One Diplomat's View

In his 30 years in the U.S. Foreign Service, J. Rives Childs, 60, earned a reputation for outspokenness. Now, retired from his post as U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia, he could speak even more freely about the places he served in--Palestine, Egypt, North Africa, Iran and Arabia. Last week his fellow career officers abroad were reading these parting recommendations to the U.S. State Department:

Iran. "On the basis of my studies and sojourn in Persia, I am convinced that Persia is now entering a period of chaos and anarchy . . . From the times of Darius and Cyrus, Persia has known only peace through a strong man ... To prate of democracy to the Persians is like advocating prohibition to the denizens of hell." Childs believes that "the money we are pouring into Persia is money thrown down a drain," and that the U.S. faces "the alternative of seeing Russia take over the whole of Persia or, if we are sufficiently farsighted, only the northern half." His urgent recommendation: "The U.S. should be prepared, if necessary, to occupy southern Persia and regain possession of [the Abadan oil refinery], preferably at the request of ... a Persian government sympathetic to the Western world." If Britain does not back the U.S., Childs says that the U.S. should act alone.

Egypt. The U.S. should strongly support Dictator Mohammed Naguib, who "deserves the most unreserved backing by the Western powers."

Israel. "We should announce to the Israelis that they cannot count upon our continued financial support unless they . . . entertain and implement some reasonable compromise with the Arabs, including respect for the decisions of the United Nations . . ."

Morocco. "I spent five years in Morocco from 1941-1945 . . . President Roosevelt came to the Casablanca conference in January 1943, and with the recklessness of a schoolboy told the Sultan he should assert his independence of the French . . . This was like throwing a Roman candle into a barrel of gasoline." Childs's recommendation: the U.S. should abandon its "Alice in Wonderland policy," which is undermining the French administration. Instead, the U.S. should promote "greater liberty for the Moroccans, within the framework of the French Union, without inciting the Moroccans to open rebellion, which has only been to the advantage of the Communists."

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