891.105A/44
The Adviser on Political Relations (Murray) to the Minister in Iran (Dreyfus)
Dear Louis: A few days ago we sent you an official instruction25 regarding Colonel Schwarzkopf’s mission to reorganize the Iranian gendarmerie. As I recently wrote you, we believe that Schwarzkopf is exceptionally qualified for the job, both because of his personal characteristics and because of his experience, which includes fifteen years as founder and head of the New Jersey State Police. In addition to his police experience, he is a West Point graduate, served in the last war, and returned to the regular Army in 1940. We have been informed that he is very highly regarded by the War Department. We are also very favorably impressed with his two assistants, Lieutenant Colonel Boone and Captain Preston.
During the past two months, Colonel Schwarzkopf’s group has spent a considerable amount of time in the Division, where we have made available the complete file of your despatches for the past year. They have supplemented this with background reading and discussions with Allah Yar Saleh26 and the Iranian Minister, together with information furnished by the intelligence section of the War Department. Accordingly, I think you will find them well grounded in Iranian affairs.
Colonel Schwarzkopf has demonstrated a keen interest in, and thorough appreciation of, the delicate political situation in Iran. He has indicated his firm intention to cooperate closely with the Legation in every way, and I am sure that you will find him a most willing and helpful collaborator.
In this connection, I should like to explain our ideas regarding the Legation’s relations with the various advisers who are expected to go to Iran in the near future. Those who go out as officials of this Government and who commence their work in a purely advisory capacity, as is the case with Schwarzkopf, will be technically subject to the supervision of the Legation and should, of course, cooperate with it. [Page 249] However, we regard this arrangement as primarily an internal administrative matter, necessitated by a technical legal difficulty, and we feel that these officers should carry on their activities from the beginning as much as possible as if they were already officials of the Iranian Government. While avoiding any conflict with our general policies, they should not be so tied to the Legation as to give the appearance of receiving instructions from this Government.
Those who are from the beginning, or later become, officials of the Iranian Government will not, of course, be subject to any supervision by the Legation, and it seems to us that their chances of success will be much greater if they are able to convince the Iranians that they are working solely for the benefit of Iran. Consequently, it would appear advisable that they should not seem to have too close a connection with the Legation. This does not mean that they should not seek your advice in appropriate cases nor that they should not pass on to the Legation any information of interest which they may obtain. We do feel that they should endeavor to establish themselves on their own feet vis-à-vis the Iranians and, in so far as possible, adjust for themselves any difficulties which may arise.
Nevertheless, and I think I may properly underline the word, we are prepared to take a strong stand in support of any adviser who may find himself faced with a problem which his own efforts have proven insufficient to resolve and which seriously threatens the success of his mission. As we have advised you by telegraph, we are going ahead with the extensive program of advisers only on the understanding that they will receive full cooperation from all Iranian officials, and we shall expect this understanding to be fulfilled. In particular, we consider that Iranian cooperation should include the grant of sufficient authority in each case to enable the adviser to put his program into practical effect. The extent of that authority will, of course, vary in each instance, but if a serious difference of opinion should arise in any case, we believe you would be justified in making a thorough inquiry into the matter and giving the Department a full statement of the facts, together with your views and recommendations as to the advisability of our intervention.
Sincerely yours,