New-York tribune., 1906-12-26
Mr.. ROOTS NEW BROOM.
IN STATE DEPARTMENT.
More Men Needed to Care for
Foreign Relations.
- - rribun. Rur.su.l

urged Congress stIIl awaits enactment in
statute law. but practically all the high vacan-
cies are being filed by promotion from the
grades below, except where men OF previous ex-
perience. though temporarily out OF the service.
are more desirable and can be induced to re-
enter f. and the rules OF the Civil Service are
invariably followed IN the spirit IL not always
n the letter.
one Of Mr.. Roots strongest ambitions. aside
from the settlement Of important state ques-
lions, iE 10 make the State Department a
bus.nesslike. working machine which can be
trusted by the government IN great ener-
gerces. He wants the archives OF the depart-
Elent 90 arranged that all precedents on any
question can be cited moments notice.
The State Department" Mr.. Root said re-
gently while discussing Il before members OF
the House having charge OF the preparation OF
appropriations was for q long time regarded
b. Congress and by the people as being rather
a. ornamental one There was q long period IN
our history when the State Department really
d-d not have much to do. There was great ac-
uvity in our foreign affairs in the very early
history o. the country, when we had but re-
Gently ceased 10 be colonies and when we were
In controversy with Great Britain-an the con-
troversies OF which the War OF 1912 formed
but part-and when we had Spanish colonies
10 ne south OF US, and France In Louisiana. and
hostile Indian tribes TO the west OF US con-
1roled by foreign nations. and the government
wss conducted by men who had themselves
been oolonists in their youths. Then there was
great activity in our foreign affairs
TRADE BRINGS LABoRs.
But from the Presidency Of Jackson and the
w-P-ng out OF the Spanish and French colonies
to the south. and the overwhelming Of the
Indian tribes Immediately to the west, ana the
great tide OF immigration westward. we devoted
ourselves 70 our own internal affairs, and our
foreign relations were largely relations os pure
lv ceremonious courtesy, and the State Depart
1nelt was regarded as being merely necessary
appendix for the purposes Of poIiteness. Now
we have swung through that period and come tC
point where our growth Is bringing and has
brought US into contact with every country In
The world, an6 the State Department has an
enormous business pressing down on It You
cannot have SSO00OO0OOO OF trade without hav-
ing business for your State Department. The
POI IS boiling al the time and the questions are
increasing constantly. The work that Is press
;-g on the bureaus and bureau chiefs is tncreas-
ing correspondIngly. We have & set OF men
most OF whom are OF first grade ability. They
are men who ought 10 be. II they were out in a
profession. making from FIVE 10 twenty times
what they ere getting IN the department"
Last year Secretary Root obtained from Con-
Eress provision for about twenty-six new Offices
II the State Department for the current year.
This year ne asks for about twenty more en-
rloyes IN the clerical service. fourteen for spe-
ciac reform II the indexing and arrangement OF
The documents, papers and correspondence IN
the department Mr.. Root is trying 10 introduce
there the same reforms IN those respects that
made by him IN the War Department a
few years ago. There was time when It took
anywhere from two weeks 10 two months 70
get any information from the record and pen
sion bureau Of the War Department. Secretary
Root recently said that was because papers
we're kept there Just as papers were kept untn
2 few months ago n the State Department
simple methods which would do for country
law o<7ce did very well n the State Department
for many years and did well IN the War De-
Iar-meut FOR many years. but the time comes.
with the Increase n business Of the department
ara q country growing this is growing.
when the complications become so great that
simpler methods Of simpler times become made
cu1-e the department is swamped by a mass
o. confusion and It is necessary TO introduce
organization and methods adequate for dealing
with The papers"
FLING OF DOCUMENTS
That time came q good while ago in the War
De1a-rnent" said Mr.. Root The Introduction
ot new methods there led 70 such result that
nov the sun does not go down on an unanswered
letter In the Record and Pension ofice. In near
ly e-e years service II the War Department
got familiar with those methods. and there was
some progressive development IN them, extend |
,ng them over the entire War Department. Com |
irg into the State Department found the old
system which has been outgrown by the busi- I
ness o. the department I dnd that the depart |
nlent IL swanped, and I ind IL very difficult 70 |
live and work under the lack OF system which |
found IN the state Department Il was all right |
fo- q Iorg time. but We have reached a point |
there with our enormous increase in foreign 1
rrade and foreign travel and intimate con- /
nert.1n with the world that has come with our /
Increased slze-we have reached the point where I
we have got 70 have system or the department 4
VII be sWanped-"
Soon after he entered the State Department 4
sec-z-z-y Root put in q new card index system /
he sent 6rst enc man and then another over TO |
t1e War Department from the State Depart /
usnt 70 go through a course Of instruction. He /
got General Ainsworth. the military secretary. TO
teach The business Then he got some OF the |
best men N the War Department TO go over 20 /
ire STATE Department. placing them in vacan- l
cies which existed. and IN that way started the l
State Department out on the War Department /
system q preserving. indexing. card cataIoguing /
sEc -oss-referencirs documents. Now he /
wants Congress 10 provide the clerks 70 carry |
OF tnat work This is being done IN connec-
ton with current work for the present, but as /
The work proceeds Secretary Root hopes TO work /
The system back gradually 70 the past. This is /
PECULIARLY necessary n the State Department. |
because incidents are never completely closed |
there When apparently ended they become 1--we.
active precedents