Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 January 1919 — Need for More Consuls. [ARTICLE]

Need for More Consuls.

The chairman of the shipping board has called the attention of congress and the people to the need of enlarging our consular service abroad, In view of the fact that our great merchant marine will be released for use in foreign trade. Mr. Hurley tells us, observes the Independent (New York), that the United States will have 25.000,000 tons of merchant shipping by the end of 1920, and that as fast asr these ships can be freed from military work they will enter commerce. The present consulates would be entirely inadequate to handle thls.enlarged business. There are not enough of them, their staffs are too small and they are handicapped by inexperience with duties that will be demanded and by antiquated regulations. Even now the burden of work, especially in the way of inquiries to be answered, is overtaxing the undermanned and underpaid force. Mr. Hurley therefore pleads that immediate steps be taken to remedy the situation. “We need more consuls and larger consular staffs,’’ he tells us. “If we do not provide them today and prepare for the great growth in our merchant marine and trade after the war, I fear that we shall suffer a serious breakdown.”