The Foreign Service Journal, July-August 1982
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congress owmgb m uenirdi Hmericd Service Jo JULY/AUGUST 1982 The Press & Foreign Policy On October 20, 1980, Fortune Magazine devoted tlpe activities. VISA checking and card services are pro¬ major part of six pages to a description of the revo¬ vided by Bank One of Columbus, N.A. lutionary Merrill Lynch Cash Management Account financial service that lets you control your money If you've often wished that you could use some of in these five ways: the capital invested in securities without selling them, or been irritated at seeing interest, dividends 1. Your funds are virtually never idle. Any cash is or uninvested capital sitting idly in a brokerage automatically invested to earn daily compounded account, earning little or no income—you owe it dividends at current money market rates. You may to yourself to investigate the Cash Management elect to invest in the CMA™iMoney Fund, Thx-Exempt Account financial service. Fund or Government Securities Fund. It's a major step forward in financial services and 2. While Merrill Lynch is not a bank, you have instant it's exclusively Merrill Lynch's. And now it is available access to all your invested cash at any time any¬ to anyone with investments and/or cash totaling where in the world just by writing a check. $20,000 or more 3. You have immediate access to a line of credit based upon the value of your securities. 4. You receive a special VIS/fcard that is accepted in 152 countries and is different from any you now have. 5. Every month you receive-a detailed statement summarizing all securities, check and VISA card A breed apart. IMPORTANT NEWS FOR INVESTORS: "THE MERRILL LYNCH CASH MANAGEMENT ACCOUNT! MAY BE THE MOST IMPORTANT FINANCIAL INNOVATION IN YEARS; FORTUNE MAGAZINE Mail to: Merrill Lynch. 1100 Connecticut Ave, NW. Washington. DC 20036 Or call: (202) 659-7333 For more complete information about the Cash Management Account® financial service, including all sales charges and expenses, obtain a prospectus by sending this coupon. Read it carefully before you invest or send money. CMA™ is not available in all states. Name Address City State Zip Business Phone Home Phone Merrill Lynch customers, please give name and office address of Account Executive: © Copyright 1981. Merrill Lynch. Pierce, Fenner & Smith. Inc Member SIPC The Cash Management Account program is proprietary to Merrill Lynch, U S Patents Pending COVER: In this issue we present three views of the sometimes adversarial relationship between the State Department spokesman and journalists. Senior department wire correspondent Jim Anderson criticizes what he calls current administration unwillingness to make information available to the press. On the other side of the podium, former spokesman John H. Trattner discusses the evolution of the spokesman's role and the uses of background. And another former spokesman. Hodding Carter III, calls on both government and journalism to inform the public better. Illustration by Henry Payne IV. Officers and Members of the Congress Swings 19 Governing Board CHARLES S. WHITEHOUSE, President As the administration takes a harder line on Central Amer¬ ANTHEA DE ROUVILLF., Vice President ica, Congress, like a reverse pendulum, now attacks from the WILLIAM SCHOUX, Second Vice left. By I.M. Destler and Patricia Cohen. President JOSEPH MCBRIDE, Secretary MICHAEL SPEERS, Treasurer Administration of Silence 22 WILLIAM MCKINNEY, RALPH BARNETT, UPI reporter Jim Anderson claims that the current State AID Representatives Department press operation is a failure. Electronic journalism JAROSLAV VERNER, ICA Representative is partly at fault, but the principal blame, he says, must be THOMAS MILLER, ADRIAN BASORA, DONALD K. HOLM, attached to the department itself. IRVING WILLIAMSON, State Representatives Decompressing Information 26 SPENCER KING, THOMAS CORCORAN, Retired Representatives Former State Department spokesman Hodding Carter III urges Staff ROBERT M. BEERS, Exec. Director both the press and government to respond more fully to the SUSAN HOLIK, General Counsel public’s need for information. SABINE SISK, Members' Interest! Grievance Representative PAT GUILD, Executive Secretary Some Notes on Background 28 CECIL B. SANNER, Membership and Circulation John H. Trattner, another former spokesman, examines the Scholarship Programs role of the spokesman—its evolution and its burdens—and DAWN CUTHELL comments on the uses of background. Foreign Service Jou rnal AIDing and Abetting 34 Editorial Board JOHN D. STEMPEL, Chairman Big Mike’ was an AID director whose projects were exceeded DAVID WILSON, Vice Chairman in scope only by their outrageousness. By Peter C. Walker. FRANCIS X. CUNNINGHAM MELINDA L. KIMBLE JAMES ROUSH Editorial 18 Association News 20A TAIRA ST. JOHN JAROSLAV VERNER The Foreign Service Journal is the magazine of profes¬ Association is open to the professionals in foreign sionals in foreign affairs, published 11 times a year affairs overseas or in Washington, as well as to Staff by the American Foreign Service Association, a persons having an active interest in, or close