Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-19
BY HENRY CABOT LODGE.

TN two days a conference Is opening
In London which may, If all goes
well, take giant strides toward the
i elimination Of competition in naval
ornaments and so remove one OF
the great causes of international fric-
tien. The personalities and the prob
lens to be met with at London are
pretty we'll known, but it is not gen.
orally realized that in such conference
crucial decisions are made many thou
sand miles from London itself
President Hoover, presumably, will
be in close Geographic, If not tele-
phonic, communication with the Amer
lean delegation and will probably keep
in touch with the representatives of
foreign governments in Washington.
Moreover where other nations are con-
cerned he will undoubtedly have his
views presented in foreign capitals
through the American Ambassadors.
One of the most important nations
represented at London is Japan, and it
may be vitality important for the
United States to have a man in Toxic
enjoying the respect and confidence of
the japanese government and able to
present to them the American point
of view on naval matters. When Mr.
Charles MacVeagh ended a most dis
tinguished tour of duty as Ambassador
there in March, 1929, the place re-
NAMED vacant until December, when
the President, realizing the need of
first-class representation, appointed a
man-Mr william r. Castle-who is
probably as unusual and valuable a
man as can be found In our whole
Government service.
The forthcoming conference makes it
interesting to see what kind of man
has been intrusted with such serious
RESPONSIBILITIES by the President. But
even II there were no conference Mr..
Castle would be profitable study, for
he epitomizes qualities which are so
badly needed and so seldom found In
government. They are qualities which
are little known, for men Of Mr.. Castles
type are so much more interested in
their work than they are In themselves
that they are not often heard about.
Problems to Be Grasped.
Whoever is interested in public affairs
must have asked himself how it is
possible for private individual how
ever able he may have been as a law
complicated problems of, say, the
Treasury, War or State Department,
If he comes to these Offices for the first
time In his life. How can he really
discharge his duties and how can the
Government function as ef1ciently as
it does when a new administration
sweeps him out just as he begins to
know something about his work?
Mr.. Castle is one. of the answers to
this question. He and the few men like
him keep the government going After
the last touchdown has been scored In
the foot ball game of politics, when
In snort--something technical, diff
cult and special must be done, there
must be somebody who knows some
thing. Foreign countries realized this
long ago. In their foreign Offices, for
instance, every one but the foreign
minister is trained man. When
Prime Minister Macdonald came here
he was not advised by elected officials
but by trained specialists who served
him as well as they previously had
served his political opponents.
Let us look first at Mr.. Castles life
before discussing the many problems
which he has solved or the difflculties
confronting him In his new post. He
was born In Hawaii as a loyal subject
of King Kalakaua in 1878, Of New