Aid Weariness Where Are Our Career Ambassadors? Letter from Paris FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Also AFSA Election Results, Does Macy’s Tell Gimbel’s? AUGUST 1977 75 CENTS Decisions, Options, Clearances, Second-Guessing. -3- Feel at home with security... AFSA Group Accident Insurance for Loss of Life, Limb or Sight.

“Make yourself at home.” How often is heard that warm invitation to share the comfort and security of a friend’s home. And though the surroundings may be unfamiliar, they somehow seem less foreign and more secure because your host is there to help protect you. Home is where the security is! Similarly, AFSA Group Accident Insurance for loss of life, limb or eye- j sight provides that added security to make many of our members feel at home anywhere they happen to be. This AFSA program provides financial protection against accidental loss of life, limb or eyesight 24 hours a day, the year round, anywhere in the world. You and your family can be covered ACT NOW! Get all the facts about benefits, whether you’re traveling by car, taxi, train, rates and exceptions .on AFSA Group boat, bus, subway and even as passengers Accident Protection for loss of life, limb or on most commercial, private and military eyesight—direct by mail! No agent will call. planes you’d normally travel in. Just complete the coupon below and mail Moreover, protection is provided during today. No obligation. So don’t delay on a business, pleasure and just plain day-to-day plan that can mean added security for you activities at home and abroad. and your family!

AFSAINSURANCE PROGRAM UNDERWRITTEN BY 1666 Connecticut Ave. NW ■Washington, D.C. 20009

□ YES! Please rush full details on the Group Accident Insurance Plan avail¬ Mutual iT\ able to me as a member of the American Foreign Service Association. I understand no agent will call.

^t)maha.\L/ Name — People you can count on... Address —— MUTUAL OF OMAHA INSURANCE COMPANY HOME OFFICE: OMAHA, NEBRASKA City State ZIP Code FILL OUT AND MAIL TODAY! FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL American Foreign Service Association AUGUST 1977: Volume 54, No. 8 Officers and Members of the Governing Board LARS HYDLE, President Letter from Paris PAUL von WARD, Vice President THOMAS O’CONNOR, Second Vice President RANDOLPH A. KIDDER 3 FRANK CUMMINS, Secretary JULIEANN MCGRATH, Treasurer Does Macy’s Tell Gimbel’s NANCY J. FOX, AID Representative JOSEPH N. McBRIDE, KENNETH N. ROGERS, JAMES R. VANDIVIER, THOMAS H. ETZOLD 6 State Representatives JANET RUBEN, USIA Representative EUGENE M. BRADERMAN & ROBERT G. CLEVELAND, Decisions, Options, Clearances, Retired Representatives Second-Guessing Journal Editorial Board NEIL A. BOYER 9 JOEL M. WOLDMAN, Acting Chairman JAMES F. O'CONNOR ARNOLD P. SCHIFFERDECKER HARRIET P. CULLEY GEORGE F. SHERMAN, JR. Aid Weariness WESLEY N. PEDERSEN RALPH STUART SMITH ERIC GRIFFEL 12 Staff ALLEN B. MORELAND, Executive Director Where Are Our Career Ambassadors? WILBUR P. CHASE, Counselor RAYMOND L. PERKINS 15 CATHERINE WAELDER, Counselor CECIL B. SANNER, Membership and Circulation CHRISTINA MARY LANTZ, Executive Secretary Up Grass Mountain Foreign Service Educational LUCIEN AGNIEL 17 and Counseling Center Views of the Harbor, Leaving BERNICE MUNSEY, DirectorICounselor GORDON D. KING 19 AFSA Scholarship Programs PATRICIA C. SQUIRE FSJ Comment 2 Journal On Personality SHIRLEY R. NEWHALL, Editor by James D. Phillips CHRISTOPHER NADLER, Editorial Assistant On Eurocommunism MclVER ART & PUBLICATIONS, INC., Art Direction by Sean Kelly Advertising Representatives Book Essay 22 “Big Story," reviewed by M.F.H. JAMES C. SASMOR ASSOCIATES, 521 Fifth Ave., Suite 1700, New York, N.Y. 10017 (212) 683-3421 The Bookshelf 25 ALBERT D. SHONK CO., 681 Market St., San Francisco, Calif. Letters to the Editor 31 94105 (415) 392-7144 JOSHUA B. POWERS, LTD., 46 Keyes House, Dolphin Sq„ AFSA News 34 London SW1 01-834-8023/9. International Representatives. Cover: Peanut Gallery, by Margaret W. Sullivan

The FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL is the journal of professionals in annually for members with incomes over $15,000; $15 annually for less foreign affairs, published twelve times a year by the American Foreign than $15,000. Associate Members—Dues are $20 annually. Service Association, a non-profit organization. For subscription to the JOURNAL, one year (12 issues); $7.50; two years, Material appearing herein represents the opinions of the writers and is $12.00. For subscriptions going abroad, except Canada, add $1.00 annu¬ not intended to indicate the official views of the Department of State, the ally for overseas postage. United States Information Agency, the Agency for International Develop¬ Articles appearing in this journal are abstracted and indexed in Historical ment or the United States Government as a whole. Abstracts and/or America: History and Life. While the Editorial Board of the JOURNAL is responsible for its general Microfilm copies of current as well as of back issues of the FOREIGN content, statements concerning the policy and administration of AFSA as SERVICE JOURNAL are available through the University Microfilm Library employee representative under Executive Order 11636 on the editorial Services, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 under a contract signed October 30, page and in the AFSA News, and all communications relating to these, are 1967. the responsibility of the AFSA Governing Board. Membership in the American Foreign Service Association is open to the ®American Foreign Service Association, 1977. The Foreign Service Jour¬ professionals in foreign affairs overseas or in Washington, as well as to nal is published twelve times a year by the American Foreign Service persons having an active interest in, or close association with foreign Association, 2101 E Street, N.W., Washington D.C. 20037. Telephone (202) affairs. 338-4045 Membership dues are: Active Members—Dues range from $13 to $52 Second-class postage paid at Washington, D.C. and at additional post annually depending upon income. Retired Active Members—Dues are $30 office. by the television news. The network anchorperson was fX; | COMMENT laying bare yet another military scandal, implicating, among others, a number of midshippersons; T-persons On Personality and G-persons were investigating. Next on the news was the State Department spokesperson alleging that Chair¬ JAMES D. PHILLIPS person Brezhnev was distorting the facts regarding South Africa’s persondate in Namibia . . . Recent editions of the Foreign Service Journal bring My word, I sighed, as the sandperson did his number the good news that the linguisto-sexual revolution in on my peepers, I have the sinking feeling that my whole America is alive and well in the foreign affairs commu¬ gestalt is falling into an open personhole. nity. Chairperson has replaced the odious “chairman,” Congressperson has consigned “Congressman” to wel¬ come oblivion. We have not reached the avant-garde On Eurocommunism usage—undoubtedly tomorrow’s commonplace—of emasculating family names a la Mrs. Cooperperson, SEAN KELLY formerly Cooperman, but we are certainly heading in that direction. And yet, do we go far enough? Or is our rev¬ As FSJ's July issue went to print, the official Soviet olution bogged down in a lumpen bourgeois linguistic position on Eurocommunism remained clouded. But in slough, still prey to the designs of a clique of masculine- late June, once the results were in from Spain’s first free roaders? election in 41 years, Moscow made its move. This stark question came to mind the other night upon The Soviet foreign affairs weekly New Times lashed hearing a mother unabashedly terrify her child into out at Santiago Carrillo, the Spanish Communist Party’s obedience with reference to the “bogeyman.” Good maverick leader, in an editorial that ran several thousand Lord, thought I, are we back in the pre-milkperson dark words, and was also transmitted abroad—for good ages? Will this child be marked for life by the indelible measure—by Tass. It purported to be a review of Carril¬ image of a male bogey? I said nothing at the time, sus¬ lo’s recently-published book, “Eurocommunism and the pecting that the parent in question was of the retrograde State,” but it went considerably further than that. sort who actually sees in her mind’s eye a hirsute, double It accused Carrillo of “crude anti-Sovietism” and Y chromosomed bogey. But that very week I heard other “slanderous allegations,” and said he is damaging rela¬ reactionary relics of speech, such as “henchman” and tions between Russia and the Spanish people—a friend¬ “hatchetman,” as offensive to my ears as the discredited ship, says New Times, sealed in blood on “...the fields of “mailman” and “snowman.” Clearly greater vigilance is the Asturias and in the trenches of Stalingrad.” The edi¬ needed, and I imagined how a truly liberated author torial makes it clear that Carrillo bears full responsibility might proceed. for this. The scene is a seedy Italian restaurant near the Port As to Eurocommunism itself, Moscow sweeps it aside Authority bus station in New York. Detective Beagle, as an “erroneous concept,” asserting that “...there is red-blooded, he-person, chief of the vice squad, is wash¬ only one Communism—if we speak of true, scientific ing down a plate of spinach lasagna with rot-gut dago red Communism—namely, that whose foundations were laid and discussing a current case with his assistant, Sgt. by Marx, Engels, and Lenin, and whose principles are Blackjack McGuire. Beagle is speaking of the Eighth adhered to by the present-day Communist movement.” Avenue Mafia chief, universally known as The Person. Carrillo counterattacked. He got the Spanish Com¬ “Blackey, we know he’s responsible. No one but The munist Party’s Central Committee to back him in reject¬ Person has the guts or organization to knock off every ing the Soviet criticism, and then he publicly vowed to Colonel Sanders joint in town at the same time. I’m pursue his independent course, regardless. He has since gonna send that rat to the hangperson if it is the last thing poked fun at the New Times editorial, characterizing it as I do.” “excommunication by the Holy Office” and regretting “Listen, Chief, The Person was on the Isle of Person that it had not come earlier, since it could have helped on vacation last week. He has an iron-clad alibi. One of him in the June elections. his hatchetpersons was probably in charge of the caper, It is still too early to tell whether the Soviet attack on but how we gonna prove it?” Carrillo may have backfired. Certainly it has not promp¬ “I’ll tell you how,” Beagle grunted as he snapped his ted any widespread European support. Italy’s Com¬ fingers at the barperson and ordered a double Fernet- munist Party said it contained “mistakes and am¬ Branca. “An off-duty policeperson picked up Bugsy biguities.” The French Communists criticized its timing. McBride in a barroom hassle last night. What do you The Yugoslavs said it was inspired by “Stalinist concep¬ think Bugsy’s pockets were stuffed with? Chicken feath¬ tions,” and the Hungarian Communist Party took the ers! McBride is a longtime hitperson for you know who.” occasion to express its view that European Communist “Wait a minute. I admit Bugsy’s a legperson for the parties were entitled to chart their own policies. The gang but unless he’s graduated, there’s no way he can Rumanian Communist Party did the same. qualify as a hitperson. But, anyway how you gonna make While all of this was taking place, Italy’s Communist the connection?” Party inched significantly closer to the governing pro¬ “Listen, if I could get by that bunch of yespersons cess. It joined with the ruling Christian Democrats in a around the Commissioner and put it to him straight, I limited legislative program aimed at achieving some could prove that the Alderperson’s nephew, J. Snively much-needed, but very unpopular, economic reforms. Twill, is a frontperson for the mob. Bugsy is Twill’s The move was seen in Rome as involving the Italian number one bagperson. There’s your connection.”. . . Communists more directly in the government, while still At this point my reveries were rudely personhandled excluding them from the Cabinet. 2 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August, 1977 PET LIABILITY . LIGHTNING DAMAGE TRANSIT/WAR RISKS • SPORTS | aOOU WHO! $

Those who are nostalgic for the Paris of yesterday often remark how much the city has changed—for the worse! That remark occurs to me frequently when m wandering through the old quarters of the city—with the < traffic, sidewalks littered with parked cars, high-rises, sex shops, dirt, pollution, fast-eat joints. But there is >- cc travel-pak much that is unchanged—the people, old buildings and 3 narrow streets, the little bistros, the sidewalk cafes, the —> From here—to there—while there—and back again weather, the politics, the village ambiance of many parts Z ... your personal and household possessions are covered by ONE TRAVEL-PAK policy! of the city. Much remains to make life in Paris unique and *> to give it a special flavor I enjoy. But as I am still of two _J When you’re going to live in foreign lands for awhile minds about a comparison of past with present, I decided Q you’ll soon learn that TRAVEL-PAK is a most impor¬ to try to determine what has been happening. Paris cer¬ o tant addition to your insurance program. tainly isn’t what it was—no city is—but how much worse Household and personal possessions are covered— and why? • on the way—while abroad (including storage if Paris survived the war physically unscathed. Unlike yj requested), and back home again. (5 many European cities, large areas did not need to be And, should you or your family become involved in a rebuilt. The result has been that, since the days of Baron 5 situation for which you may become legally liable— Haussmann and the building of the metro network, little ^ TRAVEL-PAK includes comprehensive personal major change took place until about 20 years ago. Then a Q liability coverage. period of rapid economic growth began, coinciding LU When you return to the Washington area call us— roughly with the advent of the Fifth Republic in 1958, the CC we’ll be happy to help you set up a sound, econom¬ year I came to Embassy Paris. My arrival and that of ic ical insurance program covering your life, auto General de Gaulle coincided, also roughly. From the late # and home! ’50s until the onset of the current recession, the capital Uj True; you can go all the way with TRAVEL-PAK! city was in full evolution. It was a period of rapid expan¬ sion, of rising standards of living and of increasing real income. | travel-pak Evolution and modernization were encouraged by de 3 WHEN YOU’RE GOING TO LIVE ABROAD! Gaulle and President Pompidou. The latter particularly maintained, against the traditionalists, the conser¬ vationists and the environmentalists, that Paris must LU James W. Barrett Company, Inc. move with its time. The horrendous Maine-Montpar¬ Insurance Brokers nasse skyscraper, rising 56 floors in the center of the O 1140 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036 h Telephone: 202-296-6440 Left Bank, disrupting some of Paris’ finest vistas, is a tfi A REED SHAW STENHOUSE COMPANY monument to that policy as are the vast conglomerations of skyscrapers in La Defense, beyond Neuilly to the west of the city, and others to the south and east. Belt- Gentlemen: t2B ways, throughways, underground parking lots, huge o if) Tell me all about Travel-Pak. modern hotels and up-to-date business centers were con¬ V) structed. Old quarters of the city were tom down and m Name replaced by what are known as HLMs, impersonal, V) middle-rent high-rises. The city has undergone a vast op¬ oo Address eration of urban renewal, industrial decentralization and •< development which have profoundly changed the face of > City State Zip Randolph Kidder has been living in Paris since his retirement from the 55 Foreign Service in 1969. His last assignments were as Ambassador to Cambodia and as Department coordinator of the National Inter¬ departmental Seminar. MARINE • PILFERAGE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August, 1977 3 the capital and its inhabitants. The famous old “Halles,” the market in the center of the city to which produce was trucked during the night hours and to which natives and tourists alike went to eat onion soup in the early hours of the morning, was tom down. The great hole which was left is being slowly filled with layers of concrete after months of acrimonious de¬ bate about what should replace the old sheds built in the time of Napoleon III. The well-known restaurants of the quarter mostly still flourish while the ambitious project for the 22 acres which have been cleared will provide, the publicity blurbs say, three underground levels of shops and of cultural and popular centers. The surface will be park and gardens. The last of the roofed-over markets, the Marche Saint Germain in the 6th arrondissement, is coming down, de¬ spite stiff opposition in the area, in the interest of making better use of the space and increased efficiency. One of President Pompidou’s pet projects, a new cen¬ ter for the city’s modern art collections to replace the tattered Musee d’Art Moderne on the quais of the Right Bank, has been completed. Le Centre National d’Art et de Culture Georges Pompidou has been, and will con¬ tinue for some time to be, a subject of bitter dispute. THERE'S A NEW LAW TO HELP Folly or genius? That will be for the future to decide. The YOUR HANDICAPPED CHILD. building looks like a multi-colored, futuristic oil refinery If you're tired of hearing, "we're sorry, but there's really but the pictures are beautifully exhibited. The building, nothing we can do for your child" . . .you should know about your child's rights under the new law. sometimes referred to as a culture trap, is vast. All of the Today every handicapped child has a right to the special education he needs That's no longer just an mechanisms essential to its functioning are placed on the American ideal. Now it's the law. CLOSER LOOK, Local parents groups are getting together to work BOX 1492 exterior—water, heat and ventilation ducts, power lines, for their children's rights. And they're finding that some¬ WASHINGTON. D.C 20013 thing can be done. fa service ol Ihe US Dep! For free information, write: ol Health. Education. & Welfare) are housed in brilliantly colored vertical tubes which cut the horizontal lines of the five floors, each the length of two football fields. Stairs and escalators add a third di¬ mension. A large sloping plaza has been opened in front ln of the Center, streets have been reserved for pedestrians and the facades of the houses in the adjoining blocks have Kabul or been lifted. Unlike other Paris museums, this one is to be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and admittance, except to Kinshasa... special exhibitions, is free. These are just a few of the most striking externals of (or anywhere else in the world) evolution. The whole city, the 20 arrondissements which make up Paris, has been changing, perhaps in less dra¬ YOUR CORNER DRUGSTORE matic but in equally important ways. A recent article in the monthly business magazine, L’Expansion, has well on Capitol Hill and now in Foggy Bottom documented the major elements in that change. The city has been losing population since 1921, with a Our Pharmaceutical Diplomatic Service of¬ brief respite in 1954. Between 1921 and 1975 population fers 20% discount on prescriptions, 20% dis¬ has decreased from 2,900,000 to 2,300,000, the latter a count on over-the-counter merchandise, total no larger than in 1880. The composition of the popu¬ further discounts on quantity purchasing for lation has also been changing. It is aging and becoming overseas mailing only. more bourgeois. While this has been going on, the sub¬ These fine services are now available at our urbs, the “region Parisienne,” have drastically altered. new location—Columbia Plaza Pharmacy, Fed by the exit from the city and by the influx from the fine druggists since 1976, 516-23rd St., N.W. provinces, suburban population has jumped from (Columbia Plaza Mall), Washington, D.C. 2.800.000 in 1921 to 7,000,000 in 1975. The blue collar 20037. Phone 331-5800. working classes—because one still talks in terms of classes—have sought cheaper housing and the younger MORTON S PHARMACY white collar classes have sought more room, more air and Fine Druggists Since 1969 less pollution. The only major group to have increased in numbers in 301 Pennsylvania Ave., S.E. the city is foreigners, for the great part Arab, African and Southern European immigrants coming to do the Washington, D.C. 20003 most menial jobs. They lodge themselves in the poorest PHONE 543-4103, 543-9278 and most run-down parts of the city. In 1954 there were 136.000 foreigners; today they number 500,000, more I than 20% of the city’s population.

4 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August, 1977 While the population over 65 has increased in eight years from 11 per cent to 16 per cent of the total, the number of employees and workers has fallen off 20 per cent and the number of white collar workers and em¬ ployers has gone up to 30 per cent. It is the less favored and the large families which have been hardest hit. Hous¬ ing conditions, employment opportunities and high prices are responsible. Realtors The number of housing units has remained fairly con¬ stant but the nature and value of units have changed as SALES • RENTALS • MANAGEMENT • INVESTMENT developers and real estate speculation do their work. In¬ 1714 Connecticut Avenue, N.W. dustrial employment has fallen off while services- Washington, D.C. 20009 oriented employment has increased. At the same time the (202) 387-2480 affluent are moving into what were formerly some of the poorer, but more colorful, parts of the city—Montmartre, Sainte Genevieve and Le Marais are examples. Buildings Our sales staff of over 70 experienced agents includes the which housed small shops, small industry and artisans following presently or formerly associated with the have been tom down or, as in the case of the area sur¬ Foreign Service: rounding the Pompidou Center, on the Beaubourg Mr. James Bowers Mrs. Pamela Jova Plateau, become too expensive for former tenants. The Mrs. Joseph Carwell Mrs. Moorehead C. Kennedy Mrs. Michael Calingaert Mrs. R. Gerald Livingston life of the streets is being destroyed by HLMs and large Mrs. John P. White business centers and factories. Many parts of the city, once animated, are now dreary and empty at night. And Branch Offices: crime in the streets and on the metros has mounted. Bethesda, Md. (301) 530-9400 Among other noxious effects on the day-to-day life of McLean, Va. (703) 893-2300 the Parisians, resulting from modernization and popula¬ Chevy Chase, D.C. (202) 686-9556 tion change, are the traffic and parking problems which For Caribbean properties: For European properties: Islands Investment Corporation Begg International Inc. plague denizens and visitors alike. Traffic jams are (202) 387-3283 (202) 387-4805 endemic and at least a third of the parked cars are on sidewalks or otherwise illegally parked. In the past ten years congestion at the entrances to Paris—“les portes de Paris”—has mounted by 50 per cent and trains, buses “Specializing for over 25 years mREALTOR in the Finest Residential Properties” and metros are brutally crowded. Over four million peo¬ ple move daily from city to suburb and vice versa. At the most crowded hours of the day, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., movement can be a nightmare, especially when it rains as it so often does. The problem of getting around the city more comfortably is compounded by the difficulty of get¬ ting taxis—at 3 p.m. 11,500 are available, at 7 p.m. only 6,600—and who can blame the drivers for wanting to stay out of bumper-to-bumper traffic for so little money? One of the often sought panaceas to relieve congestion in Paris, and to develop satellite cities on the outer ring, beyond the suburbs, has been to create new cities, the “Nouvelles Villes,” which are pretty distressing places to visit. This has been only partially successful as people moving to them do so all too often only to commute to Paris. Attempts to decentralize and to reverse the trend which has existed since the days of Louis XIV, and par¬ ticularly since Napoleon, have been largely ineffectual. ANNUAL | Paris remains THE center of the national economy and of cultural and political life to the detriment of the rest of 'DIVIDEND % the country. The city and its inhabitants are paying the price of modernization with all that that comports. It is late in the Compounded & Paid day to slow it down but President Giscard d’Estaing is trying. He has put a priority on the development of the Quarterly quality of life but a change of direction is difficult in the •jvHOM face of economic, real estate and other business & pressures. Giscard has been responsible for stopping & many construction and destruction projects, for $ encouraging the development of open spaces and for the C'*oT7t'H’ introduction of new building codes—the latter an attempt STATE DEPARTMENT to influence architects to use their skills to plan buildings which are less sterile and more conducive to decent living $ FEDERAL CREDIT UNION Continued on page 30

FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August, 1977 5 “It often happens that news is most uncertain at the moment when it is most important.’’—Francois de Caliieres

DOESMACY’S TELL GIMBEL’S?

