IV. FSI BUDGET REQUEST FOR FISCAL YEAR '56 10. From my examination of FSI to date I have become convinced: (a) That the cost of doing an adequate foreign service training job need not be more but cannot be much less than the cost of a comparable training job in the armed forces; and (b) That the total cost of foreign service training is and can remain small in relation to State's overall budget and therefore extremely small, indeed almost infinitesimal, when compared to the total United States Government budget. This is despite the need for and the importance of training as the most likely and most inexpensive method for getting the maximum benefits from our current investment in foreign service personnel. 11. As regards the dollar size of the Foreign Service training budget, my conclusion is similar to Mr. Henderson's in regard to the overall budget of the Department. If anything, the training budget is too small. However, I do believe that if we are given $2.5 million for fiscal year '56, we can begin to do a good training job. Then next year, when we have shown some results, you can decide whether the FSI appropriation should be cut or increased. And here I should like to remind you, as the summary attached to this statement shows, that of the requested training budget of $2.5 million, 60 percent-or $1.5 million-is needed for the salaries and allowances that are paid to personnel while they are in training. This leaves 40 percent of our budget, or only $1 million, for actual training operations an adequate but small total for this valuable function. 12. Mr. Henderson has reminded you that the total State Department budget request is less than one-fourth of 1 percent of our overall Government budget. The total training bill, which I am requesting, is only 1.7 percent of the total budget request of the Department of State. It is therefore such an infinitesimal fraction of the total United States Government budget that I have not attempted even to figure it out. I am showing only one chart which I trust presents graphically to you the truth of this statement. 13. Unfortunately, when State's overall budget request for fiscal year 1956 was prepared, training as a separate function was not shown in the budget summary. However, a total of $2.5 million for training was included in the Department's budget request. With the growing recognition of the importance of training, I hope that next year State's overall budget request will indicate separately and in one place the full dollar need for the training function. 14. As finally submitted, the cost of training in State's overall fiscal year 1956 budget request was included in two items under "Salaries and expenses," for which $69,550,000 was asked. In round figures these were as follows: For renewal of the current year's training budget which you approved last year--Increases totaling Total_ $1,083, 000 1, 485, 000 2, 568, 000 15. I hope that the Senate Appropriations Committee, recognizing the relatively small sum of money required for all foreign service training, $2,568,000, will see fit to reinstate the cut of $1,143,000 made by the House. If this is done, it will allow us to do a better job of language training, of area and management training, both abroad and in the United States. It will also allow us to include varying periods of expanded in-service training, totaling over 200 man-years, for a larger number of Government employees at four levels: Advanced Foreign Service officers, (usually shortened to FSO) including assignments to war colleges 64 Midcareer officers (3- to 4-month courses as well as extended language and 650 900 Other Government agencies (on reimbursable basis). 1, 560 Total... 3, 174 16. If granted, this requested increase will also allow for essential language training in the United States or abroad for Foreign Service officers and, on a voluntary basis, for their wives, since it is obvious that wives greatly help or hinder the effectiveness of Foreign Service officers abroad. 17. Under authority of the Foreign Service Act of 1946, FSI will continue to do some training for other agencies of the Government. Such work, as indicated above, is now done on a reimbursable expense basis so that the State Department is not financially out of pocket for the training service it renders. After we have gotten our own State Department training house in better order, we shall hope to do more training for other agencies and thus reduce, if not eliminate entirely, any unnecessary duplication within the Government of training efforts for foreign service that is now occurring. V. CONCLUSION 18. There is one final point that I would like to make sure that you realize that I realize. It is the dual nature of our FSI function. Our objective is not to give "ivory tower" training. It is to give or to see that our trainees are given the best possible graduate-level training and instruction. Nor will such training be given for its own sake but only for the very practical purpose of making the training recipient a more effective FSO in the service which he can render to the United States Government. This is our objective and this reflects the philosophy back of our budgetary request for fiscal year 1956 for $2.5 million for foreign service training which we need if we are to do a good foreign service training job in all its varied aspects. I 19. Your committee has a large amount of budgetary ground to cover. realize that I must not take too much of your time with this important but relatively small financial segment of foreign training. However, I hope I have given you confidence that, if you vote to restore the House training cut of $1.1 million and give FSI the $2.5 million training budget requested, it will be carefully and intelligently spent. Comparative and summary table of training programs, fiscal years 1954-56 direct salaries and expenses Courses ESTIMATED TRAINING WORKLOAD, FISCAL YEAR 1956 Personnel on special assignments whose salaries are charged to training budget 1. Advanced officer: War colleges. Senior officers. 2. Midcareer officers: Language and area. Economic. Management. Political science.. 3. New appointees: Basic officer (FSO-6). Basic orientation (clerical) Junior management.. Total (208 man-years).. Number of trainees 24 40 73 16 5 10 192 450 8 818 Personnel undergoing training whose salaries are not charged to training budget Courses 1. Midcareer course on foreign affairs. 2. Language training: Part time in the field.. Part time in FSI.. 3. Seminars in FSI (various). 6. Lateral entrants.. 7. Wives (FSI and overseas). 