Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1933-03-08
Government
How 1t Operates
BY William Bruekarf
OF STATE

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
rotary 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 1t 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 a be
found perhaps of how the Depart
ment of State serves in domestic
affairs than the fact that the secre-
tary of state formally publishes all
laws and resolutions enacted by
congress. IT may be just a formal
lily after all, hut nevertheless every
act of congress passes across the
desk of the secretary. or some one
acting for him, before becoming the
law of the land.
In order to make this phase or
his work clear, consider the course
followed by a resolution OF con-
gress amending the Constitution. 1t
never goes to the President at all
the secretary of state receives 1t d.
rect from congress. and In turn
transmits 1t to 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 30 OF
the 48 states have approved OF 1t,
the secretary of state announces II
as a part of the Constitution.
In correspondence which the Pres
ldent has with the governors Of the
several states, the communications
pass through the hands of the sec
rotary of state so that he stands
actually as the medium by which
the states and the federal govern
ment r In contact.
Mention was made earlier Of tbs
great seal of the Union. 1t Is care
fully protected by the secretary o.
state and its preservation Is just al
important as are the copies o.
treaties with foreign governments
executive proclamations and com
missions to which that seal Is af
fixed after they have been slgnet
by the secretary of state. When
ever a fugitive from justice
criminal or one charged with
crime who has escaped to a foreigl
land--is sought to be returned t
the United States, the warrant TO
extradition from the land of his ref
uge must bear the signature OF tn
secretary of state and have th
great seal affixed.
Now as to the other phase of th
dual Job handled by the Department
Of State; that agency is the four
tain head OF the nations foreig
policy. In other words, 1t Is tn
place In which the views Of tn
United States, as a nation, on a
questions affecting another govern
ment, are formulated, because fol
eign policy after all ls nothing br
settled opinion pursuant to thos
views. They have their origl
among the men who are conversar
with all details of the problem an
while they require the sanction
the President always, and of tn
senate when there Is an agreemen
or a contract, arranged between tn
nations, the fundamentals Away
are worked out under the superv
sion OF the secretary of state.
From this 1t Is easy to under
stand why there is a necessity 70
the far-fiung service of diplomat
who officially represent the Unite
4 States In every nation Of the worlt
4 The highest rank Of these, of course
4 Is the ambassador extraordinar
| and plenipotentlary. After tina
rank Is the envoy extraordinary an
minister plenipotentlary. Then com
the consul general, the vice consr
and consuls. so that throughout tn
world a citizen of the United State
need travel only short distance
anywhere until he is In touch wit
an official of his own nationality.
1t Is equally easy to comprehen
I how the relations between tn
United States and any other GOV
eminent are maintained. for an
one of the officials mentioned abov
overlooks nothing that will engende
good will for his government.
There are treaties of amity an
commerce and there are speclf