Evening star., 1944-11-28
Secret of HuII's Health
Well Kept, Says Writer
Sees President Taking Over
Portfolio Himself
By David Laurence

Portfolio Himself .
By David Laurence
One Of the secrets well kept during
the election campaign has come out at
last. Secretary Hulls plan to resign be-
cause of i'll health was known to the
Presidents oficial family long before
the election. No action was taken be-
cause it was deemed unwise from q
political standpoint to say anything
during the campaign about the inn
pending change.
That Mr.. Hull's health has been poor
has, OF course, been widely known in
Washington but that he would find him.
self compelled to give up the Office Of
Secretary Of State was known only to
few. Out of difference to Mr.. Hull,
there was little discussion OF public
nature concerning his inevitable re-
tirement but behind the scenes there
was much talk about former Justice
Byrnes as a possible successor, though
1t was understood that the President
had special reasons for wanting to ap-
point Mr.. Stettinius.
Harry Hopkins, who is perhaps Mr..
Roosevelt's closest friend and adviser.
really recommended Mr.. Stettinius orig.
inally. Mr.. Hull wasn't consulted about
the appointment till the President made
up his mind to make it. In fact, there
were a number of things from time to
time in which the White House handled
foreign policy and by-passed Mr.. Hull.
This was not of course, deliberate
policy but merely the result of haste or
the fact that the President had agreed
to certain matters in personal conver-
sation with Prime Minister Churchill
and then forgot to clear 1t with the
State Department.
Instance Cited.
An instance Of this sort Is reported
to have occurred when Lord Halifax. the
British Ambassador, came to the State
Department once to discuss with Secre-
tary Hull certain aspects of the recogni-
ton extended to the Italian govern
ment only to find that, while the Prime
Minister and Mr.. Halifax knew about
it., Mr.. Hull didn't.
The President is in truth his own
Secretary of State and it means smooth
functioning for him to appoint a man
like Edward Stettinius, who is young
and amiable and follows explicitly the
orders of his chief. This does not mean
that Mr.. Stettinius is lacking in ability,
for he has learned great deal as Under
secretary Of State and as the presiding
chairman of the Dumbarton Oaks Con-
ference. He gets along well with Con-
gress. Indeed, he handled the ticklish
lease-lend question SO automatically
that Harry Hopkins Immediately spon-
sored him for higher Office.
Mr.. Stettinius is well liked not only
by the Russians for his generous treat
ment of their lease-lend problems but
by the British, too. These are impor-
tant qualifications nowadays for an
American Secretary Of State. Add to
| this the fact that Mr. Stettinius was
chairman of the board of the United
States Steel Corp. and has background
| Of business and public relations and you
| see in the new cabinet member the
| product of new generation of Ameri-
| cans who have forsaken business fc- a
| public career.
Hull Has No Nest Egg.
In way it is fortunate that Mr.. Stet-
tinius is man Of means. Mr. Hull re-
tires after 81 years of public service with
no nest egg of money such as men make
in the business world. He could be re-
| tanned as an official adviser of the Presi-
dent and remain on the payroll Of the
| Government. His advice would be help
| full, but it is regrettable that men of his
stature and great service are not voted
q pension equal to their salaries
Mr.. Stettinius Is well liked by the
press. He is a man of integrity and
of in the Department of State itself and
should be able to carry forward a re-
| organization of that department, which
| will doubtless incorporate within its
| jurisdiction sooner or later many Of the
economic bureaus now engaged in war
time activity and perhaps the ONCE Of
Inter American Affairs
| A businessman's background will be
helpful in the Department of State
| Wnere 1ar-nung operations are to be
carried on in connection with trade and
commercial agreements as well as vari-
| GUS problems Of reconstruction in Europe
| after the war.
| But with all that is being said>in praise
I of Mr.. Stettinius, there Is no way Of
CLOSING over the truth, which Is that
Mr.. Roosevelt has taken over the port
folio Of Secretary of State himself.
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