Breach of Precedent

Faithful New York Times readers had their hats blown off last week. On the front page they read an interpretive story which was a departure from the Times tradition. It committed the heresy of pointing out flaws in the State Department.

In season & out, Times Pundit Arthur Krock and his Washington bureau have been at great pains to explain that, generally speaking, the State Department is without flaws; and that if any little flaws have crept in, they are the work of Mr. Roosevelt, never of good, grey Cordell Hull. But this story, on the authority of unnamed officials, flatly reported that the State Department: 1) is in a sorry state of confusion; 2) is the scene of bitter personal intrigue; 3) has no coherent foreign policy.

Two days later, Bureau Chief Krock rushed into print with a fuller explanation. His dispatch, written in the Virginia horse country, began: "Since this correspondent left Washington for a considerable absence. . . ." His own skirts cleared, Columnist Krock resumed the official Times line.

There was confusion in the State Department, he said, but this of course could by no means be attributed to good, grey Secretary Hull. All troubles would vanish, he continued, if only the President would give Mr. Hull his own way. Mr. Krock wanted to make it absolutely clear that he still admired Mr. Hull.

Times readers were thus reassured. They could feel certain such un-Timesy doings, would not occur again.

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