Messersmith, G.S.
Date
2011-06-15
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Delaware Library, Museums and Press
Abstract
Description
Comments on inadequacies of [Edward R.] Stettinius as Secretary of State; fortunately his period of duty didn't last long; Stettinius headed U.S. delegation to San Francisco meeting where United Nations was organized; Secretary [Cordell] Hull was at the time in the Naval Hospital; Stettinius called Hull every evening from his San Francisco headquarters, proposing all kinds of unsound ideas; Hull tried to advise him but it wasn't easy; Stettinius was dealing with matters in which he had no adequate preparation, background, or experience; during meeting of American states in Mexico City he depended largely on counsel of Nelson Rockefeller; on one occasion shortly after Stettinius became Secretary of State, Messersmith was called to Washington by President Roosevelt for consultation on a matter that had nothing to do with Mexican-American relations; arriving in Washington early in the morning, he called the White House and was told to come in at 9 o'clock; consequently he did not go to the Department first as he would ordinarily have done; after leaving White House, received message to come to Department immediately; Stettinius and Nelson Rockefeller were upset because Messersmith had gone directly to the President without coming to see them first; they told Messersmith there was a rule to the effect that no Chief of Mission was to see the President without previous knowledge and consent of the Secretary, and that he was to be accompanied to the President by the Secretary; Messersmith told them if they didn't want to appear ridiculous they had better forget that rule, which they apparently had just made; nothing further was heard about the rule.
Keywords
Messersmith, George S. (George Strausser), 1883-1960.