Evening star. [volume], August 23, 1948, Page A-9, Image 9

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
Congressional Probes
Held Needed to Catch:
Those Who Dodge Law
Belief Innocent Persons
Are Injured Is Refuted;
Spy Hearings Cited
By David Lawrence
President Truman, /or political
reasons, is trying to discredit the
work of congressional investigating
committees. Yet when he was the
head of such a committee, he did
not fail to use his committee po
sition to get headlines for himself.
As a result of the publicity he re
ceived as head of the Truman com
mittee, he got the nomination that
led to the presidency.
The investigating committee as
an institution is coming in for a
good deal of attack from "left
wingers’’ and "parlor pinks” as well
as from many other persons who
hold no such ideological views but
have been misled into thinking that
the methods of these committees
are improper.
The investigating committee is
not hedged in by the rules of a
trial court and hence its powers
8 re more likely to reach persons
who otherwise can escape punish
ment through technicalities.
President Truman boasts that of
the persons accused all now are
outside the Government, but he
does not say how many were quiet- j
ly asked to leave and what they
did to bring about such action. Nor
does he disclose that if it were not
for the prodding by the House com
mittee, very few of those dismissed
would have been let out.
Are Innorent Persons Smeared?
The most oft-heard cry Is that
"innocent" persons are smeared by
the committee. But how many of
those smeared are really •'inno
cent?” Many of them will not an
swer questions put to them by the
committee, taking refuge in the
technical excuse that to answer
might "incriminate” them. Why
would any innocent person really
hesitate to avow his innocence or
answer any question put to him,
such as whether he had ever met
particular persons and what his
relations with such persons had
been?
The laws against espionage are so
hedged about with technicalities
'that disloyalty and subversive ac
tivities can exist inside the Govern
ment and yet it would be difficult to
get a conviction because of the
necessity always of proving willful
ness or intent. Nor should the law.^
be changed necessarily to make it
easier on that point. It is much
more in the public interest to sub
ject suspected persons to the light
of pitiless publicity.
Years ago magazines and news
papers did the crusading that is
done today by "congressional com
mittees. But the libel laws have
been interpreted in such a way that
to call a man a Communist in print
may in some States subject a pub
lication to a libel suit. When the
charge is made by congressional
committee at a hearing, however,
this and other proceedings may be
printed without fear of law suits.
Hence the initiative in exposing
evil and wrongdoing must come
from congressional committees es
pecially in those instances of dis
loyalty where the laws are so
broadly drawn that prosecutions
cannot be sustained.
FBI Is Discounted.
It may be argued that the Fed
eral Bureau of Investigation can
do the investigating. But, surpris-'
ing as it may be to the general:
public, the evidence gathered by;
the FBI does not necessarily lead
to prosecutions. The Attorney Gen
eral, a political officer appointed
by a political President, can decide
what evidence shall be submitted:
and who shall or shall not be prose- j
cuted.
If that means of suppressing the
truth is not effective and a con
gressional committee nevertheless
learns the facts, such a committee
Is stymied in getting records from
the President or the Justice De
partment or any other agencies of
the executive branch of the Gov
ernment. Supreme Court decisions
indicate that the executive can with
hold such information, which means
that congressional committees are
more than ever needed to ferret
out the truth and expose it to view.
The American people can be be
trayed, just as the French people
were betrayed before 1939. by a
"fifth column." Then, as now, the
Idea of disloyalty was laugffied off
and ridiculed. But such tactics will
not dissuade the members of Con
gress who are active in the current
widespread suspicion that “fellow
travelers" and Communist-minded
persons have infiltrated high places.
The only cure is to expose all
this, and no amount of clamor about
smearing some of the innocent per
sons will swerve the committees
from their work. Sometimes in the
pursuit of the guilty some innocent
persons get hurt, but truly innocent
persons can always be cleared by
the committee and by the press.
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This Changing World
Dispute on Return of Italian Colonies
Shows Need to Define Bipartisan Policy
By Constantine Brown
The recent dispute between Presi
dent Truman and Gov. Dewey
over the former Italian colonies
and their prospective return to
Italy lays bare
one of the great
difficulties i n
maintaining a
bipartisan for
eign policy in
this election
year.
Any attempt
to decide abso
lutely in favor
of President
Truman's posi
tion — that the
question of
Italy’s colonies
is a matter ex
clusivelv for the
Constantine Brown.
United Nations—or that of Gov.
Dewey—that he has the right and
duty to express himself on all mat
ters of foreign and domestic policy
—is fraught with the greatest
danger.
There is a line beyond which
neither side should go in injecting
foreign issues into the campaign
if bipartisanism in foreign policy
is to be preserved. The question
is exactly where this line is to be
drawn.
