Evening star., 1943-09-05
Hull's Problem
Continued From Page B-1.)

|
Assistant Secretary G.. Rowland Shaw
is the administrative officer of the de-
partment. Theoretically he keeps the
machinery going. According to Jones in
Fortune no one runs the State Depart
ment-it just jerks along.
The assistant secretaries and the un-
| dersecretary are appointed not by the
Secretary of State but by the President.
This has made for trouble in the past
in other administrations. A President
has rewarded political ally with the
post of Secretary and then has named
professional diplomat as undersecre-
tary to do the work. There have been
explosions in the past but none of the
violence OF the Welles-Hull mixup.
Dunn Close to Hull.
Below the appointive level are pro-
1esslonals who exert considerable in
direct influence on foreign policy in
| spite OF their insistence that they are
| merely functionaries. Foremost in this
| category today is James Clement Dunn,
whose title Is adviser on political re-
latlons. Dunn is one of Hulls close
friends, member of the croquet set
the little group that meets with the Sec
retary for croquet and conversation.
The left-wing press and Dunn's per-
sonal enemies brand him as Fascist" or
"Fascist-n1inded" This is, of course a
loose and foolish use of words. The
explanation of Dunn's conservative cast
OF mind is far more complicated. A
good part of his career has been spent
In world capitals where his acuuaint-
ances were almost inevitably limited to
men like himself-diplomats for the most
part-who were also wealthy and con-
servative.
among this number, naturally were a
majority whose only real political con-
vlction was fear of "bolshevism." a
fear OF any new doctrine threatening
their places in the world. ANY one who
has travelled abroad has heard their
conversation. And any one who lives
among them for prolonged period must
almost inevitably take on certain COL
Grafton from this environment
Dunn has been listed in the anti
Welles clique. He is, of course. far too
cautious to show his hand. He works
closely with Assistant Secretary Long.
In his own view he is a conscientious
ana disinterested public servant who
spends long and exhausting hours at
his desk for a small salary in the public
good. The attacks on him, according
to his friends, have given him a sense
OF martyrdom This, to be sure. Is one
OF the unhappiest aspects of the contro-
versy In terms OF the personalities in
VOWED. Name-calling produces only more
Illustration and hostility 1t ignores
the hopeless inadequacy of the insti
tuition itself
Credited With Spanish Policy.
To Dunn has been attributed the ALL
thorship of American policy in Spain.
Before acquiring the title of adviser on
political affairs, he was chief of the Di-
vision OF Western European Affairs. In
tnat ONCE he was certainly influential
through his recommendations in ssfla ping
policy on the continent. But while the
perspective of history is still lacking, the
spanish policy seems to have originated
from higher sources. The British For
elgn Office may have been the deter
mining influence, plus President Roose-
velt's desire to avoid a clash with the
opinion of powerful Catholics in this
country.
What Is curious, Of course. is that If
our Spanish policy appeared anti-demo-
cratic during the civil war; today it is
even more reactionary. This is partly
Que to the choice of ambassadors. Prof.
Carleton J. H. Hayes, who has openly
declared the United States has no in
tention OF interfering in any way with
the Franco regime, even implying that
we intend to help that regime, has ex-
pressed his antidemocratic views on the
record. His book, "A Generation of Ma
ter1aliSm," is an extraordinary document
that should have wider reading. In the
cnolce OF an ambassador, Dunn could, of
course, have an important influence.
The split within the State Department
has long been growing. Every speech
that Weles made every move he made,
led Hull's resentment, particularly when
1t was famed by men in the depart
ment who hated Welles and plotted for
his removal. Welles frequently talked
with newspapermen, giving them almost
the only guidance they ever got from the
department. But so far as can be
learned, and certainly it is true of my
own experience, he never spoke dis
loyal word about his superior or about
any one else in the department, even
when asked direct questions as to his
relationships with other officers.
Many Capable Men.
The saddest commentary of all, of
course, Is that at time when the de-
partment's reputation with the public
should be at perhaps the lowest level in
history. there should be so many capable
men to do, If their capacities were
actually utilized a job of supreme i'm
portance
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