The Washington times., 1925-01-30
JAPAN WILL GUT
OUT TRADE
POSTS
Champagne Diplomacy" Of
Commercial Attaches
Losing Favor
By LUTHER A. HUSTON.
International News Service.


TOKYO, Jan. S0.-Too much "cam-
payne diplomacy and not enough
genuine toll, according to reports
current in Tokyo, is going to cost
the commercial attaches at Japanese
embassies and legations their highly
pleasant lucrative jobs.
The Japanese foreign office has
decided to abolish all commercial at
taches at embassies and legations
abroad. Ostensibly the motive is
to economic. These attaches are
now costing the Japanese govern
ment approximately $1,000 per
year, and the government wants to
save the money.
Other Reasons Given.
Behind the plea of economy, how
ever. rumor declares that there is
another reason. This reason is
voiced by the Osaka Asaht, one of
the leading japanese newspapers,
which declares that many COM
merclal attaches are said to be
'busily engaged in champagne
diplomacy and that thew have not
time to attend to their dutias.n
At any rate, all commercial at.
taches are to be separated from
the government payroll unless the
earnest pleas OF Japanese business
men induce the government to
rescind Its decision. The business
men are greatly wrought up over
the matter, fearing that discontinue
ance OF the commercial attaches
will have an adverse effect upon
japanese foreign trade.
The function of Japanese com.
mercial attaches, like those of
other countries, is to collect infor.
nation regarding trade conditions.
trade practices and market demands
In foreign countries, and to dis
seminate 1t to the merchants OF
their own land. Japanese business
men declare that the aid given
them by commercial attaches in the
past has been invaluable and that
It's discontinuance would be a seri-
Gus handicap to japanese merchants
seeking to trade in other countries.
Might Assess Business.
It has been suggested that the
business men, IL the government
cannot afford to maintain the sys-
tenn of commercial attaches abroad,
might be willing to contribute
literally to the cost OF keeping up
the system. The foreign office,
however, apparently does not take
kindly to this suggestion and seems
determined to abolish all posts OF
commercial attaches in foreign
countries.
To solve the difficulty III is pro-
posed that the department of agri-
culture and commerce shall estab-
lish trade commissioners in for
eign countries, whose functions
would be similar to those OF the
commercial attaches. The present
plan calls for only five of these
commissioners, to be stationed at
important trading centefs through
out the world. This would add to
the expense of maintaining the de-
partment Of agriculture and COM
merce, but would reduce the ex-
penses OF the foreign office.
Little Concerned.
Business men point out that this
is really "robbing Peter to pay
Paul." but they are not greatly
concerned so long as the foreign
trade information they desire is
forthcoming, whether 1t is provided
by trade commissioners or COM
however, that the willingness Of
the government to allow the de-
partment of agriculture and COM
merce to establish service to take
over the work that the foreign
office is disseminating indicates
that economy is not the real motive
for the change.
The commissioners, under control
of the department of commerce, 1t
Is declared, might render more ef-
ficient service than commercial at
taches who are subject to the dis
fractions incident to their connec-
tton with the dfplomatic service.