It would be an unhealthy condi
tion if every issue of foreign affairs
were to be ruled out of the cam
paign simply because it might pre
vent American unity before the
world. The problem, then, is to fix
the line, on one side of which no
dispute should take place and on
the other side of Which full debate
$nd difference of opinion should
be permitted.
Some Agreement Needed.
In general the most satisfactory
definition of bipartisan policy would
limit it to general principles, leav
ing the details of execution to be
decided by the electora te on the
basis of the campaign arguments
of both parties.
Under such a limitation of bipar
tisanism both parties could agree on
a united front of restoration of
i lasting peace, economic revival
! throughout the world, opposition to
■ Russian expansionism, strengthen
ing of the national defense and
support of the United Nations. These
are t hings on which the overwhelm -
jing majority of the American peo
■ pie are united, anyway, and they are
I the things on which the major par
ties should stand together.
This common front before the
i world on the fundamentals of world
I organization should not. however,
| exclude from political debate the
i details of how these fundamental
I points of foreign policy ate to be
World Church Council
Formally Convened as
450 Delegates Meet
By the Associated Press
• AMSTERDAM. The Netherlands,
Aug. 23.—The World Council of
Churches formally came into beihg
today, the result of years of effort to
give the spiritual guidance of a uni
fied Christian church to the social,
economic and political problems of
the world.
After 10 years as a provisional;
body, the council took on its new j
status when the Archbishop of Can-i
terbury, chairman of the first busi- j
ness session, called some 450 official
delegates from 40 countries for the
first order of business in Amster- j
dam’s Concertgebouw.
Now. for the first time, official
representatives of 145 churches are i
creating “a permanent instrument j
of fellowship and co-operation on
a world-wide scale.” said the Rev.
Dr. Samuel McCrea Cavert. general
secretary of the Federal Council of
Churches of Christ in America, a
speaker at this morning's sessions.
Committees To Be Set Up.
The delegates will be divided into
committees to prepare recommenda
tions for discussion and action by;
the assembly. One committee will
take up the council's constitutional
basis. A second will deal with mat
ters of policy affecting the council.1
A third will be concerned with a!
program and administration of the
council. The assembly will continue
through September 4.
"We meet at a time of deep con
fusion and uncertainty when men;
everywhere are eager for some work
which shall shed the light of God's I
trutfc upon the present scene," Dr. j
Cavert said.
"Any utterance of the assembly |
will claim no authority over the |
churches. Its significance will de- j
pend solely upon whatever measures
of inherent truth or wisdom it may!
possess.”
Delegates Attend Services.
The world council had Its incep-1
tion at conferences at Oxford and
Edinburgh in 1936, when a com-!
mittee of 14 was entrusted with the
task of planning the council, sub
applied. Thus the question of the
restoration of Italy's former colonies
is not a fundamental question for
the United States and Is a fit sub
ject for debate by the presidential
aspirants.
The fact that Gov. Dewey differs
with President Truman on the posi
tion the United States should take
on this matter should not create
any major uncertainty in the minds
of foreign peoples as to where the
United States stands on the major
world Jssues. Whether the colo
nies are returned or not is a detail
which is subordinate to the more
fundamental issue of strengthening
Italy as a member of the Western
bloc.
The bipartisan foreign policy is
clear on the point of solidifying
Italy as a mepiber of the Western
democratic bloc, and there is no
difference between the parties on
that. ,
Many Questions Raised.
The return of Italy's colonies
raises many questions, to be sure.
These include whether \*e would
be nullifying our hard-won victory |
over the Axis if we restored even
a part of the empire of one of our
former enemies. On the other hand,
we have to consider the fact that
Italy became a co-belligerent
against the heart of the Axis—
Nazi Germany—in the later phases
of World War II.
Also figuring into the discussion'
is the feeling of Americans of Ital- [
ian descent, and it is this concern i
for the support of Italian-Americam
voters that influences both the Re-i
publican and Democratic candidates. I
But this is a legitimate political ]
concern, for democracy in a na
tion of many diverse interests re
quires a composite policy which
represents as nearly as possible a
majority of the electorate. Among
these diverse interests are the var
ious nationalities which make up
the American people.
As to whether Gov. Dewey has
violated the ethics of bipartisan
policy by exposing to domestic po
litical debate a matter on which
the United States Government is
at present engaged in international
negotiation with the other major’
powers, the answer clearly must be
in the negative, for the obligation
to debate thoroughly the details of:
application of foreign policy over
rides any ethical restraint which
might arise from the fact that the
major parties co-operate in the
formulation Of that policy.
