The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-11-12
THE TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
INFORMATlON BUREAU
BY FREDERIC }. HAsKIH, Director,
Washington, ID. C.
COLLEGE MEN NEEDED FOR
WORK ABROAD

ed; trained young men TO serve lheI
country abroad as consuls diplomats
and business men.
That is a sign that should be posted
in every university in the country this
fall. To the man who is now begin
ming mis- college education foreign
service offers a career in a profession
that Is not ovCrcrowded, is sure to
grow in Importance and the size of its
rewards, and is essential to that. de-
velopment of international relations
which is to be the keynote of civiliza-
ton after the war.
Conquest by Arms No More.
For the war has convincingly dem
onstrated that the age OF conquest by
arms is over. We may have wars in
the future, but they will not be wars
of conquest; the conquests OF the fu-
ture will be by peaceful penetFa-
lions, by diplomacy and trade. Even
this war will be settled primarily by
diplomacy, and Germany has already
lost more ~ prestige by her bonehead
diplomacy than she has won in terri
tory by her brilliant arms.
Long before the European war, the
nations were striving with each other
to gain spheres of influence by peace
full means. In Africa and the Orient,
and in South America all of the prin-
cipal world powers strove to gain the
trade and influence in undeveloped
countries. Only the United States lag
ged in the struggle, letting the Euro
pean nations Outstrip her utterly in
Africa and the Orient, letting Japan
gain a leech-like hold upon unwilling
China, even permitting European Gull
ture and t lie to dominate some of
the Latin-American countries
The war has given US an unfair adj
vantage,-a handicap chance to catch
up-and we have made some use of it
in tin-America- But all of the Eu-
ropean nations perceive that the great
struggle + commerce and diplomacy
will begin again as soon as a treaty of
peace is signed. They are training
men for commerce even when men are
needed so urgently for war. Their
statesmen an consuls and diplomats
have always been superior to ours.
Export has long been a science to
them; to us for tn, most part hap
hazard process. Only by putting more
men and trained men into the field
can the United States maintain the
prestige which this war will bring her
as a power, gain her fair share of the
trade of the world.
The Foreign Field for Trade.
The government is planning an ex-
panson of the consular service by
adding paid vice. consuls; and it is es-
tablishing new consulates every year.
Business in America is awakening to
the opportunities of foreign trade. Ac-
cording to James w. Farrell, president
of the National Foreign trade coun-
ell, before the war nearly all of the
export trade of the United States was
in the hands of a score of big corpor-
atoms, while now thousands of firms
are preparing to enter the foreign
field by adding export departments,
and modifying their products in ac-
cordance with foreign demand.
These firms need trained men-men
educated for foreign trade. The con-
su1ar service needs men educated in
foreign trade and international law.
The diplomatic servi se is probably
more in nee of help than either of
the others, but since a man must have
political influence and wealth to enter
this field, it is not worth consideration
of the young man who has only his
brains and energy to rely upon.
This demand for trained men must
be filled by American universities.
The bureau of education, realizing
this fact, called not long ago a confer.
ence of college presidents and pro-
fessors to discuss the subject of train
ing for foreign service. Under the
direction of Glen Levin Swiggett, the
bureaus specialist in commercial edu-
cation, a meeting was held at which
the need for trained men, and means
at hand for training them were fully
discussed.
Fitting People for Foreign Service.
This conference brought out the
facts that only a few of the American
specifically intended to fit a man for
foreign service. 1t also showed that
there is something radically wrong
with their methods of teaching for
eign languages, since men who have
studied French and German four
years in college are quite commonly
unable either to read or to speak it.
1t has been suggested that a special
institute should be founded by the
government for the training of con-
suls and diplomats, just as soldiers
and sailors are trained at West Point
and Annapolis. Mr.. Wilbur J. Carr,
director of the consular service, told
the conference that he was not in ia
vor of founding such an institute be-
cause the number of new men yearly
required is not now large enough to
justify it, The number of men re-
quired is steadily growing, however,
and unless American universities
meet the demand for scientific train
ing along this line, such as European
universities offer, the government
will doubtless be compelled to supply
the need.
Mr.. Carr believes that the situation
can be met by the establishment in
our leading universities of courses
which will train men for service as
export managers and statesmen in
foreign countries to meet the growing
demand OF commercial firms for
trained men, and by the addition of
few other subjects. make the course
also fit the needs of man whoa wants
to enter the consular or diplomatic
service. For consul especially.
needs a good commercial training a
a basis. Commercial geogra ply and
foreign languages are needed both by
the salesman and the consul while
the international and commercial law
which is required of the consul
would interest the man who wanted
to thoroly fit himself for commercial
service abroad.
Training for Trade in Universities.
The first step is, therefore. the es-
Enlistment of courses of training in
the universities But another diff
ficulty lies in the fact that young
Ar7aricanS of ability do NOT oara