Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-12
POINTS GRAVE PERIL
Wilson Says House Bill Will
Wreck State Department.
DESTROYS ITS EFFICIENCY
Acting Secretary Declares It Is
Blow to Business Men.
ELIMINATES VITAL OFFICES
In Formal Statement Says United
States Foreign Commerce Will
Get Death Blow.

Apparently aiming to effect one change
in the business methods of the State De-
partment in the interest of economy. the
House of Representatives has inadvert-
emily wrecked the whole organization of
the department. in the opinion of the Of
ficials Acting Secretary Huntington Will
son has made a formal statement of the
effect of the changes which would be
brought about in the department and de-
clared that they would completely thwart
the efforts of the department to extend
the business interests of the country
abroad
If the legislative. executive and Judi
cial appropriation bill should stand as it
has just passed the House. said Mr..
Wilson, lit would wreck the whole re-
organized Department of State, which
has given the American people for the
first time mOdernized foreign Office. By
doing this it would almost nullify all
the efforts of the whole diplomatic and
consular service, because these are use
less without an efficient State Depart
ment to direct them.
Would Hamper Business Men.
In particular. this astoundingly reac-
tionary legislation, if passed, would de-
stroy the divisions of Latin-Amercan,
far eastern, near eastern and European
affairs and would deprive the depart
ment of the service of the some dozen
foreign service men who are attached to
the department in order to give advice
from intimate personal knowledge, and
to carry on all the detail of important
political and commercial diplomatic cor
respondence with each country.
1T would deprive the business men of
the United States of the advantage of all
that these men are able TO give them in
the way of accurate information. 1t
would destroy the bureau of trade rela-
tions. whose efficient efforts to expand
American foreign trade have brought ap-
plause and expressions of appreciation
from the manufacturers and business
men of the whole country, north, south,
east and west.
1T is ridiculous to say that the bureau
of trade relations was created entirely
to apply the maximum and minimum
tariff provisions, although, if that were
so, ii is obvious that the continued ap-
plication of those provisions calls for a
continued Watchfuness. Any one who
would take the trouble to read the pub
lished pamphlet An Outline of the Re
organization and Work of the Depart
ment of State, would perceive how es-
sential to foreign trade expansion is the
work of that bureau. which cannot work
except in direct cooperation with the
diplomatic and consular services.
Eliminates Vital Offices.
The proposed legislation eliminates
the director of consular service. an Of
flee created to give that service, so
vastly important to our commerce. the
live and energetic direction essential
to it's present high efficiency, to say
nothing of the offices of counselor and
resident diplomatic officer. This bill
destroys the division of information
the only means by which two or three
embassies, cooperating for the same
purpose, are kept informed each what
the other is doing.
Without further elaboration it may
be said with absolute accuracy that
such legislation would put the United
States in the rear rank of all govern
ments in the matter of legitimate and
effective support to worthy American
enterprises and to foreign commerce,
and would do all this at the very epoch
in our history when our foreign rela-
tions and our foreign trade have be-
come vastly more important than ever
before, and are plainly seen to be on
the way to an Importance which will
be every year greater to the manu-
facturer. the business man, the ex-
porter. the farmer and the laborer of
the United States.
Before the reorganization three or
four men were expected TO handle the
mass of the most heterogeneous mat
teTS, 1n1neSe. Latin American and
what not; result. large majority of
the opportunities to advance the ma
tional interests simply went by the
board. 1t was physically impossible
to do the work.
Real Efficiency Doomed.
Since the reorganization the busi-
ness men of the country. finding in the
department an up-to date. efficient ma
chine to help them in their efforts for
foreign trade, were at first surprised
and then began eagerly taking advan-
tage of the opportunities offered The
result Is that the business of the de-
partment in promoting foreign trade.
as. indeed. In all political and diplo-
matte directions as WE'LL has incredibly
increased.
If all these instrumentalities are to
be destroyed 1t will be far more
severely felt than IL we had never
tried to have a modern foreign office,
and to do for American business what is
done for our competitors by their gov
ernments.
Practically without debate and an
parently without knowledge or realiza-
tion OF what was being done on the
part of the public and the press. a
really momentous thing has been done.
In a few hours a great department
has been practically wiped out, so far
as any hope of the continuance Of real