Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-18
Harrison Criticises Our Repre-
Sentatives Abroad.
SOME GOOD, HOWEVER
Hill Incident Text for Some Wordy
Sermons.
LoNGW0RTH TALKS FOR BRYCE
An Alabaman Surprised That Am
bassador Doesn't Entertain
Everybody in Congress.

After the usual morning roll call the
House resumed consideration of the dip
lomatic and consular appropriation bill
In the course of a brief explanation of
the bill Mr.. Cousins, Iowa. chairman of
the committee on foreign affairs. referred
the inadequate provision for the care of
our consuls. American consuls. he de-
clared. were. in many instances. living
in out-of-the-way places in the cities to
which they were accredited not consist
ent with the government they represented.
The furniture in most of the buildings.
he said, was old and dilapidated. but"
he added. II do not admit that our serv-
Ice is inferior to any in the world
Harrison Criticises White.
Speaking to a pro forma amendment.
Mr.. Harrison, New York, condemned the
practice of appointing men of great
wealth to represent the United States
abroad. 1t did not necessarily follow, he
said, that because man was rich, he
would not make a good ambassador. and
he cited Rufus Choate and Whitelaw
Reid.
Referring to the Hill incident. Mr.. Har-
rison said that if lavish expenditures of
American money creates such an inor-
dinate appetite for American luxury
among minor officials of the Berlin court
as to bring humiliation upon the head Of
one of the most distinguished and capable
of American public servants. then it was
time to call halt and apply the remedy
which had been suggested of the govern
ment providing homes for its diplomats.
Foreign governments, he said. had crit
icised' the American representatives as
"shirt-sleeve diplomats. Shirt sleeves.
he declared. while not very attractive.
were a good costume to work in land a
good costume to fight in if need be- and
the almost unbroken line Of American
diplomatic successes was sufficient to JUS
tify the selection of the majority Of the
men sent abroad.
+ Mr.. Harrison. however. denounced the
growing tendency TO select dinner or
dietetic diplomats" One Of these, he said
was Ambassador White. at. Paris and he
criticised him for appearing, as had been
reported, at functions in court costume
and knickerbockers in violation of law ON
the subject.
Like the White Rabbit.
Discr ussing the secretaries abroad. Mr.
Harrison said that the first secretary at
London was a good example of the type
gentleman" Mr.. Harrison said. che re-
minds one irresistibly of the white rabbit
in Alice in Wonderland and as he scut-
ties through the London drawing rooms
one can almost picture him saying: OH!
the Duchess! The Duchess. Oh! my furs
and whiskers. 1 shall be late
The references to Ambassador White by
Mr.. Harrison were resented by Messrs.
Mccall. Massachusetts,: Hitchcock, Ne
bra ska; Bennett and Parsons, New York
and Cooper. Pennsylvania. each of whom
testified to the unfailing courtesy and at
tentiOn to duty of not only Ambassador
White. but his first secretary as we'll. Mr..
Hitchcock asserted that Mr.. White was
most democratic and plain in his habits.
and most representative of the American
spirit Of Diplomacy.
Mr.. Underwood. Alabama. opposed large
salaries in order that American diplomats
might maintain a social standard. but he
was in favor of salaries sufficiently large
to enable them to properly maintain the
dignity of their offices.
Does the gentleman believe" in
quired Mr.. Longworth. that Mr.. Bryce.
the present ambassador of Great Brit
ain to the United States, lives with any
undue ostentation!"
Mr.. Underwood protested that he had
no means of knowing. He had. he said.
met Mr. Bryce only twice. but it was
MS opinion tnat MI. Bryce mad not re-
ceived in his home 10 per cent Of the
members of Congress.
Whether or not Mr.. Bryce spent his
whole salary i'm entertaining. Mr.. Under
wood commended that his course in this
respect would not increase or diminish his
influence as ambassador either with the
President or his cabinet.
The last criticism on earth OF Mr..
Bryce interjected Mr.. Longworth. could
be that he is society dude"
Mr.. Underwood denied that he intended
to convey such an intimation.