THOMAS H. ETZOLD

Not long ago, one of the assis¬ may yet be employed to better ef¬ someone ultimately recognized and tants to the Director General fect. entitled “policy.” Indeed, in 1972, of the Foreign Service declared Today’s diplomats often think at the height of the National Secu¬ that “There is no difference be¬ nostalgically of the years between rity Council system’s development tween being a good diplomat and the world wars, somewhat in the under Nixon and Kissinger, a high being a good bureaucrat!” Is it manner of farmers contemplating official of the Foreign Service possible that, despite this infelici¬ the years 1914-1918, which became firmly maintained that American tous formulation, the DG’s assis¬ the base period for agricultural foreign policy was made on the tant may have spoken a near truth? price supports after the Second country desks of the Department of Might better bureaucrats contrib¬ World War. For the interwar years State. ute more to the foreign policy of were a happy, halcyon period in The era of “policymaking by ca¬ this government? which the professional diplomatists ble” peaked in the congruity be¬ A bureaucracy’s ability to influ¬ exerted relatively high influence on tween the aspirations of Foreign ence, originate, or advise deci¬ American foreign policy. The Service officers and Secretary of sively on policy derives from two passage of the Rogers Act of 1924, State Cordell Hull, a congruity that main sources: control of operations partially in reaction to the disasters ended the Department’s successful in the sphere assigned to the or¬ of American diplomatic representa¬ exploitation of its informational ganization, and control of informa¬ tion during the First World War, role just when it most needed to tion flow. As regards the former, it provided a clear opportunity for the enhance both its role and its influ¬ is far too late for significant im¬ new professional officer-diplomat ence. Early in the Second World provement; State has long since corps to influence policy. The War, Hull and his diplomats di¬ lost control of even a majority of corps’s monopoly of expertise in vided policy and operations, chose government operations abroad. As foreign affairs, and its members’ policy as their province, and regards the latter, however, things accession to middle and upper- shunted off operational chores to may not be so far gone. The prem¬ level positions in the State De¬ other agencies old and new. They ise of the present essay is that, in partment, for the first time brought thus assured their own diminished the years since the Second World the greatest proportion of Ameri¬ importance, exactly the opposite of War, the State Department has can foreign relations into the hands what they intended. possessed large, but mostly un¬ of the diplomats. One of the worst consequences used, capability to enhance its in¬ Those interwar years were the of the policy-operations dichotomy fluence on policy via management time of the proud boast that Ameri¬ was that it created a mistaken self- of information within the foreign af¬ can foreign policy was made on the image and ambition in the State fairs community, a capability that cables of the Department of State, Department and in the Foreign a conviction similar to that' ex¬ Service Officer Corps. Undoubt¬ pressed in the memoir of Charles edly this self-image has made it dif¬ Thomas H. Etzold earned a Ph.D. in Frankel, Assistant Secretary of ficult for the diplomats to realize American diplomatic history at Yale Uni¬ State for Educational and Cultural that direct policy power and tra¬ versity in 1970. After teaching at Miami Affairs under President Lyndon B. ditional prerogatives were not really University (Ohio), he joined the faculty of Johnson. According to this view, so traditional, and that they cer¬ the United States Naval War College, policy was rarely the result of tainly had nothing to do with the where he is Professor of Strategy. His book, The Conduct of American Foreign Rela¬ grand decisions at high levels of organic law or fundamental struc¬ tions: The Other Side of Diplomacy, was government, and usually the con¬ ture of the American government. published earlier this year. He is also editor, sequence of an accumulation of lit¬ In the years following the war, with John Lewis Gaddis, of a book, Con¬ tle decisions made at lower opera¬ State steadfastly refused to accept tainment: Documents on American Policy and Strategy, 1945-1950, to be published tional levels, where the handling of responsibility for new information, later this year by Columbia University day-to-day business gradually ac¬ assistance, and intelligence func¬ Press. quired a pattern or consistency that tions (propaganda, handout, and

6 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August, 1977 skullduggery agencies, according their work to that of journalists. mary in the days of Cordell Hull, to one old hand), with the deleteri¬ Each day they put out a “news¬ who for all his ultimate weakness ous results well established in the paper” (really several, with vary¬ conscientiously attended to his Herter Commission’s work in ing levels of classification and duties. When Hull left Washington 1962. restrictions on distribution), no¬ on trips, especially when he went Yet the situation is not so far thing more than that, except that abroad, he had his Counselor and gone for State as it sometimes they have access to some sources sometime Acting Secretary, R. seems; not all is irreversible. More not open to the run-of-the-mill re¬ Walton Moore, prepare summaries perspicacity in the collection, porter. Actually, the analysts of the of the current business for trans¬ evaluation, and purposeful use of CIA intelligence division strive mission to him. Sometimes the information could still enhance the each day to publish precise, con¬ summaries would run to dozens of position of the State Department in cise statements of salient informa¬ items, each a terse paragraph, one policymaking. For nothing is more tion and deduction, and their re¬ on every issue of importance as critical to decision-making than cord is in many respects enviable. well as some that were assuredly good information, and nothing Like their counterparts in ordinary minor. more susceptible to manipulation, newspaper publishing, they A decade later, under Secretary or, less pejoratively, to determined endeavor to “scoop” the competi¬ George C. Marshall, the prepara¬ exploitation, especially in a gov¬ tion in State and in the Defense tion of a Daily Summary became a ernment as large as our own, in Department and to produce the regular affair. As one would ex¬ which men who determine policy best of the intelligence summaries pect, Marshall liked good, soldierly are far removed from the sources of competing for the attention of the staff work, and instituted the Daily information. President and other high officials. Summary much in the way that State repeatedly has shown in¬ There is direct competition from General Dwight D. Eisenhower sensitivity to the potential impor¬ the State Department, though it later required his subordinates in tance of information gathering and comes only in part from INR and the White House to digest and con¬ intelligence processing. As men¬ though State Department staffers dense material into a single page. tioned, the Department scorned to deny it. A small group in the Sec¬ In all fairness, one must say that found or to incorporate wartime retariat monitors incoming trans¬ Marshall was not trying to spare and early postwar intelligence or¬ missions in the Operations Center himself work; he did not lack the ganizations. After some years of on the seventh floor of the De¬ mental power or the attention span vigor and influence, the State De¬ partment. There, night and day, to deal with anything but sum¬ partment’s own Bureau of In¬ they prepare the Secretary of maries. Marshall did realize that he telligence and Research (INR) has State’s Daily Summary, one of the needed some organized way to become a backwater, a nice place most highly classified documents ensure that his assistants would call for a junior officer to visit (briefly), that originates in the Department. to his attention the most important, but not a place to take up resi¬ The Secretary of State’s Daily most urgent, or most sensitive mat¬ dence. A long assignment to INR Summary is a curious document in ters when no one man could have now is considered damaging to a its origin, mode of composition, the time or the ability to read and Foreign Service officer’s career. and importance. It is easy to per¬ sort the voluminous flow of infor¬ Many diplomats consider it a dead ceive how essential it must be for mation-covered paper. end, a place to assign middle level subordinates to sort through the Interestingly, the Summary has officers who will never make it to welling tides of reports and infor¬ not looked the same under each of the top, but who have to stay in mation that inundate the Depart¬ the recent Secretaries of State. service a few more years to qualify ment, but the Summary is surpris¬ Secretary William P. Rogers liked for their pensions. “It’s a place for ingly recent in its development. oral briefings, and made compara¬ slower movers,’’ an assistant to a There was a precursor of the Sum- tively little use of the Daily Sum¬ former Director General of the mary. In contrast, Henry A. Kis¬ Foreign Service told the present singer as Secretary eschewed brief¬ writer, “not for the quick reactors, “Out of the eight to 12 ings in favor of full documentation. the faster thinkers who can make a items included in a The explanation may lie in part in a good career in the Foreign Ser¬ few lines Kissinger wrote several vice.” modern Daily years before becoming Secretary of It is little wonder that the CIA Summary, the State: “Because of this gap be¬ has become the premier in¬ tween expertise and decision mak¬ telligence agency of the govern¬ Secretary may be able ing, a great deal of communication ment. It is not a matter merely of to give personal occurs by means of a briefing. size or budget, but one of high qual¬ Now, briefings reward theatrical ity performance, a sense of pur¬ attention to only a few, qualities. They put a premium on pose, and proven reliability. (This, perhaps one to three of the ability to package information of course, refers only to the CIA’s the items. The and to present a fore-ordained re¬ intelligence division, not to the sult. Every briefer worth his salt work—or more exactly, the President may have says, ‘Interrupt me at any point adventures—of its operations divi¬ time for even fewer, or with a question.’ Usually the vic¬ sion.) In modest, but not really tim of the briefing is very proud if humble, understatement, CIA in¬ none at all.” he can formulate a question. The telligence analysts like to compare briefer has heard the question a FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August, 1977 1 hundred times before, and it is like few, perhaps one to three of the sit in on the early morning prepara¬ throwing a fast ball across the mid¬ items. The President may have tion of each day’s Summary, INR dle of the plate to Mickey Mantle. time for even fewer, or none at all. still performs its analyses during He gives a glib response which is Assuredly, most of the issues that the day, and this, of course, means overwhelming. All of this creates a receive personal handling at these that problems of lag persist. state of mind where the policy¬ exalted levels must be brought to In view of the Summary’s poten¬ maker may have the uneasy feeling the attention of the Secretary tial importance, one might suppose of knowing he is being taken, even and/or President via the Daily that the Senior Watch Officers, though he doesn’t quite know Summary, occasionally in some ex¬ who as editors are responsible for how.” traordinary out-of-channels man¬ its contents, would be among the During the Kissinger years, the ner, or in extreme cases by the im¬ most seasoned and astute old hands Daily Summary had to be on the minence of external crisis. in the Department. For a year or Secretary’s desk by 7:00 each The foregoing considerations so, under President Kennedy, they morning—actually on each of his make the composition of the Daily were exactly that. But today, such desks, one at State and the other in is not the case. Senior Watch Offi¬ the Executive Office Building, “It certainly is cers usually are just reaching mid¬ since Department staffers never career, men of perhaps ten years knew for certain where he would necessary to experience, 35 or so years old, with begin his day. The Summary con¬ reinvigorate INR, to two or three foreign tours and one tained eight or ten one-or-two-or- or two briefer Washington assign¬ three paragraph items drawn from make it something ments behind them. They work the previous 24 hours’ diplomatic more than a repository from no particular criteria for reports and other communications selecting items to include in the passing through the Department’s for slower thinkers, Summary, save for their subjective Operations Center. By the time it academic types, or tired impression of what the Secretary, reached Kissinger, the Daily whoever he may be at the moment, Summary was usually a sheaf of men who cannot stand will find “interesting,” rather than papers, not just two or three the pace of operations urgent, important, sensitive, and sheets, for attached to the brief therefore deserving or requiring summaries were full texts of mes¬ in the field or on a highest level consideration. sages, along with background in¬ country desk.’’ The Department’s weakness in formation. There was in those information management has also years usually an update of the Summary a matter of some mo¬ shown up at levels well below Summary late in the day, around ment, and here it is possible to dis¬ Washington’s policy-making cir¬ 4:00 p.m., when pressing news cern some of the Department’s cles. Sad but true, a good many dip¬ items and additional material from weakness in failing to exploit the lomats in the field find the CIA’s INR on previously summarized potential of its informational ser¬ daily or weekly sheets far more in¬ items were passed to the Secretary. vices. The Daily Summary is pre¬ formative than such State Depart¬ Recently, under Secretary of pared under the direction of the ment sources as Current Foreign State Cyrus Vance, there have two or three Senior Watch Offi¬ Relations and Current Economic been more alterations in the Sum¬ cers, the men responsible for Developments. All too often these mary. The morning Summary, pre¬ supervising the 24 hour work of the publications have contained in-’ pared about 5:00 a.m. each day, traffic monitors in the Operations nocuous sorts of material, stuff that now contains two principal sec¬ Center. They supervise a staff of 14 scarcely merits either the precau¬ tions. The first, about four pages or 15 junior officers who do the pre¬ tion of classification or the effort of long, contains six to eight items liminary reading and summarizing dissemination. What the Depart¬ drawn from the message traffic of of significant incoming messages. ment has needed, some older hands the previous 24 hours by the Oper¬ Then the Senier Watch Officers, think, is a compilation of the “news ations Watch. The second, also ap¬ also called the “editors” of the behind the news.” For many proximately four pages in length, summary, decide which items will years—perhaps still—the staff of consists of two to three longer appear in the day’s document, the New York Times circulated in¬ items of analysis prepared by INR. along with background information ternally a weekly collection of all The afternoon summary, or up¬ supplied sometimes by the staff of the news that was not fit to print, a date, has been abolished. junior officers in this section of the combination of assessment and in¬ The potential importance of the Secretariat, sometimes by the terpretation of the straight news Daily Summary in focusing the analysts in INR. The latter de¬ printed for public consumption. Secretary of State’s attention—and pends on just when the message Similarly, the men in the field need through him, the President’s—can may have come in. As a Senior not statements of posture and hardly be overstated. For there is a Watch Officer told the author, trends but explanations of them. limit to the number of matters to “INR is an eight-to-five shop.” Typically, a couple of years ago which the Secretary and the Not until the next day does INR when the Department asked the President can give personal atten¬ see the late afternoon, evening, and men and women in the field to tion. Out of the eight to 12 items night traffic, which the Operations- comment on the utility of Current included in a modern Daily Sum¬ Watch group reads and prepares Foreign Relations, responses mary, the Secretary may be able to for each morning summary. Al¬ pointing up the problems men- give personal attention to only a though an INR representative may Continued on page 28

8 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August, 1977 When the clearance process becomes the disappearance process . . . decisions, options, clearances, second-guessing: Whatever happened to professional objectivity?

NEIL A. BOYER

The Department of State— one presented. This is the meat of a we might look at possible reasons certainly not alone among gov¬ foreign affairs professional’s for its existence. Why are pre¬ ernment bureaucracies—suffers expertise—his ability to analyze sentations of issues often so one¬ from a dangerous malady: failure of problems. Why can he not use it sided? the staff to present decision-makers better? It may be the virus itself or only with all genuine options and all rel¬ In other circumstances, the deci¬ a symptom, but the very process of evant considerations in the settle¬ sion called for may be a simple yes getting clearances, concurrences or ment of an issue. I overstate this, or no, and here the decision-maker “coordination” seems to be a knowing well that we have some needs all the relevant facts. Does major factor in the problem. The outstanding bureaucrats, in the he get them? clearance process is often, in very best sense of that word, but in Take arms sales as an example. reality, the disappearance process. general we have a functional failure Patently absurd requests may be It shouldn’t be that way. The that more of us need to ponder. turned off at lower levels. But if the “Handbook” of the Executive Se¬ When options are called for in Department’s working staff has cretariat points out that the clear¬ Department decision papers, we all decided to recommend approval of ance process “is a liability when it know that the real ones may be a sale, the decision paper which threatens to throttle the work of lacking and that the ones presented goes forward rarely offers negative some of our freer spirits.” The may be “hoked up” in order to lead considerations, nor does it mention Handbook’s advice is that the decision-maker to the obvious other USG interests in that country memoranda “should be con¬ choice. The standard complaint is which may militate against the sale. structed to include differing views that a typical options paper offers Quite the contrary, in fact: tele¬ and the full range of reasonable op¬ three choices: (1) do nothing; (2) grams from the US embassy in the tions” so that “all interested par¬ blow up the world; and (3) imple¬ requesting country often are so ties can make their views known ment the author’s master plan. one-sided in support of the sale that without undue time spent negotiat¬ It should not need saying that no they almost appear to have been ing clearances.” option should be presented if it is authored in the local Ministry of Nevertheless, as we all know, in not a real and valid one, nor should Defense. Clientism run rampant! the pressure of preparing memos, any be presented with only scanty And the final decision papers in the the drafter will frequently make supporting arguments. Indeed, the Department may not be much more changes to accommodate those decision-maker needs not only the objective. who must provide clearance. real options available, but also Some of this might be amusing if Provided that they get a partial candid, objective criticism of each it were not so serious. But how can formulation of their views, the we have a stable and rational “clearers” may simply withdraw Neil A. Boyer has sensed for the past year foreign policy without a regular as Chairman of the Secretary’s Open their remaining objections. The re¬ Forum, a full-time position based on the practice of ensuring full considera¬ sult is a summary of compromises, Department of State’s Policy Planning tion of every relevant factor in an a document that does not reflect Staff. One of the Open Forum's roles is the important issue? encouragement of openness, dialogue, the the views of either the drafter or free expression of views, and objective Homogenization— the clearers (unless there is decision-making in the foreign policy pro¬ How Does It Happen? genuinely no objection), and only cess. This article draws upon a paper by rarely even implies that not Morton Holbrook III, who is assigned to the American Embassy School in Taichung, Before proceeding to some everyone saw eye-to-eye. Taiwan: possible solutions to this difficulty, It may be conceded that dis- FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August, 1977 9 agreements between various bu¬ • a fear by bureau heads that to know the full story on important reaus are surfacing in decision pa¬ they will be cut off from participa¬ questions and who are willing to pers more and more frequently. tion (and even information) on fu¬ reach out to get it. “Bureau X believes this, and ture issues within their spheres if Example: If an options paper Bureau Y believes that” is a stan¬ the Department’s decision-maker presents “hoked-up” options, the dard formulation. But even that is displeased with discussion of the decision-maker should postpone does not happen often enough. current problem. decision and send the paper back. Disagreements that arise within All of these, and probably more bureaus almost never surface for come into play (see also “The Dis¬ Example: If a decision paper the consideration of those outside. sent Channel: Who’s Using it?” in presents only one point of view on The bureaucracy tends to bottle the Department of State Newslet¬ what is obviously a controversial things up and make it appear that ter, October 1976, page 28). issue, the decision-maker should 100-odd officers in X Bureau are One last possibility is the send it back for full treatment of all fully in accord with the position presumption by preparers of deci¬ sides of the question. He should being taken. But there is no reason sion papers that other options and also get a recommendation for ac¬ at all that an Assistant Secretary other considerations have already tion, but the paper should not be cannot acknowledge disagreement been taken into account—that they limited to arguments that support within his bureau and his reasons have been handled orally, or that the recommendation. for rejecting it—if only to keep his they have been discussed previ¬ Example: If an Assistant Secre¬ troops happier. ously in some other context, and tary presents a one-sided paper on Why does the current approach presumably settled. Perhaps that is an important question and does not persist? Certainly there are suffi¬ sometimes the case. Because of even acknowledge that there is dis¬ cient official devices aimed at this possibility, we should not use agreement within his bureau, his encouraging officers to send for¬ only the decision document in mak¬ superior should determine whether ward strongly held points of view: ing judgments about the extent of there is in fact disagreement and The Executive Secretariat’s the information that was available seek to meet with the officers who “Handbook” and various pro¬ to the decision-maker. Maybe feel strongly on the other side of visions of the Foreign Affairs human rights did come up some¬ the question. Manual urge openness and candor where! It should only be necessary for a in the presentation of policy issues, Nevertheless, the decision doc¬ few such actions to get across the as have many hortatory messages ument is the document of re¬ lesson of what the decision-maker from senior officials of the De¬ cord. It is all we have. It is what wants. But it is necessary for the partment. Outside of the normal remains behind to demonstrate Department’s leadership to set a procedures, the Dissent Channel, what went into each decision, and tone of openness and inquiry, and the ability of the Open Forum to it therefore should be complete. to reinforce that tone with specific take issues directly to the Secre¬ Further, inclusion of all the rele¬ acts such as these until the desired tary, and the Open Forum journal, vant considerations in each docu¬ becomes the attained on a regular are all officially sanctioned ment ensures that the decision¬ basis. provisions intended to surface al¬ maker, in the midst of haste and ternative viewpoints. pressure, does not overlook some¬ Seventh Floor Policemen. A If the Department’s policy and thing that we thought had been more institutionalized approach to rhetoric on this issue are clear, then handled previously. Indeed, the getting better policy papers would the one-sided presentations of is¬ concerned professional should be to have Executive Secretariat sues must relate to other factors: have his conscience more at ease if line officers more inclined to send • a feeling that disagreement he has made a fair and objective back papers which do not present clutters up memos; presentation. real options or which appear not to • a laudable drive for concise¬ discuss all of the relevant consid¬ ness; Some Steps erations. • an effort to create the appear¬ for the Future S/S now returns some papers be¬ ance that everything is under con¬ cause they are too long or badly trol; If it is desirable that better in¬ written. In the area of substance, a • failure of supervisors—at all formation get to the decision¬ recently installed system gives this levels—to encourage free expres¬ makers, what can we do about it? treatment to consumer affairs deci¬ sion, or even to explain to subordi¬ Several possible solutions present sions. If the subject of a decision nates what they want; themselves. One is long-term, the memorandum, in the view of the • encouragment of free expres¬ others more immediate: Executive Secretariat, could have sion that turns to discouragement Selecting Leaders Who Reach implications for the American con¬ whenever something unpopular is Out for Dissent. If the current offi¬ sumer, and such implications have expressed; cial policy statement and regula¬ not been dealt with in the paper, • a fear by subordinates that tions encouraging presentation of S/S will return the paper for appro¬ displeased superiors may take re¬ alternative issues do not seem to priate input. prisals through the performance work, perhaps supplemental en¬ Should S/S have a check-list of rating process; couragement can be provided on a other issues (circulated in advance) • the desire of human beings to case-by-case basis. To make this that deserve similar treatment? Be¬ keep personal relationships pleas¬ work, the Department needs to ap¬ fore we sell arms to Country X, ant, to avoid rocking the boat; point leaders at all levels who want should we not analyze as well: 10 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August, 1977 • human rights violations; Executive Secretariat would be re¬ teacher but by a law professor, fol¬ • progress in population mat¬ sponsible for seeing that the ulti¬ lowing the techniques used by lead¬ ters; mate decision-maker receives a ing law schools. Using Socratic • attitudes toward terrorism; document that he can digest methods of inquiry and case • role in narcotics traffic; quickly and easily. A format for analysis, officers could learn to • attitudes toward commodity such a process might well be write precisely and persuasively. pricing (such as oil); worked out. The issue would be well-defined, • treatment of minorities; The ultimate purpose of such a the arguments well-presented, the • positions in the United Na¬ format would be to drag out of the options acknowledged, fully and tions; Department good, hard argument, fairly considered, and a resolution • balance of payments; especially by eliminating the need based on professional expertise • movement toward democratic for so many clearances, and recommended. forms of government; Clearly, such an approach will • and other issues of importance have impact only over the long to us? term, and equally clearly it will re¬ quire a good deal of work by who¬ Pressure of time is an obvious ever manages such a course— factor in this question, but getting ‘‘The facts belie such perhaps more than the traditional this type of delay once or twice FSI lecturer now puts in. But it when issues are pressing should assumptions. The flow would be good to try—perhaps be¬ provide preparers of papers with an of paper in the ginning by having consular law important lesson. taught by a law professor using the Another problem is to avoid an Department provides system of US law schools, or by overload of information that would convincing evidence initiating a genuinely new course in bury the decision-maker under a that help is needed in the writing of policy options. ton of paper. One way to do that An End to Second-Guessing. Fi¬ might be to develop a standard pol¬ the formulation of nally, even without a new course, icy paper on the state of our rela¬ decision memoranda.” or a new S/S policeman, or a new tions with Country X which could decision format, there is something accompany each decision paper on that can be done to provide more arms sales or any other issue; the objectivity to decision-making: We decision paper could then refer to can stop second-guessing the boss. relevant parts of this document in It is only natural in a bureauc¬ citing aspects of our relationship thereby to give the decision-maker racy that the staff members who that would be affected by the deci¬ the facts with which to make the have little or no contact with the sion. best possible conclusion. decision-makers adjust what they Bureau Gadflies. The same ob¬ Training for Decision-Making. send forward to conform with what jective might be attained through Although the Foreign Service cur¬ they understand the decision¬ gadflies at lower levels. Within rently provides training that im¬ makers want or don’t want. Some¬ each bureau, for example, someone parts information—about econom¬ times their understanding is cor¬ might be designated to review deci¬ ics, foreign areas, etc.—there is lit¬ rect. But often it is the product of sion papers specifically to ensure tle or no training in the methods of misinformation, exaggeration, un¬ that all relevant considerations presenting, arguing and deciding is¬ warranted fears, or outright gues¬ have been covered. sues. Perhaps it is assumed that sing. And in any event, no A New Decision Format. A re¬ anyone who has survived the com¬ decision-maker should want to lated approach would be to develop petitive process in order to reach deny himself information bearing a system which requires separate the Foreign Service needs no on an important decision, regard¬ papers drafted by separate officers further training on this point. Or less of whether he has already de¬ each time there is a difference of perhaps it is assumed that the cided for himself how much weight view on a proposed solution. Draf¬ technique of presenting an issue for to accord such information. ters of the two papers would not decision is so obvious that anyone In past, present and future, we clear them with each other, and can do it. have had, and probably will have, there would be no homogenized The facts belie such assump¬ decision-makers who, according to single effort. The drafter of each tions. The flow of paper in the De¬ local rumor, will not want to be would present the full, untempered partment provides convincing evi¬ presented with certain aspects of case for his proposition, preferably dence that help is needed in the certain issues. We should stop wor¬ taking into account the other avail¬ formulation of decision memoran¬ rying about whether or not that able options so that the argument is da. New FSOs do need training in concern is real and give them im¬ fully joined. The result might be developing one of their main portant and relevant information, much like the briefs presented to duties—the presentation of well- options and opinion anyway. We the Supreme Court, each side fully reasoned options for policy deci¬ should be arguing for what we be¬ acknowledging and dispensing with sions, and well-reasoned criticisms lieve is right, not just what is tacti¬ the arguments of all others. of other options. cally good for the moment, and not Brevity, conciseness, and man¬ One possible approach is to have just what helps our careers. Our ageability are all relevant factors if analysis and preparation of policy professional status requires that we such a system is to work, and the papers taught not by an English do so.

FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August, 1977 1 1 “Let us not be weary in well doing.” Galatians VI, 9 Italy, whose programs are not large, nor to France about which I knew something from my past ex¬ perience and, of the two very small programs, I chose Ireland over Luxembourg. In each country I talked with government officials, mainly in the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and in aid departments; to members of Parliament; to jour¬ nalists; and to staffs of various vol¬ untary agencies. There were some special features about each country which might be worth describing.

