Evening star., 1937-08-07
By Lncp Salamanca.


August another American
] woman will sail for a post
in the foreign service of the
United States. She will be the Sev-
enth woman 10 be appointed for such
service in this country, and the third
in present actual service. four having
resigned for purposes ranging from
radio work to marriage
Miss Margaret Hanna. who first
entered the Department OF State in
Washington in 1895 as a confidential
clerk at salary of 5000 year. Will
sail for a subordinate consular post
IN Geneva in few days, at a salary
Of 5000 annually and rent allowance.
Because of her long service and ex-
perience within the department Miss
Hanna is an exception to the general
rule that appolntees must have passed
the regular examination in foreign
service work before being placed on
the eligible list, and her appointment
comes under the head of a special case
in this respect.
Miss Hanna is preceded by Miss
Frances Willis, Miss Margaret Warner,
Miss Nellie Stoesdall, Miss Lucille
AtcherSon, Miss Patty Field and Miss
Constance Harvey, sharing with them
the distinction of belonging to the
limited cohort of feminine crusaders
in the diplomatic field. OF the num-
Der only Miss Harvey and Miss Willis
now are in service. Miss Harvey is
at present vice consul IN Milan, at a
salary of $4,000 and rent allowance.
while Miss Willis is second secretary
OF the Embassy in Brussels at a SAL
AIRY of $4,000 and rent allowance.
Miss StogSdall. Miss Atcherson.
Miss Field and Miss Warner resigned
after more or less short periods in
foreign posts, Miss Field to enter
radio work.
HE increased interest women are
taking in this kind of a career
t evident in the number who now
register for the stiff examinations
that determine the eligibility of ap-
plcants, masculine or feminine,
Forty women took the last examina-
tion for the American foreign serv-
Ice. out of total of 725 men and
women, During times of economic
distress, when there Is greater
turnover in the personnel of the
service, even greater number than
this apply for admission. The en-
trance salary, for men or women is
s2,500, with a rent allowance rang
Ing from four to six hundred dollars
year. The top salary is $1,000.
One would suppose that in a field
relatively as lucrative as this. even
more would be attracted. But the cold
facts Of the case are that despite the
lure 1t holds for the yemuresome, the
foreign service is a field not especially
fitted for women, except in excep-
tional instances.
In the first place a woman must
adapt herself to an environment
completely at variance with that in
which she has been reared. She
must give up family and friends for
at least two years when she accepts
q foreign assignment and she must
settle herself as best she can in a
land where, often as not, the COM
forts and conveniences of her home
land are completely lacking. This is
especially true in the obscure little
posts tucked way in corners of the
world where Uncle Sam must care
for trade and national relations but
where. otherwise no citizen of the
United States would choose TO re-
side permanently If business matters
did not make such residence neces-
kary.
1t is slluring enough TO listen to
such names as Iran, or Buenayen-
tura, for example But to live in
these distant centers is another mat
ter. A woman alone has a hard
time in diplomatic life unless she be
stationed in some metropolitan city
like London or Paris or any other
Of the important European or South
American centers. Suppose, for
instance. you are a woman interested
In accepting post in Buenaventura.
THE alamor is apt TO wear thin be-
fore the harsh realities of life in
BuenaVentura. where. in its one adobe
hotel you must pass all your time out
side Of working hours at the consulate.
one hotel lacking in all those niceties
and convenienceS which have become
commonplace in your own home town
There's no hot water, flies in the
soup and blazing heat that keeps
you in a daze Of sitting inactivity
most Of the time And to top 1t
all there may be one American other
than yourself there. Unless this par
ticular American chances to De con-
genial soul, one may well weary OF
his eternal presence. II is very easy