John McCloy

To the Editors of the Crimson:

As a graduate student in the History Department writing a thesis about John McCloy and the origins of the American WestGerman alliance I feel compelled to comment on the controversy surrounding the McCloy Scholarship I have only received a scattered number of articles I have only received a scattered number of articles but The Crimson's editorials especially the dissenting ones call for a response.

From my own research I think there is absolutely no question that McCloy deserves this honor No American has been more important in cultivating the friendship between the United States and West Germany an alliance which has not only served to preserve the peace in Europe but only served to preserve the peace in Europe but has led to the development of a liberal and democratic Germany To say McCloy has distinguished himself by his insensitivity to human rights as Professor Dershow it has is to exercise a deplorable selectivity in indulgent and historical understanding.

The three decisions which McCloy has been attacked for--the failure to bomb Ausehwitz the interment of the Japanese Americans and the Krupp case--are all matters much clearer in hindsight than they were at the time. In each case a strong argument can be make on either military or legal grounds for the decision which McCloy made or participated in These were 51 49 decisions made by men during national crises under the pressure of time and with incomplete information. It is a false and insidrous analogy to compare the decision makers in these cases to the Nazi war criminals at Nuremburg as one dissenting editorial did.

Obviously McCloy has made mistakes in the course of his career But I am convinced that a balanced judgement would lead us to honor the Volkswagen Foundation's judgment When asked recently to evaluate McCloy's achievement a German worker who worker with him during these years said, McCloy was a man of his word, a man we could trust With men like him as leaders we had great confidence in the United States." Certainly in a time when we see the effects of an uncertain and erratric American leadership we should be able to appreciate and honor John McCloy's contribution all the more. Thomas Schwartz   Teaching Fellow Department of History