John M. Leddy
Encyclopedia
John Marshall Leddy was an official in the United States Department of State
, who mainly focused on U.S. trade policy.
and raised in Miami Beach, Florida
. After high school, Leddy took a short business course in Miami, Florida
and then, in 1933, moved to Washington, D.C.
to live with an aunt. During this time, Leddy worked at the Home Owners' Loan Corporation
and later the Pan American Union during the day and took classes at Georgetown University
at night. At the Pan American Union, he worked in the division of financial and economic information, specializing in economic information about Latin America
.
After college, Leddy took a job with the Trade Agreements Division of the United States Department of State
in 1941. His work initially focused on U.S. trade with Peru
and Mexico
. He then worked with State Department lawyer Marc Catudal, an expert on the most favored nation clause, on the legal framework for trade agreements.
After World War II
, Leddy worked with the Trade Agreements Committee, an interagency committee that was involved in developing U.S. postwar trade policy, in particular the negotiation of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
and the creation of the International Trade Organization
in 1947. He worked at the Department of State on trade issues until 1958. He then spent a few years at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy
.
In 1961, President of the United States
John F. Kennedy
named Leddy as Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs. On October 2, 1962, President Kennedy appointed Leddy as United States Ambassador to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
; Leddy held this post until June 15, 1965. President Lyndon B. Johnson
nominated him as Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs in 1965, with Leddy holding this office from June 16, 1965 until February 19, 1969.
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
, who mainly focused on U.S. trade policy.
Biography
John M. Leddy was born in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and raised in Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter which separates the Beach from Miami city proper...
. After high school, Leddy took a short business course in Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
and then, in 1933, moved to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
to live with an aunt. During this time, Leddy worked at the Home Owners' Loan Corporation
Home Owners' Loan Corporation
The Home Owners' Loan Corporation was a New Deal agency established in 1933 by the Home Owners' Loan Corporation Act under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Its purpose was to refinance home mortgages currently in default to prevent foreclosure. This was accomplished by selling bonds to lenders in...
and later the Pan American Union during the day and took classes at Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
at night. At the Pan American Union, he worked in the division of financial and economic information, specializing in economic information about Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
.
After college, Leddy took a job with the Trade Agreements Division of the United States Department of State
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
in 1941. His work initially focused on U.S. trade with Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. He then worked with State Department lawyer Marc Catudal, an expert on the most favored nation clause, on the legal framework for trade agreements.
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Leddy worked with the Trade Agreements Committee, an interagency committee that was involved in developing U.S. postwar trade policy, in particular the negotiation of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade was negotiated during the UN Conference on Trade and Employment and was the outcome of the failure of negotiating governments to create the International Trade Organization . GATT was signed in 1947 and lasted until 1993, when it was replaced by the World...
and the creation of the International Trade Organization
International Trade Organization
The Bretton Woods Conference of 1944 recognized the need for a comparable international institution for trade to complement the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank...
in 1947. He worked at the Department of State on trade issues until 1958. He then spent a few years at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy
The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy
The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University is the oldest school in the United States dedicated solely to graduate studies in international affairs. It is regarded as one of the world's foremost schools of international affairs. Every Fall, the school enrolls approximately 265...
.
In 1961, President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
named Leddy as Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs. On October 2, 1962, President Kennedy appointed Leddy as United States Ambassador to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
United States Ambassador to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
The following is a list of United States Ambassadors to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in Paris, France. The official title for the position is the Representative of the U.S.A. to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, with the rank of...
; Leddy held this post until June 15, 1965. President Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
nominated him as Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs in 1965, with Leddy holding this office from June 16, 1965 until February 19, 1969.
Publications by John M. Leddy
- John M. Leddy, "GATT—A Cohesive Influence in the Free World", Journal of Farm Economics (May 1958)
- John M. Leddy and Janet L. Norwood, "United States Commercial Policy and the Domestic Farm Program", ch. 4 of Studies in United States Commercial Policy, ed. William B. Kelly, Jr. (1962)
- John M. Leddy, "The United States, the European Community, and Prospects for a New World Economic Order", Law & Contemporary Problems (Spring 1972)