Barclay Acheson Diary, 1927 Part 1 (Jan–Jun 1927)

Context

This volume opens with an extended retrospective dictated on May 4, 1927, providing the most detailed surviving account of the organizational crisis within NER: the loss of confidence in General Secretary Charles V. Vickrey, the divisive Golden Rule Sunday fundraising debate, the departure of the Mace faction to the Near East Colleges, and Acheson's role in brokering Vickrey's six-month leave of absence.

It also documents the work of the Survey Committee under Thomas Jesse Jones — whose field investigations were laying the intellectual foundation for the permanent successor organization that would become the Near East Foundation — and the formal "Gentleman's Agreement" of January 4, 1927, in which NER's officers outlined their vision for a continuing institution and offered to resign once existing obligations were met.

The second half covers Acheson's departure for Europe, negotiations over the Armenian refugee settlement scheme in Paris, and the pivotal Constantinople Conference (May 17–26, 1927) at Robert College, which achieved unanimous votes for a cooperative plan of reconstruction.

The volume closes with post-conference administration and the beginning of Acheson's Syria-Palestine tour, including a visit to Asa Jennings's community development experiment in Smyrna.