The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-12
THURSDAY, APRIL u. 1900.
The Profession of Diplomacy.


In an editorial under the caption of mo
School of Diplomacy Needed" the New
York Sun" says:
Every now and then somebody asserts that our
international interests would be promoted by a
body Of professional diplomatists, and that Il
might be well for Federal Government
to establish at Washington a school IN which
young should be trained for diplomatic fune-
tons"
The Sun does not see any necessity for
such Government institution. and neither
do we. 1t is no more requisite for the ma
ton to teach diplomacy than it is for it
to teach theology or law. There are SEM
inaries in plenty for students of divinity,
and law schools without number for aspi-
rants to the bar and bench. For that rea-
son no necessity exists for paternalizing
either branch of learning at the public
expense. Equally, there could be no cry
ing demand for school of diplomacy IN
der national auspices simply because there
is such a school in Washington already,
and very fourishing one at that 1t is
one of the special schools of the Column
bian University, ana is officially known as
the School of Comparative Jurisprudence
and Diplomacy Within it's walls young
men are trained for diplomatic functions
although it is TO be doubled if many of the
student body expect ever to perform them;
but that is beside the question.
While We quite agree with the Sun
that diplomatic education is not proper
subject for Government interference We
are not SO sure that it is right in consid-
81 Ii
pointments. tenure and so on preferable
TO one more permanent. It is true, as our
contemporary argues. that the duties and
opportunities of ambassadors and minis
tiers have greatly narrowed since the ad-
vent of an era of rapid and easy COM
munications with the remotest parts of
the world. In these days a diplomatist on
service in a foreign capital is able in
stantly to refer an important question to
his home government and secure advice
and Instructions within few hours For
merly. in like circumstances he would
have had to wait for weeks. meantime
acting on his own judgment and initiative.
But the change alluded to does not abolish
the necessity for diplomatic training
few weeks ago a former minister from
this TO an Eastern country. in a lecture
at the School Of Comparative Jurisprudence
and Diplomacy. said that it frequently oe- :
CURED that men appointed to high places
in the service were without previous
knowledge of international law, or other
subjects pertinent to their business. He
added that it would have been of the
greatest advantage to him. in the first
years OF his diplomatic career if he could
have enjoyed the advantage of a course in
such school as can now be found in
Washington. Diplomats, the Sun" thinks.
are like poets, born not made. This is
correct in principle. Great inventors like
Morse, Edison, yergenthaler and Besse-
mer, also are bor. and not made; but their
genius would probably not amount TO
much in the way OF practical results in the
absence Of training in the use of tools
and some knowledge OF electricity. chem
istry, mechanics, or what not In the
same way diplomatist needs to krow
his profession quite as much as an engin-
eer does his. The contrary assumption in
times past has worked to our disadvantage
in the diplomatic settlement of many
questions with other nations.
While there is something TO say on bath
sides Of the matter, on the whole we are
inclined to think that a permanent and
specially educated Diplomatic Corps would
be an improvement upon existing condi-
lions. We have 20 doubt at all that a
permanent Consular Service under the
merit system, with tenure during good be-
hayior, would advance the public inter-
ests.