The Washington times., 1915-05-07
Low Salaries Hamper
u. S. Consular Service
Dignity and Prestige of American Officials in Latin
America Cannot Be Maintained Until Con-
gress Raises Limit on Pay Allowed
Vice Consuls.
By JUDSON C. WELLIVER.

Because the cost Of living has risen
In South American cities to q point so
high that salaries as fixed by the Amer
lean Government do not suffice to meet
Il, the Consular Service Is unable to
send vice consuls to the more Important
points this year.
Members Of a class Of young men who
had just passed their examinations for
positions as consular assistants, were
told few days ago that IL they had
entertained hopes Of going to South
American capitals, they were likely to
be disappointed. The salary paid to
consular assistants is $1,000 a year, and
experience has shown that in the i'm
portant South American cities 1t is i'm
possible for a man to live on that in
come and sustain the dignity Of an Of
fcial representative Of the United States
Government.
Started At $1,000.
Novices in the consular service are
started at 81, 900 a year. and that is their
limit for the first three years Of service.
If they have survived that probation
ary period, they are entitled to an in
crease Of $500 for the fourth year, and
$500 a year thereafter until they attain
the dignity Of s1.S00 annually. After
that they take their chances Of general
promotion In the service, which at best
is slow enough. A large share Of them
become so well equipped by this time
that the Government cannot retain
them in its service: private and corpor-
ate business offers inducements that
take them away.
Members Of the newly chosen class
Of young men who have demonstrated
special fitness by passing the rig
orous examination that the Civil
Service Commission provides for
Europe and the Far East, where 1t
is held to be possible for them to
live on the salaries they will draw,
Mexico is. theoretically at least,
Canada. But South America. where
this country just now needs efficient
consular representation, cannot sup
port consular assistants at the wages
Congress designates for them, and 81
| a neat subterfuge has been devised
| which is entirely within the law, and
| makes it possible to get the service
In another form.
Fixed Compensation.
The law permits assignment OF
efficient clerks as vice consuls. These
are sent to points where the salary
Of a consular assistant would not
possibly be large enough. They car
| be paid in the discretion of the
| authorities OF the Consular Bureau
anywhere from 81 to $4,000 year
and the compensation Is fixed with
reference to meeting the demands ol
| living. There Is no foreign field ir
| which. today. living costs so much
as in Latin America. The boom ir
Argentina. the initiation in Brazil, tn,
| extravagances of city life in all thu
countries Of the minor Americas, are
generally understood. but nobod,
knows the facts in such impressiv.
detail as the people who have had tt
do with efforts to stretch Govern.
ment salaries over the demands made
| upon those who draw them.
Even the best paid members of tn,
consular force have troubles gettinj
along and living up to the dignity o
their positions. Other countries whicl
assume II commercial Importance at al
comparable to that OF the United State
pay larger salaries, or else make libera
| allowances for maintenance Of livinJ
| establishment, house rent. personal ex
penses, or some other form OF authori
| zation to spend money when necessary
They recognize that their consular Of
| ticials in important places must be abl
to belong to the clubs. to meet men o
| affairs on a proper basis. and to repre-
| sent their country in a dignified way
and so 1t is constantly found that mel
Of foreign service draw. from these gov
ernments. salaries that would lool