Have you ever slipped a letter into the wrong envelope and mailed it off? It happens in the best of families. Even, in fact, in the diplomatic family.

Our envoy to Iran, Henry Grady, in effect did just that the other day when he mistakenly handed to Premier Mossadegh a copy of a letter written by President Truman [Harry S. Truman] to Prime Minister Attlee of Britain. [Clement Attlee] Grady was supposed to deliver a message intended for the Iranian leader.

Mossadegh is an emotional man, given to bursts of tears in public. Grady’s miscue sounds like the best excuse for a breakdown the premier has yet had.