The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-03-03
Phil p. Campbell Criticises
United States Foreign Policy.
Kansas Congressman Says It's
Worst i'm the World.
LOWERS RESPECT ABROAD
High Diplomatic Positions Used
to Reward Party Workers.
And Policies Change Every
Time Administration Does.

Washington. March 3.-"The posi-
ton of this republic in the family of
nations makes it important that we
should not be indifferent to the good
opinion of mankind touching our for
eign policy" declared Congressman
Phil p. Campbell of Kansas, IN ao-
dressing the house.
Il want to refer to the foreign pol
icy of the United States, II 1t mas
foreign policy and suggest what re
gard as an important movement. 1t
is doubtful if the United States has a
foreign policy today. Let me illus
trate: In the closing days of the last
administration delicate SITUATION
arose in a neighboring republic. The
retiring president gave as a reason why
he thought it would be 1ndel1cate Tor
him to take any action at that time
that the action might not be in keep
ing with the policy of the incoming
administration.
Need Staple Policy.
MY contention is that the foreign
policy of the United States should not
change with the fortunes of political
parties in political campaigns. No
other great nation changes its foreign
policy as a result of change in politi-
cal parties The foreign policy of the
United States should be a consistent,
continuing policy, maintained by a
foreign office that does not change Its
personnel below the head of the office
"
Il am not criticising this admins
tration more than any other. L am
simply saying that from the founda-
ton of the republic to the present
hour the foreign policy of the coun-
try, if it has one, has changed with
the political parties as they have
changed a result of a political cam
paign by political parties and admins
trations rewarding with foreign APP
pointments and responsible positions
in the state department those who
have rendered conspicuous political
service or given large campaign con-
tributions. This is not the policy of
any other nation on earth, and should
not be.
Lowers Respect.
How can foreign nations with
consistent foreign policy that have
foreign offices with men trained in
foreign service who carry out the pol
icy of their country have respect for
a great nation that gives as a reward
to political campaigners or those who
have given contributions the office OF
ambassador or minister to the great
countries of the world, and too often
without any regard whatever as to
their fitness for work in statecraft
and diplomacy as we have just been
shown by the case of Santo Domingo"
Mr.. Campbell declared all officers
below the secretary of state in the
diplomatic service should be contin-
ued in office indefinitely, regardless
of politics or political changes of adj
miniStrations. II would not change
the assistant secretary of state, I
would not change the counselor for
the state department, and 1 would
have officers who are familiar with
the precedentS and with international
law and usage, and also familiar with
the details of the office and able to
carry out a consecutive foreign pol
icy.
Ignore Partisanship.
ct would make it the policy of the
government of the United States to
ignore partisanship in the matter of
the foreign policy For instance, we
should have a foreign policy that
would have enabled President Taft to
Mexico in the closing days of his adj
ministration that would not have been
changed and would not have invited
a change by the incoming adniniStra-
ton within a few days. The same
thing is true of what has been done in
Colombia. The policy of one admins
tration with that country has been
changed as a result of a change of
political parties. We should be
above and independent of the influ-
ence of foreign nations in our domes-
tic politics.
81 would make it so that men
would have opportunity in our for
eign service to prepare for the for
eign service as a career, just as they
prepare for our military service, as
they prepare for service in the navy
and 1 would advance them as they
show a fitness for advancement, and
/ would have houses and equipment,
so that men of moderate circum-
stances could go to the court of St.
James, to Paris to Berlin, and to all
the great courts of the world with
out having a private fortune or the
fN of a T1I-ix 70