Evening star., 1943-09-04
Rockefeller Aide Puts
Hull in Fresh Storm
By Attacking Policies
By the Associated Press.


A week of innuendo, charg
and countercharge swirlin,
around the State Department
wound up today with a nev
batch of criticism aimed from
within the administration itsel
by an official who quit in sharp
ly-worded protest.
James D. LIE Cron, former De
Moines Qowa) newSpaperman. re
signed as director of the Food Sup
ply Division under Nelson Rocke
feller, co-ordinator of inter- -Ameri
can affairs. He abided by Presiden
Roosevelt's order that any one whit
wants to air criticism of the ad
ministration publicly should accom-
pany it with his resignation.
Mr.. LIE Cron fatty charged the
State Department with 'interfer.
ence, obstruction and unintelligent
dictation." He said in letter te
Mr.. Rockefeller that he was "un-
willing longer to beat my head
against the wall of incompetence
and interference. Mr.. Rockefeller
was not available for comment.
Specific Charges.
Mr.. lie Cron, a close associate of
Vice President Wallace for many
years, was assigned to increasing
Latin American food output to help
the overall needs of the United Ma
tions. He contended:
/. That interference from the
State Department had been going
on since his division was created.
2. Various officials, some in only
minor positions, were able to "harass
and block our work because of di-
vided authority, lack of administra-
tive organization and want of direc-
tive policy in the State Depart
ment."
3. In the face of congressional ap-
preparations backing up the work of
the division, and the support of
South American governments, some
OF Secretary of State Hull's aides
undertook ito tell us how many and
what sort of agricultural experts we
may send to countries with which
we have agreements and hence obli-
cations"
Mr.. lie Cron added that the State
Departments division of economic
operations held up confirmation OF
an agreement with Paraguay for
six weeks after it had been nego-
tiated, and another with Nicaragua
had been blocked for three months
after it had been signed.
Department Denies Rift.
To all this, the department,
through spokesman, said that Mr..
Hull and Mr.. Rockefeller were lin
complete accord" on the food pro-
gram, adding that the department
had always facilitated the carrying
out of the food programs which had
the approval of other appropriate
agencies of the Government.
The State Department has been
given more and more authority in
foreign economic fields, especially
since Mr.. Wallace, head of the old
Board of Economic Warfare, and
Secretary of Commerce Jones tan
gled over policies of stockpiling
months ago.
Mr.. Roosevelt on June 3 told Mr..
Hull he was co-ordinating economic
operations which 'impinge on for
eign affairs" and added, II shall
rely on you to unity our foreign
economic activities to the end that
coherent and consistent policies and
programs result"
Mr.. LIE Cron has been with the
Government for the last 10 years
except for a period in 1910 when he
resigned to manage Mr. Wallace's
campaign for Vice President For
merly an editorial writer on the Des
Moines Register Tribune, he came
here in 1888 as an assistant to Mr..
Wallace, then Secretary of Agricul-
ture.
Joined Rockefeller Year Ago.
After the 1910 campaign he re-
turned to the Agriculture Depart
ment to help manage the food stamp
program and in June of last year
transferred to Mr.. Rockefeller's
office.
His resignation thus marked the
departure from handling of foreign
economic affairs of another of the
men generally classed here as mem
bers of the Wallace group. Milo
Perkins, who had been Mr.. Wallace's
right-hand man in the BEW, de-
parted short while later from the
Office of Economic Warfare, set up
under Leo T. Crowley to succeed
BEw.
Mr.. LIE Cron's resignation pointed
up signs of discomfort in various
Government agencies over State De-
partment control of foreign eco
nomic activities.
sources close to the Office of For
eign Relief and Rehabilitation On
erations under former Gov. Herbert
Lehman of New York said it was
apparent that various Government
agencies were attaching interpreta-
ions in some cases different from
those OF the State Department con-
cernlng the manner and extent to
WHICH Ihe departments power to
control foreign economic activities
should be applied.
Lecron's Letter Blunt.
Although there have been recent
reports that the department was
gathering into its control all agen-
cies concerned in foreign economic
activities, Mr.. Hull said yesterday
nothing new along this line had been
done beyond what the department
was already empowered to carry
out.
Mr.. LIE Cron pulled no punches in
Various individuals" he said
his letter.
"some in only minor positions, are
able to harass and block our work
because of divided authority, lack of
administrative organization and
want of directive policy in the State
Department l have continually
hoped that this situation would i'm
prove, but it has not done so.
After the strong and unanimous
declarations of the United Nations