New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-02-11
DIPLOMATIC DINNER EIQUETTE.


LINES STRICTLY DRAwN-THE CHINESE MINISTER
HAS TO DO WITHOUT CONVERSATION.
Ar the dinner TO the Diplomatic Corps the Presi-
dent Is shorn Of all preference or prejudice. and
has no more to say than any "other man AS re-
CARDS guests from the diplomatic circle the line Is
sharply drawn None but Ambassadors. Minister'S
or Charge d Affares who are acting Minister'S are
asked to dinner in honor of the corps. on THIS
point etiquette is as fixed and immutable as the
law of Modes and Persians. Neither the President
nor the Secretary of State. though the latter has
the power of Premier in far greater thngs-eVen
to the enthroning Of monarchs-can command or
request any deviation from this law Of etiquette
which Is strictly observed throughout the whole
diplomatic service.
OF course the sharply drawn line bars out all
secretaries of embassies and legations. NO secrc-
tary as secretary is ever asked to the diplomatic
dinner IT, in the absence Of an Ambassador or
Minister, the Secretary is left in charge or the
Embassy or Legation. he cannot represent either
one or the other the dinner. To do this he must
be the accredited Charge d'Anaires and Acting
Minister in other words. be Minister ad interim
This gives him the same recognition on all official
occasions and the place the dinner To which the
Minister himself is entitled. The temporary or
brief absence Of a Minister does not call Tor the
appointment OF Charge dAnaires. II Is only
when the Minister is OF the country for stated
+ indefinite
d Affaires. and for the time Is the oincIdi repre-
sentative of his Government
Seldom or never has the Diplomatic Corps been
so fully represented at dinner as at the dinner
given this season. Every Government having an
accredited representative al Washington WAS rep
resented at the dinner except four-Poriugal. Hayu
Hawaii and Siam. Sian, has had from the first a
Charge d'Affaires who this occasion absent.
The Minister of Portugal met with accident a
few hours before the dinner and was unable 10 be
present. The Minister of Hayt has his legation In
New York. and this gave him opportunity 10 send
regrets If he had no mind 10 come 10 me dinner.
The Minister OF Hawaii. though on his return from
a flying visit to Hawaii. did not reach Washington
until two three days after the dinner The ati-
tude of the Administration toward the Hawaiian
Government gave rise TO much criticism on the
absence of the Secretary Of that Legation from the
dinner 1t was said that Mr.. Hastings had not
been asked to the dinner though the Secretary or
the Korean Legation and the Secretary OF the
! Colombian Legation were asked and represented
their Governments at the dinner. But a matter Of
fact the Minister OF Korea, who presented his Gre
dentials In January. 1885, remained in this country
| less than A year. when ne went home. and the First
| Secretary was appointed Charge d Anaires. The
| Minister Of Colombia is on indefinite leave OF
| absence and that Government Is represented by
! a Charge d Affare3. At no time has the Hawaiian
| Government beer represented by Charge
| a. Affaires in the absence OF the Minister TIE
Legation was simply left in the care Of the Seer
| tary His presence at the dinner was not "A ma r.
ter to be determined by the President Had Mr..
| Hastings been Charge d'Anaires he must have
| been included in the dinner company As he was
| only Secretary OF the Legation. he could not b"
The strictness with which this law Of etiquette Is
| enforced has caused embarrassments which Presi-
dents more than one occasion have stretched a
| point 1t In President Arthurs Ad-
mnistraton that great efforts were made 10 amcli-
| crate the solitary condition Of the Minister Of
! China at the dinner to the Diplomatic Corps. His
| Celestial Excelency could speak no language but
| Chinese and no other guest could peak Chinese.
| The Presidents desire the general enjoyment
| Of the company, and the diplomacy o. the state
| Department brought to rcdr on the Minister
| Of China. Etiquette would not permit one % the
| Minister'S secretaries who spoke English iiuentiy.
| explained the Minister along with the Prcsi-
ton was made that the Secrctiry should stani be-
/ hind the Minister'S chair to act as interpreter
Though the suggestion was made In the most dell
cate manner possible. 1t came near making serious
trouble. as both the Minister and the secretary re-
garded the place as that of a mental The sugSes-
ton was not entertained for moment. but was
| resented by the Minister and his whole Legation
He had a solitary time Of 1t at the dinner Just as
his successors In turn have had No attempt has
been made from that day to this TO give the Min
Out Of the diplomatic circle the line Is also strict
| ~ drawn-thc Department Of State, the Committee
on Foreign Relations OF the senate ana the Com
mittee Foreign Affairs Of the House alone being
represented. This limits the Presidents Invitations
TO official guests. the Secretary Of State and his
wife, and one or more members OF each committee
and their wives. No other official guests are asked,
though personal friends may be invited and often
are. TO take the place Of diplomats who for some
reason other drop out at the last moment Some
times this "A hitch and there must be re-
arrangement Of the list. At the dinner this season.
when 1t found that the company would he
three short, three young women daughters of Sen
ators, were asked At the last moment the mlshap
to the Minister OF Portugal called for another sub
siitute. and a fourth young woman was asked TO
the dinner Naturally these young women regarded
1t great compliment to be chosen guests at
the dinner 10 the Diplomatic Corps. And 50 1t
was, for the daughter OF diplomat has no
place at the dinner unless she is the recognized
hos tess OF "A Legation. There have been but two
such instances in the last quarter Of century.
! The late Minister Allen, OF Hawaii. had no VIE
and his daughter hostess. and Miss West
daughter of Mr. Lionel Sackville- West, Minister
! OF Great Britain. the hostess Of the British
/ Legation.