Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-10
They Bosk
In realty

BY RUTH DEAN
Star Staff Writer

Star Staff Writer
Kleig lights and cameras
have transformed the lives
Of two State Department
women careerists this week
into something approaching
the glamour Of Hollywood or
Broadway.
They stood by to guide
ambassadors singing the par
tial nuclear test-ban treaty
while news and television
cameramen flashed away.
TITS exciting" exclaimed
Miss Virginia c. Duke, the
State Departments vivacious
treaty depositary officer.
tits an unusual feeling to
be photographed so much"
added Mrs. Eleanor Mellow
ell, the departments treaty
affairs branch legal adviser.
In Reception Room
Their stage" has been the
red-carpeted diplomatic re-
ception room outside Secre-
tary of State Rusk's office
on the State Departments
seventh floor.
AS Undersecretary of State
w. Averell Hartman, the test
ban negotiator, escorted in
each ambassador, the envoy
was introduced to Miss Duke
who greeted him and escorted
him to the treaty signing
table.
Then she and Mrs. Nc
Dowell turned to the pages
he was to sign.
The treaty signing was
dramatic, but behind-the-
scenes preparation for 1t had
all the aspects of putting a
Broadway play into produc-
ton.
The nerve center of all
this activity is the treaty
affairs office which is the
depositary for more than 100
multi-lateral treaties, agree
ments and conventions which
the United States has ne
gotiated with other nations.
Mrs. McDowell's phone has
been ringing constantly since
the test-ban agreement was
signed in Moscow last Mon
day.
1t was signed by the top
representatives of the United
States, Russia and Great
Britain.
Most of the calls have been
from diplomats asking about
the unusual legal aspects of
the treaty, precedent shtter-
ing because there are three
original documents, with
each country retaining a
signed original.
This is a departure from
past custom when one coun-
try was named to be deposit
tary.
The treaty affairs office
went into high gear after the
treaty was initiated July Is
in Moscow by the head ne
gotiators of the three coun-
tries.
The United States origi-
nal copy was brought back,
and photocopies of it were
made for working purposes.
Mr.. Charles I. Bevans, as
sistant legal adviser for
treaty affairs, then accom-
panied Secretary Hartman
back to Moscow for the sign
ing of the original and then
was delegated to bring it
back, so the wheels could be
set in motion for its co-sign-
ing by other countries to the
agreement.
Thursday had already been
set as the first day for the
signing so Miss Duke and the
20-member staff set up dates
with the embassies who had
already indicated a desire to
sign.
Mr.. Bevans didn't get
back until Wednesday eve
ming" recalled Miss Duke, q
quick thinking, faSt-acting
career girl from Leonar6town,
Md, who loves a crisis.
I IT guess I'm just a race
horse" she said as she rapid
" outlined the events follow
ing the treaty signing. Most
of us stayed on until almost
midnight"
Much To Do
There was so much to be
done in such a short time.
First there we're photocopies
to be made, one to be GER
titled and sent to the Presi-
dent to send to the Senate
to start the ratification pro-
cedure. Miss Duke drafted the
certification certificate.
Then the extra pages sent
with the treaty for signature
on the Russian language half
of the document had to be
sent to the language division
so the names Of the countries
could be typed in the cyrillic
alphabet.