Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-05
RICH MEMS PARADISE
Diplomatic Service an Open
Sesame to Royalty.
RESHUFFLING PERSONNEL
How the Dancers Pay the Palace
Fiddlers.
SACRIFICES FOR UNCLE SAM
Congress Stirred UP to Buy Homes
for Ambassadors-A Few the
Gift of Rulers.
SACRIFICES FOR UNCLE SAM

fCopyrght 1907 by John Elfreth Watkns.)
Our diplomatic service is much in the lime
light owing to the Storer and White Incl
dents and the Presidents re-shutfling of its
personnel.
This service is the millonares paradise
and any one who enlists in the European
end of it does with the understanding
that he will expend. for the glory of our
republic several times-often many times
his ambassadoral salary of ST., 800 or his
ministerial salary of $4,000. In return for
this financial sacrifice to him Uncle Sam
vests these millonares with title and rank
which will enable them TO rub elbows with
royalty and sit cheek by jowl with the no
5bility of the old world. The President has
ever before him stock of applications from
muItimillonaires harkcring for commissions
I'm this picuresuue body. but before thrust
ing their knees beneath the mahogany of his
fellow rulers he must take careful inventory
OF their stock Of wealth. culture and tact
and recent events have demonstrated that
he must quite as scrupuously examine into
the resources of their spouSes. Thus there
are other, qualifications than wealth and So
rial success. Mr.. James ilazcn HYDE In
return for campaign contribution OF 500
600 personally asked the President TO com
mission him ambassador to Paris but as
he was but twenty-seven at the time, he
failed of appointment.
Prerogatives of Ambassadors.
our ambassadors sent TO monarchies en-
1ov royal prerogatives at the capitals to
which accredited, even though at home they
NAV be nobodes. An American ambassa
dor forms part of the court and encourage
of the ruler with whom he is commissioned
TO do business. He is spoken of as ''resid-
ing at court" and is invariably addressed
as your eXcellency"-a title which our
n receive. Wherever
goes he Is considered as President Roose-
veIt's proxy His person is sacred and eX-
empt against arrest, or even from being re-
quired In court a witness. He cannot be
sued for debt nor arrested, even for engag-
ing in a reasonable plot against the ruler
at whose court he resides. He and his wife
rank next to the crown prince and crown
princess at all court ceremonies, and all
mobiles. well as many royal personages,
must stand aside when they enter. The
arrival of our ambassadors at the courts to
which dispatched is accompanied by great
pomp and ceremony.
After Ambassador Reid reached London
the kings master OF ceremonies called and
took him with the embassy staff to the
palace in three royal carriages with coach
men and footmen in long scarlet Cloaks.
The king in a field marshals uniform re-
ceived him. and upstairs In the palace the
two joined the queen, who was already
entertaining Mrs. Reid When Ambassador
White goes TO Paris a squadron of cuiras-
siers. in steel breastplates and helmets,
Will similarly escort him and his suite to
the Elysee Palace I'm state coaches en-
blazoned with the arms of the republic.
drawn by horses in gilded harness and
driven by coachmen and outriders in full
state livery
Chum With Royalty
At some courts our diplomats chum with
royalty quite freely if they were great
lords While Ambassador Meyer shortly to
enter the cabinet. was at Rome he and his
wife were very intimate with the king and
queen. While Mr.. Meyer would be boar
hunting with King Victor, Queen Helena
would have Mrs. Meyer with her at the
palace. The Meyer children romped with
the little Princess Mafalda i'm the royal
nursery. and the queen happening to hear
that our ambassadors little son was an
amateur philatelist. sent him TWO handsome
albums. one containing a-complete colec
ton of Montenegrin stamps.
Ambassador and Mrs. CLoate used to
visit King Edward and Queen Alexandra
at Windsor castle. or go for spin in the
royal motor car, sometimes eating luncheon
with their royal hosts in the woods about
London. At the court ball at Brussels in
1902. minister. Mr. Townsend while
seated upon the raised dais reserved for the
court was approached by the court cham
berlain who bowed very low and remarked ::
''Her royal highness will open the ball with
your cxcellency. Our minister dancing
with the future Queen OF the Begians IS
not worthy OF remark. but the custom OF
Brussels prescrbeS that royal Processes
shall open court balls with the master of
ceremonies. Others are seldom honored
While Commander William H. Beehler
was lately naval attache at our Berlin en-
bassy he became on such Intimate terms
with the kaiser that the latter Familiarity
called him Bill and was seen to affec-
tionately put his august arm about the broad
shoulders of the naval officer. who during
his stay in Berlin was said to have break
tasted. lunched and dined with this SOW
rereign twenty-seven times Spencer Eddy
our secretary OF embassy at Parisis another
lesser light of our diplomatic service who is
on very intimate terms with royalty. He