associ¬ STEPHEN R. DUJACK, Editor non-profit organization. Material appearing herein ation with, foreign affairs. Membership dues are: FRANCES G. BURWELL, Associate represents the opinions of the writers and does not Active Members—Dues range from $52 to S 104 Editor necessarily represent the official views of the De¬ annually. Retired Active Members—Dues are $40 partment of State, the International Communica¬ annually for members with incomes over $20,000; tion Agency, the Agency for International Devel¬ $25 annually for less than $20,000. Associate Advertising Representatives opment, the United States Government as a whole, Members—Dues are $25 annually. All dues pay¬ JAMES C. SASMOR ASSOCIATES, or AFSA. While the Editorial Board is responsible ments include $7.50 allocation for the Journal and for general content, statements concerning the Association News, per AFSA Bylaws. 521 Fifth Ave., Suite 1700, policy and administration of AFSA as employee Subscription to the Journal: one year (11 issues), New York, N.Y. 10017. representative under the Foreign Service Act of $10.00; two years, $18.00. For subscriptions go¬ (212) 683-3421 1980 on the editorial page and in the Association ing abroad, except Canada, add $1.00 annually. ALBERT D. SHONK CO., News, and all communications relating to these, Second-class postage paid at Washington, D.C. are the responsibility of the AFSA Governing and at additional post office. 3156 Wilshire Blvd. Board. Los Angeles, CA 90010 Microfilm copies of current as well as of back ©American Foreign Service Association, 1982. (213) 388-2981 issues of the Foreign Service Journal are available 2101 E Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. JOSHUA B. POWERS, LTD., through the University Microfilm Library Services, 20037. Telephone (202) 338-4045. Offices in Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106, under a contract State Dept.: 632-8160/2548 46 Keyes House, Dolphin Sq., signed October 30, 1967. July/August 1982. Volume 59, No. 7. ISSN London SW1. 01-834-8023/9. Membership in the American Foreign Service 0015-7279. International Representatives. ation affairs by senior officers on active to the requirements of modern diplomacy. duty, the existence of this reservoir is of In the crucial battles which must be waged inestimable value. No matter how bright, for a better understanding of diplomacy, conscientious, and well-informed on the the continuity, as well as the experience minutiae of labor-management problems and reputation, of retired officers can bring LETTERS an officer of Class 5 may be, he cannot to the Association benefits of inestimable possess the breadth of vision, depth of pro¬ value. What we profoundly need is a com¬ fessional understanding, and maturity of bination in the Association of seasoned judgment which this highest-ranking po¬ judgment with current information, ma¬ sition in the Association demands. Nor ture thinking with fresh thinking, disci¬ Invaluable Reservoir can a lower-level officer muster the influ¬ pline with imagination and innovation, ence with departmental officers, Congress¬ prudence and restraint with innovation. When a retired officer was elected to head men, the academic community, and the We have in our officers—active and re¬ the American Foreign Service Association general public which older officers of rec¬ tired—just such a combination available. a year ago, this was in every respect a ognized accomplishment possess. Just as Why not put it together? healthy development. It is to be deeply in diplomacy itself, it is not only impor¬ regretted that a recent last-hour "coup” by tant to know what is needed to make wise SMITH SIMPSON a group of active officers who set up any¬ decisions; it is also important to be per¬ Annandale, Virginia thing but a “Unity” slate denied him re¬ ceived to know. And it does not hurt to be nomination and put forward no other re¬ perceived, because of long experience and The Unity Slate responds: tired officer for the position. Every retired accomplishment, to know more than one The Editorial Board of the Foreign Service officer with whom I have spoken feels this does. This is one of the intangibles of in¬ Journal has offered us, the organizers of the way. fluence and leadership which the Associ¬ Unity Slate, the opportunity to respond to Retired officers constitute an invaluable ation has lacked not only in its new role as Mr. Simpson’s letter. reservoir of experience. It is composed of a bargaining agent with the department We wish to point out that we agree well-seasoned men and women, profes¬ but in its Congressional and other public enthusiastically with Mr. Simpson that re¬ sional in interest and commitment, of affairs relationships as well. tired officers bring valuable experience and long-term vision uncomplicated by per¬ It would be well to keep in mind that a wisdom to AFSA. It is precisely for this sonal ambition and with the leisure to con¬ retired officer is not subject to the debili¬ reason that we—the organizers of the Uni¬ tribute immeasurably to the improvement tating system of rotation which enfeebles ty Slate—sought out the best retired of our foreign affairs performance.