Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-19
Willingness to Cooperate.

A great variety of opinions were pre-
scented. but all showed willingness to CO.
operate in the general scheme and the de-
partmeHt decided TO confine It's recon-
mendation to the consensus of the best
opinion among the diplomatic and consular
officers themselves.
Reference is made to the excellent work
performed in the last seven years in the
development and publication Of the system
OF the daily consular reports, which have
brought the consular service into close
touch with the business world and encolr-
aged the consuls to renewed activities in
their efforts to extend trade.
Touching the new project of using the
diplomatic service to extend this work, Mr..
LoOmis says that the apprehension that the
action may be resented by foreign nations
as marking an aggressive American cam
paign for trade. and consequently intensi-
Tying the hostility already excited by our
so-called commercial invasion of Europe,
would scarcely be entitled to much weight
IN view of the fact that the more advanced
Industrial countries have for some time
been openly equipping themselves for pre-
cisely such an effort.
Proposed Staff of Experts.
Therefore. as an initial step toward ex-
tension Mr.. Loomis proposes the creation
of staff of capable experts, acting for the
Department of State, and through 1t for
In personal contact and association with
the diplomatic and consular officers in the
more important trade regions These en-
ployes could be made attaches to EN-
Daisies or legations, which would afford
special opportunities to secure inrorma tion
though, their duties being decIaredly COM
mercial, they would not compromise their
embassies or legations in exercising their
functions. Being experts and in close con-
tact with the consuls, they could render
them much valuable assistance and advice
IN directing their efforts to collect the
trade Information desired by the govern
ment, and their work would be particularly
valuable In that respect where the consul
Is not an expert In the matter involved in
the subject of investigation and report
AS there are a number of consuls now in
the service who may be classed as COM
mercial experts, as demonstrated by their
reports. 1t Is proposed TO select the stan OF
new officers from their number, and 1t is
believed that capable consular officers thus
rewarded with the post of commercial at
taches. would be living examples and OBJ
JectS OF emulation for every aspiring man
In the service. Besides they would serve
as thoroughly trained corps of consular
inspectors, the lack of which has been very
much felt.
Estimated Small Expense.
Mr.. LOOMS feels that this plan, which Is
expected to be of the greatest Importance
to the business world, can be put into exc
cution at very small cost. In fact, he
places the cost of the test at $4,000 per
Rnnum. Six commercial attaches or special
agents. he says, will be sufficient to initiate
the movement. They would be saiaried at
$4,000 each per annum and travelling ex-
penses. and would be assigned, one to cover
Austria. the Balkan states, Germany,
Switzerland, Russia and other countries OF
northern Europe; another, France. Italy,
Portugal, Spain and other countries bor-
dering on the Mediterranean; another,
Great Britain and dependencies; another,
Mexico. Central America. the West Indies
and South America: another Asia-more
particularly Asiatic Russia, China and
Japan; and the sixth, one at large to be
held in reserve for special service and par
ticular missions to any part of the world.
1t is not proposed that these attaches
should have a fixed residence at any par
ticular capital but they may be transferred
from point to point.
Mr.. Loomis in closing supports this
project with an argument showing the i'm
perative need for finding an outlet abroad
for our surplus products, which, he points
out. is absolutely demonstrated by the
facts set out in the review of the worlds
commerce. In some lines our production in
six or eight months Is sufficient to cover
the home demand of the year, and the other
months product must be marketed outside
OF the United States, where even greater
effort Is needed to obtain a market than
at home.