On Second Thought

Testifying at the Lilienthal hearings a fortnight ago, Under Secretary of State Dean Acheson made the thoroughly accurate judgment that "Russian foreign policy is an aggressive and expanding one." His frankness cocked a few U.S. ears; it set the Kremlin a-growl. Barked Comrade Molotov: "Inadmissible behavior. . . gross slander and hostile to the Soviet Union."

If the Kremlin planned thereby to test Secretary of State George Marshall's mettle, it got a ready answer: "In accordance with our system an officer of the executive branch ... is under a duty to answer frankly relevant questions. . . . The conduct of the Under Secretary, therefore . . . cannot be described as inadmissible, but was rather in line of duty. . . .

"Under our standards a restrained comment on a matter of public policy is not a slander. Therefore, I know that on second thought you will not attribute hostility to frankness."

But Molotov's second thought was the same as his first. Moscow broadcast his answer: "Not convincing . . . the Soviet Government retained its opinion."

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