The Washington herald., 1920-03-05
u. S. DIPLOMATIC
SERVICE NEEDS
STRICT REFORM
coNTlNUED FROM PAGE ONE.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.
Americas diplomatic break down"
abroad. But in q spirit Of misdi-
rected economy IL. either creates or
does nothing to cure the very Ills
which 1t attacks.
For instance, our foreign COM
mercial attaches are to continue re-
sponsible to the Department of
Commerce. They constantly dupli-
cate the work of consulates and en-
bassies, but scientific -co-ordination
doesn't seem to matter much to the
lawmakers on the hill.
The movement to reform Amer
lica's diplomatic service is being hob
bled at its very birth. A Congress
sjonal committee has been consider
ing the proposal to interlock or in
terdepend our consular and diplo-
matte services. This is the French
and general European system, and
| in the opinion Of experts makes for
efficiency.
In the past our embassies have
always snubbed our consulates So
cially, much to the disadvantage of
both. This behavior never per-
suaded foreign officialdom. to take
diplomatic boasts of Americas
democracy very seriously.
In fact. before the war the en-
bassies were inclined to ignore the
consulates almost entirely, although
the latter were generally far more
effective than the former. Now, to
add to the general confusion and
iunpleasantness, the Department of
Commerce has entered the foreign
field and apparently will be allowed
to remain there.
NittPs Diplomatic Gestures.
Emboldened by the belief that
President Wilson has lost his Amer
lean support. Premier Nitti is given
to diplomatic gesturings in these
days. He has just told the Man
chester Guardian that Europe is in
danger of losing permanently the
pre-eminent position she held in the
world before the wars outbreak.
This is clever Italian diplomacy
| intended primarily for Englands s
and Frances consumption. 1t in
| directly bears upon the whole Adri-
/ attic case and other Italo-Anglo-
French settlements which President
/ Wilson either opposes or has al
ready undone.
/ Premier Nitti has also shrewdly
upset Jugo-Slav calculations by
! proposing to the Council of Pre-
miers a revision OF the Hungarian
! treaty. He declares that it Is un-
just to give 100000 Magyars to
! Jugo-Slavia, Czecho-Slovakia and
Rumania. France Immediately
Jumped on" the opposition. but
Lloyd George gave more than a hint
of his approval
To send a diplomatic arrow at
the Jugo-Slsvs. Nitti has jeopar-
dized Italy's traditional friendship
with Rumania This. however,
would be more than compensated
by Magyar tendencies toward Italy
and Magyar antipathies toward
France.
May Revise All Treaties.
! In its own way Nittian diplomacy
will possibly solve not only the
Fiume, but the Adriatic question
generally. 1t may do much more,
in the opinion of certain neutral
diplomatists here; ii may eventual
ily result in bringing up the whole
| treaty of Versanlles for revision.
/ Nittis move to revise the Hun
garian document would certainly
establish a precedent. looking to-
ward the latter's revision. Besides,
| the italian and British, particularly
the English public, is slowly being
educated to the conviction that
only substantial changes In the Ver-
sailles covenant can make for real
reconstruction in war-ruined Eu-
rope.
In his interview with the Man
chester Guardian correspondent Nitti
made many significant statements.
He said the representation of the
most rabid Socialism in Italy's cam
era conspired against an Italian
revolution. In referring to Russia
and probably to America. he asserted
there should be no more meddling
with the internal affairs of one
| country by another"
! The Presidents reply to the last
Adristic note of the allies has not
yet gone forward. Its trainers can
find considerable food for diplo-
matte thought in this most recent
example of Nltti's Adriatic philoso-
ply. What after ALL" he said to his
interviewer, "is Italy demanding in
the Adriatic?
She wants the strips of territory
the population of which is less than
the Italian casualties in the war.
Do not confuse issues by talking
of secret treaties. The pact of Lon
don was concealed only because of
the necessities of the war, and, at
any rate. those who might complain