The Foreign Service Journal, September 2013

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER 2013 33 Another reason the present arrangement does not work well is because the commercial counselor marches to a different drum- mer. I saw the system fail time and again while serving in Chile and Venezuela. Cor- rection of these two issues will strengthen the Foreign Service. FSJ: How would you say diplomacy has changed over the past 50 years or so? GWL: It has changed a great deal, starting with the role of spouses. As chief of mission, I depended heavily on my wife, Mary. A wonderful hostess, she ran the residence very efficiently. Until 1972, the spouse’s performance was part of an FSO’s annual efficiency report. It was like getting two for the price of one. Now that’s completely gone, of course. Another major change is communications. I still remember that whenever we had an emergency in Montevideo, we held a meeting to decide whether we should call Washington on an open line. And we no longer write official-informal letters to the office director, let alone to the Secretary of State; we just pick up the secure telephone or send an e-mail. Communication is instant now, which is truly efficient. FSJ: Are you optimistic about the future of the diplomatic profession? Do you recommend the career to those starting out today in foreign affairs? GWL: That’s a good question. In all honesty, no, I don’t. “While I was in Chile, everything I said and did was scrutinized by their government and their opposition; and in the United States, by the Republicans and by the Democrats.”