Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1960-12-31

JOB and ne hoped the country
would agree with him.
The President-elect refused
to comment on reports that he
has chosen Gov. Vandiver of
Georgia as his Secretary Of the
Army.
Il have followed a policy of
not commenting on appoint
ments until the appointment
may be made" he added.
Defends Telecast Policy
Mr.. Kennedy defended at his
press conference his decision to
permit live telecasts and broad
casts Of some Of his press con-
ferences after he enters the
White House.
He said what he was doing
was just taking an additional
step In the field Of commune
eating quickly to the American
people the views of the Presi-
dent. and he thought it would
be helpful. He noted that Presi-
dents had followed different
press conference procedures
and that President Eisenhower
had made the "breakthrough'
of permitting his press confer
ence remarks to be quoted in
the :irst person and filmed and
tapped for delayed telecast.
His press conference today
followed announcement last
night that w. Averell Harri-
man. former Ambassador to
London and Moscow. would
serve him and Secretary OF
State designate Dean Rusk as
Ambassador at large.
The President-elect called a
New Year press conference for
tomorrow to release a report
from his special task force,
headed by Senator Douglas,
Democrat of Illinois, recon-
mending measures to create
new jobs in economically de-
pressed areas.
No holiday on such activity
at the Kennedy headquarters
signifled the President-elect's
determination to have his ad-
ministration ready to go. with
key personnel on the job and
major policies charted, when he
is inaugurated on January 20.
Eases Presidents Burden
Mr.. Harriman'S appointment
as rowing ambassador had been
anticipated since Mr.. Kennedy
disclosed Thursday night that
he thought it would be useful
to have a diplomatic trouble
shooter ready to travel any
where in the world.
It will put Mr.. Kennedy in
better position, he hopes, to
resist pressures that he engage
personally in such worldwide
personal diplomacy as Presi-
dent Eisenhower has carried on
for the last couple of years.
The Hartman assignment
probably will mean. too, that
Dean Rusk as Mr.. Kennedy's
Secretary Of State will do less
flying about the world than did
the late John Foster Dulles or
has Secretary of State Herter.
Job Defined
The Kennedy announcement
regarding Mr.. Hartman de.
fined his Job in these terms:
"AS Ambassador at large
Mr.. Hartman will be available
to the President and Secretary
of State for important specia
missions requiring q spokes.
man who has the full conf.
dence of the President and ar
intimate knowledge of all as
poets of the United State,
policy.
1.-THE very nature of the ap.
pointment requires f1exibility
It is not anticipated that Am.
bassador Hartman would un.
dertake routine assignments OF
be a substitute for usual chan.
nels Of consultation.
when not engaged on spe.
cial missions. the Ambassador.
at-large will be working closely
with the Presidents policy ad.
visers in Washington, particu-
larry with the Secretary Of
State"
Mr.. Kennedy said at his
Thursday night press confer
ence that the closest analogy
to his rowing ambassador as.
signment was the job done fol-
former President Truman BY
DR.. Philip c. Jesup, who ne.
gotiated the agreement with
Russia that ended the Berlin
blockade, and made many fact.
finding trips to the Far East