THE DACOR BULLETIN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP61-00357R000100160006-8
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 29, 2013
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: June 1, 1959
• Content Type: MISC

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THE DACOR BULLETIN
VOLUME VIII, Number 12 S MAY-JUNE 1959
PUblished by Diplomatic and Consular Officers Retired) Inc., a non-profit
assoeiation of former and active personnel of the American Foreign Serv-
ice, Decor House, 1718 H Street) N.W., Washington 6: D. C. Articles and
items printed over writerts name unless otherwise requested. Annual dues,
including Bulletin: Active $10; Associate, $5; SUstaining?. $20; Life mem- ?
bership, $100. Bulletin) $3. Mail communications to Acting Executive Di-
rector, JohnLl_....:j.....L._..nll1Han.8H.a.r.s.A,_Et_1.j_Weaton 6, D.
C.
BOARD OF GOVERNORS ELECTS OFFICERS
At its regular spring meeting at Dacor House on May 19 the Board of Governors
chose officers for the coming year as follows: Harold H. Tittmann, President;
Mrs. Wilbur J. Carr, Vice President; Lewis Clark, Second Vice President; Richard
Fyfe Boyce, Secretary; Edmund B. Montgomery, Treasurer; and John Hamlin, Acting
Executive Director. This slate was proposed by the Nominating Committee, ap-
pointed by Orme Wilson, President) and consisting of Wallace Murray, Chairman,
David McK. Key, and James O. Denby.
The Board has twenty-five elected members, namely, Ray Atherton, Mrs. Wilbur J.
Carr, William R. Castle) James O. Denby, Stanley K. Hornbeck) Benjamin R. Riggs)
Edwin C. Wilson) and Clarence J. Spiker: whose terms expire in 1960; Henry J.
Anslinger, Robert L. Buell, H. Merle Cochran, Cabot Coville, William E. Dunn,
Loy Henderson, Jefferson Patterson and H. Earle Russell, who serve until 1961;
and Robert Woods Bliss, Richard Fyfe Boyce, Joseph C. Grew, David McK. Key, Ed-
mund B. Montgomery, Wallace Murray, John Farr Simmons, Harold H. Tittmann, and
Stanley Woodward, elected at the annual meeting of members on April 20, to serve
until 1962. In Wition, Lewis Clark) Second Vice President, and John Hamlin)
Acting Executive Director) are ex officio members of the Board.
BOARD PRAISES ESTEEMED OUTGOING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
The Board of Governors approved a letter from One Wilson, who presided over
Dacor the past year, to George Gregg Fuller, extolling his invaluable services
to Decor and expressing. the hope that he will continue to contribute to its
success.
The text of the letter follows:
May 22, 1959 .
"Dear George:
You will recall that I learned from you last October that due
to the state of your health) your advanced years, the wishes of
your family and the heavy work load resulting from the activities
of DACOR, you had decided that you could not continue much longer
in the discharge of your duties as Executive Director and that in
consequence you wished to withdraw from them in the not distant
future.
As a result of this decision on your part, which I received with
regret, I feel sure you will agree with me that it became necessary
for the responsible officials of DACOR to give urgent consideration to
a number of important questions affecting the future of our organization.
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DACOR BUTXFTIN
PAGE 2 MAY-JUNE 1959
I therefore appointed a small group called Special Committee
on Administration to study the situation with which we were con-
fronted with a view to submitting detailed and specific recommenda-
tions to the Executive Committee regarding the administration of
DACOR, not only during the transition period prior to your retire-
ment but thereafter. It was hoped that these recommendations would
enable DACOR to continue to progress in the future as it has up to
the present with your able advice and guidance.
Therefore, following a number of meetings and conferences with
you, the Special Committee submitted its recommendations to the
Executive Committee. This Committee gave its diligent and painstaking
attention to a careful review of the proposals at a series of meetings
held on December 22, 1958, as well as on January 2nd and 12th of the
current year. Some modifications of the Special Committee's proposals
resulted. However, eventually the Executive Committee arrived at, by
unanimous decision, the recommendations, with which you are familiar,
set forth on pages 3, 4 and 5 of the March Bulletin.
The Board of Governors, acting on behalf of the membership of
DACOR, approved these recommendations, by unanimous decision, at its
quarterly meeting on February 16, 1959.
