Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-11-26
CT Joes, Taught Hard Way,
7 May Guide Foreign Policy
Intimate Contacts With Other Peoples Bring
knowledge Which Develops Understanding
ofProblems of Preserving Peace
By Constantine Broom


life when the fighting is ended on the
various battlefields There is strong
probability that the foreign policy of
this country will receive its inspiration
from the millions of CT Joe's who have
gained first-hand information about for
eign peoples and what they stand for.
Until now Americas foreign affairs
have been in the hands Of few select"
groups which practically monopolize this
country's conduct in the international
field. The American diplomats, hand
full of members of Congress and small
group of public-opinion moulders were
the experts" who decided on this most
vital phase of our national life
The bulk of the people, only mildly
Interested in what was going on in for
eign countries, listened to what they
were told and "just followed the leaders. {"
The complexities and intrigues, particu-
larry concerning relations between ma
lions, were foreign to them. The rank
and file Of the American people took it
for granted that those fellows" in
Washington knew what they were doing.
The chief concern of the average Amer
lean was his personal and local prob
lens Foreign affairs did not interest
him because they were far above his
head.
Situation to Change.
This Is all going to change now. Here
tofore major decisions were taken on the
basis Of reports from diplomats stationed
IN foreign countries. The outsiders, who
occasionally were given glimpse of
these reports or who themselves under
took to investigate matters abroad, inn
parted the little they knew to a public
which was far more interested in base
ball and football scores.
Since the conduct of international
affairs was considered by the diplomats
as rite" in the hands of select few,
our legislators who by constitution have
to shoulder the burden with the execu-
tive branch of the Government, received
only an expurgated version of what
actually was happening in the outside
world. There are few, if any, members
Of the important Senate Foreign Rela-
tons Committee who have more than
very perfunctory knowledge of the great
problems with which they have to deal
The few facts which are revealed to
them, If the executive branch feels that
1t must impart some of the secrets" it
possesses, enable them to discourse at
length over the vital problems confront
Ing the Nation in the international field.
So long as we lived in an era of semi
isolation this presented only minor
danger. But since the new, trend is
toward a thorough Observation-Disclosures
OF our whole existence, it is obvious that
our legislators find cross currents of the
complicated European and Asiatic
policies.
Even Diplomats Restricted.
1t is seldom that our diplomats them
selves get to the core of the situation.
These men, ambassadors, ministers,
secretaries and attaches, go to foreign
countries as the official representatives
of America and, because of their posi-
ton, maintain contact only with govern
ment officials and with the upper strata
Of the country to which they are as
signed. Their duties prevent them from
travelling extensively and getting the
psychology of the man on the street
They assemble their reports from what
the local politicians and newspapers can
tell them.
And while the foreign service officers
generally are able, the reports they are
sending back are by necessity limited,
as far as the real understanding of mass
psychology is concerned. The general
outline of the policy of the governments
to which they are accredited is correct,
but their summation of the people
themselves is based mostly on "hearsay."
Expurgated extracts from the foreign
service occasionally are passed on to
members of the Senate Foreign Rela-
tons Committee or the House Foreign
Affairs Committee. On the basis of
these reports, legislators to whom these
matters are alien make ponderous
speeches and statements.
This has been particularly true since
We entered the war. Political news has
been dimmed out even more than mill
tary news. Battles are concrete affairs
because men are being killed and terri
tories either lost or gained. Secrecy
over victory or q defeat can be main
tanned for only limited time. Foreign
affairs are a long-range business and
secret agreements, or conversations per-
tanning to secret agreements, need not
be known to the public for many months
or even years.
1t Is highly improbable that those who
advocate in public so strongly an inter-
national agreement to prevent further
wars by the use of force have any de6-
mite idea of why full agreement was
not possible few weeks ago. None of
the high priests of our foreign affairs is
able to answer these simple questions:
Since our present enemies will be re-
duced to impotence, who is likely to dis
turb the peace of the world in the flu
ture? Against whom will the strong in
ternational police force, which might
have prevented the war in 1899 because
ut that time the world was divided into
two groups Of power. the "haves" and
the "have nots," be directed this time?
II Germany, Japan and their satellites
are out Of the picture, who will disturb
the peace Of the world again?
Such questions are being answered
evasively by the keepers OF our diplo-
matte secrets. The replies are mostly
emotional In character and mention
some vague roaming brigands" who
always take advantage of disturbed con-
ditions to fish in troubled waters.
America WIN IL callad Ia foot TIA aolos