BELGIUM—Having the EEC AID Headquarters in Brussels managing large multilateral aid programs means that the Belgian bilateral program is somewhat dwarfed in size in comparison and Belgian public attention appears to be heav¬ WEARINESS ily focused on EEC rather than on its own bilateral efforts. Moreover, Belgium appears to be heavily in¬ fluenced by Dutch leadership in the whole area of North-South rela¬ tions. Many of the things which could be said about the Nether¬ ERIC GRIFFEL lands apply almost as much to Bel¬ gium. Indeed, the influence of Jan Plonk, the Dutch Minister for De¬ velopment Cooperation, is ex¬ I had the opportunity in the Spring 1975 Sweden had attained an aid tremely important in all of the of 1977, as an Eisenhower Ex¬ level of .81 as a percentage of countries I visited and may be said change Fellow, to spend approxi¬ GNP, the Netherlands .73, while to be the one most profound influ¬ mately two months in six West the United States stood at .25. ence of all in North-South matters. European countries—all members Even the United Kingdom was at of the European Economic Com¬ .34 and despite all its economic dif¬ munity. I tried to learn something ficulties had not decreased its aid WEST GERMANY— Of the six about public perceptions of aid, the levels substantially in the last sev¬ countries, West Germany appears degree of public involvement in the eral years.1 to be the one which views aid most official and private programs of The personal angle, therefore, consistently as a method for im¬ each of the six countries and public was that of trying to buttress one’s proving the performance of Ger¬ interest in the larger questions of faith in one’s arguments for US aid man exports and for achieving development and relations between on the assumption that if other na¬ short-term political/economic ob¬ the North and South. I must admit tions, some of them notoriously jectives. It is almost an article of I also had a more personal object in hardheaded, saw aid efforts in a faith that aid helps promote future view. I had kept on wondering over more favorable light than we did, exports. I have little argument with the years why was it that when then perhaps it was possible that that. But most Germans I talked faith seemed to be waning in the they were right and we were with appear to associate the size of United States about the efficacy wrong, or at least that their their program with the amount of and desirability of aid, it seemed, thoughts and actions could add future export gain and this strikes by some evidence, to be increasing something to the debate. me as at best unproven. The com¬ in some European countries, such Since I was an Exchange Fellow mitment to aid, either by a large ac¬ as Norway, Sweden and, perhaps with the European Economic tive minority, or by the population most notably, the Netherlands. By Commission, my time was almost at large, appeared limited. Of all exclusively limited to EEC coun¬ the countries I visited Germany seemed the most provincial, the Eric Griffel is Regional Coordinator for tries. I visited Belgium, West Asia with AID’s Bureau of Program and Germany, Holland, Denmark, least interested in the world out¬ Policy Coordination. He has been with AID England and Ireland. I did not go to side. Such interest as there was is and predecessor agencies since 1957. He centered on Europe; it is perhaps has served in Morocco, Guinea, Zaire, East the case that with a large European Pakistan (Bangladesh) and Nepal. In 1976- 77 he was an Eisenhower/EEC Exchange centerland of German-speaking 1 Fellow. Mr. Griffel is a former Journal Edi¬ Development Co-operation; 1976 people the need to look further torial Board member. Review, OECD, Paris, November 1976 afield is less intense than in smaller

12 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August, 1977 countries. The United States is the perhaps not overwhelming, but who need help, both domestically obvious parallel. The churches are nevertheless strong support. and overseas. But the Danish situa¬ an exception and provided a fairly I shall attempt to demonstrate tion is a little more complicated powerful pressure group arguing that the importance of such support than the Dutch. Unemployment is the case from a moral base for in Holland or its absence elsewhere heavy and the recent economic German aid to the LDCs. A gener¬ is less important than one might situation has been bad. Although ation gap is also evident and many imagine in terms of what is actually the Gallup Poll, for what it’s more young than old people sup¬ done but the existence of such sup¬ worth, does not reveal a declining port greater German involvement port, whatever its practical effect, rate of popularity (in fact, the con¬ with LDCs. is interesting and not, I think, trary, 58 percent supported foreign entirely explained by the panoply aid in 1976 versus only 19 percent THE NETHERLANDS—Not of reasons already stated. in 1973), there is some evidence only does Holland have one of the In the United States and else¬ of disenchantment. The Danish largest official programs in terms of where the Dutch have a reputation Poujadist Progressive Party, its GNP, but also foreign aid ap¬ for politicizing their aid program; whose vote reaches about 15 per¬ pears to have greater backing than cent of the electorate, is clearly elsewhere. Holland spends a large against any form of official aid. amount of its aid appropriation and And there is some suspicion that if funds from elsewhere on public popular opinion of aid was sought education. The budget of the Na¬ “Both on the Socialist in a manner in which choices were tional Committee for Information and Conservative side it presented (i.e., which part of the on Development Cooperation budget would you be willing to cut (NCO) will be rather more than 9 is clear that the elite, or to continue high aid appropriations) million guilders in 1977.2 The Aid a large part of it, feels a there would be a strong negative Ministry itself spends further vote. funds. Information about aid and moral obligation to One rather nice touch in Den¬ developing countries is pervasive support aid, no matter mark is the Coffee Tax. This is a on television, the radio, in tax on coffee imports (coffee is the magazines and newspapers. Spe¬ what public opinion is.” main beverage), the proceeds of cial magazines are printed. In the which are used for development 1975 study 38 percent of the popu¬ overseas. Given current world¬ lation questioned expressed its wide coffee prices, there may be willingness to devote up to one for being among the first to focus resentment but the tax is used to percent of its income to foreign aid. on the rural poor; and for the qual¬ make tangible associations in peo¬ No study in any other country has ity of their social analysis. ples’ minds between luxury at revealed anything near this sup¬ In my brief visit I did not find home and want in the LDCs. port. Dutch aid all that significantly dif¬ There are many possible expla¬ ferent than our own. True, there is UNITED KINGDOM—There nations. A long tradition of helping some emphasis on aid to countries seems to be general consensus that the poor within Holland. Calvinism pursuing policies broadly aimed at were the voters to be questioned and its pervasive drive to do good greater equity. Help also continues about aid, their attitudes would be and to feel guilty about not doing to various liberation movements negative towards high British con¬ enough are important. The history and to Cuba. But aid also continues tributions for development aid, al¬ of the Netherlands, which is one of to Indonesia and it is difficult to say though, as in practically all other exploration, trade and travel is ob¬ that Indonesian aid provokes more countries, they respond well viously important. Holland’s de¬ or less internal opposition than enough to disasters and emotional pendence on foreign trade, both to does aid to Cuba. In focusing on scenes of hunger and misery on take up its exports and as a trading the rural poor the Dutch appear to television. Throughout its long and entrepot nation have their sig¬ be running into the same kind of post-World War II history of eco¬ nificance. The strong educational difficulties as we do. The quality of nomic woes, however, the United efforts they have been making their project analysis on the social Kingdom has continued a relatively might obviously bear some fruit. side does not seem particularly high level of development assis¬ The fact that the Netherlands is strong. The sheer size of the tance and its program has been sub¬ a small country, outerdirected, United States and the multiplicity ject to few cuts and little con¬ speaking a language few speak of institutional strength may indeed troversy. Obviously, British his¬ elsewhere, but with a strong tradi¬ make it impossible for Holland tory has something to do with this. tion for foreign language study, is with its far more limited resources There are few middle class house¬ also a factor. Dutch guilt over Hol¬ to be even as far along as we are. holds which have not had in the land’s own well-being and, perhaps DENMARK—Denmark does past someone in the family closely at its record in Indonesia may be relatively well also in Official De¬ associated with an LDC. But there significant. Whatever the reasons, velopment Assistance (.58 of GNP is something .more than this. there is strong support for aid in in 1975)1. And there is a strong tra¬ Perhaps more than in any other Holland; perhaps declining slightly dition, as in Holland and in the rest country, one discerns an almost now with high unemployment and of Scandinavia, for helping those elitist conspiracy on the question of development assistance. Both on 2$1.00 = approximately 2.40 guilders 1 q.v. the Socialist and Conservative side FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August, 1977 13 it is clear that the elite, or a large first, the long and deep tradition of profound study revealed that it was part of it, feels a moral obligation to missionary activities. Obviously extremely difficult to compare the support aid no matter what public there are fewer Irish missionaries budgets of various countries (I opinion is. There is a tendency not throughout the world than there tried for all of the nine EEC mem¬ to bring into question levels or used to be, but there are still many; bers, Australia, Canada, New Ze- styles of assistance; to let things go everyone knows a missionary, usu¬ land and the United States), since a on as they are; to let inertia carry ally as a member of the family at mere perusal of budgets often fails the ball; to suspect that too much one or more remove and the mis¬ to reveal what is included in the meddling with things would proba¬ sionary influence is pervasive. various categories and comparabil¬ bly have the effect of focusing pub¬ Irish voluntary agency assistance is ity between budgets is difficult to lic attention which would tend to be comparatively large and one prob¬ make. Nevertheless, I determined unfriendly. ably would not exaggerate were to my own satisfaction that there The other feature that is notable one to say that it is the missionary was no correlation between aid and in England is the very large number defense expenditure and some of groups, societies, universities, slight correlation between expendi¬ etc., who have a continuing long¬ “It is, of course, ture for domestic social programs term interest in development and in theoretically possible and aid. In the latter case, it is very the North-South dialogue and who difficult to pronounce what is cause articulate this interest in a plethora for a member of and what is effect. For some of the of articles, journals and books. Parliament to feel so reasons I have discussed, under the This intellectual interest is a rather Netherlands section, some of the interesting contrast to the general deeply about foreign same forces which operate in a so¬ apathy and worse. It probably re¬ aid that he would vote ciety to make it care for its own flects the same dichotomy between needy, tend to lead it in the same the elite and the common man al¬ against the government direction on the overseas plane. It ready mentioned. on a global budget seems to be difficult to argue that The curiosity here is that, of the the latter is caused by the former. six countries, the United Kingdom issue and thus I suppose that my main conclu¬ is the only one which has a Special endanger the life of the sion is that I had seriously undere¬ Select Committee on Development government.” stimated the importance of the par¬ established in its Parliament. This liamentary system of government Committee is active though, per¬ as a factor in what countries do and haps for reasons already stated, it influence which is responsible for do not do in their official aid rela¬ tends to focus less on bread and the almost unquestioned assump¬ tionships and in terms of North- butter issues than on rather tion that Ireland ought to do its bit. South dialogue. The parliamentary esoteric theoretical formulations. The second matter of interest is system results in the individual Another thing which struck me the Irish/English love/hate rela¬ member of Parliament not voting as a possibility is that certain tionship. The Irish make a large for departmental appropriations. British attitudes on aid matters are point about being able to speak on His influence on budgets is at best a form of compensation for the what it feels like to be an underde¬ indirect and limited. It is, of very tough British stances on trade. veloped country and to have been course, theoretically possible for a To some degree, perhaps, liberality for many years on the receiving end member of Parliament to feel so on the aid side assuages the reser¬ of colonialism. They take some deeply about foreign aid that he vations a lot of people may have on pleasure in annoying the English on would vote against the government British toughness on trade. this. Yet, at the same time, it’s on a global budget issue or on some quite clear that when the two coun¬ other issue and thus endanger the IRELAND—The aid program is tries are both represented in inter¬ life of the government. But this extremely small, hovering around national fora, their opinions on possibility is extraordinarily re¬ $7 million. Ireland concentrates its most matters tend to be similar and mote and unlikely. Foreign aid is efforts primarily on four countries Irish delegates find it much easier just not important enough. What¬ (India, Lesotho, Zambia, and to talk, plan and work with the ever public opinion is, it does not Montserrat, known as the Irish English than with anyone else. focus on this issue as one of its colony because of the many Irish main preoccupations. Party disci¬ there). It tries to do what it’s best What were my general conclu¬ pline tends to be strong in each of at, providing technicians in fields in sions? the six countries. Other interests which Ireland has been successful. First 1 should say that, right at are overwhelmingly more impor¬ The Irish also believe that their ex¬ the start of my trip, it had occurred tant, including the interest of keep¬ perience with largely autonomous to me that two possible compari¬ ing one’s seat and job. state bodies has significant rele¬ sons which might be interesting to Accordingly, to a very large de¬ vance for LDCs. Oddly enough make were between what a country gree one of the questions I set out Ireland discourages LDC students spent on defense, on the one hand, to answer reveals itself to be, as I in Ireland mostly because of the and what it spent on aid on the perhaps should have known, essen¬ strong pressures for university other; and, secondly, what it spent tially irrelevant. I do not believe places among the Irish themselves. on domestic social programs versus that the differences in public opinion The two most interesting fea¬ what it spent on aid. Were there between the United States and tures about the Irish situation are, any clear correlations? A less than Continued on page 29 14 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August, 1977 Sec. 501(a) The President shall, by and with the advice and con¬ sent of the Senate, appoint am¬ bassadors and ministers, includ¬ ing career ambassadors and career ministers. Where Are Our Career Ambassadors?

RAYMOND L. PERKINS An article with this title might be ger, Llewellyn Thompson—to the smaller to the larger and more expected to concern the an¬ name but a representative few. active posts in succeeding years. cient and generally rather academic From their ranks administrations of A hasty survey of the careers of argument of career (with a small either party selected men to fill the those who hold our chief of mission “c”) versus non-career ambas¬ highest career positions in the De¬ positions today reveals a different sadors. On the contrary, the ques¬ partment. pattern. Data current to November tion raised here is that of (large In some cases these men served 1976 show 124 chiefs of mission po¬ “C”) Career Ambassadors within in such sister agencies as US IA sitions abroad, excluding multiple the professional Foreign Service. and AID. It was in recognition of accreditations and those serving as Where are they? careers such as these that the now chiefs of missions accredited to in¬ Some two decades ago, the almost lapsed supergrade of Career ternational organizations. Of these Foreign Service could point with Ambassador was created by the 124 positions, 32 were held by justifiable pride to a number of Congress. Rarely in those days was non-career ambassadors and seven truly exceptional professional dip¬ the question asked: “Say, who is were vacant (usually for reasons lomats whose careers were then, our Ambassador in Moscow?” stemming from the state of our rela¬ unfortunately, nearing their close. One common characteristic of tions with the country in question), These were Foreign Service offi¬ the careers of such men was a great leaving 85 ambassadorships held by cers whose names were well known deal of time spent in chief of mis¬ career Foreign Service and Foreign to the Executive, the Congress, sion positions in the field. Many Service Information officers. that portion of the press which fol¬ had held three, four, five or more Of these 85 ambassadors “of lowed foreign affairs, and in many ambassadorships before retire¬ career,” as the phrase used to go, cases to the general public. ment, often interspersed with 54 were serving in their first chief It might be said that such men senior positions in Washington. of mission assignments. Twenty helped elevate the American pro¬ Their knowledge of diplomacy were in charge of their second em¬ fessional diplomatic establishment came from long periods of diplo¬ bassy, seven of their third, three of to a level of excellence it had rarely matic and executive responsibility, their fourth, and one of his sixth attained in its history; some would while they developed language and (Ambassador Henry Byroade, a argue that the Foreign Service of area expertise in the process. throwback to the old school!). 1935-1960 may have outshone any Friendships with those who were In the Department, on the other foreign professional diplomatic likely to remain or become impor¬ hand, of the five geographic assis¬ corps of its own or prior genera¬ tant in the affairs of other countries tant secretaries and the assistant tions. were a natural product of ambas¬ secretary for international organi¬ A number of names come to sadorial service. zation affairs (positions that might mind: George Allen, Ellis Briggs, Many of these men were strong, be considered to call for generalists Charles Bohlen, Jefferson Caffery, even memorable, personalities— rather than specialists), all six were James Dunn, Ray Hare, Loy Hen¬ not always the easiest persons for career officers. Of these, one had derson, Douglas MacArthur II, whom to work, but often sources of served twice as an ambassador, Freeman Matthews, Robert Mc- admiration, awe, occasional leg¬ two had served once each, and Clintock, Livingston Merchant, ends, and almost always valuable three had not held a chief of mis¬ Robert Murphy, James Riddleber- training to those younger officers sion post in the field. Of our privileged to serve under them. ambassadors-at-large at the time Raymond Perkins entered the Foreign Ser¬ While they were undoubtedly men (Ambassadors Ellsworth Bunker, vice in 1954 after practicing law in Colorado of uncommon ability, the nature of U. Alexis Johnson, and Graham for five years. He has served in Naples, Tel the service and of its political lead¬ Martin), the three had held at least Aviv, Lome, Niamey, Vietnam, Dakar, ership of the times permitted early ten ambassadorial assignments Cambodia and is now DCM in Colombo. recognition of their ability. Most of among them. One of these, Am¬ He has also had a year of African studies, two tours in the Department, and a year at these men served as chiefs of mis¬ bassador Johnson, was our only ac¬ the Army War College. sion in their early 40s, moving from tive Career Ambassador, but he re-

FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August. 1977 15 tired in February of this year. Now Examples of the latter policy early retirement, coupled with ref¬ there is none. might be appointment in recent erence to the fairness of moving Interestingly enough, 35 of the 85 years of several young middle- over and letting someone else have ambassadors serving in the field at grade officers as chiefs of mission a chance. (One imagines similar ar¬ the time of this survey had held the in the Persian Gulf states and an gumentation used upon office¬ post of deputy assistant secretary occasional smaller African em¬ holders under the Jacksonian spoils or higher in the Department. (Well, bassy. This would certainly appear system of political appointments.) two were only acting deputy assis¬ to be a step away from the trend, The implication, of course, is tant secretaries, but they are two of yet it might be observed that there that almost any experienced officer our more distinguished field repre¬ has probably been no case in which of a certain rank and age can prob¬ sentatives today!) such a younger ambassador has as ably adequately fill most chief of One should grant that such fig¬ yet received a second embassy mission assignments. In a sense, ures are somewhat arbitrary and immediately following the first. this may be true, but chiefs of mis¬ misleading, in that there are many sion selected in this fashion rarely positions today other than that of a carry as much weight in presenting traditional chief of mission which “An ambassador’s job their policy views to the Depart¬ provide equivalent, or even is by no means limited ment and the White House as those greater, experience and training. whose depth of experience makes Many subordinate field assign¬ to making policy them something of a known and re¬ ments in our larger and more active decisions. He is spected quantity in Washington. posts, not to mention those involv¬ expected to explain Does area specialization also ing work with multilateral agencies tend to play a part? The argument and organizations, clearly provide policy, advocate his might be that geographic areas with greater challenge and more oppor¬ country’s objectives, be few ambassadorial assignments tunities for personal development (excluding, for this purpose, those than do ambassadorships in some a confidence man in filled by appointees from outside of our smaller embassies. private and a PR man in the service) would tend to have a Nevertheless, an average career smaller percentage of “repeaters.” pattern for our highest ranking public, and an This does not seem to hold. Seven career people is likely to include outstanding reporter of EUR’s 14 posts held by career not more than one or two chief of officers last November were oc¬ mission assignments. The result and crystal ball gazer.” cupied by ambassadors who had has undoubtedly been to lower the one or more prior posts, while this public profile of the entire Foreign (One recalls the old EUR joke of is true of only three of EA’s nine Service. the early 1960s about the promising such posts. The figures for the officer who would be given an am¬ other bureaus are: AF, six of 28; Policy or Accident? bassadorial assignment in one of ARA, seven of 16; NEA, seven of What may be some reasons for the newly-independent African 18. the change? It hardly seems appro¬ countries for “seasoning,” as Another explanation sometimes priate to blame any particular ad¬ preparation for a tour as second offered for smaller numbers of ministration, or Secretary of State, secretary at, say, Paris or Rome.) well-known and experienced en¬ or other high executive appointee, In short, it is probably premature voys abroad is the changing, and by since the trend seems to have been to see in such nominations any implication declining, role of an more or less continuous over two trend back toward multiple chief of ambassador abroad in these days of decades. Nor does it seem explain¬ mission assignments for more tal¬ instant communication. This rea¬ able by what some people consider ented career officers. soning, if carried to its logical ex¬ a growing divergency between the But, in addition to the move¬ treme, could be used as support for particular skills which make a good ments toward greater career uni¬ complete abolition of the career field “commander” and those formity and certainty (to which the principle for chiefs of mission. which typify the successful oper¬ growing strength of the cone sys¬ It is certainly true that fewer ator in the Washington bureau¬ tem probably contributes, by major decisions are taken in the cratic jungle. encouraging specialization), there field, and more are referred to It would probably be fair to say seems to be another attitude that is Washington; yet often the excep¬ that these years have seen a grow¬ more prevalent in recent years. tions are critical ones in fast- ing pressure within the Foreign This is the viewing of many ambas¬ moving situations. Service for more uniform and pre¬ sadorial selections as really pre¬ Furthermore, an ambassador’s dictable career patterns, with in¬ retirement rewards for good and job is by no means limited to mak¬ creasing stress on promotions faithful service over the years. ing policy decisions. He is ex¬ based on time in grade with accept¬ A number of such ambassadors pected to explain policy, advocate able service, at least at the lower have been told, often not too his country’s objectives, be a con¬ and middle grades. In gradually gently, that they are the ben¬ fidence man in private and a PR settling into such a policy, the De¬ eficiaries of a “one and out” ap¬ man in public, and an outstanding partment has always stated its de¬ pointment. If the message were not reporter and crystal ball gazer. sire to retain a policy of singling out too clearly perceived, it would be None of these things can be done and rewarding evidence of unusual often followed up with none too as well in Washington as abroad, brilliance or ability. subtle hints about the benefits of Continued on page 27 16 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August, 1977 Taipei, 1969 even in the CIA, he was recog¬ bled nude to the shower. There he nized as a leading authority on let the stinging spray of hot water In his room at the Friends of China. beat hard against his neck, back China Club, James Catlett Tun- What it now boiled down to, he and chest as he formulated his ner, III, awakened by degrees. It told himself, was a few minutes presentation to the Gimo. Then he was his personal D-Day, the day to with a very old gentleman of some toweled off and dusted on large go up Grass Mountain and see the 81 years, who with the nod of his quantities of the powder which pro¬ old Gimo himself. At 48, Jim Tun- head could relegate a lot of tected his vitals from the disabling ner could look back on 25 years as painstaking work to the junk heap. and prevalent fungi. Carefully, he an FSO. He was one of the few Such a negative response would shaved and carefully, he chose a persons still on active duty who hardly sidetrack Tunner’s ca¬ white shirt, black silk suit, conser¬ had actually had a tour of duty on reer—but it wouldn’t help, and it vative tie and black shoes. The Old the Mainland. He was more than could sow certain nagging doubts. Man liked his Americans neat. Jim an old China hand. Both in Hong In any case, Jim Tunner was Tunner was determined to be the Kong and in the Department—and ready. Aware that much rode on neatest the Gimo had ever seen. He rehearsed again his Mandarin "Up Grass Mountain” is a chapter from his mission, he had been in bed the Lucien Agniel’s forthcoming novel, Father night before at ten—and alone. speech and several little set Ruffian. Mr. Agniel retired at the end of Both conditions were foreign to his speeches which came under the June, after service with USIA in Berlin. nature. He yawned, scratched his heading of contingency planning as Earlier in his career he was a newspaper lean belly, threw back the sheet he combed his unruly straw- editor, program director with Radio Free Europe and associate editor of a news¬ and, shivering a little because the colored hair. It was neither long magazine. air conditioning was efficient, am¬ nor short and at his neck it tapered

