Evening star., 1905-11-11
THE STANDARD RAISED
Qualifications for Secretary Of
Legation or Embassy.
ORDER OF PRESIDENT
ORIGINAL APPOINTMENTS MUST
STAND EXAMINATION.
Acquaintance Demanded With Interna-
tional Law, Diplomatic Usage and
Modern Languages.
ORDER OF PRESIDENT

Inc text OF the PRESIDENT s order relative
to the appointment of secretaries of en-
bassy or legation was made public today,
as follows:
1T Is hereby ordered that vacancies In
the office of secretary of embassy or lega-
ton shall hereafter be filled
''(a) By transfer or promotion from some
branch of the foreign service. or
''tb) BY the appointment of person who,
having furnished satisfactory evidence of
character, responsibility and capacity, and
being thereupon selected by the President
for examination, is found upon such EXAM
ination to be qualified for the position"
Secretary Roots Requirement.
Secretary Root has issued the following
order to put into effect the Presidents or
der:
In pursuance of the executive order of
November 10. 1905. the second assistant sec
retary of state, the solicitor for the state
department and tie chief of the diplomatic
bureau, OF the persons for the time being
respectively discharging the duties OF said
officers, are hereby constituted board,
whose duty II shall be, by appropriate ex-
animation, to determine the Qualifications
of persons selected by the President there
fore to be appointed as secretaries of en-
bassies or legations. Vavancies occurring IN
said board. or such changes in the mem
bership thereof as experience may prove
to be desirable, will be dealt with by addi-
t1onal regulations as occasion may require.
The eNamina ton herein provided shall
De held from time to time at the State De-
partment In Washington; but such notice to
candidates shall give them reasonable
opportunity to attend for the purpose in
question.
Such examinations shall be both oral and
IN riting. The subjects to which the exam
ination shall relate are to be: l. Interna-
uonal law. 2. Diplomatic usage. g. Mod
ern languages.
Familiarity with at least one foreign
language will be required This language
may be either the language spoken in the
country in which the embassy or legation
Is located or French.
The examining board is authorized to
issue such notices and to make all such
rules as 1t may deem necessary to accom-
pl1sh the objects Of this regulation and i'm
mediately upon the conclusion of such ex-
State report in writing, stating wheth her
III It's Judgment the candidate is or is not
qualihed for the particular position applied
Tor and if the decision is adverse to the
cdhoIudte also briefly summarizing the
grounds of such decision"
Object of the Order.
Some indication of the purpose of this
important order was given by Secretary
Root yesterday when he announced the
purpose of the President and himself of re-
quiring higher order of linguistic attain
bassy and legation. 1t is held that many
strong, able and resourceful men, who
would make splendid additions to the
diplomatic representation of the United
States abroad are ignorant of the language
OF the country to which il is designed to
send them. Mr.. Washburne for instance
had no knowledge whatever of French
when he went to Paris to begin most
brilliant diplomatic career.
Such ministers are often Obliged to rely
upon the services of interpreters whose
integrity is not always above suspicion and
may even be paid spies. The natural rem
edy Is, i'll the view of Secretary Root, the
minister being ignorant of the country s
language, to see that he is always supplied
with secretar ywho will not only act as his
official Interpreter, but by free social inter
course with the people of the country in
which he is stationed be able to render
great assistance to the minister or am
baSsador In obtaining correct understa nd
ing of public feeling. OF course this can
not be done unless the secretary possesses
full knowledge of the country's language.