Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-24
EX-C0NSUL MACRUM
Will Return as a Transvaal Repre-
sentative.
MAY HAVE BECOME 4 CITIZEN
Bears an important Communication
From Kruger
d L P y r TN IsNT ACTION

EX-Cnted States Consul Macrum will re
turn to this country as a representative of
the Transvaal Whether he will come as
an agent or with diplomatic credentials is
unknown. If he comes as "A regularly ac-
credited representative to claim recognition
in diplomatic capacity he will bring with
him citizenship papers of the Transvaal
republic. There will be little surprise here
if it should develop that he has become a
natura liZed citizen OF the Transyaal so as
to qualify himself to represent that re-
public at Washington. This would ex-
plain some things which have been puz-
zlng to the State Department.
1t was stated in The Star several weeks
ago that prior to Mr.. Macrum's departure
from Pretoria he was sent for by Presi-
dent Kruger and asked to undertake to Sc
cure the friendly metIiat ton of the United
States to settle the trouble between the
Transvaal republic and Great Britain. The
lhc1dent referred to occurred before actual
hostilities began. and the information was
received here through u communication
from Macrum himself.
May Have Changed AIleriance.
Since then there have been developments
which have not yet been explained. The
refusal of Mr. Macrum to undertake as
American consul to look out for the inter-
ests of British subjects in the Transvaal al
during the war is eXplainable on the theory
that he had disqualified himself to act in
this capacity by becoming a citizen of the
Transvaal republic. This would fully ex-
plain his seemingly erratic course.
That he is coming to this country in the
interest of President Kruger and is a bearer
a D1JIll1r tin,, 10
well understood Whether he is acting
merely as a messenger or will make claim
TO full diplomatic functions is not so clear
but it is regarded probable that he will
bring credentials with him and claim rec
Ognition as an agent, if not as plcninoten-
tiary
The statement made in foreign dispatches
that Macrum wears a flag of the Transvaal
IN his buttonhole adds some color to the
theory that he may have declared al
ieglance to kruger's government There Is
no doubt that. in whatever capacity he
represents the Transvaal, he is the bearer
Of an important communication to the gov
ernment at Washington.
Probable State Department Action,
The pro-Boer sentiment in Congress is
quite strong, and the evident purpose of
the democrats to make point of the as
sumed sympathy of the administration with
the British leads to the belief that the
State Department will adept course when
the occasion arises which will demonstrate
the purpose of the administration to treat
the Transvaal government with all consd-
Grafton consistent with neutrality.
Statement of State Departmept
A statement has been made at the De-
partment of State which may serve to cor
rect the generally prevailing misunder-
standing in regard to the official status of
Mr.. Charles E. Macrum, formerly United
States consul at Pretoria, who is now in
Paris on his way to the United States. The
statement is as follows:
MIR. Macrum having been denied leave
of absence notified the department of his
purpose to return to the United States,
whereupon he was relieved from duty and
his successor appointed. He ceased to be
an officer of the United States when he left
Pretoria, on December IS. He was not re-
moved, but he vacated the Pretoria consul
late voluntarily with the permission of the
Department of State.
The department has now no control over
him. and Mr. Macrum would be justified in
resentlng any attempt the part of the
department to dictate his line of conduct or
to expedite his movements 1t is needless
TO say. that no instructions to refuse to be
interviewed have been telegraphed to Mr.
Macruln He is entirely out of the consul
lar service. and could return to his former
cAAASiei
ceINlng new commission He will not be
felnStated unless he gives satisfactory rea-
sons Tor leaving Pretoria at such q critical
period Even then. it Is not likely that he
Will be reinstated, as there is no perma-
nent tenure in the consular service to in
sure nus reinstatement or transfer to an
other post.
Under the consular regulations Mr.
Macrum is allowed sixty days within which
70 make the journey from Pretoria to
washington. To cover his expenses he will
receive the pay OF the Pretoria consulate
~ toi thal perioo or the fraction of it that he
Is IN transit This pay will cease just as
soon as he reaches Washington, or if
more than the prescribed period is con-
ssmed IN making the journey, at the end
of sixty days"
The State Department is finding almost
as much d1niculty in repudiating Mr. Ma
crum as 1t did In the case of Mr. Webster
Davis. No less than three authoritative
statements have been issued, making it
clear, more o. less positively that Mr. Ma
crum is not consul to Pretoria, or, in fact
in the United States consular service in
any capacity, yet it appears that he him
SER IS under different impression, The
fact that the United States Senate con-
firmed successor to Mr. Macrum as con-
sui at Pretoria is regarded by the depart
ment as sufficient evidence that he was
thereby ousted not only from his post at
Pretoria, but entirely cut of the service Of
the United states government. Through
GERS from being left in the lurch at dis
tant post, an allowance Is made to pay
their travelling expenses back to the United
States, which Is technically regarded as
consular pay, in order to fall within the
law, but any claim to place in the con-
1t is said at the department, be purely tech
nical