The Washington herald., 1907-03-10

The Arbiter has been frequently asked
how TO address people in official life,
and has written several paragraphs on
/ this subject III response 10 specific ques-
| tons. but it viii. perhaps. be helpful to
treat il at more length. The President
should be addressed as Mr.. President;
| the Vice President as Mr. Vice Presi-
dent; Cabinet minister, as Mr.. Secre-
tary, Mr. Postmaster General, or Mr..
| Attorney General; the Speaker Of the
House, as Mr.. Speaker; the Chief Justice
as Mr.. Chief Justice; an Ambassador, as
Mr.. Ambassador; and a foreign minister
as Mr. Minister; though in Europe it is
/ customary to address diplomats of GER
tain rank as Your Excellency, but
| his rule does not obtain in America.
A general Of the army, is General
So-and-sO; an admiral of the navy,
| Admiral So-and-so.; an army or naval
officer beneath the rank of lieuten-
ant should invariably be spoken TO and
written TO as Mr.. a Senator is formally
called Mr.. Senator but in society merely
/ Senator; a Member Of Congress, Mr.
In writing. before the names Of high Of
| 1cials it is customary. though not obllga-
tory, 20 put the Honorable so-and-so
The governors Of States are addressed
as Governor Wives of American Off
cials should never be addressed as Mrs
Secretary. Mrs. Senator. Mrs. General
and so on. This is regarded as distinct
| ~ bad form; unfortunately so. because
her husbands title at once fixes the
status Of a woman. At a tea, reception, or
other function. for instance, If the women
guests are introduced with their husband 5
titles, as Mrs. General Blank, as Is custom
airy in Germany, where the husbands title
Is given to the wife, from the Emperor
down to the street sweePers. the person
presented 10 her understands Immediately
her position and rank in the world. and is
able 10 treat her accord,rziy. Here #
necessitates a long explanation. but Il is
a question useless TO discuss, as IL is i'm
probable that this observance will never
be introduced in America, though years
ago IL was more or less followed.
a lady recently returned from London
speaks with great admiration Of the laws
which govern society there, and which
are strictly adhered TO. 1t naturally
saves the hostess an immense amount of
annoyance to know exactly where each
guest belongs and that he can make no
exception 20 the position offered him or
her. Our rules are elastic. as before
stated. What is accepted IN one admin
istration is discountenanced in the next,
and old customs and traditions are con-
stantly giving way TO new ones. There
is nothing harder for the newly arrived
foreigner to become accustomed to than
these changes.
In England, by the men and women Of
her household. and all the members Of
the nobility. Queen Victoria was adj
dressed simply as Ma'am-not Madame.
but Maam, as Is the present Queen. The
middle and lower classes address the
Queen as Your Majesty The King is ad-
dressed as Sir by the aristocracy. but as
your Royal Highness by all other people.
ard so are all his royal brothers Here.
as there, a foreign prince is spoken TO as
Prince or Sir, but by the lower class as
Your Serene Highness The same form
follows with a princess. She is ad-
dressed as Princess by those in her own
circle. and Your Serene Highness by 9th
erS. A duke is called Duke by his peers,
or by his last name. such as Lancaster or
MontfOrd and Your Grace by his infe-
riOrs. a marquis is Lord A-his wife
Lady BY the class in which they be-
long; Marquis ard Marchioness by trades
or,fn nd of 4f,~
lower classes. This rule follows for 9th
ers of the nobility. Nothing is such bad
form. and It is frequently committed by
Americans who go abroad for the first
time and mingle in society over there. as
to interlard their conversation with titles.
1t sounds very ludicrous in a London
drawing where form Is so much
insisted upon and so closely observed. and
yet there is certain intimacy among the
members of the same set that allows
them much license. There is a certain
swing about this use Of titles that one
must learn.
No titles being recognized in America
those Of foreigners give no precedence
here. IT is only their official position that
counts; for instance. an Ambassador
ranks simply as an Ambassador. not as
a prince or duke or count. and this is
the same in all diplomatic grades. In
the precedence Of diplomatic agents. the
rules followed all over the world are those
annexed to the Vienna Congress treaty
of 1915, which it may be enlightening
since there is a constant question arising
about this class Of officials. to insert
here:
Article diplomatic agents are divided into three
classes-that Of ambassadors. legates or nnci0s
that Ct envoy ministers other persons accredited
70 soveregns that Of charges daffaires accredited
TO ministers for foreign affairs Legstes and nuncos
are not recognized by the American government
although the papal sends such representatives
here. and legation Is maintained for them They
have. however. no official status
Article II-AmbaSsadoTs. legates OF nuncios only
have the representative character
Article HI-Diplomatie agents on an extraordinary
mission hare not, on that account any superiority
Of rank
Article IV-Dipomatic agents shall take preoe-
denee In their respective classes according TO the
date Of the Official notification Of their arrival The
present regulations shaE not cause any innovation
with regard to the representative Of the Pope
Article VA uniform mode shall he determined
in each seal for thu reception Of diplomatic agents
Of each Class
Article VT-Relations Of consangIinity, OF Of
family alliance between courts confer no precedence
on their diplomatic agents. The same rule also aY,
plies to political alliances.
Article Vu-In acts treaties between several