The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1905-04-01
AMBASSADOR WHITE
SPEAKS ON DIPLoMATIC SER
VICE, At LAMPSON HALL.

Advantage and Necessity of a Perma-
nent COrps-SOme of the Arguments
Against it Answered-England as an
Instance of Successful Diplomacy
Outline of Plan for Reorganization OF
Our serriee-DesirabiIIty of Perma-
| nent Legation House.
Il was a large audience that nearly
filled the spacious Lampson Lyceum
last evening when Professor Theodore
+ S. woolsey, Of the Yale Law school, in
troduced Hon. Andrew D. White, for
mer United States ambassador to Rus
STA and Germany, who spoke on THE
Diplomatic Service of = the United
States with some hints as to its re-
form. Mr.. White was a member of the
famous Yale class of 1858. He was
Igiven an ovation in the shape of a
storm of applause upon rising to speak.
The opening portion of Mr.. Whites
address was devoted to survey of the
diplomatic history Of the United States
with the purpose of establishing the de-
Icided superiority of the system of a
permanent diplomatic corps over the
system of appointing special corps or
commissions at certain times and the
failure to maintain a regular corps.
Reform is not process of revolution,
lbut of evolution. The system, which
prevailed for many centuries, of main
tanning only temporary diplomatic
forces has been thoroughly tried with
ipoor results, while the present system,
with all its defects, is great improve
lment.
One special reason which Mr.. White
drought forward for the maintenance
Iof a permanent corps was the great adj
vantages such representatives would
have over any others in the making
land modifying Of treaties. The speaker
outlined the work of some of the great
diplomats Of America, and used their
work to illustrate his point.
Another advantage, he continued, is
that man who is on the spot can
learn of troubles likely to happen, and
$50 avert them at the outset. The French
have a motto, absent people are al
ways in the wrong" of which the Eng
Ilish have as a counterpart, THE man
I don't like is the man don't know"
Mr.. White used England as an in
stance of the success of the permanent
system of diplomacy. Whether we like
England or not, we must respect her
and admire her for being able to bring
so large a portion of the world under
her sway without giving up any prin-
ciple of her constitution. The main
cause of her success is found in the
common sense of her diplomatic sys-
Item.
Then, this system enables us to pro-
Ecure large amount of valuable in
formation about foreign countries
(which we could not get so well in any
other way. This information is not
only of interest, but of large practical
Importance.
Another Of the duties OF the members
of the corps is the protection Of Ameri-
can citizens abroad. The United States
policy includes the principle Of protect
ing adopted citizens even In the land of
their birth, which is a principle not ac-
lcepted by other nations.
II The resident diplomatist is also en-
gagged in the great work Of developing
international law. a~{
One argument made against this sys-
tenn is that it is costly. But this van
ishes when we consider that the losses
which would be sustained If its services
could not be obtained would far sur
pass it's cost. The entire expenditure
for one year for the diplomatic service
is only about as much as the cost of
carrying on a modern war for only four
hours. Thus, if the diplomatic corps
merely achieved the shortening of war
by one day, it would pay its cost of
maintenance for six years.
+, A second objection urged is that resi-
dence abroad makes a man un-Ameri-
2an. The objection is vague, and so
Practically negligible. The training in
he diplomatic corps renders a man
setter fitted for useful service at home
lfter he has retired from the service.
Again, it is said that the work is
mainly recreation. Any one entering
the service with this idea will soon find
that he has made a serious mistake.
Mr.. White then outlined broad and
comprehensive plan for the reorganiza-
ton Of the diplomatic service so as, in
his opinion, to render its work much
more effective and useful. The plan is
biased upon the insistence upon absolute
lfltness in the lowest grades Of the SER
Twice and promotion for good service.
This latter is no experiment, it having
been advantageously used by other ma
ltions, while our own system works
poorly.
| Among Mr.. Whites requirements for
ladmittance to the lowest grade would
be that the applicants be members Of
the bar of at least two years practice,
should speak French and have a read
ing knowledge Of at least one other Eu-
ropean language. A. stiff examination
should be given to test the fitness of the
applicant.
Formed according to Mr.. Whites
idea, the diplomatic service would be
like the military and naval departments
or like any we'll organized commercial
firm in organization.
One thing Mr.. White dwelt on very
insistently was that the government
should either own or lease a spacious,
suitable legation or home for its repre-
sentative in every great capital The