Evening star., 1945-11-28
Observer AnoIyzes
Hurley 'BombsheII'

| Hurley 'BombsheII'
Sees State Department as One Of
Weakest in Administration
BY David Laurence
Ambassador Hurley's bombshell which
caught the State Department by sur
prise, also catches the Nation by sur
prise. For the battles behind the scenes
in the State Department over the max
ing of foreign policy have rarely been
publicized.
Seldom does an ambassador resign
and level charges concerning the career
diplomats or anybody else. Usually the
designations are politely written and
tactfully acknowledged, and mistakes
and blunders are buried.
Yet the truth is the State Department
Is at the moment one OF the weakest
departments in the entire Truman ad-
ministration. 1t is weak not because
Secretary Byrnes Is unfamiliar with the
]ob-having been thrust into the midst
OF tangled situation with which he
was only specifically familiar-but be-
cause the foundations of an efficient
instrument Of foreign policy are lacking
altogether.
During the war little was known about
foreign policy details because wartime
secrecy and censorship covered up what
was happening and the American people
were supposed to keep their minds on
winning the war and not on anything
that might happen afterwards.
Basis as World Power.
The late President Roosevelt bossed
the State Department throughout his
administration. Other Presidents.
notably Woodrow Wilson, did likewise.
But this Is no justification. The fact
is that the State Department has never
been organized on basis commensurate
with Americas importance as a world
power.
1t is possible that if Secretary Stet-
tinius had remained on the job he would
have developed good setup from an
administration standpoint and, of
course, he would have been better
requirements are not merely for good
business executive. They go rather to the
necessity of understanding the will and
desires OF the American people over .
period Of time.
AS an interpreter of public opinion
and as liaison with Congress, Secre-
tary Byrnes is an excellent choice But
Mr.. Byrnes is unfamiliar with the back
ground Of world affairs and does not
know the ins and outs Of American
foreign policy in past years. Nor can
he be expected to learn these things
overnight.
Place for Mr.. Dulles.
But Mr.. Byrnes might have saved
himself much embarrassment by select
ing as Undersecretary of State the very
best posted man on International af-
fairs In the country. Such man was
available in John Foster Dulles. who
served as adviser to the American DEL
egauon at the San Francisco Confer
ence. Mr.. Byrnes took Mr. Dulles to
London Tor the meeting of the Council
OF Five but the place for which Mr..
]
been selected is the post of Undersecre-
tary of State
IhlS Is post which should be nom
| political. Naturally under the Truman
administration it would be regarded as
a cardinal sin to appoint any Repub-
hcan like Mr.. Dulles to high Office be-
cause the present administration be-
ieves in partisanship in appointments
IN the executive branch of the Govern
ment.
But surely there are other meH In
America who are qualified by expert
| ence and who happen to be Democrats
and who know something about the
making Of foreign policy.
| 1t such men are not immediately
available then it was a serious mistake
to force out of the State Department
such able men as Undersecretary Grew
and others who know the background
OF our policies over the years. Mr..
Byrnes has permitted his department
to be the victim of a shakeup at 4
critical time in history.
Conflict of Ideas.
The feeling is growing that the State
Department must be rebuilt from the
foundations. 1t must be reorganized on
a nonpartisan and nonpolitical basis.
For If party lines stop at the seacoast
they ought certainly to stop at the en-
trance to the Department of State
The merits Of the dispute about our
policy in respect to the Chinese fac
ttons are difficult to Judge because of
our methods of secret diplomacy. Un-
doubtedly up to the ending of the war
our efforts were bent on keeping both
factions fighting against Japan. After
VI day, apparently the State Depart
ment had conflict of ideas behind its
own doors, while in China our military
chiefs were also credited with making
q policy of their own.
| Plainly Mr. Hurley's action in making
public protest will compel a full dis
closure OF the facts which in itself ia