113/4–1750

The Secretary of State to the Chairman of the Subcommittee of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Investigating Department of State Employee Loyalty (Tydings) 1

My Dear Senator Tydings: In a letter dated April 17, 1950,2 you asked that I inform you of the extent to which, in my opinion, Mr. Owen Lattimore was the “principal architect of our Far Eastern policy”, or the extent to which he influenced our Far Eastern policy during the period in which I have been Secretary of State. On April 17 Mr. Peurifoy, Deputy Under Secretary of State, wrote you in full detail concerning Mr. Lattimore’s connections with this Department in the past.3 The Far Eastern policy of this Government, like all other foreign policy, is the responsibility of the Secretary of State and has been made by me in my administration subject, of course, to the direction of the President. I welcome this opportunity to state personally and categorically that during the period in which I have been Secretary, Mr. Lattimore, so far as I am concerned or am aware, has had no influence in the determination of our Far Eastern policy. There is clearly no basis in fact for describing Mr. Lattimore as the “principal architect” of our Far Eastern policy. I might add that, so far as I am aware, I have never met Mr. Lattimore.

The Far Eastern policy of the United States has at all times been determined after careful study by the responsible officers of the Department and an objective evaluation by me of all of the facts available to this Government. The Department of State has explored all avenues to arrive at the relevant facts. The measure of the participation of Mr. Lattimore, so far as this Department and I are concerned, is fully and fairly indicated in the letter of April 17 from Mr. Peurifoy.

Sincerely yours,

Dean Acheson
  1. Drafted by C. R. Unyon of the Office of the Legal Adviser. Cleared in the Bureaus of Far Eastern Affairs, Congressional Affairs, and Public Affairs.
  2. Not printed. (113/4–1750.)
  3. Supra .