Evening star., 1924-06-28
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

As a matter of national security
the foreign service of the United
States is now being reorganized
through a fusion Of the diplomatic
and consular services, with opportu-
nifty offered for promotion through
proven ability, thereby building up
the morale, promoting efficiency, en-
couraging continued service of ex-
perienced and specially fitted repre-
sentatives abroad.
Through an executive order by
President Coolidge the plan under
which the diplomatic and consular
services will be combined on a per-
manent basis to carry out the pro-
visions of the Rogers bill, which was
one of the most important acts passed
in the first session of the Sixty
eighth Congress, has just been an
nounced.
The new law provides for promo
tion up to and including the grade of
minister from the ranks.
This law was passed after the
pressing necessity for making the
foreign service of the United States
second to that of no other govern
ment had been explained to Congress
touch with the problems of interna-
tional relations.
President Coolidge has stressed
that the foreign service of our gov
improved" Among those to give
expert testimony were Charles T..
Hughes, Secretary of State; John w.
Davis, former solicitor general and
former ambassador to the Court of
st. James and now being urged for
the Democratic nomination for Pres
ident; Wilbur j. Carr. director of the
consular service; Frank l.. Polk, for
merly undersecretary of state; Hugh
Gibson, minister of the United States
to Poland; ]. Butler Wright, third as
sistant secretary of state; Tracy Lay
of the consular service and Robert
L. Skinner, consul general of the
United States in London.
Former Amba ssador Davis called
attention that "the diplomatic branch
is the first line in the country's de-
Tense, and the consular service is the
spearhead of the country's trade"
He said the prevailing impression
that the diplomats chief duty is to
attend pink teas and escort dowager
duchesses around at ceremonial oc-
casions. and that the consul does not
arrested in the port where he hap
pens to be residing is all wrong.
Every man in the foreign service
ought to be like Napoleon's foot SOL
basFs baton in maIShins ba wsn Nm
SAID IN stressing the Importance of
avoiding labor turnover" by giving
living wage and opportunity for
promotion.
"A man who really enjoys intel
nd in ha ,,in
matte and consular service. 1t is
interesting because it is constantly
taking him into new phases of work
and there is certain element of
prlde about 1t because it is digni-
fled position to stand among foreign
ers as representing a dignified and
pow erful nation
1t is notorious that we never have
paid our ministers and especially our
amba SSadorS in the larger capitals a
salary on which it was possible for
them to live. let alone to carry on
the ceremonial activities that are in
dispersal in those positions To a
certain extent the country itself is
judged by the style in which it's rep
resentatives live abroad
X
A striking word picture of what
the foreign service of the United
States really is. and a fashlight view
behind scenes, which discloses the
need for the reorganization now in
progress, is given by Secretary
Hughes. who says:
I'm every part of the earth the
diplomatic and consular officers of
the United States are watching every
turn of events in their relation to the
general policies of this government.
They report every source of inter-
national irritation; they note the sig
nails of economic and political unrest
of international rivalries. prejudices.
subversive tendencies and discrim ina
tory policies They aid the govern
ment not merely in settling disputes,
but in removing or limiting the
causes of possible controversy.
Every American should feel
ashamed that any country in the
world should have better diplomatic
organization than the United States.
This is not a matter simply of ma
tional pride; it is a matter of national
security.
The truth is that our foreign serv-
ice is undermanned and underpaid
You cannot have an efficient for
eign service without having trained
men, and cannot keep men without
an adequate system for their selec-
tion and maintenance; and you can
not keep men who have been properly
selected and trained and are invalua-
BILE to their country unless you offer
reasonable opportunities for promo
ton"
r y
1t was such expert testimony from
men of long experience. who knew
the actual. inside conditions that i'm
PEELED Congress to order this reor-
ganization, which the executive order
Of President Coolidge is now carrying
into effect.
A foreign service personnel board
Is established to administer the person
mel of the Rogers act, consisting of six
members. as follows: Joseph c. Grew,
undersecretary of state, chairman; j.
Butler Wright, third assistant Secretary
of state; Wilbur Carr, director of the
consular service; Charles c. Eberhardt,
consul general; Edward J. Norton, con-
sui general at large. and Hugh r. Will
son, counselor of embassy.
All appointments in the service
from secretaries of embassies to
student interpreters will be on recon-