Evening star., 1959-05-25
John Foster Dulles

he ulQ not i've 10 see the attainment
Of that goal to the pursuit of which he
gave so unreServedly of his time and
energies-the goal of "a Just and durable
peace" During his last illness, however,
John Foster Dulles had what must have
been the satisfaction of knowing that
host of critics had come to better un-
derStanding of his aims, methods and
towering contributions to the cause in
which he served.
1t is not easy in retrospect, to un-
derstand the motives behind the merci-
less and often vicious criticisms which
were piled upon Mr.. Dulles, and which
made more difficult seemingly impos-
sible assignment. For If he was not a
man to win friends easily, the nature of
his undertaking and his high-minded,
unSelfish and Skillful devotion to the
cause of peace should at least have COM
manded respect and support. Outwardly,
he ignored the savage and generally un-
just attacks by those who had neither
a better program nor the slightest re-
SponSibility for consequences. Being
human, however, he felt the sting of
these sings and arrows, and he was ap-
preciative of such support and encour-
agement as he received.
Mr.. Dulles, in a sense, was COM
plex personality. Gifted with a high
order of intelligence, he was not to be
easily turned aside from course, which,
in his deliberate way, he had decided was
both just and efficacious. 1t is not true,
however, that he was given to dogmatic
judgments and unyielding attitudes. His
was a questioning mind, a mind which
was constantly reappraiSing his own as
sumptions and re-examining alterna-
tives If a change in tactics seemed
desirable, he was always receptive to the
: argdmentS, pro and con. His infiexibility,
of which so much has been heard, was
discoverable in his fundamental philo-
sophy, not in methods or procedures.
A lifetime spent in diplomacy and
the law had left Mr. Dulles deeply con-
vinced that any worthwhile search for
peace must be conducted within a
framework of dedication to basic moral
values He believed that we must con-
serve our own vital interests while re-
Specting those of other nations. And he
was confident that these principles could
best be preserved by reSolute and
stated willingness to fight for them, if
need be. In his devotion to these fun
damentalS, he was indeed inflexible. In
the tactical details, however, he was
adaptable and flexible, and the best
evidence of this will be found in the
number of critics whom he was able to
convert into supporters and even ad-
mirerS.
Mr.. Dulles place in history must be
left to the historians All that his con-
temporaries can say is that no man ever
served as Secretary of State under con-
ditionS more difficult or more fraught
with the potentials of disaster for our
civilization. To the best of his great
ability, he discharged his responsible
ties with steadfast courage, devotion,
competence and integrity. What more
could have been asked?
Death came to Mr. Dulles at a time
when preSsureS which may prove to be
beyond the control of men seem to be
forcing a decision for war or peace.
Before this year is out the decisive turn,
one way or the other, may have been
taken. We want to believe, and we think
there is some reason to believe, that the
foreign ministers and the heads of state,
knowing the appalling consequences of
armed conflict, will take first small
step toward peace with justice. If this
should come about, it will be the finest
possible monument to the memory and
the works of John Foster Dulles.