Evening star., 1936-12-01
j. s. DIPLOMATS
AREFORB|DDENT TO
WE'D FOREIGNERS
Request for Permission Of
State Department Must
Include Resignation.
PRESIDENT EXPRESSES
CONCERN OVER UNIONS
Executive Order, Signed Novem.
Der II, Sent in Circular to
Foreign Service Officers.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Expressing concern at the large
number of marriages of American
foreigners, the State Department to-
day made public an executive order
by President Roosevelt forbidding
them to contract such unions without
specific permission of the Secretary
of State.
The executive order, signed by
President Roosevelt on November II,
was included in Q special circular in
struction sent to all American foreign
service officers.
I'm the present condition Of world
affairs" the State Department warned
its representatives abroad, ANY ten.
dency further to increase the mum.
ber Of marriages of this character
must be regarded with concern.
Check-up Is Made.
"A recent check-up on persons who
are married to persons of foreign birth
reveals state of affairs that cannot
be regarded with appreciation.
1t added that 18 per cent of foreign
service career officers are married to
women of alien birth and that 81 per
cent Of embassy and consular clerks
have taken the same step. The Ex-
ecutive order, however, does not apply
to clerks.
"A full realization on the part of all
members of the foreign service must
be had" the order said that the for
eign service offers advantages sufficient
certainly to expect of them sacrifices
when the good of that service as a
service is considered, and a definite
sense of obligation to the service is
expected and must be insisted upon.
THE situation has at last reached
such proportions in the foreign serv-
ice that definite action cannot longer
be delayed" ."
Permission Is Necessary.
The executive order stipulated that
'before contracting marriage with q
person of foreign nationality each for
eign service officer shall request and
obtain permission 50 to do from the
Secretary Of State under such instruc-
tons u may be issued by him"
1t stipulated further that each re-
quest for permission shall be accom-
panied by the officers resignation
from the foreign service for such
action as may be deemed appropriate, +"
giving the Secretary of State the
option Of accepting the resignation If
he deems it advisable.
1t also forbids persons married to
aliens to take entrance examinations
for the foreign service in the future.
This regulation" the executive
order said, "is based upon the prin-
ciple that officers of the foreign serv-
ice are expected to be available in the
discretion of the President for duty
in any country. or in any part of the
tracts from the availability of indi-
vidual officers has an adverse effect
upon their usefulness and upon the
efficiency Of the service"
State Department officials said off,
GERS now married to foreigners are not
affected by the order.
The most recent outstanding diplo-
matte marriage was that Of Mrs. Ruth
Bryan Owen, former Minister to Dem
mark, to the Danish officer, Capt.
Beorge Rohde. Mrs Owen -Rohde
resigned her post soon after the cere-
mony, which was conducted at the
Hyde Park home Of President Roose-
welt.