Evening star., 1953-03-13
Grew Can't Recall
Remark on BohIen
In Forresta| Diary

Former Undersecretary Of
State Joseph C. Grew said today
he has no recollection of ever
making a remark about Charles
E. (Chip) Bohlen attributed to
him in the James v. Forrestal
diaries.
The Forrestal diary reference
to Mr.. Bohlen is one factor in in
creasing Republican opposition
to his confirmation as Ambassa-
dor to Russia.
Senator Bridges. Republican,
of New Hampshire, said today
that Mr.. Bohlen will face "for-
midable opposition" if his name
is finally put to vote.
Senator Ferguson, Republican,
of Michigan, brought up the For
restal diary reference yesterday
as one thing he wants to ques-
ton Mr.. Bohlen about.
Bridges to Vote Against Him.
It was learned that Senator
Bridges intends to vote against
Mr.. Bohlen, and a number of
other Republicans have made it
clear that they, too. will oppose
him. Some are sharply critical
of what they call his "tie-in with
Truman and AcheSon." Most
Senate Democrats, on the other
hand. are expected to vote for
him.
The late Mr.. Forrestal, then
Secretary of the Navy, wrote in
his diary in mid-1945 that Mr..
Grew told him that Mr.. Bchlen
was among those feeling that
the United States could not af-
ford to hold up any Qualification
of unconditional surrender terms
to Japan (which could be con-
strued as desire to get the ia
panese war over with before Rus
sia has an opportunity to enter" !"
Recalls 1945 Issue.
Mr.. Grew explained today that
he was pressing in mid-1945 for
issuance of a proclamation to
Japan containing assurance that
surrender would not mean ELI
mination of the Emperor dynasty
if the Japanese wanted to keep
| it.
He said he did not remember
any argument against such a
move on the grounds that it
might be construed as an effort
to hasten the end of the war
with Japan to keep Russia out
of it.
Furthermore, Mr.. Grew said
II have no recollection at all of
mentioning Mr.. Bohlen to Mr..
Forrestal" in connection with the
proposed proclamation.
II do not remember how Mr..
Bohlen felt and am not sure now
that I ever knew how he stood
on this" Mr.. Grew told a re-
porter. Mr.. Grew added that "a
lot of people-especially the mill
tary-felt it was essential" at
that time for Russia to enter the
war against Japan to achieve
ViptOrX, coooIj1v
President Agreed
Mr.. Grew recalled that he
began pressing for issuance of
the proclamation assuring the
Japanese they could keep their
emperor if they surrendered in
May, 1945. He said President
Truman agreed with him, and
that military authorities agreed
in principle, but insisted the
time was not ripe.
Mr.. Bohlen himself could not
be reached for any comment on
the question raised by Senator
Ferguson. His Office said he
was out Of town for the week
end.
The Senate Foreign Relations
Committee has held up action
on Mr.. Bohlen'S nomination un-
til next week, despite a plea
from Secretary of State Dulles
for speedy action in order to
get an Ambassador into Russia
quickly in view of the changed
situation there.
Aside from the questions
raised by Senator Ferguson,
some Republican Senators want
to question Mr.. Bohlen further
about the part he played at
Yalta and other wartime Big
Three conferences at which he
acted as an interpreter.