In view of the aforementioned action of the Board of Governors,
it is a source of especial regret to me and to those who spent so
much of their time and effort in setting up the plan for the future
guidance of DACOR that you should find yourself unable to carry on
the duties and responsibilities of Executive Director under this
plan which has been adopted and brought to the attention of DACOR's
members.
I feel certain that I speak not only for the Executive Committee
and the Board of Governors but for all our members in expressing the
hope that although you have decided for reasons which you outline in
your memorandum of May 14 you cannot continue as Executive Director,
the willingness and good will which you mention in the last para-
graph of this memorandum will enable us to count on your warm sup-
port and interest in the future.
Finally, I wish to give you on behalf of DACOR's Governors and
membership an assurance of our deep appreciation and regard for the
spirit in which you have so wholeheartedly given of your time and ef-
fort and to which the founding and subsequent growth of DACOR will al-
ways be indebted.
Very sincerely yours,
Orme Wilson"
?
NEW EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE TAKES UP DUTIES
Under the chairmanship of Harold H. Tittmann,Dacor President, the new Executive
Committee, which performs the duties of the Board when the latter is not in
session, held its first bi-monthly meeting on June 1. In addition to the
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DP.COR BULLETIN PAGE 3 MAY-JUNE 1952
corporation's officers, the Executive Committee consists of four other
Governors appointed by the President. They are David McK. Key, Stanley Wood-
ward, James O. Denby, and William E. Dunn.
President Tittmann appointed as chairman of standing committees, the following:
Robert L. Buell, Legislative; Mrs. Ruth B. Shipley, Welfare; John Hamlin, Dacor
House; and of special committees, Ellis M. Goodwin, Placement; and Edward C.
Wilkinson,. Lecture Series.
Subject to supervision of the Executive Committee and Board, the management of
Dacor and editing of the Bulletin were transferred to John Hamlin, Acting Execu-
tive Director, with headquarters at Dacor House. He will be assisted by Mrs.
Paul. S. Guinn, Executive Secretary, upon her return from Europe. In the mean-
time, Mrs. Stephen Winship is replacing her.
As a further step toward centralizing activities, the Executive Committee recom-
mended that the Secretary and Treasurer keep their records in the office shared
by the Dacor House Committee and Dacor, Inc. at Dacor House.
LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE URGES SUPPORT OF SPARKMAN BILL
The Legislative Committee held three meetings during the.past month. Robert L.
Buell was appointed Chairman to succeed George Gregg Fuller who asked to be re-
lieved of his duties. Miss Fay Boyle and Mrs. Carol Foster have been designated
Vice Chairmen. Nr. Peyton Ford continues to act as Legal Counsel.. At his sug-
gestion, members of the Committee are.now calling on members of the Foreign Re-
lations Committee of the Senate to acquaint them with S-1502, our new pension
bill, introduced on March 23, 1959 by Senator Sparkman, and to urge their sup-
port. The results are encouraging.. A circular letter and memorandum on this
bill will shortly be sent to all members of DACOR.
A proposal to ask for an amendment to the bill which would provide for free
hospitalization and medical care for retirees was dropped upon the advice of our
Legal Counsel who feared it might prejudice the chance of the bill being enacted.
The text of the bill is as follows:
A BILL
To provide for adjustments in the annuities under the Foreign Service retirement
and disability system.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled, That section721 of the For-
eign Service Act of 1946 (60 Stat. 1020; 22 U.S.C. 1076), as amended,
is amended by adding the following new subsections:
"(d) The annuities of all persons who are receiving annuities
from the Foreign Service retirement and disability fund shall be
increased or recomputed automatically when salaries of Foreign Serv-
ice officers are increased or recomputed, so that each annuitant
shall receive the same annuity as will be received by officers
of the same class, grade, and years of service who retire after such
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DACOR BULLETIN
PAGE 4 MAY-JUNE 1959
salary increase, but no recomputation or any other action taken
pursuant to this Act shall operate to reduce the rate of the
annuity received by any such person unless such person voluntarily
elects to receive a reduced annuity as provided in section 821(c).
"(e) The annuities paid by the Foreign Service retirement
and disability fund shall automatically be increased when salaries
are increased, so that each survivor annuitant will receive the
same annuity as will be received by survivors of officers and an-
nuitants of the same class, grade, and years of service when said
officers retire under the increased scale of salaries."
