Posts Without Listeners

In all of beleaguered Europe only two U. S. Ambassadors were last week at their posts. They were Career Men Laurence A. Steinhardt, on duty in Moscow; Alexander W. Weddell, in Madrid. Empty for more than a year was the important listening post in Berlin. Empty, too, were the critical posts in London, Rome, Vichy. U. S. Ministers still stuck in Greece, Rumania, a few other trouble spots. But home in the U. S. (because of war, vacations, illness, etc.) were $139,500 worth of Ambassadors and Ministers. The roster, with yearly salaries and times of their returns:

Joseph Patrick Kennedy, Ambassador to Great Britain; $17,500; Oct. 27.

William Christian Bullitt, Ambassador to France; $17,500; July 19.

William Phillips, Ambassador to Italy; $17,500; Aug. 10.

John Cudahy, Ambassador to Belgium; $17,500; Aug. 13.

Anthony Joseph Drexel Biddle Jr., Ambassador to Poland; $17,500; Aug. 10.

George Anderson Gordon, Minister to The Netherlands; $12,000; Aug. 10.

Mrs. J. Borden Harriman, Minister to Norway; $10,000; Aug. 28.

Ray Atherton, Minister to Denmark; $10,000; June 21.

Owen J. C. Norem, Minister to Lithuania; $10,000; Aug. 20.

John C. Wiley, Minister to Estonia & Latvia; $10.000; Oct. 10.

Although some of the homing officials had been rooted out of their posts by the war machines of Hitler and Stalin, and one, Ambassador Phillips, was convalescing from an illness, the fact remained that no charge d'affaires had the weight or the prestige to do an Ambassador's work at the key capitals.

So Franklin Roosevelt last week made his first move to restore U. S. diplomats to vacant listening posts. He offered the post of Ambassador to France to General John J. Pershing. The 80-year-old general, World War I friend of Marshal Petain, declined because of his health, on the advice of U. S. Army physicians. Then the President chose another ex-officer as Ambassador to the old Marshal: one of his ablest public servants, cool, steady Admiral William Daniel Leahy, Governor of Puerto Rico. Paunchless, wind-seared Admiral Leahy, whose 65 years look like 50, accepted. His administration of Puerto Rico, which is fast becoming the U. S.'s No. 1 Caribbean naval & air base, had been effective. He was fully aware of U. S. defense problems, could be counted on to buck up the harassed Vichy Government against the demands of Conqueror Hitler.

If Admiral Leahy's appointment was a sign, it was a healthy sign. For World War II has deglamored Europe's ambassadorial posts. At this time the U. S. needs as diplomats not those who shine in gay social life, but those who can do a tough job while bombs are falling.

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