Wilder Foote

Wilder Foote (August 30, 1905-February 14, 1975) was an American diplomat and journalist, known for contributing to the creation of the United Nations during the mid-20th century. His career spanned several decades and included key roles in both journalism and government service.

Foote is also the person that modern defenders of Alger Hiss like Kai Bird try to blame as "ALES" in the Venona decryptions.

Early Life and Education

Wilder Foote was born on August 30, 1905 in Montrose, Pennsylvania. He was the son of Rev. and Mrs. Henry Wilder Foote of Cambridge, Massachusetts. He graduated from Harvard University magna cum laude in 1927. Foote married Marcia Stevens, and together they had a son, Wilder Foote III, and a daughter, Mrs. Stuart White.

Career in Journalism

Foote began his career as a journalist working for the Associated Press in Boston, eventually becoming the night editor. From 1931-1941 he published three weekly newspapers in the Middlebury, Vermont area.

Diplomatic Service

During World War II, he served in the Office of War Information from 1941-1944, heading the section responsible for lend-lease.

At the end of 1944, he was named Special Assistant to Secretary of State Edward R. Stettinius Jr.

Foote worked at the UN Organizing Conference, the San Francisco Conference, which was led by Secretary General Alger Hiss.

In 1945, Foote joined the staff of the U.S. delegation to the United Nations as Public Information Officer.

In 1947, Foote became the Director of the United Nations Bureau of Press and Publications, and served as the Chief Spokesman for two Secretaries General, Trygve Lie and Dag Hammarskjold.

Legacy

Wilder Foote's career has largely been neglected by academics, but he has risen in interest as the fall guy for Hiss defenders as they attempt to deflect from the revelations in the Venona files.

Comparison to ALES in Venona Traffic

The argument by Hiss defenders is that both Hiss and Wilde fit the ALES basic profile of being a State Department attendee who was at the Yalta Conference, who then went onto Moscow and not directly back to the United States.

As well, Bird and his Russian colleague Chervonnaya contend that the ALES traffic describes the subject remaining in Mexico City on a day (March 3, 1945) when Hiss had returned to Washington and had given a radio interview. They claim this discrepancy about dates, when the Soviet agent was also a press agent, leads to the conclusion that Foote was ALES and not Hiss. This discrepancy, they say, rules out Hiss as a subject.

The problem with this argument is that it ignores the volume of other evidence showing Alger Hiss as a Soviet agent.