Debate on foreign policy should
be restrained only by considerations
of national security arising from the
fact that indiscreet disclosures might
endanger the national defense.
There is no questioh in the matter
of Italy’s colonies of imperilling the
national defense.
mitting the plan to the churches
and carrying it through to fruition.
A subsequent conference, at Utrecht
in 1938, made the committee of 14
a provisional one.
The delegates were brought to
gether yesterday at services in Am
sterdam’s 16th Century "New
Church” Cathedral of Holland.
Russia is not represented. The
Roman Catholic Church is repre
sented only by "observers,” who will
take no official part in the proceed
ings.
Churchmen of the world had high
hopes for the council. Dr. Daniel
A. Poling, president of the World's
Christian Endeavor Union, com-j
mented:
"This may well be the greatest,
most significant religious gathering
since the conversion of Constantine.
Already it is a supreme demonstra
tion of unity as distinguished from
uniformity. The unity of the World
Council of Churches is in Jesus
Christ himself. That unity tran
scends all differences.
Oxnam Sees Creation of Unity.
Methodist Bishop G. Bromley Ox
nam of New York said:
“Through the assembly of the
World Council of Churches we get
at a world level the continuous and
the creative. I think it means a
flow of Christian opinion to those
qharged with making decisions in
political and economic fields. It
will create unity within such con
ditions of freedom as permit each
church to make its contribution
to it.”
Dr. O. Frederick Nolde of Phila
delphia, director of the Commission
of Churches on International Af
fairs. had this to say:
"The interest of churches in world
affairs is relatively new and has
reached proportions only in a few
countries, the United States and
Great Britain particularly. The
churches represented here, in the
face of chaotic and threatening
conditions, are concerned with these
problems at a level wfiere one na
tion meets another. Whereas in
the past the churches have issued
messages, the Amsterdam confer
ence must not only issue a message
but also create the machinery to
carry it out.”
John Foster Dulfes, a lay dele
gate from the Presbyterian Church
and one of Thomas E. Dewey's ad
visers on international affairs. w»ill
address the assembly tomorrow'.
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On the Record
Only Western European Union Seen
Effective Way to^Confront Russia
By Dorothy Thompson I
A poll of correspondents covering j
the Moscow conference shows that j
they believe an agreement to con- j
tinue a four-power conference will
result.
There are
| hints that, for
i the sake of
avoiding a break
: the Western
powers may
abandon setting
up a West-Ger
man govern
ment, A faction
of the State De
partment favors
this.
This column
doubted the wis
dom of setting
Up a West-Ger- Dorothy Thompson,
man state at this time. So did Ger
man leaders who were not consulted
: previous to the London conference,
j and sent a memorandum express
ing their doubts on some phases of
I the proposals though they heartily
Welcomed Western unification and
a stabilization of their political sta
Itus. The Western Allies persuaded
! them to go ahead, after taking some
changes in the first proposals, and
! a representative assemblage of the
ilaender is scheduled for the begin
ning of September.
If now' it is called off. as a con
I cession to the Soviets, the results
will be serious. The Germans just
| ly will feel that they are being
j played fast and loose, that the
| Western Allies are mere improvis
j ers. without considered purpose, and
that there is no use preparing to
| accept responsibilities since today's
; policy is tomorrow’s rubbish.
Inconsistency Is Grave Error.
Inconsistency is the gravest
error of foreign policy. An uncon
ditionallv surrendered people know
| they must accept every measure of
, their conquerors. But what is com
i pletely demoralizing is to feel that
one is subject, not merely to harsh
ness, but to whim. Then evpry
security vanishes, together with
every attitude of respect, as it ap
pears that one’s masters do not
know what they are up to.
The East-West division of Europe
| is a fact and nothing will alter
’that fact except war or Soviet col
lapse. In my belief, the German
people know that Eastern Germany
its lost for a foreseeable time, if
! they doubted it, the outcome of
the Danube conference should make
it plain to them, as to us.
Eastern Germany is a Soviet
colony ruled by Russia's Quislings.
The fate of rump Germany, there
fore, either is to be sucked into
the same status—under the slogan
of restoring national unity—or to
escape into penurious freedom In
closest association with the still
free European states. Not a gov
ernment of "West” Germany but
a government of West Europe offers
the only hope of effecting a divi
sion strong enough to discourage
further Russian expansion, which
is certain to lead to war with the
United States.
The French now are pressing for
a conference to be held in Brus
sels in November to plan the crea
tion of a European parliament and
federation, which would include
Western Germany as an entity.
Oddly enough it is Britain who
seeems hesitant, apparently unable
to make up her mind once and for
all that sne is a European power
and that her future lies there
and in a European-Africa condo
minium.
