New-York tribune., 1908-03-23
EMBASSY BUILDINGS.
Mr.. Tozrer's Tiescs on Government
Purchases abroad.

Berlin March c2-Charlemagne Tower, American
Ambassador in Berlin, asked recently whether
IT was true that the government intended TO Dut
buildings for its embassies in the capltais oi
Europe. Mr. Tower replied that he knew nothins
officially yet although he understood that Con-
gress is considering the expediency OF buying
such houses at least in London. Paris and Berlin
In answer to question as to the Importance oi
such step. Mr.. Tower said:
Yes. need such buildings for our cipiornatic
missions in Europe and the fact that we need
them very badly is precisely the reason why we
should not be hasty In our decision. but shoulo
select with An embassy building that might
have seemed suitable and fully sGfhc1ent twenty
years ago would be absolutely incommensurate To-
day. because the United States plays very dii-
ferent part In the world compared with wnat II
did twenty years ago, and 1T is bound TO increase
in Importance and power in twenty more years to
come.
I'm my opinion, much foresight and pains
should be used IN situation and construction of
the building for the American Embassy in Lonoon'
Paris. or Berlin as great railway corporation
at home would bring bear If it were going 10
locate & new central station in Washington or
Chicago.
The question of expense is. of course, serious
one for after you have got your house you have
not finished you have, in fact, just begun Ihere
still remains be met the whole subject of the
maintenance and repairs to your property the
lighting and heating. the entertaining and the ex-
pense of living of your ambassador and MS ram
which things is to-day totally inadequate
in the United States service. 1t is not generally
known but 1t is fact, that with the salary OF the
present time the United States government is the
difficult government in the world for an am
bassador to serve properly. because with s7,5oo
year he is obliged to rent house, meet his per
sona and domestic expenses, and entertain ac-
cording to his official position in the country to
which he is accredited. This is impossible, and it
has LED the belief in America that except
a rich man accept the appointment to an en-
bassy. The idea is bad for the country; it is
totally un-American and entirely wrong in prin-
cple
1T is fact that many of the abIest and most
suitable that have in America not rich
From this point of view the question ought
to be considered very seriously at home
I'm treating the subject of the establishment and
entertaining of an ambassador abroad. 1t must be
remembered that this is not a question of sending
Mr.. So-and-so with his family to live in ease and
comfort for a term of years in Europe. ON the
contrary, the individual sent counts Tor compare
lively little by himself but the Ambassador OF the
United States of America is a person who repre-
the whole nation; he IS received as such and
treated such The national pride of every Arlerl-
can demands that he shall represent properly anu
live up his station. He is the recipient OF many
social courtesies and acts of politeness, which he
is Obliged of course, return in kind His COL
leagues the Ambas of Germany and Eng
land and France do these things in mansions Whlcl
belong TO their governments and with salaries
which are twice as large his, or even more
"One way to acquire the proper kind of house
in Berlin would to send over here two or three OF
the engineer officers of the United States army who
should be associated with the ambassador ac-
credited that time to this post and also Win Iie
military and naval attaches at the embassy thls
commission So constituted should make thorough
and careful examination into the question and upon
q report made by them the United States govern
ment should buy the property on which 1t lntends
TO establish its embassy TO Germany