The Washington herald., 1919-08-03
OUR DIPLOMATS
ARE UNDERPAID.

Jumping from foreign diplomats TO
our own. I was interested to read the
other day that our diplomats were
contemplating a strike for larger sal
aries The high cost of living mas
certainly affected all classes and con-
ditions, The truth of the matter Is
that our diplomats and COnsuls have
never oeen paid enough. Only men
of wealth have been able to accept
those positions when offered to them.
Many a capable man has had to turn
down diplomatic posts because the
position did not pay enough to meet
their expenses and they didn't have
a large private income.
The result has been that our diplo-
mats as q rule. do not compare well
with diplomats of other countries, VINO
are usually men well trained in their
work, experienced and well paid. so
much depends on the efficiency OF our
diplomats and Yet We have reputa-
ton among other nations for having
in our corps at all times many very
Incapable men. They should be paid
more and Mr.. William Phillips, Assist
ant Secretary of State, says, though
there really is not such a thing as a
strike considered. an effort is being
made to obtain more adequate pay
for our corps Do you remember some
time ago when so many ofhclals.
PARTICULARLY assistant secretaries OF
the various Cabinet portfolios, re-
signed because of low salaries?
am told also that Great Britain Is
finding difficulty in obtaining a man
to serve as British Ambassador here
because OF the high cost Of living in
Washington. Some British newspaper
with his great wealth. found It terri
bIy expensive living here. Prices here
are surely outrageous and something
ought to be done about il quickly. Oc-
casionalIv Congress starts some sort
of an investigation as to the why's
and wherefOres Of the II. c L. but
they never seem to accomplish any
thing practical Meanwhile the rest
of US are worrying in our efforts TO
stand the strain Of the high prices.
EX-sENATOR J. II. LEWIS
MAY GO TO BELGIUM.
was pleased to learn that the
United states Senate adopted a joint
resolution last week raising the leSa-
tfon at Brussels to the rank Of an en-
basy. In his letter to Congress
recommending the change, Presi-
dent Wilson said:
You will no doubt have noticed that
France and Italy have recently taken
this action and it is authoritatively
announced that Spain and Brazil will
follow their example. 1t would be, it
seems to me, a very proper thing at
this time to show our deep interest,
at the conclusion Of the war. in the
little nation in which so many of the
causes of the war seemed to center
and whose cause, indeed. will always
seem one Of the most striking evi-
dences of the inscriptions action Of
Germany"
There is much speculation here as
to who will be the frst American AM
bassador to Belgium James Hamilton
Lewis. formerly United States Sena-
tor from Illinois. IS the only one I
have heard mentioned for the post so
far. An interesting member of the
diplomatic corps at Brussels just now
is Don Mario RuspOli.
Don Ruspoli-marricd to n half
American wife-has through the latter
as we'll as through his american
stepmOther so many relatives and
friends in the United States. where
he spent a number of years attached
to the italian mission at Washing
ton. that there are plenty of people
on this side OF the Atlantic who are
EIad to learn that he has recently
,been promoted from the rank OF
councillor of the italian embassy at
Paris to the post of King Victor En-
nanueTs ambassa dor at Brussels.
For Italy. following the example of
France. Great Britain and the United
States. is raising the status of her
legation IN Belgium to the rank of