Evening star., 1924-06-28
Fusion of Foreign Services
For Efficiency and Security

mendation OF this board, as Will selec-
tions for promotions when vacancies
| occur.
"A list will be submitted to the
Secretary of State" the executive or
der explains, whenever there is a
vacancy in the grade of minister or
when requested by the President or
the Secretary, and in no case shall
such a list contain more names than
| there are vacancies to FILL"
The board will have jurisdiction
over assignments of foreign service
personnel to particular posts. their
transfer between posts, and will con-
slider controversies and delin-
quencies in the service and recon-
| mend disciplinary measures"
| Provision Is made for board of
| examiners to give both oral and writ
ten tests to applicants, and in an ac-
companying order Secretary Hughes
| announces the formation of a foreign
| to which new appointeeS will be as
signed for one years tuition.
In summarizing what the compare
lively simple changes covered by the
new foreign service reorganization
law will effect in the practice of
American diplomacy and commercial
development, Representative John J.
Rogers. author of this legislation, ad-
dressing the Institute of Politics at
Williamstown. Mass, enumerated
them az follows:
| I) They will broaden, democratize
and improve the personnel by ex-
tending the field of selection.
| (2) They will enable the entrants
into the service to become thorough
ly grounded both in diplomacy and
| business, to the advantage of them
selves and their country.
| CD They will tend to diminish the
snobbery which is occasionally found
in the service. A secretary today may
| be d consul tomorrow, and vice versa
The esprit de corps will be for our
foreign service as a unit
! 4) They will provide reasonable
living wage, which, besides being
democratic, tends to keep the right
man in the service. even though he
has no private means.
go They will simplify and improve
administration by enabling the right
man to be instantly available for the
right place.
Co They will encourage the Presi-
dent to promote the best of the for
eiGn service officers, whether diplo-
matte or consular. to the rank of
minister While under the enlight-
ened administration Of Mr.. Lansing
and Mr.. Hughes such promotions of
secretaries have been frequent, there
has scarcely been an instance in
| twenty-five years where d consul
general or consul has been SO pro-
moted.
(O They reduce from about thirty
to nine the different grades and types
modification spells simplicity in ad-
ministration without any counter
vailing Inconvenience.
tS) And, above all. they will breah
down the vertical wall which now di-
vides the service into two compart-
ments. to the advantage of fexibil-
ity, economy, efficiency and accom-
plishments.
(9) All this will be brought about
at an additional annual outlay of
Of the cost of a vessel of war. There
Is no greater step toward peace in
| surance than this.
Retirement systems are now well
established in our scheme of govern
ment. Judges and Army and Navy
officers have for many years been
retired on three-fourths pay without
tcontribution by them. Every civil
service employe of the governme ent
now has the benefit Of retirement
though on contributory basis
There is an analogy between the for
eign service officer and the naval Off
Ger. each of whom must in line of
duty travel over the world during
the long period of his active service
Clearly retirement pay on some basis
is only fair in the case of the foreign
service officer. The Navy analogy
would indicate non-contributory re-
tircment plan. But we are not going
SO far
ice officer shall contribute per cent
of his salary to the retirement fund
The ordinary civil servant of the
United States contributes 21a per
cent. We provide that the normal re-
tirement age shall be sixty-five, sub
ject to extension to seventy, at the
discretion of the President. We es-
tablish sliding scale OF annuities
based both on average salary for ten
years prior to retirement and on
length of service. The highest an
nuity payable to man who has
served thirty years or more and
whose salary has been $4,000 for ten
years would be so per cent of So, 900
or $5.400. A man who had served
fifteen or eighteen years and whose
average salary for ten years had been
$4,000 will receive $500 annuity. The
retirement system will be self-sup-
porting for many years.
| X
| II Is uOuDtIul Wnetner even at the
peak it will cost the government
l$250,000 in any one year. The GER
tainty which the foreign service off,
GERS will thereby receive that they
and their families will be cared for
in their old age will vastly improve
both the morale and the stability and
permanence of the service Further
1t will insure the retirement of the
superannuated when their service had
become less valued. The usefulness
to the country thus resulting is a
most important feature.
But. above all, 1t is fair, and it l.
consonant, with the repeatedly de-
lclared policy of the country.
1t should be noted that every other
hrst-class power has a retfremen,
system for its foreign service. This
runs up. in Great Britain. for EXAM
pie, to two-thirds of the average paw
IN case of long-service men, although
the British system is entirely non.
'contributory.