Evening star., 1933-12-14
Bingham Reported Resigning
Because ENJOY Pay Is Too Lou
Ambassador to London
Said to Find Expenses
of Job Are Too High.
Other Foreign Officers
Complain of High Cost
of Representing u. S.
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.
According to reliable reports, Robert
w. Bingham, American Ambassador to
Great Britain, intends to resign soon
after his return to the United States.
It Is stated that the wealthy Ken
tuckian finds the expenses involved in
representing Uncle Sam in London too
heavy for him.
The State Department would neither
confirm nor, deny the report. Ambas-
sador Bingham informed the depart
ment of his intended return to this
country some time ago, but ne has
not informed anybody in the depart
ment as to his future intentions.
High officials of the department
added they would not be surprised If
Mr.. Bingham intended to resign, owing
to the inadequacy of his salary COM
pared with the high expenses incurred
in the exercise of his duties.
Ambassador Bingham, of course, Is
a man of ample personal means yet,
according to reports, he finds it diff
cult to maintain his position unless
he wishes to continue to make i'm
portant personal financial sacrifices.
Fear Harmful Results.
The State Department is seriously
worried lest the inadequate salaries
paid to the men in the foreign field
foreign service officers to abandon
kn
ends meet.
Only a few days ago the resignation
of Francis White as United States Min
lister to Czechoslovakia was received by
the department. Contrary to the re-
ports that White had resigned because
he was peeved because he did not OBJ
tain an ambasasdorship in Latin Amer
lea, the truth is that White could not
live on his salary and his private means
had dwindled to such q figure that he
actually could not live decently in
Prague.
Here are the facts concerning the pay
OF the American foreign service officers
An American Minister receives a SAL
ary of $4,000 year. This is reduced
by Is per cent, in accordance with the
economy act.
Furthermore, if he is a career man,
like Francis White or Hugh Wilson or
Ambassador Hugh Gibson, to mention
the best known Ambassadors and Min
listers from the career" he has to pay
5 per cent of the nominal salary to the
pension fund. That brings a Minister'S
salary to $4,000 year. Out of this to-
tai he has to pay his income tax. Amer
ican citizens residing abroad are not
subject to income tax in the United
States, but American foreign service
officers must pay it. This represents
another 5000 to $3.50 year. Thus the
salary is about $7,750 year.
Other Extras Abolished.
All allowances, such as post allow
ances, representation allowances. etc.
have been abolished by Congress.
The only extra money Minister or
consul in charge may receive is q rent
allowance. and that has been reduced
to minimum of $625 a year. That
is to say that. in places where the
united States does not own a legation
building, the Minister is allowed Ithe
muniflcent sum of a little more than
$50 a month for his quarters. !,
The salaries of American diplomats
are not even comparable with those
foreign Ambassadors receive in WASH
lngton. The British, French, Italian.
German and Turkish Ambassadors all
receive well ever $4,000 a year. But
even Ministers. of smaller and much
poorer counties, such as Rumania. re-
ceive no less than $4,000 a year and
adequate living charters.
Whlle the position Of the American
Ministers and some of the Ambassadors
Is very difficult. the situation of the
secretaries. aco especially that of the
nard-Worklng consul, is almost unten-
able. A foreign officer of class 4. for
instance, man who has been in the
service at least Is years (and some
have been for much longer time). re-
celves from Uncle Sam a grand total
salary OF $4,000. That amount may be
Sufnclent for man and his family who
i've modeStly in Washington. but one
must remember that an American con-
SUI ABROAD represents the United States.
he mas to attend official functions. he
must return entertainment and cannot
i've IN the Slums. The rental allowance
OF a foreign service officer, who is not a
Minister averages $25 to $50 a month.
Some Paid in Paper Money.
These figures are calculated in gold
dollars. 1t is true tina: in many Euro
pean countries, such as Great Britain,
France, Germany, etc., the foreign
service officers are paid in gold dollars,
but in most of the South American
and in the Far Eastern countries they
are paid in paper dollars, which means
another depreciation of 10 to 20 per
cent of their salary and allowance.
Those responsible for the organiza-
ton and continuity of the American
diplomatic and consular service in the
State Department are seriously worried
lest the best trained American foreign
service men be compelled to resign from