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    "label": "Report, The Establishment of the Office of the U. S. High Command for Germany",
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    "title": "Report, The Establishment of the Office of the U. S. High Command for Germany",
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            "logicalDate": "1950-12-01",
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    "seq": 38,
    "pageIndex": 0,
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    "ocrText": "31\nent\nCHAPTER V\nSELECTING A COMMISS IONER AND DEFINING HIS TASK\nThe selection of a director is an integral part of the organi-\nzation of any new enterprise, and the history of the organization\ncan scarcely be understood without an examination of the qualifi-\nhis\ncations of the director. In the long view these will be apparent\nthrough the history of the events themselves, but initially they\ncan be known only by a review of his previous experience.\nThe appointment of John J. McCloy\nThe first United States High Commissioner for Germany, John J.\nMcCloy, was born at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, March 31, 1895,\nwas graduated from Amherst College in 1916, and shortly thereafter\nentered the hrmy. He served as a Captain in the American Expedi-\ntionary Forces during Norld War I, and remained in Germany following\nthe war to serve with the occupation forces, Upon his return to\ncivilian life he completed his legal education and during the 1920's\nestablished himself as a leading member of the New York bar and a\nprominent civic leader. He maintained an active interest in inter-\nnational affairs and from time to time travelled in Europe. In\nOctober of 1940 he became an expert consultant to the Secretary of\nWar and in April of the following year was. appointed Assistant Sec-\nretary of War, a position which he held until November 1945. As\nAssistant Secretary he was responsible for overseeing the development\nof plans for military government of occupied areas, and in 1945 he\nparticipated in the organization of military government in Germany.\nMcCloy returned to private life in late 1945 but not for long, In\nFebruary of 1947 he assumed the presidency of the World Bank, a job\nwhich placed him in the center of the postwar planning for economic\nreconstruction. His wide knowledge, his. reputation, his demonstrated\nability as a diplomat and an administrator, and his interest in\nEuropean affairs commended him for the position of U.S. High Com-\nmissioner for Germany and caused the President to urge him to take\nthe assignment. He accepted the appointment, it was announced on\nMay 18; and a few days later the Senate gave its confirmation.\nThe Letter of May 18\nThe letter of May 18 from the Secretary of State to the Secre-\ntary of Defense was designed as an instrument of agreement for\nthe transfer of responsibility for non-military aspects of the"
}