The herald., 1898-12-26
WHAT "NEW DIPLOMACY" Is
Policy American Min
listers Have Always Adopted

Sir Edmund Monson's speech, followed
as it has been by the speech of Joseph
Chamberlain, is regarded by the English and
French press as definitely announcing Eng
lands adoption of the new diplomacy q
Persons in unofficial life have been vaguely
guessing the meaning of the phrase, and
wondering what part America plays in the
game Here is an explanation given by a
diplomat of this country recently returned
from his post:
"The new diplomacy of Sir Edmund
Monson is as old as the United States, and
his speech means merely that European
powers have learned to respect it. From
the days when Benjamin Franklin was our
minister at Paris until now American en-
voys and our system of plain dealing have
been laughed at by the great scholars of con-
tinental diplomacy. The American minis
ter has always been creature more or less
apart. There were conferences, disputes,
discussions and intrigues in the diplomatic
circle Of every capital, but because America
was far away, and had not yet become a
world power, the American minister was
never taken into these councils.
''Our diplomacy will change. 1t must
change, because hereafter our men must
give their lives to the study of world
making. AS it is now a man is appointed
from private life and sent to serve his coun-
try in foreign land. He may not speak
the language. Few of our ministers are
conversant with other tongues. He knows
nothing of the habits, customs and tradi-
tions of the people among whom he is sent.
He is unfamiliar with court usage, except as
it is briefly laid down in his instruction. Most
Of these things he is compelled to learn
from the clerk or servant left at the legation
by the preceding minister, or he must ask
many embarrassing and foolish questions Of
the dean of the diplomatic corps.
1T can be seen at what great disadvant-
age the American minister is placed. The
diplomatists Of Europe are reared for their
profession. In all countries they must be
men Of good social position, and possessed OF
sufficient means to support them during
their apprenticeship, when they receive no
money. They are compelled to pass severe
examinations before they are accepted, an
examination more extended in its scope
than that necessary for the degree of A. H..
in this country. If accepted they remain
in the diplomatic service until death or resig-
nation. These men start as attaches, and
gradually work their way by merit and in
fuence to the position of minister plenipo-
Tertiary or ambassador. They are changed
from post to post so that they become fa'
milar with the politics and people of many
lands. With such valuable training they
are able to perform important service. Our
ministers have no training whatever, and no
matter how intelligent he may be it takes a
new man at least year in post before he
can begin to do valuable work. The handi-
cap of not knowing the language cannot be
exaggerated.
"Such are our diplomatists as compared
with those of Europe. The only thing that
caves our disadvantage from being fatal is
our system OF procedure-the new diplo-
macy' OF Sir Edmund Monson. 10 begin
with, other nations address their communl-
cations in the language of the country adj
dressed, or in French. Our ministers send
all dispatches to the government to which
they are accredited in English. This has
helped to make the English language a
rival to French as court tongue We forced
it upon them, bluntly, doggedly, just as we
are now forcing upon them our system of
"a European diplomat works by intrigue
and dssimulaton. His usefulness depndes
greatly upon the information he gains Sc
cretly. Two hundred years ago great
remarked: we send our minis
ters to lie abroad The American diplo
macy has always been the reverse OF this
We ask for what we want, and insist upon
it, Our correspondence is polite, but brief,
TO the point and forceful.
'fOn the other side the policy was one of
vexatious delay. Subterfuges
were resorted to and the main question
evaded, often until there was new secre-
tary of state and new minister, and then
the question would be allowed to drop, or
else would be begun all over again In few
cases have we been met with a fiat refusal.
Tn such cases we have dissented and allowed
the matter to stand undecided, without re-
cedng from our position. In many coun-
tries today there are such questions, and at