Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-24
President Said to Contemplate
Message to Congress on
Subject.
MAY ALSO ASK FOR MORE
MONEY FOR RESIDENCES
Present Salary Scale Acts as Bar to
Men of Modest Means-Sena-
tor Bacon's Views.


by Congress to remedy the situation. so
far as emoluments are concerned. which
has caused a number of prominent men
to declins important diplomatic posts
abroad because their acceptance would
entail too great sacrifices, is believed,
from President Wilson's statement. issued
last night in connection with the refusal
of William F. McCombs to accept the
office OF ambassador to France, in which
he deplored the fact that only wealthy
men may accept these positions.
1t was rumored today that President
Wilson would take up this matter in a
special message to Congress, SO serious
does he consider the situation.
Senator Bacon of Georgia, chairman OF
the Senate foreign relations committee,
lions should be such that men of ability.
but OF moderate means. should be debar-
red from accepting important posts
abroad because of the fact that their
as ambassadors or ministers
would not permit them to fill these posi-
lions and maintain the dignity which
should attend the representatives Of the
United States in foreign capitals.
Homes for Diplomats.
II the government would provide suit
able homes in foreign capitals for it's
representatives abroad. suitable in each
instance in character OF construction and
appointment, said Senator Bacon. Il
believe that 1T would go far to solve the
problem. ! have heretofore advocated in
the Senate and voted in favor of purchas
ing such homes for our foreign repre-
sentatives. and 1 expect to advocate and
vote for them in the future
Senator Bacon was asked If he believ
nrnviNp these homes would =
sufficient, or whether he thought that
salaries should be increased also
Il am not prepared to say replied the
senator But L think that to provide
these homes would go far to obviate the
present difficulty. If an ambassador has
a dignified and we'll appointed residence
he WILDE able, although a man of modest
means, to maintain properly his station as
the representative of this government.
In my opinion, not only should an
or minister be provided with
a house duly appointed and furnished, but
he should be required by law to reside in
1t, SO that il a rich man should be APP
pointed to the position he could not rent
q palace and set a pace that his successor
could not follow unless he were also
rich man.
Senator Bacon has taken keen in
terest in the matter of providing for
the foreign representatives of the United
States for many years. 1t was through
Senator Bacon and former Senator
Knox, afterward Secretary Of State,
that legislation was enacted for the
purchase of the American ambassadors
home in Constantinople. The United
States owns also at present the home
of the ambassador to japan, as well as
legations in several minor countries.
Laws Limitations.
In February, 1911, law was enacted
authorizing the Secretary Of State to
acquire in foreign countries such sites
and buildings as may be appropriated
for by Congress for the use of the
diplomatic and consular establishments.
A provision was included in the law
that not more than 100000 should be
expended for this purpose during any
one year. and also that no building
and site should cost in excess Of $780,,
600
L do not believe that the limitation
Of $4,000 for a building should be i'm
posed" said Senator Bacon today In
some of the large foreign capitals 1T
which would be suitable and COM
mensurate with the dignity Of this
country for such sum. In London,
Berlin, Paris, Rome. Vienna and st.
Petersburg l do not believe suitable
homes for our foreign representatives
a sum. The limitation in amount
should be greater In some instances
than in others.
IF my recollection Is correct. it, was
the House which placed the Limitation
of $4,000 in the bill, and the Senate
foreign relations committee. believing
that it would be better to accept this
than to jeopardize the legis-
latiOn, did not oppose it.
The State Department submitted esti-
mates to Congress for q number Of build
ings In foreign countries to be used as
homes Of the members of the diplomatic
corps, but no provision was made by Con-
sress for constructing or purchasing
them.
The recommendations for buildings
abroad were as follows: For the use OF
the embassy in Mexico, $150,OOO; for the
use of the embassy in Japan, $4,000;
for the use OF the legation at Berne,
Switzerland, $4,000, and for the con-
sulate general at Hankow. China, 100000.
In q letter to the Secretary of the
Treasury the Secretary Of State de-
clared that reports made by diplomatic
officers showed 1t impossible to purchase
for $4,000 suitable buildings, or to
erect them in many Of the larger foreign
capitals.
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