Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-07-13
The Political Mil
Plan Would Strengthen
Foreign Service Setup
Recruitment, Promotion
Changes Asked BY Dulles
The Political Mil
By Gould Lincoln

BY Gould Lincoln
Nothing today Is Of greater impor-
lance to the United States and the
peace Of the world than q dynamic and
firm foreign policy and its adminiEtra-
ton: With this In mind, the State De-
partment, under the direction Of Secre-
tary Dulles, is pressing q program to
strengthen the Foreign Service through
the recruitment Of qualified Foreign
Service personnel and through better
training for service In the higher
grades. The program. which grows out
Of the Secretary of States Public Com
mittee on Personnel. headed by Henry
M. Wriston. president Of Brown Uni
versity. will require certain legislation
and . modest appropriation by Con-
greSs.
Two fundamental proposals Of the
program are "a to integrate the per-
sonnet OF the Department Of State-the
so-called civil service Understand of
the Foreign Service, where their official
functions converge. into single adj
ministration system. and CD to improve
and broaden recruitment methods
through the institution of Foreign
Service scholarship training program.
What the State Department desires
Of the Congress at its present session.
and which with sympathetic and UNI
Outstanding study by Congress and its
committees could be accomplished be-
fore adjournment, is the first item Of
the program. AT present the civil serv-
ice personnel of the department is in
nka,. MI rNtikIl
own system and procedures for recruit
ment, training, placement. promotion
and separation.
Corps Is Small.
The Foreign Service is In another
er-tight compartment. The depart
mental service civil service) Is not
committed to foreign service at all.
The Foreign Service Officer Corps is
small-only 1926 officers. These career
lists in diplomacy man the So embassies.
nine legations, and 1877 consulates
which the United States maintains
in los countries. Only about l19
Foreign Service officers are on duty
in Washington and only per cent
of the home desks are occupied by
them. The department desires author
ity to use the civil service officers in
the Foreign Service posts without loss
in pay. Under the Foreign Service Act
of l946 it is possible to move a civil
service officer to the Foreign Service. If
he is willing, but the tranSferee must
take the lowest pay of the class to which
he is assigned. This might result-and
in most cases would-in forcing him to
accept reduced salary. An estimate
has been made that the small sum Of
$4,000 would cover the discrepancies
in pay which would arise If the program
now recommended were put into effect.
Because retirement pay is higher for
the Foreign Service, eventually further
appropriation would be necessary.
The statistics Of overseas service
by the Foreign Service officers reveal
startling and unfortunate situation.
Many of these officers are kept out
side of the United States for many
years. with no opportunity to learn
at first hand the facts of life in
America.
For example, OF 1877 officers with
Z more than 20. years service. IS have
not had more than two years Of their
service in the United States on assign
ment. One of these officers, with 20
years service, has spent total of only
months on home duty. Two others,
with 81 years service or more, have
each had only two and q half years
home service, and there is chief of
mission with 43 years service who has
spent only q total Of 10 months on
assignment in the United States. The
proposed change by which it would be
feasible to use competent men in the
departmental service in foreign mis-
sions. would make it possible to correct
this to a great degree. The department
would like to see every foreign officer
on home assignment at least every six
years.
Improvement Sought.
The department is particularly anx-
iouS to improve its recruitment system
of men coming into the Foreign Service
The long-range recommendation fol
this, which will require legislation anc
which the department believes should
be enacted when Congress meets agar
next winter. calls for the establishment
of the Foreign Service scholarship
training program, patterned after. Tho
Nays contract system for its Reserve
Officer Training Corps. The idea Is tt
enlist promising candidates for thu
Foreign Service into a two-year train.
ing program at the end of the sophie.
more year of college. Appointment tt
Foreign Service scholarships would bt
on the basis of competitive examina.
tions, given in the various States anc
territories. Successful candidates woulC
receive $500 year grants to complete
their education at an accredited college
Of their choice. On their side, tn,
candidates would agree to complet,
their education under the guidance O
the Foreign Service Institute, and Il
serve at least six years in the Foreign
Service. Such a system would brinI
about Foreign Service rejecting ma
tional characteristics. with its root
among all the people.
The morale Of the Foreign Servic
and the State Department is on tn
up and up. now that re-examinatiol
Of the entire organization under tn
new security regulations Is nearly com
pleted and there Il hope that an i'm
proved system Of administration of tn