An old China Hand with a delicate mission journeys Up Grass Mountain

LUCIEN AGNIEL

FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August, 1977 17 into a feather edge which some Actually, Tunner preferred not dead. Joseph Stalin was dead. considered a bit youthful for his 48 to look at Indonesia. He was to¬ Winston Churchill was dead. years. Then he rang the desk for his tally baffled by Garrity’s allusion Chiang Kai-shek alone of the Big breakfast. No order was necessary. to it and thought it best not to pur¬ Four—the original movers and He always had the same spartan sue any course which might burden shakers of World War II—was fare: a glass of juice, a single piece their united front. Instead, he alive and well and living on For¬ of unbuttered toast and a pot of watched the changing kaleidoscope mosa. Chinese tea. To the kitchen staff he which unfurled before his eyes as The old man stood at the head of was one of those terribly devious the sedan moved through the intri¬ a table at the very end of the room Occidentals, an ascetic who kept cate curves which marked the as¬ and watched impassively as they his counsel—and bore watching. cent to the President’s summer walked toward him. He wore a So far as Tunner was concerned, headquarters. Speeding past were simple unadorned summer uniform his companion on the mission, the bamboo shops and the scenic and listened intently as the secre¬ Navy Captain Phil Garrity, was no spots where the tour buses pulled tary intoned the introductions. problem. At his first meeting with off to give the tourists a stunning Then he said something which Garrity, Tunner reached two con¬ glimpse of the sun glinting on the sounded like “ah hah, ah hah.” clusions: Garrity would be out of paddies below. Then, in profusion Tunner bowed and took the tiny his depth on Grass Mountain and came the craft shops, clinging to hand. It felt like a bunch of twigs. more important, Garrity knew he’d the sides of the mountain, each In Mandarin he said: “Mr. be out of his depth. That simplified with its hand-carved wooden buck¬ President, this audience takes its things. It remained, then, for Tun¬ ets, its rattan furniture and primi¬ place as the preeminent experience ner to treat Garrity with the defer¬ tive art objects. in my service of the United States ence accorded his rank, consult Near the peak, the humidity abroad.” Tunner wondered if it him on unimportant details and re¬ climbed—but the temperature were too profuse—but the dancing serve the major decisions for him¬ dropped. A fine mist rose from the eyes in the finely chiseled head of self. Promptly at 10 a.m., Garrity dripping rocks. The dampness gave the old President reassured him. phoned from the lobby. Tunner off a peculiar odor, indefinable. And Chiang answered: “Let us didn't keep him waiting. Together The steady trickles from the hope, Mr. Tunner, that from such a they climbed into Garrity’s chauf- mountain streams were diverted, beginning our relationship can be¬ feured sedan. siphoned across the road and chan¬ come only more cordial, yield only “I’m going to let you do all neled down the mountain in tiny a greater understanding between the talking,” Garrity volunteered bamboo culverts—actually bamboo our countries.” A smile flitted which seemed sensible enough poles cut in half and lashed end¬ briefly across the expressive face. since he spoke no Mandarin. Tun¬ lessly in a crazy quilt, primitive With two more “ah hahs,” he gave ner agreed gently, adding that he pattern of irrigation control—which Captain Garrity his hand. The had heard that on occasion, the somehow worked. Captain took it as gingerly as if it President’s translator shaded the “It’s gorgeous,” Tunner mused. had been nitroglycerine. meaning so that things tilted toward He risked no argument with Gar¬ With a simple gesture, Chiang the Nationalist point of view. rity on that. seated Tunner to his right, Garrity As they took the turn-off to the They alighted after the sedan to his left and the secretary beside right leading to Grass Mountain, drew up in front of the President’s Tunner. They waited for the Tunner was struck by the bright gate and two uniformed guards President to speak and in an instant green of the paddies. “Is it true, came to a smart attention. Tunner history was racing through Tun¬ Captain, that the Taiwanese get looked approvingly at the hand¬ ner’s head: Dulles arriving in three rice crops a year out of these some soldiers and Garrity con¬ Taipei with the communique—to fields?” fided: “You gotta be crack to serve be issued three days later—in his up here; trust these guys anywhere, “Right, Mr. Tunner. And the pocket. But Dulles was dead. So development of this new IR-8—the they’re the best.” was young Jack Kennedy. Lyndon miracle rice from the Philippines— The President’s secretary, in ci¬ Johnson was in his Texas limbo is very important for the economy. vilian clothes and smiling broadly, and the other fellow, Richard President Chiang has proved be¬ met them at the gate. Garrity, who Nixon, was in the White House. yond a shadow of a doubt that the knew the secretary from past audi¬ Such a lot of history had paraded free enterprise system, coupled ences, introduced Tunner who past President Chiang. And here with intelligent leadership, can acknowledged in Mandarin and the were two more Americans who work in Asia.” secretary commented on his wanted something. “What is it,” guest’s good command of the lan¬ the President began sharply, “that “Uh huh,” said Tunner, “and guage. Then the secretary led them you want?” the billions of dollars the US to an anteroom with an overhead Tunner was ready. And although pumped in here probably had some fan. He disappeared only to return he knew the President knew small salutary effect, too, don’t you in less than a minute to say “the exactly what they wanted, he re¬ think?” President will see you, now.” viewed the request in his best “Oh, of course,” rumbled Gar¬ In spite of his varied experience Mandarin. The Americans very rity, “but without good leadership, in diplomacy, Jim Tunner felt much wanted back a young Navy money alone won’t do the trick. something turn over in the pit of his pilot recently shot down in China. Look at Indonesia.” stomach. Franklin Roosevelt was I Continued on page 26 18 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August, 1977 “I am but mad north-north-west; when the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw.” Hamlet—in Act II, Scene 2.

Views of the Harbor, Leaving

GORDON D. KING

As I wait he stands on the next “I’m here on business.” I start around toward the gendarmes. balcony watching me. Green to take the tie off. The warm air is I can feel the man’s eyes on me. plaid shorts, yellow T-shirt that silk against my throat. “You an American,” he says and says THE CARIBBEAN IS FOR LOV¬ “Hell, leave it on,” he says. his hand sweeps contemptuously ERS, black camera on a strap “You like ties, you go ahead and toward the small waterfront shops around his neck. The look on his wear ties.” and the cafe, “what kind of white face is friendly but a little mali¬ I take the tie off and toss it into collar job you find in a place like cious. the room behind me. It misses the this?” I try to rest my eyes on the small bed. “I’m Foreign Service.” harbor with its stubble of masts “No,” I say, looking back at the “You can't be a boat bum,” he and, beyond, the red-roofed pastel blue water and the tall white boats. says, not listening. “Not with that houses and the green encircling “Anyway, the work’s finished.” tie.” slopes. Across the harbor at the The gendarmes round the far “Sometimes I wish 1 was. No, edge of the quai a black man in a corner of the harbor. Their walk is I’m in the Foreign Service.” white suit stands by a cafe door faster, almost a march He looks at me, his eyes small looking in our direction. Behind I step quickly into the darkened and squinting. “And what the him shadowy figures lean casually room behind me, bring out the rifle hell's that?” against the tables. At the side of the with the clip already in it, brace “I'm a—you know—diplomat.” cafe a long black car squats in myself comfortably behind the rail¬ “F’chrissake.” heavy sunlight. Two gendarmes ing, the trigger cool and rounded The gendarmes are halfway walk away from the black man against my finger. The black man across the end of the harbor. The along the quai. A diving pelican stands up straighter, looking at me pelican hits the water again near a slices across their beige uniforms across the water, and the shadowy white ketch anchored a few yards and plummets recklessly into the figures move out fast, bunching from our jetty. Two sun-browned oily calm of the water. behind him, making it easier. I men move on deck, securing the In the back of my head there is a squeeze, keep squeezing, feeling anchor. A third pulls toward us in a dull ache from the sun and my tike God with the thunder hammer¬ small dinghy. My wilted shirt is stomach is tense. I know the man is ing powerfully along my arm. The drying out in the shade of the bal¬ going to speak. black man arches back over the cony. I think about a shower but He says, “Mister, that’s the first others. His arms gesture violently there isn’t time. The man is leaning tie 1 seen since I got down here." at the sky as if he’s into one of his against the railing sideways now, I shift uncomfortably and reluc¬ dramatic speeches. He sprawls on facing me tantly take my eyes from the masts the squirming splayed mass of the The gendarmes run around, not and the pelican and the gendarmes other bodies, untidy on the blinding together now, knowing they're and look at him. white of the pavement at the edge next. One squats comically behind of the quai. On the next balcony, a small stone post and he jerks out the man’s face is stiff with shock, flat on the white stone after only his mouth open. I look past his two casual shots. The other, the Gordon King, FSO-retired, joined the State teeth down his fleshy throat when I tall one, starts to run straight back Department in 1947, after service with the turn the gun on him. Then every¬ up the narrow street between rows Army overseas. He has served at Kabul, Tehran, Isfahan, Peshawar, Bonn, London thing is still and quiet, even the of small shops. I use the rest of the and Lahore. echoes swallowed as I swing clip, carelessly shattering glass FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August, 1977 19 and chipping cobblestones before myself watch, counting the sec¬ hole. The second constable turns focusing in on him. He flops over in onds, while the tanned man looks to jelly when / fire, folding in on the air like a silly stick figure and around from the edge of the jetty himself in a soft liquid manner, looks oddly like a piece of drift¬ and leans over to squint into the oozing immediately to the floor, all little boat. At the last possible sec¬ wood on the street when the noise bones gone. The tall one awk¬ ond, / step behind a column and stops. wardly jackknifes down, sits on the the blast is instantaneous, making other for a moment before he folds “That mean you’re a bureau¬ the harbor shudder. Bits and pieces stiffly forward. I step out on the crat?” The man zeroes in. of things splatter the white side of balcony almost as an afterthought, “Yes.” the ketch as the two bronzed men look at the man. He is standing by “Up there in Washington.” on deck wheel around toward us, the railing, staring at my open “Out of Washington. Down stumbling clumsily against the door, holding onto his camera here. I’m in the, you know—” masts and rigging. I measure the strap as if to balance himself. I He hoots triumphantly toward distance with my eye. ■ shoot him in the stomach, twice, the ketch: “Feeding at the public “It’s a damn crime,” the man before I go back inside. trough!” He is addressing the un¬ says to the pelican. “How long we “Come in!” I call. “Entrez!” I hearing audience of tanned men, gonna stand for it?” He turns back. stay by the railing. The gendarmes “What’d you say you do?” making a point. I see the gen¬ come through the door silently, “Foreign Service. I’m over from glance down at my suitcase as they darmes hesitate a moment at the the old capital. On the next island. walk past. They stand in the open end of the far side of the harbor. On business.” doors, look at my neighbor, then at They turn in our direction and start “Taxpayers’ money.” me. Their faces are set and polite. walking again. “That’s where we have our Em¬ “Excuse, M’sieu,” the tall one “I’m a public servant,” I say, bassy. That’s where I work.” says. “Unfortunately, it is decid¬ glancing back into the shadowy The gendarmes turn the near ed—” room. My suitcase is packed, lying corner, walk rapidly toward us, “Hey, who’re those guys?” The stolidly by the bed. disappear under our feet. The hotel man is watching with his mouth “You a bureaucrat,” he snorts, entrance is below us, out of sight. slightly open. “then what’re you doing down “Now,” he says, his voice turn¬ “M’sieu le President has himself ing unctuous and confidential, decided.” The tall constable al¬ here, all these beaches?” “stop kidding me. I know what most imperceptibly jerks his head “Haven’t seen the beaches,” I kind of work you got over here. I toward the quai across the oily wa¬ say. “Haven’t had time. I’ve been been on that Anse beach today, ter. He and his companion move working—” saw all those French babes with no apart, leaving room for me to walk “Taxpayers’ money,” he says to tops on. Hot stuff. Come over, between. the ketch. “Never fails. Use good watch all those tits on taxpayers’ “Hey, now!” The man speaks in taxpayers’ money, come down money.” a louder voice. “Hey, what’s going here, lie around, stuff yourself—” “I’ve never—” on here? You some kind of criminal “Got just the kind of racket I’d or something?” “Well,” I say, talking to the like to have . Cost me an arm and a I stop after my first step, glance ketch too, “it might look that way, leg to get down here, you live here at the gendarmes, turn toward the but I never—” all the time, come get some of that man. “I tell you it beats anything I French stuff anytime you want. “No,” I say. “I’ve just been in¬ ever seen.” He thumps the balcony Paid for.” vited off the island.” railing with the heel of his hand. “I don’t—” “Invited off? You mean they’re “Just like that guy gave me my The taps on the door behind me throwing you out?” passport, took three times longer are sharp and commanding “That’s about the size of it.” than he needed. All taxpayers’ “Come in!” / call. “Entrez!” I “You an American official and money.” move away from the railing. My they throwing you off? How the The tanned man in the ketch’s right hand reaches into my back hell can they do that?” dinghy bumps gently against the trouser pocket and closes on the “Oh they can do it all right,” I stone jetty below us. The pelican cool grip of the Beretta. The two say. “They’re an independent skims past overhead, flutters to a gendarmes come in cautiously, country as of a couple of weeks rest atop the ketch’s mast, swivels carefully, the tall one ahead. They ago. They can do anything they its head lugubriously to inspect the look down at my suitcase and move want to.” calm water their heads together like trained “Throw you out? They can’t just The grenades are lying on the seals toward the bed. When they up and throw you out! Who says bed, lined up as neatly as a row of see the grenades, they slowly open so?” He is at the railing separating wrinkled avocadoes. 1 fold my tie their mouths. Their eyes when they our balconies beside them, pick up one in my left look around at me are beginning to The gendarmes are both watch¬ hand and balance another tenderly bulge. The tall one is quicker, his ing him. They are almost between in my right. I come back on the hand actually moves toward his us. / brace the balls of my feet on balcony, take out the pin with my pistol before / shoot him with pre¬ the rough balcony floor, whip my teeth and toss the heavy rounded cision at the inner edge of his left arms behind them and shove them hunk of metal underhanded uniform shirt pocket. He drops his at the man with all my strength. straight into the dinghy. / make head as if to inspect the tiny black “Heeey!” the man shouts as they 20 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August, 1977 somersault over him in a flying, comes through his door at the same my voice light. On the dinghy, the tall policeman flailing confusion of beige uniforms time, turns and stabs his key at it twists his head to look back at the and startled faces. It is simple for while he talks. balcony. He stares for a long mo¬ me to slip out my Beretta, step to “Now hold on here, hold on ment at the man standing there. the railing and shoot all three in the here!” He fumbles at the keyhole. “The gentleman,” he turns to me, head, rapidly, precisely, in turn. I “Ain’t nobody gonna kick Uncle walk back into the bedroom, lay the Sam around while I’m on the “he is a friend of yours?” Beretta neatly beside my tie, pick scene! Not nobody!” He pulls his “I never saw him before.” up another grenade. Back on the key away from the door, turns and He relaxes slightly, hesitates. “M’sieu, you understand—it is not balcony I heft it, counting, then stomps toward us. “Nowyou,” he throw it in a high looping arc out shouts at the tall policeman, “you my wish—” “I understand perfectly, over the water. It explodes with an and your partner, you just hightail M’sieu. ” eye-searing flash almost against it out of here!” the ketch's side at water level. The I step lightly to one side at the “I have not want to make un¬ boat visibly lurches, like a stag precise second, give the man a pull pleasant . . . Les Etats Unis, she is mortally wounded, not yet fallen. on the camera strap, and let his great country . . . but M’sieu le President ... he say and I must The two sun-browned men are off momentum slam him into the two their feet, rolling on the slanting uniformed men who are standing do—” “M’sieu, I understand per¬ deck, yelling. quite still, their faces registering indignation and affront. The three fectly.” The gendarmes seem patient. 1 stagger clumsily backwards, doing “Heeeey!” the man on the bal¬ move my chin in the direction of an awkward dance to keep their cony shouts, “I don’t even know the quai and the cafe. “That man balance. They reach the top of the your name!” across there. He can throw me out. stairs and go down suddenly, The tall gendarme pays no atten¬ He’s just doing it.” backwards, arms and legs flailing, tion. “Most unfortunate, M’sieu, My neighbor turns quickly, all three shouting. I take the last that Washington decides to stop the stares. “Who? What man?” grenade out of the side pocket of assistance. Most unfortunate that “In the white suit.” my suitcase, toss it casually down you must deliver message to “That guy? He can throw you the stairs after them, press my M’sieu le President.” out? Who the hell he think he is?” hands to my ears against the deep “It’s my job.” “He knows who he is. He’s the blast of the explosion. We are at the ketch on the side President of the country.” We all notice at the same time opposite the quai. The suntanned “What country you talking that the bronzed man from the men take my suitcase, help me up. about?” ketch’s dinghy is at the top of the I stop, look back down. The tall “You’re on it,” I say, my voice stairs coming toward us. policeman stands up precariously, sounding a little strained. “This is¬ “Take it easy, fellah,” he says in sits back. land. It’s an independent country. a broad Southwestern twang to my “And no plane today,” he says, That man over there’s President of neighbor who draws himself up “no ferry. M’sieu le President is a it.” short, an uncertain half-aggressive, most impatient man. Fortunately, “Then what’s he doing out on half-comical look on his face. The this gentlemen here—” the street? In that cafe? What kind tanned stranger turns to the two “I understand perfectly,” I say. of President is that?” gendarmes who are pulling down We both turn and look toward the “It’s his cafe,” I say, glancing at their black eyebrows and jutting balcony. The man is waving his the tall gendarme. “He’s a busi¬ out their jaws. “I’m ready out arms over his head. nessman as well as President.” there,” he says, glancing at me for “Heeeey!” he shouts. “Little jerk of a cafe owner— the first time. “You got a The Texan and the other sun- what’s he doing throwing you passenger for me, I’m all set to take bronzed men get the ketch under¬ out?” off.” way. We slip quietly toward the I cut in: “Look, I’ve got to go. It “Merci, M’sieu,” the tall po¬ harbor entrance. I am alone by the doesn’t matter what his occupation liceman says, his eye on my passage down to the cabin where used to be. Now, he’s President of neighbor, “but perhaps we have my gear is stowed. I swing down an independent country and he some business here first—” the narrow way, swiftly open the doesn’t like the United States and “Oh no,” I say hastily, “this suitcase, assemble the rifle and in¬ so—” gentleman doesn’t mean any sert the clip smoothly, expertly. “So what’s that got to do with harm.” I turn to him. His face is no I raise my head and shoulders you? Why the hell’s he picking on longer flushed. He is eying the above the hatch, glance around, you?” His tones are belligerent. gendarmes nervously. “I ap¬ force my stomach to relax. The gendarmes are shifting their preciate your concern,” I say, The black man in the white suit is feet nervously. “but, believe me, everything’s centered against the shadowy ones “I happen to be the nearest okay.” and the big black car, gesturing American bureaucrat,” I say, mov¬ He visibly subsides. “Well, if expansively as he talks. The gen¬ ing to the balcony door. I walk into you’re sure,” he says. darmes and the man on the balcony the room, pick up my tie with one “I’m sure.” I smile at him, reach are comfortably in sight. hand, my suitcase with the other. out and shake his hand, turn back I flick the control to rapid fire One of the gendarmes opens the to the gendarmes and the Texan. and embrace the sleek weapon, the door. I move into the hall. The man “Lead the way, gentlemen,” I say, stock warm against my cheek, -

FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August, 1977 21 in Saigon at the time of the offen¬ attack on the American Embassy in f=E^ | BQDK ESSAY sive and who is now associated Saigon, the occupation of the with the Woodrow Wilson Interna¬ citadel of Hue, and the siege of A Case Study of Major Impor¬ tional Center for Scholars in Wash¬ Khe Sanh — to the exclusion of a tance ington. more balanced coverage which This monumental work is a would have disclosed patterns and BIG STORY, by Peter Braestrup. Two landmark in American historiog¬ trends rather than sensational volumes, 728 and 698 pp., Westview raphy and a major contribution to events; and even in highlighting Press, $50. any inquiry into the interaction of those events certain errors were es¬ The Tet offensive, launched by political (and military) events and tablished early in the minds of the North Vietnamese and Viet the mass media in the United readers and viewers and never cor¬ Cong at the end of January, 1968, States. In a way, Braestrup has rected. represented a turning point in the done for the press and television Take, for instance, the attack on American involvement in the Viet¬ what Professor Kinsey did with re¬ the American Embassy in Saigon. nam war. Militarily, it was a Com¬ spect to sex in the United States. It was not willfulness, nor de¬ munist defeat. Politically, how¬ Braestrup rejects any conspiracy featism, that led to initial erroneous ever, it was a victory. Why? There interpretation of events. On the reports that the Viet Cong had ac¬ is no simple answer to that ques¬ contrary, although he terms the tually penetrated the embassy tion. coverage of the Tet offensive “an itself—this was due to the confused In his book Tet!, Don Ober- extreme case,” he proves that in a nature of the situation and infer¬ dorfer (of the Washington Post) situation of the kind that existed in ences from false reports emanating wrote in 1971: “The first question January/February 1968 the Ameri¬ from people who weren’t actually invariably asked of a chronicler of can mass media are almost bound in a position to know. Neverthe¬ the Tet offensive is, Who won? As to fix on certain symbolic episodes less, the alleged partial occupation of today, the answer is, Nobody. which lend themselves to sen¬ of the American Embassy led many Everybody lost. The North Viet¬ sationalized reporting; that they are commentators to claim for Hanoi namese and Viet Cong lost a battle. almost bound to generalize from an important symbolic or psycho¬ The United States Government limited evidence; that it is in their logical success long after all the at¬ lost something even more impor¬ very nature not to look back and tackers had been killed and the em¬ tant — the confidence of its people reassess and correct original mis¬ bassy had resumed functioning, at home.” conceptions, however honestly or which happened within a few hours If this is so, the question how inevitably they were arrived at; and of the dawn attack. this could have come to pass is all that, in particular, the nature of One very important contributing the more important, not only to the press and television comment cause of the willingness of the military historian but also to the (especially the latter) as they are media to see the Tet offensive as a analyst of the processes of opinion practiced today must lead to mis¬ Community victory was the ill- formation which turned a Com¬ perceptions. considered campaign in Saigon and munist defeat in battle into “some¬ In this sense, Big Story is also a in Washington which had preceded thing more important” — the sharp major contribution to a more it, trying to persuade the American deterioration in the will of the rounded understanding of the people that major progress was American people to resist an interplay between the American being made and that they could see enemy whose lack of widespread mass media and the elements of our “the light at the end of the tunnel.” popular support was just being society which make democracy The press felt that it had been lied demonstrated. work — or fail — in crisis situa¬ to over a long period of time. It was Not the realities but the per¬ tions. in no mood, therefore, to believe ceptions of the Tet offensive in A number of elements stand out: the truth particularly when it could America — in the mass media, The NVA/VC entered many cities not be proven initially and was not among the people, in the Congress, and towns in South Vietnam during articulated in a manner that could and indeed in the Administration Tet 1968 in the belief, or gamble, be graphically portrayed. itself — were thus what ultimately that the population would rally to The tendency of the mass media controlled events. How did these them and that the South Viet¬ to personalize events led to North perceptions arise? An easy answer namese “puppet” army, half of Vietnamese General Giap being would be to attribute the outcome whose effectives were on holiday credited with a “masterstroke” at to a “conspiracy,” for instance leave, would crumble. Nothing of the very time when his troops were among media reporters and com¬ the sort happened. The Com¬ being decimated and forced to mentators. However, there is no munists suffered such heavy abandon their objectives; whereas, such easy answer. It was a recogni¬ losses, especially among irreplace¬ with regard to the South Viet¬ tion of the complexity of the prob¬ able South Vietnamese (Viet Cong) namese army, not only was their lem which led Freedom House to cadres, that the very character of heroism largely unreported but commission a major study of the war was changed thereafter — media attention focused on one “How American Press and Televi¬ but even the American military picture—the shooting of a Viet sion Reported and Interpreted the commanders did not immediately Cong by General Loan—which Crisis of Tet 1968 in Vietnam and realize the magnitude of the enemy disgusted American viewers with Washington.” The study was pre¬ defeat. the cruelty of our allies. pared by Peter Braestrup, who had Press attention was focused on Far more important, however, himself been a newspaper reporter certain spectacular events — the was the perception of the siege of 22 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August, 1977 Khe Sanh as in some way constitut¬ ing a parallel with the siege of Dien Bien Phu in 1954—the book shows BRINGING UP CHILDREN OVERSEAS photographs of American televi¬ sion “anchormen” in front of maps AGuide for Families Sidney Werkman, M.D. of Vietnam in which only the words A distinguished child psychiatrist here presents a unique, Dien Bien Phu (the site of a cata¬ indispensable manual for families preparing to move to a strophic French defeat) and Khe foreign country. Dr. Werkman provides practical advice on Sanh (where the Americans even¬ every aspect of the move, from the necessary preparations tually scored a victory) were to be through the critical adjustment phase, the special educational seen. The subliminal effect, quite needs of children, the choice of housekeepers and caretakers, aside from the commentaries, was the family's medical and psychological requirements, and the bound to be one of doom, forebod¬ bittersweet experience of returning to the United States. ing or at least dire jeopardy—which $9.95 was shared, as we now know, by “Excellent advice concerning children from the time of President Johnson himself, not¬ conception to the time they’re grown; about cultures, customs, withstanding the reports he re¬ dress, caretakers; about keeping emotionally close to children ceived from his commanders. and managing the necessary separations which go along The nature of the demand from with Foreign Service Life. . . . the home offices for graphic stories “The book is a true compendium. Webster would indeed say and forward-looking (i.e., prognos¬ that it ‘gathers together and presents in brief form. . . all the ticating) commentaries, combined facts, principles, or other details essential to a general or with the paucity of trained report¬ comprehensive knowledge of the subject.’” ers, let alone military experts in the —Clark Slade, Foreign Service Journal media, resulted in excessive em¬ “An important guide that reflects the author’s rich background phasis being given to the horror and as a physician while providing help with the psychological, destruction which exists in any war social, and cultural aspects of child rearing abroad.” but which for the first time could —Julius B. Richmond, M.D. now be brought into the living rooms of the American people—to “Werkman's guide equips travelers with the ‘art and techniques the exclusion of inquiries of a more of successful transition.’. . . Might well become required reading fundamental kind which could have for all families bound on foreign adventures.” probed, for instance, what had ac¬ — The Washington Post tually happened to the pacification “Will be a ready reference volume. . .of enormous value.” program. That program was gener¬ —Dr. John A. Sly ally proclaimed as having been set back for years as a result of the Tet REMAKING FOREIGN POLICY offensive—whereas in actual fact The Organizational Connection the losses of the Viet Cong infra¬ Graham Allison & Peter Szanton structure meant that after that of¬ A thoughtful critique which shows how time and again — fensive pacification made unpre¬ in Vietnam, during the Middle East crisis, in the nuclear cedented advances for over two disarmament talks — U.S. foreign policy has suffered from years. organizational weakness. Far from being a book of accusa¬ “This remarkable book is the most tion against the media, Big Story searching look at organizational issues in foreign affairs we have explains, often in a very sympa¬ had for a generation.” thetic manner, the dilemmas and $10.95 —Richard E. Neustadt limitations and handicaps under BASIC BOOKS INC. 10 EAST 53RD ST, NEW YORK 10022 which reporters and commentators were operating, and it gives credit to those among them who managed SPECIAL DISCOUNT OFFER, FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY. to do a conscientious job; but the TO: Basic Books, Inc. Mail Order Department burden of this inquiry is that some¬ 10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022 thing went radically wrong with Please send the following books at the special 10% discount news reporting and commentaries. prices shown below: A separate chapter contributed by Burns Roper of the public opin¬ copies BRINGING UP CHILDREN OVERSEAS @ $8.95 ion research organization demon¬ copies REMAKING FOREIGN POLICY @ $9.95 strates that at the very time when I enclose $ in full payment (offer valid only when pay¬ the American people had it ment accompanies order). Basic Books pays all shipping charges. suggested to them that the war was Name lost (or “unwinnable”), they would have been highly susceptible to a Address rallying cry from their leadership. City State Zip President Johnson may well have Add sales tax where applicable misjudged the decline in confidence — ---.I

FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August, 1977 23 tJ ^ RIVERSIDE TOWERS in himself as a war leader—which Apartment-Hotel occurred among both hawks and AUTHORIZED EXPORTER Washington, D.C, \J§>1/ doves—and made his decision not PROUDLY BEARING A TRADITION OF to run for reelection, to halt the GENERAL ELECTRIC DISTINCTION IN SERVICE bombing of North Vietnam and TO WORLD TRAVELERS propose negotiations, at the very —EXQUISITE— time when the other side might Seventy-two suites, studios and efficiencies, have been willing to offer conces¬ Refrigerators • Freezers • Ranges elegantly decorated, all apartment facilities, sions. (This is not the conclusion of color television, maid service, fully air con¬ Braestrup or Roper but is Washers • Dryers • Air Conditioners ditioned. —CONVENIENT— suggested by some material in the A superb location, directly opposite the State study.) Dishwashers • Radios • Phonos Department and amid the centers of busi¬ ness, culture and government. Being a thorough-going analysis Small Appliances —ECONOMICAL— of the American media perfor¬ Available for All Electric Currents Less expensive than most conventional hotel mance at Tet, Big Story is not a rates offered for the same daily, weekly, and book to be read easily or quickly, Local Warehousing for Immediate monthly rental plans. although it will be especially ab¬ “A unique concept in furnished apartment- Shipment hotel accommodations designed to meet sorbing to those who were them¬ apartment requirements. The small conge¬ selves involved in the events. It is nial staff creates a warm friendly atmo¬ published in two volumes, with sphere." copious documentation, some of it General Electronics, Inc. As a guest of Riverside Towers Apartment- fascinating but probably supplied Hotel special privileges are extended to you at Wayside Inn Since 1797, Battlefield Crys¬ for the purpose of fending off facile SHOWROOM: 4513 Wisconsin Ave., tal Caverns and the GAFIA Lodge Recreational rebuttals or complaints. The book, Washington, D. C. 20016 EMerson 2- Complex in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. obviously, will not be popular with 8300 For Reservations Contact: the press, and it may not be widely RESIDENT MANAGER reviewed. It had great difficulties in WRITE FOR CATALOG. Our catalog is RIVERSIDE TOWERS APARTMENT-HOTEL finding a publisher, and one promi¬ 2201 Virginia Ave. NW, Washington, sent to administrative officers em¬ D.C. 20037 nent house broke its contract to bassies and consulates throughout Phone (202)452-4600 Cable: RIVERSIDE publish it on the ground that the subject had become of only the world. peripheral interest, a mere “foot¬ note to history.” It is of course much, much more than that—it is perhaps a key to history, past, Be Wise Shop Riverside present and possibly even future. The lessons implicit in this impor¬ tant work need to be freely de¬ bated, digested and applied. Liquor Guest Quarters Hotels Big Story has the additional Let Guest Quarters help make Discounts your stay in the nation's capital handicap of being unconscionably enjoyable. Reserve a room with expensive, the two volumes selling ATTENTION: us and we give you one or two for $50. Furthermore, it is cheaply State Department and bedrooms, a living room, dining produced, like a book whose pub¬ area, and even a fully equipped lisher does not expect to sell many Foreign Service Personnel kitchen. On temporary duty or relocating your family, you will copies. Neverthefess, because it 10% off on estate bottled wines appreciate the kind of “guest raises some of the most important 5% off on our regular low prices quarters” we provide. questions for our society today— on liquor questions about news reporting and Guest Quarters opinion-making in a democracy in Reserve A Room . . . We Give You A Suite crisis—it is highly recommended, not only to readers still interested Riverside Washington South in the history of a war that all of us 100 S. Reynolds Street Alexandria, Va. 22304 would rather forget, but as a major Liquors (703) 370-9600 “issue” document of our time. From $26 per day 2123 E St., N.W. 338-4882 Washington Intown Big Story belongs on the book¬ (conveniently located across from the New Hampshire Ave. & H Street, N.W. shelf of anyone concerned with the Washington, D.C. 20037 State Department on E Street, next to Peoples Drug Store) (202) 785-2000 problem of how, due to the nature Three blocks from State Department of the news business, important but Our 40th Year From $40 per day complex events and developments are presented to the American \Ne loan glasses for parties Other Guest Quarters in Atlanta, Ga. and Greensboro, N.C. people in a crisis situation. NO CHARGE —M.F.H.

24 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August, 1977 period. The peace was “shat¬ sul’s File, a real delight. If you | BOOKSHELF tered.” have ever been an admirer of In an article which appeared in Somerset Maugham’s works, you the New York Times the day this will discover an extra dimension of SHATTERED PEACE: The Origins of the book was published, Yergin says pleasure. And if you have lived or Cold War and the National Security the balance in American policy served in Malaysia, you have it State, by Daniel Yergin. Houghton shifted toward the Yalta axioms in made. The publisher’s blurb as¬ Mifflin, $15.00. the early 1970s but, with Kissing¬ serts that “post-colonial Malaysia In this superb account of big er’s departure, a struggle has again is Theroux territory,” but with a power relations in the wake of developed within the Administra¬ few appropriate modifications, the World War II, Daniel Yergin de¬ tion between these two points of tales could be set in certain parts of fines two competing schools of view, Riga vs. Yalta. There is no post-colonial Africa, elsewhere in American thought toward Russia consensus about how to proceed Asia, and even some places one which he labels as the Riga axioms with relations with the Soviet might think of in Latin America. and the Yalta axioms. The Riga Union. Yes, Theroux reproduces the am¬ axioms—named after the city We know where President bience of place, but, more impor¬ where American diplomats studied Jimmy Carter stands on human tantly, he also captures the essence and observed Russia in the rights. But we don’t know where of a specific time. . 1920s—assume that Russia is a the President stands on policy to¬ Several of the stories have previ¬ monolithic and revolutionary state, ward Russia. Have we abandoned ously been published, in periodi¬ and a permanent adversary. The the Yalta axioms, as Yergin sug¬ cals as varied as New Statesman, Yalta axioms—named after the gests, and are we on the way back The Atlantic, Harpers, Playboy, place where Roosevelt, Stalin, and to Riga? and Penthouse. If I had to select Churchill last met in 1945—posit —DAVID LINEBAUGH one favorite of the 20 pieces in the Russia as an imperial power whose book, it would be The Tennis policies reflect judgments about its Malaise-ia Revisited Court. Yours probably would not. national interest rather than the And your friend would probably imperatives of ideology. THE CONSUL’S FILE, by Paul Theroux. not agree with you. Wherein lies Yergin is not a revisionist histo¬ Houghton Mifflin Company, $8.95. part of the secret of the author’s rian but he believes the Riga school If you enjoy reading good skill. clearly won out with President stories, well-told, you will find Paul In a word, recommended. Truman in the immediate post-war Theroux’s newest book, The Con¬ —S. I. NADLER

Did you know that?

• Prior to I960, when FSO’s enjoyed a freedom of choice • While Security does not solicit the export packing of of contractor, Security and the Federal Storage Company FSO’s household effects, many still come for that and, just (which merged in 1963) performed 80% of all packing and as important, storage of their left-behind treasures in one of storage of household effects for five beautiful depositories? They State, AID and USIA? feel that peace of mind is worth • Since 1964, Security has not the extra cost. submitted a proposal in response • Telephone 234-5600, Roland to the Department’s Invitation to Showalter or Conrad Posey, and Bid on a contract for such work? find out. It may be less than you • Security’s packing and storage think! volume is greater than it was fif¬ • In packing and storage, as al¬ teen years ago? Our Cadillac-type ways, the best is the cheapest! service is deservedly popular.

• In addition, hundreds of your colleagues are using our insurance department through its Annual Government Service Floater, and have been doing so for decades. $fruFitji Jfroragf (jompana of UJashingfum MAIN OFFICE: 1701 Florida Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20009* PHONE: (202) 234-5600 MARYLAND: Bethesda-Chevy Chase, Marlow Heights, White Oak/VIRGINIA: Alexandria, McLean

FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August, 1977 25 UP GRASS MOUNTAIN apology?” Abruptly, the President rose. from page 18 Tunner swallowed, aware that he “Thank you,” he said. “I shall He outlined the proposed trade now must tack into uncertain convey my decision by special worked out with the Peking repre¬ winds. “Mr. President, the idea of messenger, ah, directly to your sentatives in Warsaw. He men¬ apologizing to Peking is as abhor¬ hotel, Mr. Tunner. We have no tioned that the Navy pilot, Com¬ rent to my government as it is to American ambassador here at the mander Dan Devlin, had been one yourself. I can only say on behalf moment.” of the designers of the controver¬ of my government that the decision Tunner wasn’t letting that one sial aircraft XR-V-3, extra vision on this point was taken in the spirit pass. “Thank you, Mr. President. reconnaissance plane, version-3. that a larger need might be served. I am instructed to convey to you “It is strange,” the President in¬ I would also say that I counseled that the situation will be dealt with terrupted, “that such a knowledge¬ my government to deal with yours very shortly, within the next two able man was used in this danger¬ in the utmost candor in this detail. I weeks certainly.” ous mission.” It was not a ques¬ did so, Mr. President, because of “Ah hah,” said President tion; and there was no way Tunner my personal conviction that no liv¬ Chiang. Once again he offered his could make Chiang understand the ing statesman has a clearer under¬ hand which the visitors took in truth. Still, he decided not to ignore standing of the wisdom of conced¬ turn. With Tunner leading, they the remark. ing unimportant things in order to moved to the door, bowed again “In a young country, Mr. make gains in important things.” and departed. President, there are times when a “Ah hah,” said Chiang Kai- “Gosh,” said Garrity in the car, young man wishes to prove him¬ shek. For perhaps ten seconds he “what do you think?” self, wishes to make a gesture. gazed out across the adjoining ve¬ “I think he’s a fine old son of a There was an element of that in randa at his beloved Grass Moun¬ bitch,” said Tunner “and a hell of a permitting Commander Devlin to tain. Somewhere, not far away, a poker player.” fly his own plane. We are hopeful rippling stream gave a sibilant By the time they got back to the you will understand the importance break to the silence in the confer¬ Friends of China Club, there was a of our getting him back—and agree ence room. Garrity squirmed in his letter bearing Chiang’s chop in to trade the agent, Tung Hsio-chi. seat. Tunner folded his hands and Tunner’s box. The Gimo, obvi¬ for Commander Devlin.” let his gaze follow the Gimo’s out ously, had sent word down to his “And the apology,” the Pres¬ across the bamboo, the scrub bush city headquarters. The word was ident murmured, “what about the and greenery. “yes.”

NEED WHEELS IN WASHINGTON? Let our diplomatic discount serve your weekly or monthly need for temporary transportation. We rent all size cars, from subcompacts to station wagons. 15 passenger vans and trucks also avail¬ able. Write or call for advance information.

AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL | “Le Marche” “Le Pecheur" RENT-A-CAR ORIGINAL LINOPRINTS. Black (image 12" x 12") on 2804 Jefferson Davis Hwy. white copperplate paper 19" x 21". Signed, limited edi¬ Arlington, Va. 22202 tion of 50 each. $30.00 each, or the pair $55.00, in¬ Tel. (703) 684-4087 cludes U.S.A. postage. TLX 73-0715 IWe features In Europe and the I Eleanor Dickinson lFORD and other fine cars. Mediterranean look for I Highland Drive, Jamestown, Rhode Island 02835

f JOE is a JOSEPH Tor Tine Properties retired FSO MONTLLOR who can help in the Washington Tlrea you locate the right home in Office: Please contact our experienced, the Washington competent staff area! Contact 370-0800 John Millar Patricia Boorman him for your Welene Goller William Trueheart housina needs. Home: Lynn Magruder Jack Klein 370-5179 6000 Stevenson Ave. MGMB, inc. Realtors Alexandria, Virginia 22304 362-4480 gUOUNjcVERNpH, 3408 WISCONSIN AVENUE, N.W., WASHINGTON, D.C. 20016

26 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August, 1977 CAREER AMBASSADORS Then the principle should be es¬ stone to a first, and perhaps only, from page 16 tablished that a varying number of ambassadorial assignment. smaller embassies in different geo¬ Finally, thought might be given and experience can improve the graphical areas be “reserved” from to the objective of reviving the rank performance of all. Moreover, time to time by succeeding admin¬ of Career Ambassador, with ap¬ however right he may be, the istrations for the appointment of propriate fanfare (when was the chances of his correct judgment capable and promising career offi¬ last one nominated?), for the all- being overridden at the Washington cers in their late 30s or early 40s, too-few whose careers have fur¬ end are much greater if he lacks the who might then, during their ser¬ nished them some claim to this confidence and respect of the vice in such posts, compete for as¬ supergrade. decision-making superior. signment to successive missions if The alternative, alas, may be their skills and demonstrated com¬ more and more control of the Should Politicians Care? petence merit them. policy-making machinery, as well How can the trend toward one- as the choicest of assignments at shot ambassadors be altered? First, It should not prove difficult to home and abroad, by a growing there should be discussion of the set up sample ambassadorial cir¬ army of young staff aides, adminis¬ question within the Foreign Ser¬ cuits in each of the geographic trative assistants, teaching fellows, vice in an effort to reach some con¬ areas, especially among the nu¬ law office junior partners and many sensus that a change in this trend is merous African posts and the grow¬ others whose talents, whatever truly desirable. One can hardly ex¬ ing number of Latin American and they may be, do not noticeably in¬ pect appointed political executives Caribbean ones (with due regard to clude much knowledge of or feel to concern themselves with a long- the need to retain a few of the more for the realities of the foreign policy range plan to enhance the plush for non-career apointees!). A process. Some of these will doubt¬ capabilities, influence and prestige goal might be set of returning to the less always be with us, but an al¬ of the career foreign service, unless days when officers were appointed ternative to abdication to them there is solid support and en¬ to the deputy assistant secretary would seem to be the re¬ couragement from the Foreign level and above only after the chief establishment of a prestigious “big Service itself for steps in this direc¬ of mission experience, instead of league” career foreign service at tion. such positions being a stepping the top.

REMEMBER TALL

Fine Stationers and Engravers SHIPS Members of the Foreign Service of the original linoprint United States of America can depend on by Eleanor Dickinson Copenhaver for quality, service and correct hand printed, black (image counseling on questions of protocol for 12” x 12") on white cop¬ perplate paper 19" x 21". their calling cards, informals and invita¬ Signed, limited edition of tions, etc. 200. $30.00 includes U.S.A. Urgent request's filled promptly postage. ADams 2-1200 1625 CONNECTICUT AVE. Eleanor Dickinson “x::r WASHINGTON, D.C. 20009 Highland Drive, Jamestown, Rhode Island 02835

BOSS AND PHELPS, INC. gVLOUlSlT^ERJSigiSi CJ^EALTY REALTORS FOUNDED IN 1907 SOMEONE WHO KNOWS YOUR NEEDS CAN HELP YOU: BUY—SELL—RENT A HOUSE Write for free information on taxes, schools, financing-— NORTHWEST WASHINGTON—BETHESDA— a guide to buying or renting a home CHEVY CHASE—POTOMAC that you can understand. We MANAGE your properties when you are overseas. SPECIALIZING IN MAKING YOUR RETURN TO THE STATES A PLEASANT ONE. 4211 39th ST., N.W. WASHINGTON, D.C. 20016 966-4271 Write: MOUNT VERNON REALTY INC. ANNE GOMEZ Attn: Anne Gomez Member of one of the most suc¬ 6257 Old Dominion Dr., 3201 PROSPECT ST., N.W. cessful home finding agencies McLean, Virginia 22101 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20007 337-4800 in the Washington area. Tel: (703)821-8300

FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL. August, 1977 27 DOES MACY’S TELL GIMBEL’S? necessary to reinvigorate INR, to in just the right way to effect sud¬ from page 8 make it something more than a re¬ den change in the position or com¬ pository for slower thinkers, petence of the Department. tioned here were discarded as too academic types, or tired men who It is, however, possible to urge negative to be taken seriously. The cannot stand the pace of operations that professional diplomats bring to publication remains harmless—and in the field or on a country desk. their organization the same mature unimportant. When INR and the Operations judgment they would apply to pol¬ Inescapably, one must conclude Center working group become icy. One such element of judgment, that the Department has neglected more united, more energetic, and as George F. Kennan taught long to exploit fully the Daily Summary competitively competent, there will ago, is the ability to distinguish be¬ along with the rest of the informa¬ be grounds for hope that the State tween the vital and the peripheral. tion handling and sorting processes Department is finally prepared to Management of information is vi¬ that are at least implicitly possible build on this pillar of bureaucratic tal. Neat diagrams on flow charts, as the teletype machines of the Op¬ strength. The recent change men¬ grandmother’s baggage, and getting erations Center transcribe the tioned above, in which INR com¬ the family pet overseas (or back)— computer-decoded, highly clas¬ poses a portion of the Daily Sum¬ the kinds of concerns all too prom¬ sified, and never-ending message mary, is clearly a step in the right inent in the departmental self- traffic. It is significant that even as direction. But it is far from enough study, Diplomacy for the Seven¬ things are, with the Daily Summary to ensure that good, ambitious offi¬ ties: these are peripheral. compiled in a serious but appar¬ cers will be producing operational ently haphazard manner, those fi¬ and timely, rather than academic A second element of judgment nally responsible for it are mem¬ and lagging intelligence. here relevant is timing. And surely, bers not of INR but of the Secre¬ Experience, expertise, indis¬ with a new administration feeling tary’s own staff. It may not be pensably pertinent intelligence its way into the complexities of this necessary to follow the late John F. presented in Daily Summaries or in country’s relationship to the world, Campbell’s suggestion, namely, to other ways; these are the elements the time is right for the Department abolish INR and absorb the in¬ of an improved position for the and the Foreign Service to prove a telligence division of the CIA in State Department in the Washing¬ new competence in providing the order to improve the State De¬ ton foreign affairs community. Of best, most timely, and most usable partment’s ability to gather and course, there is no magic, no one evaluated information bearing on evaluate information for use in reform package or proposal that the foreign affairs of the United policymaking. But it certainly is will bring these elements together

COME TO THE HUNT COUNTRY DESTINATION WASHINGTON? OF VIRGINIA Our PICTURE GALLERY OF FINE HOMES and DESTINATION WASHINGTON with complete information on financing, taxes, CLOSE TO WASHINGTON... insurance, schools, etc plus the do s and don ts of buying or AND A WORLD AWAY renting, sent free for the asking Our 75 full-time associates can provide real service to your family Offices in Annandale. LOTS • FARMS • HOMES - NEW & OLD Arlington. Manassas and McLean HUNT COUNTRY REALTY, INC. WARRENTON, VA. 22186 2160 N GLEBE Rd. (703) 347-0731 Arlington, Va. 22207 W. J. (Jack)Caldwell Ralph L. Boyce Phone (703) 524-3131 (USIA-Ret.) (AID/USIA-Ret.) Realtor Associate

Service • Concern •Dependability MR. ENVOY IN BONN: Mr. Envoy was transferred to Bonn, and his worries of moving are gone, A. C. Houghton fi Son, Inc. for all the things he prized were shipped Containerized* REALTORS by the movers you can rely on. IN THE FAMILY FOR 70 YEARS *With District's Custom Containerized method, everything is carefully packed in specially constructed containers and Sales and Rentals in Northwest Washington, remains untouched until unpacked at final destination -across Chevy Chase, Bethesda, Potomac the nation or around the globe. ICC No. MC-126453 4000 Albemarle St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20016 — 686-5800 DISTRICT MOVING & STORAGE, INC. 6400 Goldsboro Road, Bethesda, Md. 20034 — 320-5700 3800 Kenilworth Ave., Bladensburg, Md. 20710 (301) 7794900

28 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August, 1977 AID WEARINESS therefore, make judgments about lems are resolvable and that there from page 14 the interests and attitudes of other are solutions for all problems, again countries from the experience of yes. But simultaneously, a lessen¬ most of the European countries on any particular country. One can¬ ing of faith in our ability to resolve foreign aid issues are as large as I not, therefore, buttress one’s faith and to export solutions is also a thought and they are certainly not by the proposition that doing more phenomenon of the times. These unexplainable in terms of fairly re¬ may not be so unsensible if other things, which in one way or cent history alone. But whatever countries see it, for one reason or another, are all different from the the differences (and Holland is the another, to be to their advantage. European experience do, I think, one case which may be an excep¬ My trip as a medicine for aid wear¬ to some degree explain a difference tion) the question of public opinion iness, therefore, was probably a of attitude between the United assumes a much less important role failure. States, on the one hand, and all of than I had assigned it. Having argued the importance of the other countries on the other. specific country situations, it is Essentially what this comes The question, however, remains: probably necessary, as a correc¬ down to is that aid has to be jus¬ why are certain countries in tive, also to advance a more tified in terms of each country’s Europe doing more than we are? generalized factor. This is one of own experience and own view of Why do their elites tend to support time. The United States has been what its interests are. One cannot aid? I think that the short resumes in the business of helping less de¬ import defense mechanisms. This tend to explain some of the differ¬ veloped countries longer than any¬ does not mean that one cannot ences. They tend to demonstrate one else, and some of the differ¬ learn from another country’s ex¬ that there are individual and ences in attitudes here and in perience, but this learning is in the country-specific reasons which Western Europe may be attributa¬ realm of how to do things rather have important bearings on the ble simply to factors caused by this than why one does things. What question. In other words, the rea¬ time frame. Such a theory is sup¬ one is left with is the need to defend sons why Denmark, for example, ported to some degree by what I or not defend an interest in the does less than Holland but more take to be certain attributes of the LDCs on the basis of long-term than the United States resides in American national character, if strategy, or short-term expediency particular facets of each country’s there is such a thing. Generosity, or humanitarianism or some other history, character and self-interests yes. A desire for quick results, reasons or combination of reasons. broadly defined. One cannot, strongly yes. A belief that prob¬ But that is another subject.

