Inside, Outside, In

Greenfield could see on Rosenthal's face the depth of his demoralization, and Greenfield was also overwhelmed with embarrassment.

"Abe," Greenfield said, finally, "do me a favor."

Rosenthal nodded.

"Abe, don't ever ask me to come into this place again."

Rosenthal understood, and Greenfield resigned on the spot.

--The Kingdom and the Power

And thus, in the gospel according to Gay Talese, did the New York Times's celebrated "Greenfield Affair" come to an end on Feb. 9, 1968. The Washington bureau had resisted the appointment of Greenfield, an outsider,* as bureau chief. It had won, and its autonomy remained intact.

But lo, last week the outsider appeared anew. Rosenthal announced in a memorandum effective Oct. 1, the Times's new foreign editor would be none other than James L. Greenfield.

* In two ways: as a member of the New York staff, and as a relative newcomer. A former TIME-LIFE correspondent, Greenfield came to the paper in 1967 at the suggestion of his friend Rosenthal.

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