The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-01-31
Diplomatic and Consular Agents Would Be United Un-
 der One Head-- Committee
 Deplores Present Mode of
 Selecting State Officials ONLY RICH CAN ACCEPT POSITIONS, REPORT SAYS. Ambassadors Cannot Live
 Upon Salaries Paid Them by
 United States Present Sys-
 tenn Is Called Undemocratic. Ambassador Davis Quoted,
By Associated Press

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30.-Re- organization of the diplomatic and consular activities of the United States into one Interchangeable foreign service organization as sought By Secretary Hughes was ap- proved today by the House foreign affairs committee, which reported the Rogers bill providing for con solidatlon of the two branches.
 Complete interchange of person. nel, single revised salary scale, extra allowances to representatives at foreign capitals, thus eliminating the necessity of large private means for diplomatic officers and extension of the civil service re- ], tlrement act to the service are among the provisions of the bill.
 secrets ries 6et increases.
 Increases in salaries would be au- thorized for many posts chiefly for secretaries and flower officers, but the compensation of minister's and ambassadors would no. be changed. Secretaries would be given salary increases from the present ss.Ooo to $9,o0o.
 Pointing out the necessity for ad- ditionai allowances. at diplomatic posts, the report Of the, committee said it Was deplorable that by de- nial of adequate compensation the } Unised States. the greatest democ- facy, now restricts the admission to tne cflice of secretary in Inc dlplo- matte service, to the members of a small circle of society. who are will ins to provide fron the,r private fortunes for the suppe9rt of tleir po- sitIo,s abroad.
 system Is ndemocratic.
 How much ability the men so chosen may !, ssess. .he report de- clared, ''aRd without detracting in any degree from the excellent serv- ices many 1f them have rendered, the fact remains that tte node of seleo- ton is undemocratie and unworthy.
 Not only does it make unavaii- able to the government :, large body Of capable young men oi education but without priyatc fortunes, but 1t results III Ihe two branches of the service being kept r:gidly arart and discourages sympathetic co-opera- tion."
 Tt is notorious.' the report said Tn discussing failure of the govern ment to provide money tor entertain ment by it's foreig-i representatives. that the United States has never paid it's ambassa lors anl ministers at the large capitals salaries on which it was possible TO. them to live The failure to make reasonable allowances for entertainme leaves q cnoice of two evils, the saclifice or the public interest or th- restriction of appointment to n'en of. wealth willing to provide from their own fortunes for the support of tner po- sitions."
 Cost Three Times Salary.
 Former Ambassador John w. Davis, who. represented the United States at London during the war. was quoted by the committee as having said of his experiences:
 Tt was eminently time for con servatism and quietude. but with all that, living as I was mocssily count inr the expenses of myself and fam lily, it cost me roughly three times 1. my salary cse,y year l vas there, between S50,9UU and $60,0uO. do not believe that anybody could possibly havs done it dscently with sny less expenditure tan that