8. Other Government agencies on reimbursable basis. Number of trainees 150 600 350 140 200 400 400 450 1, 560 Total (approximately 217 man-years).. 4, 250 PRESENT INSTITUTE ENROLLMENT Senator KILGORE. What is the present enrollment in the Institute? Mr. HOSKINS. The present enrollment in the Institute depends on whether you take it part time or full time. It is 200 man-years. It is 4,000, approximately, of part time, with various lengths of training. Senator KILGORE. How many can you accommodate? How many students can you take care of? Mr. HOSKINS. We ought to accommodate about 5,000 to 6,000 altogether between full-time and part-time training. We are not in a position to do that yet. Senator KILGORE. If everybody went on full time, how much time would it take? Mr. HOSKINS. We figure this coming year a budget of 208 manyears. That would be 208 people full time, or 408 people 6 months, and so on. Senator KILGORE. Half time. Mr. HOSKINS. We expect to run courses from 1 week to 18 months. EFFORTS TO INSTITUTE FOREIGN SERVICE TRAINING IN SCHOOLS Senator KILGORE. Let us get back to my propaganda idea. How long do you think it would take to accomplish a job of persuading enough of our colleges and universities to give this course of training that is necessary for the Foreign Service? Mr. HOSKINS. I believe we have already started that. Senator KILGORE. How long do you think it will take to accomplish that? Mr. HOSKINS. I think it will take several years before you get the universities really going on it, but Mr. Wilson, and Mr. Henderson, and I were down in Charlottesville a few weeks ago and there were about 25 different American educational institutions, large and small, State and private, and we discussed this whole problem of training, language, international studies; they all expressed an increased interest in the fact that here was the State Department urging them to do a better job in these various fields, and I think they are going to go back and do it. Senator KILGORE. The reason I am asking all these questions is the fact that there is an interest in getting into the Foreign Service field by the young men of this country and it is just not with the idea of getting a job and getting on a Federal payroll. A lot of them will frankly tell you, "I would like to serve 8 or 10 years and then probably get into private business someway." They have seen the advantage of it. Mr. HOSKINS. The budget we are asking for is very small, relatively speaking, with respect to the job that can be done, and as a businessman I do not know of a more effective way to get the maximum out of the personnel we already have in the service than by giving them training, and that is what they are not getting after they get in. Senator KILGORE. Thank you very much. I am sorry I spent so much time on a pet hobby of mine. REPRESENTATION ALLOWANCES Senator KILGORE. The next item relates to representation allow ances. Mr. WILBER. Representation allowances or operations allowances, as we have requested the name to be changed. Senator KILGORE. I think representation allowances is a misnomer. I think it should be called operations allowances. Mr. WILBER. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. We hope that you will restore to this appropriation the full amount requested of $700,000, or, in other words, the restoration of the cut of $225,000 which the House made in our bill. AMOUNT REQUESTED RESTORED Senator KILGORE. As I understand it, the House allowed $475,000 of the $700,000 estimate requested, or a reduction of $225,000 which the Department asks to be restored to the bill. Mr. WILBER. That is correct, Mr. Chairman. Senator KILGORE. Frankly, I thought personally that the $700,000 was low. Mr. WILBER. We feel so, too, Mr. Chairman. AMENDMENT AND JUSTIFICATION Senator KILGORE. The amendment requested and the supporting justification will be inserted in the record at this point. (The information referred to follows:) Page 5, line 4, strike out "$475,000" and insert "$700,000, the estimate, or an increase of $225,000". EXTRACT FROM HOUSE REPORT (P. 3) "The bill includes $475,000 for this item, a reduction of $225,000 in the amount of the budget estimate. The amount allowed is the same as for the current fiscal year. This appropriation is to reimburse officers of the Foreign Service for expenses incurred at their post of duty for such items as entertainment offered on American holidays or on occasions of visits by prominent citizens on American vessels or aircraft; entertainment necessary in the conduct of official duties; and the purchase of flowers, wreaths, and similar tokens for presentation in accordance with local custom on appropriate occasions. "The request of the Department that the name of the item be changed from 'Representation allowances' to 'Operations allowances' is not agreed to. The committee is of the opinion that the present title of the item is sufficiently descrip tive especially in view of the fact that it was testified that the purposes of the item are exactly the same as in previous years." JUSTIFICATION This appropriation is used by the Foreign Service for observing the reciprocal and customary local courtesies and to establish and maintain informal valuable relationships with officials of foreign governments. It is through such contacts that officers can obtain information concerning trends of diplomatically important opinions and plans of the government and people of the countries of their assignment. Representation allowances have never been adequate to cover the actual costs of representation responsibilities placed upon Foreign Service officers. Many officers have spent hundreds of dollars each year from their personal funds for this purpose. The representation allowance is one measure designed to remove the requirement of personal wealth as a necessary condition to appointment to or effective operation in the Service. This appropriation has been reduced progressively from $800,000 in 1947 to $475,000 for the current year. During this same period the cost of doing business has increased substantially throughout the world and the demands for effective diplomatic relationships have expanded in proportion to the world unrest. The Department strongly urges the restoration of $225,000 to avoid insofar as possible a situation where officials of this Government are required to personally underwrite the expense-account features of performing his assigned duties. It is also urged that the unfavorable stigma attached to the term "Representation" be overcome by changing the title of the appropriation to the broader concept of "Operations allowances." |