Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-08-31
WHAT THE STATE DEPARTMENT
DOES.

The average man knows little about
the State department but his ignorance
is not so reprehensble if We look at the
matter from his point Of view He
/ never deals with the department himself,
and, unless he lives at a seaport where
| there is direct foreign intercourse he
sees nothing to remind him of American
! interests abroad. He takes the eXeCu-
| tive government at Washington for
| granted and does not concern himself
! with the question Of how it operates.
Yet the regular business Of the State de-
| partment is extensive and important.
make no apology for telling what a few
| of the duties are.
| 1t manages the consular service. and
the map of the world Is dotted with
American consuls. The service num-
bers more than twelve hundred people
2s9 principal officers. three times as
many vceconsuls and consular agents,
besides clerks, consular assistants, in
terpreters, and student Interpreters The
American consular service is the largest
in the world and second to none in eff
ficienoy. Before the reform measures
| of 1906 put It upon permanent merit
basis it was an inferior service There
| ability in it, but the average was low,
for the consuls were appointed at the
instance Of politicians. and politicians
chose their friends and henchmen. The
State department used to try to train
them, but they were dismissed before
they we're trained and some of them
were not trainable. Happily, these con-
ditions have passed now active young
men are selected for the consular serv-
ice after they have passed severe eN-
animation; the tenure of office is reason
ably certain, and promotions cOWe if
the record is good. 1t is not an easy
thing to be n good consul. The resoonsi-
blities are heavy and the duties are
multifarious. The State department has
prescribed the regulations which govern
the consuls and has printed them in a
handbook which is divided into some
three thousand paragraphs Some OF
these paragraphs apply to all consuls
and all of them apply to some consuls.
When a consul blunderG, or is ignorant
or negligent, the State department cor
reefs him, teaches him. or reprimands
him. Sometimes It recalls him, for there
are many foundations in consul's path
and occasionally one stumbles and falls
The correspondence with the consHls Is
large In volume and varied in character
1t embraces every subject imaginable
from consuls personal debts to the
system of drainage used in his district
TO manage the service requires Wd6
range Of knowledge. Everywhere N the
world there are Americans and American
interests. and everywhere the are consul'
to protect them, acting under the super
vision of the State department.
The MANAGEMENT Of the diplomatic
service is not SO varied task as the
management of the consuls, for there
are only about two hundred American
diplomats and they are concentrated a
the capitals. Moreover. their duties are
} not so diverse as those of the consuls
although at times they are Of greater
importance. In normal times-if times
ever are normal-dplometic agents car
lead agreeable lives. OF course the
State department is always watchn9
them. as II also watches the consuls
and It crticises them without regard Il
their feelings II lies IN wait for blund
ers. and pounces upon them, and. as {
consequence, a diplomat or consul WHIT
has not n grievance against his HON,
government is 4 lalltN' oui ulp4Oiiid''
service Is not as excellent as our con
sular service Secretaries of embassy
: and legation are appointed, as the con
: suls are. after a hard examination; bu
they cannot expect promotion beyond
the lower grades so the best talent doe
: not seek admission to career which of
: fers poor prospects of advancement. /
is not strange. therefore, that some o
the young men who do seek 1t are o
the class who accept Edmond About
definition of diplomacy and think it Il
the art Of tying ones cravat '-Gaillar'
Hunt in Harpers Magazine for septem
Der,