Through a White House announcement this week, Harry Truman hauled a red-hot chestnut out of the political fire. Press Secretary Joseph Short announced that the nomination of General Mark W. Clark as the first U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican would not be resubmitted to the Senate. The President will make another nomination, said Short, but he carefully avoided saying when.
"The controversy that has developed has impelled me to ask the White House to withdraw my name," explained General Clark.
In addition to the opposition of Protestant groups, Clark faced the old enmity of Texas' Tom Connally, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who holds Clark responsible for the death of a lot of Texas boys of the 36th Division at the Rapido River. Connally had said that if the President resubmitted Clark's name the general would be asked if he wants to stay in the Army. "If so," threatened Connally, "I'll tell him to get back in the Army—just as far back as he can—and stay there."