Evening star., 1936-08-09

% most of skill in diplomacy from
representatives of foreign governments
stationed in the capitals throughout
the world. Washington, however, re-
mains ma ior assignment for diplo-
mats of other countries, generally
ranking first in Importance among
pan-Anerican governments and first
or second among those of other ma
=, tions.
! That position of high Importance for
! Washington. as world capital. where
the foreign governments take pains
; to send the men whom they rank
among their ablest for diplomatic
service. dates back only to the World
3 War. Even this Summer it has been
ettested by the caliber of men Sc
g lected for appointment as new Am
bassadors and Ministers to Washing
{ ton by number of foreign govern
ments.
Although the postwar international
20 crises of a spectacular nature have
shifted back and forth chiefly between
Europe and Asia, with little or nothing
of that kind centering here, Italy
Bulgaria, Canada. Venezuela, Para
quay and Costa Rica, changing their
representation in Washington, have
designated outstanding men for this
post of duty within the last few
months
Duce Picks Chief Adviser.
Premier Benito Mussolini, in reor-
eanilng his foreign service in the
wake of his affront to world opinion
through his conquest of Ethiopia,
chose for the Washington post. Fulvio
Suvich, who. as his underSecretary of
the ministry of foreign affairs, which
he himself headed, had been, with
Baron Pompeo Aloisi, the Italian rep
reSentative at Geneva, his chief ad-
wiser on international problems since
July, 1882. He will replace AmbaSsa-
dor Augusta RoSso. who has been here
since January, 1888. and who will be
transferred to Moscow.
The new Italian Ambassador, dis
tinguished in Italy as an economist
and politician, has served the MusSo-
lini government as undersecretary of
finance, as president of the Financial
Committee of the League of Nations,
as delegate to League assemblies. as
secretary Of state in the ministry of
foreign affairs and as commissioner
for tourisn1.
Prime Minister Mackenzie King
selected Sir Herbert Marier, now
Canadian Minister to Japan. to fill
the vacancy in the Dominion's lega-
ton at Washington left vacant by
the resignation last October Of w. D.
Herridge when the King government
took Office man Of wealth and
family background, including both
French and English blood, Sir Her.
bert, now go years old, has devoted
himself largely to public service.
Follow United States Precedent.
The Latin American governments
have followed more closely the GUS
tom of the United States of appoint
ing prominent citizens in sympathy
with current administrations to i'm
portant foreign diplomatic posts. The
Venezuelan government selected DR..
Juan Jose Mendoza, noted jurist,
president of the College of Advocates
and former rector of the Central Uni
yersity of Venezuela, for its repre-
sentative in Washington. The Para
guayan government sent to Washing
ton DR.. Alfredo Buck Codas, educated
in engineering at Cornell on gov
ernment scholarship, who after
graduation returned to his native
country, but came to the United
States in 1916 and was employed for
five years by an American railroad
company before going home to enter
public life as director of the national
department of public works.
The chief function of any foreign
diplomat assigned to Washington, in
the absence of any worries about pro-
tecting his nationals in view of the
lack of violent political disorders and
of the worldwide confidence in the
justice of American courts, is to build
up and maintain good relations be-
tween his own government and that
of the United States and the peoples
they represent On the surface, much
Of his time here, as far as the public
Is informed, is devoted to social af-
fairs, but even those are rooted in his
primary function of making known
and being known in friendly fashion.
He also must promote good will
with addresses, usually to groups of
his own nationals, being careful not
to overstep delicately defined lines,
and by making the State Department
understand what his government is
doing and why, not only as it affects
this Nation directly. but as it involves
the complex interrelations with other
nations. Moreover, he must work to
keep open the main channels of trade,
SO that the consular service can
- function.
=. Must Interpret United States News.
~ In many respects, also the foreign
diplomat must perform the function
of a flrst-class news correspondent.
To fulfill his mission of maintaining
international good will he must dig
under the news of this country and
keep his government informed accu-
rately and with understanding of both
the deep and the transitory currents
Of feeling.
= The dean of the entire corps still
Is Sir Ronald Lindsay, its tallest men,
ber, towering some inches above 6
feet, o descendant of the gaoler of
Mary, Queen of Scots. He presented
his credentials on March "a, 1880, and
moved into the imposing new British
Embassy on assachusetts avenue.
Sir Ronald entered the British dip
slomatic service with the rank of an
attache In 1898, and. after service at
st. Petersburg from 1899 to 1908, rose
to the rank of second secretary in
1904, while on duty at Teheran, Persia,
from 1908 to 1905, when he was first
transferred to Washington. He was
in Paris from 1907 until 1908, and then
in the British foreign Office at London
, until 1911, when he was assigned
briefly as secretary to the British rep
resentatives at the international opium
conference of that year, before start
ing q tour of duty at The Hague, from