Evening star., 1950-02-05

American Affairs in the State Del
Is the fact that the department
Edward G.. Miller. jr.. a young, e,
to direct that policy and admin
lister the bureau.
This is not only the general i'm
preston that exists. in official
circles in Washington, but it is the
feeling that prevails among oul
diplomatic missions in the various
Latin American capitals. In q
trip which so far has taken ME
through most of the countries
bordering on the Caribbean have
found Latin officials, as well as
responsible citizens less skeptical
about our intentions toward them
There is less complaining about
Uncle Sam giving all his atten-
tion to Europe and neglecting his
neighbors" than there was even
four months ago, when last
Travelled through the same region
Ambassadors Pleased
AS one of our ablest ambassa.
dors in a Central American coun-
try put it, 1--WE are no longer made
to feel that we have been relegateo
to minor posts in the diplomatic
service. Our dispatches to the
department now get immediate
as well as top-fiight attention
When we report on some immi-
nent development. like brewing
revolution or an arbitrary action
by some strong-armed dictator
affecting our interests, or threat
ening the peace of the area, we
are not left hanging in midair
until the event has already taken
place. We now receive intelligent
and informed guidance as well as
backing from the department"
The Foreign Minister in another
capital, who himself had spent
several years as q diplomat ir
Washington after the war. fell
that "at least, we are no longer
treated as poor relations. I rep
resented my government in Wash
ington during the terms of three
Secretaries of State" he went on
"One of them never found time tt
receive me officially. Part of that
time there wasn't even an Assist
ant Secretary to act definitely
much less promptly, On any mattel
I presented"
When his appointment was an.
nounced, most of the Latin dip.
lomats in Washington seemed tt
have been impressed with the fac
that Mr.. Miller had been born il
Puerto Rico and had spent much
of his early life in Latin America
They were especially elated with
his knowledge of and ability tx
speak Spanish and Portuguese
the former like a native. Nov
that he is making point of visit.
ing the various countries person,
ally they are growing even more
enthusiastic. Few newspapers ir
the United States even mentioned
it, but his recent tour of Chile
Bolivia. Peru, Colombia, Panama
Costa Rica, and his special trip tt
Ecuador following last years dis
astrous earthquake in that littlt
country, made headlines every
where south of the Rio Grande.
The Assistant Secretary's forth.
coming trip to the island repub.
lies, Brazil and the River Plats
countries, which begins with 6
stop in Port-au-Prince for tn,
Inauguration of the Haitian ex
position on February IL, has beer
played up in the press of the diff
ferent cities of South America TO
several weeks.
Bureau Reorganized
"The man who now handles ou
affairs in Washington" a Brazil
ian businessman told me, "is n,
longer mysterious parsonage
hidden away in the labyrinthiar
Department of State, who come
out only on official occasions. H,
doesn't even depend upon hear.
say as to what our problems are
He goes out to see for himself, ane
make his own appraisals.
Mr.. Miller's first task when HI
took over last summer was com
plete reorganization of the OLE
Bureau of American Republi,
Affairs. In fact, the name itsel
was partly changed. Instead o.
the Bureau Of American" it be,
came the Bureau of Inter -Ameri.
can" Affairs, implying a closer col.
laboration Of the United State.
with its sister republics. Fortu.
nately these changes in organiza.
tion conceded with the revampine
of the entire State Department
as provided for in the recommen.
dations of the Hoover Commission
of which Secretary Dean Achesor
himself had been a member.
Today there is a Deputy Assist.
ant Secretary in charge of admin.
istraHve details, leaving Mr.. Miller
with more time to policy and di.
rect contacts with the ambassa
dors and representatives of the q
different governments of the area
Further, for purposes of more eff.
cient administration, the burea,
Is separated into four divisions, Of
Offices" as they are called. Thre,
of them cover geographical region
while the other handles genera
matters.
The Office of Middle America,
Affairs administers relations will
Mexico, the three island countries
the five Central American repub
lies and Panama. Another CO
ordinates the affairs of northern
and west coast affairs, includin
Venezuela, Columbia, Ecuador
Peru, Bolivia and Chile. The thir,
takes care of Brazil and the thre,
countries of the River Plate
Uruguay, Paraguay and Argen