National Affairs: Back to the Senate

In the new year the U.S. would have a new team at U.N. Last week both Arthur Vandenberg and Tom Connally announced “that they wanted to return to their senatorial duties.

Arthur Vandenberg would be missed. By supporting Secretary Byrnes in his policy of “patience as well as firmness” with the Russians, he had kept U.S. foreign policy on a high bi-partisan plane. But in the future, as chairman of the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee, he might wield even more influence and speak with greater authority.

Well-meaning Tom Connally would hardly be missed. He had only confused the foreigners with his Texas oratory. Said a U.S. diplomat in explanation: “As soon as Tom starts making a speech he thinks it’s the Fourth of July.”

An almost certain choice to move up to the first team was John Foster Dulles, who had served the U.S. well in U.N., especially in difficult dealings over trusteeships.