The sun., 1919-07-19
MERIT NOT REWARDED
Bitter Complaint Made That
Capable Men Fail to Get
Advancement.
DOZEN LIKELY TO RESIGN
Politically Appointed Minis
ters "Write BOOks"-SubOr-
dinates Do the Work.
BY a Stor Correspondent Of TIL. Sun.
copysoht. 1918; all rights reserved.

Copyright. 1913; all rights reserved
THE HAGUE, July 1S.-Something
like wholesale walkout In the
American diplomatic service is i'm
pending In the next few months, IL re-
ports current in diplomatic circles
here and notes received from Paris,
London, Switzerland and elsewhere
have any truth in them.
According to these reports, which
are substantiated in part by letters I
have seen, much dissatisfaction Is
said to exist In the various embassies
and legations because, it is said, the
Administration at Washington Is not
showing any disposition to recognize
merit or length Of successful service
by advancing capable, trained men out
of the diplomatic service to be chiefs
Of missions, as is the system in most
European diplomatic services.
1t appears that between fifteen and
twenty counsellors and first secre-
taries have discussed the situation
informally among themselves, either
personally or in some cases by means
of the confidential diplomatic pouch.
with view to individual but more or
less common action.
Nothing Left Except to Resign.
The conclusion said to have been
arrived at Is that If the position Of
counsellor Of an embassy or first
secretary OF legation Is as high as the
most capable men can attain, some
Of them of many years training and
experience, then nothing is left for
those who have already attained that
goal and consequently have no fur
ther prospects but to resign.
A considerable number of the best
men In the American service, l am
informed, are preparing to take that
step before the end Of the year. The
attitude taken is that Congress and
even more so the public have only n
faint idea Of the really splendid work
done and service rendered by the Amer
lean Diplomatic Corps during the long
war, when not only our country's rep
resentation but the interests of many
other countries had to be looked after.
Bitter complaint has been made that
while politically appointed Ambassadors
and Ministers in some instances have
made capital for themselves by writing
books OF self-praise 1t was the counsel
lors of the embassies and the first sec
retaries OF the legations, with theii
years Of training. who really did tn
work." carried the hod." but they never
arc heard OF.
Patriotic Duty Felt.
Some Of these men declare they re-
mained in the service as a patriotic duty
! regardless of the small salaries received
| and the unprecedented cost of living
| which meant heavy sacrifices for some Of
! them, and they were strengthened II
| their resolve to remain by the belief that
when the diplomatic service was more
| or less reorganized after peace was made
the capable men of proved ability woulC
be advanced to positions as chiefs o.
| missions when vacancies occurred o.
| new posts were to be filled.
1t is declared that no encouragement
for that hope has been received. in con
sequence of which gloom is said to pre-
vail in more than one embassy and lcga
ton, Because OF the belief that polltic
| 10 hnt in ha