Evening star., 1921-04-03

reorganization OF the foreign service.
Nothing came of them. But Mr.. Rog-
ers hammered away at his idea when
ever he had an opportunity. speaking
in the House and elsewhere. Secre-
tary Lansing, in a letter written not
long before he went out of Office, to
eign affairs committee, dealing with
the Rogers bills. without going on
record as favoring any OF the meas
ures. frankly admitted that it was
necessary the foreign service be re-
organized. The Rogers bills died
with the close OF the last Congress.
1t is expected. however. that they
will be reintroduced with the open
ing of the coming session, and that
other measures along similar lines
will be proposed.
The entire question of the reorgan-
ization Of the government depart
ments is now being considered by
joint congressional committee, Of
which Senator Smoot of Utah is
chairman. The reorganization Of the
foreign service comes within the
l.
Smoot has said that, while the whole
task of reorganizing the government
departments will require considerable
time. it may be expected that the
committee will report from time to
time, regarding particular phases Of
the government service. That being
the case. it may we'll be that the for
eign service changes will be among
the first undertaken.
Mr.. Rogers has proposed, AZ a first
step in the reorganization of the for
eign service, that the diplomatic and
consular services of the United States
hereafter be known as "the foreign
service" At. the first blush il would
appear that the purpose is to consoli-
date the two services, and, broadly
speaking, that is what would occur
from an administrative viewpoint il
his plan were adopted. AS a matter
Of fact what is desired by the
change is to make the services in
terchangeable"
Plan 81 Ce.Ordinatien.
The diplomatic service consists of
forty missions at the capitals of
foreign nations. The consular sery-
ice, on the other hand, is more wide
ly disseminated. 1t has about 800
Offices in the chief commercial cities
of the world. The work of the two
services is distinct, but closely re-
lated. Sometimes it overiaps. Clearly
there fs heed of co-ordination.
Under such plan as that pro-
posed by Mr.. Rogers. the men in the
consular service would be available
for diplomatic service. and vice versa.
Be it well understood, however. that
would mot be combined, but when a
consular agent was assigned to dip
lomatic; work his status would
change. The various powers and
duties OF diplomatic and consular Of
ficers have taken very definite shape
in the international relations and
usages that have grown up through
the centuries, and it would not be
possible for the United States. by
merely changing the title of con-
suIar officer to that of foreign serv-
ice officer, to change these usages.
But under the proposed plan it
will be possible to grade suitably
the men in the foreign service and
to assign them to the duty for which
they are best fitted. In the past
the diplomatic side of the foreign
service has been almost completely
divorced from the consular. side.
cooperation it has depended almost
entirely upon the individuals who
happened to be in the field. In th6
past this situation has not been -
clearly unsound. The diplomats
service could deal effectively with
the political questions arising. and
the consular service with the COM
merciaI. But almost every question
today partakes Of both a political and
commercial aspect. Then, too. there
have been in the diplomatic service
men far better qualified to attend to
the commercial aspects of the case
in hand than to the political, and
men in the consular service who have
a better grasp of the political side
than the commercial. 1t would be
wise to permit the use Of these men
in the work they are best qualified
to do.
Other nations have not been slow
to grasp the fact that a tremendous
commercial struggle is on in the
world today. They have seen the
necessity of having the best and most
efficient corps OF foreign officers and
they have been impressed with the
idea that the commercial side Of their
service must be given as full scope as
the political. Great Britain. Ger
many and other nations havei reor-
ganized and are reorganizing their
foreign services.
Foreign Service ClassiAeatien.
Mr.. Rogers plan. in brief. would
all persons employed in the
foreign service, and their grade
the service and their salaries. He
would have all appointments in the
service Of diplomatic and con-
sular officers. except consular agents
and interpreters. by commission to
the several grades. and not by COM
mission to any particular post. For
instance, il the President desired 10
appoint q man as ambassador or q
minister, or to one Of the lower posi-
point him as such. and not as ambas-
sador to Great Britain. france. etc.
After confirmation of the appointment