STUART & MAURY, Inc. Make Your Washington Move Easy . . . with our REALTORS Sales • Rentals • Insurance FREE Specializing in Residential Properties Northwest Washington 'Somebody Cares’ Kit Montgomery County, Maryland Write: Diplomatic Dept., Shannon & Luchs Member: Multiple Listing Service Suite 808— Honeywell Center 5010 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W. McLean, Virginia 22101 Washington, D. C. 20016 Realtors • Established 1906 Telephone: (202) 244-1000 SHANNON-^- LUCHS Let lls Know You Saw Our Ad In The Journal Offices Throughout D. C. Metropolitan Area (202) 659-7155

SHOP IN AN AMERICAN DRUG STORE BY MAIL! An ice cream soda is one of the few items we cannot mail. Drugs, cosmetics, sundries mailed to every country in the Assignment Washington? world. We maintain permanent family prescription, records. SEND NO MONEY—1 pay only after satisfactory re¬ PANORAMA ceipt of order. REAL ESTATE

The largest complete real estate organization VtoitPluwnuiwjJw. in the Greater Washington Area. tla Morgan Pharmacy For free brochures and advance information Write or call: 3001 P Street, N.W. 7900 Westpark Dr., McLean, Virginia 22101 Washington, D.C. 20007 703/821-3800

FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August, 1977 29 A LETTER FROM PARIS from page 5 and working. A recent poll showed that the great major¬ ity of Parisians are dissatisfied with high-rises—towers of concrete without a soul. The fact that, in the recent n municipal elections, a party of environmentalists got some 10 per cent of the Paris vote may have a healthy affect on the major parties. j Paris has changed but the Seine and its bridges are still there. The river is still lined with magnificent buildings, subtly lighted at night. There are the museums and spe¬ cial exhibitions, the art galleries and antique shops, the congenial small bistros and, on the main avenues, the sidewalk cafes from which to watch passers-by, the parks and the gardens, the old churches, the color of the stone, the theaters, the Quartier Latin and the smell of roasting chestnuts, the trees, window shopping and lazing in the streets. The Haute Couture isn’t what it used to be but there are endless hair-dressing establishments. The tele¬ phone is still a menace but the metro and the buses, most of the time, can rapidly get one where one wants to go at a reasonable price. Other prices are horrifying— restaurants, hotels, clothes. J L’Expansion, in the article referred to, comments that conditions in Paris are no different from those in London or Manhattan. Nevertheless, Paris, like London and 3 Manhattan, retains much of its special charm. In the H words of the popular song, “Paris, tu es toujours le meme Paris.”

COMING or GOING REAL ESTATE You can count on Specialists in PERSONALIZED SERVICE from TOWN HOUSES W. CLAND A. 1ST. MILLER CAPITOL HILL • GEORGETOWN DEVELOPMENT CTO. FOGGY BOTTOM • MT. PLEASANT

A Complete Real Estate Service Since 1912 202-546-2676 NEW HOUSE SALES • BROKERAGE SALES RENTALS • PROPERTY MANAGEMENT 4701 Sangamore Road, Washington, D. C. 20016 RHEA RADINJnc. MALTOH Phone 229-4000 Phone 229-4016 220 SEVENTH ST., S.E.

RETURNING TO WASHINGTON? BEING TRANSFERRED ABROAD? Calvert School Let me know your requirements and I will send you an up to-date The school that comes to your child realty analysis without obligation. I believe my Departmental and Complete home-study course for elementary-level students. Kindergarten through 8th grade. An American education anywhere in the world. Ideal for Foreign Service experience in administration has given me unique enrichment. Home is the classroom, you are the teacher with Calvert’s approved qualifications to help you with your transition. instruction guide. Start any time, transfer to other schools. Used by over 300,000 students. Non-profit. Write for catalog. Admits students of any race, color, na¬ SALES—RENTALS—PROPERTY MANAGEMENT tional or ethnic origin. ROBERT E. PECK Established 1897 301-243-6030 representing Routh Robbins Calvert School Realtors Box F7-7, Tuscany Rd.l Baltimore, Md. 21210 1359 Chain Bridge Road, Parent’s name McLean, Virginia 22101 Address Office; 702-356-7000 Home: 703-356-3864 City State Zip Child's Age Grade

30 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August, 1977 valuable documentation to which I general public to previously clas¬ LETTERS 70 | am denied useful access is that with sified data. Although this Act of¬ which, in a sense, I should be most fers an opening which might be Not for US Wives Alone familiar. This is the classified re¬ used by one in my situation to ob¬ tain clearly specified documents, or I wish to congratulate you cord in the files of the Department of State. It is material which, as perhaps even files, it is my under¬ for publishing Margaret W. Sulli¬ Director of the “action office” standing from what I have been van’s two articles, “Not for Wives concerned, I either reviewed be¬ able to learn that such a course is Alone.” They are historic and im¬ fore it became official or, in more likely to be time-consuming, portant. Never has this problem instances than I can now recall, ac¬ costly, and ponderous for one who been so thoroughly and succinctly tually wrote myself. Unlike some wishes primarily to confirm factual stated. All aspects of it are ex¬ who have written on that particular information from files of papers plored with sympathy and a full period, I did not keep for later ref¬ with which he previously worked. broad understanding. erence materials that might become My principal purpose in writing As a “foreign service wife” from useful for research purposes. (We this is to call attention to the strik¬ a “foreign” country I can only were generally too busy getting out ingly different approach to such re¬ thank Ms. Sullivan because we too the next circular telegram or pre¬ search that is taken by the Foreign have all the same problems, as do paring a statement for the Ambas¬ Office of at least one friendly coun¬ others the world over in the same sador or the Department’s try. A former chief of the Histori¬ situation. Her article has been a spokesman to read to consider sav¬ cal Branch of the Department of great help, a step forward, and her ing items to write about in more lei¬ External Affairs of Canada has idea of a “flexible solution,” in¬ surely moments. Furthermore, most obligingly described to me the valuable. most of us thought that taking clas¬ manner in which the research incli¬ DAWN ZAIN sified files with us when we left the nations and potential historical of¬ Wife of the Ambassador service was against the rules, ferings of retired members of the of Malaysia which I still think it was, and Canadian Foreign Service are not Washington perhaps still is.) only valued, but encouraged. Illustrative of the practical result Most important in the present The Canadian System of all this for me in my present ac¬ context is the fact that retired As a retired Foreign Ser¬ tivity is the fact that although I members of the Canadian Foreign vice officer with academic know very well that perhaps as Service may request and obtain ac¬ background for research, I am many as a hundred circular tele¬ cess to their Department’s files for engaged in independent investiga¬ grams were sent to ARA posts in periods and subjects with which tion and writing on subjects of spe¬ the year after the Bay of Pigs fiasco they have worked professionally in cial interest to me because of per¬ on the specific subject of Cuba and the service. These they may exam¬ sonal involvement with the rele¬ the OAS, and can recall some of ine and take notes on as they wish, vant problems during portions of them in reasonable detail, I am not the only condition being that any my service. Recently, for example, able to consult that sizable file to resulting manuscript be reviewed I have been reviewing the literature verify details needed in my re¬ for aspects that might affect secu¬ and unclassified documentation on search. Vague recollections are not rity or current negotiations. Such the early phases of the Cuban prob¬ generally acceptable as footnotes access is not only permitted, it is lem as it related to the Organization by the scholarly community. This encouraged by the provision of of American States, from the ad¬ seems to me an unjustifiable imped¬ desk space and other office vent of Castro in 1959 through the iment to my efforts to produce an amenities. Retired officers may application of the Rio Treaty in objective, accurate account of what also participate in contract re¬ 1964. actually happened. search, oral history interviews and Although, as indicated, I have Consultation with the Depart¬ file screening. Thus, the prospec¬ gone over a substantial amount of ment’s Historical Office has pro¬ tive results of the research of those the wealth of material produced on duced the information that, except who have had direct experience the early Castro period, much of for the provisions of the Freedom with the facts are viewed as a posi¬ the writing that undertakes to ac¬ of Information Act—of which more tive asset, which it seems certain count for the Cuban question in the later—access to the Department’s they are. I am told that the French OAS seems to me, as one who classified files may be granted Foreign Ministry follows a some¬ viewed a number of those years under Executive Order 11652, of what similar practice, but have no from the “working level,” to be in¬ March 8, 1972, but that it may only details on that. complete, if not downright mislead¬ be granted to those who have oc¬ Such an attitude of encourage¬ ing. I am convinced that there are cupied policy-making positions to ment offers a refreshing contrast to significant aspects of the story that which they were appointed by the the flat restraint of our Executive have not been told by the writers President. Thus the door is closed Order; it deserves to be emulated. who have approached it from more under that Executive Order to (It should be pointed out that there elevated positions or whose many who actually produced the are instances when the Depart¬ background is entirely academic. documents. ment’s Office of External Research What seems to me highly ironic It is true that the Freedom of In¬ employs retired officers to work on in my pursuits, which have no pur¬ formation Act has, in some re¬ research projects, but these involve pose other than to try to set the re¬ spects, revolutionized current only that research deemed by an cord straight, is that the only really practice regarding access by the action office to be immediately rel- FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August, 1977 31 evant rather than that of longer as a shock to find that Amnesty, in I am not sure just how or why it range historical value.) its dealings with Indonesia, was not has happened, but the unfortunate I have no idea how many other above engaging in misstatements, fact is that Amnesty International retirees would wish to pore over polemics and seemingly deliberate has become politicized in its ex¬ documents with which they were distortions, and that it even al¬ changes with Indonesia—to the earlier concerned in an effort to set lowed itself to be used by others point where it often seems to the forth clearly what actually hap¬ whose motives were, to say the outsider that Amnesty is more in¬ pened . Nor is it clear to me why the least, questionable. (Once again, I terested in scoring debating points Executive Order was issued or why am talking only about Amnesty’s than in helping the prisoners. Un¬ it left the door slightly ajar for “pol¬ work in Indonesia.) happily, this has not only vitiated icy making” officers who, in prin¬ In a complex and often delicate Amnesty’s influence with Indo¬ ciple, would seem to be no more situation, Amnesty’s utterances nesia but has actually made Am¬ likely to be responsible or discreet have ranged from the provocative nesty somewhat of an obstacle to than those who served the De¬ to the devious. Its publications resolution of the human rights partment in more humble roles. It have charged the present Indone¬ problem in Indonesia. does seem to me, however, that sian Government with “savage” I say this with a good deal of re¬ those who wish to reexamine the behavior and with destroying “all luctance because I feel strongly record in greater leisure than they civil and political liberties” in its that a truly impartial, intellectually had when it was prepared should be overthrow of the Sukarno dicta- honest non-government organiza¬ given full opportunity to do so, and orship. It has gone through tortu¬ tion would be a major asset in to publish the results under any se¬ ous and at times ungrammatical working out this human rights prob¬ curity restrictions deemed essen¬ circumlocutions to avoid calling a lem with Indonesia. Maybe Am¬ tial. Even better, following the communist a communist. As one of nesty plays that role elsewhere in Canadian example, they should be its Indonesian “prisoners of con¬ the world. Unfortunately, it has not encouraged to undertake such ac¬ science” Amnesty even chose the been doing so in Indonesia. tivity. wife of D. N. Aidit, head of the EDWARD C. INGRAHAM EDWARD A. JAMISON Indonesian Communist Party at Washington Chevy Chase, Maryland the time of the bloody 1965 coup attempt, who was herself a member Reply from the Author Al in Indonesia of the Party’s Central Committee This is in response to Ed¬ Could there by two organi¬ directly implicated in the coup ward C. Ingraham’s comments zations known as Amnesty Inter¬ plotting—all of which Amnesty generated by my Amnesty Interna¬ national, one dealing with In¬ failed to mention in its public ap¬ tional (AI) article in your June is¬ donesia and the other with the rest peals for her release. She was de¬ sue. of the world? This thought oc¬ scribed only as a medical doctor Concerning his reference to the curred to me when reading Robert and mother, who had no idea why occasion on which AI did not use Ehrman’s gee-whiz article on Am¬ she had been detained by the the term “Communist,” AI does nesty International (“The Dog¬ Suharto Government. not generalize about prisoners in gedness of Conscience”) in your Amnesty has also consistently that way, just as AI does not label June issue. exaggerated the number of Indone¬ detained dissidents in the USSR as Criticizing Amnesty Interna¬ sian prisoners detained for complic¬ agents of imperialism or as fanatics tional these days produces much ity in the 1965 coup attempt. Most or lunatics, as the Soviet govern¬ the same reaction that scurrilous recently it upped its figure from ment often characterizes them. remarks about motherhood or the 55,000 to 100,000, ostensibly on the While many Indonesian prisoners flag used to evoke in an earlier and basis of some mumbo-jumbo about were arrested for membership in simpler age. Despite this, and tak¬ the alleged discovery of a new cat¬ the PKI (legal at the time of their ing a deep breath, I have to say that egory of mini-prison in Indonesia. membership), many thousands are in one major human rights problem In fact the change brings its figure not Communists and many have no area—Indonesia—Amnesty Inter¬ in line with that claimed by a dis¬ political affiliations at all. More¬ national’s role has been neither credited former official of the over, in line with its nonpartisan helpful nor, on occasion, particu¬ Sukarno government who runs an character, AI does not regard any larly principled. anti-Indonesian organization out of political party or conscientiously I have no first-hand knowledge London—and who seems to be held belief of any individual as a of Amnesty’s operations in Latin Amnesty’s primary source of mate¬ crime and avoids all labels which, America and other parts of the rial on Indonesia. AI says, automatically prejudice world. They may be every bit as I don’t want to suggest that there those who do. outstanding as Ehrman’s article is not a serious human rights prob¬ By Government of Indonesia claims. For the past three years, lem in Indonesia. There is indeed a (GOI) admission, there are some however, I have been directly con¬ serious problem, one that the In¬ 30,000 prisoners being held without cerned with Indonesia’s human donesians have fully recognized trial, many of them since 1965, rights problem as Country Director and that we have been working on against most of whom no evidence for Indonesia. I started out some¬ with them for years. Most recently of wrongdoing exists. In its release what prejudiced in favor of Am¬ we have had what appears to be an plan announced last December, nesty International because of the important breakthrough in resolv¬ GOI specified that most of the many favorable things I had heard ing it. But with no help at all from prisoners were never to see their about its work elsewhere. It came Amnesty. homes again but instead were to be

32 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August, 1977 transported without consent to rights standards. AI has not op¬ host government officials. The long permanent resettlement camps posed economic assistance to the time it takes to obtain AID/W ap¬ such as Buru Island, a remote Suharto regime at any time. Mr. proval unavoidably creates tension jungle area where life is so harsh Ingraham says that AI allowed it¬ and gives the impression of USG that almost none of the detainees self to be used by others. He does indifference. have agreed to their families being not specify. Compounding these negative as¬ brought there to join them. The The facts are: AI’s position and pects is the extensive use of private number of detainees already on initiative concerning grave, persis¬ consultants for AID, arriving in Buru is over 13,000 and will double tent violations of human rights in droves, exhausting the host gov¬ or treble if GOI plans are carried Indonesia are mandated by AI’s ernment’s sparse staff, often with¬ out as announced. statutory opposition to long-term out advice or consent from AID of¬ It appears that the State De¬ detention without trial and predi¬ ficers stationed in the field. This partment has chosen to accept cated on impartial, independent re¬ added-on personnel component not GOI figures on the numbers in de¬ search and circumspect avoidance only costs the US taxpayer a neat tention, admitting in a 502B report: of the politics of confrontation and sum, it is also realistically viewed “Much of the information available insult. by the recipient country as the kind to the United States with regard to AI recognizes efforts by the of economic assistance not re¬ the detainees has been obtained State Department to resolve quested, nor deemed necessary. from press reports, from occasional human rights problems in In¬ The presence of these consultants interviews with persons released donesia. And I know that AI, in undermines the host government’s from prisons, or from the Indone¬ pressing on with its own efforts in confidence in the ability of AID of¬ sian Government itself.” that country, will do its part to sus¬ ficials already at the post. AI places the number still in de¬ tain and improve the mutually in¬ In countries where we may be tention after almost 12 years at formative relationship between AI only number four or five in terms of over 55,000, believing the true and State in pursuit of the common donor contributions, we may be the number closer to 100,000. Accord¬ objective—an objective whose greatest consumer of the time of ing to Mr. Ingraham, the AI figures realization will not be sidetracked the host government’s civil ser¬ are based on “mumbo jumbo about by differences, however legiti¬ vants. ... a new category of mini-prison mately aired, over figures, terms, Should the burdensome AID in Indonesia” and on information motives and accomplishments. Be¬ bureaucratic processes (including gained from a “discredited former hind 30,000 or 55,000 or 100,000 is hiring of costly experts) have been official of the Sukarno govern¬ the shocking reality of many In¬ enforced by Congress and not have ment.” The facts are: AI adjusted donesians held prisoner for over a been developed in-house by its long-standing estimate to more decade without being charged with AID/W, then Congress should also than 55,000 and closer to 100,000 a crime. be made aware of the counter¬ after its last mission to Indonesia in These Indonesians are not num¬ productive impact. January 1975. AI’s detainee figures bers. They are human beings. Unavoidably, AID plays a de¬ are based on reports from many in¬ Washington ROBERT EHRMAN fensive role vis-a-vis Congress which appropriates the funds and dependent, knowledgeable ob¬ Assistance to LDCs servers including church and social which takes seriously its overseer workers. And AI’s 100,000 figure Returning to the field after role. But Congress, no less than the is conceded in private conversation some years absence, the discovery Administration itself, is vitally in¬ by GOI officials dealing with the of the gigantic increase in AID’s volved in an effective foreign pol¬ problem. bureaucratic process was distres¬ icy. Diplomatic relationships re¬ AI does not suggest that GOI de¬ sing. Beginning with the Annual quire harmony if mutual under¬ liberately minimizes the problem Budget Submission to be followed standing is to be reached and sensi¬ but that its estimates are based on by two separate, subsequent and tive issues are to be solved. the number of detainees in large lengthy project descriptions and Economic/technical assistance to camps and prisons. AI’s informa¬ justifications for review and ap¬ a developing country ought by its tion points to many other proval, there may be as many as sheer, constructive purpose alone thousands of prisoners in military two years or more before an activ¬ support our efforts on the diplomat¬ installations, in small detention ity actually is implemented. ic front, but unless AID/W de¬ centers, and in local jails that also Many of the issues now being velops a better understanding and house common law criminals. covered are logical and sound. more sensitivity with regard to an With regard to Mr. Ingraham’s They reflect the experience of al¬ efficient and responsive implemen¬ characterization of Amnesty Inter¬ most 20 years of economic assis¬ tation of the programs, the inter¬ national as, among other things, tance to less developed countries minable AID/W processes as they devious, politicized and not par¬ and focus on the awareness of so¬ now are create a serious handicap ticularly principled, it is unclear to cial and economic effects of our for our diplomats abroad. what actions and statements these operations. It is equally laudable Can we hope that the new admin¬ extraordinary accusations refer. AI that the recipient country must be istration will focus on the need to has never suggested radical change involved directly in the programing streamline AID/W operations so in GOI beyond appealing for im¬ process from its very inception. that they at least not become coun¬ mediate and unconditional release The poorer the recipient country is, terproductive in our foreign policy of prisoners in accordance with in¬ however, the more urgent is the efforts? ternationally recognized human need and the more anxious are the A deeply concerned optimist FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August, 1977 3 3 This portion of the JOURNAL is the re¬ DEAR AFSA COLLEAGUES: sponsibility of the Governing Board of AFSA and is intended to report on tenure as your President cartes to a close and I would employee-management issues, condi¬ like to take this opportunity to say thank you for your tions of employment and the policy and continued support of AFSA; without your contributions of administration of AFSA, including its time, effort and energy, the effectiveness of the Associa¬ Board, Committees, and Chapters. tion would be greatly diminished. I would also like to Members wishing to send letters on employment, working conditions or say an especial word of thanks to AFSA Reps and Keypersons AFSA affairs should get them to AFSA for their efforts and their support. by the 10th of the month preceding de¬ sired publication. AFSA News Commit¬ There is still much to be done, but we have also accomplished tee, Room 3644, N.S. much. Best wishes and every success to each and every one of you.

Sincerely,

CONTENTS £. iJi Annual Reports 34, 35, 36, 37 Election Results 38 Patricia A. Woodring Foreign Service People 40 President Scholarships 41, 42, 43, 44 ANNUAL REPORTS

