Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-06
The PEACE CONFERENCE,

The Department of State has been sorely
embarrassed and exercised these last few
days. If rumors are correct.
Oapiomauc over the question of rank
Etiquette. and precedence to be accord
ed its guests at the peace
congress. Etiquette Is the handmaiden OF
diplomacy. and Notwithstanding the affect
ed disdain Of democracy for formalities. 1t
is not possible to disregard them in the
now constant contact with other nations.
Besides. how absurd the pretention that
being a democrat one may not be polite!
Japan and Russia OF all peoples are the
most '.set up on the question of etiquette.
Russia as well as all European govern
ments possesses a department In which all
questions of etiquette. the Introduction re-
ception and entertainment of ambassadors
are regulated. Japan. like China. Korea
and Persia. maintains q ministry of rites
and ceremonies" The United States alone
has no bureau or regular official charged
with the delicate duty of receiving. intro
ducing and placing according to his rank
foreign ambassador.
Sieyes was ambassador of the first repub
lie of France at Berlin. On the anniver-
sary of the accession to the throne of the
King of Prussia the different ambassadors
went to the palace early and filled the best
seats. Sieyes arrived late. The chamber
proper place. proceeded to turn ont rep
resentative of a country of less Importance.
Sieyes protested. mo, SIR said he; "the
first place will always be that occupied by
the ambassador of the French republic
No one contested the opportunity of the
repartee. The situation of the republic of
France in the midst of the old monarches
of Europe obliged its representative to as
sumo proud attitude. 1t was not, there
fore, the expression of q vain sentiment,
m n a IN Of no RI mi
The question of precedence between SOW
ereigns has been the subject Of concessions
and particular conventions
at various periods. 1t was
Heads. thus, for example, that
Portugal and Sardinia ac-
corded precedence to the crowned heads
of France. England and Spain; that Den
mark yielded precedence TO France only;
that 1t was extended to the Bourbons of
Spain and the two Sicilies; to the Porte
who obtained equality of each by the
treaty of Passarowitz in IT'S with the
ambassadors of Germany and France.
Article % of the peace of Tilsett in 1907 be-
tween Russia and France stipuate ted that in
the ceremonial of the two courts there
should be perfect reciprocity and equality.
These conventions are special and not gen.
eral. 1t was Gustavus Adolphus who de-
Clareu openly tnat All crowned neadS are
equal-a principle which was maintained
in the treaty of Westphalia. concluded in
1913 between Germany. France and Sweden
to terminate the thirty years war.
The congress of Vienna undertook to es-
tablish the question of rank and hierarchy
between states, but there arose discussion
as to the place to be assigned the great re-
publics. 1t was not until ISIS at AK "a
Chapelle that the principle of class was de-
termned and that diplomats of the same
class should rank according to date OF the
official notification of their arrival at Their
posts The signature of treaties was de-
cided should follow the alphabetical order.
Thus the peace of Vienna was signed June
O. 1915: Austria, France, Great Britain.
Portugal. Prussia, Russia. Sweden.
With such established rules consecrated
by time there should be no question as to
precedence between Japan and Russia
Baron Komura's arrival in advance of M.
White. and his official notification thereof,
settled that question in favor of Japan.
Disputes over precedence. futile In ap-
pearance, have become matters OF the
grayest characteristic vio-
A Notable lent incident. for example.
Case. which happened on the occa-
sion of the arrival in Lon
don in 1861 of the ambassador of Spain.
The Count d'Estrade. ambassador OF
France and the Baron de VAUDEVILLE, am
bassador of Spain. olsputeo ple ',tsni',.,
Spain, with more money ana numerous
snite had the English populace on her
side. VAUDEVILLE killed the horses Attached
to the French carriages. ana the Ioutl
a. Estrafe and his wounded followers ylelo-
ed the Spaniards the streets, ana tne ia.
ter with their swords drawn, cohtihueo
their way in triumph. WV 40
Informed of the insult. LOUIS -Ais .sa
caIIeS his ambassador at Madrid, sent the
Spaniard In France away broke up ails
Conference in Flanders. and informed
Philippe ", his father-in-laW, mat IL ne
did not recognize the superior'lss or ' hv
crown of France and repair the anront oy
a solemn reparation, war would De re-
neWed. D..
monarchical governments. IN 1910 no Nv
of France addressed his famous circular 10
diplomatic agents of the French govern
ment in which he said that he was not dis
posed to recognize the precedence OF mon
arcbIcal governments. France is repub-
lic" said he The French repuDhc mas no
need to be recognized that 1t may EXIST. l.
is a natural right; 1t Is thus natiohai
right 1t Is the will of a great people
which gets it's title from itself. The mon
archy and the republic are not principles
which In the eyes of the veritabie states
man shall fight to the death: they are facts
which are in contrast, and which may I'VE
face to face in fighting and in respecting
each other.
INDICATED by modern politics. the ques-
ton of the rank OF republics offers no
longer any difficulty. They have pre-
cedence over monarchies when they have
more civilizati more riches and more
strength Vattel says: THE form of gov
eminent is naturally a stranger 70 lhat
condition" In the nineteenth century the
force of the people has replaced the force
of kings
The arrival of NJ. Witte, the first envoy
of Russia to the congress, has been char
acterized by unexpected
M. Whites frankness of speech on the
Frankness. part of the Russian states
man which seems to have
quite captured the American Journal
lists sent to interview him. M. Whites