Evening star., 1924-09-28

Inc department of state Is the long
arm of the Government that reaches
across the seas. 1t has important
duties of 4 domestic character. but its
chief function is to conduct under di-
rection of the President, the relations
of the United States with all foreign
nations. It's Secretary is the ranking
member of the Cabinet and after the
Vice President Is next in line of sue
cession to the Presidency. Through
him, in conformity with the prec-
edent established by George Wash
ington, all foreign diplomats must be
presented to and communicate with
the President.
The early foreign Secretaries
Robert r. Livingston and John Jay
had a staff consisting Of one clerk
and occupied but two small rooms
as Offices. Today the department fills
half of the great State and War
Building, and instead of a Secretary
and one clerk it has a home person
mel of more than 600 persons and
maintains abroad an army Of work
ers 3,40o strong, scattered through
out the world.
came before the Revolution. Gov
eminent records show that before the
Constitution was adopted the early
American diplomats were paid on a
some what peculiar basis of fixing
compensation. Franklin, while rep
resenting the Nation in Paris, re-
ceived a salary of $4,444.04 q year
while jefferson, when he was later
sent to Paris, was paid at the rate OF
$11,111.01. Ambassadors today are
paid $17,5o0 a year. When Jefferson
became the first Secretary of State,
he received $500 a year.
s{0ni6conf Of fhnga old davs
that communication with Franklin
and Jefferson and the others who
were American ministers abroad was
difficult in the extreme. The ancient
records of the department show
that hand written copies of letters
were prepared, sometimes as many
as seven copies being made, and for
warded by different vessels to keep
them from British hands. Special
ciphers were used even then, and
sometimes invisible ink. Frequently
the coverings of these early diplo-
matte communications bore the in
struction to the shipmaster. ITO be
sunk in case Of danger from the
enemy" For with these precautions
many Of the letters came into the
hands of the British.
Jefferson organized the mint. He
sent to the President examples OF the
experimental coins, saying they had
been made by putting a silver plug
worth three-fourths Of q cent into a
copper one worth one-fourth of a
cent"
The Long Arm Of State.
There are now American diplomatic
missions in 81 countries. Twelve of
these are headed by ambassadors at
the major capitals of the world.
That is the highest diplomatic rank.
Besides these there are "a ministers.
There are over 500 American pro-
fessional consular officers scattered
over the world. and working with
them are about 1900 vice consuls,
consular agents, clerks, interpreters
and other American office personnel.
To outline the general instructions
under which they work requires
more than 5000 paragraphs in the
Consular Regulations, and there is
an endless variety Of forms and re-
ports pouring back to the United
States from every consulate. There
Gated in foreign trade centers and
some in very remote places.
Probably the most inaccessible Is
that at Chung King, far back in the
interior Of China, almost on the from
tier of Tibet. To reach it requires six
weeks travel from Shanghai by river.
Much of the distance is traversed in
a small river boat. pulled by hun
dred Chinese coolies, who are paid a
cent a day each. So deep are some of
the gorges in this water route that
at times the towing ropes seem to
stand straight up in the air.
In some parts Of the world the con-
suls also have judicial functions.
Usually they manage to settle out of
court difYicu1ties involving American
dtizens. But, there was q case in
Turkey where a naturalixed Amerf-
can Of Greek birth was complained