The sun., 1919-02-24
One Group Of six In the Bryanized
Diplomatic Service.

WV cEUuF VI 5Nk IL eho IVY s"sV~
Diplomatic Service.
II during his stay in the United
States the President should find an
hour to devote to the older form OF
relations between the United States
and other nations--and particularly
the little nations Of the Western Hem
lsphere-he might do well to give that
hour to reading of the speeches de-
llveyed In the House Of Representa-
tives on January 81 and % by the
Hon. JOHN JACOB ROOMS Of Massa-
chusetts. These may be had from
Mr.. ROGERS in pamphlet form. They
concern themselves with the diplo-
matte and consular service Of the
United States. In brief. they renew
the effort that has been made for
years. in Congress and out, to bring
about a merit system in the State
Department and particularly to pro-
cure the advancement of experienced
secretaries to mlnisterships.
The idea, as Mr.. ROGERS remarked,
is not revolutionary. In administra-
tions other than the present, through
the wisdom Of the President or his
Secretary of State, there has been
some sort of merit system, although
it depended upon the intelligence and
conscience Of the chief executive
rather than upon written law. To
quote from one of the six Rogers
speeches:
when President WILSON was inausu-
rated in 1918 there were forty-one
United States Ambassadors and Minis
tiers. With respect to previous diplo-
matte experience these were classified as
follows: One had been Ambassador at q
previous post had been promoted from
Minister to Ambassador; 4 had been
Ministers at a previous post: IL had
been secretaries in the diplomatic ser
vice; had been consuls; l had beer
both secretary and consul: 10 had been
appointed without previous diplomatic
experience. Combining these we see thai
10 had been Ambassadors or Ministers
at previous post; IS were service men
promoted from secretary or consul and
only 10. less than one-third, were ap.
pointed without diplomatic experience.
What has been the history Of the last
SIX years2 -Four of the forty-one are still
in the service. Fifty-one men have beer
appointed Ambassador or Minister since
March. 1919. Only two of the fifty-on'
so appointed have been secretaries. or
indeed. have had previous diplomatic ex
perience of any kind. One of the two
service men was appointed to Colombis
and the sother to Hayu. Neither pos
would be regarded as a prize.
Many of the new men appointed hav'
been entirely creditable. But when W.
look over the appointments to the LatiI
American republics. mostly under the
regime of Secretary BRYAN, We cannot
fail to be startled at the complete lacl
of consideration given to merit, ability
or useful experience"
Except In one case Mr.. ROGERS IL
not specific concerning the personne
of the men chosen by Secretary
BRYAN to represent the United State.
In the republics to the south of us
1t is interesting, therefore, to take 6
group Of these appointees and OBJ
| serve whether the Massachusetts Rep
| resentative is justified in a phrase
used later in his speech, designating
these Ministers as party hacks anc
political hangers on" There are II
| Central America six republics, and t.
each Of these the United States SENDS
an Envoy Extraordinary and Minister
Plenipotentiary whose salary is $40,
600 year. 1t will be general!
agreed that, considering the relativel!
light social obligations Of our repre-
sentatives In Central America, $40, OOt
a year is not mean pay; and tina
many a man of considerable diplo
matte experience and ability would
be glad to have such a post. lie
us take the Central American group
from north to south, and note tn,
choices made by Mr.. BRYAN in 191:
and 1914 for places where this coun
try should be represented by men o
tact, intelligence and at least SOM
diplomatic experience.
Observation-Disclosures HAYNES LEA
VEIL Of Carrollton, Miss, aged 60
former minister who retired from
his clerical labors in 1905 TO stud.
and farm.
Haasuras-T, SAMBoLA JOKES o
Baton Rouge, La. lawyer; according
to who's Who" has addressed mos
of the legislatures OF the South" ant
was one of the three organizers o
the Louisiana Chautauqua in 1885"
Salvador-BoAZ W. LONG of Ney
Mexico; was in the commission busi
ness from 1890 to 1913 in San Fran