R. W. Scott McLeod
Scott McLeod | |
---|---|
United States Ambassador to Ireland | |
In office July 17, 1957 – March 15, 1961 | |
President | Dwight D. Eisenhower |
Preceded by | William Howard Taft III |
Succeeded by | Grant Stockdale |
Personal details | |
Born | Civil servant, Diplomat | June 7, 1914
Robert Walter Scott McLeod (June 7, 1914 – November 7, 1961) headed the U.S. Department of State's Bureau for Security and Consular Affairs from 1953 to 1957 and served as
Early years
Scott McLeod was born in Davenport, Iowa, on June 17, 1914. He played football at Grinnell College and graduated with a B.A. in 1937.
After college, McLeod sold advertising for the
State Department
When John Foster Dulles became Secretary of State in 1953, on the recommendation of Under Secretary of State for Management Donold Lourie, he named McLeod as the administrator of the State Department's Bureau of Security and Consular Affairs. McLeod held that office from March 3, 1953, until March 9, 1957. Until January 1956, he was also responsible for the State Department's relations with Congress.[3] His appointment was viewed as an attempt by Dulles to appease Republican critics of the State Department.[3] During his years at the State Department, McLeod was "a figure of sharp controversy".[4]
In 1953, McLeod provided Secretary Dulles with a report suggesting
McLeod had principal responsibility for implementing the security rules established in Eisenhower's
According to the
Not long ago I had an interesting talk with Scott McLeod, the much-debated young man who, after a career in the F.B.I., became boss of State Department security. Mr. McLeod is engaging and forthright. He sincerely believes that "security" is a basic criterion of diplomacy. Discussing the Department's current program, McLeod refers frankly to the days when he used to investigate applicants for jobs in the F.B.I. After checking all other qualifications of a candidate he used to think, says he: "How would I like him to be behind a tree with me in a gunfight? You get pretty high standards if you think along such lines. And that's the way I like to think in these investigations."
In 1955, McLeod told a surprised Senator Hubert Humphrey that his view of a security risk was not absolute: "It is our policy that we will not be so secure that we will not get our work done. If we sometimes have to hire a security risk to get a job done, we're going to get the job done." His example was someone with valuable language skills.[14] He told a Senate committee that in 1954 his department had investigated 3885 hires for permanent positions and terminated only 3.[14]
During his years at the State Department he filled a number of special assignments. He chaired a meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration in February 1956[15] and headed the U.S. delegation to the same group in April 1957.[14]
Ireland
During the backlash against
[T]here was a point at the very first days of our Administration when we did not always see eye-to-eye about everything, but those days have passed; and I really think that he has done an extremely able job on important matters upon which he has been engaged–the Refugee Act, for example, and things of that sort–and ... that I have gained very great confidence in his ability and judgment, his human understanding.
The Senate confirmed his appointment on May 9 on a 60–20 vote, with only Democrats in opposition[21] including then Senator John F. Kennedy.[22] McLeod presented his credentials as ambassador on July 17, 1957,[23] and served until March 15, 1961. President Kennedy accepted his resignation on February 6, 1961.[24]
Personal life
McLeod wrote an introduction to
McLeod married Edna Van Pappelendam in 1939,
References
- ^ ISBN 9780226401966.
- ISBN 9781438119083.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Man with a New Look: Scott McLeod" (PDF). New York Times. May 11, 1956. Retrieved May 15, 2013.
- ^ a b c "Scott M'Leod, 47, Ex-Diplomat, Dies" (PDF). New York Times. November 8, 1961. Retrieved May 15, 2013.
- ^ a b c d e "M'Leod Authority is Cut by Dulles" (PDF). New York Times. March 2, 1954. Retrieved May 15, 2013.
- ^ "McLeod Given Conflicting Advice about Hatch Act before his Stumping Tour". St. Petersburg Times. February 12, 1954. Retrieved May 15, 2013.
- ^ "Refugee Director Backs Easing Law" (PDF). New York Times. January 14, 1955. Retrieved May 15, 2013.
- ^ "Immigration: The Real Issue is an Evil Law". Life. April 25, 1955. Retrieved May 15, 2013.
- ^ ISBN 9780226401966.
- ^ Cloud, J. (April 20, 1953). "Statistics: 425 Homosexuals". TIME Magazine. Archived from the original on December 22, 2008. Retrieved May 14, 2013.
- ^ "19 Lose U.S. Posts on Morals Charge" (PDF). New York Times. April 21, 1953. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
- ^ "State Department Checking on 4,000" (PDF). New York Times. August 9, 1953. Retrieved May 15, 2013.
- ^ Sulzberger, C.L. (November 8, 1954). "Behind a Tree with Scott McLeod" (PDF). New York Times. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
- ^ a b c "M'Leod Says U.S. Might Hire 'Risk'" (PDF). New York Times. March 12, 1955. Retrieved May 15, 2013.
- ^ Hoffman, Michael L. (February 25, 1956). "25 Lands Pledge Refugee Funds on Bid that Cash Match Prayers" (PDF). New York Times. Retrieved May 15, 2013.
- ^ "The M'Leod Appointment" (PDF). New York Times. April 11, 1957. Retrieved May 15, 2013.
- ^ Sulzberger, C.L. (April 27, 1957). "The Misuse of a Diplomatic Service" (PDF). New York Times. Retrieved May 15, 2013.
- ^ "M'Leod Hails Gains of Foreign Service" (PDF). New York Times. April 12, 1957. Retrieved May 15, 2013.
- ^ "Irish Debate M'Leod" (PDF). New York Times. April 15, 1957. Retrieved May 15, 2013.
- ^ "Transcript of Dulles' News Conference on Egypt, Red China and Other World Affairs" (PDF). New York Times. April 24, 1957. Retrieved May 15, 2013.
- ^ "Senate Confirms M'Leod, 60 to 20" (PDF). New York Times. May 10, 1957. Retrieved May 15, 2013.
- ISBN 9780061987038.
- ^ "McLeod Presents Credentials" (PDF). New York Times. July 18, 1957. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
- ^ Reston, James (February 7, 1961). "President Picks More Top Envoys" (PDF). New York Times. Retrieved May 15, 2013.
- ASIN B008RBPX7O.
- ^ Lehrman, Hal (March 16, 1958). "Strangers in the House" (PDF). New York Times. Retrieved May 15, 2013.
- ^ "Alumna of S.U.I. Engaged to Wed Cedar Rapids Man". Iowa City Press-Citizen. Iowa City, Iowa. March 28, 1939. p. 5. Retrieved March 20, 2018 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ Nashua Telegraph. Nashua, New Hampshire. AP. November 9, 1961. Retrieved April 21, 2017.