Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-24
BY FRANK II. SIMONDS.


State. 1t seems to be his chief prob
lem.
Washington, which has its own views
has asked the question in something like
the following form: will Col. Stimson
have the State Department out of spats
by Christmas"
The explanation of the current con-
viction that the State Department
should and will be reorganized is a lit
tie vague. Beyond any debate what
John Hay used to describe as The De-
partment" has reached the stage where
something must be done about it. Be-
fore Col Stimson was even identified AS
the next Secretary of State. Washing
ton was filled with the rumors of Mr..
Hoover's fixed and even iron determine
ton to produce revolution in the build
ing which lies Just across the street
from his new residence.
All of which naturally provokes the
question. What is the matter with the
State Department." What is the actual
character of this major problem now
confronting the new Secretary of State,
hurrying. one must suppose. from his
post in the Far East to assist and even
to direct transformation of first mag
nitude?
If there is anything wrong with the
State Department-and there must be.
since every one admits it. outside the
department itself-it is fair to say that
the first trouble arises from the fact
that to enter this branch of public serv-
ice one must be either rich or resigned
to abject poverty.
Critics Not Clear.
The critics of the department are
q IN u-t1o i,n1
actually criticizing. whether it be the
character of the men We send to render
the clerical and social service necessary
to the administration Of our embassies
and legations abroad. or the intelligence
of the men-far less we'll known and in
hnitely more important-who constitute
the experts and build up the informa-
ton and supply the Interpretation of
foreign affairs.
AS to the former. the problem is
immediate. No matter how good a
man may be at the so-called diplo-
matte game, no matter how much he
may know about foreign country,
there are only limited number of
posts in Europe to which he can be
sent to serve effectively or live possibly,
unless ne happens to have fortune
of his cwn. If one travels, as I do.
a.
to discover that, below the rank of
ambassador or neutrality-suspicious.
usually made for political reasons-the
counselors and secretaries of our serv-
ice may quickly be divided into two
claSSeS-the rich, who are paying
largely for the privilege of serving, and
the poor. who are enduring every form
of personal privation and humiliation
to follow a profession to which they
bring just about the same degree of
enthusiasm and ambition that any
earnest person brings to any form of
human activity.
To jump from this to the rather
general assumption that only the poor
are good and all the rich are incom-
petent Is as absurd as it is familiar.
Some of the best men that have met
in foreign service have been fortunate
enough to be beyond the handicap of
financial worry, while, on the other
hand, among the poor there is the very
great wastage due to the fact that not
q few. and those of the best, give up
the struggle, refuse to subject their
wives to the humiliations and their
children to the hardships inevitable I'M
der the circumstances.
Nonsense in Recent Years.
A good deal of nonsense has been
talked in recent years. ever since the
passage of the Rogers bill. about career
men in our diplomatic service. But so
far as foreign service is concerned the
financial circumstances are such that
there is real career for only one sort
of man; and that is man who has
the money to take the posts which his
service earns for him.
Looking to the other branch of this
diplomatic business, the part concerned
with the experts who are the ma
ciine-who do not make policy, per-
haps, but do most emphatically in
duence it-nothing is in my Judgment
more unjust than the existing legends
about their incompetence and useless
ness. In point of fact there are in the
State Department today whole group
of men whose knowledge and expert
ence in dealing with that field of for
eign affairs which is their particular
pigeon is vastly beyond the deserts
of a government which stsrves them
and of a Congress which SO times out
Of hundred ignores them.
Mr.. Hoover is generally credited with
Che purpose to undertake the reorganl-
nation of the foreign relations of our
country. to bring a new efficiency into
them. AS a consequence Mr.. Stlmsons
coming has been awaited with intense
excitement in all official quarters, be-
cause he is regarded as bringing with
him from the Philippines new broom.
But while it would be a simple matter
to sweep out of existence the unmis-
takably incomplete machine which the
last two Secretaries of State have, with
difficulty and much labor, succeeded In
constructing, whence will come the ma
terial for replacement?
Criticism and Reasons.
A great deal of ridicule is poked at
the State Department because of the
little boys with spats. because OF the
ritual of rank and position at dinner
because of the marvellous skill fire.
ouently acquired in balancing tea cups
some of it is fair enough. Such things
are the fresh paint of this particular
trade-and every trade has its solemn
owls and its indescribable asses. But
It seems to me, nothing could be more
absurd than to imagine that the trouble
with the State Department. conccdine
that there is trouble, will be remedleo
bv calling in a new lot of spat Wearers
And what will Mr.. Stimson or Mr.
Hoover do with a newly reorganlzec
State Department, assuming that the
changes are made?
Foreign pOllCy III tHe Cast Va Cuio'
pean countries is matter OF vital I'M
nortance. Mistakes not only can NEAR
war. but they inevitably involve the losE
of power and prestige. So far, with us
foreign affairs have been a minor ane
side issue. a provocation for congress
sional eloquence, field for self adver'
tisement. but never a serious matter
save in one or two crises. promptly for
gotten. When it comes down TO serious
matters the State Department waits OF
the Senate and rarely dares to drop ont
little bit of truth into the floods of elo
ouent rubbish which issue from legis
lators and are directed at their constitu
ents without regard to the foreign con
sequences.
Despite these discouragements we hav
good men in the State Department, mel
who take their job seriously and evel
periodically, give $40 of service 10
nente of Solorv f,anfS uhn knOI