Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1922-08-25

outset sought to- bring about just set
Element OF both strikes
Qualified Men Get Diplomatic Posts
An examination of the records Of
appointments of ambassadors, minis
tiers, ministers resident and agents in
the diplomatic service of the United
! States since March A, 1921. made by
the National Civil Service Reform
league, seems to indicate that an earn
est effort has been made to retain
the services of men Of experience and
to appoint TO diplomatic posts persons
with qualifications In diplomacy.
or the total of nine ambassadors
appointed by this administration, the
league finds that five are John W..
Riddle, formerly ambassador to Rus.
STA, appointed ambassador to ArgeTr
tina; Henry z. Fletcher, formerly am
bassador to Mexico, appointed to Bel
GUM; William NJ. Collier, formerly
minister TO Spain. appointed ambassa-
dor to Chile; Myron 7. Herrick, re-
appointed ambassador to France. and
Cyrus q, Woods, formerly minister to
Portugal, appointed ambassador to
! SPAIN BESIDES these ambassadors
appointed by President Harding. Ed
win V. Morgan, who was appointed
ambassador to Brazil by President
Taft in 1912. has been retained by
the present administration.
Out of total of 80 ministers now
serving In the diplomatic corps, six
have had previous experience in the
diplomatic service and eight are APP
pointees of previous administrations
retained by the present adminlstra-
ton. OF these eight ministers SIX
were promoted from the grade of Sec
rotary In the diplomatic service by
President Wilson and retained by
| President Harding. One of the minis
tiers given appointment by President
Harding was promoted from the grade
of secretary in the diplomatic service.
This is Charles S. Wilson, minister to
Bulgaria.
Good Record for First Year.
Two agents and consuls general and
one minister resident and consul gen.
eral, in addition TO 16 ministers and
| four ambassadors, made up a total OF
% appointments of persons without
any previous experience.
While many of the % appointments
made OF persons without previous dip
lomatic experience operated as a rec
ognition of political obligations, the
evil of such appointments, the league
L. 49, h.. hn mr.
administration and contrasts favor
ably with the records of the first year
| of the other administrations. For
this record President Harding and
Secretary Hughes are to be commend.
ed. President Harding Is, Furthermore,
in the view of the league, deserving
| of commentator In that he selected
for secretary of state man OF the
highest qualifications and one devoted
to the merit principle.
A still better showing is found. how.
ever, In turning to the consular serv'
ice, where an unequaled record of ad.
herence to the merit system has been
made. During the first 10 months of
the administration of President Hard.
| ing there has not been a single ex'
ception to the rules requiring appoint.
ments through examination in the
| consular service. The original ap-
pointments have all been made strict.
ly In accordance with executive orders
and the promotions in the service
have been based more strictly than
ever before upon an impartial determi
nation of the relative efficiency of the
officers in the service. The basis Of
| the promotions made is report of
the relative merit of all the officers
In the consular service prepared by
a board of review showing the relative
efficiency of the various officers.
Consular Showing Is Excellent.
Out of 1O2 appointments to posts
in the consular service, 10 have been
to the grade of consul, class z (the
lowest grade), as the result of en-.
trance examinations. The remaining
81 appointments of consuls and con.
suls general have constituted promo.
lions of men all of them having an
average of ten years experience. The
three consular inspectors whose ap.
pointments are included In this mum.
4 Der entered the service after examl'
nation, one as student interpreter, an.
other as consular assistant and the
third as consul with previous expert
ence as vice-consul not of career.
In the secretarial grades of the dip
lomatic service there have been total
Of SO appointments, II Of which have
been original appointments In the low
est class (class ~ through examlna
ton. The remaining 81 have been Of
four secretaries, class 1, with an nv
erage of II years experience each
and ten secretaries of class 3, witt