Show t I t t t I i THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE i MM M I M t M M I. I M M M I U M I I M I M t M MIn I In an interesting address before the American Social Science Association in Washington recently the Hon Oscar Straus formerly American minister at Constantinople called attention to the growing need of pf trained men in our diplomatic and consular service Commenting on his remarks the current number of Bradstreets Bradstreet's has this to say The The speaker has himself had experience In a a. high hish diplomatic capacity having s served e as Minister e to Turkey under D President Cleveland l d He 1 Is not unmindful n l of ti the tho I fact that ha haD in spite of Its drawbacks our our diplomacy has lias been in the main successful buthe buthe but buthe he takes the ground that a critical examination will wm reveal that even our successes are arguments for tor a trained and fixed ser ser ser- vice The successes that distinguished the first period of of our h history stor were he points ts out achieved before the spoils system had arisen and when the trained best men In the country were sent Bent abroad irrespective of partisan consideration as under the administrations from Washington to John Quincy Adams It ItIs Is Is of ot course true that we have had diplomatic successes even since the development of the tho S1 spoils system but It is pointed out out that these successes were not In the main attained by our diplomatic representatives abroad but were largely due to thet thes the fact t that th-at o owing to the very defects of f the system the n negotiations oW s were Merc transferred t r et to V Washington se r o and conducted by the chief of ot f the State Department In person Again some of our successes were in large part due to another distinct branch of the Government which has never been Invaded by the spoils system t and d where training r n counts namely the navy some of gs g i the officers c of which have shown themselves s Mr r Straus says y better trained even tn jn international law than some of our diplomatic diplomatic diplo diplo- maH matic representatives e i But r it is with W the hs present and future that Mr Straus Is chiefly concerned On every hand It is recognized that we have entered upon a period In which commercial considerations will furnish the chief Key to the movements of governments and peoples Now Mr Straus suggests that trade follows the theUne theline line lino pf least resistance and that experienced Consuls familiar with are i the the eoA official trade ra of commercial the egl country pickets and n and districts t outposts l wherein r and i they are of reside vast I advantage In Influencing the course of or trade Moreover the rapidity rapidity rapidity ra ra- ra- ra of ot communication brought ab ut by steam navigation and andr by the telegraph has increased c e et t the value e as well as the scope C of r J diplomatic o functions n i and of f consular n r relations faiiA at to trade d dr ex I All AU l the more o necessary i it is therefore for us to systematize r ft o our f foreign I service riss both diplomatic t an and d consular n nl l sK upon upon up up- I r In on t the a e ec c sense common first f Instance basis for litt fitness so sst that and appointments not oi through sf favoritism will I be m made and ed promotions and a fixed tenure dependent upon capacity and I good behavior will reward efficient service Although we do not observe that Mr Straus has called attention to the fact in his address it is isa isa s sa a fact that the City of Washington today possesses one of the best diplomatic and consular training institutions institutions institutions in in- in the world in the Columbian School of Jurisprudence and Diplomacy This fine post graduate graduate graduate grad grad- college gives the the student student it a thorough course coure in Roman law international law and the history and practice of diplomacy political and economical science and in fact in all the branches with which diplomatic agents and consuls ought to be familiar Its faculty is made up of men men like the Hon Ron David Jayne Hill First Assistant Secretary of State Mr Justice Harlan and Mr Justice Brewer of the United St States tes Supreme C Court urt the Hon Carroll Carroll Carroll Car Car- roll D. D Wright Commissioner Commission r of Labor the Hon Ron Martin Knapp President of the Inter State Commerce Com Corn merce merc Commission and other distinguished men of the n nation tion If the Gov Government would recognize this school of diplomacy and utilize it m more re by giving giving giving ing preference preference- to its alumni in making diplomatic and consular consul r appoint appointments a salutary effect upon I the he service ervice would be s seen en in a ayery very short t time me But Butas I as yet it is politics m more re than any other consideration tion that dominates appointments appointments- under the State Department as well well- as others r r- |