The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-04-11

opinion, and thus prevent II from making q
serious mistake. Thus, had Lord PAuScE-
FoTE understood the temper and feeling
OF the American people, he would have
dissusded Lord SALISBURY from writ
ing the letter to Secretary OLSEl. ~
which tho British Premier definitely
refused TO submit the boundary Of
British Guiana to arbitration, Il refusal
which. subsequently. he found himself con-
strained to ~retract. The management OF
international relations will always be FUR
thered by accurate information concerning
the political and social institutions and the
movements OF popular sentiment In foreign
countries. IL Ia obvious, however. that
such information can be secured better by
skilled politicians habituated TO a careful
study Of public feeling than by professional
diplomatists who are apt to mistake the
opinions OF the coterie known as society
for those OF the community at large.
The second point made by the writer in
the National Rertew is that diplomacy Is
not an art to be studied or a science to bs
learned. A dlplomatist Ia born. not made.
The qualities required are personal attri-
butes, such as tact and judgment. which
can DO found not only In diplomacy but in
other professions, where. moreover, they
may be combined with the technical knowl-
edge useful for the specific end in view.
The lrmness and authoritativeness Of Q
soldier may DO required In one oase; the
pcrspicacity and persistence Of . lawyer In
another. To one post, the urbanity and social
talent Of n courtier may be best adapted,
to another, the constructive power and
grasp Of a financier. As long ago as the
last century, voLTAIRE may be said to have
represented a tendency which has waved
stronger rs societies have become more
penetrated with popular forces, q tendency
to divest diplomacy OF a professional quail.
ity and to throw the adjustment OF the re-
lations between nations as entirely as pos
sible into the hands Of plain men Of firm
and upright character and full knowledge
OF the special matters at issue.
The effect OF this tendency may be-
observed at the present time in England
and In the greater States on the European
Continent. The sixteenth regulation OF
the British Foreign Office announces that
the Secretary Of State reserves to himself
to name any person, even though not In
the %diplomatio service, for the higher and
more responsible posts In it," This Ia no
nominal reservation Of power. The right is
freely exercised. No less than six Of the
best posts in the British diplomatic service
are now occupied by men who nave not
been brought up In the diplomatic profess
sion. In the French. German, Austrian
and Russian services also high diplomatic
appointments are given frequently to men
who have followed other vocations.
The writer in the National Reriee directs
particular attention to the American SER
vice, as an example Of a plan by which the
element Of professional diplomacy 10 en-
tirely excluded. He evidently regards this
plan with favor, though he thinks that
1.-THE benefits which, assuredly, would be
derived from such a scheme" are annulled
by the fact that the choice OF members de-
ponds upon their political opinions. The
complete change, moreover, Of all the men,
bers OF our diplomatic service every four
years ia pronounced inconvenient and I'M
practical. 1t is. at the same time, admitted
that the United States, by disregarding
the alleged necessity for any pompous show
OF representation, Ar idea to which Euro.
pean countries are still bound, more Or
less, by tradition, manage, at a very
much smaller expense, TO have their
interests safeguarded by plain, prac-
tical" men. Our total expenditure on
the diplomatic service last year was
only about S6l5,00O, whereas France
and Austria Hungary, each Of which
has but half our population, expended
more, and Russia spent 81, $50, 900.
The writer in the National Reriew, who Is
himself "A Diplomat" ia inclined to think
that the abolition Of the professional ele-
ment in diplomacy would be the wisest
reform Of all. While such views are advo.
Gated in England. it Is rreposterous to talk
about making diplomacy a profession in
the United States.
1