it, about
the German elections. Headline reports
would have gone abroad that the
United States and particularly the
Eisenhower administration was luke
warm, that it was not overexcited
about the German elections, and that
Socialist victory would be "all right"
Not very encouraging report for the
Christian Democrats and Chancellor
Adenauer to read on the eve of very
important election.
The German people are not so stupid,
however, as some of our own people
appear to believe them. The West
Germans who favor erecting strong
democratic form of government in their
country understand that the United
States is their friend in that effort.
AS they outnumber materially the So
cialiStS and the Communists, it was
scarcely to be expected they would
resent the statement made by Secretary
Dulles. Further, Mr.. Dulles statement
was made at a press conference. He
did not hurry at the eleventh hour, to
issue a formal statement that he be-
HeVed Adenauer and Christian DEM
ocratS and their allies should Win-put
out by the State Department officially.
The frankneSs of the Eisenhower ad-
mlniStration in foreign affairS-Shown
both by the President and by his Sec
retary of State-iS increasing respect in
this country and abroad. There has
been plenty of plain Speaking-and
much of it has been done by Mr. Dulles.
His recent speech before the American
Legion, in which he warned the Com
muniStS of China-and also of the
Kremlin-that the United States would
be prepared to fight if there were
further aggression in Korea or Indo-
China, had a particular purpose. Before
the United States entered the First and
Second World Wars, and before it en-
tered the Korean war, the aggressor
nations had no such notice. Indeed,
they apparently believed this country
would not fight. Mr.. Dulles is seeing
to it that there will be no such belief,
in the future.
Positive Policy.
The foreign policy of the Eisenhower
administration has emerged as a posi-
tive policy. Mr.. Dulles, who has
travelled to the far corners of the world
since he took Office, to gain information
regarding the problems which confront
the nations. has had his part in mold
ing the policy-and in enunciating it.
Apparently, frankness is a dominant
note in this policy, rather than Mach
iavellian strategy. In the long run, it is
paying off.
Mr.. Dulles has had wide experience
in and knowledge of foreign affairs. He
was slated to be Secretary of State had
Gov Dewey of New York been elected
in 1948. He served the Truman admin
iStratiOn in foreign affairs both during
World War II and at the San Francisco
Conference where the Charter of the
United Nations was drawn. He was
called upon by that administration to
aid in drafting the treaty of peace with
Japan-and did an amazingly success
full job. Adlai Stevenson, Democratic
candidate for President last year, served
alongside of Mr.. Dulles at the San
Francisco Conference in 1945. Mr..
Stevenson, as titular head of the Dem
ocratic Party. may be expected to
criticize the Eisenhower foreign policy,
and SO to come into conflict with his
onetime colleague. Mr.. Dulles. Indeed,
within a week Mr.. Stevenson will be
making an address in Chicago dealing
with world affairs and his own conclu-
sions as result of his around-the-
world trip. Already he has indicated
he will be critical.