The Washington herald., 1912-05-12
KNOX AND WILSON
MAY RESIGN OFFICE
Reports Declare State Department
omcials viii Quit If Legisla-
tive Bill Passes Senate.
HOUSE MEASURE HITS
FOREIGN SERVICE HARD
Assistant Secretary Wilson Issues
Statement, Asserting the Changes
Would Wipe Out Department.

The designations Of Secretary OF
State Knox and Assistant Secretary
Wilson yesterday were declared to be
the logical and probable consequence II
the House legislation affecting the
State Department becomes law.
The measures adopted by the House
are contained in the legislative bill
passed Friday, and II they go into ef-
feet tear the heart out Of the State
Department. so far as its present or
ganization is concerned, by abolishing
the ofices Of the men engaged in han
ding the foreign affairs and trade re-
lations of the United States The real
ization yesterday of what the House
partment oficisls to a high pitch OF
Indignation.
Acting Secretary Huntington Wilson
said yesterday afternoon:
Practically without debate and ap-
parently without knowledge or realiz-
alton of what was being done on the
part of the public and press. really
momentous thing has been done. In
few hours a great department has been
practicaIly wiped out, SO far as any
hope of the continuance Of real EN-
cheney is, concerned"
Ak Chops Hard.
The House bill proposed abolishes the
Bureau Of Trade Relations, the ONCE OF
Counselor OF the State Department, the
ofice Of Director of the Consular Service,
and the chiefs OF all the divisions Of for
eign affairs, created under the reorgani-
zation Of the department in 1900. A saving
of $4,000 a year in salaries, is effected
by this blow OF the Democratic axe. At
the same time all the men who, during
~. kor han
such questions as the Mexican situation,
the protection Of Americans In China,
and the Chinese loan, the Russian pass
port problem. the new treaty with
Japan, and other equally important mat
tiers Of diplomatic intercourse, are legis-
lated ont OF office.
The Bureau of Trade Relations, on the
other hand. has been at work since 1903,
cooperating with the members Of the
consular and diplomatic service in ad-
vancing the sale of American goods in
foreign countries. This bureau assisted
In winning the contract for two dread
noughts now building for Argentina In
American ship yards, and has brought
about the removal of many prohibitive
restrictions imposed by numerous foreign
countries upon American goods. Only
this week it was announced from this
bureau that its endeavors to have pro-
Of American products such as cotton
seed and mineral oils had been success
full In Roumania, Bulgaria, and Belgium.
An the ofices abolished by the House
act were created under an annual appro-
priation of 100000 granted by Congress
upon the occasion of the reorganization
Of the department.
Onices Abolished July 1.
If the House act becomes law the offces
ebolishSd will be out Of existence July
next. While it is believed that the Senate
will restore at least part of the organi-
zation thus broken down, department Of
fcials are pessimistic. Acting Secretary
Wilson gave out the following statement
last night:
IF the legislative, executive, and ju-
diciaI appropriation bill should stand as
II has just passed the House, it would
wreck the whole reorganized Department
of State, which has given the American
people for the first time a modernized
foreign office. By doing this it would
almost nullify all the effort of the whole
diplomatic and consular service, because
these are useless without an efficient
State Department to direct them.
In particular, this sstoundingly reac-
tionary legislation, IL passed, would de-
sLTOy the OlNlslOnS OF LdIln-Amerlcan.
far Eastern, near Easter, and European
affairs, and would deprive the department
Of the services of dozen foreign serv- |
Ice men who are attached to the depart |
ment in order to give advice from inti- |
mate personal knowledge and to carry |
on all the detail Of important political |
and commercial diplomatic correspond |
ence with each country. It would destroy |
the Bureau OF Trade Relations whose !
efficient efforts to expand American for
eign trade have brought applause and |
expressions and appreciation from the
and business men Of the
whole country, North. South. East, and |
West. -
America in Rear Rank.
Without further elaboration, ii may be
said with absolute accuracy that such |
legislation would put the United States
in the rear rank Of all governments in
the matter OF legitimate and effective
support to worthy American enterprises /
and to foreign commerce, and would do
Hiph-gTade GTneaTinS pTnViSinns He