Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-05

The Department Of State employs the
smallest force Of any department of the
government, but 1t is first in rank. and
its official head Is regarded as the
premier of the cabinet AS q rule. when
the President makes up his official
family he selects the ablest man he can
get for the State portfolio. There have
been few administrations in which the
Secretary of State yielded first place In
influence to the head OF another depart
ment in cabinet affairs. but the official
precedence has usually carried with 1t
the actual premiership.
The State Department has its official
existence In Washington. but the larger
portion Of it's activities take place in
other countries The diplomatic and con-
sular services represent the most i'm
portant work of the department. and
while the plans are mapped out in Wash
ington they are largely executed abroad.
1t was found advisable from the earliest
history of the American colonies to have
representatives among the nations Of Eu-
rope to look after the colonial interests.
Benjamin Franklin at one time represent
ed several of the colonies in this capacity
abroad.
The contingent fund of the State De-
partment is the one appropriation made
. by the federal gov
REQUIRES No eminent that requires
.. no accounting to the
Az VuAsiAs' people. This is a
secret fund established for the purpose OF
enabling the Secretary of State to keep
close track upon the secret doings of
other nations, in order that the govern
ment may at all times be appraised Of
any foreign developments which might
affect it's interests. The diplomatic rep
resentatives of the United States in for
e!gn countries are supposed to keep them
selves in close touch with the officials of
the countries to which they are accredit-
ed, and to so conduct themselves in the
discharge o: their duties that they will
be on good terms with those foreign Of
ficials with whom they have to deal.
This has, in a measure, brought about
a demand for wealthy Americans to fill
the important foreign posts.
AS the personal representative OF the
President of the United States, the Amer
lean ambassador is supposed at all times
to have access to the offices of the ruler
of the government to which he Is &C
credited. If he is to make the most of
his position he needs to be well fitted for
taking part in the social affairs of the
capital, and this calls for expenditures far
in excess of the emoluments of the office.
1t is said that Ambassador Reid. in main
tanning the American embassy at the
Court of St. James. spends $4,000 a
year-more than ten times his income
from the ambassadorship.
Many rules and regulations are pre-
scribed to govern the conduct Of Amer
ica's diplomatic rep
Rules to Govern resentatives abroad.
They are required
OAPAoAAo'S' to be chary in the
matter of giving out interviews or max
ing speeches involving questions at issue
or questions which might be Rised be-
tween their government and the ones to
which they are sent. They are forbidden
to become responsible for the debts Of
fellow-Americans or to allow their names
to be used as references. Neither can
they indorse bills of exchange for Ameri-
can tourists abroad.
In all important correspondence be-
tween the Department of State and its
diplomatic representatives abroad mail is
not intrusted to the ordinary channels Of
communication. Special locked and seal
ed pouches are used. and wherever posi-
BILE these are intrusted to American citi-
times of threatened war between our gov
eminent and any other nation special
messengers are often employed to carry
the dispatches. Secret cipher codes are
used In correspondence when war
threatens In case Of declaration of
war the American representatives abroad
are afforded a safe conduct to the
frontiers of the country at whose capital
they are stationed. and the representa-
tiveS of some other nation undertake to
look after American interests pending
the conclusion of hostilities.
The consular service is in many ways
the most interesting part of Americas
representation abroad. The consuls bear
the same relation to American business
interests in foreign countries that the
diplomatic service sustains to govern
mental interests abroad. Their duties are
many and varied. and even in remote
cities the consul finds much to do. There
are invoices to be made out on all ship
ments of goods to America. and such
consulate as that at Hongkong will make
out as many as 10000 in year. The
days routine in consular office is as
varied as that of newspaper Office.
There are passports to be looked after,
calls on war vessels to be made, COM
plants of American tourists to be heard,
stranded seamen to be provided for. a
miniature post Office to be kept, pension
payments to claim attention, notarial
service to be performed, trade reports to
be written, extradition papers to be acted
upon, marriages to be witnessed and GER