STATE STANDING COMMITTEE AID STANDING COMMITTEE nel; an interagency exchange agree¬ ment for AID to facilitate movement The Committee has primary respon¬ Accomplishments: from FS to GS; revised IDI guidelines sibility for State-specific Executive Under one collective bargaining to ensure a steady intake of young tal¬ Order 11636 issues and internal AFSA charter, the Standing Committee initi¬ ent, and observer status at Assignment business. ated and has participated in the follow¬ Board meetings to safeguard the inter¬ The Committee: ing activities during this past year: est of Foreign Service employees. We • Negotiated the 1976 umbrella • Negotiated an agreement to permit are working with management on pro¬ agreement on improvement of the the conversion of 209 time-limited em¬ cedures and criteria to provide awards FSO promotion system and the ployees. To date 181 have been con¬ to former Indochina personnel who 1976 Selection Board precepts; verted to career status; may have been overlooked, and we are • Commented on candidates for the • Completed an agreement with pursuing an equitable policy regarding 1976 and 1977 selection boards; management for the use of Agency FSS assignments in AID/W. A Stand¬ • Sought to limit the number of polit¬ facilities for AFSA; ing Committee survey found that many ical appointees in the Department • Interceded with the Administrator of the FSSs in AID/W serve in posi¬ of State and to prevent them from who nullified an Assignments Board tions two to six grades below their per¬ receiving career or career-can- action to assign an unqualified person sonal rank. didate Foreign Service appoint¬ to a field position; In addition to weekly negotiation ments; • Negotiated an agreement that es¬ meetings with AID Management, we • Persuaded the Congress and man¬ tablished a Career Development Pro¬ have taken our concerns to others as agement to accept legislative lan¬ gram for Foreign Service Staff. Ten well: guage decoupling the junior career women were selected in 1975, and eight In a meeting with Mr. Richard threshold and junior promotion are currently in training under this pro¬ Moose and Mr. Anthony Lake of the decisions and took various mea¬ gram; Carter Transition Team in mid- sures to remedy the lack of pro¬ • Interceded with Governor Gilligan December, we outlined the following motions from FSO-6; who accelerated the implementation of basic needs for AID’S Foreign Service • Worked with representatives of the Nelson Study, a review of job de¬ personnel: 1) Organizational and legis¬ the September 17 group to obtain scriptions overseas. This study is an in¬ lative reform—redefinition of AID’S more information on the promo¬ tegral element of the Carter Ide Report goals and strategy; 2) Permanent legis¬ tion situation for communicators, on rationalizing the Agency’s AOSC lative status for AID, including a communications technicians and codes, a task that has been in process realistic career system for its Foreign secretaries, and proposed an for almost a year; Service; 3) Rationalization of its dual interim system of skill code • Organized a keyperson system to personnel-system to ensure the mainte¬ changes which could help to un¬ ensure rapid feedback from Foreign nance of a competent FS Corps; 4) block promotion opportunities this Service personnel regarding consulta- Career counseling and a system of coming year for them as well as for ble matters of interest to them; backstop codes and assignment pre¬ other people in surplus skill codes; • We are actively pursuing with cepts and procedures that meets the • Negotiated on length of overseas management matters such as career needs of AID’S changing requirements tours of duty. counseling for Foreign Service person¬ and those of the individual families. 34 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August, 1977 We had the opportunity to reiterate Early this year, the MIC adopted a AFSA’s behalf in the renewal of the our position on a number of these is¬ somewhat more ambitious program for appointments of seven professional ar¬ sues in subsequent meetings with Sec¬ action in 1977. Among the measures we bitrators to the Foreign Service Griev¬ retary Cyrus Vance in February, as are seeking are: ance Board. part of an AFSA delegation with Gov¬ • Revisions in the Foreign Ser¬ One of the seven reappointed Mem¬ ernor Gilligan in April, and with vice-Civil Service pay linkage, so that bers has since died, and we are consult¬ Donald MacDonald also in April. F.S. salaries can be set at more realistic ing with the foreign affairs agencies and The AID Standing Committee meets levels; AFGE on nominees for his replace¬ in open session every Wednesday from • Compensation for standby duty; ment. We share the Grievance Board 12:00 to 1:00 in the AFSA Office, • Liberalization of the foreign and Chairman’s preference for an addition¬ Room 3644 in New State. Agenda home service transfer allowances; al retired Foreign Service person and items for its consultations with man¬ • Equalizing F.S. staff privileges; plan to offer some names. agement may be sent to the AFSA of¬ • Travel expenses and per diem for While we had expressed concern in fice, to any of the Committee members family members of F.S. personnel on March at the number of pending cases or through Keypersons. extended TDY; in the Grievance Board’s caseload, • Other measures covering educa¬ since then the Board has completed its USIA STANDING COMMITTEE tional travel, family travel, post differ¬ consideration of a large number of The USIA Standing Committee’s ential, and protection of diplomatic of¬ those cases, and has substantially re¬ major activity was the preparation of a ficers against nuisance suits. duced its caseload to a more current new AFSA position on reorganization So far, the Foreign Affairs Agencies basis. in USIA. This position, essentially re¬ have agreed to negotiate with us only The Committee proposed to man¬ flecting the 1975 AFSA testimony be¬ on per diem for family members on ex¬ agement three amendments to the new fore the Murphy Commission, was tended TDY, but we are continuing to Foreign Service grievance legislation: written in a concise manner to ensure press for action on all the issues we • To include selection-out for cause maximum readability. have raised, and have paralleled this as a grievable matter; Our most dramatic moment of the with testimony before Congress on • To require the Grievance Board to year came when USIA management April 21. (Copies available on request.) conduct a public hearing at the reversed its permission to allow us to We are also working with manage¬ grievant’s request, except and to use Room 1100, 1776 Pennsylvania ment, with Treasury, and with appro¬ the extent that the Board shall for Avenue for an open meeting on reor¬ priate Congressional committees to good cause determine otherwise ganization. USIA management claimed discourage various proposals to tax the (to protect classified or privileged that under Executive Order 11636, allowances we are paid abroad. The information); AFSA cannot use Agency facilities ex¬ most vulnerable allowance appears to • To abolish the provision that a cept during an election for exclusive be the housing allowance, which is Grievance Board decision to representation. This was especially considered by Treasury’s tax policy di¬ reinstate an FSO or FSIO selected shocking since USIA management had vision to be a “benefit”—i.e., an in¬ out in the six years before De¬ permitted AFGE Foreign Service crement to income, not merely an al¬ cember 1975 is only a recom¬ members to use Agency facilities while lowance paid to offset costs of living mendation to the agency head, AFSA was the exclusive representa¬ abroad. However, it is not yet clear who may reject the recommenda¬ tive. Fortunately, the AFSA State whether any provisions affecting Sec¬ tion, and whose rejection of such Standing Committee sponsored an tion 912 (Foreign Service allowances) decision is not subject to judicial open meeting on USIA/CU reorganiza¬ of the Tax Act will be included in review. tion arranged for the same time where President Carter’s tax reform package, Management has rejected our pro¬ over seventy-five AFSA members par¬ which is to be completed by October 1. posals. We are now considering ticipated. David Hitchcock of CU/EA The MIC badly needs your help and whether to appeal to Deputy Under drafted our final position which* has assistance. In particular, we need vol¬ Secretary Moose for reconsideration, been circulated widely on the Hill, in unteers who would be willing to help or to seek legislation without manage¬ the White House, and among State and deal with the flow of requests and cor¬ ment’s concurrence. USIA management. It was used as the respondence from AFSA members in basis for AFSA’s testimony before the the following areas: LEGAL COMMITTEE Senate Foreign Relations Committee, • Allowances During the past year the Legal helping to defeat the pro-Stanton • Travel Committee has been involved in the fol¬ Commission Percy Amendment. • Transportation of effects lowing activities: • Taxation 1) Hitchcock Tax Deductibility of MEMBERS’ INTERESTS • Medical questions. Home Leave Expense Case: In con¬ COMMITTEE Assistance in these areas is badly junction with the Thomas Legal De¬ During 1976, the MIC presented to needed. Unfortunately, we have been fense Fund, we have supported the Management a number of employee unable to respond adequately to corre¬ plaintiffs circuit court appeal in this benefit proposals aimed at resolving in¬ spondence on these subjects. If you case. The case was argued before a equities in Foreign Affairs Agency reg¬ have the time and interest, please con¬ three judge panel in April, 1977 and one ulations. Agreements were reached tact the AFSA Office, Room 3644, judge subsequently has died. The case with management on the following is¬ New State, X28160. may have to be re-argued. sues: 2) Establishment of AFSA Legal De¬ GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE • Liberalization of policy covering fense Fund: To assist AFSA to defend approval of claims for losses incurred The Committee deals, not with indi¬ members’ interests and the integrity of during transfer or evacuation; vidual grievances, but with grievance the Association, a fund was established • Provision for exceptions for pro¬ policy—legislation and regulations, and and incorporated under an independent fessional materials to weight allow¬ composition of the Foreign Service Board of five people. A request to IRS ances for limited shipment of effects; Grievance Board. for affirmation of the tax deductibility • Payment of per diem for tempo¬ In March 1977 the Committee, at its of contributions is pending. rary assignments in excess of four recommendation and with the Govern¬ 3) Defense of AFSA and Twenty-Six months at FSI. ing Board’s approval, concurred on Members against Lawsuit: An attorney

FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August, 1977 35 was hired and the Committee helped tee to the new board following elec¬ Union of our Embassy by microwave prepare points for defense in an ongo¬ tions. radiation. ing case wherein five members sued for Among these: (1) Terrorism $100,000 and reinstatement of a former 1. We have explored with the AFSA continued to urge the De¬ AFSA President. The case is still in Hirshhom Company, the agency partment of State to review the current court, awaiting judge’s response to for AFSA Members Personal In¬ policy towards terrorism and, specifi¬ AFSA’s motion to dismiss on five surance Plan, and with the Chubb cally, to make the necessary changes grounds. Group, (the underwriters), vari¬ which would better protect Americans 4) Internal AFSA Disciplinary Regu¬ ous ways of improving coverage of subject to kidnapping or other terrorist lations: We have completed a draft of personal property and household threats abroad. A number of studies AFSA Disciplinary Regulations. After effects. In particular, we are have been done by outside experts Board action, these will probably be exploring ways of making the plan which are critical of the way in which submitted to the Keyman and Chapter complement the coverage offered the Department handles terrorist situa¬ Representatives for suggestions and by the Claims Act more precisely, tions. We believe that a full evaluation comments. by, among other things, offering should be made of these criticisms and 5) Selection-Out Case: We filed a War Risk coverage, and by revis¬ necessary improvements implemented brief amicus curiae in the appeal of the ing the Excess Transit Insurance on our present policy. We hope to work four plaintiffs in Colm v. Kissinger but¬ to cover those covered claims not with the new Administration toward tressing their contention that they compensated for by the Claims this end in the coming months. should be reinstated in the Foreign Act under $15,000. The former is Some progress has been made on the Service. We provided material to show possible at an additional premium terrorism issue. The CED pressed that their selection out for “substan¬ cost of $.50 per $100 of Personal strongly to have the government take dard performance” was capricious and Property Floater insurance. The action against those countries that har¬ upset the mutual expectations of latter will require some complex bor, support, or release terrorists. In Foreign Service officers and the De¬ actuarial computations, and we particular, AFSA was concerned about partment. are asking the staff in A/OPR/ the punishment of a terrorist that at¬ 6) Tax and Other Legal Advice: WLG Claims, to provide informa¬ tacked the US Embassy in Cyprus in Members of the Legal Committee (and tion which will assist in these cal¬ 1974. The alleged attackers have been the Members’ Interests Committee and culations. arrested and are now standing trial for Legal Counsel) have given informal 2. The above changes should result their terrorist activities. Unfortunately, advice to members who write or tele¬ in an increase in subscribers and the killers of our Ambassador to Leba¬ phone with personal concerns having a premium income which, in turn, non and FSO Waring remain, to the legal content and relating to Foreign would improve the prospect of best of our knowledge, unpunished. Service duty. AFSA earning some income from The Committee continues to urge per¬ AFSA NEWS COMMITTEE the project. In this regard, the severance on the part of the United Committee will recommend that a States government to bring to justice Budget limitations unfortunately more precise profit-sharing for¬ meant fewer Redtops this year. We are these individuals and to take action mula be negotiated with the agent against any governments that support exploring less expensive ways of pro¬ and the underwriter. ducing Redtops, such as using photo¬ terrorists that threaten American em¬ 3. Preliminary contact has been ployees abroad. It is our hope that we reduction in order to get more copy made with an underwriter in¬ onto one page. The AFSA News sec¬ will be able to obtain from the new terested in offering a world-wide Administration support for a strong tion of the Foreign Service Journal has fleet auto insurance under AFSA never suffered from a lack of copy. Un¬ stand against terrorists and increased sponsorship. We are assisting in efforts to apprehend those who have at¬ fortunately, many of the editions were gathering actuarial data. rather bland because of restrictions tacked American employees abroad, The membership will note consider¬ together with appropriate assistance to necessarily placed on AFSA News able improvement in the health insur¬ content by the Elections Committee. the victims of terrorism. ance coverage offered by the American (2) Moscow Radiation Bombardment Expanded communication with the Foreign Service Protective Associa¬ membership, within the confines of the AFSA has taken the position that tion, in particular, the change to a $50 there should be total cessation of beam¬ AFSA budget, must be implemented. annual deductible and the lifting of We are considering: monthly features ing microwave radiation at the US Em¬ overall dollar ceiling on covered ex¬ bassy in Moscow on the part of the on the AFSA bulletin boards covering penses. These improvements, we feel, such items of general interest as am¬ Soviet Union. We have had a number stem in large measure from pressure of interviews with Department officials bassadorial appointments, taxation of exerted by AFSA in recent years. allowances, and members’ interest and made it clear where we stand on These improvements notwithstanding, this matter. The Department of State negotiations; discreet channels of every effort should be exerted to bring communication to AFSA Chapter has agreed with us that radiation should AFSPA under the jurisdiction and con¬ cease but has so far been unable to heads and keypeople to keep them up- trol of AFSA, which is, after all, the to-date on more sensitive issues; a new have it completely stopped. At AF¬ legally constituted representative of SA’s urging, the Department has plan for guaranteed speedy answering foreign service employees. of members’ letters through smoother undertaken an epidemiological study of internal office mail circulation. American personnel in Moscow to de¬ COMMITTEE ON termine whether or not there have been Most of all we welcome your sugges¬ EXTRAORDINARY tions! any adverse medical effects from radia¬ DANGERS tion exposure. This study is being con¬ INSURANCE COMMITTEE During the past year the Committee ducted by Johns Hopkins University, There were no new undertakings by focused on two main topics: (1) our pol¬ but it has experienced considerable de¬ AFSA with respect to insurance in the icy with respect to terrorism and par¬ lays and AFSA has been pressing for past year. However, several areas for ticularly how we deal with kidnapping completion of the study as soon as possible future action have been exam¬ and other threats against our employ¬ possible since only after the results are ined and recommendations regarding ees abroad; and (2) the problem of the known can we determine the exact de¬ them will be submitted by the commit- continued bombardment by the Soviet gree of hazard to the health of Ameri- 36 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August, 1977 cans who were exposed to this radia¬ and the number of career appointments FSECC services. A flier was sent to all tion. The Committee is in regular con¬ is rising somewhat, AFSA has regrett¬ active Foreign Service personnel. Arti¬ tact with the Moscow Chapter with re¬ ably found it necessary to rate five of 19 cles were placed in the Foreign Service spect to actions AFSA should take non-career appointments as unqual¬ Journal, State Department Newsletter, with the Department to persuade the ified. AFSA has also sharply criticized AAFSW Newsletter, USIA World, Soviets to cease totally the radiation at¬ the President's Advisory Board on and AID Front Lines. tacks. At present these levels have Ambassadorial Appointments as lack¬ FSECC’s expansion means better been reduced from a maximum of 18 ing in foreign affairs expertise. service to fill the counseling and educa¬ microwatts down to a fraction of 1 mic¬ AFSA's views were provided to the tional needs of Foreign Service fami¬ rowatt. Senate Foreign Relations Committee in lies. Some two hundred requests for as¬ It is the view of AFSA that in the testimony April 21 by Lars Hydle. sistance have been received this year. light of the unknown health effects of AFSA positions have also been re¬ Dr. S. P. Hersh, a psychiatrist known such exposure, all such radiation at¬ flected widely in press commentary on for his work with children at the Na¬ tacks should cease. In addition, there is the Carter ambassadorial appoint¬ tional Institute of Mental Health was a major problem with respect to the ments. recently hired as a Consultant. We precedential question in that as a mat¬ Looking ahead, the Committee sees have been giving information and mak¬ ter of principle. Foreign Service em¬ the task of reform as a long-term task, ing referrals concerning academic, ployees abroad should be immune from but believes that prospects for tangible psychological, medical, language- exposure to deliberate acts on the part results are promising provided AFSA speech-hearing, vocational and career of host governments which could perseveres in the effort. interest evaluations. The Center re¬ endanger their health and well-being. sponds to numerous inquiries about AFSA will continue to press the De¬ public and private schools in Washing¬ ton and boarding schools throughout partment of State for the completion of SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM the Johns Hopkins epidemiological the country. We also provide informa¬ study. We have nominated Dr. Law¬ During 1976-1977, the AFSA Com¬ tion on correspondence schools, spe¬ rence Plumlee as our representative on mittee on Education awarded a total of cial educational opportunities at home the review committee to examine the 65 scholarships based on financial need and abroad, summer schools, camps, efficacy of the study. Dr. Plumlee will out of some 150 applications received. educational materials, etc. also consult with AFSA with respect to The amount of funds available con¬ this whole problem area. This is the strained the Committee from awarding first time that AFSA has had expert more. Of these 65 scholarships AGREEMENT REACHED FOR advice in this field from a highly re¬ awarded, 45 were from the State De¬ partment; 14 from USIA; and 9 from SHIPMENT garded environmental scientist and OF PROFESSIONAL MATERIAL doctor. We also will pursue the ques¬ AID. There were approximately equal tion of what medical rights American numbers of boys and girls involved. After long negotiations, AFSA employees should have as a result of In addition to these 65 regular finan¬ reached an agreement with Man¬ exposure to radiation in Moscow of cial aid grants, a special one-time grant agement on April 26 covering the which they were not informed. Finally, was made from the Livingston and shipment of professional materials we will be working with our AFSA Elizabeth Merchant Princeton Memor¬ ial Scholarship Fund to the daughter of in excess of regular allowances. Chapter and with management officials The agreement clarified procedures with respect to what strategy we should Robert O. Waring. pursue to get the Soviets to turn off all The Hon. U. Alexis Johnson, whereby an employee can obtain radiation in Moscow, which currently Chairman, and The Hon. Philip Habib an exception to the limited ship¬ continues. served on the Advisory Committee for ment allowance to provide for the the Oliver Bishop Harriman Foreign shipment of professional materials. Service Scholarship. Two scholarships Changes in 6 FAM regulations are were given, one to the son of an active PRESIDENTIAL APPOINTMENTS now being prepared for circulation. FSO, one to the daughter of a retired Requests for exceptions will be COMMITTEE FSO. Established last summer, the Com¬ Again this year, in recognition of reviewed on a case by case basis by mittee initially reviewed the pattern of outstanding over-all excellence 20 the appropriate State or AID ambassadorial appointments since merit awards have been made and will committee. The Committee’s deci¬ 1933. These were published in the De¬ be announced at this meeting, 82 appli¬ sions will depend upon the justifi¬ cember 1976 Foreign Service Journal. cations were received, all of which cation provided by the employee The Committee also formulated its were of an outstanding caliber. which should include reference to recommendations on reform of the am¬ $50,650 was awarded under both the availability of the professional bassadorial selection process. The programs. Of this total, the AAFSW materials at post and the relevancy Committee report was adopted by the gave $24,500, or almost half. However, AFSA Board and was presented to the of the professional materials to the all administrative costs were paid from employee’s official responsibilities Carter Administration. The focus of the AFSA Scholarship Fund. AFSA proposals was to end the use of and/or career specialization. Once ambassadorships for political payoffs an exception is granted, it will normally be extended to cover and a substantial reduction in the FOREIGN SERVICE EDUCATIONAL number of non-career ambassadors. AND COUNSELING CENTER further shipment or storage de¬ Early hopes for a thorough-going re¬ pending upon the employee’s sub¬ form, buoyed by Jimmy Carter's cam¬ Last year was an exciting one for sequent assignments. paign rhetoric, have not, however, the AFSA- and AAFSW-sponsored Employees must keep in mind been realized. The Committee’s focus FSECC. We reorganized and ex¬ that the Committees are legally has shifted to monitoring Presidential panded our counseling and educational appointments. While the overall Carter services to the Foreign Service com¬ restricted from exceeding the com¬ record of 43 ambassadorial appoint¬ munity. bined shipping and storage allo¬ ments (through May 25) is better than The first task of the year was to wance provided State and AID that of the Ford-Nixon Administration spread the word about the expanded employees in 6 FAM 162. FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August. 1977 3 7 COURT RULES 60-YEAR FS RETIREMENT UNCONSTITUTIONAL: AFSA URGES STATE, AID APPEAL On June 29 the Washington Post Washington and European assign¬ • The people staying on (in 0-1 front-paged the story that the US ments will become even more pro¬ and 0-2) will block promotion op¬ District Court for the District of nounced. portunities for those at all lower Columbia had ruled that the por¬ • The court’s analogy with levels (the “cascade effect”) tion of Sec. 632 of the Foreign Ser¬ over-60 PCVs on a two-year stint • Unfairness will result since vice Act causing FSOs, FSRs, and GS attaches was mistaken the unpromoted FSOs, and FSIOs, FSIOs, FSRUs and FSRLs to re¬ when applied to people in a career will be increasingly subject to tire at age 60 (except for CAs and foreign service. A career system selection out for time-in-multi-class CMs) deprived them of the equal entails a commitment to overseas (20 years to make it from 0-5 to 0-2) protection of the laws. The opinion and hardship duty made for a and for time-in-class (10 years in in the case, Bradley vs. Vance, or¬ lifetime. 0-2). FSS, FSRs, and FSRUs are dered the ten plaintiffs’ claims for • A service with its older mem¬ not subject to selection out for back pay and reinstatement re¬ bers increasingly clustered in TIC. viewed. It is not yet clear whether Washington in jobs yet to be We welcome your comments on the decision is retroactive for peo¬ created would decrease the US’s the line of action taken. Please ple not party to the suit. capability effectively to carry out send in the chit below. Your As a result, State, AID and its responsibilities in international thoughtful letters on the problem USIA have suspended mandatory affairs. would be most welcome. retirement at 60. Seventy, as with As we go to press, we hear that GS, is the new FS retirement age. management has indeed decided to • With 70 FSO/R-ls and 2s ask Justice to appeal the ruling to To: Legal Committee, AFSA, Room 3644, State Dept., Washing¬ walking the corridors on overcom¬ the Supreme Court. ton, D.C. 20520 plement as it is, the problem of as¬ On July 6, the day after the next signments will become a night¬ intervening Board meeting, AFSA From: Post mare. wrote management urging it to ap¬ I’m in □ USIA, □ AID, □ State, • With many of the Foreign peal and to request a stay of the Service medically unavailable for decision. □ Retired worldwide service as it is, the per¬ We think it’s a bad one be¬ I favor □ do not favor □ the deci¬ centage of those seeking only cause— sion of the D.C. court to change Foreign Service mandatory retire¬ AFSA ELECTION RESULTS Just as we went to press the bal¬ (italicized) percentages of consti¬ ment from age 60 to 70. lots cast in the 1977 Governing tuency vote cast for each office. Board elections were counted. The Bold type denotes the winner, an as yet unofficial results were as fol¬ (A) the “Alliance” candidate, and REFERENDUM CALLED lows in votes counted and in an (F) the “Fresh Start” one. TO RAISE AFSA DUES President State AID USIA Ret. Total The outgoing Board has sent out John D. Hemenway 36 2 19 5 7 4 62 7 124 4 a referendum form to each member Lars H. Hydle (A) 777 41 178 44 86 49 427 50 1468 44 to vote yes or no on the following Ellis O. Jones 33 2 8 2 3 2 32 4 76 2 proposition: Michael A. G. Michaud (F) 671 35 181 45 76 43 38 1247 37 349 PROPOSITION David Noack 386 20 17 4 5 3 8 1 416 12 Vice President That the Governing Board of the American Foreign Service Association be authorized to John N. Gunning (F) 698 37 234 58 71 41 336 40 1339 43 change the dues schedule for membership in John J. Harter 85 5 23 6 80 14 83 10 215 7 the Association not to exceed the following Paul von Ward (A) 1079 58 147 36 24 46 414 50 1720 52 ceilings: 2nd Vice President FSO/FSIO/FSR 8 to 4 FSS 10 to 2 Up to $52.00 per annum Barnabas Mosley 72 4 44 11 10 6 61 7 187 6 FSO/FSIO/FSR 3 to CM Thomas L. O’Connor (A) 995 53 187 46 84 48 424 51 1690 52 FSS 1 Up to $65.00 per annum M. James Wilkinson (F) 801 43 173 43 80 46 345 42 1399 43 LIFETIME Up to $1000.00 Secretary RETIRED MEMBERS Frank Cummins (A) 1055 57 192 48 96 55 449 54 1792 55 (Annuity under $15,000) Up to $20.00 per John F. Scott (F) 798 43 206 52 80 45 375 45 1458 45 annum Treasurer (Annuity over $15,000) Up to $35.00 per annum Michael E. C. Ely (A) 831 45 191 48 84 49 462 56 1568 48 They say that it should add $75 JulieAnn McGrath (F) 1034 55 210 52 89 51 362 44 1695 52 to $80,000 per year to present dues STATE: Alta Fowler (A) 822; George G. B. Griffin (F) 722; Joseph N. McBride revenue and that it’s the first dues (A) 969; Kenneth N. Rogers (A) 1083; William S. Tilney (F) 701; James R. Van- hike since 1971. Despite a public divier (F) 1079. AID: Nancy J. Fox (A) 242; James R. Meenan 157. solicitation for an opposition USIA: Janet E. Ruben (F) 90; Peter C. Wolcott (A) 89. statement, none was forthcoming. Retired: Eugene M. Braderman 543; Robert G. Cleveland 651; C. Arnold Ballots are due at AFSA Referen¬ Freshman 235. dum Ballot, P. O. Box 40602, Wash¬ Percentage of ballots voted: ington, D.C. 20016 no later than State 59%, AID 49%, USIA 55%, Retired 49%. September 6, 1977.

