The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-12-22
Wines. Liquors. and cigars,


Official entertainment, especially by
naval officers in their exchange of hos
pitality with the representatives OF for
eign governments. mas been prescribed on
quite definite lines at last. Hitherto there
has always been more or less question to
what extent the contingent fund of the
Navy Department might be drawn upon
to defray the cost of receptions. dinners.
and other manifestations OF international
good will. One of the former Comp
trollers held that this was proper. so far
as there was an exclusion of such items
as wines. liquors. and cigars. which left
precious little in the way Of entertain
ment except the post-prandial oratory
Some time ago one of the naval ships Wis
tied Rio Janeiro and was royalty enter
tanned by the Brazilian officers at a picnic
and an afternoon reception. The Ameri-
can naval officers. not TO be outdone, re-
turned the courtesy and submitted bin
amounting to $l35. which represented the
expense incurred by individuals in what
was really an official function. The
Comptroller decided that this could not be
allowed. whereupon the Secretary Of the
Navy called his attention 10 a decision
Of his predecessor. Mr.. Sigourney Butler
who said that such bills were legal
charges against the government as long
as the item Of expense did not include
wines. liquors. and cigars. Comptroller
TracewelI has now replied in decision
which waived aside the Butler ruling. but
which accomplshes what is desired by the
Navy Department, on the ground that, IN
der the law. the Secretary Of the Navy
has full discretion 70 determine how the
contingent fund shall be disbursed. and if
he approves OF entertainment then the
cost of it is a legitimate charge against
the appropriation.
This gives an opportunity for Comp
troller Tracewen to pay his respects TO a
predecessor, which he does by declaring
that Mr.. Buffers decision is truly a re-
markabe document" adding that It is
difficult for an ordinary man to see
where Mr. Butler found authority 10 ex-
clude wines. liquors. and cigars En-
tertainment," says Mr. Traceweu.
especially in foreign countries. without
wines. liquors. and cigars would be like
the play of Hamlet with the melancholy
Dane left out of the lines" He describes
the attitude of Mr.. Butler as ridiculous. ="
adding, Il might use a stronger word If
l expressed my true opinion OF his arbi-
trary use of power as Comptroller in thus
rejecting parts Of vouchers which are as
clearly legal as the parts ne allowed"
1t matters little TO naval officers by
what process Of reasoning the Comptroller
reaches a decision, so long as that ruling
is favorable TO the claim Of the officers.
who have hitherto been in the position OF
going down into their own pockets and
paying for entertainment of foreigners
on behalf Of this government The pres
ent Comptroller has made a liberal de-
eison, which does him great credit be-
side enlivening the official literature of the
Treasury Department with an unusual
tribute TO predecessor. He makes the
Secretary of the Navy and the naval
officers the sole judges of what form the
entertainment shall take and whether
wines, liquors, and cigars" are properly
a part Of the function. He concludes his
decision with the statement that he pos
sesses neither the inclination nor the au-
thority to prescribe the menu of official
entertainment This is most reasonable:
and II is, as Mr.. Tracewell says. difficult
TO understand why Mr.. Butler should
have excluded wines, liquors, and cigars
from a dinner, say, any more than he
would have put the ban upon the soup
or the dessert. Is il possible that Mr.
Butler could enjoy 20 the full capacity
of human satisfaction a banquet without
wines, liquors. and cigars and regarded
those items as the useless luxury Of the
barbaric?
However the whole thing is straighten-
ed out and the naval officers will be
reimbursed. as they should be when they
spend money for the government.