Sec. 2. The annuities of all persons who are receiving annuities
from the Foreign Service retirement and disability fund on the ef-
fective date of this Act shall be recomputed and adjusted so that
all annuitants shall receive the same annuity as would be received
by an officer of corresponding class, grade, and length of service
(total years of service and classification during the highest five
consecutive years of service) who retires after the effective date
of this Act.
Sec. 3. If the annuitant is receiving an annuity as a survivor of
a former annuitant or officer, the annuity shall be recomputed and
adjusted so the survivor will receive the same annuity as survivors
of officers of corresponding class, grade, and years of service
would receive if the officer retired after the effective date of
this Act.
Sec. 4. Section 5 of Public Law 503 of the Eighty-fourth Congress
(70 Stat. 125; 22 U.S.C. 1079d) is amended by adding the word "has"
before the word "died"; deleting the phrase "before August 29, 1954";
and inserting the figure "$2,400" in lieu of the figure "$1,200"
therein.
Sec. 5. No recomputation or any other action taken pursuant to
this Act shall operate to reduce the rate of the annuity received
by any such person unless such person voluntarily elects to re-
ceive a reduced annuity as provided in section 821(c) of the
Foreign Service Act of 1946, as amended."
Senator Sparkman will offer an amendment to change the figure "$1,200" to
14320" in section 4 of the bill to conform with the provisions of the Foreign
Services Act of 1946 (60 Stat. 1020; 22 U.S.C. 1076), as amended.
DACOR CANCELS RECEPTION FOR SENATOR GREEN
The President and Board of Governors canceled a reception in honor of Senator
Theodore Francis Green arranged for May 25, on account of the official mourning
following the death of John Foster Dulles.
Robert L. Buell, Chairman of the Legislative Committee, was in charge of details.
Invitations were sent to over 200 people, including members of the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee, and officers of the De-
partment of State and Foreign Service Association.
Another reception is contemplated at a later date.
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DACOR BULLETIN
PAGE MAY-JUNE 1222
BOARD REPLIES TO PLACEMENT COMMITTEE REQUEST
The Board of Governors received a letter dated May 19)1959) from William E.
Dunn) Chairman of the Placement Committee, as folloms:
"On February 17, 19590 a resolution was adopted by the DACOR
Placement Committee, of which I am Chairman, requesting that
the Committee be given formal representation on the Executive
Committee. This resolution was adopted during my absence in
Arizona) and while I personally had and have no desire to be a
member of the Executive Committee, inasmuch as I have a standing
invitation to attend its meetings whenever I so desire, since
the resolution was legally adopted and addressed to the Board
of Governors, I deem it my duty to submit it formally to this
Board. Through some misunderstanding, and without my knowledge
or authority) the resolution was published in the March issue
of the DACOR Bulletin) although when it was originally adopted,
I understand that there was no thought of inserting it in the
Bulletin before it reached the Board of Governors. The resolution
was included in the minutes of the February 17 meeting, and appears
in the attached copy, marked with red pencil.
"I beg leave to submit this resolution for the consideration of the
Board of Governors, so that I may report your decision back to the
members of my Committee."
Harold H. Tittmann, President of Decor) replied to Mr. Dunn on June 10 as follows:
"Your letter of May 19, 19590 transmitting a resolution adopted by
the Placement Committee on February 17) 1959, and requesting that
the committee be given formal representation on the Executive Com-
mittee was duly presented to the meeting of the Board of Governors
held on May 19. As you know, in view of the lateness of the hour,
it was suggested that your communication be referred to the Execu-
tive Committee for appropriate attention.
%lie Executive Committee has carefully considered the resolution,
and has come to the conclusion that the action called for in the
resolution is impracticable for the following reasons:
1. The Chairman of the Placement Committee has been regularly
attending meetings of the Executive Committee and has kept in
close touch with the latter. He has consulted with the Execu-
tive Committee and has kept it fully informed concerning the
activities of his Committee.
2. Article VI, Section 1 of the By-Laws stipulates that the
Executive Committee shall consist Of the officers of the cor-
poration and four other Governors appointed by the President.'
The appointment of anyone to the Executive Committee by the Board
would, therefore, require an amendment of the By-Laws. Various
amendments to our By-Lams were recently adopted by an overwhelm-
ing majority, including some changes in Article VI, Section 1,
but none of them envisages any restriction on the appointive
power of the President with respect to the Executive Committee.
