Evening star., 1939-08-06
BY Joseph II. Baird.

became aware that some OF its orna-
mental officers who served admirably in
the polite diplomatic dalliance Of peaceful
times were woefully inadequate in solv-
ing the prosaic problems OF war-sick
world. Fresh recruits from the business
and professional realms often acquitted
themselves much better
For the first time, the department
realized the necessity of building up
well-trained, professional foreign service
to represent America throughout the
world. The foundation for this was laid
in the Rogers Act of 1924. Its outstand-
ing provisions were:
l. The diplomatic and consular serv-
ices were unified in the United States
Foreign Service. Today young men are
not recruited as diplomats" or "consuls"
but as foreign service officers" trained
to carry on work in either field.
2. The salaries paid these officers were
raised from the range of 81 500 to 81 900
to range of $4,000 to $4,000. In addi-
ton, they were allowed when serving
abroad, special sums for rent, light, heat.
to live without ra-governmental in
come and thus opened the ranks to all
who could qualify.
Fifteen years have passed now since
the Rogers Act went into effect. Many
Of the men who were In the service in
retired, died or passed from the profess
sional foreign service to become ambas-
sadors and ministers or high-ranking Of
ficials of the State Department.
What is the American Foreign Service
today?
A Multitude Of Duties.
1t consists of 839 officers stationed in
every part of the world, from the tropics
to the sub-Arctic regions. They man the
IS embassies and legations and the 284
consular Offices where the American flag
flies in foreign lands. Their duties range
over the wide scope between negotiating
treaty with major power to helping
some obscure American citizen to locate
missing relative in Yugoslavia.
1t is the belief of the State Depart
ment that the United States Foreign
Service today Is representative cross
section of the American people-and the
typical American" rather than the
youth nurtured in some select circle, is
the most-sought recruit.
Mr.. Shaw recently completed a study
of the origin and place Of education of
those who apply for entrance to the
Foreign Service which throws new
light on the type of men who are now
entering it. Consolidating the applicants
for the three years 1892, 1887 and 1888,
he found that.
Two hundred and forty came from 81
universities and colleges in the East
North Central States, 152 from u schools
in the East South Central States. 305
from IS schools in the Middle Atlantic
States Al from 16 schools in the Noun
tain States, 24O from Al schools in the
New England States, 1874 from "A schools
in the Pacific States, 254 from 48 schools
In the South Atlantic States, 127 from
IS schools in the West North Central
States and 81 from % schools In the
West South Central States.
Variety Of Representatives.
Thus every part of the country and
every type Of school from small, obscure
colleges to the great universities were
represented among the applicants. That
these applicants bear numerical rela-
tionship to population is shown by the
fact that New York State and California
Leaders in population-have the largest
number of natives in the American
Foreign Service.
To gain admission to the Foreign
Service, Q young man-the age limits are