The evening times., 1900-01-22
BADGES FOR COACHMEN.
How the Drivers of Diplomatic We
hieles Are to He Identified.

How the Drivers of Diplomatic We
hieIes Are TO He Identified.
To correct an abuse which has grown
out of the immunity Of members of the
diplomatic body and those of their house
holds from the local police regulations
the State Department has had prepared
handsome silver badges to identify the
coachmen of the several embassies and
legations which are being delivered by
the Department today. This was done at
the instance of Major Sylvester.
In addition to other privileges to which
their official position entities them, the
foreign Diplomats in this city are not
Obliged to obey local regulations governing
public and private vehicles. Their
carriages may go out at night without
lights, be driven rapidly. or proceed on the
left-hand~side of public highway. All
vehicles belonging to other classes CT per-
sons. including foreign subjects not of the
diplomatic corps. are amenable to the local
police regulations. President Grant was
once arrested for fast driving, but an
attache Of an embassy or legation. taken
into custody for similar offence, has
merely to produce his card and secure his
release.
The knowledge among local coachmen
that the carriages of embassies and lega-
tions are privileged has led to many
abuses. The police say that in nearly
every case where a driver of a private
vehicle has been arrested for violation OF
the regulations, immunity from arrest is
ri inn he hot ho vic
or brougham. or whatever the vehicle may
be, belongs to this ambassador or that
minister.
Public cabmen have made the same eX-
cuse. claiming that they are employed for
the time being by ministers or attaches
of the legations. So fearful are the police
of getting into trouble with some foreign
representative that they have invariably.
ii is said, released all drivers making this
excuse, although practically certain that
they are being deceived. Not long ago
carriage OF one of the foreign establish
ments ran over a pedestrian. but the
police declined to prosecute the case; In
fact they could not do so except with the
consent OF the chief foreign representative
concerned, as coachmen and other servants
share the same immunity from the laws
as their masters.
In order to prevent further deceit at
the expense Of the police. the suggestion
was made TO the State Department by the
police authorities here that badges be Civ
en- to each ambassador, minister, and
charge d'affaires. The badges provided
are handsome silver affairs. Oblong in
shape and quite large. Each has engraved
on il the name of the ambassador or Iega-
tion to which it belongs. and that OF Rich
ard Sylvester, Superintendent of Police
Hereafter the possession OF one of these
badges will be necessary TO secure vehicle
drivers from arrest for violation of the
local driving regulations.
The State Department officials fear that
more trouble will result from the badge
system. AT big public functions such as
the Presidents diplomatic reception. which
every member of the foreign body consid-
ers 1t his duty to attend. several carriages
are necessary to carry the members and
ladies OF each embassy and legation. On
such an occasion the police badges would
be worn by the coachmen on the ambas-
sadors or the minister's box. while the
attaches and their ladies in hired yehi-
cles. would not have any such certificate
TO insure them from a trip to station
house II the driver were TO violate the reg
ulations.
At the Presidents reception the diplo-
mats are privileged TO enter the White
House grounds by a private gate. Here
after legation badges must be shown at
this entrance and as there are not nearly
enough badges to go around the lot of the
policeman stationed there will not be a
happy one. for while forbidden to allow
any unbadged vehicle to enter he stands
ls great a chance Of getting into trouble
by constituting his instruction too explicit
y. A complaint lodged against him By
some foreign sttache. whose ambassador
Dr. minister had taken the only police
badge of the embassy or legation is some
hing that the average Washington police
nan does not care to encounter.