The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-04

| ships upon firm foundation of realities as well as aspirations
 Before briefly reviewing the more
 important events of the last year Tn
 our foreign relations. which it is my
 duty to do as charged with their con
 duet and because diplomatic affairs are
 not Of a nature to make it appropriate
 that the Secretary of state make a formal annual report I desire to touch upon some of the essentials to the safe management of the foreign relations or the United States and to endeavor, also, 10 define clearly certain concrete policies which are the logical modern corollaries of the undisputed and tra- ditional fundamentals of the foreign policy of the United States.
 Reorganization of State Department
 At the beginning of the present ad- mlnistration the United States, having fully entered upon it's position as a world power, with the responsibilities thrust upon it by the results of the Spanish sh-American war and already en- gagged in laying the groundwork of 8 vast foreign trade upon which it should one day become more and more de- pendent, found itself without the ma chinery for giving thorough attention to, and taking effective action upon, a mass of intricate business vital to American interests in every country in the world
 The department of state was an archaic and inadequate machine lacking most of the attributes of the foreign office of any great modern power. With an appropriation made upon my recom- incubation by the Congress on August ,, 1909, the. department of state was completely reorganized. There were faA fcfr x.f ffr1 A arfr o,, affairs and of far eastern, near eastern and western European affairs To these divisions were called from the foreign service diplomatic and consular officers possessing experience and Knowledge gained by actual service in different parts of the world and thus familiar with political and commercial condi- tions in the regions concerned. The work was highly specialized The re- suit is that where previously this gov ernment from time to time would em- phasize in its foreign relations one or another policy, now American interests in every quarter of the globe are being cultivated with equal assiduity. This principle of politico geographical diyi- sion possesses also the good feature of making possible rotation between the officers of the departmental, the diplomatic and the consular branches of the foreign service, and thus keeps the whole diplomatic and consular es- establishments under the department of state in close touch and equally in- spired with the aims and policy of the government. Through the newly ere ated division of information the foreign service Is kept fully informed of what transpires from day to day in the in- ternationa1 relations of the country and contemporary foreign comment affect Ing American interests Is promptly brought to the attention of the depart ment. The law offices of the depart ment were greatly strengthened. There were added foreign trade advisers to cooperate with the diplomatic and consular bureaus and the politico-geo- graphical divisions in the innumerable matters where commercial diplomacy or consular work calls for such special knowledge. The same officers, together with the rest of the new organiza- ton, are able at all times to give to American citizens accurate information as to conditions in foreign countries with which they have business and likewise to cooperate more effectively with the Congress and also with the other executive departments.
 The Merit System
 Expert knowledge and professional training must evidently be the essence of this reorganization. Without a trained foreign service there would not be men available for the work in the reorganized department of state. President Cleveland had taken the first step toward intro- ducing the merit system in the foreign service. That had been followed by the application of the merit principle, with excellent results, to the entire consular branch. Almost nothing. however had been done In this direction with regard to the diplomatic service. Tn this age of commercial diplomacy 1t was evidently of the first importance to train an ade- ouate personnel In that branch of the service. Therefore, on November 26, 1909, by an executive order placed the diplo- matic service up to the grade of secre- tary of embassy. inclusive, upon exactly the same strict nonpartsan basis of the merit system, rigid examination for ap- polntment and promotion only for eff cheney, as had been maintained without exception in the consular service.
 Statistics as to Appointments
 How faithful to the merit system and how non-partisan has been the conduct of the diplomatic and consular services in the last four years may be judged from the following Three ambassadors now serving held their present rank at the beginning of my administration Of the ten ambassadors whom I have appointed. five were by promotion from the rank of minister. Nine ministers now serving held their present rank at the beginning of the administration Of the 20 ministers whom have appointed, II were promoted from the lower grades of the foreign service or from the department of state. Of the 10 missions in Latin America. where our relations are close and our interest is great. 15 chiefs of mission are service men, three having entered the service dur ing this administrations The 37 secre- taries of embassy or legation who have received their initial appointments after passing successfully the required exam ination were chosen for ascertaned fit ness. without regard to political affilia- tions A dearth of candidates from southern and western states has alone made 1t impossible thus far completely to equalize all the states representations in the foreign service. In the effort to eaualze the representation of the various states in the consular service have made l6 of the 29 new appointments as consul which have occurred during my admins tration from the southern states. This is 55 per cent Every other consular ap- pointment made, including the promotion of Il young men from the consular as- sistant and student interpreter corps. has been by promotion or transfer, based sole ly upon efficiency shown in the service.
 In order to assure to the business and other interests of the United States a con- tinuance of the resulting benefits of this reform, I earnestly renew my previous recommendations of legislation making it permanent along some such lines as those of the measure now pending in Con gress.
 Larger Provision for Legations