Evening star., 1939-08-20
By Harriet French.

What does it take to be a diplo-
mat?" young man asked me few
days age.
After looking over the various
fields of enterprise, he had decided
that the career of a diplomat held
the greatest appeal. He knew that
a young member of the diplomatic
service holds an honorable position
in society, and that the minimum
salary is $500 year, plus allow
ances for heat, light and living quar-
ters. These allowances could easily
bring the yearly income up to 50 400,
and if he married, larger allow
ance would be granted. If the en-
viable rank of ambassador were at
tanned he would receive $17,50O a
year plus allowances for heat, light,
quarters and entertaining. All this
seemed to my young friend like
nice work, if he could get it.
Having known several diplomats
during my years in Washington, but
not knowing exactly what it takes
to make one, decided to inquire. I
went to the famous Georgetown
University School of Foreign Serv-
ice in Washington, to the Roudybush
Foreign Service School which spe-
cializes in preparing candidates for
the foreign service examinations,
and finally to the State Department.
At each place I learned the same
thing-that members OF the foreign
service are men of the highest
scholastic standing and not just tea
drinkers, as many people still seem
to think.
Qualities Needed.
Wallace Murray, who is the
chief of the Division of Near Eastern
Affairs at the State Department, had
always seemed to me to typify what
a diplomat should be, so 1 went to
see him and asked him what quail
ties man must have to get into
our diplomatic service. He smiled
and said he would introduce me to
the chief of the Division of the
Foreign Service Personnel, who
could tell me about the young men
who took the foreign service exami-
nations While I was in his Office
he made an appointment for me
with G. HoWland Shaw.
Mr.. Shaw, chief of the Division of
Foreign Service Personnel, is a man
with a dazzling smile and tWinkling
eyes that cannot quite conceal his
quiet force
In answer to my question, what
are the requirements for a young
man who wishes to enter the for
eign service?" he promptly replied:
"A man must have a sound edu-
cation. In addition to general sub
jects, knowledge of social psy-
chology and sociology is very i'm
portant. A man must have an in
quiring mind and the ability to
analyze people and situations; he
must have stamina, in order to en-
dure the hardships that may arise
in emergencies, and last, but not
least, hc must have an effective per-
sonalty."
Written examinations for the for
eign service are given by the Civil
Service Commission once a year.
usually in September, in Washing
ton, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Gin
cinnati, Denver, New Orleans, New
York, Philadelphia, St. Louis, St.
Paul, San Francisco and Seattle. In
order to take the examinations the
candidate must be between the ages
of 81 and 35, and he must be desig-
mated. He should write to the Sec
retary of State, Washington, D. c.,
for all information and for forms
of application which must be filed
at least 40 days before the date set
for the examinations.
Mr.. Shaw said: 1T is not neces-
sary that candidate be college
graduate in order to take the ex-
animation, but our records indicate
that in many years, only one or two
who have not been college gradu-
ates have been able to pass them.
Last year, of the 481 who took the
written examinations, only II did
not attend college at all and not
one of the II was able to pass the
examinations"
OF all the foreign service officers
now in the field about IS per cent
are college graduates, II per cent at
tended college but did not graduate
and about per cent have not at
tended college at all.
The written examinations last for
three days and cover general knowl-
edge, international, maritime and
commercial law, economics, history
and a modern language, such as
French, German or Spanish. The