South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-09-29
STOCK-RALSING
Business Men Not
Essential to Apt
Consular Service

Training for foreign service is dis
cussed in bulletin 81. 1917, just is
sued by the bureau of education of
the department Of interior This bull
letin gives an account of the recent
conference Of this subject, which
was held in the city of Washington.
on invitation Of the commissioner Of
education in cooperation with the
director general OF the Pan-Ameri-
can union, the din actor of the con-
sular service. the chief Of the bu-
reau OF foreign and domestic COM
merce, and the organizing secretary
OF the conference. DR.. Glen Levin
Swiggett. assisting secretary general
OF the second Pan-American scien-
tile congress. The bulletin prints in
full the addresses of the director of
the consular service and the presi-
dent of the national foreign trade
council.
Training for foreign service, 90
says Or Swirget,, who prepared
the bulletin. must he JaseC upon
satisfactory courses in commercial
education. Industry. trade. and
diplomacy are working conformity
an creating new international
policy Tor the nations of the world.
The technique OF commerce must
Ebc familiar to the consul and dip
lomat Of the future. The social
g Cd,
foreign fields, with or without trc
supervision OF patronase of tie
government can not be efficient
without training in foreign rela-
lions courses based on the fundI-
moutals of commercial education -
The address of the director Of
the consular service. Wilbur J
Carr. deals at length with the func-
tons OF cOnsuls of the United
states. the organization and admin-
istration of the consular service.
and the qualifications for entrance.
Mr.. Carr does not accept the view
that business experience is indis-
pensable 10 a successful consular
career. some OF our business
men" lie says. are fond OF the
view that the consular service
should be made up of men VINO
have had practical business eXper-
imce and this view exists not onlT
10 some extent IN the United States
/ but also i'm Germany and Great
Britain. and presumably in France
and ether countries 1t is based.
however. on the fact that business
men see only one phase Of the
activities of consuls, namely, that
Of direct promotion OF commerce,
and they overlook several other
important duties OF consuls. An
other objection to the proposition
that ccnsuls should be trained bus
mess men is that the government
will never bc able TO induce a large
number OF men OF a hish order Of
ability 20 give up the independence
and rewards of a successful private
business for the meager compensa-
ton now or likely 10 be offered, ana
the unsuccessful or mediocre bus
mess man is not wanted"
Enlightened business men of the
United States, as well as OF other
commercial nations. are Of one
mind i'm regard TO the necessity and
value of adequate educational prep
aratiOn for business, domestic and
+ foreign. and nearly all countries
are already making plans 10 estab-
/ lish courses OF study that Will meet
I the business needs of these cOun-
tries. particularly in the field of eN-
I port. James A Farrell, president
OF the national foreign trade coUn-
/ Gil. i'm the course of his remarks,
sums up this situation as follows:
Those VINO are taking the in
itial steps by creating export dc
partments in their organizations,
/ and adiu sting OF changing their
| products To meet conditions prevail
ing i'm the markets they would
reach, are, first of all, confrOntc
/ by the problem of obtaining work
men, Office men, statesmen, and en-
ccutives trained TO handle theiI
business. a difficulty which It is
safe 10 say, but few companies first
easy of solution This condition
prevails because the forei IN trade
of the United States is i'm its iu-
fancy ard only recently has the
question Of special training been
considered 10y public men, corpora
+ lions. public schools. and univer-
sites.
we are only just realizing that
+ this is one of the handicsps We
have been under i'm the cOmpc-
tition with our European CONNER
cial rivals. and this is why hank
Ing. shipping. exporting, and man
ufacturing offices are employing an
+ ever-incr easing number of foreign
born persons who acquire thf
requisite special training in schools
universities, and business offices il
+ ENGLAND. Germany and France
A. /. /. . /.