Evening star., 1947-01-09
Some Changes in Policy
Seen Under Marshall

SSSu ShsSSs sNs$Ss SssNsst
Generals Power to Organize
May Help State Department
By Dapid Laurence
Although there is every reason to say
that, in broad sense, the policy of the
United States in relation to other coun-
tries is unchanged by reason of the ap-
pointment of Gen. Marshall to be Sec
retary of State, actually there will be
some changes.
The personality of Secretary of State
is inextricably interviewer with the max
ing OF policy. Concessions, compromises,
Affirmative or negative steps in the day
by-day formulation of policy soon take
on the flavor of the personality at the
top.
1t can be said that, generally speaking.
the United States policy toward Russia.
for instance, will be the same. 1t will
be development of the Byrnes policy
and certainly no swing toward the Wall
lace viewpoint. RI.
In relation to China. the policy of the
United States will be distinctively Mar
shall policy because the new Secretary is
more familiar with 1t than any one in
Washington.
Latin America Policy.
In relation to Latin America, it will be
a policy that seeks to strengthen friend
ship and strives especially to find basis
| for understanding with Argentina. That
theory that the policy toward Argentina
| is a special one Is inaccurate. The policy
| of the United States toward Argentina
| is hemisphere affair Many nations in
Latin America have looked askance at
the tendency in Washington to make
| policies by Strengthening out personal
| trictions.
Ambassador Messersmith is back from
| Argentina for a visit, and Spruille
Braden, the Assistant Secretary OF State.
has been referred to as opposing the
| Ambassadors views. But broad policy
| cannot be made by internal debates with
respect to the handling of one country.
The external facts have bearing, too.
The Latin American nations are unit,
| for instance, in expecting Argentina to
live up to her pledges and international
obligations and they dc. not believe
Argentina will default. But the Latin
American world would feel that the
United States is being more meticulous
| with respect to Argentina than other
countries If the feud with the Buenos'
Aires administration is kept going even
after the agreements made heretofore
Ez1l - AEaSe eI,nn Sc eaiI
| to have been the real author of the
mutual defense plan of standardized
arms which Argentina is anxious to
| adopt.
The real policy of the State Depart
ment will be made by the advisers and
assistants chosen by the new Secretary.
! Who will be Undersecretary Of Slater
/ Who will occupy the key posts in the
department in the various bureaus?
| Noted as Organizer.
Gen. Marshall is a great organizer.
As military leader, he has record OF
selecting good men and giving them
| plenty of responsibility and freedom of
action. But the general also knows how
to remove men quickly when they fail
to measure up.
In q way, the new Secretary will be
| giving demonstration OF military effi-
cheney but without the militarized point
| of view which is so often the occasion of
concern when military men are suggested
for civilian posts. There will continue.
Of course, to be such a suspicion but
Gen. Marshall Is skillful in handling
himself and he, perhaps more than
most military men, is sensitive TO the
currents of public opinion and the pit
| falls that face any one in public life who
/ doesn't accommodate himself to the
ways of representative government and
democracy.
Gen. Marshall has had good deal OF
experience with Congress, and, white
the new task will challenge him. 1t Is
one that one can assume he undertakes
with considerable self-confidence. Incl
dentally, apart from the admiration.
amounting almost to worship, which
President Truman has for Gen. Marshall.
it is worth noting that when Mr.. Tru-
man began thinking Of successor to
Secretary Byrnes, his mind turned I'M
| HleQldtcly W IIic SSllcIal DcCduSc Itic
latter already had much background in
foreign affairs.
The general was present, for instance,
at the Roosevelt conferences at Casa
blanca. Teheran, Cairo, Quebec and
Yalta. He has in his mind the intimate
details of the very difficult and complex
diplomacy that went on behind the
scenes during the war. To remarkable
degree, the general shared the conf
dence of the late President Roosevelt.
Few men attended all those conferences.
Admiral King is the only other man Of
top rank who was present. Even Mr..
Byrnes did not attend them all.
So the background knowledge which
Gen. Marshall has on the complicated
questions of our relationship with Russia
and Britain will come in Handy. This
does not mean that the new Secretary
will know 1t all from the start. He will
rely on the trained men of the foreign
service. many of whom know him
| already.
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