Dr. Angell On The Consuls

DR. ANGELL ON THE CONSULS

Why College Men Should Have Special Training.

IF THEY FILL POSITIONS

As Consuls or Interperters at Foreign Embassys–Openings For Well Equipped College Men.

Dr. Angell in an article on "Consular Reform" in the December Inlander, points out a new opening for educated men and men specially trained with this opening in view. This is the reason why a number of new courses have been added at the University and the commercial department has been established. Dr. Angell says:

"Our people are coming to see that whatever other functions our consuls may be charged with, they ma be and should be in a certain sense the commercial agents of our nation. Consuls should be selected for some other reason than because they have been active political workers. It is not long past when men were appointed as a reward for active partisan activity. I know of one such who was appointed as consul to an important German manufacturing city, who declared he had never heard of the place until he was appointed, and had to study his map to find it. But now it can be truly said that we have in our service a large number of men who do credit to our country. Bills of more or less merit for improving the organization of our service have been considered at the two last sessions of congress. They seek to provide for securing the appointment of competent men who have made special preparation for their work and also for securing more permanence in the tenure of office.

"In the hope that special preparation will be recognized in appointments, our larger universities have begun to furnish certain instruction which will aid in preparing students for the discharge of consular duties. It is probable that a considerable number of college graduates will be glad to enter, even in a subordinate capacity, into the ranks of consular officers, if they have an assurance that promotion and permanent tenure will follow the demonstration of fitness and aptitude for the work.

"There is another branch of the service to be mentioned: That of student interpreters in oriental countries. Other nations have anticipated us here. We have at last provided for training them at Pekin, and one of our young graduates, Mr. Robins, has recently received his appointment and gone to his post. These interpreters are needed also in Japan and Turkey. Hardly ever is an American consul who is appointed to these lands able to understand the language. Now, if we can rear a class of student interpreters who may, after a time, themselves become first consular clerks and afterwards consuls, it is obvious that we shall be more efficiently represented."