38 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August, 1977 OTHER MEMBERS’ INTERESTS MATTERS PLEASE HELP IN MOSCOW SURVEY Correspondence Handbook: As likely to be eliminated in the near reported in the May FSJ, we have future. Employees traveling abroad The State Department has asked asked management what happened are therefore urged to make greater AFSA to urge all present and to the expected revision of the 1956 use of travel advances, obtaining former Foreign Service employees issue of the Correspondence the maximum available to them. who have served in Moscow, or Handbook, which was recom¬ We were informed that “the De¬ others, to complete a Department mended by the Secretarial Task partment has authority to grant questionnaire which will be used to Force and originally scheduled for travel advances up to 100 per cent determine the effects on employ¬ completion in October, 1975! We of the anticipated per diem costs as ees’ health of assignment to were advised that two chapters had determined from the travel or¬ Moscow with particular reference gone to the printers, but no date ders.” Although only $750 can be to the Moscow microwave radia¬ had been set yet for the completion obtained in cash, the remainder can tion problem. of the essential chapter on diplo¬ be obtained in the form of Treasury We hereby endorse this and ask matic correspondence. We stressed checks “in several days and in your help, since it was AFSA that it was in the interest of all FS genuine emergency situations even which originally pressed the De¬ personnel to have this basic guide more quickly.” partment to conduct such a survey. completed without further delay. We are not entirely satisfied with We’ll be monitoring its progress AFSA was invited to designate a this answer, which does not cover and have already designated an representative to participate in the the cases of employees with un¬ environmental health expert to the review group that is screening ma¬ usual reimbursable travel costs survey’s Advisory Committee. terial for inclusion in the Hand¬ apart from those covered by per The Department is sending the book. diem, such as the costs of travel questionnaire soon; please every¬ rearrangements, either at points body fill them out. Payment of Vouchers: We ob¬ where US post travel offices do not If you have any questions, please served that processing of vouchers exist, or at those where local USG write to Extraordinary Dangers, for travel expenses is taking up to posts are closed. Before pursuing Room 3644, New State, or to four months in Washington, and the matter further, however, the DG/EM, Room 2820, New State. asked that the backlog be elimi¬ Members’ Interests Committee AFSA ASKS CONGRESS nated, or that FS personnel be paid would appreciate hearing from FS TO REPEAL CONSULAR interest on the amounts due to employees who have had such ex¬ LIABILITY STATUTE them after protracted delays. Man¬ penses, and whose voucher pay¬ agement has acknowledged that the ments have been held up for AFSA has asked the Senate backlog is due to a shortage of lengthy periods, so as to be able to Foreign Relations Committee and staff, unfortunately, and is not document our case histories. the House International Affairs Subcommittee to repeal 22 USC HINTS FOR JOB HUNTING SPOUSES 1199, which currently authorizes suits against consular officers for For “dependent spouses” of the ganization, CMC Message Center, Room 7310. Quite a few organiza¬ damages as a result of willful ne¬ Foreign Service who seek em¬ glect, or failure to perform in a ployment when overseas, there are tions within and outside the US Government have consulted the timely fashion, any duty imposed a few, but only a few, resources to by any order or instruction. Since explore in Washington prior to Skills Bank for names of qualified this imposes a liability far beyond departure—assuming no job has dependents. that on any other federal employee materialized after consultations 4. Directories. Consult one of and is subject to misuse by the with stateside officials, letters to litigious in nuisance law suits, con¬ the US Mission or other organiza¬ several published directories on overseas employment available sular people can be driven to spend tions at post. These are: more time documenting their ac¬ 1. Post Reports. Posts have been through public libraries which list, by location, major international or¬ tions to protect themselves against instructed to include in updated re¬ suit than in living up to the gener¬ ports specific information on em¬ ganizations, multinational corpora¬ tions and educational institutions ous spirit of their profession. ployment for dependents. AFSA’s intervention would 2. Job Questionnaire. Check hiring diverse nationalities. Con¬ tacts made prior to departure may place Consular people on the same with the Workshop for Foreign legal footing as other USG Service Families at the Foreign pay off. Dependents who have succeeded in locating jobs abroad employees—subject to the criminal Service Institute for responses to a statutes against bribery, corrup¬ job questionnaire asking posts for outside the mission were, accord¬ tion, embezzlement and the like. numbers of wives working, de¬ ing to one expert, “persistent, scription of types of employment, creative and lucky. In some posts, and listing of any host country legal there is simply no possibility of or attitudinal restraints. paid employment. These assign¬ 3. Skills Bank. Register with the ments, however, have been prof¬ Skills Inventory, created, launched itably used by some for corre¬ JOIN AFSA and sustained by Cynthia Chard for spondence study or volunteer work (OR ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO JOIN) the Research Committee on to upgrade qualifications for a pay¬ Spouses, c/o Women’s Action Or- ing job at a future post.” FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August, 1977 39 NOMINATIONS NEEDED Nominations are open for the league’s accomplishments can Herter, Harriman and Rivkin nominate for these awards. Foreign RipeiBiiseriiiceiMl Awards established in 1968 to rec¬ Sefvice employees of all ranks and Marriage ognize members of the Foreign grades in all three agencies are elig¬ Foulon-Squire. Janine Marie Foulon, Service who display outstanding in¬ ible. daughter of Marian S. Foulon and tellectual originality, courage and FSO-retired Robert C. Foulon, was forthrightness. married on June 4 in the Cathedral in The Herter Award honors FSO 1-2 and the Pines, Rindge, N.H., to Christ¬ The awards are sponsored each equivalents; the Rivkin Award goes to FSO year by the families of three distin¬ 3-4 and equivalents; the Harriman Award is opher A. Squire, Jr., son of Patricia C. guished modern statesmen: the late for FSO 5-8 and equivalents. Squire and Christopher A. Squire, NOMINATION PROCEDURES. DCM in Canberra. Secretary of State Christian A. Nominations should be sent to; Herter, retired Ambassador W. AFSA Awards Committee Births 2101 E Street, N.W. Averell Harriman and the late Am¬ Davis. A daughter, Melissa Ryan, born Washington, D.C. 20037 in time to be re¬ bassador William R. Rivkin. At the to Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth B. Davis, on 1975 Awards luncheon, Ambas¬ ceived by August 15, 1977. Please send two copies of each nomination, unbound on reg¬ April 26, in Guadalajara. sador Harriman praised AFSA’s ular size paper, marking each page with the Jones. A daughter, Margaret Tie- administration of his award and name of the nominee. The format for nomi¬ Liang, born to FSO David T. and FSO said, “I established it hoping that it nation should be as follows: Teresa Chin Jones, on June 23, in would not only stimulate courage¬ PART I—Biographic Data: Name, Birth Brussels. ous, unorthodox thinking among date, Grade, Agency PART II—Association with the Candidate Deaths our Junior Foreign Service officers (Strictly limited to 250 words) but also jar the Department into the PART III—Justification for Nomination Alberti. Jacqueline A. Alberti, wife of recognition of originality as a vir¬ (500-750 words) Summary of FSO Francesco J. Alberti, died on tue ...” specific reasons for nomina¬ April 6, in an automobile accident near tions. The narrative should dis¬ Gaborone. Mrs. Alberti accompanied AFSA hopes that a number of cuss qualities of mind and spirit original thinkers will be nominated her husband on assignments to Athens, which qualify the nominee for Santo Domingo, Mexico City and to for all three of the awards before the award AN D specific Gaborone, where he is DCM. Mrs. the August 15, 1977 deadline. examples of the candidate’s ac¬ complishments, particularly Alberti took an active interest in medi¬ While Keymen have a special re¬ evdience of outstanding initia¬ cal education and volunteer work. In sponsibility, anyone with knowl¬ tive, integrity and intellectual addition to her husband, Mrs. Alberti is edge of a Foreign Service col¬ courage. survived by her mother, Alice M. Cramer, three sons, Daniel, Thomas and Brian, and a daughter, Lisa. Mrs. Cramer and Brian reside with Mr. Al¬ SPECIAL berti in Gaborone; Lisa is at school in SERVICES South Africa and Daniel and Thomas at college in England. Bland. Bruce Alexandre Bland, 21, son of FSIO and Mrs. Merton L. Bland, of In order to be of maximum assistance to HOUSES FOR EXCHANGE AFSA members and Journal readers we are Karachi, died in San Francisco on June WANT A RENT-FREE vacation? Write—Holiday accepting these listings until the 15th of 21 of a cerebral hemorrhage. A May Home Exchange, Box 555, Grants, New Mexico graduate of James Madison College, each month for publication in the issue USA 87020. dated the following month. The rate is 40$ Bruce spent two weeks with his family per word, less 2% for payment in advance, in Karachi before moving to San Fran¬ minimum 10 words. Mail copy for adver¬ cisco where he planned a career in PERSONALS tisement and check to: Classified Ads, dance. In addition to his parents, he is survived by three sisters, Allyn, Clarie Foreign Service Journal, 2101 E Street, LEARN 10 LANGUAGES A YEAR while striding for and Evlyn, and a brother, Dean. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037. exercise. 200 Language Club Box 1727, Beverly Hills, Calif. 90213. Day. Henry B. Day, FSO-retired, died BOOKS on June 21, in New Haven. Mr. Day entered the Foreign Service in 1930 and NANCY’S NOOK, owned by retired AID FSR, will served at Naples, Singapore,. Hong give 20% discount on mail orders for fiction and REAL ESTATE Kong, Manila, Sydney, Noumea, non-fiction in print books. 10% for professional HAROLD 0. WRIGHT, FSIO-retired, now affiliated and textbooks. 45c mailing and handling with Routh Robbins Realtors, a Coldwell Banker Edinburgh and Rangoon before his re¬ charges per book. Write Nancy Dammann, Box Company, 7920 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda, Md., tirement in 1955. He was a staff 368, Hyden, KY 41749. 20014. Bring me your real estate questions. member of the American Foreign Ser¬ (301) 654-3222/933-7432. vice Association for several years and a contributor to the Journal. He is sur¬ BOOK CONSERVATION vived by his wife, Patty Spencer Day, HAND BOOK BINDING and paper restoration. RENTALS & PROPERTY MANAGEMENT P.O. Box 384, Old Lyme, Connecticut Highest conservation standards. Call (202) 06371, a son James, of Denver, a step¬ 462-8505 or write: August Velletri, C/o FSJ, 2101 WE SPECIALIZE in residential rentals and prop¬ daughter, Mrs. John Dorn of E Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037. erty management in the Washington area. Rockville, Md., a brother, a sister and Whether you wish rent residential premises or four step-grandchildren. Contributions BUSINESS CARDS list your house for prompt rental and/or depend¬ able property management, call Lee Cotterman, in his memory may be made to the MOST GOVERNMENT SEALS in stock. Free FSO retired, representing well known Better American Foreign Service Association Brochure (specify agency). P.0. Box431, Vienna, Homes Realty, 6045 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington. Scholarship Fund or to the Lyme-Old Va. 22180. (703) 281-3219. Telephone (703) 532-4550/534-4275. Lyme Historical Society. 40 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August, 1977 HIGHLIGHTS OF THE F.S. LIFE me a better total education. Abroad, we run the full gamut of Corinne M. Mull experiences, surrounded by the The Foreign Service child is an eminently less fortunate, by the oddity. Workshops are set up menacing animosities of tribalism, to study him. Counseling services and by the babel of countless lan¬ are recommended for him. All guages and dialects. around him the critics stand. Few The Foreign Service dependent appreciate the richness of the world has more opportunity to develop in which he lives, and how much he broad-mindedness, tolerance, and learns through periodic adaptations understanding. Because the scope to new surroundings and cultures. of his exposure is so wide, he Well-meaning friends and rela¬ grows in the ability to empathize tives all comment on the supposed with other peoples and their cul¬ disadvantages of Foreign Service tures. Personally, I have been able life, the innumerable facets of to delve into societies other than Corinne M. Mull, daughter of Mr. American life which the Foreign my own, aided by a fluency in and Mrs. Gerald C. Mull, State Service officer and his family are French and German. I have been FSO. American International missing. And if, by some dreadful able to make friends ranging from a School, Tel Aviv. Johns Hopkins faux-pas, a member of such a fam¬ Congolese girl in Germany to a (political science). Lived in India, ily should mention that he or she is Vietnamese girl in Niger. Friends Ghana, Congo, Ivory Coast, Ger¬ attending a foreign school, the from other countries permit a many, Pakistan, Hong Kong, eyebrows are raised and remarks mutual exposure to natural preju¬ Niger, Tel Aviv. National Honor echo around the room predicting dices and perhaps an overcoming Society, Washington Heart As¬ difficulties in entering an American thereof. We were able not only to sociation Scholarship, NEDT (Na¬ college. Speaking as a Foreign Ser¬ be friends but to persuade each tional Educational Development vice product, myself: The folks other of some of the values and Tests) Certificate, French Litera¬ back home never quite understand positive qualities of our respective ture Certificate, German language what in the world your parents are countries. Being able to speak both honors. Interests: piano, horse¬ doing overseas, let alone why they French and German enabled me to back riding, photography, tennis, should want to inflict such punish¬ meet and communicate with vari¬ languages. ment on their own children. ous non-English-speaking people. It must be admitted that the I have been able to observe, at first enabled me to situate myself in the Foreign Service removes one from hand, their life styles, understand adult world. I learned the tribal the American scene. Yes, the their politics, appreciate their feel¬ language of the area and noticed Foreign Service family misses out ings, and sympathize with their the mysterious men of the desert, on certain of the highlights of problems. My recent-trip to France the Tuaregs. As I overcame my American living, but there is also and Germany, where I stayed with apprehension of the vast desert, I the positive side to consider: My French and German friends, was a learned how the Tuaregs could be life abroad, as the daughter of a unique lesson in life. I had the un¬ bound to their wandering life: I Foreign Service officer, has been a forgettable experience of meeting would ride out on the desert alone, most rewarding one. Traveling has and talking to a German World and only after the sand dunes hid not only broadened my horizons War II veteran who fought under the last road of Niamey, could I insofar as other cultures are con¬ the Third Reich. We held heated feel a real intense sense of well¬ cerned, but I am also better able to debates in German on whether or being. I think I now know why the understand the merits, conflicts, not the Germans, as a people and “Blue Men” can never fully adapt and discrepancies of my own. I am as soldiers on the front, knew of the to our so-called “civilized life.” in a much better position to make “Final Solution.” For me, after liv¬ Our trip to South Africa taught comparisons and judgments about ing in Israel for a year, this was one me the total degradation of racism. international affairs than are my of the greatest exposures to oppos¬ And, perhaps, thanks to this expo¬ peers on Main Street. I have had ing views I have ever had. The old sure, I will not feel so embittered if the opportunity of attending sev¬ man brought out his medals, his a Black takes my place in line for eral different foreign schools. This pictures of himself in the Nazi uni¬ college or in the employment has helped me penetrate and un¬ form, and he was proud—very market. derstand the different cultures I proud. Although he had a hole in Living in Israel has also had a have lived in. I speak three lan¬ his throat, and although his voice certain impact on my life. Being so guages, thanks to my Foreign Ser¬ was but a whisper, he staunchly near to the heart of the Middle vice life and the motivation it has and angrily stood his ground. Eastern crisis, one is able to dis¬ provided for language study. In a Living in Africa was a very cern the true feelings of the people, smaller and smaller world with the maturing experience. I grew aware of the government. growing importance of interna¬ of the existence of a totally differ¬ I would never want my life to tional communication, I believe ent world. I worked alone on cor¬ have been any different than it has that the value of reading, speaking, respondence courses and, although been. I have missed the football and writing other languages cannot many people felt this was unfulfil¬ games and the hamburgers, but Af¬ be over-estimated. I feel my ling for a person of my age, I found ghani buzkhashi and steak Tartare Foreign Service life has also given that this regime of self-study were good substitutes. FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August, 1977 41 AFSA MERIT AWARDS FOR 1977 These awards are made to those Finalist, member school council. 20 graduating high school students Interests: war games, science fic¬ who were judged by volunteer re¬ tion, singing, sailing, football, view panels to be the best qualified wrestling, white water kayaking. for recognition of the excellence of Harry A. Cooper, son of Mrs. Ed¬ their high school records and extra ward N. Cooper and the late Ed¬ curricular achievements. ward N. Cooper, State FSO. Walt They are made possible by the Whitman High School, Harvard generous contribution from the As¬ College (humanities). Lived in sociation of American Foreign London, England and Dacca, East Service Women (AAFSW) from Pakistan (Bangladesh). National funds raised at their annual Book Merit Finalist, National French Fair and from the American Honor Society, NEDT (National Foreign Service Association Educational Development Test) Paul A. Baker (AFSA) Scholarship Fund. Certificate of Merit. Interests: soc¬ It should be noted that some of cer, clarinet, painting, backpack¬ these young scholars attended four ing. high schools, several are National Gerard A. Donohue, Jr., son of Mr. Merit Finalists and three are and Mrs. Gerard A. Donohue, among the 121 Presidential Schol¬ USIA, FSIO, Ret. Pine View ars of 1977. School, Sarasota, Fla. Applying to There will be a similar program Dartmouth, Amherst, Williams for in 1978. All interested students, 78-79 admission (international af¬ who will be graduating from high fairs, political science, history and school in 1978, should apply in the economics). Lived in Munich, fall to: AFSA Merit Awards Pro¬ Bangkok and Toronto. Merit gram, 2101 E. Street, NW, Wash¬ Scholarship awarded by Upper ington, D.C. 20037. Canada College, selected for Paul A. Baker, son of Dr. and Mrs. “Leadership Through Sports” John H. Baker, State FSRU. Joint Program by Ontario government. Michael C. Brower Embassy School, Jakarta. Calvin Interests: Basketball (Canadian College. Lived in Yemen, Iraq, Fitness Award), literary magazine Afghanistan and Indonesia. Na¬ and various community activities. tional Merit Finalist, High School Matthew J. Engelhart, son of Mr. Honor Roll, Calvin College and Mrs. Jim E. Engelhart, State Freshman Scholarship. Interests: FSR. American School in London, Music, violin, orchestra, musicals, Texas A&M (meteorology). Lived church choir; class government in Caracas, Lisbon, Rawalpindi, (senior class secretary), yearbook Bangkok and London. Presidential staff, war games, summer stock. Scholar, National Honor Society, Michael C. Brower, son of Mr. and Texas A&M Academic Excellence Mrs. Carleton C. Brower, FSO Scholarship. Interests: yearbook, State. Joint Embassy School, stamp and coin club, school choir, Jakarta. M.I.T. (mathematics). stage crew, volleyball and fishing. Lived in Japan {Tokyo, Nagoya, Karen L. Ericksen, daughter of Mr. Okinawa), Wellington, New Zea¬ and Mrs. Emil P. Ericksen, State land, Surabaya, Indonesia. Na¬ Thomas L. Cheney FSO. Westmount High School, tional Honor Society, Presidential Montreal, Williams College (lan¬ Scholar Finalist, science and math guages and science, biochemical awards, joint recipient of school’s research). Lived in Mexico, Spain, highest award for scholarship. Nepal and Canada. Academic Interests: Music, singing, musi¬ honors at Princetown High School cals; Drama, acting and lighting, and Westmount. Interests: drama, tennis, philosophy. reading and writing, classical Thomas L. Cheney, son of Mrs. guitar, lapidary work, cross coun¬ Edward R. Cheney and the late try skiing, canoeing, mountaineer¬ Edward R. Cheney, State FSO. St. ing and trekking, swimming and Albans School, Harvard College riding. (history or political science). Lived Linda P. Esposito, , daughter of Mr. in The Netherlands, Nicaragua, and Mrs. Flavio A. Esposito, State India, Peru, and the Philippines. FSSO Ret. Hilltop High School, National Honor Society, Yachay- Chula Vista, Cal., University of m hausi Chapter, National Merit California San Diego (science, Harry A. Cooper Finalist, Presidential Scholar music, mathematics, English).

42 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August, 1977 Lived in Hong Kong, Tripoli, Accra, Antwerp, Tijuana. NEDT (National Educational Develop¬ ment Tests) Superior Performance Recognitions Certificate, High School Honor Roll, Academic Award Pin, National Merit Com¬ mended Student. Life Member California Scholarship Federation. Interests: piano, voice, dance, theatricals, needlepoint, tennis and marksmanship (rifle). David L. Felsenthal, son of Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Felsenthal, State FSO Ret. International School of Gerard A. Donohue, Jr. Geneva, Princeton University (Physics). Lived in Tokyo, Singa¬ pore and Geneva. National Merit Finalist, school’s merit and literary awards. Interests: music (double bass), student government vice president, basketball and kayaking. Moira C. Holly, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Sean M. Holly, State FSO. Chantilly Secondary School, William and Mary. Lived in Panama, Mexico, The Nether¬ lands, India and Guatemala. Let¬ tered in Drama and Student Gov¬ ernment, Junior and National Honor Society, Thespian Society, Matthew J. Engelhardt Drama Department Award. Inter¬ Moira C. Holly ests: drama, student government class secretary, children, swim¬ ming, tennis. Marc D. Johnson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Peter B. Johnson, State FSO. Groveton High School, Williams College (Spanish and sociology). Lived in Brazil, Dominican Repub¬ lic, Spain, Portugal. National Honor Society, Spanish Honor So¬ ciety, National Merit Commended Student. Interests: swimming, ski¬ ing, backpacking and photography. Christina I. Jones, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert O. Jones, USIA, Karen L. Ericksen FSIO. Immaculata Prep, Dart¬ Marc D. Johnson mouth College (math and engineer¬ ing). Lived in Lahore, Pakistan. American Cancer Society Intern¬ ship, high school math and biology award, National Merit Letter of Commendation. Interests: student government (senior class president), languages, writing, vol¬ leyball, tennis, softball and hiking. Timothy S. Keiter, son of Mr. Samuel C. Keiter, State FSO, and Mrs. Betsy W. Deleuse. New Hartford Central School, New Hartford, NY, Hamilton College (pre-law). Lived in Saudi Arabia, Linda P. Esposito Libya, Tunisia, Belgium. National Christina I. Jones

FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August, 1977 Honor Society, Regents’ Schol¬ arship, Elmira College Key Award. Interests: photography, yearbook, drama, football, basketball, base¬ ball and tennis. Corinne Mull, see page 41. James M. Piret, son of Dr. and Mrs. Edgar L. Piret, State FSRU. Sidwell Friends School, Harvard College (sophomore standing, applied mathematics, engineering). Lived in Paris. Washington Heart Association Scholarship, “It’s Academic” team, IBM Research Scholarship, National Merit Com¬ Timothy S. Keiter mended Student. Interests: sci¬ Stuart K. Stephens ence, photography, scouting, ten¬ nis. Steven J. Sartorius, son of Mr. and Mrs. James R. Sartorius, State FSO. Robinson Secondary School, University of Virginia (computer science). Lived in South Korea, Hong Kong, Guyana. National Honor Society, Virginia Boys’ State, Who’s Who Among Ameri¬ can High School Students. Inter¬ ests: computers, soccer, reading, basketball, jogging. Mark S. Sherwin, son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter J. Sherwin, AID FSR. Walt Whitman High School, James M. Piret Harvard College (science). Lived Douglas J. Werner in Upper Volta, Madagascar, Sen¬ egal. National Merit Finalist, Montgomery County Heart As¬ sociation Scholarship, Principal flutist in the Masterworks Or¬ chestra of Montgomery County. Interests: science, jogging, bicy¬ cling, backpacking, music. Stuart K. Stephens, son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas E. Stephens, State FSRU. Uruguayan American School, California Institute of Technology (physics or astron¬ omy). Lived in Trinidad, Den¬ mark, Senegal, England, Lux¬ Steven J. Sartorius embourg, West Germany, Leo J. Whelan Uruguay. National Honor Society, class valedictorian, National Merit rian. Interests: sailing, swimming, Letter of Commendation. Inter¬ tennis, golf, reading, audio and ests: chess and bridge, amateur as¬ acoustical technology. tronomy, drama, softball and soc¬ Leo J. Whelan, son of Mr. and Mrs. cer. John J. Whelan, AID Ret. West Douglas J. Werner, son of Mr. and Bend West High School, West Mrs. Merle M. Werner, USIA Bend, Wis., Michigan State Uni¬ FSIO Ret. J. E. B. Stuart High versity (international relations). School, University of Virginia Lived in Bolivia, Honduras. Na¬ (Echols scholar, math and science). tional Honor Society, National Lived in Austria, Philippines, Merit Finalist, West Bend Rotary Taiwan, South Korea. National award, Zeigler Foundation Schol¬ Honor Society, Science and Span¬ arship award. Interests: track and ish Honor Societies, “It’s cross country, debate, math team, Mark S. Sherwin I Academic” team, class salutato- school newspaper.

FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL, August, 1977 THERE’S AN IMPORTANT IR& AVAILABLE THROUGH YOUR MEMBERSHIP IN THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION.

Putting it down in black and white is a big help in finding out where you stand in terms of financial security. Take a few minutes to think about your own P.S.—your Protection/Security ratio—then consider this Protection Supple¬ ment. Group Life Insurance basic $17,500 amount increasing as determined by dividends

PLUS $17,500 Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance

PLUS Group Life Insurance for Dependents $3,000 for spouse with amounts for unmarried chil¬ dren ranging from $300 to $3,000 depending on age.

PLUS the option of enrolling for $20,000 Additional Group Life and $20,000 Additional Accidental Death & Dismemberment in¬ surance for small additional premium.

For information on eligibility and costs, write: THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION Department of State, Washington, D.C. 20520 or 1750 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Suite 1305, Washington, D.C. 20006 or Telephone: 393-4220 Diplomacy comes in all sizes*

1977 Continental Four-Door Town Car

Ford’s 1977 diplomatic lineup comes in Mail us the coupon below and we’ll send full-car sizes like the Continental, Marquis you complete information on the Ford-built and LTD. Trimmer sizes like the new car of your choice—and how you can get Thunderbird, LTD H, Cougar and it at our special discount. What could be Cougar XR-7. Personal sizes like Mark V, more diplomatic? Granada and Monarch. Compact sizes like *Cannot be driven in the U.S. Comet, Maverick, Mustang n, Bobcat and Pinto. Pick the car that’s sized right for you, then check out the special diplomatic discount savings you can get on any 1977 Ford-built car or light truck. Delivery will be arranged for you, either stateside or overseas. And you can have the car built to Export* or Domestic specifications.

Please send me full information on using my diplomatic discount to purchase a new WRITE TO: DIPLOMATIC SALES: FORD MOTOR COMPANY 815 Connecticut Ave. N.W. Washington, D.C. 20006/Tel: (202) 785-6047

NAME

ADDRESS

CITY STATE

1977 Granada Four-Door Ghia COUNTRY ZIP

FORD EXPORT CORPORATION 7,