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DACOR BULLETIN
PAGE 6 MAY JUNE 1952
3. If the By-Laws were amended so as to empower the Board to
appoint the Chairman of the Placement Committee a member of the
Executive Committee it would be only logical also to appoint
the Chairman of other Committees of DACOR. Since, however,
there are some eight standing committees as well as several
special committees, such as the Finance Committee, the Lecture
Committee and the Placement Committee itself, it was the
unanimous feeling that the appointment of some eleven or more
Chairmen as members of the Executive Committee in addition to
the nine members prescribed by the By-Laws, would render the
latter cumbersome and unwieldy."
MENDED BY-LAWS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED
Dacor by-laws) including amendments adopted at the annual meeting on April 200
are being mimeographed. Copies will be distributed to officers and members of
the Board of Governors and upon request to other members.
DACOR HOUSE MAKES PROGRESS
An increase is noticed in the number of members and guests using Dacor House.
This is no doubt due to the improved furnishings, additional lockers, excellent
meals, accommodating services of our steward,. and the homelike atmosphere.
Members staying at Decor House in recent weeks include
Merwin L. Bohan, Mrs. Gustave Hanna, George F. Kennan,
Charles F. Knox, Jr., Miss Rebecca Wellington, Mx. and
Mr. and Mrs. Charles S. Reed, David M. Maynard, Harold
and Mr. and Mrs. William C. Afield, Jr.
In Memoriam
William E. DeCourcy,
Mr. and Mrs. Sheldon Mills,
Mrs. William P. Shockley,
B. Minor, Max W. Bishop,
JOHN FOSTER DULLES) Secretary of State, died in Washington on May 24. President
Eisenhower that day announced that "A lifetime of labor for world peace has
ended. His countrymen and all who believe in justice and the rule of law grieve
at the passing from the earthly scene of one of the truly great men of our time.
"Throughout his life, and particularly during his eventful six years as Secretary
of State, his courage, his wisdom, and his friendly understanding were devoted
to bettering relations among nations. He was a foe only to tyranny.
"Because he believed in the dignity of men and in their brotherhood under God, he
was an ardent supporter of their deepest hopes and aspirations. From his life
and work) humanity will, in the years to come, gain renewed inspiration to work
ever harder for the attainment of the goal of peace with justice. In the pursuit
of that goal, he ignored every personal cost and sacrifice, however great.
"We, who were privileged to work with him, have lost a dear and close friend as
all Americans have lost a champion of freedom. United, we extend to Mrs. Dulles,
to her children and to all members of the Dulles family our prayers and deepest
sympathy, and the assurance that in our memories will live affection, respect
and admiration for John Foster Dulles."
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DACOR BULLETIN
EAGE 7 MAY-JURE 1959
On this sad occasion, Harold H. Tittmann, President of Dacor, wrote Mrs. Dulles,
as follows:
"Diplomatic and Consular Officers Retired, Inc. (DACOR) wishes to extend to you
its heartfelt sympathy in the untimely loss of your illustrious husband, Secre-
tary of State John Foster Dulles.
"The members of our organization were all at one time or another in the Foreign
Service and many of us had the privilege of serving directly under Secretary
Dulles and of appreciation at first hand his great qualities. His passing,
therefore, is particularly mourned at Decor and we consequently feel especially
close to you, Mrs. Dulles, in this sad moment of bereavement for us all."
Mr?Vittmann, in representation of Dacor, attended the services on May 27 at the
Washington Cathedral. Decor also sent a floral wreath.
ELIOT WADSWORTH, of Washington, formerly of Boston, died May 27. He was 82 years
of age. He was graduated from Harvard in 1898 and was a member of the "Family",
the original group at 1718 H Street, and was a Life Member of Dacor House.
He was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, 1921-1925. For the following six
years he was President of the Boston Chamber of Commerce. He represented the
United States Government for settlement of the cost of the American Army of
Occupation on the Rhine, from February to June, 1923.
In 1938 he was Chairman of the American Division of the International Chamber of
Commerce, and in 1945 was one of the original incorporators of the American Can-
cer Society in the District of Columbia. He was a trustee of the Carnegie Endow-
ment for International Peace,
EDWARD J. NORTON died in Malaga, Spain on April 28. He entered the Service in
March 1907 and rose through the ranks to the grade of Consul General. He was
appointed Chief of Personnel in 1925 and served as such in the Department of
State until he resigned in November 1929. From 1930 until his death he resided
in Malaga where he had an important position in the firm of Bevan and Co.
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