Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-07
The Foreign Service.


especial regard to the requirements of
the commercial interests of the country.
The rapid growth of our foreign trade
makes it of the utmost Importance that
governmental agencies through which
that trade is to be aided and protected
should POSSESS high degree of efficiency.
Not only should the foreign representa-
tives be maintained upon a generous scale
in so far as salaries and establishments
are concerned. but the selection and adj
vancement of officers should be definitely
and permanently regulated by law so
that the service shall not fail to attract
men of high character and ability. me
experience of the past few years with "A
partial application of civil service rules
to the diplomatic and consular service
leaves no doubt in my mind of the wis
dom of a wider and more permanent ex-
tension of those principles to both
branches of the foreign service. The
men selected for appointment by means
of the existing executive regulations have
been of far higher average of intelli-
gence and ability than the men appoint
ed before the regulations were promul-
gated Moreover. the feeling that under
the existing rules there is reasonable
hope for permanence of tenure during
good behavior and for promotion FOR
meritorious service has served to bring
about Jealous activity in the interests
of the country. which never peIoFe exist
ed or could exist.
1t IS nv earnest conviction that the en-
actment into law of the general princi-
pies of the existing regulations cannot
fail to effect further Improvement i'm both
branches Of the foreign service by pro-
yiding greater inducement for young
men of character and ability to seek a
career abroad in the service of the gov
eminent. and an incentive to those al
ready in the service to put forth greater
efforts to attain the high standards which
ha cr,cOoCcfr1 conduct of intarnd-
tional relations and commerce requires.
Application of Merit System.
/ therefore again commend to the ia
vorable action of the Congress the en-
actment of law applying to the diplo-
matte and consular service the principles
embodied i'm section 1853 of the Revised
Statutes of the United States. in the civil
service act of January Is. 1889, and the
executive orders Of June %. 1906. and of
November &c. 1909. In it's consideration
of this important subject L desire to
recall to the attention of the Congress
the very favorable report made on the
I.owden bill for the improvement OF the
foreign service by the foreign aHalrs COM
mittee of the House of Representatives.
Available statistics show the .strictness
with which the merit system has been APP
piled to the foreign service during re-
cent years and the absolute non-partlsdh
selection of consuls and diplomatic serv-
ice secretaries. who indeed, far from be-
ing selected with any view to political
considera ton have actually been chosen
to a disproportionate extent from states
which would have been unrepresented In
the foreign service under the system
which it is to be hoped is now permanent
ly obsolete. Some legislation for the per-
netuation of the present system of exam
nations and promotions upon merit and
efficiency would be of greatest value to
oLr commercial and international inter-
eSts. WILLIAM n. LAT l.
The White House, December Z, 1911.