The farmer and mechanic., 1915-04-13

geing an American consul today is
8 profession. A commission as con-
.pI is a certificate that the possessor
has passed severe test and has dem
onstrated that he has peculiar ability
md fitness for his work. Once it
meant simply that he had political in
rluence, writes Ashmun Brown, in the
Washington Star.
Further, the American consular
ssrvice this year. for the first time
in its history, is a great mobile force.
It's personnel is not tied to particular
posts, but may be massed. as occasion |
4rises-and the occasion is constantly |
arising-at strategic points.
\ man is not merely American con- |
sal at Annoy, China: he is a member |
of permanent service, subject to dis |
patch where his services are most
needed.
Briefly, he is a member Of what
amounts to new corps in the service
Of Uncle Sam: a corps Of ideals Of
demonstrated efficiency, Of high stand
ards Step by step, bit by bit, in the
past nine years this new corps has
been built up. Permanency is it's
fourdation stone. Men go into it now
for lifetime service, with promise of
rewards in promotion and pay for
proved worth.
There were some good consuls in
the old days before the reformation Of
the service; scores OF them. The mix
ipc pot of political preferment some
times brings good men to the top. But
there was no particular reward for
excellence of service. The good were
often the under paid; the poor the
overpaid. And all. good and bad
alike, were subject to removal with the
change of administration. Standards
Of service consequently were not high.
This. beginning with the new con-
sular regulations issued by the Presi-
dent in 1906, has been changed. Per-
manency was establishing by those
regulations. Now, by act of Congress
approved only February last. has
come the other great change, the es-
adjustment of mobility Of force.
by Commission"
The essential thing in this new law
Is the paragraphs: THAT hereafter all
appointments Of secretaries in the di-
plomatic service and of consuls gen.
eral and consuls shall be by COM
mission to the offices of secretary Of
embassy or legation, consul general
or consul, and not by commission tC
any particular post, and that such Of
dCers shall be assigned to posts ant
transferred from one post to another
by order of the President, as the in
1erests of the service may require
heretofore when the State Depart
ueut wanted to advance a mans sal
tIt LOT especially SOOO WORK OOue, l
mad to get the President to appOin
him to some other post and the
get the Senate to confirm the appoint
ruent.
Today men are transferred fror
post TO post without having to Sc
cure senatorial confirmation. WheI
however, man is promoted fror
one grade to another higher, his me-
appointment has to be confirmed b
the Senate, just as army and nav
promotions have to be confirmed b
the Senate. The consular service thu
has been put On precisely the sam
basis with regard to promotion as tf
military services. with this difference
mere seniority does not weigh in prt
noting. What does, then? The al
sWer is: The efficiency record.
tucked away in the lower righ
hand drawer of spacious desk in
spacious room in the spacious Depar
fnent Of State at Washington is tn
efficiency record. 1t is nothing b
loose-leaf binder, packed fat wi
typewritten sheets, and it looks n
at all impressive. Still, it contal
The hopes and fears. the glory a.
me discredit, the ambitions and t
.might-have- -beens'' of all the army
American consuls on the far-f1ung IL
ot American interests abroad.
When a man enters the service
name, age. details Of personal histo
and Of his examination were tyr
written at the top Of sheet, whl
then is placed in the binder. II
handles Situation" WELL the fact
put down on the sheet If minis
or ambassador commends him to
department for something he has do
down that goes. Does he write
port that evokes just criticism, Il
Iact also is noted.
In the scheme of the consular Sc
ice there are five inspectors, one
each of the arbitrary divisions i
which the department divides
world; North America, South Am
lea, the far East, the near East {
Africa and Europe. Each inspec
must inspect all the consulates in
Jurisdiction at least once every