Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-02-25
Counsellor for State Depart
ment Tells Why Diplomatic
Service Should Not Be I'm
der Civil Service,
ADLER MEN SECURED
FROM PRIVATE LIFE
People Of United States Are
Warned Not to Become Ex-
cited During Period Of In
ter1ationaI Peril.

New York, Feb. 24.--Robert Lam
sing. counsellor for the state depart
ment. in a speech before 200 alumni
of Amherst college at their annual
banquet here tonight, declared that
these were critical days for the Unit
ed States, "how critical only those
who are in intimate touch with af-
fairs can realize"
The European war, he said, had
raised a series of problems which
never before had been solved and
the liability of error. the danger of
unintentional partiality and the con-
stant complaint of one or another of
the belligerents makes the path Of
neutrality rough and uncertain"
Mr. Lansing expressed disapproyai
of the suggestion that diplomatic Of
fcers be placed under civil service
rules and defended President Wilson
and Secretary Bryan against eriti-
cism that they failed to retain diplo-
mats who had been named by former
administrations.
Il must say that the emphatic opin-
ions of some OF our former represen-
tatives are rather amusing. when one
considers that they would never have
rules" said Mr.. Lansing.
Initiative Required.
The trouble is that they as well
as other advocates of the system start
out on wrong premises. Chief of these,
think, Is the idea that an amhassa-
dor or minister never acts indepen-
dently and his only duty is TO repeat
words put in his mouth by the de-
partment of state, that he has no
more initiative than consular Of
ficer
Successful diplomacy requires to-
day individual initiative and sound
judgment as it always has.
when it comes to the principal
posts abroad, | am strongly opposed
TO tying the hands of the president
in any way II we had obtained all
our ambassadors aud ministers by
promotion, we would not have had
such men at London as +. j. Phelps
and Joseph H. Choate, or men like
Myron Il. Herrick and Brand Whit
lock. Such men, inexperienced in
practice, but equipped
with qualities which command re-
spect and achieve success are the
ones who have brought lustre to
American diplomacy,
Diplomacy today is wrestling with
novel problems to which 1t must ap-
ply natural justice and practical
common sense. Things have to be
done, not studied, these days. The
motto, Do 1t now is not a piece of
advice in the department. OF state;
1t is a command.
"a question which is a week old
is ancient history.
considering the customary slow
and dlgnified ways of diplomacy this
touch and go method of doing busi-
ness was a decided innovation and
compelled a radical change in the
through which our foreign
affairs are conducted
These are critical days for our
country. It is a time for serious
thought, time of anxiety.
To-day when nations are swayed
with unreasonable passion, when
prejudice blinds them, when they
see red when they misjudge their
friends as well as their foes is the
time for us to avoid harsh judgment,
to preserve calmness in dealing with
them and to curb the natural resent
ment which arises when our acts are
misinterpreted and we are charged
with wrong motives ana purposes.
American citizens, he concluded,
could not be too thankful that they
had president, "whom We can trust
to deal with the momentous and diff
ficult problems of the hour with Wis
dom, justice and patience, having
equal regard for al and favor to-
ward none. uninfluenced by popular
clamor and answering in his deter
mination to maintain the strict neu-
trality which this government has
preserved throughout the war.