The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-04-06

contained in his report from the com
mittee on foreign affairs, upon a bill
| introduced in the house to provide
for the acquisition of premises for
the diplomatic establishments of the
United States in the City of Mexico,
! Tokyo, Japan, and Berne, Switzer-
| land, and for the consular establish
ment of the United States at Hankow.
China. Mr.. Floods report is in part
| as follows:
THE United States is credited with
/ being one of the richest and most
| democratic nations in the world, and
yet in the maintenance of it's diplo-
matte and consular representatives it
ranks far behind every great power
This is poor economy and is man
| ifestly Inconvenience, for the location
| of diplomatic offices in particular is
changing from time to time at the
will of owners of property or accord
| ing to the private fortunes of the
| diplomatic representatives for the
time. Moreover the willingness of an
ambassador with a large private for
tune to maintain an embassy upon a
scale which his successor cannot af-
| ford to continue cannot but result in
injury to the prestige of the gov
eminent. particularly in these quar-
! ters of the world where appearances
count for SO much.
There are two reasons In partic-
| ular why American representatives
abroad are not on an equality with
the representatives of other govern
ment. The salary of an American am
| bassador Is $4,000, while the salaries
| paid by the European governments to
tneir ambassadors range from $685.
600 to $4,000 a year In addition,
an official residence is provided by the
european governments in each place.
Then, too, our diplomats are Obliged
to assume the great burden Of fitting
ana furnishing the houses or apart
nents, involving much trouble and
great deal OF expense. One OF the
most distinguished of American am
bassadors confessed that upon his ar
| rival at his post of duty he was
Obliged to make OUTLAWS for furniture
httings and repairs to the value OF
more than his first years salary, and
even after consuming much time in
obtaining and furnishing his house,
which, after all. was inferior In every
respect to that of every other am
oassador at the capital, he was, two
years afterward, suddenly notified that
the house had been sold and that he
would have to move elsewhere, and
again undergo the burden of house
hunting and the expense of adapting
his furniture and fittings to other
premises.
no loyal American desires his coun-
try's representatives abroad to be
thought less well of than the repre-
sentatlves of other countries or to
possess less ability or to be less use
ful. Yet it is a fact that the existing
conditions under which the foreign
service is maintained are rapidly MAX
ing the primary qualification OF an
ambassador or minister. not in his
ability or culture. or skill but a suf-
hcIent private fortune which he is will
ing to expend I'm maintaining digni-
fled and appropriate establishment.
Must supply Residences.
The remedy for this condition is
the purchase by the government of
for our diplomatic representatives and
some Of our consular representatives
not with the desire TO compete with
any other government in lavish dis
play, but in order to utilize the services
Of the ahlest of our citizens without
means, and to enable them to live re-
specially and to discharge their
duties efficiently. The desirability of
the government ownership Of diplo-
matte and consular buildings abroad
has been recommended by a number
Of presidents"
The acceptance OF the ambassador
ship TO London by Walter N. Page,
who is regarded as in no wise a mil
lionaire. and the reported change Of
mind of William McConbs who IL
now appears may be ambassador to
France. would seem to indicate that
the administration has probably ad-
vised these gentlemen that the passage
OF a bill making appropriations for
embassies can be built will be urged
at this session.