Evening star., 1947-04-06
S. Enyoys
Get Tough
New Appointments
Reflect Change
In Policy
Bv Garnen d. Horner

down in the ranks of career dipl0-
mats than ever before to pick out
an ambassador.
Over the heads OF 81 foreign office
toficeres in class ! and so IN class 2
| he nominated Cavendish w. Cannon
from class 8 to be Ambassador to
Yugoslavia.
It was q striking example OF q
policy backed by Secretary OF State
Marshall for seeking the best-quali-
fed men available for important
diplomatic assignments, regardless
| of politics or their previous rank.
Other Changes Expected. :.
This policy was reflected generally
in other diplomatic nominations
sent to the Senate by the Presi-
dent last week. Out of IL Ambas-
lsadors nominated last week, 10 were
specially selected career diplomats
and only two were political appoint
fmentS.
Gen. Marshall has set out to
try TO strengthen this country's
diplomatic missions abroad at the
top, much as he revivified the Army
as Chief OF Staff, his associates say.
Several other changes are ex-
pected soon. Younger men with
proved ability will get the break In
Gen. Marshall's recommendations
to the President. Some older Ca
reer diplomats who are deemed to
have passed their peak of perform
ance, or who may not be consid-
cred tough minded enough to rep
resent this country abroad in the
troubled state of the world now,
will be retired.
Cannon Tough Minded.
Gen. Marshalls method is to
canvass State Department officials
concerned with the particular area,
asking them to recommend the best
man available for the job regardless
of politics, rank or other consider
ations. in picking an ambassador or
minister.
That is how Mr.. Cannon's name
came to the top for the YugoSlav
post. He was described to Gen.
Marshall as the outstanding author
ity In this country IN the Balkans.
Equally important, he was tough
minded.
Gen. Marshall wanted the top
United States representative in.
Yugoslavia, considered trouble
some puppet of Russia. to. be not.
only thoroughly informed on the
situation there, but also to be able
to get tough and talk turkey"
when the need arises.
MIR. Cannon filled the bill. Now
So years old, he entered the Amer
ican foreign service in 1920 after
serving in the Marine Corps dur
ing the First World War. He filled
diplomatic assignments at the bot
tom of the ladder in Austria, Bull
garia and Greece. In 1941, he was
assigned to the State Department,
working in the Southern European
Affairs Division.
Source of Information.
He was known as one of the
hardest workers in the department.
During the war. he played an i'm
portant role In developing Amer
Eican policy toward Yugoslavia and
other Balkan countries. He rose to
chief of the Southern European AT
fairs Division. Although his name
rarely appeared in the newspapers,
he was the man reporters covering
the State Department went to for
background information on develop
ments in the Balkans and this
country's policy in that area.
Under foreign service rules, a
career diplomat can serve only four
years at time in the State Depart
ment before going abroad again.
So two years ago Mr.. Cannon was
sent to Lisbon, Portugal, as First
Secretary of the American Embassy
there.
He maintained his interest in the
Balkans, however, and now has the
distinction of being the first man
ever to be named an ambassador
or minister directly out of class 3
in the foreign service. Other en-
voys have been picked from class
l and few from class 2.
Another Precedent.
The word around the State De-
partment is that more Ambassadors
may be picked from class 3 or even
lower-the bottom of the foreign
service is class 6-if Gen. Marshall
finds more men in the lower ranks
fSee HORNER. Page C-5.>