Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-30

make its regular reports to Washing
ton. One secretary may report on the
internal political situation, another on
the financial situation, another on the
military and naval situation, while yet
another is kept busy answering ques-
tons and getting Grant Americans out
OF jail. This work is difficult, delicate
and nerve-wracking. More than often
the pink tea" diplomat does not get
home in time for dinner-working over
time in an embassy is the rule rather
than the exception. And If the diplo-
mat can possibly do so, he will wiggle
out Of as many invitations as possible.
in order to spend a quiet evening at
home with his family.
I But there is one and only one valid
criticism of the American foreign serv-
ice as it exists today; it is undemo-
cratic. A poor man, and by that
mean one who has no regular private
income, simply cannot afford to enter
the foreign service, because the salary
will not support him. The same salary
might, and probably would, support the
same man If he were working in Amer
lea for himself. Then he could en-
terrain, or not entertain, as he might
choose; but in the diplomatic service he
has no choice, he must entertain, and 1t
costs money. Our Government provides
ton" allowance; it provides only small
salary, and out of that the diplomat
must support himself and family and
entertain. And when he retireS he does
not receive a pension from the Govern
ment, as does a naval or Army officer.
All he receives is small sum which had
previously been deducted from his own
Salaryi His Government gives him
nothing when he retires; he pays for
his own pension-and just try to live
on it! This is the one real criticism of
the foreign service, and no one decries
it more than the man in the service
unless it's his wife. It is a fact that
today the majority of men in the diplo-
matte branch Of the foreign service have
a private income in addition to their
salaries. If the American people once
got it into their heads that their own
diplomatic service is rich mans game,
they would reform it. It is strange
and curious fact-and one with touch
of irony-that the British foreign serv-
ice is almost infinitely more democratic
than the American. In Great Britain
any one can aspire to the diplomatic
service because the salary is adequate
| and post" allowances are made by the
| government to cover entertainment and
other expenses which the individual
must incur on behalf of his government,
but which he would not, and could not,
incur on his own behalf. Brit.
ish Ambassador has approximately
about $4,000 per year to draw upon, of
which about half is salary and half
representation" allowance. An Amer
lean Ambassador gets $17,500 and no
| allowances.
Our Government, in order to remedy
the present situation, should triple all
existing salaries in the foreign service
and further provide for representation
allowances for all posts in accordance
with the existing classes in the foreign
service. This should be an annual al
lowance. and at the end Of the year any
unused funds should automatically re-
turn to the Government-aS is done in
England. An account of all sums spent
from the post allowance" should ac-
company the annual report. This is
the only way to put the foreign service
on sound, democratic. efficient basis.
w. K. AILSHIE.