New-York tribune., 1907-04-05

over the Judicial Committee Of the Prtvy Council
the ultimate court OF appeal OF the empire. in
supervising the lower Court of Appeal in taking
part in the deliberations OF the Cabinet, and IN
ehHmploning or opposing minister OF the Crown
measures before the House. he has more work than
Il is possible for one man to do. and that it
would be impossible under the circumstances fqF
himself or any other Lord High Chancellor 10 un-
dertake the duties OF presiding at the House OF
Lords in the capacity OF Speaker.
In the House OF Commons OF course. the Speaker.
elected By the whole of the members ifs executive
officer and president is supposed TO lay aside his
political leaniEgs from the moment that he takes
possession OF the chair, TO become absolutely I'M
partial. and TO take part whatsoever in the de-
bate excepting 70 determine points Of order and TO
maintain the latter. He Of course, Is not a min
lister Of the Crown.
RULES FOR PRESENTATION AT FOREIGN
COURTS.
American ENJOYS abroad are responsible not only
TO their own government but also 20 that OF the
country TO which they accredited for the people
whom they present at its court. It is a response
bility from which the diplomatic representatives OF
monarchical powers relatively exempt. In their
case the fact OF their compatrots having been pre-
viously presented at their court furnishes IN
measure an indication OF their eligibility to pres
entation at courts abroad and all that the envoy
has TO do is TO submit the names TO the officials OF
the court 10 which he is accredited leaving to them
20 decide whether they wish TO admit the appli-
CdnlS 10 presentation ana 10 aANSnuA11CS d SOUAt
festivities But where the American envoy is con-
cerned matters are different He has nothing 20
guide him. except his personal knowledge OF the
applicants for presentation. personal letters OF
strong recommendation from the President. the
Secretary OF State. other member OF the
Cabinet. He is under obligation whatsoever 70
present persons merely because they happen 20 be
American citizens many of them seem to be-
lieve, Both the administration at Washington and
the court and government of the country in which
he happens TO be stationed, depend exclusively
upon his discretion in such matters, and II he
makes any mistake. IL through his agency or
through that OF his wife any American man or
woman 20 whom objections may subsequently be
discovered secures the honor OF presentation. he
not only renders HIS position intolerable. but Is
likely TO be recalled failure. That is why Mrs
von Claussen. of New York. who has lodged with
the President a complaint against the American
Legation at Stockholm for refusing 90 present her
at the Court OF Sweden, has grounds for redress
She has admitted in the long interviews published
IN various newspapers here. that she had no Gre
dentials from the administration. and that she was
personally unknown TO the American envoy and his
wife They would have been tempting fate and
guilty OF the grossest kind of indscretiOn they
had presented her under the circumstances.
European courts regard Divorces with the utmost
disfavor. AT most of them they are barred. and #
Is only in very rare cases that exception is
made in their favor. Nov. Mrs Claussen, be-
sides bearing a distinctly German name in con-
junction with the German nobiliary prefix OF 'von,
New Yorker, and formerly married 20 New
Yorker she obtained a divorce in South Dakota on
grounds not recognized by the laws OF New York.
and that the strength Of this divorce. Of more
than questionable validity, she is about TO marry,
en- secondes noces. a Baron Lindberg. whom she
took with her 70 the American Legation at Stock
holm 10 champion her cause when the minister
and HIS wife declined to present her. The fact Of
the matter is that II Mrs. Graves the wife OF the
American Envoy. had presented Mrs. Won Claussen
at the court OF Stockholm. she would have in
volved both herself and her husband in very serious
trouble indeed.
Robert Bacon Assistant Secretary OF State, re-
plying to the letter Of complaint addressed by Mrs
Won Claussen TO the President, states in behalf OF
the administration that the question OF ceremonial
presentation OF American citizens at foreign courts
is entirely within the discretion OF the American
ENJOYS accredited thereto" I. would be we'll that
this should be widely knowa. for IL would spare
American diplomatic representatives abroad many
a rnauvais quart dheure with indignant compa-
triots who are under the mistaken impression that
the United States envoys abroad forced 10 pre-
sent every American citizen and cheyenne who
comes along. II perfect strangers to the mem
bers Of the mission.
IS pleasant TO be able 90 state that the mistakes
made by American diplomats in this respect have
been few and far between. Indeed. in the two in
stances Of the presentation at the Court Of ST.
Jamess OF American women being cancelled the
one publicly and the other privately II was found
that in each instance the presentations had been
made by English acquantances of the presentees
II was after this that the rule established that
no more presentations Of Americans should be
made except through the agency Of the American
Embassy. MARQUIsE DE FoNTENoT.