Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1906-01-19
OUR DIPLOMATIC SERVICE.
Important Reforms Suggested and Ad-
voeated by Hon. Andrew .. White.

1
of the Century Magazine, includes in the
current installment a chapter on RE-
forms in the Diplomatic Service" In
this chapter Mr.. White says, speaking
out of his own experience as the Amer
lean minister to the courts of both
Germany and Russia:
AS the very first thing to be done.
whether our diplomatic service remains
as at present or be improved, I would
urge, as condition precedent to any
| thoroughly good service that there be
| in each of the greater capitals of the
world at which we have representative.
suitable embassy or legation building
or apartment owned or leased for a term
of years by the American government
EVERY other great power, and many of
the smaller nations, have provided such
quarters for their representatives, and
some years ago President Cleveland
| recommended to Congress a similar
policy. Under the present system the
head OF an American embassy or mis-
sion abroad Is at n wretched disadvan-
tage. In many capitals he finds it at
times impossible to secure a proper fur
nished apartment; and, in some very
difficult to find any suitable apartment at
all. whether furnished or unfurnished.
Even II he finds proper rooms they are
frequently in an unfit quarter of the town
remote from the residences Of his COL
leagues, from the public Offices, from
everything related to his work His term
of office being generally short, he Is usual
~ considered a rather undesirable tenant
and is charged accordingly. Besides this
the fitting and furnishing of such an
apartment Is a very great burden. both
as regards trouble and expense. have
twice thus fitted and furnished a large
apartment In Berlin, and in each case
this represented an expenditure of more
than the salary for the first year. Within
my own knowledge, two American minis
tiers abroad have impoverished their
families by expenditures Of this kind.
IF an American ambassador Is to ex-
ercise really strong influence for the
United States as against other nations,
he must be properly provided for as re-
CARDS his residence and support,-not pro-
vided for. indeed, so largely as some rep
resentatives of other nations; for neither
propose nor desire that the American rep
resentative shall initiate the pomp of GER
tain ambassadors of the greater European
powers But he ought to be enabled to
live respectfully, and to discharge his
duties efficiently. There should be. in
this respect, what Thomas Jefferson ac-
knowledged in the Declaration of indie
pendence as duty,-a decent re-
gard for the opinions of mankind
The present condition Of things is fire.
.quently humiliating. In the greater
capitals of Europe the general public
know the British French, Austrian
Italian, and all other important embassies
or legations. except that of our country.
The American embassy or legation has
no settled home, is sometimes in one
quarter of the town, sometimes In
another. sometimes almost in an attic,
sometimes almost in a cellar. generally
inadequate In its accommodations. and
frequently unfortunate in its surround
ings. Both my official terms at st.
Petersburg showed me that one secret of
the great success OF British diplomacy.
in all parts of the world. Is that especial
pains are taken regarding this point. and
that. consequently, every British embassy
is the centre OF a widespread social in
fiuence which counts for very much in
deed in her political influence
THE United States, as perhaps the
wealthiest nation in existence.-a nation
far reaching in the exercise OF it's foreign
policy, with vast and increasing COM
mercial and other interests throughout
the world,-should, in all substantial mat
tiers, be equally well provided for. Take
our recent relations with Turkey. We
have insisted on the payment OF an in
demnity for the destruction of American
property, and we have constantly a vast
number of Americans of the very best
sort, and especially our missionaries, who
have to be protected throughout the whole
of that vast empire. Each of the other
great powers provides it's representative
at Constantinople with a residence honor
able, suitable, and within a proper in
closure for its protection; but the Ameri-
can minister lives anywhere and every
wherein such premises, over shops and
warehouses, as can be secured,-and he
is liable in case of trouble between the
two nations, to suffer personal violence
and to have his house sacked by a
Turkish mob No foreign people, and
Of nf al n
highly respect a diplomatic representative
who, by his surroundings, seems not to
be respected by his own people"
Mr.. White recalls the many valuable
services performed by our foreign minis
tiers in preventing wars, quieting Ill feel
ings, and safeguarding American inter-
ests and American citizens-facts, he
says, which show that the diplomatic
service may well be called 1.-THE Cheap
Defense OF Nations" 1t seems incon-
testable therefore, that our diplomatic
service ought not to be left in its present
slipshod condition The first and ele-
mentary necessity is to provide a suitable
house or apartment in every foreign
capital, with an allowance for furniture
and permanent care. and in the next
place the salaries of our foreign represent
tatives should be increased to such a sum
as will permit them so to maintain the
dignity of their positions as to command
the respect of the people among whom
they must live. Mr.. White says in con-
clusion that: IF the carrying out Of these
reforms should require an appropriation
to the diplomatic service fifty per cent.
higher than it now is,--which is an
amount greater than would really be re-
quired by all the expenditures propose
including interest upon the purchase
money OF appropriate quarters for our
representatives abroad,-the total addl-
tional cost to each citizen Of the United
States would be less than half a cent each
year"
In connection with these suggestions
which must command respect because of
the source from which they come, it is of
interest to note that at the present ses-
sion of Congress Representative Nicholas
I.ongworth of Ohio has introduced a bill
authorizing the secretary of state to ac-
quire real estate in foreign capitals, at
a total expense of not more than five mill
lions, for permanent residences for the
ambassadors and ministers of the gov
eminent.
A new magazine the Farmer, will soon