The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1912-12-06

.stives: The foreign relations of the
United States actually and potentially af-
feet the state OF the Union to a degree
nat widely realized and hardly surpassed
BY any other factor In the welfare OF
the whole nation. The position OF the
United States in the moral. intellectual,
and material relations of the family Of
nations should be a matter Of vital inter
est to every patriotic citizen. The nation
al prosperity and power impose upon US
duties which we canno shirk II we are
to be true to our ideals. Thu tremendous
growth of the export trade Of the United
States has already made that trade a
very real factor In the industrial and
commercial prosperity OF the country.
with the development OF our Industries
the foreign of the United States
must rapidly become q still more es-
sential factor in its economic welfare.
Whether we have q far-seeing and wise
diplomacy and are not recklessly plunged
into unnecessary wars, and whether our
foreign policies are based upon an intel
Ilgent grasp Of present-day world con-
ditlons and a clear view of the potential
ties Of the future, or are governed by a
temporary and timid expedlency or by
narrow views BETTING an infant nation,
are questions in the alternative consider
alton of which must convince any
thoughtful citizen that no department Of
us+inpal motley offers greater onporfunity
for promoting the interests Of the whole
people on the one hand, or greater chance
on the other of permanent national in
S,ry than that which deals with the for
oJon rnIa+ions ~ Tho JIn,ted States.
The mental foreign policjes Of the
Yrnited stntes should he raised high above
the conflict OF partisanship and wholly
dissociated from differences as to domes-
Ito noIicv In tn fore,en AFFAIRS fine
TTnited States shorId present TO the world
n united front Tba intellectual financial
ana Industrial interesta ~ tha country
and the nubpcist the wape Garner. the
farmer ana citizen ~ vhafever occ,1pa-
ZION must cooperate in n spirit of high
patriotism to promote that national SOIL
dar1ty which Is indispensable TO national
efficiency and to the attainment OF ma"
uonal Ideals.
The relations OF the United states win
all foreign powers remain upon a souha
basis OF peace, harmony and friendship
A greater insistence upon justice TO Amer
fcan citizens or interests Wherever IL may
have been denied and a stronger enpha-
sis OF the need OF mutuahty IN CONNER
clal ana other relaIons nave ohly seFEeu
to strengthen our 1rienashlps WIN ioE"
eign countries by placing those friend
ehlps upon a Lrin louhoa|oh VI feaAi'o"
as well as aspiratons'
Before Briefly reviewing ithe more
portant events OF the last year IN our Tor
eign relations when u ID my outy 10 uo
as charged with their conduct ana De-
cause diplomatic affairs are not OF a ma
tuer to make 1t appropriate mat the sec
rotary OF state make a FORMAL annual re-
port, I desire to touch upon some OF the
essentials to the safe management OF the
foreign relations OF the United states ana
to endeaVor, also, to define clearly certain
concrete policies which are the ioslcal
modern corrollartes OF the u~ndisputeo ana
traditional fundamentals of the foreign
policy of the United States.
Reorganization OF the State Depart
ment.
A a,,a 80 +no rroser+ aau
~ !. H. 80, s+otaa Waving
Mit"7sis ~. no,,+Inn &C. q void
AuIy III r. nosnonathiI,+Ias +br1at
po"e, hr ~ ros,,Its ~ tbo snarlsh-
upon ~ Wy - nnS aIrnadv enea areJ nj
Aneil'an 49, ~ 20 a ,,as1 fnre;gn
49, 80 ,,btct1 - sbo,,1d ono dav he
m raw npun m anS more densndent> found
itself without the machinery for giving
thorough attention to. n kin effec-
tive action upon, a mass of intricate BUS
iness vital to American interests in every
country IN the world.
The deparement Of state was an archaic
and inadequate machine lacking most Of
the attributes Of the foreign office of any
great modern power. With an a%pproprta-
ton made upon my recommendation by
the congress on August 6, 1909, the de-
partment of state was completely reor-
ganized,
They were created divisions Of Latin
American 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 serv-
ice In different parts of the world and
thus familiar with political and COM
mercial conditions in the regions con-
cerned. The work was highly special
fzed. The result Is that where previ-
ously this government from time to
Nme would emphasize in its foreign
relations one or another policy, now
American interests In every quarter of
the globe are being cultivated with
equal assiduity:: n
meF't system w So"sa'a' a"1 ~'rN.
matte Corps.
Expert knowledge ana professional
training must evidently be the essence
of this reorganization. Without q
trained foreign service there Would
not be men available for the work In
the reorganized department of state.
President Cleveland has taken the first
step toward Introducing the merit
system in the foreign service. That
had been followed by the application
of he 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. In this age
of commercial diplomacy 1t was evil
IDENTIFY of the first Importance to train
an adequate personnel in that branch
II seana"o, Hsa.4yn ordar T
placed the diplomatic service up 10