The Coolidge examiner., 1933-03-10
OurG Government
How 1t Operates
BY William Bruckart
DEPARTMENT OF STATE

that the secretary of state was the
ranking official OF the Presidents
cabinet, and that he would succeed
TO the Presidency in the event Of
the death or the disqualification Of
the President and the Vice Presi-
dent. The worthy textbook also gave
some meager ideas of how the sec
retary of state handled all of the
foreign relations of our govern
ment, and that he was the keeper
Of the great seal of the Union.
The fact that the secretary Of
state is the intermediary between
the United States and other govern
ments somehow was clear enough,
but il was not until years later that
| became aware OF the important
functions he performs in matters
appertaining to purely domestic af-
fairs.
Nearly all of the governments OF
the world maintain an Office, usu-
ally designated as the ministry of
foreign affairs. which considers and
acts on nothing except questions be-
tween governments. our Depart
ment OF State does that, but its
other work is equally Important.
No better illustration can be
found perhaps Of how the Depart
ment OF State serves in domestic
~. ha Fn h.sf Tho
iary of state formally publishes all
laws and resolutions enacted by
congress. II may be just Il formal
iiy after all. but nevertheless every
act OF congress passes across the
desk of the secretary. or some one
acting for him. before becoming the
law OF the hand
In order TO make this phase OF
his work clear. consider the course
followed by resolution OF con-
creSs amending the Constitution. II
never goes 10 the President at all;
The secretary OF state receives it d.
rect from congress. and In turn
transmits IL 10 the secretaries of
state OF each OF the states. After
the respective state legislatures
have acted. their secretary OF state
advises the secretary OF state OF the
federal government and when SO Of
the IS states have approved Of II.
the secretary of state announces II
as a part OF the Constitution.
In correspondence which the Pres
ident has with the governors of the
several states. the communications
pass through the hands OF the sec
retary OF state so that he stands
actually as the medium by which
the states and the federal govern
ment are in contact.
Mention was made earlier OF the
great seal OF the Union. II Is care
fully protected by the secretary Of
state and its preservation is just as
important as are the copies Of
treaties with foreign governments,
executive proclamatlons and COM
missions TO which that seal is af-
fixed after they have been signed
by the secretary OF state. When
ever a fugitive from justice-a
criminal or one charged with a
crime who has escaped TO a foreign
land-is sought To be returned to
the United States. the warrant for
extradition from the land OF his ref
uge must bear the signature of the
secretary of state and have the
great seal affixed.
Now as TO the other phase OF the
dual job handled by the Department
Sf State; that agency is the foun-
tin head OF the nations foreign
policy. In other words. it is the
place in which the views Of the
United States. as a nation. ON all
questions affecting another govern
ment. are formulated. because for.
eign policy after all Is nothing but
settled opinion pursuant to those
views They have their origin
among the men who are conversant
with all Details of the problem and
while they require the sanction of
the President always, and OF the
senate when there Is an agreement,
or contract, arranged between the
nations. the fundamentals always
are worked out under the superyi.
sion OF the secretary Of state.
From this IL Is easy to under
stand why there is a necessity for
the far-flung service of diplomats
who officially represent the United
States in every nation of the world
The highest rank Of these. of course
is the. ambassador extraordinary
and plenipotentiary. After that
rank is the envoy extraordinary and
minister plenipotentiary. Then come
the consul general. the vice consul
and consuls. so that throughout the
world citizen of the United States
need travel only short distances
anywhere until he is In touch with
an official of his own nationality.
II Is equally easy to comprehend
how the relations between the
United States and any other gov
ernment are maintained. for any
one of the officials mentioned above
overlooks nothing that will engender
good will for his government.