The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-09-18
Good Work of Ambassadors

Good Work of Ambassadors
 The time has never been since the founding of the United States that diplomatic representatives from thls government to foreign governments were not needed. In the early days John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Ben iamin Franklin and other famous pa triots were sent abroad as ministers plenipotentiary, and few of our pio- neer statesmen achieved such great things as they in strengthening our position as an independent power.
 In these latter days, however, it has been the fashion among some pol iticians and newspaper writers and especially pert paragraphers to speak slightingly of the men who represent us in foreign lands. There has been no sort of criticism of the personal character of our ministers plenipoten- riary, but as far back as the sos a certain NeN York newspaper of rec ognized influence published series of vigorous editorials suggesting that our entire diplomatic service be dis continued; that legations-we had no embassies then-were expensive and uselessly so. The paper in question contended that in this day of cable telegraph all our diplomatic business could be conducted by wire. The sug- gestion was, of course, absurd. It was meant to be cynical The fact was that the cry for the discontinuance of our diplomatic exchanges was in tended to be a slam at President Cleveland's first administration, al- though this country was then repre- sented abroad by exceptionally able and well equipped men-E. J. Phelps of Vermont, minister to England, and J. L. M. Curry of Alabama, minister to Spain, being among the dstin- guished Americans of the diplomatic service abroad
 After our diplomatic representa- tives to the principal countries were raised to the fank of ambassador we have had many notable men filling these positions, and through them many important treaties have been negotiated. Never, however, have ann bassadors been kept quite so busy as now during this great European war. Not only have their wits been taxed in handling diplomatic matters, but they have had the responsibilitv of caring for tens of thousands of Amer jeans in the old world.
 Myron T. Herrick of Ohio, a re- publican, who was appointed ambas- sador to France by President Taft. ha9 proved himself to be so useful in Paris that he was not replaced by democrat. He has won golden opin- ions from Americans within the past few weeks. James Watson Gerard. ambassador to Germany, was one of President Wilson's early appointees. While he had had no diplomatic ex- perience he was man of many ac- complishments and of. varied school ing. He was chairman of the demo- cratic campaign committee of New York four years, was major of the National Guard four years, and was associate justice of the supreme court of New York three years. Like Am bassador Herrick in Paris, Ambassa- dor Gerard has won the highest es- teem of American tourists who were caught in Germany when the war came on. Walter H. Page of North Carolina and New York, ambassador to Great Britain, who was having something of a picnic, So to speak, before the war began, has since the first of August led strenuous life and has risen fully to the occasion These ambassadors and many more of our diplomatic representatives all