Promises Are Not Enough

Returning from the Foreign Ministers Conference in London 17 months ago, tired old George Marshall had told the nation: "It does not appear possible that paper agreements can assure a lasting peace. Agreements between sovereign states are generally the reflection and not the cause of genuine settlements."

Setting off to attend the new Foreign Ministers Conference in Paris (see INTERNATIONAL), Secretary of State Dean Acheson made it clear that he, too, was indifferent to offers of paper agreement, but was willing to listen attentively if the Russians offered a genuine settlement. Said Acheson: "We shall neglect no opportunity for increasing the area of solution and tranquility in the world. At the same time, we shall not barter away successes achieved for the sake of promises which might again prove to be illusory, as they too often have in the past."

"Better Position." For the first time in three hard years, the State Department had an air of calm, unharried confidence. The truth was that the West had learned how to get on with its work without getting on with the Russians. The lifting of the blockade had been proof of the West's success, the rebellion of the voters in Russia's Eastern Zone was a welcome and unexpected bonus. "I think perhaps we have a better opportunity . . . than we have had before," Acheson declared. "We most certainly are now in a better position to deal with the consequences of a failure . . . We cannot allow [our foreign policy] to become subject to the fluctuations produced by a raising and lowering of the international temperature. To accept these fluctuations as a guide for our policy would be to put in foreign hands a large measure of control over the conduct of our foreign relations."

The Bacon. Seeing Acheson off at Washington's airport, the President was in high spirits in sharp contrast to his sober farewells to George Marshall. He joshed photographers, shook hands all around, posed with all comers. Standing next to Acheson, he saw Vice President Barkley- drive up, announced briskly: "Here's the Veep," and pumped his hand. At the top of the ladder, Acheson turned and waved cheerily. "Bring home the bacon," shouted John J. McCloy, the new American High Commissioner in Germany. "Bon voyage" shouted Alben Barkley. Harry Truman looked at him in mock amazement. "What did you say?" he asked, then turned to look for French Ambassador Henri Bonnet. "Hey, Bonnet, this guy's trying to talk French," said Truman gleefully.

When reporters asked what he had said to Acheson, the President explained: "I wished him luck as I've always wished them luck when they leave here." But the accent was different. Obviously, the U.S.'s President and his Secretary of State were confident that they held some strong cards and that the need for luck was no longer quite so desperate.

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