The Light That Failed

In its generally shrewd outlook on the world, the influential Washington Post (circ. 187,555) has navigated its approach to Far Eastern affairs by two bright beacons. One is Editor Herbert Elliston's livid hatred of Chinese Nationalist Leader Chiang Kaishek. The other was his admiration and respect for Secretary of State Dean Acheson, who had given every sign of sharing the Post's views on Chiang.

A few months ago, Elliston began to hear disturbing things: Acheson was saying privately that maybe the U.S. should toughen its policy toward the Chinese Communists, and responsible Democrats on Capitol Hill were saying that nothing could be done with Administration foreign policy while Acheson stayed in office. Last week, when Elliston heard that Acheson had not raised his voice against sending a 600-man military mission to Chiang on Formosa (see NATIONAL AFFAIRS), he decided the time had come. In a churning editorial the Post called for Dean Acheson's resignation.

The Secretary of State, editorialized the Post, is "more parallel than antithetical to MacArthur" and "much less candid and forthright." Then Editor Elliston told his readers some things he had managed to conceal from them for a long time:

"The blunt fact is that the most important post in Mr. Truman's Administration is filled by a man who does not enjoy general or congressional confidence. This ... is a serious matter ... It stems, of course, from Mr. Acheson's public expressions about Alger Hiss, especially his public citation of ... the Bible, which, in the light of Alger Hiss's refusal to come clean, was singularly inappropriate ... At home as well as abroad, he is a political deadweight . . .

"For the good of the country, as well as to enable the Administration to make a fresh start in effectuating a contra-MacArthur policy on China [Acheson] should insist on his own retirement, or his transfer to a useful field of endeavor ... It is unfair to the President's overburdened office that he should shoulder the embarrassment of having a Secretary who, far from being an influence, is a drag . . ."

The Post had come to the same conclusion as many a Republican, Democratic and independent newspaper in the U.S. But it had gotten there by a slow-freight route that was uniquely its own.

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