Buffer Seen Impossible.
Yet it must be clear, from geo
graphical, historical and cultural
realities, that only still free Europe
can make the political decision
which will determine where Europe1
begins and ends. Rump Germany
cannot possibly be made a buffer
between Western Europe and the
extended Soviet empire. Only all
Western Europe, including what
remains of Germany, conceivably
can be made a buffer between the
Soviet Union and the United States.
The Soviet Union, whose theo.
retical aims are global, will never
agree to this. But neither, in my
belief, will the Soviet Union go to
war to prevent it, any more than
we will go to war to undo the con
solidation of Eastern Europe. That
is the only "calculated risk” we
run. If the Soviet Union will go
to war against a federation of
Western Europe, she will go to
war to achieve global aims. There
fore. war or unconditional sur
render are our only choices anyhow
The showdown, therefore, should
not be over the American right to
remain in Berlin, but over the right
of the European peoples unitedly
to work out their own destinies.
The place to achieve that right is
not in Moscow', nor in conferences
of foreign ministers. It is by Euro
pean action, benevolently supported
by the United States, paying as
little attention to Russian protests
as the Russians pay to ours.
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McLemore—
India Is Found
Lazy Man's Heaven
By Henry McLemore
NEW DELHI, India.—India is a
lazy man's heaven.
No one does anything that he can
get some one else to do for him.
I suppose that
the English
started this,
when they came
from their cold
climate to this
hot and humid
one. It works
out so that It is
unnecessary to
pick up any
thing that you
happen to drop,
or to carry a
small package
so much as half
a block when
Shopping. II you Henry McLeranre.
want a glass of water from a pitch
er across the room, your bearer
will fetch it for you.
This doesn't just apply to the
white man in India. The natives
were quick to catch on, too. Your
bearer will run your errands but
he wouldn’t think of sweeping your
floor. He has a sub-bearer work
ing for him to do that sort of
'thing. Indian cab drivers have an
'assistant who rides along to open
i the door and make change. The
| driver wouldn’t think of putting
J himself out to that extent.
In the restaurants your waiter
will serve you your curry, but he
wouldn’t consider serving the chut
ney. There's a chutney boy for that.
Can Spot the American.
Life in India flows along like a
slow-motion picture of molasses be
ing poured from a jug ifl winter. I
have yet to see a Britisher or an
Indian hurry about doing anything.
You can pick out an American a
quarter of a mile away—he'll be
the one galloping along, mopping
his brow and neck, and glowing like
a boiled lobster.
One foul thing which the British
foisted on India is the habit of
dressing for dinner every night. Dur
ing the day anything goes for
coolness—shorts, sandals, and open
neck shirts. But once the sun goes
down the pukka sahib climbs into
his dinner clothes, no matter if the
thermometer is blowing its top.
To come to India without evening
clothes would be as foolish as to
go to the seashore without a bath
ing suit. The public in New Delhi
are very social. You spend half
| your time answering knoclgton your
door to be confronted wwlt some
one's bearer with an invitation to a
party. The telephone system is such
that it is much quicker to send your
bearer milfs with a message rather
than try to reach a person by
phone.
Talks with Pandit Nehru.
At a garden party the other night,
given by “the Belgian ambassador,
I was fortunate enough to meet
and talk with Pandit Nehru, India's
Prime Minister. I have met few,
if any, more charming and cultured
men. I explained to him that my
stay in his country was going to be
short and asked his advice on what
I should see. Without hesitation
Pandit Nehru told me that above
all else I must go to Agra.
"There you will see,'* he said,'
“three of the most magnificent
sights in all the world—the Taj
Mahal, the Red Fort and the tomb
l of Etmad-Ud-Daula. I am sure that
i to see any one of these would justify
| your trip to India. Then, of course,
I you must go .to Kashmir. In all
Miss Fleeson on Vacation
Miss Doris Fleeson is on va
cation. Her column will be
resumed on this page on or
about September 5.
THE EVENING STAR, Washington, D. C.***A—§
MONDAY. AUGUST 33. 1?4S.
the world there Is not such a place
as Kashmir.”
Later in the evening Pandit
Nehru's advice was confirmed by
India's Governor-General, Cha
kravarti Rajagopalacharia, a man
of great dignity and charm. Amer
icans here simply can t pronounce
his name so. with no disrespect
intended, they call the governor
general “Rubber Ball Charlie.”
which is approximately what his
name sounds like when pronounced
by Indians.
So, Jean and I are leaving for
Agra tomorrow, which Is about 124
miles south of New Delhi.
We want to give the Taj Mahal
a chance to see us by moonlight.
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