Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1912-12-05


Nine ministers now serving held their
present rank at the beginning of the
administration. or the thirty ministers
whom i have appointed, eleven were
promoted from the lower grades Of the
foreign service or from the departmeni
Of state. or the nineteen missions IN
Latin-America, where our relations are
close and our interest is great, fifteen
chiefs of mission are service men
three having entered the service during
this administration.
The thirty-seven secretaries of EN-
bassy or legation who have received
their initial appointments after passing
successfully the required examination
were chosen for ascertained fitness
without regard to political Affiliations
A dearth of candidates from southern
and western states has alone made il
impossible thus far completely to equal
lie all the states Representations in
the foreign service. In the effort to
equaliZe the representation Of the va
rious states in the consular service
have made sixteen Of the twenty-nine
new appointments as consul which
have occurred during my administra.
ton from the southern states. This is
b5 per cent Every other consular ap-
pointment made, including the promo
ton Of eleven young men from the con
sular assistant and student interpretei
corps, has been by promotion or trans
fer, based solely upon efficiency shown
in the service.
Larger Provision For Embassies and
Legations Recommended.
In connection with legislation for tie
amelioration of the foreign service,
wish to invite attention to the adyisl
bility Of placing the salary appropra
tions upon better basis. | beiic q
that the best results would be obtau
by moderate scale of salaries, "
adequate funds for the expenses o..
proper representation, based in each
case upon the scale and cost of livir-
at each post, controlled by a system o..
accounting and under the general di
rection of the department of state.
In line with the object which | haze
sought of placing our foreign servise
on basis of permanency, | have
various times advOrotc7 ""o--'
congress for the acquisition of goverr.
ment owned buildings tor the res4u--.
and offices of our diplomatic officer.
as to place them more nearly on al.
equality with similar officers Of otAa,
nations and to do away with the dis.
elimination which otherwise must ne.
essarily be made in some cases in favol
of men having large private fortunes
Diplomacy Handmaid Of Commerce.
Intercourse and Peace.
The diplomacy of the present al.
ministration has sought to respond TO
modern ideas Of commercial inter
course. This policy has been cha,ac
terized as substituting dollars for bull
let's. 1t is one that appeals alike to
ldealistic humanitarian sentiments 90
the dictates Of sound policy and stra
egy and to legitimate commercial
aims. 1t is an effort frankly directed
to the increase Of American trade'upon
the automatic principle that the gov
ernment of the United States shall eX
tend all proper support to every legiti-
mate and beneficial American enter
prise abroad. How great have been
the results Of this diplomacy, coupled
with the maximum ard minimum pro
vision of the tariff law, will be seen
by some consideration Of the wonder.
full increase in the export trade of the
United States Because modern di-
plomacy Is commercial there has been
disposition In some quarters TO at
tribute to it none burt materiafstic
aims. How striklngly erroneous is
such an impression may be seen from
study OF the results by which the
diplomacy of the United States can be
judged.
Successful Efforts In Promotion Of
Peace.
In the field of work toward the Ideals
Of peace this government negotiated
but to my regret was unable to con
summate, two arbitration treaties
which set the highest mark of the
aspiration of nations toward the sub
stitution of arbitration and reason for
war in the settlement of international
disputes. Through the efforts Of
American diplomacy several wars
have been prevented or ended. re-
fer to the successful tripartite media.
ton Of the Argentine Republic, Bra.
I'll, and the United States between
Peru and Ecuador. the bringing of the
boundary dispute between Panama
and Costa Rica to peaceful arbitra.
ton; the staying of warlike prepara.
tions when Haiti and the Dominican
Republic were on the verge Of hostil
tiles; the stopping of a war in Nicara
qua; the hating Of internecine strife
In Honduras.
y The government of the United
States was thanked for Its influence