Evening star., 1959-05-27
Ambassador Hare Wins
Proise From Egyptions

TIuISG TTOH
CAIRO. May "a tNANA).--.
The name Raymond A. Hare
commands new dignity and
respect in Cairo and across the
Arab world these days.
The Egyptians are now say
Ing that whatever Improvement
there has been in recent Cairo
Washington relations is due 10
the patient. honest and per-
sistent efforts Of one man: The
United States Ambassador TO
the United Arab Republic.
The Ambassador would be
the first to reject such an
accOlade-or. for that matter.
10 shoulder the blame for all
the things in the past that may
have gone wrong.
The 5S-year-old career
diplomat is a political realist
who knows from firsthand ex-
perience. perhaps better than
any other American, how err
ratically and unpredictahly the
Middle East Pendulum swings,
and how lightning-fast the
quick-switch can operate in the
Arab world.
Student Of Area IS Years
A slight. graying man who
pulls thoughtfully on an un-
lighted pipe, Mr.. Hare has
studied the Middle East at
close range for IS years.
In that time. he has learned
----as he told a visitor the other
day--not to cherish any great
Illusions about the day after
tomorrow. never to build ones
hopes too high, and to take
things as they come" solving
one problem ct a time.
During his two and one-half
years as ambassador to Cairo
first to Egypt. then to the UAR
Mr.. Hare has won the con-
fidence. trust and respect OF
that Egyptian revolutionary,
Canal Abdel Nasser, who once
declared: II am suspicious OF
all the great powers.
Only two months before Mr..
Hare's arrival, almost on the
eve or the critical Suez OUT
break. President Nasser was
roaring in public defiance: Let
the Americans choke in their
fury.r
Hare Tanned the Lion"
AS one Western tnon-Amer-.
ican) diplomat remarked the
other day: THAT exceptional
man Hare has tanned the lion."
No two men could be more
opposite than Col. Nasser and
Mr.. Hare.
At Al, Col. NasSer is a huge,
bull-shouldered man with a
booming baritone who sways
his emotion charged Arab wor-
shippers with his promises and
bravado.
The self-effacing Mr.. Hare.
who came out of West Virginia
via Iowa's Grinnell College,
never has been known to raise
his voice, whether in a round
table conference or making a
speech.
He operates quietly, efficient
ly and with a minimum OF fan
fare from a high-ceilinged
corner Office in a converted
Egyptian villa in Cairo's Garden
City area, known as Embassy
Row"
When a visitor leaves the
green-c -carpeted Office with the
big leather chairs, the judg-
unent on "Mr. Ambassador"
Invariably is: THAT man makes
good sense"
Wants Hare to Remain
Mr.. Hare has been making
such good sense" to Col. Mas
ser and the Egyptians that it's
now an open secret that Col.
Nasser personally has been
pressing for Mr.. Hare to re-
main in Cairo. Washington re-
ports have ticketed the Am
bassador for the home-front
desk Job of assistant secretary
of state for this area.
Mr.. Hare's diplomatic STRAIT
egg is: never try to overwhelm
the Arabs but win their trust
and respect, then move forward
slowly.
During the darkest days OF
Cairo Washington relations in
1857, and again last year dur
ing the Lebanese crisis, Mr..
Hare refused to be stampeded.
He described the basic problem
as "a mutual breakdown OF
confidence"
Except for the prickly Israeli
duestion-on which the Egypt
ians still badger the United
States-Mr. Hare has gone a
long way to repair that break
down." United States aid is
moving again to Egypt, in
small, unspectacular but signi-
ficant amounts. And Col. Mas
ser has opened his eyes to the
twin threats of Communism
from within and from Mos
COW.
Nasser Makes Switch
Diplomatic insiders report
that the Ambassadors latest
success was to convince Col.
Nasser that Baghdad Premier
Abdel Kerim Kassem should be
given a chance to oppose the
Iraqi Reds, since this was the
only hope Of keeping Iraq from
going completely Communist,
albeit q slim one.
Within "a hours after this
meeting. Col. Nasser not only
turned of his thunderous pro-
paganda barrage against Mr..