The Washington herald., 1921-01-25
President-elect Hopes to
Save the Foreign Service
From Spoils System.
TRAINED ENJOYS
TO GET MAIN POSTS
Many Ministers Named
By Wilson Probably Will
Retain Positions.
By FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE

President-elect Harding desires to
rescue Americas foreign service
from spoiIs politics. Word has come
to Washington that he has deter
mined to make virtually no changes
among diplomatic and consular posts
abroad except ambassadorships.
There are eleven OF those $17,50O
plums in existence at present-the
missions to Argentina Belgium,
Brazil, Chile, France, Great Britain,
Italy. Japan, Mexico. Peru and
Spain.
II we resume ambassadorial rela-
tons with Germany. Austria and
Turkey, there will be fourteen OF
such posts. With few, if any ex-
cePtions. they will be given to Re-
publicans in accordance with time
hOnored custom. But even in those
cases, it will be found Mr.. Harding
as far as feasible, is going to ad-
here to the merit principle of con-
ferring Enthusiastically upon men
OF diplomatic experience.
Seeks ProfessionaIs.
Long Check-bOOks are to cease to
be the exclusive passports to Amer
lean representation at foreign courts
The President-eIect's ambition is to
lay the solid foundations Of a pro-
fessional diplomatic service such as
every country in the world except
the United States long has main
tanned. Mr.. Harding and many other
might have covered itself with
greater glory at Paris and Yer
sailles in 1919 had we possessed a
galaxy Of trained diplomatists to
match against the skilled negotia-
tors Of Europe and Asia.
1t is because the President-elect
holds such views that his corps of
ambassadors is likely to contain
many names of former members of
the American diplomatic service
Among them are Republicans like
Myron T. Herrick, formerly Am
bassador to France; Lloyd c. Girls
com, formerly Ambassador to Italy
and Japan; David Jayne Hill, for
Inerly Minister to Switzerland and
Holland and Ambassador to Ger
many; Henry P. Fletcher, formerly
Ambassador to Mexico; Lawrence
Townsend, formerly Minister to
Portugal and Belgium; Maurice
Francis Egan. formerly Minister to
Denmark, who may be Americas s
first Minister to the Vatican; Col
George T. Weitzel, former Minister
TO Nicaragua; Lewis Einstein. for
mer Minister to Costa Rica and Bull
garia: John Gardner Coolidge, on
duty at Paris during the peace con-
ference, and Charles D. White. for
merly Minister to Honduras. Mr..
White was Woodrow Wilson's private
secretary at Princeton University.
Many Are Republicans.
Many of our present ministers
abroad. though holding commits
sions signed by President Wilson, are
Republicans who originally entered
the service under Republican ad-
rninistrations They are known as
career men, and mostly represent
the younger element in the Ameri-
an diplomatic service. 1t is with
their sort Mr.. Harding would like to
I'll the entire foreign Service. They
include Joseph c. Grew, Minister to
Denmark: william Phillips, Minister
10 The Netherlands; Hugh Gibson,
Minister to Poland; H. Percival
Dodge, Minister to Jugo-Slavia; Ar
thur BaiIly- Blanchard, Minister to
colombia; William W. Russell. Min
ister to the Dominican Republic,
and Peter Augustus Jay, Minister to
Salvador.
The consular service, it is ex-
pected, will be left virtually intact.
For the most part it is conducted
by tried and experienced men. 1t is
certain our two most important
Cso-called blue e-ribbon") consuls
reneral-Robert Post Skinner at
London and Alexander NJ. Thackara
at Paris-will not be removed. Botn
are Republicans and were retained
throughout the entire Wilson ad-
ministration, although originally
appointed to the consular service by
A Republican President, Mckinley
Mr.. Skinner is a neighbor OF Mr..
Harding. hailing from Massillon,
Philadelphian and married the
daughter Of Gen. william Tecumseh
sherman
SpOIIs system Gone.
Already, it can be asserted with
positfveness, it has been decided the
spoils system will prevail to a les
ser extent than in the history of
any new administration, as far as
our international Outposts are con-
cerned. Mr.. Harding sees the world
in too much turmoil to justify
policy Of turning the rascals out"
FOR the benefit of party pIacemen.
II any minister, consul general or
consul abroad has achieved a record
OF meritorious service, no man
whose sole asset is G. o. P. service
is likely to supplant him. New ap-
continents will, as a rule. only DC
made in case of designations.
Nearly all the secretaries and at
taches of our embassies and lega-
tfons, and all Junior consular off,
rials. are men who won their posts
IN stiff State Department examina-
tjons. Mr.. Harding. instead of dis
.urbing such men, intends to afford
them wider opportunity for q use
fuI career In the foreign service.
eC,1xrlxAk. HEAL puhfio- -reArsr dnA