Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-14
DENNIS CHARGES
WILL Be PROBED
State Department Formally
Denies Giving Preference
to Men of Wealth.

Promise of an inquiry into charges
of favoritism and partially shown in
recent promotions and assignments
I'm the foreign service. S alleged by
Lawrence Dennis. until recently the
American charge daffairs in Mica
ragua, was made at the state De
partment today upon the return Of
Secretary of State Kellogg from a
solfing trip in South Carolina,
Pending the arrival here of Den
mis-, which may he early next week,
the State Department took sufficient
rOgnizanCe of the imbrogiio to make
formal denial that deliberate prefer
ence is shown TO men of wealth ana
social position in the matter of as
signments and promotions. Further
more it was declared that the de-
partment always had attempted to
see that all men in the foreign serv-
ice We're given a square deal ana
fair treatment.
No Light on Statement.
AS to the existence of an alleged
document reported as having been
sent to Dennis by Secretary Kellogg,
urging him to do all he could to bring
about the election of Adolfo DiaZ as
President Of Nicaragua, no further
light was shed today. Neither denial
nor confirmation Of statements that 1t
was a clever Mexican forgery was
authorized.
This matter, along with the charges
of favoritism which have stirred dis
content in the state Department, will
he held in allegiance until the return
of Mr.. Dennis. The latter has been
succeeded by John MacVeagh. who as
sumed office in Nicaragua today. No
word has been received from Dennis
as to the date of his arrival and his
exact whereabouts was not known
today. Upon his return here he prob
ably will be assigned to a position
in the Latin American division, sim
liar TO that held recently by Mr.
MacNeagh.
Secretary Kellogg was made
acquainted with the controversy
stirred mp by Dennis when he re-
turned to hts office this morning.
1t was made clear at the state De
partment that while the charges of
favOritism, growing out of the resolu-
ton offered by Representative Ed
wards of Georgia, apparently have no
basis of fact, the department never
theless would look into the matter.
Kellogg Assumes Responsibility.
1t was made clear that Secretary
Kellogg personally assumes RESPONSE.
blllty for the assignment of half n
dozen men of wealth and social posi-
non' to posts as ministers, Whether
Dennis had reference to these recent
appointments or not. it was said that
they were made for the good of the
service.
The men involved are Hugh r.
70.
post at Bern, Switzerland: Frederick
a. Sterling. who is assigned to the
Irish Free State; j. Butler Wright, at
Budapest; William Phillips, at Ottawa,
Canada. and Hugh $. Gibson, at
Brussels.
These appointments were suggested
to the President by Mr.. Kellogg. IL
was said. and the Personnel Board
had nothing to do with them. They
were characterized as teminent serv.
ice men" and their selection was due
not TO their social position, but to
their individual ability.
IF we are going to have foreign
service of the highest order" an off
cial is reported as having said, there
must be appointed in 1t men of
ability"
Remedy Up TO Congress.
The State Department it was point
ed out. has no control over salaries
paid to consular officers and If there
is a disproportionatemen between sal
aries in the consular and diplomatic
services, as alleged in the House reso-
luton. that is a matter which can be
remedied only by Congress.
AS yet no answer has been filed in
response to Mr.. Edwards resolution
and there was no intimation today
when there would he one. At the same
time, the Department made it clear
that In its attitude toward the con
sular service everything has been done
to give it's members a square deal.
If certain men have been assigned
to Central and South American posts
against their will, it was said, they
had been selected solely because OF
their fitness and training for Latin
American service.
Realizing the dissa tisfaction that has
been raised as a result Of the Dennis
charges however. the department is
said to be perfectly willing to give
this matter a thorough airing at the
proper time.