Evening star., 1932-11-13
g ENJOYS FACING
LOSS OF POSITIONS
Eiqht U. S. Ambassadors, In
CIuding Mellon, Likely to
Retire by March a..

Possibly 8 out Of Is Ambassadors
and a score Of Ministers are destined
to end their diplomatic careers in the
first real shake-up of the diplomatic
service in IL years after PreSident-elect
Franklin D. Roosevelt assumes office on
March 4.
Topping the list of these % political
appointees who hold coveted foreign
posts are Ambassador Andrew w. Mel
lon. at London, Ambassador Walter E.
Edge, at Paris, and Ambassador Fred
eric M. Sackett, at Berlin.
Safely entrenched in their berths,
however, are 80 career men," so-called
because they were promoted through
the ranks Of the protected foreign serv-
ice Of the State Department. So in
any shake-up that occurs after March
4, at least one-flalf of the heads Of
American missions abroad are likely to
be unaffected.
While Gov. Roosevelt is known as a
precedent smasher, it is hardly con-
ceivable at the State Department that
he would make any changes in these
career men. Among them are Anbas-
sador Joseph c. Grew, at Toxic; Am
baSsador Hugh S. Gibson, at Brussels,
and Ambassador John w. Garrett, at
Rome, all veterans, yet holding offices
which any incoming administration
would covet
Due to the economy act, which great
1y reduced the mesger allowances OF
foreign service officers and made reduc-
tions also in their salaries, 1t will be
even more difficult than before to find
available men of suitable financial
means to fill the % political berths wait
ing to be plucked. More than ever now
the stigma of rich mans job" attaches
to the political diplomats, and few out
side the State Department realize the
personal sacrifices being made by the
regular career Ambassadors and Minis
tiers, most Of whom are men of moder-
ate means and dependent on their Gov
eminent salaries
A glance at the register reveals that
the IS embassy posts are not only
equally divided between these two dis
tinct classes, but also are pretty well
equalized in their relative Importance.
In addition to the posts at london, Paris
ard Berlin, political appointees now
head the missions in Cuba, Mexico,
Turkey, Chile and Poland
Recent Polish Appointment.
The Polish post was filled scarcely
q week ago, the appointee being F.
Lamot Belin, a foreign service officer
until year ago. He is not regarded
strictly as a political appointee by
State Department officials, yet it would
not be difficult to characterize him as
such, due to the previous severance Of
his connections. His predecessor was
John N. Willys, wealthy Toledo auto
Belin himself is scion of the Du Pont
family.
Former Secretary of the Treasury
Mellon, the wealthiest man to hold
public office, has held the post at the
Court of st. James only since February
5 of this year. Mr.. Edge has about
three years Of service to his credit
and Mr.. Sackett two years. Both were
1ame-duck Senators when they were
made Ambassadors. There is no ques-
ton but that all three heed the list
Of retiring ENJOYS.
In contract with the political Am
basSadors are the eight career men
who hold similar posts. Aside from
the berths at Toxic, Brussels and
Rome, the remaining ambassadorshi
involving carer men are those in Bra
I'll, Argentina, Peru and Spain. They
are held, respectively, by Edwin v. Nor
gan, Robert Woods Bliss, Fred Morris
Dearing and Irwin B. Laughlin.
In accordance with tradition, every
Ambassador and Minister in the far
flung foreign service of the United
States will tender his resignation to the
new President on March 4. Until their
designations are accepted, however, they
will remain ON duty at their berths. The
career men" likewise are affected, for
they have been promoted out Of the
service, literally speaking. It Is gener-
oI1u rNnrndod hOyuouar, that oil raraar
men will remain at their posts during
the new administration. While they
have not civil service status, they are
equally protected by the law creating
the foreign service. II Is possible, how
ever, for new President to shift them
from post to post, but that Is considered
unlikely unless vacancy appears.
Ministers to Face Recalls.
Among the legation posts, score of
the Ministers being political appointees,
are number of important posts which
undoubtedly will be given new Ministers
after March 4. While a great majority
Of the Latin American posts are held by
career men, the berths at Salvador,
Bolivia, and Panama become the "spoils"
of the new administration If desired.
Other important legation posts waiting
to be filled are those In Austria, Bull
garia, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, Hun
gary, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden
and Persia. Still others include Greece,
Czechoslovakia, Portugal, Liberia, Al
bania, Canada and Yugoslavia.
In a few Of these, Canada, Czecho-
slovakia and Greece, there are vacancies
which may or may not be filled by
career men before March 4.
With the ever irritating and delicate
Manchurian and other Far Eastern poll
cies involved at Geneva, it appears that
the two important posts at Toxic and
Peiping are filled by career men, who.
under usual circumstances, would con-
tinue. The Minister to China Is another
veteran of the foreign service, Melton T.
johnson, who was designated on De-
cember 16, 1929.