Evening star., 1923-01-21
MORE EFFICIENCY SOUGHT
FOR u. S. FOREIGN SERVICE
Allowances and More Pay Proposed in
Bill Reported TO House--Closer Co
operation ON Economic Problems.

foreign service a career available
and attractive to a thousand times as
many men as can now even consider
it. Under existing conditions recruit
ing for the foreign diplomatic service
is in the hands of a small group
willing to spend private fortunes.
This country is SO big and our inter
ests abroad are so important that we
cannot afford to have any principle
of selection other than that of putting
the best fitted man in the foreign post.
To get that single salary scale ap-
plicable to the entire service with
both the diplomatic and the consular
service inter -changablc is recon-
mended by the administration, the
State Department and the foreign
affairs committee.
Opening for Best Fitted.
There are three ways in which the
| Rogers bill proposes to throw the
foreign service open to the best train
ed and pest fitted men. be they rich
or poor
First, there is an attempt made for
the first time TO approximate a living
wage. Former Ambassador John w.
Davis, and former under secretary or
| state, testified at the hearings tina.
| the average competent unostentatious
diplomat representing the United
States abroad whether of the grade
of ambassador. minister or secretary.
, must spend atheist three times his
/ salary thirds Of this expense
coming out of his own pocket Only
nf rt-f.y
embark on this career This is un-
fortunate for two reasons-G it mar
rowly and dangerously limits the
field of selection, and 90 it tends to
foster a spirit of snobbishness on the
part of the less strong headed and
younger men in the diplomatic serv-
ice.
Second, retirement allowance is
provided. Every foreign service in
the world except tho United States
mas retirement allowance and as
| Tar as has been ascertained these are
all non-contributory. That is, the
governments bear the entire financial
burden. The United States has no re-
tirement allowance for its foreign
diplomatic officers, although from
| >--'N A''4tAiN 'iiCi ldl II lldS IetlTeO army
officers, naval officers, judges, and
others.
| Within the last three years it has
extended this principle to the entire
classified civil service. The Rogers
Dill, Just reported in including a re-
tirement provision, strikes one as a
delayed bit of justice. It is only par
tial Justice at that, for il requires
the foreign service officer to con-
tribute ) per cent of his salary each
year. The analogy of the Navy Off
GER. which is the closest analogy
there is, and the examples of all
other countries would make it seem
more appropriate to adopt a non
contributory system, but, Representa-
tive Rogers explains, I'VE wished to
present measure that would GER
tainly commend itself to Congress as
conservative. For this reason, per-
haps. we have not gone as far as
strict equity would have led u.s."
Third, representation allowances are
authorized. Every country in the
world recognizes that it is a part
of the job of her representative
abroad to maintain in a dignifed way
her traditions, and that the obliga-
tions> of the office entail a consider
able outlay which varies with the
nature of the capital city and with
the conditions from time to time pre-
vailing there. Ambassador Davis
told the committee on foreign affairs
that although he was favored by the
rate of exchange, although he was
in London during the postwar period
when social. obligations were sensi-
bly, diminished, and although he lived
in a manner altogether free from os-
tentation and display his essential
outlay was $4,000 Il year. of which
: the United States contributed only
, $1,000.
! Allowances Proposed.
The United States government
charged Ambassador Davis between
$4,000 and $4,000 year to repre-
!. sent 1t worthily in London. Such a
practice IS neither fair nor demo-
cratic. Contrast this with the prac-
tice OF Great Britain. Ambassador
Geddes receives in total salary and
representation allowance between
100000 and 100000 a yacr
"I do not think that the United
States ought to try to compete with
any such sum as that" Representa-
tive Rogers says, but I do think it
ought to consider with favor a pro-
posal to enable the right sort of rep-
resentatives abroad to be at least ap-
proximately, ,self-supporting. Such a
lcourse vastly broadens the field OF Sc
I lection. 1t Is certainly more in tune
with the appropriate policy of a truly
democratic country"
/ In summarizing,, for the President,
tthe important provisions of this meas
ure, Secretary of State Hughes wrote
las follows: (:
."1) The adoption of a new and
uniform salary scale. with a view to
broadening the field of selection by
eliminating the necessity for private
incomes and permitting the relative
merits Of candidates to be adjudged
on the basis of ability alone.
! t"(2l. The amalgamation of the dip
I lomatfc and consular branches into a
I single foreign service on an inter-
. lchangeable basis. This would relieve
1.-THE limitations OF the present consul
tlar career and effectually coordinate
1.-The political and economic branches
tof the service.
z"(3) The. granting of representa-
i ltion allowances, which would lessen
the demands on private fortunes of
Ambassadors and ministers, and rem
der it rsracficable tn Oromote a praat.