Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-01-12
DIPLOMATIC CORPS SMALL
FOUR IMPORTANT POSTS
MUST SOON BE FILLED
government Finds Itself Short or Men
competent TO Fiji Nine Other
Positions.
ny }. FREDERICK EssAnY.

tI"" diplomatic corps Is badly shot to
pieces. More vacancies exist I'm tho
embassies and legations OF this gov
eminent than ut any other timo within
tile recollection OF the oldest State Dc
partment official and more dimcul,y liz
e oetnG . 9xperieneed in finding expert
important missions than ewcr hoforn
Ana once peace with tho central
p poran1 hos mos come four more highly i'm
Of tho highest skill in foraIpn orrn 1ir'
~, G.Ven now there arc nine vacancies to
IN III " ,bsn, "TIh 1, INC men at hand to
the Netherlands. China. swit serharE'
Greece nl slam, Salvador and Costa Rica.
may become vacant within n werr;
short time. NerS
,.I In add; adalti on. to those embassies an.
icit ut present with IA charge d'nfYaires
NJ the capital, through the Withdrawal
9 OF A n, as FLETCHER some months
ture ut tho state Department. 1T f.
MOI now expected that Mr.. Fletcher
mn IN some ns s snsr, eFsi1 to sx!so cy
Mr.. Iletchcrs extended stay in ~:
In Stntes Ia due to tho attitude OF
country rather than TO any necessity
Tor the performance or sneciul WORT
III the Department.
Need American in Finland.
Finland also is without an American
the Finnish government is now reursi
S"nted In Washington by a ,ninjater
h hne s, reason for ,his. II Is. explained
no appropriation has yet been securcd
from Congress for the establishment
~ an American legation at Hcls!ne-
Within little more than yea
t tons % ral,I 6f change OF administers
ClCCttcnS, next "a
Of administration Inevitably brinss
agomt general shifting of diplomatic
Of mission by appointecs Of the In
coming administrator, IL is nsscrtcd
~ ohicials that the President S. now
Guilty In obtaining tho accep;ancc or
uipiomiatic POSTS by mon propc-iv
4uaiified for the work.
OF men who would welcome such cie' a.,
appointment as sort OF ornament.
for a years service az minister o. or
,el that they would be prompted NOR.
ny desire for personal prestige than
ny desire 10 10 valuable TO The gov
c'"ihcht at such time az this
Long servire bring. Results.
Tho appointment OF these man {. l..
pointed out, moreover. would scarcoIy
be to the best interest OF tho country,
IS f sIifef IS ~, dipiomatic achievement,
'inuity OF service. and the FUN value
oi an ambassadors or minister's ser
had opportunity to famiiiarize him
self with the special requirements ana
auvantaecs OF his post, by acquaint-
tact with tho political situation OF III.
country 10 which he is accredited.
has been frequently suggested by
auaira that men already in tho diplo-
MAJ, Mis.i service he apro!nted 20 FIJI tho
s sTnmaG va .a,,, Ther:by the COY
present secretaries OF embassy ana
legation BY tho temporary promotion
or them - he chiefs Of mission II
Is understood that Secretary Lansing
mas already given much consideration
10 tlits plan Of manning the !,npor-
tant diplomatic stations now without,
heads.
Obstacles to Overcome.
There arc some obstacles. howcve,
III the way OF this program. IL il
learned. In til" first place. tho salaries
many cases preclude the acceptancc OF
such positions by these secretaries ,lr
less they have large Independent In
In tho present situation IL is nsser;ed
that secretary In tho diplomatic SER
vice VINO accented an appointment ag
Of being removed In the evont OF
change OF administration. thus end
ing his career. While the lower grades
OF tue diplomatic corps arc filled By
appointment, as result OF competi-
tive examination, and the men hold
ing them are not subject TO removal
upon mere change OF adrninistrn-
ton. this does not hold true in the
case of the ranking positions Tho
secretary OF legation or embassy.
therefore. who accepted strairh,
Political appointment. evcn by way
Or promotion. might suddenly find him.
self out OF Office.
Not ON Political Bas!s.
The last Republican administration
adopted as policy promotions within
nc service 20 the ranking diplomatic
grades. Also il was promised that all
ministers be placed upon a permanent
and nonpol;tical basis. But neithe:
scheme worked our satisfactorily con
gresss refused TO place heads OF Ameri-
can legations upon sort of civil ser
vice list, and as long as this was not
done secretaries in the diplomatic ser
Vice did not aspire In any great num-
Der to promotion to positions OF un-
certain tenure.
Meantime, the diplomatic service Is
iamcntably short OF chiefs OF mission
and much public business either is be-
ing attended to at foreign posts by
minor officials or is not being attended
TO al all.
General strike Threatens
ROME, Jan. 1.-THE Tr!buna today
says general railway Strike on ian
uary II is threatened, and that lii.