Persona Grata?

Washington last month checked on the acceptability of Charles E. Bohlen as U.S. Ambassador to replace George F. Kennan, declared unacceptable by the Russians. The Russian reply: Bohlen is persona grata. Then, where the Administration did not expect it, trouble arose.

Some Senate Republicans, studying Bohlen's record, had doubts. Handsome, Harvard-bred "Chip" Bohlen has made Russia his special field ever since he entered the Foreign Service in 1929. State assigned him to study Russian, sent him to Moscow (along with Kennan) in the '30s. Russia fascinated Bohlen; he even became an expert balalaika player. By 1944 he was chief of Eastern European Affairs (Russia, Poland, the Baltic countries) in Washington. At Teheran and Yalta, Bohlen served as interpreter and aide for Franklin Roosevelt. He sat with F.D.R. and Averell Harriman, facing Stalin, Molotov and their interpreter, Pavlov, when the secret agreement on Manchuria was finally worked out. He subsequently became Counselor of the State Department, working closely on policy with Secretary Dean Acheson.

When Bohlen appeared early this month before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he was hard pressed by Republicans. They questioned him especially about Yalta. Bohlen could have replied that he was merely an interpreter at Yalta; instead, he defended the secret deals, although he blamed the Russians for violating their terms. While the Senators pondered Bohlen's defense of past policy, Stalin died. The Administration wanted Bohlen confirmed quickly. But a strong Republican bloc refused to hurry. Last week their opposition came out into the open.

New Hampshire's Styles Bridges let it be known that the withdrawal of Bohlen's name had been urged on "top" Eisenhower aides. "We had an election," said Bridges, "and the Acheson-Truman policies were repudiated. [Bohlen] is an architect and part of the team determining those policies. I don't see why we should send such a man to one of the most delicate spots in the world. We should have a man in whom we, including the Congress, have complete confidence."

The hostility ranged in degree. Michigan's Homer Ferguson and California's William Knowland were not really happy about the nomination. Nevada's crusty Democrat, Pat McCarran, joined the GOP opposition; Bohlen's link with Yalta, he said, is "enough for me." Ohio's Robert Taft, in his role of Republican pacifier, thought the Moscow ambassadorship not important enough for a big intraparty battle. "Our Russian ambassador can't do anything. He is in a box at Moscow. All he can do is observe and report. He will not influence policy materially."

That was a better argument before Stalin died than it is today. While the Kremlin has not changed, Western opinion is far more susceptible to the suggestion that the Kremlin might change. Conceivably, Bohlen's reports could have an effect as misleading as those of Ambassador Joseph E. (Mission to Moscow) Davies.

This week Chip Bohlen was down with the measles just when he was scheduled to undergo another round of questioning by the Senate committee. Chances are he will be confirmed, but not without a fight.

George F. Kennan, barred last October from Russia as persona non grata, seems to be persona non grata with the Eisenhower Administration as well. A far weightier man than his probable successor, Kennan is the author of the containment policy which Eisenhower & Co. consider a guarantee that Russia can keep the initiative in the cold war. Kennan is not now in demand in Washington; not once during the conferences over Stalin's death did Secretary of State John Foster Dulles turn to Russian-Expert Kennan for advice. If Kennan does not get another post within 90 days after a new ambassador to Moscow is confirmed, he will be retired by law from the Foreign Service.

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